Chapter 57

I just want to say that I'm not a geoexpert and I have no idea what the real far-reaching effects are outside of tsunamis and the like, but I assumed that if Volantis is still standing and all the other small islands, then it probably won't affect Azorath much either.

That said, enjoy...

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"And so it begins."

The man who whispered this into the room sat on an unusually shaped window sill, which protruded like a small niche from the fine stone of the wall.

The windowsill was covered with soft cushions with frayed fringes in all directions. But where there should have been a window, there was only a large opening facing directly north.

The man stood with one leg still firmly on the floor, while his other foot rested on the cushion, the leg slightly bent. His back was relaxed against the stone wall and he had his arms loosely folded over his bent knee. His gaze was fixed outwards as he listened to the world scream.

"What begins, father?" His son Kaelon asked as he stood next to him and looked in the same direction as him.

"You can't feel it?" Kaelarys asked instead, not answering the question.

Kaelon frowned, confused by the reply. "Should I feel something?"

Kaelarys shook his head slowly, a flicker of regret in his eyes. "I suppose not," he said softly.

"And what do you feel?" Kaelon asked now.

Kaelarys let his gaze wander into the distance. "The world," he began, "how it shakes to its foundations and whole land masses break apart, like a deep wound torn open by a sword in the hand."

"Valyria, then?" his son said with a touch of nostalgia in his voice. "You've told us often enough that it will happen, but it's one thing to hear about it and quite another to actually experience it."

Kaelarys had never given any of his sons or anyone else an exact date, because even he didn't know for sure. He only knew it would happen a few years after Denys the Dreamer's dream. But after so long, many of his children and grandchildren had already erased his prediction of Valyria's fall from their memories, and some had never even heard of it, especially the young ones.

It has been some time, after all, and it was understandable. Most people often only have a hazy recollection of what they did a few days ago and what they did or knew a few years ago has already been erased from most people's memories.

And then there was the fact that many didn't know whether to believe it at all. 

It sounded crazy that the most powerful nation in the world would be wiped out in one day, but the truth was revealed at last.

"Assemble everyone, I want to have a few words with them," Kaelarys said calmly as he took a large bite of an apple he had taken from a nearby bowl.

"I will tell them," Kaelon replied and was about to turn around when his eyes suddenly caught a huge column of smoke in the distance.

"What the..." he whispered, his eyes wide.

"Don't worry, it's too far away and won't affect us," Kaelarys said calmly, giving his son a reassuring look. Kaelon hesitated for a moment before returning his father's nod, looking out again, unsure but trusting in his father's words.

"Oh, and tell your Aunt Dona I want to talk to her. She's probably in training right now, if I'm not mistaken," Kaelarys added casually as he turned his attention back to the apple.

"Understood," Kaelon replied briefly before opening the door and closing it behind him.

He could hardly wait to finally be a part of the world again. A life in the shadows, as a puppet master and string-puller in the background, didn't appeal to him. He had taken on this role because he knew it was necessary and the best move at the moment. But he had a completely different idea of "fun".

He would much rather face the world openly, defying everything it threw at him, than lurk quietly and patiently in the dark. However, this time it had been the wiser decision to hold back. He didn't like it, but he was smart enough not to push his luck and throw away his second chance at life just like that.

And what he missed most was traveling - just like all those years ago.

He had occasionally been able to fly away with Ancalagon, as no one thought it unusual for the dragon to disappear from time to time to move around or hunt. But these excursions only ever took him through the uninhabited land of Sothoryos. As impressive and terrifying as this wild, unexplored land was, after all this time it felt rather... dull.

The vast jungles, the dangerous beasts, and the immense swamps had their own charm, but that was not what he longed for in those moments.

Although he has been transforming this continent for a long time now to make it more accommodating for humans. But now, the time has come to reveal it all to the world.

"You've got that look in your eyes again," his sister said as she entered, interrupting his thoughts.

"Which one?" he asked amused as he watched her sit down across from him.

His little sister had really grown up. The former baby fat had long since disappeared and a grown-up, beautiful woman was sitting in front of him. But the stains on her clothes ruined the picture - not that it bothered her in the least.

From the looks of it, she had taken quite a beating in the training yard.

Years ago, she had started training with her son, the only child she ever had.

Back then, when the boy was barely older than a teenager, he was already a brawny young man. His shoulders were broad, his arms strong, and he trained with the same dedication as his mother.

The exact male image of his mother.

However, due to his size, he often won his fights less because of his skill with a sword than through sheer force of strength and will. It's not that he was a pure muscle-head and didn't know how to fight, far from it, but in front of highly trained warriors he couldn't move his body as fast as they could, which made it harder for him.

Nevertheless, once he got to you, you lost, something that apparently happened to his little dear Dona.

"That face, like you know everything," Dona said with a mocking smile, "if you weren't my brother, I would have kicked your teeth in long ago."

"Ow, that hurts," Kaelarys joked back, not letting her sharpness bother him. But Dona didn't return the smile, instead fixing him with her piercing gaze.

"Why did you call me?" she asked directly, without beating around the bush.

Kaelarys raised his hands placatingly. "All right, all right. No long preliminaries. I have a task for you."

Dona crossed her arms in front of her chest and bowed her head slightly. "I hear?"

Kaelarys leaned forward slightly, his voice taking on a more serious tone. "Haven't you noticed yet? At your age, I wouldn't be suprised if your eyes start decieving you." he joked.

He deftly dodged the hand that Dona playfully tried to slap on his shoulder - nothing that would have really hurt him, but a clear warning.

"You'll never say that again," she growled as her eyes sparkled.

Kaelarys laughed softly, unfazed by her threatening tone. With a nod of his head, he gestured outside. "Look out there. Then you'll understand why I summoned you."

Dona followed her brother's nod and turned her gaze outside. Only now did she notice the huge column of smoke on the horizon, rising ominously into the sky.

"I will send fleets to every Traiding Outpost we have," Kaelarys said firmly as he stood up and walked across the room with firm steps. "Bumpy times are coming, and the first thing I want to make sure of is that nothing that belongs to me is destroyed."

Dona nodded in agreement, her attention still focused on the cloud of smoke that was slowly darkening the sky.

"But for you," Kaelarys continued while pouring himself a glass of wine, "I have another mission."

Her eyes turned back to him, attentive and excited. "What exactly do you have in mind?"

A devilish grin appeared on his face, "Something I am sure you are going to enjoy a great deal".

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And so it begins, huh?

Men scroll

Men see

Men smile

Men gifts Stones

Men leaves Review

Men leaves happily.

Yours,

Jasonenrick! :D