Chapter 73

- Beyond the Wall - Sometime Later -

Aegon could sense Bloodraven's fear echoing through the Force. The closer he became to the old fiend, the more the fear grew. Like a fire in a thick fog being fed and growing stronger to light the way until it was a clear beacon to find his target. Bloodraven had tried to assault Ageon's mind, his dragon's mind, and just about anyone he could to make them turn on the King himself. But he would not be stopped in flying here to this place where this once great man turned horrible fiend was located.

It didn't take long for the King to arrive at the Heart Tree this far into the North, having been flown here on Revanchist this time while Vaderon was given a well-deserved rest. After landing in front of the cave that would lead him to the final threat as King, he saw the Children of the Forest walk out to meet him. At first, Aegon thought they were going to defend Bloodraven, given how they were here with him, and now standing in his way.

"Are you here to stop me?" asked Aegon with the one of them stepping forward to represent them all.

"No. We are on your side this day King of the Seven Kingdoms," answered the leader who looked like a little girl.

"What is your name?" asked Aegon curiously.

"You may call me Leaf. I represent my people," said Leaf with Aegon nodding.

"Why are you with Bloodraven?" asked Aegon curiously.

"At first, it was to defeat our shared enemy. Later on, it was self-preservation when our attempts failed to bring results," answered Leaf with Aegon nodding.

"He has much to answer for, as I'm sure you know," said Aegon with Leaf nodding.

"We know. Even now, he refuses to admit his actions were wrong," commented Leaf with Aegon looking from her to the cave entrance where his fear filled enemy was waiting for him.

"Stay here. I will deal with Bloodraven myself," said Aegon with Leaf and the other Children of the Forest nodding.

The King of the Seven Kingdoms walked without impediment toward his destination, the feeling of fear coming down the ways from him was only getting stronger. Fear, anger, frustration, despair, and many other negative emotions came pouring out from the man pinned to the roots of a Heart Tree. When he arrived in the room, Aegon saw the legend himself, Bloodraven, pinned down by the roots of the tree piercing his body, and struggling with what little physical strength he had left.

"Bloodraven. We meet at last," said Aegon while casually walking toward the fear faced man.

"Aegon Targaryen. Once Jon Snow. Now King of the Seven Kingdoms. Former bastard of Winterfell and stain on the honor of House Stark," commented Bloodraven with Aegon tilting his head slightly.

"You make it sound like I should be the former of the two," remarked Aegon with Bloodraven staring back.

"You were never meant to make it this far in life. You were meant to live a submissive and timid life at your Uncle's castle until it was your time to join the Night's Watch. You were never meant to be a King. Never meant to summon your three dragons. Never meant to cast down House Lannister or the Freys or even the Boltons. You were never meant to stop the wedding that would see your cousin and loyal Stark bannermen die. You were to live a life on the Wall. You have defied your purpose in life. You have defied your destiny," said Bloodraven with spite and jealousy in his voice.

"Defied it? Or perhaps, I achieved it? The future is always in motion Bloodraven. You of all people here should know that. You, who traveled the rivers of time. You, who used his powers to influence others to achieve his own selfish goals. You, who helped bring about the fall of my House, the influence with the Maesters, and even with the more zealous members of the Seven Faith. Whispering into their minds and providing them with the means to cast down your threats while moving the pieces on the board to bring about your return. To leap from one body to the next like a parasite. Seeking a young and strong magic filled body to one day take over and be free of your well-deserved prison," said Aegon with Bloodraven looking at him with anger and hatred.

"The Gods punished me unjustly! They had no right to do this to me. What I did, I did for the greater good of the realms," countered Bloodraven with Aegon scoffed at him.

"You manipulated events so magic in the blood of people in Westeros was rare and slim while looking for a diamond in the rough to bring here. You did it because you didn't want your chance to escape to be in jeopardy. Too many people with magic in their blood would have made things difficult for you in the long wrong so you set things in motion to thin the ranks and weaken it. All so you could find and claim the strongest of us when the time came to leave here. All your years of knowledge and wisdom in a body of a young strong boy would make you extremely dangerous. Which is why you planned to aim for my cousin Brandon, correct?" replied Aegon with Bloodraven gritting his teeth in anger with his eyes showing bitterness.

"It is not fair. I have been punished enough by the Old Gods! I deserve to be free from this wretched prison. I deserve to live and rule over the Seven Kingdoms. It is my right! I have the power to change the world for the better. Someone with my power should rule. To keep the chaos from spreading! To keep the peace within the realms of men!" exclaimed Bloodraven while Aegon shook his head.

"No. It is not your right Bloodraven. It never was your right. You help bring the chaos. You do not keep it in check. You do not bring peace. You bring its death," said Aegon with Bloodraven's eyes showing him the true level of madness behind those eyes.

"Then let it die! If I cannot live in this world as its ruler, whether officially or in the shadows, I will see the realms burn until there is nothing left!" countered Bloodraven with Aegon drawing his sword.

"Now I know without question where my Grandfather got the idea of burning everyone and everything in sight with his madness," commented Aegon before he threw his sword right at Bloodraven's skull and ended the man's life.

Pulling his sword back to his hand using the Force, Aegon sheathed it before walking out of the cave to meet the Children of the Forest to decide on what to do with them. When he got out of the cave, they were surrounding the dragon in wonder, and a quick check through the Force to his dragon for a son had confirmed they didn't do anything ill toward Revanchist. Not that he would let them. Aegon would have sensed any ill actions toward his dragon if they tried and made sure they paid for such a crime in blood.

"He is dead?" asked Leaf with Aegon nodding.

"Dead as one can be dead. Bloodraven also didn't jump bodies as he was no doubt trying to do when I was about to kill him. The Gods made sure of that such power was denied and any attempt on his part, I would have stopped with my own abilities. One thousand eyes and one have been closed forever," said Aegon with Leaf nodding since such power was too dangerous to be left alone to one man.

"What will you do now?" asked Leaf curiously.

"Return to my wife. Rule the Seven Kingdoms justly. You?" answered Aegon with Leaf thinking about it.

"We wish to go South of the Wall. Where it is warm and be around nature again. There is so little of it here," said Leaf with the other Children of the Forest nodding.

"I can take you South of the Wall. The Isle of a Thousand Faces is ideal for you and the other Children of the Forest. The Old Gods are strongest there. You will find peace in those lands," said Aegon with the Children of the Forest looking extremely happy at this news.

"We would be honored for your aid great King," said Leaf with Aegon nodding before motioning them to get on Revanchist's back.

They were all heading home where they belonged.