Chapter 52: Chapter 52: Weirwood Paste
Wright lounged in his ice chair, one leg crossed over the other, while several Children of the Forest gathered nearby. Some stood, others sat atop gnarled tree roots, listening intently to the conversation.
"Jojen Reed is still young," Wright began. "He should stay at the magic Schooo for now. When you need him for the Three Eyed Raven's succession, he'll be of age and trained in magic. Have a raven inform me or Renly, and we'll lend him to you to assist with the succession. But you must guarantee his safe return afterward. Now, can you take another look at Bran's future?"
The Three Eyed Raven's eyes turned white as he fell silent, diving once more into the altered threads of fate.
One particularly curious Child of the Forest approached Wright and timidly reached out to touch the hem of his robe. Wright smiled warmly and patted the twig-like branches on her head.
"Your dense magic intrigues the Children of the Forest," Leaf translated, the only one among them who spoke the Common Tongue. The others could only communicate through her.
Seeing Wright unbothered, the other Children of the Forest gathered around him, examining and occasionally brushing against him with wonder.
The Three Eyed Raven opened his eyes and nodded. "So be it." It seemed the arrangement favored them.
At that moment, Leaf handed a bowl of porridge to Wright.
"This is a paste made from weirwood seeds. Drinking it can awaken magical talents. We're curious to see what yours might be. If your talents are already awakened, then it'll simply fill your stomach."
In the original story, Bran Stark had awakened as a Three Eyed Raven after drinking this paste. But Wright, whose abilities stemmed from the broken system of another world, was just an ordinary person in his original reality. What talent might he awaken here? Academic prowess? Clairvoyance? Supersonic hearing?
Wright hesitated, turning to look at the Three Eyed Raven. "Is this guy trying to poison me?"
"Don't look at me. This is the Children of the Forest's idea," the Three Eyed Raven said, clearly as curious as everyone else.
The group of Children, who resembled human girls, stared at Wright with wide, inquisitive eyes.
"If it's poisonous, worst case, I'll just purge my stomach and get rid of it. It's only a bowl of paste, after all." Gritting his teeth, Wright decided to go for it. He gulped it down in a few quick swallows. The taste wasn't bad.
Barely a minute passed before Wright felt his internal magic circulating faster. A surge of unfamiliar energy rose from his stomach to his mind, and a torrent of knowledge flooded his consciousness from the broken system.
Wright stood abruptly and shouted three words:
"Mul~~Qah~~~Diiv~~~!"
The words weren't loud, but their resonance was piercing, reverberating throughout the cavern. They echoed through stone walls, winding tunnels, and even reached the Children of the Forest outside, who turned their gazes toward the cave entrance.
As the third word ended, a cascade of white, blue, and yellow light burst from Wright's mouth, scattering around him before converging back into his body.
The tri-colored glow swirled around Wright, forming a protective membrane over his entire body. On his upper body, particularly his shoulders, chest, and arms, the glow solidified into an almost armor-like structure, adorned with sharp protrusions. His head was encased in a simple helmet, complete with two upward-curving dragon horns.
Wright inspected himself with excitement, moving his arms, stretching his legs, and feeling the horns atop his head.
This was the Dragon aspect, one of the signature skill of the Dragonborn in the game, created by Miraak, the first Dragonborn. Its effects included greatly enhanced defense, attack power, and reduced magical consumption for dragon shouts.
In this world, dragon shouts consumed magicka rather than being limited by cooldowns.
Checking his system interface, Wright noted that he hadn't consumed any dragon souls and still had four remaining. Drinking the weirwood paste had essentially gifted him a fully mastered dragon shout and its accompanying draconic knowledge.
The Children of the Forest backed away in fear at his current form, their small faces betraying their unease.
"You now stand here like a great dragon," the Three Eyed Raven explained. "They are overwhelmed by your presence."
Using his newfound knowledge, Wright deactivated the Dragon Soul awakening. The tri-colored glow quickly receded into his body, and his appearance returned to normal.
"Thank you, Leaf. In return, I've brought a gift for you," Wright said, pulling a book from his satchel and handing it to her. Among the group, only the Three Eyed Raven and Leaf were literate, and the Three Eyed Raven was immobile, making Leaf the only suitable recipient. While the Three Eyed Raven didn't need the book—he could glimpse its contents through the future—it was a valuable resource for the Children of the Forest.
Leaf accepted the book and read its title aloud. "The Essence of Magic: From Beginner to Mastery?"
"I wrote it as a guide to understanding magic. We each walk different paths in exploring magical power, and I hope this will be helpful to you." Turning to the Three Eyed Raven, Wright added, "Be sure this book never falls into the Night King's hands."
Leaf eagerly flipped through the first few pages and was elated. The book provided systematic magical knowledge, something the Children of the Forest had always lacked. Their understanding of magic was based solely on oral tradition.
The Three Eyed Raven, who had already read the book's contents through his visions, instructed, "Leaf, fetch my sword and present it to Wright."
Nodding, Leaf clutched the book and ran toward the depths of the cave. Before long, she returned carrying a sword and handed it to Wright.
The weapon was forged from Valyrian steel, its slender, gray-black blade paired with a golden, wave-shaped guard set with a ruby. At the hilt's base, a metal flame motif completed its design.
"This is Dark Sister?" Wright asked as he examined it. Using his enchantment and smithing abilities, he confirmed its exceptional craftsmanship — the best he'd encountered so far. He had speculated that the Three Eyed Raven might gift him such a weapon but was prepared for the possibility of disappointment.
Although he was proficient in forging and enchanting Valyrian steel weapons himself, receiving such a high-quality blade was still a welcome boon. Despite his preference for using ice as a weapon, a Valyrian steel sword was undeniably valuable.
"My life is nearing its end, and the next Three Eyed Raven will not need it," the Three Eyed Raven explained. "For the Children of the Forest, this blade is far too long —
they are accustomed to using dragonglass daggers. A weapon is only as useful as its wielder. Following this sword's future, I see a gap when it is in your hands — a time I cannot perceive. But afterward, I see it shine brilliantly in the hands of others."
"Thank you! No one should be able to snatch it from me, so I will give it to someone else in the future," Wright said.
He did not ask any more questions, aware of the Three Eyed Raven's cryptic tendencies. He swung the blade a couple of times. Its length suited it as a single-handed sword, but it was too thin and light for his preferences.
"It must be that I'll have a better weapon in the future, so I'll pass this one on. But for now, as I head to Essos, I'll bring it along — I happen to need a weapon that can withstand magic."
Wright adjusted his posture and continued:
"As for our final agreement, Renly and I will formally recognize in the Small Council that the Three Eyed Raven lineage will remain independent of the kingdom's magical management system. You will also be granted the right to travel freely across Westeros. However, we must work together to drive the followers of R'hllor out of Westeros entirely.
In contrast, Skinchangers and the Children of the Forest will need to be officially integrated into the kingdom's magical system. They'll have the opportunity to study magic at the Magic School, though they can choose whether or not to attend.
As for the Old Gods and the Faith of the Seven, people are free to worship whichever they choose. The Magic School will not interfere with their beliefs. Leaf, you should come with me to the Magic School this time as well."
While the Magic School was nominally part of the kingdom's structure, in practice it was funded by Storm's End and run by Wright and Renly. The students trained there would ultimately serve the Baratheons rather than the kingdom itself. Wright had no intention of allowing these future mages to be co-opted by anyone else.
Leaf looked a bit lost. She had previously left the human world in frustration, returning to the North. However, the allure of the Magic School gave her pause, and she glanced toward the Three Eyed Raven for guidance.
"Go, Leaf. Your fate, too, will be rewritten," the Three Eyed Raven said. His approval was a clear sign of agreement. Having glimpsed the trajectory of magical development, he understood that the Old Gods and their associated magic would inevitably be rendered obsolete without keeping pace with Wright's vision. However, the Three Eyed Raven lineage must remain free of anyone's control.
"I'll send Leaf and Jojen Reed to you. Together, they can help you establish the Three Eyed Raven's legacy."
Wright nodded. "One last question: do you know where the Horn of Winter is — the one that's said to destroy the Wall with a single blow?"
The Three Eyed Raven frowned slightly. "That is merely an ancient war horn of the giants. The claim that it can destroy the Wall is nothing more than Mance Rayder's fabrication to unify the Free Folk. If such an artifact truly existed, the Wall wouldn't have stood for eight thousand years — it would've fallen long ago."
"Fair enough. If it were real, they wouldn't have waited this long to use it. Alright, I suppose that wraps up our discussion."
Wright and Leaf prepared to depart for Castle Black. The book Wright had given them was left beside the Three Eyed Raven for safekeeping. Before leaving, Wright shamelessly asked for another bowl of weirwood seed paste. After drinking it, nothing happened except for a loud burp, much to his amusement.
---
If you can, support me on pa treon:
Pa treon. com/ RightTranslations (No spaces)
Up to 50 chapters ahead on the four novels i am translating.