Chapter Text
In the olden days, the land of Westeros was a melting pot of magic and myths. The Gods had blessed the people of the Seven Kingdoms with The Gift . By praying to Gods and performing certain rituals, they could earn some sort of Gift .It evolved in different ways. Some could talk with animals, some could heal wounds with a single touch and some could predict future. Even a few elements of nature such as herbs, trees and animals were ingrained in magic. Though the Gift was seen as a blessing it was a temptation to many.
A group of these humans used these Gifts for wreaking havoc in the society. They used the Gift for satisfying their selfish needs. They were called as Black priests. Soon however, efforts were made to capture them and a lot of these groups were buried alive. It seemed as if a war waged between the Black Priests and the Seven Kingdoms. However when the last known group was captured, they bewitched the entire land. This group had already known that their days were numbered. So they took their last days to perform a ritual which would make people forget about magic and would also allow the souls of their fallen brothers and sisters to torment these people. As expected the kings terminated all known groups of Black Priests.
As years passed by, the knowledge of magic faded to the extent that they were becoming “rare”. Wherever magic lost its significance ghosts of the Black priests would make their presence.
Terror spread across. People seldom went alone in the nights as they did not want to be dead bodies. It often affected the trade and life of the societies. The kingdoms would sleep as soon as the moon rises up in the sky. If you ever get late to reach your home you won’t see another day in your life. No one dares to open their door at night. This was because of the instances of the deaths of those who did. You might hear a knocking on the door and it might be of your loved one. But when you open the door it might be a Black Priest or to be precise the ghost of a Black priest. These ghosts even had the power to possess people and animals.
The seven kings formed a council and they wanted to mitigate the problem. A group of warriors who called themselves the Hunters were entrusted with the responsibility of finding a solution to the elimination of ghosts. They were offered gold and other valuable items in exchange for a solution. The Hunters thus began to search for solution. They travelled across lands hoping for some clue. Years passed by. They knew that the ghosts were stronger at night but weaker at day . Finally they found a solution. A specific potion which they named as Ghostbane was effective. They doused their knifes and other weapons in Ghostbane and were able to kill these ghosts. Thus the Hunters grew up to be a respectable position across the Seven Kingdoms.
To be a part of the Hunters group, was considered by many as an honor. However they didn't look like usual guards or knights. They mostly wore fitting breeches, normal shirt and a coat. Even the women Hunters did. They travelled across the continent torching ghosts and tackling other mythical creatures that harmed the land. Though women were recruited, it was less in number ofcourse. A few were even considered legends.
Arya Stark was a famed Hunter. Many historians attribute this to her young age. She started training since she was 8, her first kill was when she was 12. Having a Hunter couple as parents certainly helped. She looked small but she was a vile little thing. Her agility and quick wit made her a dangerous enemy. Most never dared to look her in the eyes, they say. Was that made up? No idea. Anyways, this story is all about Arya's journey.
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"That went well..." chuckled Gordon after they disposed the body of a werewolf.
"If losing a chunk of your leg seems well to you, then it certainly did" Arya spoke.
"Anyways since we have had three consecutive kills and Gordon here being out of commission, I say, lets go for a holiday! " exclaimed Gendry.
"For how long?!" Asked Jaqen.
"Atleast a week!"
The group of four bickered as they made their way to the Riverlands.