Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction, and all rights for characters, plots and settings belong to G.R.R. Martin and FromSoftware. I have no ownership.
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"Rarely did events play out as imagined, in any case. The order of future events was transient. In the same way that the past was reconfigured by selective memory, future events, too, were moving targets. One could only act on instinct, grab hold of an intuited perfect moment, and spring into action.
One heartbeat late and the universe would have recomposed itself, no imposition of will sufficient to forestall the currents. One could only observe and react. Surprise was the element absent from any periodic table.
A keystone element; a missing ingredient. The means by which the Force amused itself. A reminder to all sentient beings that some secrets could never be unlocked."
Darth Plagueis
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There is no ignorance; there is knowledge.
There is no fear; there is power.
I am the Heart of the Force.
I am the revealing fire of Light.
I am the mystery of Darkness
In balance with Chaos and Harmony,
Immortal in the Force
Je'daii Order Code
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Westeros, Crownlands
Year 298 AC (After Aegon Conquest)
Raevan
He stared impassively at Varys's corpse lying before him, completely covered in blood. Blood which continued to ooze from eunuch mouth, eyes, nose, and ears. The eunuch's brain couldn't handle the pressure as Raevan's mind clashed with whatever the man's allies had left in his head.
He himself wasn't in the best of moods after what had happened, for the information he'd obtained, while valuable, left more questions than answers.
It turned out the conspiracy went further than they had expected. He wasn't certain, but it seemed that most of the Free Cities were involved in one way or another. Slaver's Bay and Ghis were also involved.
But that wasn't what bothered him. The name of some sorcerer organization popped into Varys's mind several times. Those Who Dwell in Shadow.
However, he was unable to learn more than that Varys had met one of them and that they might have been the power behind the scenes that was controlling this entire alliance against their House.
He was undoubtedly dealing with a group of Force users or a group led by one. The question remained whether they were cult-like, like the Darthomir sorcerers, or, worse, descendants of some ancient Sith. The possibilities were endless.
However, the timing of their interference in Westerosi affairs so far from Asshai was strange. Could they have sensed his presence in the Force and, viewing him a potential threat, reacted? Or perhaps they had long been influencing what happened in the world, silently and from hiding?
As for Free Cities, indeed, in recent times, many of his projects have severely impacted them, and many of them had previously dominated various spheres of trade, particularly Myr, Qohor, and Volantis. However, this was not a sufficient reason for them to unite against the Seven Kingdoms, when their feuds dated back to the Century of Blood.
The time of peace was clearly coming to an end. He had to accelerate many of his plans and focus on his training. Sure, he was strong, but he wasn't about to underestimate any Force user. Confidence was one thing, but arrogance had led many Sith and Jedi alike to their downfall.
He also finally understood who could be the cause of this strange Shadow in the Force that was blocking or distorting most of his inner senses, causing him to perceive things through the Force differently than they actually were.
However, such a powerful Shadow suggested that these sorcerers must have been numerous and powerful enough to accomplish such a feat. He had previously seen something similar once in Dromund Kaas, where Emperor Vitiate did it.
Raevan was certain he hadn't encountered anyone of that caliber, but that didn't ease his anxiety. Because of Force, he wasn't overly concerned about himself, but the same couldn't be said for his family.
Moreover, he felt responsible for his father's subjects, and the last thing he wanted was for them to suffer as a result of his lack of preparation or underestimation of the threat.
He needed to organize his own spy network as quickly as possible, something he should have done years ago. Now, this mistake would likely cost him dearly.
"Heh. Now all that's left is to get rid of the body," he said with a sigh and extended his hand and turned finger upward, then with Force began rubbing the air molecules together, and through the friction above his fingertip, a flame appeared.
With a single thought, he caused flames to break from the small flame and, like a hungry pack of dogs, pounce on the eunuch's body. A moment later, it burst into flames, and he watched, controlling both the flame and the heat generated to prevent it from igniting the tent.
A dozen or so seconds passed, and Varys was reduced to ashes. Now he had to determine what to do next. He certainly had to inform his father, but he also had to begin activating all countermeasures in case the plotters planned anything in the coming days.
Before he could leave the tent, Mark's head appeared in the entrance. "My Prince, Ser Arthur is here."
Raevan frowned. "Could his father need something from him? It's the only way the Kingsguard would leave the king's side with such a large gathering of people.
"Let him in," he ordered, to which the man nodded. A moment later, Arthur, in his shining white armor, stepped inside, glancing at the pile of ash on the ground and commenting with a raised eyebrow.
"What does my father need, Arthur?"
"It is the king who is looking for you, Raevan, but the Yi-Ti prince. Your father ordered me to find you to inform you," replied the knight.
Hmh. Bu Han. Honestly, he didn't feel like talking to the prince of the Golden Empire right now, especially since he had to talk to his father about what he had learned.
He approached the Kingsguard and, leaning over his shoulder, said quietly, "I will find the prince, and you, Arthur, inform my father that we must speak during the next lull between the fighting... Tell him that Spider was a traitor and that a plot is being organized against us, reaching far beyond Westeros."
Arthur, who a moment ago had still been relaxed, though dutiful, became visibly serious and looked him in the eye questioningly.
Raevan shook his head, "I'll take care of it. I don't know much yet... Just inform the king about it so he can be vigilant. In fact, inform your brothers as well, but no one else for now."
He then followed Arthur, and while the kingsguard cast wary glances around, as if expecting an attack at any moment, Raevan used Force to do the same, stretching his senses as far as possible.
First, he sought out his family, and seeing that there was no threat around them or anything that might suggest it was hiding nearby, he began to scour the vast expanse of the tournament grounds, searching for anything connected to Force. Not even the slightest thread.
After a few hundred meters, they parted ways, with Arthur heading towards the royal box, while he himself headed for Prince Bu Han, whom he easily located using Force.
The Yi-Tish Prince was having a lively discussion with none other than Tyrion Lannister, and judging by their smiles and the dwarf's gestures, he could guess that he was telling some story that undoubtedly involved whores and wine.
He may not have been friends with Tywin's younger son, but he respected his thirst for knowledge and sharp mind. If it weren't for his background and demeanor, he likely would have invited him to collaborate on one of his projects.
Tyrion visited Jamie in King's Landing quite often, always trying to get closer to Raevan, but he recognized that even if the man had genuine intentions, winning him over and taking another son from the Lord of Casterly Rock could only lead to further trouble in the future.
And so the Old Lion still hadn't forgiven the king for not releasing Jamie from service in the Kingsguard. It might not have been a politically sound decision, but Raevan understood why his father had made it. Jamie had clearly begged for it.
When he was about thirty feet away, both men spotted him, or rather, one of Han's guards, who informed his prince of his appearance.
"Prince Han. Lord Tyrion," he greeted them with a smile, though it was mainly reserved for his business partner, because that was what Yi-Tish Crown Prince was, after all.
"Your Highness, splendid duel earlier," Tyrion greeted him with a slight bow.
"Prince Raevan. It was you I wanted to speak with, my friend," Han said, opening his arms wide in greeting.
"Yes, Ser Arthur informed me you were looking for me," he admitted, stopping in front of them.
Han turned to Tyrion. "Lord Tyrion, it was a pleasure to meet you. Unfortunately, I must now discuss private matters with the prince. However, I would be happy to speak with you later."
The Lannister laughed at this and replied, "I understand perfectly, Your Highness, and I will be on my way. As for continuing our conversation, I will be on the lookout for it." I will send one of your servants to our residence in the city, and I will be there for the meeting as soon as I can."
Then he bowed to Raevan again and, with a curt "My Prince," left them.
Raevan watched the waddling dwarf for a moment, then his gaze fell back on Prince Han. "I thought we were supposed to meet tonight to discuss our mutual interests? What's changed?"
"Let's take a walk, my friend. We have news you might be interested in."
"I'm all ears... It must be something serious; I doubt you wouldn't have waited until evening otherwise," Raevan agreed, feeling a little uneasy.
He felt many pairs of eyes on him and wondered if there was an enemy among them. Force gave him no indication that anyone in the crowd wished him harm, but with these sorcerers, he couldn't be sure.
They began a slow walk toward the less crowded areas, and both Han's guards and his own men formed a 30-foot perimeter around them. Though it wasn't necessary, as he himself had created a Force bubble around them, blocking all sound from escaping.
He glanced at Han, who was walking beside him, and asked, "So, speak, friend. What news do you have for me?"
"Remember what I told you about that accursed sorcerer from Carcosa, proclaiming himself the Yellow Emperor, Chai Zun? I said he has many traitors from my father's court in his employ."
Raevan nodded. "Yes, you mentioned that. You said many stood by your father for decades, and wasn't even your uncle, your mother's brother, the one who turned out to be the one?"
Han nodded, his face visibly somber. "One of them is here. Wun Jin. My trusted man recognized him. There's no way my father sent him, and he wasn't on the list of people on my ships. He has no right to be here without my knowledge and the Emperor's."
"That means he's here in the interests of someone else entirely," Reavan had already concluded to himself. If Han was right, he might be able to gain further information about their enemies. The sorcerer must also have connections or be a member of Those Who Dwell in Shadows.
He felt the Force was on his side. It couldn't be a coincidence that in a single day, answers had fallen into his lap after being blind to this entire plot for so long.
"Are your men keeping an eye on him, or do we need to find him?" he asked, but Han only smiled in response.
"No need. I know perfectly well where he is. He's staying at the residence of my previous interlocutor, that funny little fellow, Tyrion Lannister," Han replied with a smirk, and Raevan only confirmed his earlier assessment of the prince.
This one was incredibly cunning but he certainly had to be. The Imperial Court must have been incomparably worse than King's Landing.
Han's earlier meeting with Tyrion Lannister and their conversation had not been a coincidence, but rather he himself had deliberately sought out the dwarf.
Now, however, the question arose. Were the Lannisters part of a larger conspiracy, or had they simply welcomed a foreign dignitary like dozens of others? The nobles had finally opened their residences to guests at the king's request.
He must have sent one of his men to check who had been assigned to the Lannisters and who they had invited on their own.
Suddenly, an obvious thought occurred to him. Yi-Ti was much closer to Asshai, after all, so they might know much more about the land.
"Have you ever heard of a group calling themselves Those Who Dwell in Shadows?" he asked, looking at his interlocutor expectantly.
Han looked at him in surprise. "Where have you heard that name?"
"From a traitor before his death." He explained, then asked, feeling a growing excitement, realizing from the other's answer that he must know something about this group. "So you've heard?"
Han looked ahead and nodded. "It's not information, but more of a myth, a legend circulating in the Empire for millennia. Since the fall of the Great Empire of the Dawn itself. Though this group has many names. Those Who Dwell in Shadows, Dark Council, Bringers of Shadow."
Raevan frowned, especially at the second name, which had particularly unpleasant connotations for him. "Who are they?" he asked.
"As I say, it's just a legend, but supposedly they've ruled Asshai for millennia. And according to some legends, they're responsible for the fall of the Empire of the Dawn and turning the capital into what it is now: a dark, terrifying place where animals and children can't survive. One of the old manuscripts in our imperial library says they were founded by the Bloodstone Emperor."
"He was the last ruler of the Great Empire of the Dawn, wasn't he?" he asked, recalling what he'd read about the first empire known to have existed.
"Yes, a self-proclaimed ruler who murdered his sister, the rightful Empress," Han admitted, smiling slightly despite the somber tone of their conversation.
"I appreciate your knowledge of history. Many treat it as stories. But the Great Empire actually existed, and the Bloodstone Emperor did too. There are too many traditions in Yi-Ti to confirm it. And if they existed, it's possible this secret organization did too."
Raevan smiled slightly and replied, "My friend, the texts we have here in Westeros on this subject are few and far between, and I feel it's all connected. Tell me more."
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Westeros, King's Landing
Year 298 AC (After Aegon Conquest)
Robb Stark
Honestly, he couldn't hide his jealousy at the sight of his cousin fighting in foot duels, but his father had absolutely forbidden him from participating, claiming he was too young.
Of course, the argument that Raevan was younger than him fell flat on his father's face. Eddard Stark merely replied, "Your cousin is more mature than most adults."
The fact that several Northern lords had participated in these fights, and even more had signed up for the melee, added salt to the wound. While Smalljon Umber or Harrion Karstark would be competing against the finest knights of the realm, like Sword of the Morning or Barristan the Bold, he could only watch.
"Cheer up, dear cousin. You're not the only one suffering. I, too, have been forbidden to participate," came the voice of Crown Prince Aegon from his left. Robb looked glumly at the prince's Valyrian face, which held a small smile.
"That's different, Your Highness. It's not proper for you, as the celebrant, to participate directly in the games in your honor," he replied, and Aegon's smile widened before he replied.
"Believe me, cousin, that's no reason why I'm not participating."
"What else could there be? Don't you want to test yourself against the kingdom's elite?" Robb asked, frowning thoughtfully, then understanding. "It's about Raevan, isn't it?"
Aegon simply nodded, "Yes, my magnificent brother. And no, I don't mean that ironically. Someone like him is born only once in a millennium, and perhaps not since the Age of Heroes."
Robb looked at the prince in surprise, not expecting such words from him. "You don't seem jealous of him," he stated.
Aegon looked ahead at the battle raging below. "I know what they say about our House, but believe me, our father and mothers, and above all, our grandmother, make sure we're close. I, Raevan, Rhae, and Dany have been close since we were little."
His amethyst eyes looked at Robbie again. "I would give my life for all of them if need be, and I know each of them would do the same for me."
He smiled faintly, as if remembering, "And Raevan." My brother is building our kingdom and reviving our House like no one else, not even our father. He's building our future. So how can I hate or feel jealous of something I can't do myself?"
Robb looked at the Crown Prince in a completely new light, wondering if he himself could see it the same way. Aegon, clearly noticing his surprise, laughed lightly again, drawing a few glances.
"You shouldn't be surprised. It's hard not to love my brother. Yes, he likes to keep to himself and his plans to himself. He also spends a lot of time in his workshop, but he's never sent me away when I needed anything from him. He's always helped, always listened when needed. Raevan loves her family above all else, and woe betide those who try to harm her."
Suddenly, from behind Aegon, he heard a shimmering laugh, belonging to Princess Rhaenys, who had clearly been listening to their conversation, for she turned to him, a playful twinkle in her eyes.
"Believe me, Robb, you won't find a bigger fan of Raevan than our Egg. He's followed him everywhere since he was a little boy, and the two of them have gotten into a lot of trouble."
"As if you weren't with us," Aegon replied with a dramatic sigh. "And if I remember correctly, you were always the one who got us into trouble, and Raevan had to bail us out, even though he was the youngest. Like that situation with old Willis's cookies."
Rhaenys burst out laughing, oblivious to the fact that most of the royal box and a few nearby ones were giving them strange looks, including his father, while the king himself just shook his head in obvious disapproval.
"I remember that. Rae told Willis such nonsense that he almost had a heart attack. Father wasn't pleased then. He made us help clean the stables for a week," the princess said, wiping a tear from her eye with her finger.
Princess Daenerys leaned out from behind Rhaenys at that moment. "Calm down. Now it's Raev's turn again. In the third arena."
Robb glanced in that direction, indeed noticing the prince's distinctive black armor, the simple yet elegant helmet with a small, flat visor, and the black cloak, the hood of which draped over the helm. He had to admit, his cousin looked truly magnificent.
"I still don't understand why he insists on fighting in a cloak and with a hood up. It's impractical in combat," Daenerys said.
Aegon smiled in response. "My dear aunt, who knows what my brother thinks? It could just as easily be his whim. But the fact is, dressed like that, he has an ineffable presence that I can't quite put into words."
Robb studied his cousin's opponent more closely. The knight's shield was white and had three black birds on it, each holding something red between its talons.
"Who is his opponent? I don't recognize the sigil from here," he said, leaning as far forward as he could, but he still couldn't see clearly from this angle.
"Ser Lyn Corbray. Younger brother of Lord Heart's Home. Three black ravens holding hearts between their talons on a white background. A wretched knight, but an exceptionally skilled swordsman. He wields a Valyrian blade, Lady Forlorn," Aegon explained casually, as if quoting from a book.
Robb looked at him, surprised. "Do you know every lord in the Seven Kingdoms?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.
Most, Raevan knows them all, even their house words. As he likes to say, 'Know your enemy,'" the prince replied, then shifted in his seat. "They begin."
Robb quickly glanced back at the arena, and indeed, both knights stood ready, and at the referee's signal, the duel began.
Raevan stood firm, still not drawing his sword from its sheath, a gesture of utter disregard for his opponent, who undoubtedly took it as an insult, for a moment later, he charged at the prince and aimed a swift sideways slash at his helm.
Raevan, however, caught the Valyrian blade in his left hand and, faster than anyone could react, struck Corbray's helm with his right fist.
A loud gong sounded, and the man stumbled back a few steps, but then a second blow, even louder, sent the knight sprawling to the ground, from where he never rose.
"I think he's been wanting to do this for a long time," Aegon commented.
"Why?" Robb glanced at him, questioning.
"There are rumors of Lyn or boys, and underage ones at that, but there's no proof. I don't think he'll leave King's Landing alive," the prince replied. "In fact, I'm convinced he's currently dead; his helmet looks badly dented. How did Raevan get so strong? The bastard."
Robb's gaze wandered back to the arena, but there was no sign of his cousin, and several men were carrying away an unconscious, or perhaps dead, knight on a stretcher.
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Westeros, King's Landing
Year 298 AC (After Aegon Conquest)
Star of the Sea
Low waves crashed against the hull of a ship docked in the harbor, and the sounds of thousands of people filling the quay merged into one great din. However, it was the lack of stench that was most noticeable, compared to what she remembered.
Not that there weren't any heavy smell, but such things were a feature of every major city. A city with good sewage smelled different from another without. Clearly, something had changed for the better.
Feeling the numerous gazes of the sailors that had followed her since boarding the ship in Volantis, she drew her cloak, worn despite the warm weather, tighter around herself and enveloped her figure with the Force, making herself less noticeable to their senses.
She was compelled to do so, convinced that someone from the brotherhood was still following her. She managed to escape twice, killing one of the Silencers and severely wounding another.
She looked at Red Keep, towering over the city. Thousands of miles of travel, and she was finally at her destination, seeing the place where she'd grown up for the first time in decades.
She closed her eyes, opening to the Force and reaching out, searching for the one who had brought her back to Westeros. Contrary to appearances, it wasn't difficult. For in the gray void, he shone like a sun in a blue sky. Though "shone" might not be the right word.
He seemed more like an amalgamation of Light and Darkness, like an endless storm ready to cover the entire planet. Force concentrated around him as if he were drawing her to him. He was like the heart of the Force. She understood why her superiors feared him. He was a threat to everything they had spent millennia building.
When the ship finally docked, she grabbed the small bag containing her belongings without hesitation, wasting no time in leaving the ship. Her mismatched eyes, one blue, the other bright green, did not tear themselves away from Red Keep.