The rest of the day passed in a blur of routine. Cregan did his assigned chores—hauling water, mucking out the stables, chopping firewood—but his mind never left the simulation.
The woman's request still echoed in his thoughts. Access to the crypts. Why? What could the Boltons or their strange companion want with the dead Starks?
That night, sleep came slowly. The cold was biting, but it wasn't the weather that kept him awake—it was the weight of secrets. The runes. The whisper. The flayed man riding toward the bones of kings.
Just before dawn, the now-familiar golden glow bloomed in his vision.
[Simulation Available]
Begin simulation? [Yes] [No]
"Yes."
Choose a Simulation:
Explore the lower crypt levels beyond the sealed archway.
Attempt to communicate with the presence you felt during the rune simulation.
Train swordplay with simulated Bolton soldiers.
He hesitated, then chose the second.
[Simulation Running...]
You sit cross-legged beneath the heart tree in Winterfell's godswood. Snow drifts gently around you. The weirwood's red eyes watch silently.
You place your hands on the stone rune etched on the parchment you copied. You focus—breathe—remember.
A pulse responds.
Not loud. Not violent. But ancient. Like the thrum of blood in old bones. It pulls you downward—through root, rock, and memory.
You see flashes:
A direwolf with burning eyes pacing in a storm. A man in furs chanting over a frozen body. A blade buried beneath ice.
The presence returns. Not a voice. A pressure. It recognizes you now.
A question forms—not in words, but meaning.
Are you of the blood?
You try to answer. Your mouth doesn't move, but something inside you responds.
Half-blood. Willing.
A pause. Then:
Learn, then. But beware. Blood remembers.
A rush of energy flows through you. Memories not yours flicker and fade—just hints. But one thing remains.
[Simulation Complete]
Knowledge Gained:
Connection to the Ancient Northern Memory Web (Dormant)
Fragmented Vision: Ice-bound Sword, Unknown Ritual
Trait Gained:
Warg Potential (Latent) – You may, with practice or future simulations, glimpse through the eyes of animals.
Warning: Your presence was marked. A stronger entity has taken notice.
Accept this outcome? [Accept] [Reject]
He hesitated.
But the path was forward, always forward.
"Accept."
The wind howled as he awoke. His breath misted in the air. Outside, Winterfell stirred to life.
He looked down at his hand. For a moment, the shadow of a direwolf paw overlapped his fingers.
Then it was gone.
And Cregan Snow rose, alone—but not untouched.