The Humble Saint

"Viserys, you don't seem well..." Aerion remarked as he watched Viserys drag himself onwards. "Ride the dragon if you need to."

"Why don't you?" Viserys wondered while his speech grew more breathless.

"I can walk on for hours without collapsing like a dog," Aerion replied. "Now get on before you fall."

"All I need is... some water..."

"Is that so?"

Aerion turned around while pure water formed above his palm. The blue liquid changed shape with every passing moment but it never left the air. Not until Aerion would allow it to.

"Give me your waterskin."

Viserys nodded and did as he said. Aerion unsealed the waterskin and filled it to the brim with water before sealing it once more.

"That should be enough for now." Aerion returned the waterskin to Viserys' hands.

"Thank you, nephew."

Viserys unsealed it immediately and drank half of the waterskin's water within a span of ten seconds.

"Maybe we need a larger waterskin for you." Aerion chuckled. "Well... how do you feel?"

"Refreshed. I feel like I've gained a second wind." Viserys sealed the waterskin and attached it to his waist. His violet eyes gave a greater sense of determination as they looked at Aerion. "As long as you do not ride the dead dragon, neither will I."

"Then make sure you do not become a burden," Aerion replied.

"I... refuse to be called that." Viserys stepped forwards, increasing his pace. "I will show you... not through words, but through action!"

Aerion smiled as he watched Viserys walk straight again.

"Do not tire yourself out too swiftly, uncle."

~

Half an hour later.

The undead dragon had been used to scout the area and look for any places worth noting. There were a few small houses but none of them were worth the effort visiting. After a few hours of walking, the dragon did find something. A prospering village of about a thousand inhabitants... slaves, to be precise. They all worked the field while about fourty guards monitored them with swords by their sides and whips in their hands.

"What are we going to eat..." Viserys muttered.

Aerion touched the undead dragon's head and saw what the dragon had seen.

"A fresh, home-cooked meal."

"From where?"

"There's a village half a league away. You'll see it once we get over that hill."

"Half a league..." Viserys sighed, beginning to regret his decision to walk... but his pride did not allow him to speak it out. He shook his head and continued onwards.

How am I to grow stronger if I surrender whenever the situation becomes difficult?

Aerion glanced at Viserys before moving closer to Jaime and away from Viserys. "What did you do to him?"

"It was not my doing... all I did was train him." Jaime shook his head. "You were the one to call him useless, my Emperor. You were the one who gave the blazing spark to his weak embers. To know the truth... that was what he needed. For it to come from you, the person he was closest to, made this truth so much more devastating and... effective."

"I did expect some change... but not to this scale," Aerion admitted. "I thought that only the blessing could truly heal him."

"He is stronger than you think." Jaime smiled. "And he has someone great to look up to."

"Me?"

"No, Ser Oswell." Jaime made a jest.

"Did I hear my name?" Oswell turned to Jaime.

"You must have heard the wind."

Oswell frowned. "Whatever you say, Lord Commander."

"You know... this journey reminds me of the days when we were making our way to Sunspear." Jaime changed the subject.

Aerion smiled. "I feel the same way... but the circumstances are quite different this time."

"Indeed, they are."

They continued towards the top of the hill, where the village came into view. After a short break, they all walked down and continued to walk until the village was only a minute away. That was when a group of guards intercepted them on their path. The undead dragon was scouting the surroundings of the village, looking for more areas of interest, so the guards weren't quite as respectful.

"These lands are owned by the dragon family Velinarys and protected by the great dragonlord Jaeremor. May I ask who you are?"

Aerion smiled as he presented Jaeremor, who stepped forward. "Do you recognise him?"

"Eh... he looks like a Jaeremor who has spent a few years in the grave." The guard frowned. "Our lord is lively, unlike that... thing. Whoever that is, it is not our lord."

"An imposter is what I see." One of the other guards stated.

"Where is his dragon then? Lord Jaeremor does not travel anywhere without his dragon."

The guard who had spoken to Aerion first scratched his head. "I don't know what you're trying to do here but I suggest you leave. Before matters get... bloody, my friend."

Aerion chuckled. "There are more of us than you. Might you happen to be blind, my friend?"

The guard smiled. "Once the alarm is called, one of the dragonlords will arrive on top of a dragon and burn you all to ash. Unless you state your name and purpose... I'm afraid that you and your entourage cannot enter."

"I don't believe you understand your current situation properly, my friend." Aerion walked closer to the guard. "But... unfortunately for you, I do not have the patience to explain it. Perhaps your corpse will know better."

Aerion drew his sword and lighted it on fire before advancing on the guards quicker than lightning itself. The fire made them more hesitant, which Aerion used to his advantage by ruthlessly cutting through all the guards who dared to stand in his way. Immediately, the number of guards dwindled from seven to four.

Then... it became more difficult as the more competent guards began to block his strikes and use their numbers to surround him.

"Hmph... all of you, advance on the village and slay the rest of the guards," Aerion commanded as he drew his dagger. "I'll have some fun here."

The Soul Knights moved without hesitation as the vanguard while the Kingsguard and Viserys followed.

"Hey... where are you goin-"

Once the guard turned his attention away, Aerion struck him in the neck with his dagger while deflecting a slash from another one of the guards.

"This is just fun for you!?" The guard struck again... again and again but all of his strikes were blocked with ease. "You demon... I'll kill you where you stand!"

"Was he a friend of yours?" Aerion wondered as his emerald flames surrounded all of the fallen guards and rose them back to their feet, all in the form of flaming skeletons. They ignored the guards around Aerion and walked towards the village.

"What... what did you do?"

"I made use of their corpses." Aerion stepped back. "And there's nothing you can do about it but join them."

"You..."

After dispatching the remaining three guards, Aerion walked to the village where the rest of the village guards were being slaughtered like cattle by the superior Soul Knights. The Kingsguard, too, humiliated the guards within the village with their superior skill. In the end, all of the guards died but they did manage to sound the alarm beforehand. It was a large bell that could be heard quite the distance away but Aerion wasn't too concerned as the bell was put to a stop rather swiftly.

"Did you fight today, Viserys?" Aerion inquired. Though, by the looks of things, it was unlikely.

"No... I did not. They all fell far too quickly."

Aerion tapped his shoulder. "There will always be another opportunity."

He turned to the villagers, the majority of whom were in complete disarray. They did not know what to do since their guards were dead and another party seemed to control the village now.

"Your old master, Jaeremore had fallen to my blade a few hours ago. Naturally, his heir would take upon these lands... but not in this circumstance. For I, Dragon Emperor Aerion of House Targaryen, claim these lands and everything within them as my own!"

"Dragon... Emperor?" One of the villagers muttered his confusion. There was no such title within the Valyrian Freehold. It was ruled by forty dragonlord families, after all... there was no place for an Emperor where the power was divided by so many.

"Now, as your new master, I demand a feast worthy of an Emperor!"

The villagers were quite submissive, giving into his demands without much struggle. They did the best that they could manage when it came to cooking up a feast 'worthy of an Emperor'. Now, as villagers, they were incapable of completing this demand properly... but Aerion was satisfied nonetheless.

"Valyria is truly a paradise." Aerion rested his legs on the main hall's table as he enjoyed some of the village's wine. "Even a mere village is capable of providing some luxury."

"A paradise for the Valyrians, yes... but what of those beneath them?" Ser Arthur remarked. "They only live to work for their masters who oppress them with their greater strength... their dragons, to be precise."

Aerion removed his legs from the table and sat upright.

"Ser Arthur, the weak always found themselves to be slaves within most of Essos. In truth, it is natural for the weak to serve the strong... even within the Seven Kingdoms, it is no different. Peasants live to serve their lord while earning enough copper coins to live on while those who are less fortunate are subject to being beggars on the street with little support."

"I have no issue with slavery, as long as the master is fair. Neither should you."

"What of their freedom?" Ser Arthur replied.

"Freedom?" Aerion nodded. "And what would these people do with their freedom, I wonder? Freedom only invites disorder while unity under one banner... my banner... is what I strive for. Within the Valyrian Empire, every single person... slave, peasant or even noble, must fulfil their main purpose."

"And that purpose is to contribute to the prosperity of the Empire." Aerion lifted his goblet and sipped some of the wine. "If they cannot accomplish that, then what good is their existence?"

"But... I do not believe in being chained to another unwillingly from the beginning until the end. My policy surrounding slavery certainly needs some work... perhaps contracted slavery?" Aerion pondered.

Arthur nodded. "That would, indeed, be more acceptable."

"I almost forgot that this was meant to be a cheerful feast," Viserys remarked.

Aerion laughed. "It is entirely my fault... I took the matter far too seriously."

"No, I am at fault, my Emperor." Ser Arthur refuted. "I caused the matter to surface."

"I-... it's quite alright." Aerion smiled. "You are a member of my Kingsguard, Ser Arthur. I'd rather you speak openly around me rather than be mute."

"As you wish, my Emperor."

And so, the feast continued. They stayed in the village for the rest of the day and rested until the next. While Aerion rested in the main hall, he thought about a certain matter. From the bearded priest to several others in Volantis, there were quite a few who greatly revered his strength... to the point of naming him their God.

"Both God and Emperor..." Aerion muttered to himself. "If people believe it enough, even slavery won't be necessary."

They would serve out of their own free will...

~

As Aerion awakened and prepared to set out of the village, he noticed an extremely tall man with long silver hair assisting the villagers. His face was concealed by a golden mask and an exquisite sword laid at his side, probably for protection. As Aerion watched the man from the side, he began to wonder about the man's identity.

If he was valyrian, then why would he journey alone and without a dragon? Many dangers come with travelling alone...

"Who are you?"

Aerion decided to approach the kind man.

"A humble saint who helps others." He answered in a rather soft voice, despite dwarfing everyone in terms of size. "I hear that you have the ability to resurrect the dead... which does make me wonder. Are you also capable of healing others?"

"To a degree, yes. What of it?" Aerion answered, slightly intrigued.

"See that injured man?" The man pointed towards a middle-aged man who lacked an arm. "Can you make him whole? I would do so if I could... but my abilities are quite limited."

"And what will I gain from it?"

The man shrugged. "I do not know... my approval, perhaps. If that matters to you, that is."

Aerion frowned. "Who are you truly?"

"Forgive me but I will not answer the same question twice." The humble saint replied. "Whether or not you help this man is your decision in the end."

Aerion sighed. "I'll try."

This is a good opportunity to develop my healing magic, anyway.

He walked towards the injured man and converted his magic vitality into healing magic, focusing it on the man's missing arm. Eventually, his magic vitality dwindled and he used the fire of his subjects to assist him. Although healing a stranger seemed pointless, he was driven to see himself succeed.

This is the path forward...

The humble saint watched the entire time. As the day passed and night came, Aerion saw little progress. The Kingsguard watched from afar while the Soul Knights continued to aid him. Even the man who was being healed began to lose hope.

"I see no magic... nothing has changed after an entire day." He complained.

"If you'd like, I could show you my Pyromancy." Aerion looked down on the man as flames began to flicker in his hand.

The humble saint laughed. "I have seen enough for today... you are, indeed, a diligent yet fiery young man. You remind me a little of myself in my younger years, Aerion 'Stormcaller'."

Stormcaller? How does he know...

The humble saint tapped his forehead. Following that, a stream of greater power surged within Aerion.

I... awakened it. The moment he touched my forehead.

Once Aerion turned to see the humble saint, he was already walking away.

"Wait."

"Hmm?"

Aerion attempted to unmask the humble saint but found himself on the floor the very next moment with a sword pointed to his neck. For a mere humble saint, his hand-to-hand technique seemed flawless... frighteningly so. It was swift, precise and deadly.

"Is it a fight that you desire?"

Suddenly, the aura around the 'humble saint' turned into that of a tyrannical emperor. It was cold, authoritative, ruthless and decisive. Not only that, but this aura streamed with countless waves of terrifying killing intent which could rumble even Aerion's soul.

"I thought so." He turned away from Aerion, sheathed his sword and continued walking into the moonlight.

"How dare he-" Jaime sprinted forwards but Aerion stopped him. "Huh?"

"He is not someone you can hope to face..."

Aerion stood up and cleared his clothing from dust. "To think that I would meet Him on such a day..."

"Everything within this world is at your disposal. Hell, if you wanted to, you could even visit your ancestors or conquer the entire world. But do know that every day that you spend within this trial ground accounts for a day within your world." His voice rumbled within Aerion's mind. "To achieve one's goals, sometimes sacrifice is necessary... well, I needn't say more. You know what I mean."

Everything is at my disposal... so be it.

Aerion looked towards the centre of the village, where some people had remained up to see if his healing magic was any good.

I must not see a thousand villagers, I must see a thousand undead!