Chapter 508: Traveling to the Past

"You don't belong in this world, Viserys."

"You shouldn't have come here."

The Three-Eyed Raven finally revealed his true intentions; this was a trap set specifically for Viserys.

"I've noticed you since long ago when you were just a child."

As the elderly man with white hair spoke, the world before Viserys drastically shifted, the snow that filled his vision disappeared.

In its place, a lush forest emerged, with a refreshing spring breeze, vibrant greenery, and grass and flowers releasing their fragrances.

A young man, donned in soft armor with a longsword by his waist and silver hair, handsome features, held a boy with similar silver-gold hair, obviously siblings.

They rode a white warhorse, leisurely strolling through the Kingswood.

"Is that Rhaegar?"

Upon seeing the brooding and handsome youth and the boy on horseback, Viserys instantly recognized them.

The boy was himself, and the young man holding him was his elder brother, Rhaegar.

Viserys still remembered this moment vividly.

"Yes. The year is 281 AC, right at the beginning of the 'False Spring,' before the Tourney at Harrenhal."

"People mistakenly believed winter was over, and the royal family in King's Landing decided to host a spring hunt."

Standing beside Viserys, the Three-Eyed Raven watched as the two Targaryen brothers passed by on their horse.

During this spring hunt, which the King's Landing nobility participated in, King Aerys II chose not to attend due to health reasons.

However, he sent the popular Crown Prince Rhaegar, who brought along his young brother Viserys, hoping he too would earn the crowd's applause.

Unbeknownst to the Targaryen brothers, on a tree branch not too far behind them, a black raven with three eyes watched them intently.

Suddenly, grunting sounds echoed from the forest. A muscular, gleaming wild boar charged out, standing before the Targaryen siblings.

Rhaegar's steed was startled, and the young Viserys was terrified. Yet, Rhaegar remained composed.

Calmly dismounting with his brother in his arms, he drew his sword.

Known for his unparalleled swordsmanship across the Seven Kingdoms, Rhaegar effortlessly repelled the aggressive boar, making it flee.

Rather than pursuing and killing the boar, Rhaegar chose to let it go.

This memory of Rhaegar was deeply etched in Viserys' mind.

Now, the boy once terrified by the boar had grown up, not much younger than his elder brother at the time.

Viserys, now a silver-haired youth, watched the replayed scene as Rhaegar cleaned the blood from his sword and consoled his frightened younger brother.

…

"Was this your doing?"

Viserys turned to the Three-Eyed Raven, questioning him with a calm demeanor.

In the past, Viserys didn't suspect anything amiss about this incident. Now, seeing the Raven's presentation, it seemed the raven had plotted against him since he was about four or five years old.

"You know I can't majorly interfere with history."

The Raven might've had other, more effective ways to kill Viserys, but they could've led to even worse consequences. This was his only chance.

With the Three-Eyed Raven's words, Viserys' vision shifted again. This time, the change was far more drastic.

The young Viserys was now fully grown.

He was sparring with his guard, Ser Jorah Mormont, as Daenerys watched from a castle window. Viserys then bested Ser Jorah, knocking him off his horse.

Several ravens landed on the castle, one of which fixated on the scene below.

"I realized then that under your influence, the world's future was changing."

"I thought it was just a minor deviation in history."

"You know, Viserys, there are always some erroneous changes in this world, but they get corrected eventually, setting things right."

"It's the Old Gods' duty."

"Until I found you."

Viserys' vision transformed once more.

Back when he sparred with Ser Jorah, the Three-Eyed Raven first targeted him, sensing he was altering the world's course. But he mistakenly believed the world would soon correct itself.

But when he observed Viserys again, it was already too late.

Swoosh.

Dragonstone Castle was ablaze due to a servant's negligence, with both Daenerys and her dragon eggs consumed by the inferno.

Outside, Lyanna Stark anxiously watched the flames, feeling helpless.

The Three-Eyed Raven perched atop a nearby tower, his third crimson eye fixating on the flames below.

He witnessed the power of Targaryen blood awakening within Daenerys amidst the fire and blood, leading to the hatching of three dragons.

As the dragons emerged, the Raven felt the Old Gods' power within him rejuvenate, becoming immensely powerful. Every magic practitioner in the world was alarmed and disoriented.

A symbolic red comet appeared from the Sunset Sea, passing over Westeros and finally landing before Viserys' army, who returned from an expedition after defeating Khal Drogo.

Viserys took the heart of the comet, and the Three-Eyed Raven knew then that Viserys' rise was unstoppable.

What followed was the Raven traveling back to when Viserys was young, manipulating a wild boar to attack Prince Rhaegar, hoping to kill or at least cripple young Viserys.

But, unfortunately for the Raven, he failed. His chances to intervene were limited.

He later attempted to observe Viserys again, but a pet black cat owned by the Targaryens caught and killed him.

This cat left an eerie impression on the Raven, especially when he was engrossed in observing Viserys, only to suddenly be confronted by the cat's face. It deeply traumatized him.

From then on, the Three-Eyed Raven gave up on observing Viserys.

Until recently, when he sensed the Night King was close to discovering his hideout. He then sought Viserys' help.