Chapter: 8
I sat on the center throne in Valyria's throne room, my eyes fixed on the fifty petrified dragon eggs laid out before me, each one a symbol of what this land used to be—and what it could become again. Lilith stood by my side, silent but observant, as I massaged my temples, letting out a long sigh.
"Is something the matter, Victor?" she asked, her gaze soft but curious.
"Just thinking about what to do first," I admitted, the weight of my responsibilities pressing down on me.
"What exactly do you mean?"
"Well, the dragon eggs, for one. After I change them from their petrified state, I'm going to need people to look after them," I explained. "But I'm not sure how many stonemen are... alive enough to help with that."
"Then should we check for ourselves?" Lilith suggested.
"Yeah, we should get on that," I agreed, standing and dusting off my clothes. The challenge ahead felt monumental, but one step at a time, I could make it happen.
We made our way through the ancient halls until we reached a balcony overlooking the crumbled city. With a simple thought, my black wings burst from my back, and with a powerful flap, I took off into the sky. Lilith followed, her wings effortlessly carrying her beside me. The wind rushed past us as we hovered over Valyria's Civic Center, the land spread out below like a graveyard of fallen glory.
"So, how are we going to do this?" I asked, glancing over at Lilith.
"How large is your territory claim range?" she inquired, her eyes gleaming with thought.
"About the size of a small village at a time," I answered, still amazed that I had such power over this land.
"Then we can start by claiming sections and checking for any stonemen in those areas."
"Aight," I nodded.
Focusing my energy, I released a pulse that spread over the Civic Center, enveloping over half of it in my territory. I closed my eyes and concentrated, searching for the faint, corrupted life forces of the stonemen. The moment I felt them, it was as if they popped up on a radar, each one a small but distinct blip in my mind.
I opened my eyes in surprise. "Oh, that was more than I expected."
"How many?" Lilith asked, her expression unreadable but intrigued.
"In that area alone, around 130," I replied.
"We now have a starting point."
I nodded. "Still, it's going to take a while. Valyria is huge."
"Then let's begin," she said.
And so, we began our work, painstakingly claiming territory over the course of two weeks. The sheer scale of Valyria was daunting, but by the end, I had fully claimed it as my own. The final count was astonishing—around 2.5 million stonemen. When I eventually freed them from their cursed state, they would become the foundation of a new Valyrian empire. I sat back on the throne, exhausted but satisfied.
It was then that a new idea struck me. "Lilith, can you do me a favor?"
"Of course, Victor. What do you require?" she asked.
"I want you and Giratina to go beyond the ice wall in the North—Stark territory," I said.
She raised an eyebrow, curious. "If you don't mind me asking, why?"
"There are people beyond the wall—wildlings. I want you to find as many as possible and convince them to come here to Valyria. By the time you return, I should be almost done with the next phase of my plan."
Lilith nodded, but before she left, I added, "Oh, and Lilith? Word of warning: Don't go too far north."
"Understood, Victor," she replied, giving a respectful nod before turning and walking out of the throne room.
As I watched her leave, I stood up from the throne, stretching my arms. With Lilith gone and Giratina accompanying her, I was left with the most arduous task yet: terraforming Valyria, bringing the dead land back to life.
"Well," I muttered to myself, spreading my wings wide once more, "time to get to work."
I pulsed my power, and my territory responded.
"First things first, let's get rid of those annoying volcanoes."
I flicked my wrist, and ten of the fourteen volcanoes flattened instantly while the last four were transformed into proper mountains. With a second pulse of energy, all the dead mana and corrupted life force were destroyed and replaced.
Sweat formed on my forehead as I started breathing heavily.
"That was a bad idea. I should not have done that all at once. I can do one more thing before I'm completely drained."
I took a breath, and with a third pulse, the plant life in around half of the peninsula became revitalized. I hovered above the newly transformed landscape, still catching my breath after the immense effort. Valyria no longer looked like the desolate wasteland it once was. The lifeless gray had given way to patches of green, with verdant plants slowly reclaiming the peninsula. The flattened volcanoes and now-majestic mountains stood proudly in the distance, no longer ominous symbols of a shattered empire. But despite the progress, the weight of what still needed to be done pressed heavily on my shoulders.
"That was reckless," I muttered to myself, feeling the strain on my body. I had underestimated how much energy it would take to terraform such a large area in one go. My wings flapped lazily as I descended back toward the Civic Center, exhausted.
Landing softly on the balcony, I stumbled slightly, bracing myself on the railing. The revitalization of Valyria was coming together faster than expected, but there was still much more work ahead—especially with the dragon eggs and the stonemen.
As I caught my breath, I turned my thoughts to Lilith and Giratina. They should be well on their way north by now, scouting beyond the Wall for the Free Folk. Bringing them here would add to my population and ensure Valyria had a fresh start, not just with its old inhabitants but also with new blood. The plan was ambitious, but with the power I wielded and the resources of this ancient land, I knew it was possible.
"Alright," I mumbled, shaking off the exhaustion. "Time to finish what I started."
I extended my wings once more, but this time, I wasn't going to overdo it. I needed to be more strategic about my energy use if I wanted to complete the terraforming without collapsing.
Taking to the sky again, I released another pulse of power, but this time I targeted smaller areas. Slowly but surely, I began revitalizing the rest of Valyria, bringing life back to the land in a controlled, methodical manner. I allowed the plant life to spread naturally, ensuring the environment could sustain itself.
Hours passed, and I made significant progress, though it still wasn't complete. My wings ached, and my muscles were tight from the effort. I glided back down to the throne room, landing softly once again. As I sat on the throne, I rubbed my temples, feeling the weight of my responsibility pressing down on me.
"Now comes the waiting," I muttered. The stonemen would have to be returned to normal groups at a time, a slow and delicate process. I couldn't rush it. Each one was a person, and if I messed up, there was no telling what might happen.
Just as I was contemplating my next move, a soft presence entered the room. I looked up to see Lily standing in the doorway, her golden hair shimmering in the dim light.
"Big brother, are you okay?" she asked, her innocent voice filled with concern.
I smiled, despite the fatigue. "I'm fine, Lily. Just a little tired from all the work."
She skipped over to me, her small hand reaching out to touch mine. "You should rest. You work too much."
I chuckled softly, ruffling her hair. "You're right. Maybe I should take a break."
Lily beamed, clearly happy with herself. "Yay! Then we can play later!"
"Of course," I promised, feeling my body relax slightly. Lily's presence was always a source of comfort.
As she sat beside me, her feet dangling off the edge of the throne, I allowed myself to close my eyes for just a moment, letting the exhaustion seep out of me. There was still so much to be done, but for now, a brief rest wouldn't hurt.
Valyria would rise again, and when it did, it would be a kingdom like no other.
Chapter 8: End