Volantis, Essos
"You are back again," Marwyn asked, sipping wine from his cup.
"Yeah," Aryan said as he plopped into a nearby seat. He swiped the sweat from his forehead.
The port city of Volantis was hot and humid. They had been sweating since they had arrived. Even after the repeated use of cooling charms, it was tiring him.
"Any luck?" Marwyn asked.
"None," Aryan replied, frustrated. Since they had arrived in Volantis, Aryan had been scouring through the city to search for an opportunity to make sure Volantis did not oppose Lys as he had promised. So far, he had failed to do so. It was frustrating.
"You are in luck. I found a way," Marwyn said smugly.
Aryan turned at him, surprised. "You found a way! Really?"
"Yes. You sound surprised," Marwyn asked back.
"When did you find time? Since we arrived here, you had drowned in those books we found in Valyria," Aryan asked him as he poured himself a drink.
"I had my moments. So do you want to know the way?" Marwyn asked again.
"Please." he prompted.
"The answer is civil war," Marwyn said.
Aryan asked, "Explain."
"Do you see the sudden hustle and bustle along with the increased crowd in the city?" Marwyn asked, pointing to the crowded streets. Seeing Aryan's nod, Marwyn continued, "It is because of the elections."
"Okay. And how can we create civil war due to the elections?" Aryan asked.
"Patience, My Lord. Volantis is ruled by three triarchs, chosen annually through festive and tumultuous elections. While foreigners might see the elections as chaotic, they are usually peaceful. All freeborn who own land, regardless of gender, are allowed to vote. They are chosen from amongst the noble families who can prove unbroken descent from old Valyria. The triarchs of Volantis are considered so elevated that they are not allowed to have their feet touch the ground during their year of service. The Volantene feel that people of quality should not travel afoot, but instead by palanquin or on an elephant. Traveling afoot can taint a person in the eyes of both the native-born Volantene and the foreign captains in the city.
The triarchs belong to one of two political parties, the elephants and the tigers. The elephants are the party of the merchants and moneylenders advocating trade, while the tigers are old aristocracy and warriors interested in conquest.
After the Doom of Valyria, the Volantene considered themselves the heirs to the Freehold and rightful rulers of the world. Those in Volantis were divided on how to achieve conquest against the other Free Cities. Those of the Old Blood favored war, whilst the moneylenders and merchants favored trade. These two factions became known as the tigers and the elephants, respectively. The tigers held sway for almost a century, and Volantis called for war upon the other daughters, with the tigers leading the city into a great conflict with the other daughters. They were successful at first, taking control of Lys and Myr. When they tried to take Tyrosh, however, Pentos joined the Tyroshi, and Lys and Myr rebelled. The Sealord of Braavos provided ships to aid Lys, and Argilac Durrandon, Storm King who held Stormlands before the Baratheons, joined the conflict and led a host into the Disputed Lands. It was Argilac's host who defeated a Volantene host which had been attempting to retake Myr. Aegon Targaryen, Lord of Dragonstone, accepted an alliance with Pentos and Tyrosh against Volantis, flew to Lys, and set ablaze a Volantene fleet preparing to invade the city. Volantis was further defeated at Dagger Lake, where galleys from Qohor and Norvos destroyed much of the Volantene fleet which had been on the Rhoyne. Even Dothraki entered the conflict, falling upon the weakened Volantis.
In the end, the Volantene faction favoring peace, the elephants, took power from the tigers, and the fighting was at an end. Since then, at no time has more than one tiger been named triarch."
"So how does this help us?" Aryan asked, totally uninterested in the past of Volantis.
Marwyn said, "The last triarchs were the tiger Malaquo Maegyr and the elephants Doniphos Paenymion and Nyessos Vhassar. They are also the ones who are in the elections this time, also along with another tiger, Niquo Lhassis. Now, the tigers are very volatile people. You light a fuse, and they will explode. So simply kill those tigers. And then Volantis would fall into chaos, which will take at least a few years to recover from."
"Why you wasted your life becoming just a Maester, I don't know. With such a scheming mind, you could have easily become one of the players of the Game of Thrones," Aryan asked, impressed by his idea.
"I found pursuit of knowledge and magics more suited to my tastes. Life is more secure that way," Marwyn said, smiling. "But there is another problem. All the nobles live inside the Black Walls of eastern Volantis, to which we cannot get access. Only those of the Old Blood can invite slaves, freedmen, or foreigners to enter."
"You forget, Marwyn, I am a wizard," Aryan told him with a smile.
"Also, Marwyn, remind me to write a letter. Then send it to the Iron Bank, instructing them to give that letter to Wyman. We have little over one month to finish our trip. I don't want to visit other places in a hurry. I will tell Wyman that I am staying for one more month," Aryan said as he closed his eyes for a nap.
Night had fallen across the city as he walked through the streets of Volantis. The smell of sweat and elephant dung, along with many perfumes, greeted him. The people here and there were mostly slaves with tattoos on their faces signifying their profession. Soon, he reached the so-called Black Walls of Volantis, beyond which lived the noble elites of Volantis. He felt the weak remains of ancient magics imbued among the fused black stones that used to alert the Valyrians of incoming hostiles. But since no more Valyrian mages were alive and the magics were so weak, this was just a small hurdle for him.
He had spent the day trying to learn about Malaquo Maegyr and Niquo Lhassis. Both were very aggressive men who were bred to fight and kill. Even now, they had made plans to defeat the elephants so that they could attack Lys, which the elephants were not eager to support immediately. That said, the elephants were also not so innocent. They had their own plans about harming the economy of Lys. He even came to know about a few plans to assassinations. All these prompted him to accelerate his plans. So he cast a disillusionment charm on himself. The familiar feeling of something cold poured over his head, and soon he was invisible to others. And then he stepped inside the Black Walls, totally oblivious to the guards.
The flames of the large pyre were lighting their faces, and the whole crowd was assembled to offer their prayers. The temple of R'hllor in Volantis, even larger than the Sept of Baelor, built of red sandstone, stood at the background, reflecting the light. Kinvara was conducting the prayers today, as Bennero, the High Priest of R'hllor of Volantis, looked on. Kinvara was one of the very few among the priests of R'hllor who were truly blessed by the Lord of Light, as she was able to perform some magics, something which the High Priest Bennero lacked. The Fiery Hand, the slave soldiers wearing ornate armor over their orange robes, and wielding spears with points shaped as writhing flames and flamed tattoos on their cheeks, stood at the very back.
"Lead us from the darkness, O my Lord. Fill our hearts with fire, so we may walk your shining path... R'hllor, you are the light in our eyes, the fire in our hearts, the heat in our loins. Yours is the sun that warms our days, yours the stars that guard us in the dark of night," Kinvara prayed loudly.
The other worshipers and followers chanted, "Lord of Light, defend us. The night is dark and full of terrors. Lord of Light, protect us."
She was about to continue when suddenly she felt a faint tug in her own magic. She stopped, surprised at that experience. Never had she felt that, and she did not know what to make of it. She looked here and there, trying to find the reason but had to continue the ceremony as she saw Bennero staring at her. She continued, embarrassed, "R'hllor, who gave us breath, we thank you. R'hllor, who gave us day, we thank you. For the night is dark and full of terrors."
The others chanted, "We thank you for the sun that warms us. We thank you for the stars that watch us. We thank you for our hearths and for our torches, that keep the savage dark at bay. For the night is dark and full of terrors."
As soon as they finished, fire exploded in mansions in front of them, and terror of the night began. Soon, chaos began, and people started to run haphazardly in panic. She heard Bennero and others trying to calm the people, but their efforts were futile. She had spent countless hours staring at the flames searching for visions from her Lord as well as to pray to her Lord of Light. She considered herself to be proficient in analyzing flames. But these flames before her, which were blazing across the buildings and razing down everything in its path, were emanating a magic of its own. She tried to get a feel of those flames but shuddered at the taint coming from it. She saw dragons, snakes, and many creatures she had never seen before in those flames.
"R'hllor, give me strength. Show me the way. You are the Lord of Light and Fire. But what is this, R'hllor?" She prayed ardently. She suddenly had a vision of a black-haired man with violet eyes walking through the mansion as fire spread across from his hands. The vision changed, and suddenly the same man was facing an army of ice demons in a cold wasteland. The man summoned a fire into his hands and pointed it towards the demons.
And just like that, the vision ended. "Azor Ahai," she shouted.
At the same time, thousands of miles away, another red priestess woke from her trance, shouting, "Azor Ahai. I have seen him. Thank you, R'hllor. But then who was in my previous visions."
By that time, the fire died down. But the damage was done. Several mansions were burnt down. Kinvara immediately ran to Bennero. She recited what she saw to him. Bennero listened patiently and asked her some pointed questions to which she answered. He started to mull over what he said.
Bennero said, "Our Lord has shown us a path. Our duty is to aid Azor Ahai to defeat the incoming darkness."
"But why must he do this? Why did he set fire to these houses here?" Kinvara asked.
Even though an ardent follower of R'hllor, Bennero was a pragmatic man, which was the reason he was the High Priest of Volantis. His own men had told him that the fire razed the tigers' residence. Bennero had hated the tigers. They considered everyone else other than them beneath them. Whispers of a coup planned by the tigers had reached his ears. For the past few weeks, there had been huge tension throughout Volantis. Now that the fuse had been lit, everything was going to explode soon. At the same time, he also believed Kinvara. He had traveled long and far and had met only a few who were truly and utterly devoted to R'hllor. Kinvara was one of them. What he did not tell her was that he also had a similar vision several years ago. At that time, he did not see much significance in it. But now, with Kinvara also receiving the same vision, perhaps something must be done.
He told Kinvara, "It is not for us to question the ways of Azor Ahai. He has a purpose in every action. It is our duty to aid him in his quest."
Kinvara nodded fervently. Bennero then called the captain of the Fiery Hand and asked him, "I assume the tigers have been burnt down?"
"Many of them," the captain confirmed.
Shaking his head, Bennero told him, "Then I am sure that Volantis will be plunged into chaos. The tigers will no doubt seek retaliation and most definitely it will be directed at the elephants. And soon, civil war will break out in Volantis. Nobody will dare to attack the temple, R'hllor will protect us. The Fiery Hand must stand outside. Anybody who seeks asylum in R'hllor's abode must be given shelter. Nobody must be able to harm them. Make sure of that."
"It will be done," the captain bowed and went away to make his men ready.
Turning to Kinvara, Bennero said, "You must seek Azor Ahai immediately and personally aid him in his quest. From today, that will be your duty. Offer your mind, body, and soul to him."
Bowing deeply, Kinvara nodded. "The night is dark and full of terrors. Let the Lord of Light protect us."
"Be safe. Find him soon. Chaos is going to erupt in Volantis soon. The night is dark and full of terrors. Let the Lord of Light protect us." Bennero blessed her.
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Aryan and Marwyn were walking through the streets of Volantis under a notice-me-not charm. True to Marwyn's word, a civil war had broken out throughout Volantis. Blood soaked the walls and roads. Occasional violence could be seen.
"Most of the dead are actually slaves. You will not see the nobles actually dirtying their hands here," Marwyn said. "Now with our work done here, we could go to Qarth."
"Yes, and also pay the Sorrowful Men a visit," Aryan said.
Suddenly, Marwyn asked, "There is a Red Priestess coming towards us. I think she can see us."
"I don't think so. We are under a notice-me-not charm," Aryan dismissed.
But the priestess did indeed come in front of him and bowed. "Azor Ahai, the Lord of Light's chosen. It is an honor to serve you."
"How did you find us?" Aryan asked, stunned that somebody was able to see through his magic. From now I am not going to underestimate anyone who knows magic here.
"The Lord of Light gave me vision. You were fighting the Ice Demons," she said.
"Who are you, woman?" Marwyn asked.
"This one is Kinvara, a servant of Lord of Light. I am here to offer my mind, body, and soul to Azor Ahai," she said with a smile.
Aryan said "Follow me, Kinvara." She obediently followed them without any protests. They reached the inn where they were staying. They entered their room and closed the door.
Aryan raised the privacy wards and turned his attention to Kinvara. "Tell me about yourself"
Qarth, Essos
Qarth, surrounded by three thick walls of thirty, forty, and fifty feet in height, respectively engraved with portraits of animals, war, and lovemaking, looked stunning and imposing at the same time.
"Is there a particular reason we are here, Azor Azai?" Kinvara asked. After extensive questioning, as well as using of Legilimency by Aryan, they had allowed her to tag along. Besides, she had extensive knowledge of Essos.
"I have a small score to settle here," Aryan murmured. "And call me Lord Stark. Calling me Azor Ahai in westros will create a problem for me, which I don't want to deal with."
"As you wish. Perhaps if you tell me what you are looking for, I could help," Kinvara said.
At Aryan's nod, Marwyn told her about the assassination attempts made by the Sorrowful Men. Kinvara listened carefully.
Then she said, "I have a contact here. Perhaps she can help us."
"I was hoping nobody knows of my presence here," Aryan said.
"Qaithe is quite trustworthy," Kinvara said.
With a raised eyebrow, Marwyn asked, "Who exactly is Qaithe? Is she a Red Priestess like you?"
"Not exactly." She disagreed. "Qaithe is a Shadowbinder."
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"If it was someone else, then I would have called them foolish and arrogant. But when you say it I don't doubt it, you can accomplish it. You are dangerous and powerful enough to take down the Sorrowful Men," an ornately masked woman, whom Kinvara had introduced to as Qaithe, spoke.
"It's not like I have any other choice. I don't want to spend the rest of my life in paranoia," Aryan said. "So can you help us or not?"
"Oh, I will. I can feel your powerful magic. It is unlike anything I have ever felt. Some of the Sorcerers of Asshai had already felt your presence when you were born. I was one among them. To get a better knowledge of you, I agreed to meet you. Your presence here has already changed the future. But the corrupted magic of the Warlocks of Qarth in the House of Undying prevented me from observing you before now. But I will only lead you to Sorrowful Men and then come back." Qaithe said.
"That will be enough." Aryan spoke.
"But I will give you a warning. If you are going against the Sorrowful Men, that means you are going to face the Warlocks," Qaithe said. "The Assassin's guild is just near the House of Undying. A lone Sandstone tower."
"Thanks for the warning. I will keep my guard up. I will go alone. Marwyn, stay here," Aryan ordered.
"I will accompany you, My Lord. I had vowed to assist you in your quest," Kinvara said.
Seeing Aryan about to disagree, Marwyn added, "I suggest you agree with her. She can help you after you have dealt with the Sorrowful Men. Also take this and drink immediately after dealing with those assassins." And Marwyn gave Aryan the potion.
Aryan sighed and told Qaithe, "Lead the way."
Qaithe bowed and started to walk, with Aryan behind her and Kinvara dutifully following. They walked the streets filled with people. As they continued to walk, the crowd started to decrease. Soon the streets were deserted.
"These streets were the parts of ancient Qarth. Nobody lives here anymore due to the fear of the Warlocks," Qaithe explained.
Soon, they came out of the streets, and Qaithe said, "We are here. This is where we part our ways. I am going back now."
The House of Undying was a grey and ancient ruin. A long and low building without towers or windows, whose roof was made of black tiles, many of which had fallen or broken, coiling like a stone serpent through a grove of black-barked trees. In front of the House of Undying was a single lone Sandstone tower.
"I will go to deal with the assassins, and Kinvara don't lower your guard." Aryan said firmly. Then he entered the tower.
In the end, the annihilation of the Sorrowful Men, the famed Assassin's guild of Qarth was not that difficult. Oh, they attacked him, but unlike previous times, he was prepared. They all fell. The Sorrowful Men didn't keep records. The orders were passed mouth to mouth. And since no new assassin was sent his way, Aryan was sure that there would be no more attacks from the Sorrowful Men. Unfortunately, all he got from their interrogation was that the contract to kill him came from King's Landing.
As soon as he stepped outside, Kinvara came running to him. "My Lord, are you all right?"
Aryan told her, "I am fine. It is done. It looks like I will have to say 'Thank you' to Qaithe."
"Thank you for coming here." he heard another simpering voice.
They quickly turned around. What he saw repulsed him. Pale and bald men with blue lips wearing robes greeted him.
"Warlocks from the House of Undying," Kinvara spat.
Aryan saw one of the Warlocks flinging something at Kinvara. He immediately fired a weak banisher, just strong enough to push her out of the way. "Stay on guard, Kinvara" he said. But that was enough time for other warlocks.
Aryan was engulfed in darkness. Startled by the sudden move, he looked around.
And then he heard a word he had long forgotten, "FREAK."
Before him was a vision of his aunt Petunia scolding him. He walked forward, ignoring the memory. His path forward was littered with many such memories of his old life. He kept moving forward, shaking his head.
"Harry." "Son." He heard a feminine voice. He looked ahead, astonished to see Lily and James Potter standing in front of him.
"Mom. Dad." He said as he went towards them.
Smiling radiantly, Lily said, "Come to us, Harry. We have been waiting for a long time." James gave him an encouraging smile.
As he walked to them, another male's voice called to him, "Aryan, you have grown up."
Aryan turned behind and saw Brandon Stark looking at him.
"Father," he whispered.
Slowly, the two memories started to combine, and he saw his previous life's parent and this life's father. And all of them started to speak at the same time.
"We are always proud of you. In this life or the previous life, you have excelled against all odds. You have a task to complete. The task given to you by Death. These cheap tricks from these weaklings, they are nothing in front of you. Shake yourself out of it."
Aryan nodded with tears in his eyes. Slowly they started to disappear.
Only Brandon Stark remained. "I did not have the chance to meet you, Aryan. I have been looking over you, and know that I am proud of you. Look after the pack, will you?" Soon, he started to fade, but his voice echoed.
He released the breath he was holding and cursed himself. He closed his eyes, calmed his mind, and raised his Occlumency shields. And then he opened his eyes.
Gone was the blackness. He was standing in the ruins of the House of Undying. The Sandstone Tower of the Sorrowful Men could be seen at some distance.
In front of him, he could see the leader of the Warlocks chanting something.
"You should not have done that," he growled.
The Warlock opened his eyes. "How?"
"Let me show you how real magic works." He had discreetly cast a Homenum Revelio to ascertain the number of Warlocks. After finding them and fixing their locations, he smiled at them. "Rest In Pieces. Bombarda."
And just like that, one warlock exploded in gore before he could even utter a sound.
By then, the other Warlocks started to cast their magics towards him. From the missed spells, he found that they were low-powered cutting curses. But what he realized was that while the casting time was long, unlike his, the spells from the Warlocks were invisible. Only his instincts and experience helped. Some of the spells missed him by inches.
"You will never leave the House of Undying. We will kill you and regain our lost glory," he heard one of them saying.
"We will see about that." Then, casting a Disillusionment Charm as well as silencing his sounds, he started to walk. He approached each Warlock and killed them. He used dark arts here. Bone-breaking, blood-boiling, lung-rupturing, heart-stopping, etc. He remained until life left each of their eyes and then went towards his next prey. In an hour, all of them were dead.
"Now for finishing touches." He pointed his wand and cast, "Ignis Infernum."
And the Fiendfyre started its work. He then walked outside, completely exhausted, thankfully Kinvara caught him before he could have fell to the ground. Then he saw there were bodies laying down there. It looks like, she can take care of herself. From there Kinvara helped him, and took him to the inn, in which they were staying.
He fell in a deep sleep as soon as he hit the bed.
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Next day Aryan learned from Marwyn, Kinvara and Qaithe that the House of Undying was completely burned down, and soon the flames started to pick up the Sandstone Tower of the Sorrowful Men. The fire didn't spread after that, then a wind started to blow, and the ashes began to disperse away. They spent two more days in the city and after that, they left for Yi-Ti.