Chapter 204: You Are Just a Sacrifice

The rapid rise of Viserys over the past two years had taken the three Triarchs by surprise. Who would have thought that a bloodthirsty mercenary could ascend to the status of a regional overlord in such a short time? When Viserys beheaded the pirates, they assumed it was the pinnacle of his achievements. Little did they know it was merely the beginning.

Now, Viserys had even established the "Confederation of the Four Daughters." The Triarchy had already posed a significant challenge to Volantis, and the addition of Pentos only intensified the pressure on the Triarchs. However, the so-called "Confederation" was little more than a mutual defense pact.

When Malaquo and Nyessos heard the news about Viserys, they were taken aback.

"Did Viserys go to Slaver's Bay? Why head east?" asked Malaquo, whose teeth had almost all fallen out. He couldn't fathom Viserys venturing to Valyria, and the notion of him knowing anything about Euron seemed absurd.

"I'm not sure either," replied Nyessos. "Perhaps we should invite him again. Maybe he could become our ally."

"Ally?" Malaquo didn't grasp the idea at first, but Nyessos, who had previously engaged in negotiations with Viserys, quickly caught on. As he gazed at the fervent followers of the Lord of Light in the distance, he realized that Viserys might indeed make a valuable partner. But only if they could secure his allegiance before Benerro did.

Alios, determined to outmaneuver Benerro, offered his sailors a handsome reward to track down Viserys.

Viserys's fleet now consisted of fifteen ships, though only one, the Silence, was in good condition. The other warships were heavily damaged, their hulls scarred and pitted, some even bearing bits of flesh from recent battles. The loss of over 500 soldiers in the conflict with Euron had been devastating, and many of their bodies were never recovered. These were elite fighters, far different from the slaves who had perished in the uprising a year ago.

To honor their memory and reinforce his loyalty to his people, Viserys decided to take care the orphans of these fallen soldiers. While these children might not grow up to be the strongest warriors, their loyalty would be unshakable. It was a gesture that would boost morale and set an example for others in his ranks.

Yet, Viserys still had many questions lingering from the battle with Euron. Why had Euron's mute sailors been unaffected by the Dragon's Horn? And what did Brynden know about the salvation of the world?

Determined to find answers, Viserys resolved to seek out Shiera.

"Hmm? A fleet is approaching," Viserys muttered, spotting several ships on the horizon from the vantage point of the Golden Eagle. The ships were painted red, with flames emblazoned on their sails—clearly vessels of the R'hllor temple, or more specifically, Benerro's ships.

He recalled the warning given by the Three-Eyed Raven, Brynden: Not everyone wants the savior to fulfill his mission.

Though their intentions were unclear, Viserys knew from the available information that the followers and priests of the Lord of Light could be a potential ally—or a significant threat.

In the original tales, Benerro had openly supported the Mother of Dragons in his sermons. Perhaps meeting with him would be wise after all.

"My lord, a fleet of ships is approaching us," Regis announced from the doorway.

"I know," Viserys replied calmly.

Soon, the two fleets converged, and a red priest called out from the deck of the approaching ship, "I am a priest of the Lord of Light's temple, and I invite Prince Viserys on behalf of High Septon Benerro!"

Viserys wasn't surprised that Benerro had tracked him down. As a master of prophecy, Benerro would have had little difficulty using divination to locate him.

"Let them come aboard," Viserys instructed Regis.

A short while later, several red priests with flame tattoos on their foreheads boarded his flagship. Viserys observed that the priests of R'hllor seemed to distinguish their ranks by the number of tattoos they bore. The lead priest had tattoos not only on his forehead but also on his cheeks, while those following him had markings only on their foreheads.

The lead priest, recognizing Viserys by his distinctive Targaryen features, spoke with deference. "Viserys, Prince of the House of the Dragon, I am Vhlos, a follower of the Lord of Light. I have been sent by Lord Benerro to invite you to the temple."

"I understand. Lead the way," Viserys responded promptly.

Vhlos, pleased with Viserys's willingness, prepared to escort him back to his ship. But just as they were about to depart, another fleet appeared on the horizon. These ships were not part of Benerro's fleet; they belonged to Alios. The distinctive swan sails of Alios's ships fluttered in the windless weather, putting them at a disadvantage.

One of the swan ships drew closer, and a stout captain wearing a sleeveless leather coat made his intentions clear. "Prince Viserys, Lord Alios invites you to be his guest."

"Huh? Why am I suddenly so popular?" Viserys mused with a wry smile. "I've always been popular, but not this popular."

The unexpected invitation from Alios clearly displeased Vhlos, who stood nearby. The red priest's expression darkened; it was evident he hadn't expected competition. His fiery tattoos and elaborate robes made his allegiance clear, and he had been given strict orders from Benerro to bring Viserys to the temple, no matter what.

Fortunately, Viserys remained outwardly virtuous. He addressed the captain with a composed demeanor:

"Captain, as you can see, I have received an invitation from High Priest Benerro. I must first go to the Temple of the Lord of Light to pay my respects, and afterward, I will visit Lord Alios. What do you think?"

Viserys' words were carefully measured, but they did not reflect his true intentions.

Before leaving with his fleet, Alios had assured him that he should do everything in his power to welcome Viserys warmly.

The captain had initially chosen to set sail on the swan ship, predicting favorable winds for the next two days. However, the wind died down less than half a day after leaving the harbor, and they had sailed day and night, barely making progress.

"Prince Viserys, Lord Alios misses you dearly. He..."

"Don't you understand what the Prince is saying?" Regis interrupted, his tone sharp with irritation. The other man's persistence had grated on him. The surrounding soldiers turned their gaze towards the captain, their collective presence imposing enough that the man had no choice but to relent.

After Regis played the role of the stern enforcer, it was Viserys' turn to play the conciliator. Normally, he wouldn't have bothered, but Alios possessed a highly active dragon egg—an asset worth fighting for.

Viserys dismissed the red priest with a polite smile and said, "Captain, we now possess a treasure from the ruins of Valyria. Inform Lord Alios that I am willing to display this relic in his name, but only if he agrees to leave the dragon egg with me for a time."

Viserys' words left the captain stunned. The ruins of Valyria? A place from which no one had ever returned, and yet Viserys claimed to have brought back a treasure! Perhaps this could redeem him for past failures. Seeing that Viserys was offering him this opportunity, the captain felt a deep sense of gratitude. As for what the treasure was, he knew he was not in a position to ask. "Thank you, Prince. I understand. Please allow me to escort you."

After two days at sea, Viserys once again arrived in Volantis. This time, he came with a fleet, and although it was a remnant army, it still aroused the suspicion of the local defenders. Consequently, the fleet was temporarily moored in a special port. While the formalities were more complicated than on his last visit, the reception was far more grand.

Viserys was greeted not only by the red priests of the temple but also by the authorities of Volantis. The Tiger Cloaks of Volantis lined the road, standing straight on both sides, extending almost all the way to the Black Wall. They had positioned guards at three-step intervals and five-step intervals, giving Viserys a grand welcome. In an impressive feat of preparation, they had even managed to produce a few three-headed dragon banners in record time.

The red priests were particularly enthusiastic, almost wading into the water to greet him, their eyes alight with a fervor that suggested they had high hopes for Viserys' arrival. These religious fanatics had a way of exerting pressure in unexpected ways. Viserys, who could face superior officers or thousands of soldiers with ease, still felt a bit uneasy in such a setting.

Then again, as the leader of his people, the "Leader of the Confederation," and due to his friendships with Alios and Benerro, it was not surprising that he received such a reception.

"Viserys!"

Before Viserys had even set foot on the ground, Benerro seized his hand as he stepped off the boat.

"Viserys! You are Nissa Nissa!"

Viserys blinked in confusion. "What?"

But before he could voice his question, Benerro stepped back, gesturing for him to disembark. The shock of Benerro's pronouncement left Viserys reeling, his mind struggling to process what he had just heard.

According to legend, Azor Ahai, the prophesied savior from 8,000 years ago, had forged the legendary sword Lightbringer using the blood of his wife, Nissa Nissa, to defeat the White Walkers. If Benerro was right, and he was Nissa Nissa, then his fate was already sealed. And Benerro's predictions had a disturbing reputation for accuracy.

Suppressing his shock for the moment, Viserys forced himself to focus as Alios and Nyessos stepped forward to greet him.

"Prince Viserys, friend of Volantis!" Alios exclaimed, embracing him warmly.

Not long ago, Viserys had sold Alios a song for a mere tens of thousands of gold coins. To Alios' delight, the song had become wildly popular among the fishermen and boatmen of Volantis, bringing his household wealth in the hundreds of thousands. If not for his declining health, Alios might have even entertained more intimate thoughts about Viserys.

Nyessos followed, greeting Viserys with equal enthusiasm and another warm embrace. He, too, had profited handsomely from their dealings, far more than he had initially invested.

Viserys' arrival had inadvertently tipped the scales in favor of the Tiger Party, further weakening the influence of the Elephant Party. Despite his personal dislike for Viserys, Malaquo, a leading figure of the Tiger Party, felt compelled to offer a greeting, though his demeanor was noticeably cooler than the other two.

"Prince Viserys."

From Viserys' perspective, as a slave owner in Volantis, Malaquo was a true politician, far more calculating than the other two. Alios and Nyessos, in contrast, were merely politicians driven by their greed.

In the original story, Malaquo was old and had lost his teeth, but he still managed to fight the Golden Company with inferior forces.

After agreeing on a meeting time with Alios and the others, Viserys and Benerro made their way to the Temple of the Lord of Light.

Something unexpected happened.

Before Viserys could even ask, Benerro couldn't contain himself and blurted out, "Viserys, you are Nissa Nissa."

Benerro's eyes gleamed with fanaticism, a stark contrast to the serious and perceptive High Priest Viserys had seen before. It was as if Benerro believed that being sacrificed to forge a sword was the highest honor.

"You've already said that twice. Then tell me, if I am Nissa Nissa, who is Azor Ahai?" Viserys asked.

"Azor Ahai hasn't appeared yet," Benerro replied, his voice tinged with frustration.

"Didn't the prophecy say that the savior would be born in the land of smoke and salt?" Viserys pressed.

"There are so many lands of smoke and salt, and the prophecy is full of symbolism. I don't think this prophecy is all that valuable. The key lies in the final one," Benerro explained, sharing his interpretation, which Viserys found reasonable.

The vision that the Red Witch saw in the flames in the original story was undoubtedly real, but her interpretation was too simplistic. The High Priest, it seemed, had a deeper understanding than Melisandre, the so-called "Red Witch."

"So you're waiting for the one who will 'awaken the dragon from stone'?" Viserys asked.

Benerro nodded, and the two seemed to understand each other without needing to ask how the other knew of such a prophecy.

"Then why do you think I'm Nissa Nissa and not Azor Ahai? If I can hatch dragons, doesn't that mean I'm Azor Ahai?" Viserys challenged.

Benerro glanced at him and replied, "You can't hatch a dragon; you're just a sacrifice."

Viserys felt a chill run down his spine at Benerro's words.

His original plan had been for Daenerys to hold the dragon egg and walk into the flames, believing no actual sacrifice would be needed. In the original story, the Mother of Dragons burned herself alongside the corpse of the Horselord in a moment of despair. And then there was also Mirri...

Wait!

Viserys suddenly realized that the so-called "Lightbringer" might be a metaphor. Could it be that "Lightbringer" actually referred to the dragon? Or perhaps the original Horselord Drogo was Nissa Nissa?

After all, although Mirri made the Horselord a vegetable, it was the Mother of Dragons who actually ended his life.

"So my sister is Azor Ahai?" he mused aloud.