Chapter 63: Qarth

Screams echoed throughout the bustling city as two massive dragons attacked from above, one was made of fire while the other was pitch black. This was Flamebird and Nightwing.

They had assaulted the large tower within the huge port city, but the tower was only partially destroyed. It was protected by a magic shield that was built into the tower when it was first constructed.

To add to that, the Warlocks inside had used magical artifacts to reinforce the shield, they also began to slaughter all the slaves they had locked within the tower to keep the shield going.

Flamebird and Nightwing both were also holding back their own power to keep from destroying the city and killing innocent people.

Qarth is known as "the greatest city that ever was or will be", it is one of the major cities in all the world. Located on the southeastern coast of Essos it was a major hub for culture, politics, and trade. It had four main roads in and out of the city.

The western road led to Qarkash, which was a satellite city of Qarth and facilitated trade with Slavers Bay as well as the cities of Qaggash to its north and Qolahn to the northeast. It was home to the Ancient Guild of Spicers and Tormaline Brotherhood which are powerful merchant guilds.

The northern road led to Vaes Qosar and Vaes Tolorro. Although both cities were more ruins than cities, they were often visited by travelers since they had clean fresh water wells and various fruit trees. An oasis within the desert called the Red Waste.

The eastern road went to the city of Asabhad which is located at a forested river mouth. The city was the main trade route that connected Qarth with Yin, which was a major city of Yi Ti. It was also the starting point for caravans making their way to the Mountains of the Norn.

The final road heading south, aptly known as the Sand Road, ran thru the Bone Mountains and led to the city of Tiqui, which was a ancient capital city of Yi Ti that now acts as a market, and also the fortified city of Bayasabhad, also known as the City of Serpents.

So needless to say Qarth was extremely rich due to having easy access to Yi Ti as well as several major land and sea trade routes. This is evident by way of how well protected Qarth was. It had three massive walls, each varying in height from thirty to fifty feet.

These walls were adorned with intricate engravings of animals, war scenes, and even love making which made it a wonder of the world. Qarth's port was one of the most significant in the world, this was due to it being the gateway between Westeros, the Free Cities, Asshai, the Shadowlands, and Yi Ti. Many even considered the city to be the center of the world.

The city of Qarth is controlled by a council of thirteen men, one was a man named Xaro Xhoan Daxos. He was a powerful merchant prince who was born on the Summer Isles, he came to the city with nothing originally, but now he was the richest man in the city.

He had pale skin, a long beak-like nose crusted with jewels such as rubies, opals, and jade.

He was an extremely cunning and ruthless man with high ambitions. He even befriended Pyat Pree, a warlock who was not only one of the thirteen council members of Qarth but also held a high position in the House of the Undying.

Pyat Pree was a pale man with blue lips, common amongst the warlocks, and a bald head. He is one of the strongest warlocks of the time, possessing a number of magical abilities. He could duplicate himself, teleport, cast illusions, as well as being an extremely talented alchemists.

It was Pyat Pree who was currently using a horn he had made using a dragon bone that he had used dark arts and alchemy to create himself. It was used by him back when Valyria was around and was waging war on Essos, it would drive the dragons into a frenzy, making the rider(s) unable to control their dragons and either attacked their fellow riders or fall to their deaths.

It also had the ability to force a dragon under mind control after prolonged usage of the horn on the dragon, even if they shared a bond with a rider, if he used it enough he could control the dragon even without being bonded to it himself.

When he saw the two dragons attacking the tower that he and the other warlocks lived, he became both excited and angered. So using his influence over the city of Qarth, he was able to get many slaves to use as blood sacrifices to initiate the full power of his creation.

Fully activating the horn would not only drain the users magic reserves, it also drained their life force as well. This was why he was using slaves as blood sacrifices, to circumvent this obstacle. He carved a magical rune into the slaves chest and threw them into a magical circle he had created long ago within the tower which drained their life force and was absorbed by the horn.

He created the spell circle for this exact reason, in case a dragon rider wanted to take revenge on himself or some other warlock for killing many riders and dragons in the past, so he was prepared.

Both Flamebird and Nightwing were beyond the dragons of this world, so they were able to resist much of the magic in the beginning, but as more slaves were being thrown into the deep pit, it started to effect them slowly, causing them to enrage more and more uncontrollably. If it continued to strengthen for enough time, they could fall under his mind control.

But what Pyat didn't know was that this would be a mistake he would come to regret deeply. Once Aiden realized that he was trying to enslave the two dragons, who both were more than just his bonded dragons, they were also his friends and companions that had suffered in their past lives. Aiden would show no mercy.

"Xaro, let's call a council meeting. We can use this attack as an opportunity to enact your plan." Pyat stated as one of his duplicates blew the horn, while another carved the rune into a slaves chest and threw them into the pit.

Xaro's eyes brightened upon hearing Pyat, most of his fear from seeing the two dragons attacking vanished.

"Aye, that we can. Hahaha." Xaro stated with glee. "Since you will be assisting me I shall make you my second in command. You will be able to answer to no one but myself once we do away with the others." Xaro said as he put his arm around Pyat's shoulder.

"True, but in exchange for my assistance, I want the woman and her daughter from Asshai that you purchased earlier." Pyat said as he removed Xaro's arm from around him in displeasure.

Xaro had been in the tower to speak on his plan to kill all the other council members for a while now. He wanted full and complete control of Qarth, he hated the fact that he had to share the ruling with the group. Once all the eleven members were dead he could swallow up their businesses with ease, and not only that but he lusted after many of the council members wives, daughters and slaves.

Xaro didn't answer right away, he had gotten his hands on a young woman and her young daughter from the last shipment of slaves that had came in. He had outbid Pyat on them earlier that morning and had been unable to taste the pair as of yet. But he thought of all the other women he could get his hands on if they succeeded, he was a very lascivious man, especially for women of status since he came from nothing, so he agreed.

"Fine, you can have the Asshai Queen and Princess to do as you please." Xaro finally answered. He thought it was a waste of two beautiful women, he knew Pyat wasn't after the two for their bodies, but rather he was after their blood. Asshai was known for birthing powerful shadowbinders.

Both men had left the tower through an underground passage that connected the tower to the council palace, allowing them to get out of the tower safely. As they walked towards the council chambers, Xaro ordered one of the guards to ring the emergency meeting bell.

They waited under a awning and observed the two dragons attacking the tower furiously, a shimmering dark red membrane flickered with each attack. It was weakening with each hit they made.

"To think a fire and ice dragon are actually working together. It looks like they will soon destroy that tower of yours, but don't worry, once I am king, I will help you rebuild." Xaro said with a chuckle.

Xaro was actually quite pleased at seeing the tower being attacked since, like many people in Essos, he hated the warlocks. He only outwardly showed a respectful and friendly continence towards Pyat to win him over, he knew having one of the strongest of them all helping him, then he would have no issues in becoming king.

What he didn't know was that the horn Pyat's duplicate was blowing within the tower wasn't what was shielding it, the shield was being run by the other warlocks that were within the tower. If he was aware that Pyat was actually trying to control the dragons, rather than killing them, he definitely would've killed Pyat right then and there.

Pyat was angry that his home was being attacked, he looked forward to exacting his revenge. He knew who Flamebird belonged to, Aiden's deeds of killing a whole army with a dragon made of fire had spread to Essos, also he was aware of the Citadel's request for help.

'Obviously those two imbeciles failed, no matter, I shall deal with that bastard myself using his own dragon against him. Then I'll make him watch as I breed his sister's myself for their first times. After I get a few son's or daughters I'll turn the two dragon cunts over to whoever wants them, to have them give birth till they can't anymore. Then I will kill them myself once they have served their purpose.' Pyat thought to himself as he ground his teeth together.

"What in the seven hells is that!?" A sudden shout was heard which brought Pyat out of his thoughts.

Both Pyat and Xaro turned to the guard who was looking out to the sea questioningly, then followed his finger that was pointing out towards the water to see what the man was talking about.

Seeing a dot on the horizon moving extremely fast, both men scrunched their eyes in an attempt to see better. Xaro pulled out his golden telescope to get a better look. Being from the Summer Isles that specialized to sailing the seas, he always carried one with him.

He never gave up sailing the seas even after he joined the Thirteen, that is what the council called themselves and not only did they rule Qarth but were actually a merchant guild of their own. Xaro owned eighty two ships himself and one pleasure barge he used to hold private orgies and invited courtesans to please him.

"Its a Westerosi ship... One I have never seen before, it has a red sail with a golden lion head, so must be those Lannister pricks. How the hell the ship so fast? Since when did Westeros have such a masterpiece, I have never seen a design like that." Xaro said with a scrunched brow.

The Summer Isles had some of the best ships in the world, they were a sea faring civilization and had the most trade routes of any others. Not only were their ships better, their knowledge of other lands and people, as well as navigation technology was far ahead of others. They used the stars to navigate so could sail in the open ocean and not get lost unlike the Greyjoy and Redwyne fleets who had to use the coasts.

"Let me see." Pyat said as he grabbed the telescope to see for himself.

They thought the ship was using its sails to move, they couldn't see Aiden flying and pushing the ship from the rear.

"Strange indeed, but I doubt that they will dock once they see those two beasts in the sky." Pyat answered as he too was surprised by the speed of the ship.

When he looked over at Xaro, he could see the greed within them.

"I must have that ship. Send word that they are to be welcomed without a port tax. They definitely will make port, they are coming from the east, so they will need to resupply since there aren't many places for them to do so. Did they go to Asshai or Shadowlands? I wonder, they may have some exotic goods from Yi Ti too, those lions are a rich bunch after all." Xaro stated as he had completely forgot about the two dragons and the screams of the people.

He planned to kill all aboard the ship and take it himself if he had to.

The other council members soon came rushing towards them, they were completely terrified by what was going on.

"Why the hell would you summon us during this dangerous attack?" One of the men asked shakily.

"It is precisely because of this predicament we find ourselves in that I called for a emergency meeting gentlemen. Come, we will discuss what we can do to resolve this matter, together." Xaro replied with a warm smile as he turned his attention to the others and then signalled for them to enter the meeting hall.

"Fine. But I don't see why, they seem focused on the House of Undying, so perhaps they are the cause of this attack." A fat older balding man who smelt of lavender and cinnamon stated.

"Aye." Said the other ten as they glared at Pyat.

"Aye Spice King, what you say is true. However, who is to say once they are done, they don't turn on the rest of us? Those that leave will not gain any support from my faction should it do just that." Xaro answered which caused the others to grumble.

Reluctantly all the men began to go into the meeting hall to have a discussion, once they took their seats, they began to bicker amongst each other.

Unbeknownst to them, Pyat duplicated himself eleven times and teleported behind each one as they argued. Seeing Pyat was ready, Xaro stood up and banged the table gathering their attention.

Just when they looked at Xaro, Pyat's duplicates stepped forward and slashed the throat of all eleven merchants at the same time. Their blood sprayed all over the cresent moon table as they tried to make since of what was happening.

All they could do was try to hold their throats to try to keep from bleeding out, they couldn't even speak due to their throats all being cut so deeply, they died slowly as Xaro laughed manically as he watched Pyat's duplicates grin and return to him.

"Now that's over with, it's your turn Xaro. You thin...." Just as Pyat was about to kill Xaro as well, a sudden thunderous boom was heard and felt, which stopped Pyat mid-sentence instantly.

He felt his duplicates still within the tower suddenly die, the horn was no longer being blown. Pyat ran outside with Xaro right behind him.

When they saw the tower this time, they could see a large gapping hole in the side of it and a red beam of light cutting thru the tower from the inside. The dark red shielding fell, and the two dragons attacks began to land directly on the tower causing the dark stone to crumble.