Chapter 63

(???, Valyria)

Pain.

Only pain could be felt as a terrifying amount of power escaped its grasp. So much was lost in such a short time. 

Connections it had initiated were broken in the most profound of ways, centuries of effort were ripped out of its grasp with little to no mercy.

Horror filled it as it tried to face the sudden change. There was a sense of powerlessness in everything, not since the days it was discovered by those damned Valyrian gods had it felt this powerless.

Days where it was forced to serve their abhorrent needs, turning it into more monster than divine.

It felt like the very oceans acted against it and the world cried out in joy as it lost its grip on its power.

So sudden was this change, that it felt itself being constrained by the mortal plane. Unable to react swiftly enough to escape the impromptu prison fashioned by its lost power.

There was little amount of true faith remaining among its followers to draw upon, its fanatical followers could no longer be relied upon now that they were within the embrace of death. Even its tenuous connection to the West was breaking, what little influence it had there waning alongside its powers.

Both Melisandre and Thoros were now out of its reach, communication all but impossible.

It had no idea what had occurred, having spent these past few years busing itself searching for whatever information those prideful overlords had left after their fall.

Yet there was no mention of how they rid themselves and the mortal plane of their Ghiscari counterparts. It instinctively knew that the enemy would be too dangerous to face without precautions, his powers too mysterious and deeply rooted in the heart of this world that now actively worked against it.

Fear, oh how fresh these all too unfamiliar feelings were. For the first time since the doom, R'hllor understood hopelessness.

Not even the dragon gods had inspired such a feeling in it. Always plotting, always ready with a dagger behind its back.

A low raspy chuckle escaped its humanoid shape. The irony, oh the irony in it all.

Someone finally managed to outmaneuver it, who was it? Was it a rival of old? Was it the apathetic monsters that called themselves their elders? Maybe it was that pesky sea god?

Or the most unlikely of all, was it that mortal? Perhaps he underestimated how far that man was willing to go.

He hated the fact that the world itself worked against him, constraining him at the worst possible moment.

Whoever it was, they would come for it. Sooner or later, they would come to finish it off. For it had nowhere to go, trapped as it was within this mortal humanoid husk, the loss of its power keenly felt.

Suddenly its pupils dilated as it sensed a large concentration of magic and raw unfiltered divinity westwards. Turning to look at the direction from where this change was occurring. 

So young, so powerful. Was it him?

There was no faith, no worship. Just pure unbridled power and control, reminding it of the days of old when humanity could rise above their station.

Disgust welled within it, for this was the very same way those draconic gods had risen, though theirs was tainted by the power of faith.

"Another one has risen…"

…

(Erlend Mudd, Firmridge)

"As you instructed all personnel have stayed clear from Volantis and the Triarchy, which has allowed them to survive the natural disaster that has occurred." There was a knowing glint in Feld's eye that suspected Erlend's role in this 'natural' disaster.

Despite his suspicions, the spymaster did not think much of it. After all, it was he who had been urging the King to take more drastic actions against his enemies. There was a reason he was more feared than his brother after all.

"The Triarchy has suffered greatly, it is reported that a significant majority of the ruling council was present in Lys during the disaster. What remains of the council is now scrambling to get everything under control, the riots have made that a herculean task." Ellar continued.

"Anything of Volantis left alive?" Erlend questioned.

"Yes, a few have managed to escape in time and sequestered themselves in the various protectorates. Though many appeared to have perished in their sleep, and the number of survivors continues to dwindle by the day."

The irony in that hadn't escaped Erlend, it was the doom all over again. Granted it was on a much smaller scale, but the similarities were uncanny. Fate certainly had a sense of humor, and this time, a Mudd had something to do with this minor doom.

Not that anyone would dare place the blame on his feet, not yet anyway. Even if someone miraculously did, they would stubbornly deny it, for this was a power no mortal man should nor could have.

Humanity had a knack for denying the supernatural, especially from their fellow men. Hell, before his draconic children showed themselves, most Westerosi were content in forgetting that the Targaryens had walking fire-breathing nukes.

"What of the mercantile ventures, how much have we suffered on that front?" Erlend probed, that men can be moved easily enough, but assets took time to liquidate.

"Losses have been made, as we were unable to sell all the assets within those cities in time. Largely due to wanting to avoid alerting buyers and being forced to sell for less than its value." Feld had a look of shame on his face at that piece of information.

To the shadow figure, a loss was never acceptable if he had a choice in the matter.

"Don't beat yourself over it Ellar, we never expected to make a profit from them in the first place. Instead, I want you to head to Twilight and personally check on the state of the eastern Banners."

"As you wish your Majesty. Do I have permission to take Major Mya under my command for this?" Ellar said seriously.

Erlend raised his eyebrow at that request, if he recalled correctly, the distinguished Major was an ideal candidate for Lieutenant General. Hmm… it would not be a bad idea to have her participate in the upcoming campaign with Ellar.

More merit was always a good thing. It would make her future promotion much smoother and likely please Ellar. The man did consider her as his daughter in all but blood.

"Go ahead, She'll be temporarily promoted to Banner General and placed directly under your command. It's up to her on whether that becomes a permanent assignment or not."

"Thank you, your Majesty." The spymaster bowed his head respectfully before making his way out of the solar.

"Yohn's brat has been getting awfully close to the Major, he wondered when Ellar would give the lad the shovel talk." Erlend chuckled to himself at the terrifying experience Andar would no doubt go through.

He knew Yohn vaguely approved of the match, it was another way to get closer to the Crown and Mya did come from a distinguished family from the Twilight Isles, albeit an impoverished one.

If his memory served him well, she was descended from one of those northerners who had left the North during Aegon's conquest.

Perhaps he should prepare a gift for the two hopefuls, both of them were talented individuals with bright futures and it wouldn't hurt to have Edmund get closer to the two. However, who would wear the pants in that particular relationship was up for debate.

Oh well, that wasn't his problem.

…

One could argue that Erlend was slowly but surely turning into a monster, no better than those he despised. Unfortunately for those arguing such a case, they were correct.

Ahead of him was a ritual circle meticulously prepared for a ceremony that would skyrocket his base power and control over it, finally completing the process he began in Dragonstone so long ago. Especially over the water element, though the earth would increase as well.

The ingredients were pretty simple and were mostly symbolic. For water, the tsunami served as a fitting catalyst, whilst for Earth the earthquakes that were caused by his manipulation of the tectonic plates of this world worked well enough.

Souls, more precisely the souls of those who perished directly or indirectly because of his actions were the true core ingredient for the success of this not-so-minor ritual.

At its heart, this ritual was quite basic and was meant to enhance what was already present. What made it so significant was the amount of sacrifices and souls put into powering it.

Volantis boasted a population of over a million souls and Lys was close to reaching the half-a-million mark. That was without counting its surroundings which had a higher count.

Millions of souls, all ready to be put to use.

Should everything go smoothly, Erlend would be able to raise his power to true divine levels, instead of remaining a pseudo-nature deity.

Interestingly enough, his control over fire and wind had been progressively increasing ever since the ritual that gave him an affinity to death. Fire could be attributed to a ritual he used to enhance its lethality. Wind on the other hand was a mystery to him.

Regardless, Erlend shed off the layers of clothing, making his way to the center of the circle. Once ready, he let out a deep breath before beginning.

Letting his palm touch the earth below him, Erlend let his magic free, mingling with the ritual circle and lighting it up to the visible eye.

His intent washed over the circle and the presence of not just his magic but that of the world increased drastically. He could feel vague emotions of interest and approval washing over him.

The primal power heeding his desire and the trust he gave it. This time he would need to remain unconscious for his ritual and his body to do their work.

Taking one last look at his surroundings, Erlend closed his eyes, letting the darkness encompass him as he drifted to unconsciousness.

...

The first thing he noticed upon waking up was that his body was glowing.

A gorgeous blend of the four colors that represented the primary elements flowed for lack of better words throughout his body. Erlend felt like a veritable ocean of magic leaking from his body.

Around him, flames, wind, earth, and water danced with remarkable rhythm. Each element playfully scatters and then combines to create masterful works of art.

There was no denying the natural beauty that the elements brought forth, yet now was not the time for chaos. Swiftly getting his power under control, Erlend felt the power quietly receding into his body… Not his soul to be more accurate.

The elements disappeared, no longer clear to the naked eye.

Now that he wasn't glowing a multitude of colors, Erlend inspected his body for any change, summoning a mirror to take a clearer look at his physical appearance.

There wasn't much of a change as one would expect, that is as long as you ignored his temperament. If previously one would associate him with authority and kingship, now Erlend could practically feel his aura suppressing everything around him.

His awakened divinity had a domineering effect on his surroundings, forcing everything in his path to submit or break.

Oddly fitting.

Magic… was intoxicating, he couldn't even begin to describe that feeling. The difference between then and now was like attempting to bridge a chasm, possible but oh so difficult.

The burden that had shackled his soul to mortality was no longer there. Yes, it has been staved off by his bond with his draconic children, but this felt different, in a sense it was more natural where there was no longer a need to rely on external force.

Magic constantly flowed through his body, ready to heed his call, becoming a natural part of him, just as breathing was to the human body.

What stood out to him the most, was the difference in the air around him. If before the world welcomed him, now it embraced him wholeheartedly. His divinity fundamentally changed the relationship from tentative acceptance, to one of equals.

Erlend knew without question that soon he would no longer need to hide his power, the path of shadows would not be tolerated by his ego if it could help it. That was interesting because it showed him at his truest self.

For all his plots and schemes, Erlend was a man of action, his recent actions were the best indicators of that. Glancing at the distance unseen by mortal eyes, a gleam of pure contempt filled his eyes.

"I played this game long enough, your time could not have come sooner, Antaryon."

…

Rest.

Erlend needed rest. So when the opportunity presented itself, the King threw away responsibility towards his trusted wife and advisors and let sleep take him.

Rarely did the Wizard King sleep, or need it. His adaptability ensured the need for only minimal sleep and even nutrition if he so decides. Which he did not, it was impossible for any sensible being to give up the desire for food, it would be like cutting an essential limb from his body.

Could he live without it? Yes… Did he want to? Nope.

So Erlend lets sleep take him, dreams of the possibilities that lay ahead of completely taking him in their embrace. Worshiped in one, reviled in another. Respected and loathed in equal measure, everything was laid bare for him to see.

Breathtaking sights of the monuments to his reign, the success of his descendants, and the legacy they left as they expanded upon what had been built.

"It's a beautiful sight isn't it, my Lord?" The voice dripped with honey, melodic and tempting for all who heard it.

When Erlend turned to get a good look at its owner, he was met with deep blue pools that knew no end. Her buxom figure leaning close to him, her pouty lips oh so close, that if he moved any closer, it would embrace his own.

There was a familiar look of mischief in her eyes, one that could often be seen when looked through a mirror.

"Finally making contact, fair maiden?" Instead of answering her the newly arisen deity responded with his own.

"Don't be such a bore, my dear, you know the situation of our pantheon better than anyone." The supple maiden retorted, looking aggrieved.

"I suppose that's fair." Of all the divines, they were the most restrained. The less said about their clergy, the better.

"Hmph… As you should."

Rolling his eyes at the childish response from the divine beauty, Erlend continued to observe the path laid out.

"Father is dying." It was a simple sentence, but the gravity was of the utmost importance.

"How?"

"Those draconian bastards. When our followers fled over to Westeros, we were the ones to stand against the Valyrians who refused to allow it, giving them much-needed time to make their escape." The goddess was quite passionate about the topic, clearly unhappy with the result of it.

It made more sense than it should, he heavily doubted the Freehold would've allowed such a useful slave force to escape its grasp so easily.

"I can assume your father was grievously injured during the clash."

The maiden nodded, confirming his suspicions. "There was never meant to be a war between the Andals and First Men, what with the nature gods giving us sanctuary. Unfortunately, we were too weak after the clash and the mortals being mortals unwittingly made it worse."

"The war not only weakened our allies within the nature gods but made father's recovery slow to a snail's pace, despite the addition of the new worshippers. There was no balance or stability in those additions."

She didn't need to continue for him to understand what exactly happened. Humans were first and foremost creatures of ambition and when they were no longer restrained, their worst aspects tended to show.

"The irony in all that. I wonder how the faithful would react to knowing that particular information."

"Father has agreed to throw his support behind your reforms before he fades. He even wants to merge both the old and new gods into a single pantheon, with you at its head." Finally getting to her true purpose, the Maiden blue eyes glowed at him in anticipation.

Well, she certainly had a stake in this, though what exactly it is, he'll find out later.

"You do realize that such a change would take at least centuries to truly set in?" Erlend asked though the thought of such a position did tempt him. It would make things so much easier, if he had their support.

Shrugging her shoulders, the divine beauty was undeterred, "Nothing truly worth it comes easily, but we all agreed to it. Even the Stranger."

"The key to all of this would be the Night King, only his death will solidify your position among the populace. How you go about it is up to you, but he must fall by your hand and publicly at that." She continued, showing a cunning that few would expect from a goddess of her nature.

"Do I get any other reward for this, that's quite the task you have given me."

Rolling her eyes at him, both of them knew how ridiculous his statement was, "You can have me." She said playfully, looking at him with a surprising amount of hunger.

He was pretty sure she, like Artemis or Hestia, was a virgin goddess. Athena was an anomaly, in that she had kids, but they were born uniquely.

"Well then, I better deal with the rabble first. No use letting the distractions go on when I have such a scrumptious meal to enjoy."

The maiden let out a twinkling bell of laughter that sent a familiar tingle down his spine, before lunging at the younger god… Locking lips with him. Everything went still, while their tongues battled for dominance over the other.

Knipping at his neck, "I do love the change in your eyes, it reflects your divinity quite well." the maiden said softly.

Only when sated did the two divines withdraw, sending him a wink? The goddess disappeared with a blinding flash.

Leaving Erlend to ponder his next actions with an amused grin on his face.

'I dare say, that went pretty well. Wait, what the hell did she say about my eyes?'

======

Note: Shit finally getting heated and Erlend is getting tired of playing the game. R'hllor has an edgy backstory and the Maiden can't wait to jump Erlend's bone, I wonder why? Jokes aside, I felt it more apt to give the Seven a logical reason for their passivity, and the Valyrian gods' involvement would make a surprising amount of sense. I mean why would a slaving culture just let hundreds of thousands of good useful free labor just leave like that. Yes, the idea that the conflict between the two cultures was mainly due to human ambition and greed and not between the two divine sides as assumed felt just about right. If anyone was curious, I was vaguely inspired by the Crusades for that.