Chapter 33:"Ifequevron"

Vahaemorys returned to his seat after the dragon lords had left. He then turned his attention to the elder Dwarf standing in the corner and asked, "Do you have distant cousins in this continent?"

The elder Dwarf replied, "I believe we do have distant cousins here. However..."

Vahaemorys encouraged him to continue, and the elder continued, "During the divine war, our ancestors attempted to escape to another land as they realized they were losing the war. They happened to land on one of the islands near this continent. Unfortunately, they were captured by one of the invaders who had authority over the seas. most of them managed to escape his grasp, but others were left behind. I never thought they would have survived to this era. Perhaps the invader let them live but placed some curse upon them. That's all I can think of."

Vahaemorys was surprised to learn that the Ibbenese were distant relatives of the Dwarves. He also found the elder's assumption about them being cursed to be true. After all, the Ibbenese resembled Dwarves in many ways. They were a heavyset people with broad chests and shoulders, usually standing at just over five and a half feet in height. They had thick, short legs and long arms, and their faces were characterized by sloping brows with heavy ridges, small sunken eyes, great square teeth, and massive jaws. Like Dwarves, the Ibbenese were skilled craftsmen, adept hunters and trackers, and formidable warriors. They were also known as the hairiest people in the known world. While their skin was pale with dark blue veins, they had dark and wiry hair. Ibbenese men were often heavily bearded, and wiry body hair covered their arms, legs, chests, and backs. Even their women had coarse dark hair, sometimes even on their upper lips.

Interestingly, when Ibbenese men fathered children with women from other races, the offspring were often deformed and sterile, much like mules. Similarly, when Ibbenese women mated with men from other races, they gave birth to stillbirths and monstrous infants. It seemed that there was something peculiar about their bloodline that caused such outcomes.

It appeared that the curse had played a significant role in keeping the Ibbenese isolated from others, limiting their interactions to their own kind. This isolation seemed to be the main reason for their deep suspicion of strangers who approached them. Vahaemorys decided not to delve further into the matter, as the Ibbenese didn't hold much value for him.

An Eldian elder then spoke to Vahaemorys, saying, "My King, I believe there may also be a distant cousin of ours on this continent." Vahaemorys was intrigued and asked, "How do you know?" The elder replied, "My King, it's through the whispers of the spirits. Perhaps they are aware of our existence by now."

Vahaemorys pondered this for a moment, searching his memory for any mention of different races in the books of ASOIAF that is in Essos. Then it struck him—the Ifequevron. Based on the books Vahaemorys read in his previous life, The God-Kings of Ibben had once conquered and colonized a vast wooded region just south of Ibben itself. This land had been home to a shy forest folk, a gentle race that had seemingly disappeared. Some believed the Ibbenese had wiped them out, while others thought they had retreated deeper into the woods or fled to other lands. The Dothraki still referred to the great forest along the northern coast as the Kingdom of the Ifequevron, the name used by the vanished forest-dwellers.

Vahaemorys could only hope that these forest-dwellers were distant cousins of the Eldians. However, he couldn't be certain of their existence or if they had survived.

Then Vahaemorys suggested, "Perhaps we can think about them another time. For now, our priority is to settle near port." The elders agreed, although they still harbored questions about Vahaemorys's other identity, which remained a mystery to them. Since it was evident that Vahaemorys was focused on completing the migration and had little interest in further discussions, they refrained from pressing further.

Within a couple of days, the massive crowd began their journey towards the coast of Andalos, their new home. As they drew closer, they were greeted by the sight of a bustling port in construction with over 3,000 ships anchored in the sea. However, something else caught their attention—slaves and their cruel masters mistreating them.

The slaves wore black collars and heavy chains, and it was clear that age did not spare anyone from their brutal labor. Witnessing such inhumane treatment filled the newcomers with rage. But it was a particular incident that ignited a spark of fury in the hearts of the younger Eldian knights and Dwarven warriors.

They witnessed a slaver viciously mistreating a young boy, no older than a child. The heartless slaver pressed the boy's head into the muddy ground, heedless of the boy's cries and pleas for mercy. It was a sight that struck a chord deep within the knights and warriors, awakening a primal rage that could not be contained.

Without a moment's hesitation, the young knights and Dwarves leaped into action, their swords drawn and their faces contorted with anger. They rushed toward the slaver, determined to put an end to this cruelty once and for all. 

The slavers were taken aback. They knew the approaching crowd belonged to Vahaemorys, but they never anticipated an outright attack. Soon, it became evident that the Eldian knights and Dwarves were a force to be reckoned with. These knights, seasoned by over two centuries of life and imbued with formidable spirit magic, swiftly gained the upper hand.

But just as the situation seemed to escalate further. Then, like a thunderclap, a commanding voice rang out, "Enough."

In an instant, the Eldians and Dwarves knelt, their heads bowed towards the source of the sound. Vahaemorys emerged, accompanied by the elders of both the Eldians and Dwarves. Other slavers, witnessing Vahaemorys's arrival and his dismissal of his weapon, compelled their slave warriors to step back. They also knelt, realizing they stood before the most renowned and powerful dragon lord.

One of the Eldian knights, still on bended knee, spoke out to Vahaemorys with a voice that resonated, "My liege, we beg the forgiveness, for we could not restrain ourselves upon witnessing actions contrary to our solemn oath as knights. We stand ready to bear whatever penance thou deemest just."

Vahaemorys, displaying both understanding and wisdom, responded to his valiant knights, "I understand your noble intentions, my valiant knights. There are many injustices in this world, and what you witnessed today is indeed troubling you. While your impulse to protect the helpless is commendable, we must also consider the bigger picture. Our primary goal is to establish our presence here, and to do that, we must maintain order and discipline. Remember, there are more terrible things in this world, and our duty is to ensure that our new home becomes a beacon of fairness and compassion. Let us channel our outrage into building a society where such atrocities have no place. We will address these issues, but through lawful means, so that our actions may serve as an example to others. So, put your swords away and give a proper farewell to those who have fallen by your sword. That will be your punishment."

Then, Vahaemorys turned his gaze towards the Valyrian slavers and slaves, who appeared bewildered by the unfamiliar language he spoke. They dared not meet Vahaemorys's eyes, fully aware of his identity. Vahaemorys uttered a single word in Valyrian, commanding them, "SCRAM."