Under the vast, boundless sky, the crescent moon hung like a hook, and the Milky Way flowed in a perpetual cycle of waxing and waning.
Mungo gazed at the flickering campfire, which illuminated the fierce, snarling face of Morey Hert, and his suspicions only deepened.
He could not reconcile this man with the faceless ones. In high Valyrian, there was a phrase associated with the worship of the Lord of a Thousand Faces: "All mortals must die, and all mortals must serve." The faceless ones saw death as a blessing from the gods; they were merely servants of the Lord of a Thousand Faces, and lived in humility and restraint, always calm, kind, and merciful.
Yet the faceless ones were also masters of deception. As part of their training, they shed their true identities, viewing themselves as "nameless," and, thanks to their ability to change their appearance at will, could become anyone. Thus, it was entirely possible that this man was wearing a mask, hiding his true nature.
"Kosoro, sever this man's head and send it to the people of Kohor, ask if they know him."
Mungo smiled faintly. When things were beyond understanding, there was no point in further speculation. Why torment oneself? Before the trials of the Twelve Relics of the Sacred Weapon activated his body's resurrection, all threats must be eliminated in their infancy.
Whether this man was an assassin of the faceless ones or a genuine emissary mattered little.
Whatever he sought from the people of Kohor, it could not be gained through war or negotiation, so the emissary's presence was of little use to him. If the man's severed head could incite the people of Kohor, leading them to march their army out for open battle, it would be perfect.
Kosoro, never one to hesitate when carrying out Kaao's commands, drew his curved blade and strode toward Morey Hert.
Startled by Mungo's command, the furious Morey Hert froze in place, and then, in a frantic outburst, shouted, "I am an emissary of Kohor! You cannot kill me, this will lead to war."
When no one responded, he attempted to retreat, but was knocked to the ground by a growling warrior behind him, collapsing in despair and begging, "Kaao! Mungo Kaao, please, I beg you!"
"It is the prophecy, the prophecy. The blood mage of Kohor foresaw the future of the city's nobles, and in his vision, he saw you."
The blade gleamed under the firelight, flashing into Morey Hert's pupils, and the last shred of calm in his gaze vanished. His once sharp eyes now reflected only despair as he cried out hoarsely, his voice breaking, "The fire-red warhorse comes from the East. The King of Man is about to be born, and behind him stands darkness, flames, and destruction. Kohor will be filled with headless corpses, and the Black Goat will roar in the flames."
Mungo cared only for power, never for prophecies. He despised the false reverence and self-important airs of these emissaries. He loathed these priests who bestowed their generosity upon others. Therefore, he still deemed it more valuable to sever Morey Hert's head.
After Morey Hert's outburst, the old man, Orv, had remained silent. But upon hearing the prophecy, he suddenly turned and whispered, "Kohor is known as the 'City of Mages,' famous for its divination, blood magic, and necromancy. The people of Kohor firmly believe in these magics. Perhaps it would be wise to listen, as it may serve us in the war."
However, when he mentioned blood magic, a look of revulsion crossed his face. The Dothraki held a deep mistrust and hatred for blood magic, forbidding it entirely, believing it to be the result of unholy pacts with demons.
Hearing the old man's suggestion, Mungo waved his hand, halting Kosoro's advance, and said aloud, "Morey Hert, you have betrayed your god. He will no longer protect you. Now, explain this prophecy to me, and perhaps I will allow you to live."
Exhausted and gasping, Morey Hert lay on the ground, his voice faltering as he explained, "It is the blood mage, Bas Port. He used blood magic to unite beasts and noble daughters, producing a monstrous child, half-man, half-beast. He then sacrificed the child and received a vision of the future of the nobles. In that vision, all signs pointed to you. The fate of Kohor lies in your hands."
As the name suggests, blood magic was one of the darkest and most powerful forms of sorcery. Those who practiced it, known as blood mages or witch-priests, often used blood to foretell the future, and as such, were reviled by many.
The description of the blood mage only increased the disgust felt by those present, but Morey Hert knew that to survive, he must continue: "Do you recall the tax collector by the Long Bridge over the Darkwater River? At the time, you rode a fire-red warhorse across the bridge, and your appearance left an indelible impression on him. He was a devout follower of the Black Goat, and when the blood mage, Bas Port, spoke of the prophecy, the tax collector immediately thought of you."
Mungo remembered the timid tax collectors he had encountered while surveying the land, though he could not recall which one had been involved.
Seeing the young Kaao remain silent, Morey Hert's voice grew more obsequious, "Great Kaao, you rode your fire-red warhorse from the East, effortlessly defeating the mighty Jumo Kaao. You are the human king foretold in the prophecy. The flames refer to the heretics of Rahlro, who have been attempting to spread their faith in Kohor, seeking to incite the faithful to burn the Black Goat's altar. We fear you may fall under their sway."
At this moment, Mungo understood the prophecy fully. The followers of the Black Goat feared that the followers of Rahlro would join forces with him, leading to the fall of Kohor and the destruction of the Black Goat's faith.
Rahlro, also known as the Lord of Light, the Red God, and the God of Flames, was a deity of Essos. By night, his followers would light fires in his temples, praying for Rahlro to bring them the dawn. The worship of the Red God had become a widespread tradition along the East Road of Essos, though after the extinction of dragons, Rahlro's power seemed to wane, overshadowed now by the prophecies of witches and blood magic.
Though magic prophecies were often quite accurate, Mungo had no certainty regarding the power of Bas Port. Yet, at the very least, the mage's actions sounded profoundly sinister.
Still, the struggles of faith mattered little to him now. He simply sought to gain whatever benefits he could from this situation.