[282AC]
Indeed, Phenex had noticed the ravens and crows circling the castle keeping their eyes on him occassionally while growing up these last two years. He could feel the same presence from them, as he could feel from the Three-Eyed-Raven now.
"Lord, I-I simpl- … ", the Three-Eyed-Raven stammered, trying to find an excuse that would explain why he had spied on a creature so powerful, it could turn all life on this continent to ashes in a mere moment, without antagonizing it.
"Quiet."
Phenex silenced the Raven with a low-spoken word though, before he could make up a plausible excuse.
Turning towards Leaf, which stood at the side and was just radiating fear and anxiety at the moment, Phenex spoke: "You are afraid of me interfering with your plan for vengence, aren't you? Afraid that I would just obliterate the Walkers and thwart your plot to infiltrate the Seven Kingdoms again, aren't you?"
Finally raising her head, Leaf looked at him with clear defiance, while venomous hatred oozed out of her every pore, as she answered with gritted teeth "I am. I told the Raven to keep watch over you, Lord. I had to."
"You know not the feeling of losing your homes to savages that have no interest in coexistence and single-mindedly want to conquer. Watching them kill your parents, sisters, brothers, children and friends. Destroying the very source your life and the lives of your race depends on, because of their uncontrollable greed."
"The White Walkers were a mistake, as brute force proved to be a mistake when it came to dealing with the First Men. They even plotted and imprisoned us on this side of the wall, while killing all that remained of us on the other side. They doomed my people, my whole race with their actions. What was left for us to do but plot our revenge in this frozen hell? … "
Contemplating her words for several long seconds, Phenex voiced out slowly: "It's the Wall isn't it? It traps the magic of this continent, seals it and uses it to stop you from traveling beyond it. The very magic you need to not only survive, but to procreate. You're going extinct because you need this magic for the birth of new Children of the Forest, aren't you?"
Phenex had felt it while sitting on the wall, the trapped magic that the Wall took in through the very ground it was built on.
It didn't really matter to him, because he had no need for outside sources of magic, he himself being a living manifestation of fire and magic itself. Even all the magic that The Wall had sealed for thousands of years was only a small drop compared to the ocean of power that dwelled inside him.
"Of course your Lordship would notice.", Leaf said bitterly, as she continued, "Yes, it is the Wall that has doomed our race. And even if we would manage to destroy the Wall right this instance, we are still destined to die out."
"The Wall has stood too long, it would take centuries, maybe a whole millenia for magic to return to the levels we need to create offspring. Which is time we don't have. We all are nearing the end of our lifespan, without the constant supplement of magic our bodies have deteriorated beyond recovery and in a few short centuries we will all have died."
"And so you created 'that'?", Phenex asked while pointing at the Three-Eyed-Raven, "I can see the burnt-out life flames of hundreds in him: humans and Children. If I had to guess, it seems as if everytime a Child had nearly died it would instead fuse his consciousness into the tree."
"Then you used all greenseers from this side of the wall you could find and through some ritual, bound them to the tree. Until finally you created a being strong enough to extend his sight and powers even beyond the wall through the inborn connection you Children have with the weirwoods … How accurate is my guess, Leaf?"
The look of shock and disbelief on Leaf's face was enough for Phenex to know that he was probably spot on with his guess. Well, it was less of a guess and more like a simple analysis of what his senses for life and magic told him, and the knowledge about the Children of the Forest he had from the show and his fathers memorie's, however meager that was.
Schooling her expression and steeling her nerves, Leaf replied with a resigned and slightly fearful tone: "You have guessed perfectly, Lord … W-what will happen to us now, Mylord?"
Phenex didn't have to think much for an answer: "Unfortunately I cannot allow you to use the Three-Eyed-Raven to slowly destroy the Kingdom, so you may take your revenge on the First Men even in death."
Leaf tensed visibly at his words, while helplessness settled in her heart.
She knew that resistance was futile in front of the being before her. Even at the height of their power, when the Children had been powerful enough to shift the whole continent of Westeros with their magic, the creature looking at her right now would have been capable of erasing them from the face of the world with nothing but a simple thought.
"But that doesn't have to be your end. If you want, I could easily tear down the wall and heal the surviving Children and share my magic with you, until the natural magic of the world becomes strong enough again, so you won't need my help anymore. I have also no problem protecting you from the humans."
Hope reignited inside Leaf's heart. How long had she survived as the most powerful and oldest of the Children, as she was finally able to see hope for her race's ressurection after millennia of hopelessness.
"What do you expect in return, my Lord?", Leaf asked, knowing that no grace came without a price.
"Fealty to me and any other I deem worthy. You will lay down your grudge with the First Men and follow my rule and directions."
It was an easy decision for Leaf to make.
If she agreed, her race could prosper again under the wing of the most powerful and immortal being in this world. And if she declined, she would likely be incinerated along with any other Children the next instant by the embodiment of fire before her.
And even if he had mercy with them and let them be, they were still bound to vanish from the face of the world. Even their revenge was ultimately pointless, it would be of no help to their race's survival, but was simply the only thing left for them to accomplish before their ultimate demise.
Kneeling down and prostrating herself before him once again, Leaf intoned: "We accept, Ruler of the Fiery Sky. The Children of the Forest are yours to command."
Phenex was very satisfied by this development. It was easy for him to destroy and kill, but to create and nurture something was an entirely different matter.
Phenex could also understand the motives of the Children very well and would probably have done the same thing, if he were in their position. And he thought it would be an interesting sight to witness, when he brought back the Children of the Forest to Westeros.
Taking a step forward, Phenex touched Leafs forehead with his index and middle finger and left a flame-shaped mark behind with his magic.
The mark had several functions, the first and most important being the creation of a link between himself and Leaf. He could use it to not only converse with her from any place in the known world, but also to locate her.
It would also help in protecting her, while at the same time be the leash by which he could ensure her obedience and loyalty. Any lie or deception, he could easily sense via the mark. He wouldn't just leave something like this to faith and promises afterall.
The Children had proved themselves nefarious schemers, that had enormous patience and abilities necessary to truly destroy Westeros, the White Walkers and the Three-Eyed-Raven being proof of that.
Another function of the mark was that it would spread towards any Children she touched with it, so he wouldn't have to mark them all seperately.
"Knowledge about the mark has been implanted in your mind. I expect all the Children to wear it by dawn tomorrow."
Again, Phenex had no need to speak any threats, as Leaf was very clear of the colossal difference in strength and abilities between them. She also knew that the marks would protect them in times of need, and with the White Walker's approach in a few years, she was very happy about that.
Being done with the Children, Phenex turned towards the Raven.
"Now about this abomination you created. He represents an unimaginable useful tool, but sadly the Three-Eyed-Raven is also somewhat of a loose cannon. Even you yourself don't have much control over him", Phenex stated, giving the shivering Child a pointed look, as he continued, "It seems to me you have a knack for working magic you can't really control, frst the White Walkers and now him … *sigh* … Let's fix this."
Directly appearing before the Three-Eyed-Raven in an instant, Phenex again touched the forhead of the being in front of him and marked him.
The difference was that this mark was a lot stronger and more restrictive, giving him total control over the Raven's actions. As he couldn't risk a time-travelling hivemind of dead greenseers and Children to go rogue, while using the network of weirwoods.
Reappearing at his old spot next to Leaf a moment later, Phenex turned towards her: "You may rise, Leaf."
"Yes, Mylord.", Leaf said devotedly, before she asked with hesitance, "What will happen now?"
"Well, nothing much. It is too soon for me to interfere in the happenings of Westeros at the moment. In a decade and a half or so the realm will be tearing itself apart in a civil war, but you know that already.", he stated lightly.
"Anyway, that will be the time where I will start to interfere on a larger scale. Until then, you will proceed with your original plan. I will inform you when changes will be necessary. Also take this."
Phenex stretched out his hand and formed a little sun, that would continuously produce warmth and keep the Children healthy.
These damp and narrow caves, where just too depressing to live in. His gift would turn them into a bright and warm cave system, where life was a bit more worthy of … well, living
It would also allow the vegetation around the weirwood tree to flourish, something the Children clearly needed for their mental and physical health. Along with isolating their presence from the outside world, so they wouldn't invite disaster onto themselves.
Leaf, clearly recognizing the incredible gift they had received, prostrated herself again in sincere gratitude.
"Thank you, Lord. The Children will be eternally grateful for your help and gift. We will not disappoint you."
"I know you won't.", he stated with calm confidence, as he continued, "Well, it's time for me to continue my voyage. We will meet again, Leaf. Remember my instructions."
After his last words, Phenex simply vanished in a swirl of flames, reappearing high in the sky in his phoenix form.
From there he took an additional half-an-hour to fly over the wide lands of the 'True North' and visit the large settlements of the Free Folk. Some time in the future, he planned on meeting them in person, but there were still things he had to do today.
So he left towards the South, flying over the Three Sisters, the Eyrie and Gulltown, before he finally turned East to cross the Narrow Sea.
He only had three to four hours remaining, before he had to be back home. More than enough time to cross the Sea and visit some coastal towns.