[Chapter Size: 3600 Words.]
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Thrid Person POV
Essos, 296 AC.
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"All set." Wind spoke with a sigh as only a small group would accompany Jon.
He nodded at the girl, taking a look at each of them since his group consisted of members of his family, Arya and Daenerys, along with royal guards.
"Thank you, Wind... you've helped us here..." he commented as he began to prepare. The child of the forest wasn't going with them, staying behind to rest. Her effect would last for at least 6 hours after using the protection spell on the group, which Jon believed was reasonable for them.
Once everything was ready... the group started entering the city through the old and quite broken port. The whole place was illuminated, but at the same time, with so many gases in the air, it was hard to see much ahead.
"Can I stay close to you, Jon?" Daenerys asked, approaching him, and he nodded.
"Yes... but I'll be at the front, so step back to the other guards as soon as you sense any danger and stay there," Jon said as his footsteps began to make sounds on the wood below him.
"My king... is this dangerous?" one of the royal guards asked, and Jon had to agree.
"Yes... avoid the center, this place could collapse, and you'd be cooked by the seawater beneath this pier," Jon warned as everyone followed his advice, avoiding the middle of the path to avoid falling, as they were still over the sea.
It was only after walking 100 meters along that enormous pier, full of branches, that they finally reached the thicker part of the port.
"This place was heavily affected..." Arya murmured as she walked behind Jon the whole time. There was smoke and debris, with some structures mostly destroyed, except for ancient stone walls. All the wood in the area had been destroyed, leaving trenches of lava that had long stopped flowing, while others still ran in all directions before reaching the sea... There were just piles and piles of debris, with some bone fragments visible in their sight, but never whole.
"Did no one survive the volcanic explosion?" Daenerys asked, curious.
"I believe some did... after all, there were many bunkers built by families of that time where people could seek shelter... but they wouldn't have survived long with the gases, causing them to die in a very painful way as well... suffocating..." Jon stated the obvious. Not even he could survive in such an environment, in his opinion, which is why he had made his mask that could filter the air and gave them the chance to venture into these ruins.
"I understand... but what are you looking for here, Jon?" she still asked, knowing he might be here more for simple exploration, and despite hearing something from him, she still didn't fully understand.
"I didn't see the entire vision. In the last days before the destruction, the energy of this place blocked the green sight, so I still don't know for sure. But in the family's castle here at the port... there is a certain wealth left behind that I'm searching for. As long as it wasn't destroyed in the explosions, it should all be in the vault," Jon said. He knew the Red God had passed along some information, saying his sword was in the hottest place in the world... Jon knew this place was Valyria... but he wasn't particularly here for the sword and had no idea what to find. So he followed his own plans.
They finally began to leave the port, accompanied only by the silence of the dead, long gone, by the lava still flowing through the city, by the gases, and the ruins.
The houses had their own architecture, all made of stone, much more resistant than those in cities like Westeros, where most buildings were made of wood, or in the Free Cities, where they were sometimes made of clay.
"This place is really strange... I feel like we're being watched..." Arya said as they began to go deeper and deeper into the city.
"..." Jon said nothing... He didn't have his Warg powers here, but his instincts also told him that Arya wasn't wrong... something was watching them, which made Jon wonder what could be in such a hostile environment while he had to prepare so much just to be here.
"My king..." Even his guards were uncomfortable with this, while Daenerys didn't understand what was troubling them, being the only one not as disturbed as the rest.
"Stay alert... there could be anything here," Jon said as he kept his hand pressed against the hilt of his two swords.
They continued, now more attentive. Jon led the group, turning left and right through the streets, until they encountered a river of lava blocking their path. Even so, he showed knowledge of the city, as they got closer and closer to the castle, its towers now visible in the distance.
"Jon..." Daenerys murmured, looking at him with admiration.
"I know what you're thinking, but I saw this city before the Doom, so I know very well how to reach the lord's house of this ruined city," he commented, still moving forward, accessing the memories of the map he had drawn. He didn't need it in hand to know the details, thanks to his sharp mind.
Daenerys nodded, but then she heard something nearby and saw an enormous red creature. "AH!" she screamed in fright as everyone quickly turned in that direction.
"What is that thing!?" she exclaimed, seeing the creature. It looked like a giant larva, crawling through the door of a destroyed house, its head lowered as if searching for food.
"Is that a bug!?" Arya murmured, looking to Jon for answers.
"That... I know what that is, though they should be much smaller..." Jon murmured, observing the creature. Its coloration was also altered, now a much deeper red.
With everyone still trying to comprehend what it was, Jon continued. "It's a tardigrade, which should be an extremely resilient microorganism, capable of withstanding extreme temperatures and environments that would kill anyone else..." he commented, with a hint of curiosity in his tone.
"It's really possible for them to survive after the Doom... but this size and color... much redder. Could they have been exposed to some kind of radiation while living here?" He couldn't help but look at it with some fascination, being a scholar always eager to learn more.
"Is this giant worm dangerous... and aggressive?" Arya asked cautiously, stepping back. She clearly felt uncomfortable with the creature.
The creature looked at them at that moment, raising its head to reveal its mouth, a gaping hole in the ground lined with rows of teeth, like a grinder.
"Ah!" Daenerys exclaimed, running behind Jon, while the guards began to draw their swords from their sheaths.
The creature stood there, showing its teeth for a few seconds before it began to crawl away, leaving the group behind.
"It's gone..." Arya commented as the group's tension eased. It was a one-meter-long creature, and in practice, it seemed easy enough to kill, but the unknown always brought some fear.
"Let's keep moving... but now we know what might be watching us. Still, stay alert, there could be other things," Jon ordered, watching the creature enter the house, ignoring them, slowly crawling through the place.
They continued until the smoke began to thin ahead of them, allowing them to see further into the area. Jon kept his grip firm on his sword the entire time, but now he had to tighten it even more as the street ahead appeared fully exposed.
"It seems we'll have to deal with many, many of them along this path..." he said, as dozens, maybe even hundreds of giant larvae crawled through the streets, structures, and even over the lava, unaffected by the heat. More of them were emerging from the destroyed houses, seemingly always searching for food in the chaotic scenery.
"This must be a nightmare!" Arya exclaimed, looking stunned as she saw the multitude of creatures.
"Let's move on, Arya. Just stay close. If they move against us, we must be prepared. I've never seen anyone fight one of these, but we should certainly cut off their heads or the lower part of their bodies to kill them," Jon warned, his expression serious as he took the first steps forward.
Everyone nodded, and with great care, they began to move ahead. The castle was now directly in front of them, as they could see its towers more clearly through the gases. There didn't seem to be much standing in their way other than hundreds of larvae in that street, and probably thousands more throughout the entire city.
They continued while the larvae occasionally noticed them, lifting their heads and showing their teeth, but quickly lowering them again, not bothering with the group. The creatures simply crawled through the area afterward, some not even paying attention to them, as if their existence had been reduced to this for hundreds of years, ever since the Doom.
"It seems you're afraid of something," Jon commented, observing his sister's cautious behavior as she walked through the area.
"Look at the size of those things, Jon. Did you see their teeth? It gives me the creeps just seeing them!" Arya said, discomfort clear in her voice.
"How do you plan on protecting me like this? That's not what I heard on the ship..." Jon asked, smiling, since she had said she would protect him at any cost.
"You know that at the first sign of movement from these creatures, I'll fight them. But still, it's unsettling to watch them the whole time... Sorry about that." Arya murmured, a bit embarrassed.
"You don't need to apologize," Jon said, as he was only teasing her. "Now, let's keep going," he added, cutting the conversation short.
They didn't speak much as they moved forward, passing by rivers of lava that crossed the street but without needing to leave it. They crossed over spots that could be used as makeshift bridges, avoiding the larvae as much as possible and keeping their distance, while the creatures didn't seem to care about them anymore.
Sometimes they had to wait for a few of them to crawl past before moving on. It didn't take long for them to emerge from the ruins, which resembled a wall a few hundred meters away, finally leaving behind the last destroyed houses of the city. In the sky, they could see several towers rising in the distance, with shadows cast by the sun above Valyria, which appeared as only a faint glow.
"No more of those creatures... right?" Arya sighed with relief, as there were no larvae in sight along this path.
"Finally, we made it," Daenerys murmured, a little excited.
"Yes," Jon replied, just before hearing a sound behind Daenerys. Something quickly ran across the roof of the house, and then someone leaped toward them, falling in Daenerys' direction since she was the closest.
She turned around, startled, trying to make sense of what was happening, while Jon, with his sword in hand, drew it in a flash and sliced through the humanoid figure rushing at them with a clean cut, decapitating it before it could reach his aunt. With one hand holding his katana, he grabbed Daenerys with the other, preventing the body from falling on her.
The creature let out a small groan of pain, collapsing headless on the spot where Daenerys had been standing. All the royal guards had already drawn their swords, and even Arya had hers ready. Daenerys, still shocked, fell to the ground from Jon's push, but quickly stood up to see what had attacked them.
"What is that!?" she murmured, not offended in the slightest that Jon had pushed her, knowing she didn't want that thing falling on her.
"That might be... greyscale!" Jon analyzed before murmuring, knowing exactly what it was. It was a man affected by the disease that turned people into irrational, aggressive creatures. His body was covered in dragon-like scales. They were beasts that tried to kill anything that moved, only avoiding attacking their own kind in most cases. They were dangerous beings. Even though they didn't use weapons, their touch was extremely lethal, capable of transmitting the disease to anyone who came into contact, which would then spread through the body until it turned them into another one of these creatures.
"I thought they were only found around the outskirts of Valyria..." Daenerys murmured, recalling the lessons she had learned in the last moon since Jon had asked her to study everything she could, and one of the subjects had been this disease and its infected.
"Maybe because no one has entered Valyria to see if there were any of them here... but now we know, and we must be prepared," Jon said in a serious tone.
The royal guards approached at that moment, trying to understand the situation. "Do not touch these things under any circumstances, understood? I don't have a cure for this disease, so it's best to avoid contact with your skin," Jon ordered firmly. Even though they were all wearing leather armor, they could still be infected.
Everyone nodded, but Jon's gaze darted around as sounds and growls, eerily human-like, began to emerge from the mist of gases surrounding them, and it wasn't just from one direction.
"They're coming! More of them!" Jon exclaimed, hearing footsteps approaching from all sides. "We need to move away from the houses, get to a more open area. Follow me to the castle!" Jon ordered, knowing they could be caught off guard by attacks from above, with the creatures jumping onto them. Even if they were quick enough to strike them down, there was still the danger of being touched.
The group hurried, and soon behind and around them, the sound of doors and windows breaking filled the air as men and women afflicted with greyscale burst out, roaring as they hit the ground, emitting beastly screams before getting up and running after them.
They continued toward the area without houses, heading for the gate, but from the mist nearby, more of the creatures emerged, cutting off their path forward.
"This is bad," Jon muttered before quickly turning to the group. "Form a circle, protect all sides!" Jon shouted, as his men began to form a defensive wall around them, preparing for the creatures coming not just from the front but from all directions. They emerged from the mist, moving faster than their bodies should allow, with terrifying expressions etched on their faces.
Quickly, the guards faced the first ones that reached them without hesitation, protecting the royal family by slicing off heads with precise strikes, eliminating the creatures instantly and stepping back to avoid the bodies from falling on them and spreading infection.
"Daenerys, stay in the center. Arya, be careful. I'm trusting you can handle yourself," Jon said to his sister, hoping she could defend herself, knowing if one side fell, they would all be doomed. She nodded, tightening her grip on Dark Sister. Jon unsheathed his second katana and moved to one side alongside the royal guards, beginning to cut down the creatures, which only seemed to increase in number, rushing toward them. He knew this side was the most dangerous of all.
The battle intensified right there. Between quick strikes and slashes, more of those things—like zombies—came charging at them, trying to kill or infect without regard for their own lives.
Jon swiftly took the lead, stronger, faster, and more skilled than anyone else. He began cutting down several at once, easing the pressure on the group and drawing more and more enemies toward himself.
Arya remembered Hilla, and her rage took over, channeling her frustration into the creatures. She knew Jon would be furious if she got distracted to this extent in a battle that could kill her, but she just kept slashing, taking down one after another, her sword and fury driving her forward.
Daenerys, on the other hand, looked at everything with wide, terrified eyes. Who was she kidding? She wasn't as skilled as anyone there protecting her. Even Arya was fighting bravely against the monsters and killing them. All Daenerys could do was stand there, waiting for the fight to end.
Everyone held their ground. They knew if anyone fell, they would all fall. Understanding their responsibility, they fought against the overwhelming numbers with determination.
This continued for some time until the last of that wave finally collapsed to the ground, leaving the area littered with bodies and foul blood.
"Is it over?" Daenerys asked, trembling, her eyes fixed on the dead creatures. "I'm starting to regret coming here..." she murmured, knowing it was far too late for that now. She wasn't sure she'd survive if another wave of those creatures came.
Arya was exhausted, and some of the royal guards looked worried, having been briefly touched by a few of the creatures, hoping their armor had protected them from any infection.
"No, it's not over yet," Jon murmured. In the next moment, a piercing scream echoed from within the mist, as footsteps began to emerge once again from all directions, this time with far more numbers than before, making Jon grit his teeth in concern.
"We can't stay here! We must run quickly to the castle!" Jon exclaimed, realizing Daenerys wouldn't be able to keep up. With no other choice, he sheathed his swords and grabbed her, despite her surprised yelp, throwing her over his shoulder and running over the fallen bodies. Jon hadn't been infected or touched, even after killing over 30 of them, so he was fine to lead with his aunt being carried, securing his hand where necessary to prevent her from falling.
They moved forward, while from all sides, more and more of those creatures began to appear.
"The gate is visible!" Arya exclaimed, spotting the broken gate. Jon nodded and quickly passed through the gap, making a small jump and advancing into the castle with the others following, while a horde chased after them. Daenerys could see it all with a terrified expression.
"The door is shut! What do we do, Jon?" Arya cried out, desperate.
Jon, with no choice, gritted his teeth before clenching his fists. There was something he had felt since they entered Valyria, something he didn't want to use. It seemed he was about to give in to its pull, but he still hesitated, knowing it had to do with a god he didn't want to yield to. This feeling, his affinity with fire, was much stronger than what he had felt in the Red Temple.
He knew he was far more powerful, but also that it was temporary. He had no choice—everyone there depended on that power now, with the creatures pouring through the broken gate they had made.
Jon gripped Daenerys even tighter, causing her to yelp as he grabbed her backside without even realizing it. He only wanted to make sure she didn't fall, and Daenerys was far more concerned with escaping than her nephew squeezing her behind.
Jon focused his other hand on a stream of flame, gathering a good amount until it formed a ball, about 20 centimeters in diameter. He aimed and hurled a fireball toward the castle door. In the next moment, an explosion erupted with the impact, the sound echoing throughout the ghost city.
A moment later, a hole appeared in the door amidst the flames, and though everyone looked at Jon in shock at what he had just done, they still pressed on.
"Go, go, go!" Jon shouted, making sure no one got distracted as he urged them through.
He stayed back a bit, waiting for everyone to pass ahead of him. Daenerys was still over his shoulder, feeling Jon's firm grip to keep her from falling. As he turned toward the castle gate, he saw hundreds of creatures pouring through.
Without thinking, he approached the door and began forming another fireball, launching it into the crowd. The resulting explosion tore through the front line, buying precious time for Jon to move forward, where everyone awaited him inside a large, abandoned reception hall, littered with intact skeletons.
"Prepare to fight!" Jon shouted as he approached, setting Daenerys down from his shoulder and positioning himself at the front of his men, preparing another flame and waiting for any creature to come through the door.
He stood there, listening to the cries of rage and even pain from the flames after he had burned a good number of them with just one strike. Finally, the creatures appeared, but as Jon prepared to attack again once they crossed the burnt threshold, they didn't enter the castle. They only stared with a mix of hesitation and anger, as if something prevented them from stepping inside.
Jon kept his flame ready to strike at them, until, finally, the creatures turned and began to retreat, their footsteps growing distant.
"Are they gone?" Arya asked, exhausted.
"Let me check, my king," a royal guard said, cautiously approaching the door and peeking through the hole Jon had created. "There's nothing there... They've left," he murmured.
Jon sighed in relief. "Alright, let's take a breather. But we need to find a way to close this entrance temporarily. I don't want to be caught off guard by those creatures while we're exploring the castle."
Everyone nodded as Jon helped Daenerys stand, still a bit dazed.
---
*Raccoon Here:*
Tardigrades are real creatures as far as I know. They could survive in an environment like Valyria, enduring intense radiation, the absence of oxygen, and even the vacuum of space.
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