Chapter 42: Old Valyria: City of Valyria

(1,200 words)

- Percival Bolton POV -

- Valyria - Old Valyria - Essos - 280 AD -

Our arrow charges had slowed their advance, but it was minuscule. They numbered about 1,500 from what I had seen with my enhanced vision ability. There were only about 60 of us. And of the 60 there were only 20 archers. I counted as 10, so we could only take out about 150 before they caught up with us. Which was clearly not enough.

Shit... Should I use the spell now and leave? No! I need a dragon. One fucking dragon is capable of wiping out all the Westerosi armies if I don't give them time to prepare. Now imagine a dragon with armor made from modern materials using my alchemy skill. Nothing could stop them... I need them!

"Shadow Demon..." I whispered, and three shadows formed in front of me as my subordinates looked on in fright. After all they wouldn't survive, so it doesn't matter if they're seen. And they are from Essos, so they are not as superstitious or fearful as the Westerosi. "Finish them all off, but watch your weapons, some might be Valyrian Steel" I told them, and the beings nodded with a smile.

I had discovered that as long as a creature remained summoned, it would take 100 seconds of useful life for every second that the shadow exitist. That was 10 minutes of useful life for every 2 seconds. But I was using the philosopher's stone, so there was no problem. Right now I had a thousand years in storage, the maximum the stone can hold.

The demonic shadows slaughtered the deformities with smiles on their faces, with me helping them with arrows occasionally. There were already two beings that had managed to clash swords, but their skill was worse than average, so they had killed them instantly. It was worrisome that they could damage them, but the gain of two Valyrian Steel weapons was gigantic. They were not well forged. It was more like a metal stick with barely any edge.

Fortunately my ability given by my alchemy talent allowed me to fuse two materials and give them a shape. So I could fuse the Valyrian Steel stick with a grain of sand and I could form an extremely sharp sword.

"Gah!" shouted the beings as they repeatedly and savagely stabbed at my men. One or another would try to retreat, but they would be killed by my shadows.

"If anyone retreats or anything happens to me you know the consequences! All your wives will be raped by horses!" I shouted at them and they put serious, yet hateful, looks on their faces and then continued to fight like champions.

Now I was Legolas himself, only with a somber look, less spectacular, but much more skillful. Shooting arrows in all directions while the Shadow Demons finished with all the beings that came to a certain proximity to me.

So in about 3 hours my Shadow Demons, and my arrows of course, had finished with all the enemies. Which made an expenditure of almost 38 days of life force. If I didn't have the philosopher's stone I would be dead. But I should be thankful that my talent for alchemy is so good.

There were only 5 soldiers left of the original 60, and that was because they acted in a much more passive manner. But at least they were in good health and could help me by carrying treasures and stuff.

The curses were already starting to affect them, and I had understood that. Their skin had red pigments.... The beings we have just killed have all been the invaders of Valyria, or the same Valyrians of old. But they are only those who die by the curse, since we saw traces of corpses in the camp of King Tommen II Lannister, which means that they killed each other or committed suicide.

It had already been two days since we got off the ships. One day to explore Tyria, at night a camp, and now we were finally in Valyria.

Everything was in ruins, but there were small hints of what were once its tall towers. The temperature was very high, and there was the occasional lava river, but nothing that would make it impossible to pass.

We started searching the houses, and as expected, there was nothing. I, in order not to have to carry pieces of Valyrian Steel, had taken two fallen soldiers' sheaths, and had stored the two new Valyrian Steel swords in each of these. They were not a finished product, but he had given them both the same design. A black blade with a blood red hilt with black accents, plus a black eye on the pommel. He had named them Right Eye and Left Eye. They were not enchanted, but they were Valyrian Steel swords after all. They were worth their price in themselves.

Along the way we encountered more red darkspawn affected by the curses, and we had lost yet another "companion". With only four soldiers, not counting me of course.

But well, we had finally arrived at a kind of palace, or so it seemed, since its design was beautiful, which was clear. But its size was too big, so it had to be something else. An elegant and spacious place... Its figure was quite similar to a structure in Kings Landing... Dragonpit!

So I immediately entered the place, and the first thing I saw was a great concentration of magic and spells in a specific place. So without wasting any time I started digging.

But my disappointment came when I found three strange necklaces, instead of dragon eggs.

"What the fuck is this?" I muttered as I magically inspected the object. The runes read the following words, "Creatura Domitor." And a thought came to my mind....

Could it be what they used to control the dragons? Because if it was this would be spectacular, because I am not a "True Targaryen" like Daenerys, nor some kind of chosen one like.... Well, Jon Snow didn't do shit, so if he's the chosen one anyone can be.

But the thing is, this looks very utilitarian. The dragon eggs were missing, though. But it looks like fate was finally siding with me, or not. For I looked to my right and could see a soldier about to plunge his sword into a red scaly oval figure. So without wasting any time I ordered my shadow to cut off his arm.

"Ahggg!" he cried out in pain.

"What the fuck are you doing you idiot!" I shouted at him with anger in my voice, while the guy looked at me with hatred in his eyes. The rest of the 3 soldiers were behind me scared and confused.

"Y-you" he said in pain. "You're a monster... Imagine the damage you would cause to the world if you get dragons" he repeated, and the soldiers behind me hesitated.

"Hahahahaha. It's brave of you, but cowardly at the same time. Your family will suffer a lot, believe me. I remember... Wife named Caria along with two daughters aged 9 and 13. I may have underlings with peculiar tastes who want to do it with the girls," I told him, and his face filled with fear as the soldiers behind me lowered their heads and rejected the guy's words. This is fear. I finished the guy off quickly, I wanted my dragons.