Darken Rahl in Game of Thrones

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***

Darken Rahl.

I quickly stopped the attacker with the scarlet flames that came out of my hand. The sub-human quickly changed his mind about attacking me and just fell to the ground and howled, and died a few seconds later from my flames. Though I doubt he was thinking about anything at all.

- To arms! - Miriam shouted.And just a moment later, from behind the hillock came at us, a whole crowd of "grey-skinned". More than four dozen of them. And a little later, from the other side, about a dozen moved from where some of the sentinel posts were.

- And just how did I watch them? - I grimaced at my own stupidity and miscalculation.

- Master Rahl. You need to get back to the ship," Nyssa tried to pull me out of my seat and take me to the dinghy.

- No!" and I broke free of her grip, "I will not leave so easily," and immediately shouted a command to the warriors, "I give a thousand gold pieces for one whole living 'freak' that attacked us!

And then my gaze was directed at the fleeing crowd of "grey-skinned" that were separated from us three half a dozen soldiers, who stood in a single formation to repel the attack. I took the form of a hawk and immediately flew over them, and only then, taking the form of a human again, used lightning against them.

Two dozen grey-skinned men were immediately melted by them, while the rest were thrown apart and seemingly stunned.

- Don't just stand there, get some ropes and nets. They're unconscious," he ordered his soldiers and turned back to the fallen men.

With a slight hesitation, four soldiers from the formation ran to get what I had ordered them to bring. By this point, on the other side of our car park, the soldiers had dealt with the attackers without my involvement. It seems, though, from the fluctuations in the magic here, a couple of them had fallen to the death of the brave, and a couple of them now felt strange.

And getting closer to them I realised that those had been infected through the bites of the 'greyskins'. And unless my intuition deceives me, it's quite possible they'll turn into these madmen as well.

- Grey Sickness," he spat, "I forgot that this is where they send all the infected from Westeros and Essos when they are on the verge of madness. Master Rahl, we have to get out of here. This place is dead.

- Centurion Baelor, are you so disappointed in me and my abilities? I thought I showed you how great I can not only torture and kill, but also heal the suffering," he smiled with anticipation of future research.

- Can you heal us? - asked the legionnaire who was infected.

Yes, that doom and sadness in his voice, mixed with hope and faith. It's a mixture that buoys me. I can't say no to a little thing like that. Besides, I'm interested in this phenomenon.

- I can, I'm sure of it. But first, I need the bodies of the infected and some time for research. After that, I'll come after you. Centurion!

- Yes, my lord," the man straightened up.

- Check all the men, just in case. Don't be afraid I'll leave them here to die. I have Darken Rahl's word that I will heal them!

- You have my word. I will.

After the attack, I put up a barrier that separated the land we were on from the rest of the mainland. I also put up a barrier across the water, although if you believe the stories about the disease, they don't go into the water for some reason.

Then after the Centurion's examination of all who were on land, only one additional infected was found.

I had twelve test subjects, for the immediate future.

And in the first few hours of my research, assisted by the ship's healer and Nissa, I finally realised why I hadn't smelled the crowd at first.

It turned out that they were simply spirits that felt like part of nature, with just a little bit of magic on them, which, by the way, was a different shade from their surroundings. Thanks to this knowledge, I would no longer be caught off guard.

Then began a deeper research to find a solution to a small problem that had formed. I wanted to complete it in one day, but even my knowledge of medicine and disease was not enough to complete everything quickly.

No, I was still able to cure my legionnaires of the 'grey sickness', and even one attacker. But that happened in four days. By that time, three of my legionnaires had the infection spread to their hands and reached their forearms. But that was fixable.

The secret of healing turned out to be extremely simple. A set of herbs and some alchemical reactions were needed to make one artificial ingredient and that was it.

The combination wasn't random. Part of it had been suggested to me by the ship's healer, for he had studied under his old predecessor on another ship, and his predecessor and teacher had been in the Citadel of Maesters in Staromest for some time and had been reading the writings of a maester on grey sickness. He had once been able to cure a man of the disease. Ironically, he himself died of the grey sickness, having contracted it from a patient.

When I heard part of the recipe (because his teacher did not remember it in full), I immediately associated it with another disease that was treated by an ancestor of mine in the Midlands in the past. The name of the disease was not preserved, but the description of the patient's symptoms reminded me of this grey disease. I decided to repeat the path of my ancestor and I succeeded.And seeing the result, and especially hearing valuable information from a former infected person about Oros, I am convinced of my ancestor's genius. The Rals were the best mages of all three lands of my past world. And I will carry that glory into the new world. Let Richard, my son, live in the Old World and rule there, and I will begin my life in the new world.

And so, Oros.

Oros was a ruined city of the Valyrian Empire, second only to the capital in wealth. As a colony, it was ruled by appointees from the capital. It was destroyed during the Rock of Valyria, about 100 years before Aegon Targaryen's Landing. There were rumours that there were people living in the ruins of Oros and Tyria, but few people believed these rumours. It seemed unlikely to most people.

However, they were partially wrong, Oros was home to shipwrecked sailors. Which in turn became the majority during the Second Settlement of Oros and absorbed the small remnants of the original Valyrians left there. And now there are no more than fifteen hundred and fifty thousand people living there.

Barhilos, the name of the tall man I healed, was a resident of this city before he accidentally contracted the disease and was banished from it by the laws of the city. He lived north of the city for a while until he lost his mind completely. And then he woke up here in our camp.

This city will be a great opportunity to expand its influence and a trading post. According to this man, the Tyrians and Orosians are very good fishermen, and even had "foresight" into the dangers of the places they lived in. For example, they could smell when there was going to be a flood, or when sulphur was poisoning the air and escape to safety. What the population was like in Tyria Barhilos didn't know, but no less than in his city....

After camping for a few days, we still set off for Oros, which was another day and a half's journey.

As dawn broke we saw the small harbour of Oros, battered by winds, water, time and disaster.

Once upon a time, this city might indeed have been great. But its ruins and dereliction in many places, and it was visible, caught the eye hard and spoilt the picture. Though worth noting, it was still a place that retained some charm.

After admiring the sight for a bit, I let Brachilos and some of his legionnaires and Mathis depart on the dinghy. He will hold preliminary talks with the head of the Oros community. And then, if all is well, I will take possession of the land. And if not... then what's to stop me from simply wiping out the inhabitants of this town and making it my fort post?

Two or three hours later, the boat docked back, but without a local, but with an incredibly happy Mathis on board to tell me how the Orosians had reacted to Brahilos. At first they didn't believe he was cured and wanted to send him away with the outsiders. But then, on examination by the local doctor, if you can call it that, and

thanks to Mathis's eloquence, the locals believed in the miracle, and their head of the community is fiercely anxious to meet me for a private chat.

I had hoped so, but I had brought Miriam, Risa, Nissa and Boras with me, just in case.

I was greeted with hope, apprehension and curiosity. Most of the locals had scattered to their shacks, but a few lingered outside to see the aliens.

I was also curious to see them, and if I must admit it was a disgusting sight. With the lack of proper meat, milk and cheese, while eating seafood and what they had grown in their meagre gardens, they looked like the half dead. All pale and with greedy eyes. True their appearance was motley, though all were quite pale, they had multicoloured eyes and hair: scarlet, wheat, black, silver and purple.

We reached a more or less intact building, where stood two stout fellows that opened the iron doors. Correction, Valyrian steel doors... I mistook it at first for just black doors made of good iron. But no, this seems to have once been a building that belonged to some rich person or the Viceroy himself during the Valyrian Empire. They were about a little taller than Boros in height, up to two metres wide, while being as thick as my fingernail. I was even taken aback by it. Only me, really. My legionnaires stayed at the entrance to the city and with me were Mathis, Rhys, Miriam, Nissa and Boros. Miriam and Boros didn't care what the door was made of at all. Mathis was flying somewhere in his clouds, and didn't pay attention to the "little things" at all. Nyssa remained calm, though she noted to herself what the door was made of. Rhys... He let out a single phrase:

- Hm. Valyrian steel... I see.

And that was it! And it's a waif from Tolos! My reaction to that door makes me feel like a northern barbarian or a beggar compared to my surroundings. But if I wasn't Rahl, I could control my emotions. I put a smile on my face, noting that no matter how the negotiations went, I was going to get that door!The headman, or as he called himself, the head of the Oros community, was a rather old man in his sixties, though he might have been younger, just the living conditions making him look older. He had long grey hair, long ponytail over his shoulder, brown eyes that showed through the narrow slit of his eyes and pale skin.

- Greetings Master Darken Rahl and your honourable companions. My name is Loy-Tai, and I am the Head of the community of the people of Oros. And I apologise that our welcome may seem inappropriate or poor to you. But we are a very poor and isolated people. So don't judge us harshly.

- Don't worry Mr Loy-Tai," I replied, crouching down in my assigned seat, "we understand. And I have spoken to your tribesman about your city. And I have learnt quite a lot.

- Brachilos mentioned that-" The head was having a hard time with the words, I could tell. He was sweating like a horse, but the desire for truthful knowledge was stronger than the fear of a negative answer, - that you had cured him of the grey sickness. Is that true?

- Yes, I have a gift that allows me to do so. I'm a wizard," Loy-Tai jerked in place, "Is it that important?

- Yes. Can we... I... can we count on your help? We need your help... some of our family and friends have already contracted this terrible disease due to a recent attack by infected madmen. They attack us from time to time. And now, if you don't heal them, they will....

- Why would Master Rahl want to heal them? - Nyssa asked in her typical Mord-Sith tone. - Why would you strangers, who have no use for our lord, help you? We came to Ancient Valyria for a completely different reason. The fact that he healed your tribesman is just a fluke for him and the Master's scientific interest.

- But-but... we can pay... the n- ancestors said that people in other places value yellow iron and shiny stones. We have plenty of those. There's also black precious metal, not much of it, just a couple of ingots, but there's also the doors to my house. It's of the same quality... More-more.....

- I'm afraid you have little to offer me for my help. Except for that metal you spoke of. I have plenty of gold and precious stones. And the metal you speak of I can forge myself," which was almost true. I have a few more tests and practice to do to make Valyrian steel, - What else can you offer me? Hmm?

The old man's gaze darted around the room, wandering over us all, especially me. Then he caught the cold-blooded gaze of Nyssa, who was looking at him like shit. He shrank back and clenched his fists in helplessness. And then he did give birth to the idea Nyssa had put in his head, at my instruction:

- S-service, noble lord. We can serve you in exchange for a better life. You can take us to any other place and heal us. We will serve you faithfully as you say. Please.

- Hmm. That's... interesting... but I can't give you an answer right away. Your words took me by surprise. I will think about it for a while and let you know the answer.

Loy-Taya's faint smile began to amuse me. Of course, I wouldn't throw away such a chance to get people who are loyal and indebted to me. But it would be worth it to torture them with waiting so that they realise that "I don't need them that much".

After a small meal and a talk about the history of the settlement with the old man, we sailed back to my flagship. Where I waited until evening and sent a small crew ashore with orders to distribute meat and milk to the locals and to send word to the head of the community that I had agreed to their offer. And that I would start treating them tomorrow morning.

And so it happened.

From the next morning until the end of the week, I worked on healing the sick with grey sickness and even some seriously ill people.

In fact, there were not so many of them at first. But I suggested to Loy-Thai that I organise search parties to catch the infected to join the ranks of the people of Oros or Tyria and serve me in the future. Only after they have been cured, of course. He gladly agreed, for many of their acquaintances had been "converted" into unintelligent beasts that were mistakenly still called humans. And so it was. My men and a few dozen guides-hunters from the inhabitants of Oros broke into groups and began the "hunt".

By the sixth day of our stay in Oros, there were about two hundred captured and treated. Many of them were Oros residents. But there were people from Westeros as well. Mostly peasants and sailors that swore allegiance to me with joy and gratitude in their eyes.

On the seventh day, a small group of elders from Tyria arrived, and they were just as interested in me. It is true that their problem with the "grey sickness" is not as bad as that of their neighbours. But I promised them that I could save them from the necessity to go somewhere in search of escape from the gases. In fact, I had almost completed two artefacts that would feed on the magic surrounding them and cleanse the area within a radius of about a hundred miles.On the eighth day, all the citizens of Oros and the healed took the oath of allegiance to me with words so beloved to me that I hadn't heard in a long time:

"Master Rahl leads us. Master Rahl instructs us. Master Rahl protects us. In the radiance of thy glory is our strength. In thy mercy is our salvation. In thy wisdom is our humility. Our whole life is a service to you. Our whole life belongs to you."

I even got a little emotional at the memories. But that wasn't all that happened that day. Nyssa discovered her gift for controlling the actions of the infected. To take control of him through the use of subjugation magic. A long-standing but useful Mord-Sith ability. It was a phenomenon I began to study further, occasionally diverting my attention from treating the infected.

The next day I sent word to Ocris to prepare more galleys with masons, artisans and legionnaires to be sent here. They would also bring supplies of provisions and seeds of new fruits and vegetables.

After another decade, a whole squadron of ten galleys, five barges, and two dozen smaller ships carrying all sorts of artisans arrived in Oros.

The next day I sailed to Tyrium and took the oath of allegiance of the people there. In the evening, at a feast in honour of the declaration of not only the Orosians but also the Tyrians as Dharians, I was presented with an ancient chest with Valyrian writings by my viceroy.

At first I just smiled at the gift. But when I opened the lid... I was shocked.

There was a dragon egg!

A black egg with purple streaked scales. Such a gift was unique.

I put my power through it and got a kickback from the little flame of power that was there.

It responded to me... with kindred power.

It recognised me!

To be continued...