Chapter 091 – Unwise

[298 AC]

Watching Arianne and Missandei putting on their clothes the next morning, hiding away their smooth caramel skin under layers of silk, leather, and wool, Phenex couldn't help himself, as he stepped behind the Princess just as she was about to put on her top.

Wrapping his arms around her from behind and letting his hands wander upwards to cup her full breasts, his lips found Arianne's neck as he kneaded her tender flesh softly, causing a gasp and moan to escape from the Dornish flower's lips.

And just as Arianne half-turned in his arms, trying to connect their lips in a deep kiss, Phenex sensed a slight disturbance in Volantis as Kinvara called out for him.

Sighing audibly, Phenex looked into the warm hazelnut eyes of his wife with an apologetic smile as he placed a soft kiss on her lips, before letting go of her delicious curves and stepping back.

"I have to go, it seems I am needed in Volantis.", he informed both his lovers.

"We will be here when you get back.", Arianne answered mildly, her hand coming up to brush back one of his dark locks as she caressed his cheek.

"Be safe.", Missandei called out from the side, giving him a warm smile.

They knew that Phenex tried his best to spend as much time with them as he could without shirking his duties and responsibilities as a ruler, so when these duties did call him away from them still, they were very understanding.

They had seen what he had built in Essos and how much Phenex cared about those he ruled, so there was no way that they could hold a grudge against him for this, especially since he still did his best to show them how much he loved and cared for them.

Taking hold of Arianne's hand, Phenex pressed his lips against her palm for a short moment before turning his mortal flesh into blazing flames.

Though he didn't vanish from the room immediately as he slowly walked to Missandei's side and left a fiery kiss on her cheek, truly vanishing from Westeros the next moment.

…

Sitting on the rather rough stone throne, which was something Phenex had only done half a dozen times since coming to Volantis all those years ago, he looked silently at the pale man with purple lips below the many stone steps.

Kinvara, clad in a dark-red silken dress, stood to one side of the throne equally silent, while a gorgeous, adolescent Daenerys stood to the other side, wearing a deep purple tunic and linen pants of the same color all strapped tightly to her form with black leather straps, like most of the Feathers wore them.

She also sported a slender blade at her hip, which was one of the heirloom blades of House Targaryen, namely the Dark Sister, as Phenex had finally allowed her and Jaehaerys to wield them, finding them ready and mature enough to carry the Valyrian steel blades of their ancestors.

It wasn't unusual for Daenerys to attend important meetings as Phenex encouraged her and Jaehaerys to do so whenever they could. As dragonriders, it was only normal for them to take on more responsibilities in the future, especially so since their personalities gravitated toward leading others.

Still, she naturally wouldn't speak up when Phenex was obviously in deep thought. And he truly was, as the man before him was not simple and neither was the power he represented.

He was Pyat Pree from the House of the Undying in Qarth, but more important than that was that the House of the Undying had a connection with one of the biggest ruling factions in Asshai called The Eternals.

Asshai didn't have one ruler, instead, it was splintered into many factions that were all led by powerful wizards, witches, warlocks, and sorceresses. Phenex hadn't bothered with them before, as he had no desire to conquer and rule the Shadowlands, or anything else beyond Phoenix Bay.

Of course, it was a different story if something or someone posed a threat to his territory and the people he ruled over. In such cases, he would not hesitate to strike them down with full force, as he had done in the past.

But that wasn't why the warlock had come to Volantis. No, Pyat Pree had come to make it known that the Eternals wanted to ally themselves with the Red Temple to take over Asshai and share its riches.

This wasn't too surprising as even without Phenex and his Feathers, the Red Temple's priests and priestesses alone were enough to easily conquer the city, as their connection to the heart made them several times stronger than normal magic users.

Over the past years, many many sorceresses and warlocks had also come from Asshai to serve as his priestesses and priests. Having laid down an oath of servitude, before becoming loyal and powerful members of the Red Temple.

Most of these men and women had been believers of R'hllor to begin with, but many also just fancied the opportunity to further their mastery over magic. There were also those that just enjoyed politics or having ruling authority.

Regardless Phenex accepted them in exchange for their service and loyalty, his mark making sure that they would not act against his wishes and bring corruption to his lands. Of course, there had also been those with sinister intentions, though none of them had left the Heart Chamber alive.

Eyes blazing with immortal fire, Phenex looked deeply into the warlock's heart and despite his meek and subservient attitude, he could easily spot the deceit and sinister intention he tried to hide.

The Undying and the Eternals did not believe that he was truly a god but simply thought of him as an extremely powerful sorcerer and they were sure that they could outsmart him after he helped them take over Asshai.

They even worked together with the remaining followers of the Black Goat, who hid out in Asshai by the Shadows.

They planned to take advantage of the Red Temple's power to reach Stygai, the City of the Night, where the inheritance of an immortal and all-powerful sorcerer was said to lie. Using this inheritance they would then try and take him and the temple down, before taking over Essos.

They were ambitious and power hungry, but worst of all they were not only brazen enough to plan to backstab him, they even came to him and asked for his help in preparing the knife.

Phenex knew that they were right to assume that Stygai held secrets of great power, but even with these powers they wouldn't even be able to defeat one of his Feathers, not to mention harm or kill him – the Phoenix itself.

Rising from his throne, Phenex' whole presence suddenly changed from completely undetectable to absolutely oppressive as he loosened the shackles on his existence.

It was as if a tremor ran through all of Essos at this moment, the atmosphere shook and screamed, unable to endure the weight of his might as his figure was surrounded by the blazing shadow of an immortal phoenix.

His aura was so suffocating that a moment of pure silence descended onto the eastern continent, though every living being was instinctively aware of what had happened.

Somebody had angered the Red God and now they would have to face his wrath.

"You should have chosen your enemy more wisely, warlock.", Phenex announced calmly his voice reaching far and wide, echoing in the ears of a Braavosi barmaid like they did in the ears of an Unsullied guard in Astapor.

Pyat Pree was not given the chance to explain himself, so the skinny and sickly warlock could do nothing but stare at Phenex in quiet terror and mind-breaking fear.

"The House of the Undying, the Eternals, the followers of the Black Goat. Now, you will be no more.", the God of Volantis declared, and the world obeyed.

From one moment to another, life was ripped from every member of those groups. Their corpses turned to ashes instantly, as the laws of the world bent to the Red God's will.

And even after Phenex once again sealed away the pure manifestation of power that was his existence, countless living beings knelt down in submission.

And while many of those who knelt were fearful, the inhabitants of the Blessed Cities and Phoenix Bay did so out of respect and devotion.