Song of A Northern Sorcerer

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"Alright, lad. I don't see shit on you. Not that I can hardly see shit to begin with. Now put your clothes back on before you make the women blush, Snow."

Shaking his head, Jon immediately began pulling on his pants as Eddard Karstark began to do the same. Looking around the deck of the shipwrecked Lannister ship, Jon took a quick count of everyone on board. Not that he really needed too. He already knew exactly how many of them there were. And it was two less than the number they set out with. And those two, gods, Jon didn't think he would ever forget what happened to them. One was pulled underwater by some sort of giant turtle. And the other…the other plucked off the ship, burned alive, and then eaten by a firewyrm. Neither was a fate Jon would wish upon anyone.

Tightening his pants and throwing his shirt back on, he left his Karstark kin to finish getting dressed while he went over and stood next to Master Nox, who at the moment was standing by the edge of the ship staring off towards the east. At least Jon thought it was east. It was near impossible to tell in the thick fog that covered Valyria and blocked out the sun to tell which way was which. Standing beside the sorcerer, Jon tried to peer out into the darkness with both his eyes and through the Force, yet he failed with both.

"Can you see anything, Jon?"

Nox's sudden question caught Jon by such surprise that he only just barely managed to keep himself from jumping. "I – no," Jon answered honestly, trying once more to see, or sense, anything beyond the ship. "I can't see anything through the fog and without the sun. And I – I can't sense anything either. At least nothing beyond the ship."

"And why do you believe that is?"

Jon frowned in thought as he tried to work out an answer to Lord Nox. "Because something is…preventing us from seeing?"

"In a manner of speaking, you are correct," his Master confirmed. "But it is far more complicated than just someone blocking our sight. There is such a ritual for that specifically, but it would be impractical to use the ritual I'm thinking of in such a confined area. So, rather, it is not someone but rather something that is blocking our Force Sight. And that is the very land of Valyria itself."

That brought Jon up short and sent a spike of fear through him. "Valyria itself is…blocking us?"

"In a sense," Master Nox nodded. "I am now more convinced than ever that what happened to cause the Doom was some sort of powerful ritual gone wrong. I can only speculate on the exact details of the ritual, but to be sure it was a dark, very dark ritual. One that covered the very land itself in a blanket of the dark side and turned it into this desolate wasteland where only the strongest can survive."

Biting his lip, Jon fought to keep himself calm. "But you can see through the darkness, right, Master? You're the most powerful man alive in manners of the Force."

His Master didn't answer immediately, which did nothing to calm the swell of fear within Jon's gut. "My vision is also impaired, acolyte. Normally, yes, I would be able to break through the shroud that is blocking us. But as I am now, I cannot."

Now it was all Jon could do to keep his fear in check. If his Master, the strongest and most powerful man alive, couldn't fight back against whatever was shrouding this, then what hope did they have? "Then…what – ?"

"This land is far more than tainted than I had originally anticipated," his Master cut him off. "Already it is looking to twist and corrupt the minds of those with us. And it is taking a good deal of my strength to hold the darkness at bay. And while I am doing so, I'm counting on you to be my eyes, both physically and through the Force."

The fear within him was now reaching heights he never knew possible. "I – I don't –"

"If you don't, then we will all perish within these lands, Jon," Nox said, using his name and surprising Jon greatly as he turned to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You're strong, Jon. Strong as any I have met or trained. Do not doubt yourself. To doubt is to invite failure. And if you fail, then we will all die. Set your nerves to steel, Jon. Use your fear to strengthen your resolve to live. Do not try. Just do. You always wanted to prove that you were more than just a Snow. More than just a stain on your father's honor. Well, this is your chance to do just that. Prove all those who thought you were worthless wrong. Here and now."

The fear that was almost overtaking him but a moment ago evaporated faster than a pool of water in Dorne. His Master rarely gave out compliments. But now, he…he just said that he trusted Jon to be his eyes for him. And Jon…Jon would not fail. And with that decision, it was almost as if a veil had been lifted from his eyes and from the Living Force around him. He still couldn't see far past the wrecked ship they were on. But he could see and sense everything that was on the ship with them. Including the strange presence that had just started dropping down from the rotten mast to land behind Prince Oberyn's daughter, Obara.

"Obara! Get down!"

What happened next occurred over the span off only a few seconds, but for Jon they felt like an eternity. He watched as a figure in black dropped from the sky and landed behind Obara. He could see the fear in Obara's eyes as she turned, her hands grasping for the spear that was not by her side. He could see Oberyn shouting for her. He could see his own hand rising slowly as the figure in black raised a blade high in the air, ready to cut Obara down. And then the figure was gone. Flung backwards and into the back-cabin wall of the wrecked ship with enough momentum to carry him clear through the rotten wood and into the room beyond.

For a moment, no one moved or said anything. Then all seven hells broke loose as one of the sailors yelled out 'Stoneman'. With that one word, everyone on the wrecked ship were suddenly scrambling for whatever weapons they could find while spinning around in tight circles trying to see if there were any more attackers looking to ambush them.

"Enough!"

Nox's one-word command was said with such a commanding force that everyone stopped in place as if he was holding them with the Force. Without a word, Lord Nox held out his hand towards the hole that'd been created in cabin wall. As the body that'd been flung through the wall came back out onto the deck, everyone took several steps back and kept their swords, spears or clubs at the ready to kill whatever it was.

"This isn't time to sate your curiosity, sorcerer," Prince Oberyn nearly hissed, having moved himself between his daughter and her would be attacker, his spear held tightly in his hands ready to end the threat. "Stonemen have lost their minds to greyscale. We need to kill it and dump the body over the railing and get—"

"That is no Stoneman."

Staying close to Lord Nox, Jon watched in fascination as his Master used the Force to pull the man's helmet off. The man beneath the helmet couldn't have been much older than his Lord father, or even Master Nox, but that was where the similarities ended. He man's cheeks were hollow like the smallfolk near the end of the winter years, and his skin was almost the color of ash from dirt and only the gods knew what else. His, what Jon could only assume was golden, hair was covered in mud and the long locks were tangled into numerous knots.

While most everyone was looking at the man in fascination and confusion, there was one who was not. "Oh, the gods truly have a sense of humor, don't they?" Prince Oberyn growled, his sudden anger so strong that it nearly brought Jon up short.

"You recognize this man, Oberyn?"

The Prince of Dorne nodded, lowering his spear and spat, "Yes. This is none other than Gerion Lannister, the younger brother of Tywin-fucking-Lannister."

"A Lannister?" Small Jon Umber bellowed. "What in the fucking hells is a gods damned Lannister doing all the way out here in?"

"Probably the same thing we are, 'Small' Jon," Asha shot back.

The Umber heir scowled at Asha. The trip had done little to nothing to mending the relationship between the Greyjoy and the Umber. "I know that, raider. I meant: why is he out here? Shouldn't he be back in the Westerlands shitting gold with his cunt brother?"

"Gerion Lannister sailed out from Lannisport three years ago in hopes of making it too Valyria and finding the Lannister's ancestral sword, Brightroar. He has not been heard from since." Lord Nox answered, kneeling next to the unconscious Lord and holding his hand above his face. "And, in all this time…he has somehow managed to keep his mind from succumbing to the pull of the dark side…at least mostly. Interesting."

While Lord Nox was examining the man, something caught Jon's eye. Keeping wide of the unconscious Lannister and his Master, Jon went over to the hole in the ship and peered inside. Lying just inside the hole was a sword. A hand and a half sword that seemed in remarkable condition. But what truly caught his eye was the red-rippling pattern running down the length of the blade. A pattern he'd only seen on two other blades. Ice, and Red Rain. 'Valyrian steel,' he thought, grabbing the hilt and pulling the sword out from the wreckage.

Feeling a presence walk up next to him, Jon stopped gazing at the sword and found Obara standing next to him. "Is that Valyrian steel?"

"Aye," Jon nodded, glancing down at the golden lion that'd been engraved into the pummel of the sword. "Brightroar if I had to guess."

Lowering the blade, Jon made to rejoin Lord Nox, but found himself halted as Obara grabbed him by the arm. The next he knew; she had yanked his mask down as well as her own and her lips were pressed against his. The act caught him so off guard that he couldn't even form a response before she pulled away from him. "Don't expect that to happen again," Obara said, stepping away from him, her eyes hard as she reaffixed her mask in place. "That was a 'thank you' for saving my life. Nothing more, boy."

Jon felt his face heat from his neck to the roots of his hair as several wolf whistles and cheers came from all around him. Dacey and Asha were both openly laughing at him and the Small Jon and Eddard were giving him looks of approval. But the one he feared the most was Prince Oberyn. He had just kissed, his first kiss, the Prince's daughter. But instead of looking angry the prince looked, pleased. And when their eyes met, the Red Viper merely gave him a cocky grin before he turned his attention back to Lord Nox and the unconscious Lannister.

"So, now that that bit of entertainment is out of the way," Prince Oberyn said loudly, "what do we do with the Lannister?"

"We take him with us." Lord Nox stated, rising to his feet and holding a hand over the still form of Gerion Lannister.

"I'm sorry, I think I might have misheard you." Prince Oberyn said, shaking his head and working a finger in his ear. "I believe you just said something incredibly stupid like we are going to be taking a Lannister with us. A Lannister who just a moment ago tired to cut my daughter down."

"No, you heard me correctly. This man has survived a year or more in this land on his own and he was able to keep his mind intact. Or at least mostly intact. That alone piques my interest in him." Not a single word was spoken amongst the men and women as Nox stood between Prince Oberyn and the downed lost Lannister. "I know your history with House Lannister and believe me I understand your anger all too well Prince Oberyn. But can you honestly tell me that this man before us had anything to do with what happened to your sister, niece, and nephew? And if you need another reason, then think of how much it will twist a knot into Tywin Lannister's gut when he learns that it was a Martell that not only helped to save his brother's life, but also helped in returning Brightroar to House Lannister. After all, a Lannister always repays their debts, do they not?"

The movement was slight, so slight that if one were not watching for it, they would miss it. But it was the slight shifting Jon felt that drew his eyes to Lord Nox's right hand. The same hand that made a quick cutting motion with his forefinger barely a fist width. But it was unmistakable. "They do," Prince Oberyn nodded. "Very well, sorcerer. I'll play your game for now. But mark my words: should that Lannister even look my direction in a manner that displeases me, I will cut him down without hesitation."

The tension quickly bled out of the area as Oberyn, followed quickly by Obara, marched away from the downed Lannister and towards the edge of the wrecked ship where their boats were tied off. "Umber, Karstark. See to it that the Lannister and his sword are placed into one of the boats." Lord Nox commanded the two men.

"Aye, sorcerer," Small Jon nodded, walking up to the Lord Lannister before seemingly thinking twice and stopping. "Should we secure him? Don't feel like turning my back on the man. Even if he's unconscious."

"There's no need for concern." Lord Nox waved off his concern. "I've placed him into a coma. One that won't lift until I want it to be. He's as safe and secure as he will get. The rest of you get back into the boats. We've already wasted far too much time here as it is."

"If you say so, sorcerer," Umber nodded, grabbing the Lannister under the arms. "Karstark! Get your thin arse over here and lift his legs. Don't feel like carrying this fucker on my own."

Watching as the everyone slowly started making their way back towards the boats, Jon waited until they were mostly alone before approaching Lord Nox. He recognized what Lord Nox had just done. It was a technique called 'Force Persuasion', and it was used to dominate the mind of a man and make them think whatever you wanted them too. And it was a technique that Jon, his brother, and Lord father all found to be without honor. And it was a technique that Jon swore he would never use. "Lord Nox…"

"You saw it, didn't you? Either your observation skills are increasing significantly, or I'm getting rusty." Not trusting himself to speak, Jon nodded. "You still have reservations on using certain techniques I have taught you. You must cleanse yourself of these thoughts of what is honorable and socially acceptable. Only then will you be able to fully access your full power and thereby know the correct path to take."

"But…forcing someone to do what you want, controlling their mind. There is no honor in that," Jon said lowly, not wanting the others to hear their conversation.

Nox's face turned towards him, his unseeing eyes seemingly peering into his very being. "Tell me, Jon. What is more important: to be honorable or to do the right thing? Going into a battle and causing the death of thousands. Or using a Force Persuasion to make the commander of the opposing army stand down, thereby avoiding the battle all together."

Jon didn't like this. Every time he tried to argue aspects of right and wrong with Lord Nox, he always felt like a fool. Something that his Lord Father had confided that Nox did as well to both himself and Robb as well. "But forcefully controlling someone's mind is just…wrong. The gods gave us free will. And it goes against the gods to alter that."

"A Sith uses every tool at his or her disposal, Jon." Nox replied calmly. "And even a Jedi isn't afraid to negotiate to get others to see the better path. Remember our lessons back in Winterfell. Not everyone you meet will fall into your ideas of honor, let alone what is right and wrong. Holding onto your honor is all well and good, but do not let it be your downfall. And if it makes you feel any better, what I did to Oberyn was not a Force Persuasion. That man has far too strong of a mind to be susceptible to such tricks. No. What I did was merely…nudge him in the direction I wanted him to go. But his anger over what happened to his family back during the Rebellion clouds his judgment. I merely gave him a moment of clarity as it were. Now come. We still have quite a bit of ground to cover before we reach Valyria. And I'm still counting on you to be my eyes while we go."

Watching his Master walk away, Jon frowned, his thoughts heavy. 'Maybe…Maybe Lord Nox is right. Honor will also be important. But if you could save lives by using…less then desirable means… Then does that mean that, in the end, you did the more honorable thing by taking the path that save lives rather than costs them? Gods, no wonder father said he avoids conversations of ethics and honor with Lord Nox.' Setting his thoughts aside for the moment, Jon followed Nox over to the boats so that they could continue down the river towards the home of the dragon lords.

After leaving the wrecked Lannister vessel behind, Nox had the men and women with him set a brisk pace through the rivers of Valyria. While the river itself had an unnatural calmness to the surface of the water, it was not free of obstructions. The most frequent of which belonged to wrecked ships that had either run ashore on rocks beneath the surface of the water or were partially to almost completely submerged under the water. And while most were easy to bypass, there were a few that were blocking the river in such a way that it was next to impossible for them to navigate around them, leaving it to Nox and Jon to lift the wrecks out of the water and move them off to the side.

While the wrecks were a nuisance, given their consistency, they were barely even a footnote in the problems that they were encountering. Without sunlight, with the oppressive weight of the dark side, and having to divide his attention in protecting the minds of the men and women with him, it was next to impossible to tell the actual time of day or night. Leaving them with only exhaustion earned from rowing to mark the passage of time. And with exhaustion came the need to rest. Unfortunately for them, however, resting was confined to within the boats where half the men or women onboard would rest while the other half rowed. Thankfully, it was an arrangement that everyone was willing to follow after two failed attempts at resting off the boats.

The first chance they took was at least an hour or two past the Lannister vessel when they came upon another shipwreck, this one was like the Lannister ship in that it was mostly intact. Against a warning from the Force, one Nox tried and failed to impress upon the others, they tied their boats up to the wreckage and the crews disembarked to catch some much-needed rest. While most of Nox's expedition Force started unloading the boats or setting out food, one of the sailors who'd been most adamant about needing a rest had found a comfortable spot against some rotten wood to lean back against and catch some rest. A rest he would never wake from.

One of the other sailors had made to shake his seemingly sleeping shipmate awake, only to let out a scream of terror as the resting sailor fell face first onto the deck. His back covered in fist sized slugs that had burrowed into his flesh and were in the process of making a meal out of his internal organs. It didn't take much convincing after that for the expedition to pack back up immediately and get back onto the boats and continue on their way.

The second time had been when they'd found a solid rock formation on the side of the river. Not sensing any dangerous lifeforms, or even any lifeforms for that matter, in the immediate vicinity, Nox had agreed to go ashore and let the expedition rest for a short while. And while he was correct in that there were no dangerous animals nearby, the reasoning as for why that was became apparently rather quickly as one of the men found a small stream feeding into a pond just off the edge of the river. For reasons that Nox could not comprehend and despite his warnings about not trusting anything coming from the land, the sailor had cupped his hands into the stream and taken a drink of the water.

By his own admission, Prince Oberyn was a master of nearly all things related to poisons. But even he was surprised at just how quickly and violently the seeming innocent looking water took effect. Within a minute of drinking, the sailor was projectile vomiting up everything in his stomach while blood began to drain from every orifice on his body. There had been no hope for the man. And the only thing that could be done for him was a quick death, which Nox granted with a twist of his wrist which snapped the doomed man's neck.

Thankfully, after losing four of the expedition before the close of the first day, or at least what Nox assumed was the close of the first day, things began to fall into a routine and normalize. Or at least normalize as much as possible considering they were traversing through a land that Nox was quickly coming to think could make even Korriban seem tame in comparison. The members of the expedition, no longer willing to get off the boats for any reason, had settled into their current rotation where half the remaining members would row, and the other half would rest while either Jon or Nox would take lead, guiding them through the darkness of Valyria. It was boring. But at least it was a good type of boring in which there wasn't a significant risk of death.

After nearly a dozen rotations of rowing, Nox felt something shift in the Force. It was similar to the shift he'd felt when they first came close to the peninsula, only in reverse this time as the constant dark weight pressing on his mind seemed to almost lift ever so slightly. A sensation that caused almost the entire expedition force start as Jon quickly rose from his seated position next to Nox. His excitement so intense that he was almost shaking in place.

"Master Nox," Jon breathed beside him, no doubt having felt the same thing he had.

"Tell me what you see, acolyte."

"There's – We're passing by a breakwater! Just like in White Harbor!"

Lowering his defenses on the minds of the expedition slightly, Nox refocused himself so that he could see with unclouded eyes through the Force once more. "We're here," he said, a smile coming upon him as he turned to face the expedition as he spoke loud enough for all to hear him. "At long last, Valyrian Freehold. The home of the dragon lords."

His words were like a drink of water to man dying of thirst as the expedition, almost as one, shot to their feet, nearly tipping the boats in their exuberance as they all watched as they passed by the sphinx topped breakwater leading into what he hoped as the harbor adjacent to the Old Valyria.

"The fog is lifting," Prince Oberyn stated, the man staring around in wonder. "It's still dark…but the fog has lifted. Why?"

Frowning, Nox concentrated on the barrier they'd passed just before the breakwater. The barrier was, surprisingly, made up of the light side of the force, and seemed primarily to serve to keep things out. But not physical objects, considering they were able to pass through without incident. Which then raised the question of just why it'd been erected and what purpose did it serve? 'The latter answer seems obvious,' he thought as the members of the expedition began rowing with a renewed purpose as their end objective came closer and closer. 'It was erected to keep out the dark side taint that has covered the land. But why that in specific? And when was it created? During the Doom? Before? Or perhaps survivors created it to keep themselves safe?'

The last thought gave Nox a moment of pause. As unlikely as it was, there was still the possibility of survivors in this dark side infused land. Deciding it was better to err on the side of caution, Nox let his sense roll over the landscape. He could sense the barrier of light, a large dome that encompassed almost the entirety of the ruined city just before them. But inside of the dome he could sense nothing. No life. Not even that belonging to insects. The city might've been protected from dark side that'd covered the land, but it was truly a dead city in every sense of the word.

"I see a dock ahead!" Asha called out, her fledging power enhancing her vision just enough to see through the darkness and the light fog that covered the water.

Her eyes proved true as within a few minutes of near frantic rowing the expedition let out a cry of joy and relief as a set of stone piers appeared through the fog. "Bring us up to the nearest pier," he ordered. "Get the ropes ready to tie us off."