Hello to all my lovely readers, I'm so sorry for the delay. I have no excuses except for a slight emotional low, but I think what I have planned next will give me the necessary enthusiasm to not delay too much. I hope... well, now I don't know, maybe I should just say nothing, I'm cursing myself.
Anyway then, enjoy the chapter, and as the title says, action is coming, and maybe some revelations.
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Dothraki Sea.
Augusta POV
The sounds echoed throughout the tent, now much larger: children playing games they had been taught, alongside Arsi lying on a blanket, laughing happily, like any child, which warmed my heart. And, as we were in a meeting, there were conversations in different languages and reports… so many reports.
Although it was much more pleasant to hear them now than it had been back in Septimont, in the senate chambers, delivered by pompous and avaricious nobles.
"Between Dothraki and freedmen, the total has reached approximately forty-two thousand, Your Excellency." A large number, although only twenty-eight thousand, could carry a weapon, but such numerous people was causing increasing problems.
Among them were those who disobeyed my orders, whom I had to make an example of; the resentful and stubborn, whom I could subject to "intensive" training and instill some discipline in; but there was one more important issue at the moment…
"…food?", The issue was simple logic. I was responsible for ensuring everyone was well-fed, everyone, and that wasn't sustainable living as nomads.
"So far, so good. Every day there are hunting and gathering parties, along with trips in the griffexs to the nearest rivers. The nets, combined with the strength of the griffexs, allow us to bring in almost two hundred kilos daily. This has generated a surplus that we have begun to dehydrate. Although salt is a scarce commodity, the stash we found in the ruins has been more than substantial, even if we have had to go there too many times. But salt will still be scarce in the future; we know it is very expensive to make it here."
'Well, at least the people are fed for the moment. Now all that remains is…that.' Among the points discussed during the meeting, the topic of what we would do next came up again, where I planned to take them, something we had talked about before. However, with the assimilation of the rest of the Khalasar of Karo, we had to take some time so that changes and bonds could be generated, so that cooperation would not crumble at the most important moments. We had to be united for what was to come.
"… Thank you, Claudius," the old man nodded in understanding and proceeded to sit down.
'…it's time…'
"… I think it's time we moved…" Everyone stopped what they were doing the moment the words left my mouth, falling silent.
I saw it in their faces: the fighters stood up straighter, the calm ones pondered how best to handle the situation, and the apprehension of the people who just wanted a normal life and to get as far away as possible from the violence they had experienced until now.
I felt for them, but the reality of this world had already sunk its teeth into me and called me to action.
"… We have spent weeks, just like the first time, giving the newcomers time to adjust to our new way of life…but it's time to act…" I looked at them all, receiving nods of approval from my gladiators, freedmen, and the Dothraki who had earned a place at my side as leaders, some even paying with their own blood…
'… Vaqalo…', his loyalty had cost him the life of one brother and the hatred of another, and it wasn't the only similar case; families had been torn apart after the battle.
'…and some others were reunited', there they were, on the yitish side, beside their centurion, doting on his little sister, a lively young man who shouldn't have been in battle, but who went anyway, just to save her.
Two sides of the same coin.
"But I also gave my word… that every person who has been taken from their land could return to it, when possible." Now some of the freedmen looked at me with hope.
"…for that to become a reality, we need to reach port… and the closest ones… belong to those who would prefer to see us in chains, to see us subjugated to them, to see us playthings for their sick pleasure…" My gaze wandered again over the faces present, and in them, I found only seriousness; they knew what had to be done.
"I refuse!" My voice echoed throughout the tent, even silencing the din from outside. "I refuse to even give them the satisfaction of trying!"
"Our action is clear!"
"This is the first step toward securing the end of slavery and our place in the world!" Sounds of affirmation resounded throughout the tent, from the wrestlers to those who simply wanted to go home, all united under my command.
"We will make all the slaves aware of our existence and our battle! That there are people who will fight for them! That they will no longer have to fear the whip or punishment! That they were born free to live their own lives!" The voices grew louder, drawing attention from outside, and soon the news spread throughout the khalazar.
"Prepare yourselves! Sharpen your swords, spears, and arrows! The slavers will weep when Meereen is brought to its knees before us and remade in our image!".
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Asshai by the Shadows
Melisandre POV
The atmosphere in the city had been changing since that night…when forces beyond our understanding had transformed one of our own before our very eyes.
Without warning, without any indication…just a man transformed, twisted into an inhuman monster.
And the revelation that only special, rare weapons could harm it.
My fist clenched in helplessness, and all I could do was bitterly watch as the only thing done after that event was to post a few more guards on the great walls and close the gates leading towards Stygai.
'Fools and blind, that's what they are, not to mention incompetent!' I understood—yes, I understood!—the reason for such lax action.
They were afraid, terrified, afraid and in denial; that's what made them inept. But if things continued this way, they'd be fools and incompetents dead.
'...but there's not much I can do on my own...'
I'd thought a lot these past few days, trying to find paths and alternatives in the flames, but the fear of being dragged into another vision like the previous one had put me on guard, not to mention terrified.
I looked again at the walls. The Unsullied and the occasional sorcerer or sorceress walked along them.
They were few, very few, minuscule even, compared to the number of people who lived in the city, almost three hundred thousand, and everyone knew it.
The information about Zahir's transformation had been freely given, and it was something everyone should be working to protect the city, or even if they weren't doing it for the city, they should be doing it to protect themselves, but they weren't even doing that.
They took the information, saw it as a strange experiment, and dismissed it.
'And my fellow priests... despite having seen the same thing I did, they did nothing more than order the Unsullied to make a couple of rounds on the walls and bury their heads in the sand...'
I stayed there for another hour watching the patrols go by, and with each one I saw, my mind went through every scenario in which this city fell and with it, the first line of defense against the darkness.
As I saw it, the calamity would emerge from Stygai, descend the mountain, overwhelm our weak defenses, and have free rein into the realms of men.
The Yittish would be the first to face them, but despite our warnings, their trust in our words would be...laughable, and they would be taken by surprise.
And even if they brought all the soldiers from the five forts, they would only number about fifty thousand more, and with the monster's ability to withstand ordinary weapons and tear through even the thickest armor with ease, it would only be a massacre.
'Valyrian steel is key, but since the Doom, the pieces that existed were kept in vaults; some were used, and others were lost.'
I had to find alternatives, or we could only rely on Azor Ahai to defeat the calamity.
'… But where was he? Or she?… The visions I saw weren't clear… Oh Lord of Light, please let me see where they are… I beg you.' I moved toward a nearby torch to pray, but there was no answer to my prayers. Likewise, I would have to try at the temple tonight.
'… But before that… materials… Let's see if I can destroy that golden metal with something.'
—hours later, temple of the red god—
It had taken me a little longer than I'd expected to find different types of metals and precious stones when I finally made my way to the temple.
The atmosphere in the temple hadn't changed these past few days. The acolytes and sorcerers passed by with furrowed brows and hesitant eyes, glancing around in all directions. Even if they didn't want to admit the will of our lord, they were feeling it in their bones.
…the long night was coming… again.
I glanced at them briefly as I passed and headed toward the far side of the temple, where the metal responsible for the monstrous transformation we had witnessed now lay.
The door was guarded by twenty Unsullied, ten protecting the door itself and the other ten protecting the Valyrian steel sword hanging on the wall opposite it, in case any other abomination decided to manifest itself near the metal again.
They watched me intently as I walked toward the room and opened the door, but they didn't stop me. After all, I was one of the most powerful sorceresses in the temple.
I pushed those thoughts aside as I entered the room. The small piece of metal, about the size of my palm, sat there on an altar, covered in symbols in Valyrian and other darker languages written in blood, surrounded by candles and torches.
-whispers-
I approached the object carefully, seeing it for what it was: a transfiguration stone from the Great Other, created and spread like a disease to destroy humanity.
-whispers-
Carefully, I began performing the experiments and rituals I knew to imbue the different metals with magic.
Even as those unsettling whispers emanating from the golden metal threatened to drive me mad.
Hours passed, but none of the tools I had could even make a small dent in the metal, though I didn't dare try to manipulate it myself, for fear of encountering the great other again.
In the end, the harsh truth of it all hit me hard: I had nothing I could use to destroy it.
The door to the room opened, followed by quiet footsteps that reached my side.
"...no results?" I glanced at him. It was Khorhozas, the owner of the Valyrian steel sword and the slayer of the abomination.
"...nothing for the moment. I tried various ways of enchanting the weapons with our lord's fire, but none of them did anything to the metal…," I saw him clench his jaw in annoyance, but I continued, "and unless we find some way to manipulate it without the great Other transforming us into monsters…I don't think we can do anything, only prepare…though no one is doing anything," I murmured my last sentence, though it was clear he had heard it.
"...yes…we will have to. If we cannot destroy them, we will have to hold them off…and it's not that no one wants to do anything, Melisandre, it's that no one wants to believe it could be another long night."
"...that's what you say, but it's been months of visions, even the least gifted see them in the flames. This has never happened before. The signs were there, and with the transformation happening right in front of everyone, right after seeing what's happening in Stigai. Khorhozas, only fools and the naive wouldn't realize what's coming."
I looked him straight in the eyes again, to convey all the turbulent emotions that weighed me down.
"And we sorcerers can't be fools… we wouldn't have lived this long if we were…"
He remained thoughtful for a while, and for a moment I resigned myself to hearing yet another excuse for inaction, but then he spoke.
"...you're right...we've been doing nothing for too long, and the creature should have been our final wake-up call..."
"...So?...," I asked him with a glimmer of hope, wondering if someone in this city was finally going to take action.
"...ah...well, I'll ask you to take care of one thing, two things actually."
"As long as I can be of help against the darkness, I'll do whatever it takes." What more could I say? I, more than anyone, understood how short on time we were.
"Good. You'll take several Valyrian steel objects we have here with you to Qohor, so they can be remade into weapons, especially swords. On your way, you'll stop in Astapor and buy as many Unsullied as you can. Bring enough gold for that."
"Understood. We'll need every soldier we can get. When do I leave?"
"Two weeks should be enough to get the ships and everything else… we're counting on you, Melisandre," he said, looking intently at me before turning toward the exit.
I paused for a moment to stare at the altar with the metal on it, that vile thing, the enemy's tool.
-whispers-
that even now, tried to torment my mind with that foreign language.
Finally, I decided to leave the room and go to mine. I still had one thing to do tonight, and after my unproductive day, the light of my lord would calm my fears of failure.
Upon entering, I went straight to the altar and began lighting the red candles, one by one, while saying my prayers.
And finally, I took one of my daggers to offer it on the altar, hoping, as every day, to see what my lord believed I needed to see.
And so it was… but it only served to show me that even with these preparations we were going to make, the great other had many more plans for the world.
"Oh, Lord of Light… protect us from the darkness…" I sobbed, because what I saw in the flames was nothing but hell.
Throughout the known world, that strange metal, an instrument of the enemy, fell.
Large pieces, small pieces, whose sole purpose would be to spread darkness and bring eternal night with it.