A few days march away, but close enough. There's no reason to travel to Astapor with the war on, and Viserys' army is just far enough for people traveling to the small settlements near Yunkai not to run into it. As noted, the "Wise" Masters of Yunkai didn't anticipate Viserys marching on them anytime soon. The primary reason they're on board with the war is the long-term threat his actions in freeing and training up the slaves in Astapor, and thus actually free Astapor represents.
A Crown of Fire, Throne of Blood (ASOIAF/GOT/SW) SI/OC merged with Viserys Targaryen
- Thread starter Illuviar
- Start date
- Fantasy
A few days march away, but close enough. There's no reason to travel to Astapor with the war on, and Viserys' army is just far enough for people traveling to the small settlements near Yunkai not to run into it. As noted, the "Wise" Masters of Yunkai didn't anticipate Viserys marching on them anytime soon. The primary reason they're on board with the war is the long-term threat his actions in freeing and training up the slaves in Astapor, and thus actually free Astapor represents.
Chapter 13 Part 3
Disclaimer: I don't own A Song of Ice and Fire, the Game of Throne or the Star Wars books, TV series or games. They belong to their creators, publishers and/or copyright owners. This story is not for sale or rent.
291 AC
Meereen
Tense air pressed upon the pyramid. Oznak zo Pahl quickly strode in, walking beside his father. Sellsword Captains and officers from the Meereen's fledgling army were already in the big audience hall, gathered around a large table covered with maps and parchment.
An envoy from Yunkai, notably not Agnak, was also present. He waved his hands, making wild gestures, while his voice carried on throughout the large hall.
"He's more dangerous than we feared! It's been mere months, and the Targaryen bastard has already turned tens of thousands of slaves into warriors! They'll come for you next if we don't stop them at Yunkai and crush Astapor now!"
Father and son glanced at each other before joining the crowd.
"What's the meaning of this, envoy?" The Commander of Meereen's City Guard demanded. They've heard only rumors so far and came as fast as possible to get answers.
"Viserys marches on my fair city! He'll be at the gates in a day or two at most!" the Envoy waved his hands in distress. "He brought out thousands of Unsullied and tens of thousands of armed and trained slaves! It's an army made to destroy our way of life!"
Uneasy murmurs broke around the table.
"We aren't ready to face the Unsullied in open combat. We lack the numbers for it," one of the Sellswords pointed out. "If we are to go aid Yunkai, we should sail and help its warriors hold the walls until you can gather sufficient numbers."
Every single mercenary nodded sagely at that. After all, Oznakhad learned as of late, he had no reason to nay-say them… even if it burned being told what he couldn't do.
"Magic hasn't won wars in ages," another Captain added. "However, a Sorcerer leading a large, dangerous army is a different beast. We can't assume Viserys Targaryen is an arrogant fool who has come out to die on our blades. He might have a way to breach Yunkai's walls and allow his army to storm the city. If we march, we might be too late to make a difference and might end in the open, where the Unsullied have the advantage."
The Sellswords exchanged looks before the commander of the largest company contracted to Meereen spoke next.
"Can we rely on your navy to transport us to Yunkai? The Sorcerer marching against us might turn into an unexpected boon," the tall, wiry man looked at the Envoy. "You said that the enemy lacked cavalry?"
"Our scouts only saw infantry and enemy scouts, no cavalry to speak of," the Yunkish man nodded rapidly.
"That's a weakness we can exploit! We should reinforce and hold Yunkai, pinning the enemy there. Then we deploy all our cavalry and the horsemen you can hire with your navy to cut them off from Astapor. We starve them and force them to retreat while harrying them on the way back! We will only strike when they're sufficiently exhausted, and we have an overwhelming advantage!"
Oznak nodded slowly at that. He was now painfully aware now that it would be months before the City Guard, much less the newly raised army would be ready for anything like real combat, much less against the likes of the Unsullied. They would have to rely on Sellswords to do the bulk of the fighting, though that wasn't really a bad thing. That way, when the dust settles, Meereen could end up with a largely intact, bloodied army ready to help him rejuvenate his people.
"The Captains speak sense," Oznak's father interjected. "We will send some of our best men to defend our great allies in Yunkai. However, our army is not ready to march or fight in open combat."
"We've sent Envoys to Tolos and Mantarys as well!" The Envoy proclaimed, proving he was not of the same quality as Agnak. Yunkai potentially receiving more reinforcements from those corners was not an incentive for Meereen to deploy more forces than they otherwise would before its army was ready.
The conversation then shifted to logistics – how to gather and transport the necessary men, arms, and supplies as fast and efficiently as possible. Such things should have been below Oznak's notice, left for menials and slaves to deal with. Now, he knew better and paid close attention to the discussion between the Sellswords and the Navy Captains.
Enough ships could sail tomorrow. Loading them with everything necessary might take longer unless everyone pitched in and ensured there were no disruptions. Moving forces from camps outside the city to the harbor and loading them on ships in an orderly manner turned out to be anything but a trivial affair.
291 AC
Yunkai
Row after row of armored Unsullied marched in the field before the city walls. Their columns were neatly spread out, forming walls of shields and spear tips before the rest of the Sorcerer's army and Yunkai. It was an impressive display, beautiful in a sense.
ForAgnak zo Ghaqa, it brought nothing but dread. Hated banners fluttered above the deploying army. Since the Doom and the Century of Blood that followed, Essos has been free from the loathed Valyrian Dragonlords. The Sorcerer might not have fire-breathing monsters at his disposal, yet he had an army of liberated slaves, and in a sense, that was worse. Even at its worst and most arrogant, the Valyrians who broke the great Ghiscari Empire never wanted to change the very fabric of society like this dangerous upstart!
Viserys Targaryen made all of Agnak's fears manifest in the field below. There were tens of thousands of liberated slaves turned warriors who had come to destroy his city and murder everyone of quality in it. For days now, the City Guard and what few mercenaries were in Yunkai, backed by the small army they were busy raising, were all busy locking down all the slaves in the city to ensure there wouldn't be problems from that corner. A slave revolt could seal their fate before reinforcements from their allies could arrive.
Agnak and many other Wise Masters looked with hatred and no small amount of fear at how the invaders began setting up a large fortified camp while the Unsullied stood guard. The Sorcerer Prince was here to stay and besiege the city then. That by itself was going to be a great affront to the self-styled Queen of Cities. The enemy's very presence was a great blow to their prestige, one that couldn't be allowed to stand. These weren't Dothraki to be bought, but instead, a danger the likes Yunkai hadn't suffered since before the Doom, and that couldn't be allowed to stand!
Curiously enough, the Sorcerer didn't come to bluster or threaten until the sun almost set and the camp behind the Unsullied was all but complete. There was no mistaking the pair who rode surrounded by a small cluster of armored horsemen as anything but Valyrian. Even at a distance, their silver hair betrayed their origin. Agnak thought the fluttering Targaryen banners were clue enough as well.
A pained, grim chuckle brought the Envoy out of his thoughts, and he looked behind where a cross towered above the City Gate. A Principality ship Captain captured by Tolos' navy hung there, baking for days now. The man was in bad shape, covered in blisters and nearly dead from dehydration, but still clung to life.
"Wise Masters," a voice struck like a whip, carried like a dragon's roar all over Yunkai. There was no mistaking the derision it held for the title of the city's nobility. "For the sake of my people, who will die storming your hive of slaver scum, I will give you a one-time offer. Surrender Yunkai, board your ships, and flee, and you will die another time. Resist, and I will make an example of every single one of you for torturing and murdering my people!" An armored finger pointed at the crucified man behind the Wise Masters. "I will repay such atrocities a thousandfold."
One of Agnak's fellow nobles snorted nervously at that.
"Does he really expect we will abandon our city and run?"
"He's a mad sorcerer. Who knows what he expects?" An older man noted.
"Choose, Wise Masters. Prove yourselves truly wise, or die screaming," Viserys demanded.
"There's nothing more for us to see or hear here," Agnak decided, speaking aloud. "We should not entertain that mad dog."
The Wise Masters around him murmured agreements and curses aimed at the Valyrian Sorcerer before slowly making their way off the walls.
"An example it is, then," Viserys Targaryen concluded. "You have chosen death. Good."
A shiver ran down Agnak's spine at the dark glee dripping from those words. He was still on the ramparts above the main gates when Viserys dismounted along with half the riders. At the same time, the rest and all the horses trotted back towards the Unsullied lines. The slave soldiers advanced closer to the walls, while behind them, more and more liberated slaves began forming into solid blocks.
The Envoy stared without comprehending. He was no warrior, but even he knew that attempting to storm Yunkai's walls without siege equipment and a much larger army would be pure madness.
The Sorcerer apparently disagreed. Cries of alarm rang over the walls, and City Guard officers cried orders for everyone to prepare to fend off an assault. In the city behind, cavalry squadrons and groups of warriors serving the city or various Noble Houses hurried forward upon hearing of the danger.
Archers and slingers prepared their weapons, while a hundred or so Unsullied hurried to surround the Sorcerer and his personal guard with a shield wall before advancing on the gates. Agnak watched without comprehending how that small group of madmen walked toward the city.
"Aim!" The City Guard's Commander cried.
Hundreds of archers notched arrows and pulled the strings of their bows. In places, guards moved aside to give slingers space to do their work. The enemy walked into range.
"Loose! Kill the Sorcerer!"
Hundreds of arrows and stones whistled through the air, creating a sharp, distinct noise the likes of which Agnak had never heard before.
The shielded formation didn't even falter. It kept advancing, and in a moment, it became painfully clear that the shields were raised just in case. All the projectiles flying at the Sorcerer and his cronies froze when they got close to them. Agnak inhaled sharply, feeling faint. Knowing that Viserys Targaryen was a powerful Sorcerer was one thing. Seeing it for yourself was something different altogether!
The Wise Master watched, appalled history unfold. All the arrows turned around to point at the walls before they and the stones flew back, altering the ramparts and forcing everyone to take cover. After the deadly rain stopped after a few moments, he dared glance over the edge of the fortification on top of the gates. Agnak saw the shield wall open to reveal an armored figure that ran towards them before closing and resuming its slow but steady advance.
"Shoot the Sorcerer!" the Guard Commander screamed. "Don't let him reach us!"
Arrows, stones, and javelins flew at the mad Sorcerer, only to miss or be swept away by invisible magic, letting him advance unmolested. Only now did it dawn on Agnak that he was right where Viserys Targaryen was aiming, with murder on his mind. The Wise Master decided that making himself scarce and perhaps taking his family to the docks and the first reliable ship he could find was the wise thing to do.
Chapter 13
=Sith=
Part 3
=Sith=
=Sith=
Part 3
=Sith=
291 AC
Meereen
Tense air pressed upon the pyramid. Oznak zo Pahl quickly strode in, walking beside his father. Sellsword Captains and officers from the Meereen's fledgling army were already in the big audience hall, gathered around a large table covered with maps and parchment.
An envoy from Yunkai, notably not Agnak, was also present. He waved his hands, making wild gestures, while his voice carried on throughout the large hall.
"He's more dangerous than we feared! It's been mere months, and the Targaryen bastard has already turned tens of thousands of slaves into warriors! They'll come for you next if we don't stop them at Yunkai and crush Astapor now!"
Father and son glanced at each other before joining the crowd.
"What's the meaning of this, envoy?" The Commander of Meereen's City Guard demanded. They've heard only rumors so far and came as fast as possible to get answers.
"Viserys marches on my fair city! He'll be at the gates in a day or two at most!" the Envoy waved his hands in distress. "He brought out thousands of Unsullied and tens of thousands of armed and trained slaves! It's an army made to destroy our way of life!"
Uneasy murmurs broke around the table.
"We aren't ready to face the Unsullied in open combat. We lack the numbers for it," one of the Sellswords pointed out. "If we are to go aid Yunkai, we should sail and help its warriors hold the walls until you can gather sufficient numbers."
Every single mercenary nodded sagely at that. After all, Oznakhad learned as of late, he had no reason to nay-say them… even if it burned being told what he couldn't do.
"Magic hasn't won wars in ages," another Captain added. "However, a Sorcerer leading a large, dangerous army is a different beast. We can't assume Viserys Targaryen is an arrogant fool who has come out to die on our blades. He might have a way to breach Yunkai's walls and allow his army to storm the city. If we march, we might be too late to make a difference and might end in the open, where the Unsullied have the advantage."
The Sellswords exchanged looks before the commander of the largest company contracted to Meereen spoke next.
"Can we rely on your navy to transport us to Yunkai? The Sorcerer marching against us might turn into an unexpected boon," the tall, wiry man looked at the Envoy. "You said that the enemy lacked cavalry?"
"Our scouts only saw infantry and enemy scouts, no cavalry to speak of," the Yunkish man nodded rapidly.
"That's a weakness we can exploit! We should reinforce and hold Yunkai, pinning the enemy there. Then we deploy all our cavalry and the horsemen you can hire with your navy to cut them off from Astapor. We starve them and force them to retreat while harrying them on the way back! We will only strike when they're sufficiently exhausted, and we have an overwhelming advantage!"
Oznak nodded slowly at that. He was now painfully aware now that it would be months before the City Guard, much less the newly raised army would be ready for anything like real combat, much less against the likes of the Unsullied. They would have to rely on Sellswords to do the bulk of the fighting, though that wasn't really a bad thing. That way, when the dust settles, Meereen could end up with a largely intact, bloodied army ready to help him rejuvenate his people.
"The Captains speak sense," Oznak's father interjected. "We will send some of our best men to defend our great allies in Yunkai. However, our army is not ready to march or fight in open combat."
"We've sent Envoys to Tolos and Mantarys as well!" The Envoy proclaimed, proving he was not of the same quality as Agnak. Yunkai potentially receiving more reinforcements from those corners was not an incentive for Meereen to deploy more forces than they otherwise would before its army was ready.
The conversation then shifted to logistics – how to gather and transport the necessary men, arms, and supplies as fast and efficiently as possible. Such things should have been below Oznak's notice, left for menials and slaves to deal with. Now, he knew better and paid close attention to the discussion between the Sellswords and the Navy Captains.
Enough ships could sail tomorrow. Loading them with everything necessary might take longer unless everyone pitched in and ensured there were no disruptions. Moving forces from camps outside the city to the harbor and loading them on ships in an orderly manner turned out to be anything but a trivial affair.
=Sith=
291 AC
Yunkai
Row after row of armored Unsullied marched in the field before the city walls. Their columns were neatly spread out, forming walls of shields and spear tips before the rest of the Sorcerer's army and Yunkai. It was an impressive display, beautiful in a sense.
ForAgnak zo Ghaqa, it brought nothing but dread. Hated banners fluttered above the deploying army. Since the Doom and the Century of Blood that followed, Essos has been free from the loathed Valyrian Dragonlords. The Sorcerer might not have fire-breathing monsters at his disposal, yet he had an army of liberated slaves, and in a sense, that was worse. Even at its worst and most arrogant, the Valyrians who broke the great Ghiscari Empire never wanted to change the very fabric of society like this dangerous upstart!
Viserys Targaryen made all of Agnak's fears manifest in the field below. There were tens of thousands of liberated slaves turned warriors who had come to destroy his city and murder everyone of quality in it. For days now, the City Guard and what few mercenaries were in Yunkai, backed by the small army they were busy raising, were all busy locking down all the slaves in the city to ensure there wouldn't be problems from that corner. A slave revolt could seal their fate before reinforcements from their allies could arrive.
Agnak and many other Wise Masters looked with hatred and no small amount of fear at how the invaders began setting up a large fortified camp while the Unsullied stood guard. The Sorcerer Prince was here to stay and besiege the city then. That by itself was going to be a great affront to the self-styled Queen of Cities. The enemy's very presence was a great blow to their prestige, one that couldn't be allowed to stand. These weren't Dothraki to be bought, but instead, a danger the likes Yunkai hadn't suffered since before the Doom, and that couldn't be allowed to stand!
Curiously enough, the Sorcerer didn't come to bluster or threaten until the sun almost set and the camp behind the Unsullied was all but complete. There was no mistaking the pair who rode surrounded by a small cluster of armored horsemen as anything but Valyrian. Even at a distance, their silver hair betrayed their origin. Agnak thought the fluttering Targaryen banners were clue enough as well.
A pained, grim chuckle brought the Envoy out of his thoughts, and he looked behind where a cross towered above the City Gate. A Principality ship Captain captured by Tolos' navy hung there, baking for days now. The man was in bad shape, covered in blisters and nearly dead from dehydration, but still clung to life.
"Wise Masters," a voice struck like a whip, carried like a dragon's roar all over Yunkai. There was no mistaking the derision it held for the title of the city's nobility. "For the sake of my people, who will die storming your hive of slaver scum, I will give you a one-time offer. Surrender Yunkai, board your ships, and flee, and you will die another time. Resist, and I will make an example of every single one of you for torturing and murdering my people!" An armored finger pointed at the crucified man behind the Wise Masters. "I will repay such atrocities a thousandfold."
One of Agnak's fellow nobles snorted nervously at that.
"Does he really expect we will abandon our city and run?"
"He's a mad sorcerer. Who knows what he expects?" An older man noted.
"Choose, Wise Masters. Prove yourselves truly wise, or die screaming," Viserys demanded.
"There's nothing more for us to see or hear here," Agnak decided, speaking aloud. "We should not entertain that mad dog."
The Wise Masters around him murmured agreements and curses aimed at the Valyrian Sorcerer before slowly making their way off the walls.
"An example it is, then," Viserys Targaryen concluded. "You have chosen death. Good."
A shiver ran down Agnak's spine at the dark glee dripping from those words. He was still on the ramparts above the main gates when Viserys dismounted along with half the riders. At the same time, the rest and all the horses trotted back towards the Unsullied lines. The slave soldiers advanced closer to the walls, while behind them, more and more liberated slaves began forming into solid blocks.
The Envoy stared without comprehending. He was no warrior, but even he knew that attempting to storm Yunkai's walls without siege equipment and a much larger army would be pure madness.
The Sorcerer apparently disagreed. Cries of alarm rang over the walls, and City Guard officers cried orders for everyone to prepare to fend off an assault. In the city behind, cavalry squadrons and groups of warriors serving the city or various Noble Houses hurried forward upon hearing of the danger.
Archers and slingers prepared their weapons, while a hundred or so Unsullied hurried to surround the Sorcerer and his personal guard with a shield wall before advancing on the gates. Agnak watched without comprehending how that small group of madmen walked toward the city.
"Aim!" The City Guard's Commander cried.
Hundreds of archers notched arrows and pulled the strings of their bows. In places, guards moved aside to give slingers space to do their work. The enemy walked into range.
"Loose! Kill the Sorcerer!"
Hundreds of arrows and stones whistled through the air, creating a sharp, distinct noise the likes of which Agnak had never heard before.
The shielded formation didn't even falter. It kept advancing, and in a moment, it became painfully clear that the shields were raised just in case. All the projectiles flying at the Sorcerer and his cronies froze when they got close to them. Agnak inhaled sharply, feeling faint. Knowing that Viserys Targaryen was a powerful Sorcerer was one thing. Seeing it for yourself was something different altogether!
The Wise Master watched, appalled history unfold. All the arrows turned around to point at the walls before they and the stones flew back, altering the ramparts and forcing everyone to take cover. After the deadly rain stopped after a few moments, he dared glance over the edge of the fortification on top of the gates. Agnak saw the shield wall open to reveal an armored figure that ran towards them before closing and resuming its slow but steady advance.
"Shoot the Sorcerer!" the Guard Commander screamed. "Don't let him reach us!"
Arrows, stones, and javelins flew at the mad Sorcerer, only to miss or be swept away by invisible magic, letting him advance unmolested. Only now did it dawn on Agnak that he was right where Viserys Targaryen was aiming, with murder on his mind. The Wise Master decided that making himself scarce and perhaps taking his family to the docks and the first reliable ship he could find was the wise thing to do.
I get a feeling it is a bit too late for that oh wise master! Perhaps you end it now yourself? That way you evade all the nasty surprises Viserys has in store for you.
I get the feeling that the army of meeren is going to find Yunkai under new managment, something like their worst nightmare no doubt. The news once they reach westeros are going to be very fantastical. How exactly is Viserys anti slavery crusade turned into something bad by the faith? They can't just keep on harping about the Incest thing and Viserys is not his father even more so now with a very expansive sith memory download.
At best the timing for them works so they sail just into the harbor just as the city is falling, so the Meereenese could salvage something before the Unsullied take the area.
Fellow Human
Verified Roado Rolla
I've been letting this stack, but I'm here now, missed reading some Illuviar goodstuff.
I wonder what's the plan beyond the Slaver's Bay, everything West except for Summer Islands and Bravos perhaps?
Or will they let non hostile cities alone(just because it would take too much time to conquer everything, not because they trust them).
Depending on the timeline, they don't have decades VISerys thinks they have.
They have about a single decade until the Others come, minus the year and half that passed.
I don't see why Force Fire would be difficult, Force is basically sorcery, no need for math magic, just will, focus and imagination.
I guess VISerys can't pull Force powers out of his ass, otherwise he'd use Force inspiration thingy to reinvent machines, but a currently baby Acolyte to be, could do it, if you prolong the timeline ofc.
I wonder what's the plan beyond the Slaver's Bay, everything West except for Summer Islands and Bravos perhaps?
Or will they let non hostile cities alone(just because it would take too much time to conquer everything, not because they trust them).
Depending on the timeline, they don't have decades VISerys thinks they have.
They have about a single decade until the Others come, minus the year and half that passed.
I don't see why Force Fire would be difficult, Force is basically sorcery, no need for math magic, just will, focus and imagination.
I guess VISerys can't pull Force powers out of his ass, otherwise he'd use Force inspiration thingy to reinvent machines, but a currently baby Acolyte to be, could do it, if you prolong the timeline ofc.
Taking Yunkai will be the easy part. Holding and putting it to rights will be complicated and time-consuming, especially if Viserys wants to be able to leave the city and be reasonably sure someone won't overthrow the new administration working for him, or sack the place while he and his elite forces are away. That's one of the major reasons he won't be in any hurry to take Meereen as long as the food situation for his people is tenable - he'll need much more trained garrison troops and administrators ready for that.
Logistics is a thing. There are hard limits on the territory Viserys can currently reliably hold and administer. Taking Slaver's Bay alone is going to stretch it. A big thing is the need to rebuild the economy from the ground up to be more or less self-sustaining without relying on slavery, and that's not exactly simple or easy. Otherwise, you've got a ton of people with nothing productive to do you just liberated, and you need to either take care for them or watch them die, which would be a waste as far as Sith Viserys is concerned.
Yeah, the Force doesn't really work that way, even if it is often basically Space Magic TM. Wanting to do something, and having the power to do it, doesn't mean you know how to do it. The notable Force Adept sects have been built over the span of 25K years, with generation after generation discovering new things and teaching them to their disciples, with various setbacks due to disasters and wars.
So while Force Pyrokinessis is absolutely possible, without a teacher or holocron to teach you how to do it, you need to figure it out for yourself... and that can take a lifetime of effort, especially if you have no aptitude for the discipline. Or in that case, it might not even work and be a waste of time.
Daenerys indeed has the necessary aptitude, so under the right circumstances, and with time investment she can feasibly rediscover how to set things on fire with the Force.
Fellow Human
Verified Roado Rolla
True, but the Force ability explanations are always very simple. Authors can't bamboozle readers with pseudo science like some do in developing magic systems, Force is basically Just Do It.
It's not easy, but it is simple, just time, effort, and talent.
Sects of Force users tend to use some abilities, their specialty, and just stick with them, ignoring the possibilities. If they knew all that Force can do, I feel they'd be recreating abilities relatively easily. Sure, there might be some tricks to them, and deadly misshaps..
A part of it is denying reality and believing in bullshit.
Ofc these characters aren't game characters who can stack up 15 of the most useful and powerful Force abilities, they don't have the time or talent to learn all of them.
Last edited:
Chapter 13 Part 4
AN: This update fought me tooth and nail for nearly a week. I don't really like it, but had to get it out of the way to hopefully resume a more regular update schedule.
Disclaimer: I don't own A Song of Ice and Fire, the Game of Throne or the Star Wars books, TV series or games. They belong to their creators, publishers and/or copyright owners. This story is not for sale or rent.
291 AC
Yunkai
There was no appreciable fear yet. Instead, a fog of confusion and disbelief shrouded Yunkai while Viserys ran toward the gates. Upon the city's walls, soldiers fired more arrows and stones at him, becoming more and more accurate as he ran closer. The Force hummed in contentment as he seized more of its power, shaping it into a wall of invisible energy and bulldozing through a hail of projectiles.
The enemy got off a third shot before Viserys got close enough to vault towards the fortifications above Yunkai's gates. That salvo had as little effect as the first two attempts to stuff him full of arrows or smash his head with a stone. By now, it was beginning to dawn on the locals that they had no idea what they were dealing with. Fear crept into people's hearts like a poison, feeding the Dark Side.
The Sith sprang forward in a burst of Force-enhanced speed before leaping at the walls. Briefly, he felt like the air itself was pushing him forward. His Targaryen blood sang at the closest he got to actually flying. The Force rippled around Viserys as he rapidly approached the wall midway between the gate below and the rampart's top. He seized more power and focused it around his arms and legs just before touching the yellow stones. For a brief moment, Viserys clung to the fortification, seemingly defying gravity. The Force he was channeling absorbed all the kinetic energy of his landing, redirecting it into a rippling shock-wave that aided him in vaulting from the vertical wall right over the rampart above. He landed lightly on his feet, using the same technique to redirect all his momentum and kinetic energy from his landing to the surrounding area. The end result was predictable and very useful, even without enhancing it further with the Force.
Officers and regular soldiers had a moment of stunned disbelief before a wave of invisible power threw them off their feet, and in most cases, off the wall to land on the ground below. The height was just enough to make a fall survivable if they landed on their feet.
The defenders farther away from Viserys only ended up pushed away, often stumbling off their feet, but remained on the tower for the time being. That state of affairs changed when the Sith waved a hand and telekinetically shoved half of the remaining Yunkish off the tower to their death. He didn't bother drawing his sword yet but instead repeated the exercise, buying himself breathing room.
Two of the soldiers thrown off their feet, fortunate enough to be only shoved at the rampart with enough force to daze them briefly instead of flung to their deaths. Their luck ran out a moment later when Viserys drew his sword and pulled one of the soldiers into it, skewering him. He then shoved his newest victim in the path of a few arrows shot by enterprising warriors on the walls below. The last defender on the top of the tower managed to get up to his feet just in time to receive a telekinetic wave into the face so he could fly into the city.
Viserys spared a moment to look around and feel for anything unexpected through the Force. There were many confused and scared people all around, though in many cases, the fear was morphing into anger. For the time being, fight was winning in the conflict between a fight and flight reflex. That was commendable, really. Viserys idly wondered how long it would last. At the same time, he unlimbered a knotted rope with a hook at the end he borrowed from one of the Unsullied and anchored it to the wall before throwing the rope outside. Now, his soldiers had a way to reinforce him.
More arrows flew at the tower the locals lost control of. Viserys batted them away with the Force, not wasting time to return them to the senders. Instead, he waved at the Unsullied below, who were jogging towards the gate while maintaining a "tortoise" like formation with their shields. As soon as they got close enough, the front of the formation opened up, and a pair of soldiers threw hooks tied to more knotted ropes at the tower Viserys held. The Sith used the Force to pull up the ropes and secure them in place, ensuring more of his people could climb simultaneously. With that done, it was time to do something about the archers and other defenders holding the area.
Said defenders had decided it was high time they did something more constructive about the Sorcerer who just invaded their city, and groups of them rushed the tower. A covered stairway led to the guardhouse above the city gate, and a ladder with a hatch above for people to climb up and down within the tower itself. The hatch was closed, so that wasn't something Viserys had to immediately worry about. The other path for infantry to get up to him was just large enough for two people to barely squeeze past each other, turning the passage into a chokepoint.
Even if he wasn't a Sith, Viserys would have been reasonably able to hold that position for long enough that his Unsullied could climb up and reinforce him, even with them suffering a lot of casualties in the process.
A Valyrian Steel sword guided by an arm enhanced with the Force was an overkill for the soldiers trying to retake the tower. Now that Viserys had a few moments to stop and think. At the same time, training and experience guided his blade, he found himself underwhelmed and disappointed.
So far, the plan to take Yunkai has been going as well as expected. The enemy had no real idea what they were dealing with, and it showed. That didn't stop Viserys from craving a worthy opponent to cross blades with and vanquish. His warrior's heart craved a proper challenge, while his mind was more than content to take an easy win and run with it. He cut down a fifth Yunkish, trying to shove his way through the cramped passage, choking the place with corpses and putting a stop to the local's attempt to retake the area. For some reason, whoever was below him in the tower was either craven or smart enough not to try and climb through the other ladder. If they were smarter, they would be making the room below a death trap for anyone trying to force their way down. It wouldn't work against him. However, the local soldiers didn't know that.
The first Unsullied finally got over the wall and landed heavily beside Viserys. The Sith glanced critically at his soldier, noting that at least five arrows were stuck into his lamellar armor. He had to remind himself that arrows tended to be far less deadly than modern weapons. Even if you had enough of them to be a dead man walking, unless you got hit in the head without a helmet, the heart, or a major artery, you could actually keep fighting for some time driven by adrenaline or an equivalent substance for aliens.
The Unsullied gingerly moved out of the way and unlimbered a climbing rope before collapsing. Viserys secured the hook in place and threw the rope over the wall. Lighting danced over his fingers as he walked towards the side of the tower overlooking the walls. Meanwhile, two more Unsullied climbed up, mostly intact. They wasted no time going for the stairways, ensuring no one would bother Viserys from that direction.
=Sith=
Running away was no longer something to do just in case, Agnak zo Ghaqa decided as soon as a city guard fell off the walls screaming and almost landed on top of him. The Wise Master was not particularly close to the walls at that…. And the warrior who nearly fell on him wasn't the only one to suffer the same fate.
"Clear us a way!" Agnak screamed at his household guards. There wasn't even a palanquin with slaves to carry him home! He had to ride to the walls and back, for the slaves couldn't necessarily trusted with Viserys at the gates… or on top of the gates now.
Lighting crackled, and people howled in agony. Agnak swung his head back towards the walls and saw purple forks of lighting lick the ramparts, spreading like wildfire from the tower the Targaryen took apparently by himself.
"Hurry, you fools!" Agnak screamed at his guards as fear clawed at his heart. This was the kind of sorcery no one had seen since before the Doom! Such things were supposed to be legends now, not grim reality wielded by never sufficiently damned Valyrians!
The Captain of Agnak's guard took one look at the walls and roared orders. Spearmen lowered their weapons and marched forward, ready to skewer anyone who got in their way. The same was true for the few other Wise Masters in the area.
None of them thought about how their actions might affect the groups of the city guard and the fledgling Yunkish army hurrying to plug the breach into their city's defenses.
Disclaimer: I don't own A Song of Ice and Fire, the Game of Throne or the Star Wars books, TV series or games. They belong to their creators, publishers and/or copyright owners. This story is not for sale or rent.
Chapter 13
=Sith=
Part 4
=Sith=
=Sith=
Part 4
=Sith=
291 AC
Yunkai
There was no appreciable fear yet. Instead, a fog of confusion and disbelief shrouded Yunkai while Viserys ran toward the gates. Upon the city's walls, soldiers fired more arrows and stones at him, becoming more and more accurate as he ran closer. The Force hummed in contentment as he seized more of its power, shaping it into a wall of invisible energy and bulldozing through a hail of projectiles.
The enemy got off a third shot before Viserys got close enough to vault towards the fortifications above Yunkai's gates. That salvo had as little effect as the first two attempts to stuff him full of arrows or smash his head with a stone. By now, it was beginning to dawn on the locals that they had no idea what they were dealing with. Fear crept into people's hearts like a poison, feeding the Dark Side.
The Sith sprang forward in a burst of Force-enhanced speed before leaping at the walls. Briefly, he felt like the air itself was pushing him forward. His Targaryen blood sang at the closest he got to actually flying. The Force rippled around Viserys as he rapidly approached the wall midway between the gate below and the rampart's top. He seized more power and focused it around his arms and legs just before touching the yellow stones. For a brief moment, Viserys clung to the fortification, seemingly defying gravity. The Force he was channeling absorbed all the kinetic energy of his landing, redirecting it into a rippling shock-wave that aided him in vaulting from the vertical wall right over the rampart above. He landed lightly on his feet, using the same technique to redirect all his momentum and kinetic energy from his landing to the surrounding area. The end result was predictable and very useful, even without enhancing it further with the Force.
Officers and regular soldiers had a moment of stunned disbelief before a wave of invisible power threw them off their feet, and in most cases, off the wall to land on the ground below. The height was just enough to make a fall survivable if they landed on their feet.
The defenders farther away from Viserys only ended up pushed away, often stumbling off their feet, but remained on the tower for the time being. That state of affairs changed when the Sith waved a hand and telekinetically shoved half of the remaining Yunkish off the tower to their death. He didn't bother drawing his sword yet but instead repeated the exercise, buying himself breathing room.
Two of the soldiers thrown off their feet, fortunate enough to be only shoved at the rampart with enough force to daze them briefly instead of flung to their deaths. Their luck ran out a moment later when Viserys drew his sword and pulled one of the soldiers into it, skewering him. He then shoved his newest victim in the path of a few arrows shot by enterprising warriors on the walls below. The last defender on the top of the tower managed to get up to his feet just in time to receive a telekinetic wave into the face so he could fly into the city.
Viserys spared a moment to look around and feel for anything unexpected through the Force. There were many confused and scared people all around, though in many cases, the fear was morphing into anger. For the time being, fight was winning in the conflict between a fight and flight reflex. That was commendable, really. Viserys idly wondered how long it would last. At the same time, he unlimbered a knotted rope with a hook at the end he borrowed from one of the Unsullied and anchored it to the wall before throwing the rope outside. Now, his soldiers had a way to reinforce him.
More arrows flew at the tower the locals lost control of. Viserys batted them away with the Force, not wasting time to return them to the senders. Instead, he waved at the Unsullied below, who were jogging towards the gate while maintaining a "tortoise" like formation with their shields. As soon as they got close enough, the front of the formation opened up, and a pair of soldiers threw hooks tied to more knotted ropes at the tower Viserys held. The Sith used the Force to pull up the ropes and secure them in place, ensuring more of his people could climb simultaneously. With that done, it was time to do something about the archers and other defenders holding the area.
Said defenders had decided it was high time they did something more constructive about the Sorcerer who just invaded their city, and groups of them rushed the tower. A covered stairway led to the guardhouse above the city gate, and a ladder with a hatch above for people to climb up and down within the tower itself. The hatch was closed, so that wasn't something Viserys had to immediately worry about. The other path for infantry to get up to him was just large enough for two people to barely squeeze past each other, turning the passage into a chokepoint.
Even if he wasn't a Sith, Viserys would have been reasonably able to hold that position for long enough that his Unsullied could climb up and reinforce him, even with them suffering a lot of casualties in the process.
A Valyrian Steel sword guided by an arm enhanced with the Force was an overkill for the soldiers trying to retake the tower. Now that Viserys had a few moments to stop and think. At the same time, training and experience guided his blade, he found himself underwhelmed and disappointed.
So far, the plan to take Yunkai has been going as well as expected. The enemy had no real idea what they were dealing with, and it showed. That didn't stop Viserys from craving a worthy opponent to cross blades with and vanquish. His warrior's heart craved a proper challenge, while his mind was more than content to take an easy win and run with it. He cut down a fifth Yunkish, trying to shove his way through the cramped passage, choking the place with corpses and putting a stop to the local's attempt to retake the area. For some reason, whoever was below him in the tower was either craven or smart enough not to try and climb through the other ladder. If they were smarter, they would be making the room below a death trap for anyone trying to force their way down. It wouldn't work against him. However, the local soldiers didn't know that.
The first Unsullied finally got over the wall and landed heavily beside Viserys. The Sith glanced critically at his soldier, noting that at least five arrows were stuck into his lamellar armor. He had to remind himself that arrows tended to be far less deadly than modern weapons. Even if you had enough of them to be a dead man walking, unless you got hit in the head without a helmet, the heart, or a major artery, you could actually keep fighting for some time driven by adrenaline or an equivalent substance for aliens.
The Unsullied gingerly moved out of the way and unlimbered a climbing rope before collapsing. Viserys secured the hook in place and threw the rope over the wall. Lighting danced over his fingers as he walked towards the side of the tower overlooking the walls. Meanwhile, two more Unsullied climbed up, mostly intact. They wasted no time going for the stairways, ensuring no one would bother Viserys from that direction.
=Sith=
Running away was no longer something to do just in case, Agnak zo Ghaqa decided as soon as a city guard fell off the walls screaming and almost landed on top of him. The Wise Master was not particularly close to the walls at that…. And the warrior who nearly fell on him wasn't the only one to suffer the same fate.
"Clear us a way!" Agnak screamed at his household guards. There wasn't even a palanquin with slaves to carry him home! He had to ride to the walls and back, for the slaves couldn't necessarily trusted with Viserys at the gates… or on top of the gates now.
Lighting crackled, and people howled in agony. Agnak swung his head back towards the walls and saw purple forks of lighting lick the ramparts, spreading like wildfire from the tower the Targaryen took apparently by himself.
"Hurry, you fools!" Agnak screamed at his guards as fear clawed at his heart. This was the kind of sorcery no one had seen since before the Doom! Such things were supposed to be legends now, not grim reality wielded by never sufficiently damned Valyrians!
The Captain of Agnak's guard took one look at the walls and roared orders. Spearmen lowered their weapons and marched forward, ready to skewer anyone who got in their way. The same was true for the few other Wise Masters in the area.
None of them thought about how their actions might affect the groups of the city guard and the fledgling Yunkish army hurrying to plug the breach into their city's defenses.
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Chapter 13 Part 5
Disclaimer: I don't own A Song of Ice and Fire, the Game of Throne or the Star Wars books, TV series or games. They belong to their creators, publishers and/or copyright owners. This story is not for sale or rent.
291 AC
Yunkai
Yunkai's defenders were shaken but not yet broken. From his vantage point, Viserys could see units converging on the city gate he was assaulting, while others were doing their best to get as far away from him as possible. It wasn't hard to guess that those running were Wise Masters. That would be a crippling blow to the defender's morale – something Viserys intended to take full advantage of as soon as he opened the gates.
The Sith used the Force to telekinetically move Unsullied from the top of the tower to the wall below, where they formed a shield wall to protect another safe-ish climbing spot. The next group he put down hurried to secure ropes to the ramparts, allowing more of their comrades to climb up and reinforce them. With a second insertion point in place, Viserys could finally focus on the tower below and the gatehouse it was part of. The Sith went to the hatch and focused on sensing what lay below.
Living beings were far easier and simpler to detect through the Force, though it was possible to do the same with droids and other machines. However, the former's life force and minds simply glowed in the Force, making them stand out in a way you couldn't miss once you knew how to properly look for them. The downside was that doing so was quite distracting at the best of times.
A dozen people were below, forming a circle around the ladder leading to the top of the tower. Without explosives, crossbows, or something hot to dump on them, trying to storm the level below through the hatch would usually lead to a bloodbath. It would be feasible for the defenders to stack up the bodies of the attackers high up around the ladder, making that route unviable before enough soldiers could storm the place before enough soldiers could get down there, and survive long enough to kill them.
Viserys had other options, though he had to be careful not to trash any mechanisms used to open the gates, so unfocused use of telekinesis was out. The same went for Sith Lightning, just in case.
The Sith tore the hatch with telekinesis and glowered at the people below. He focused his will and intent through the Force and slammed them into the minds of the defenders' minds. Their mental defenses were paper-tin. Claws of dark intent shredded through those mental defenses, dragging the deepest, darkest fears of everyone affected to the forefront of their minds. Any courage the Yunkish mustered to hold their position vanished like a snowflake on Tatooine at noon. Warriors collapsed on their knees, lost in their nightmares, while others clawed at their eyes, trying to make visions of horrors go away. A handful threw away their weapons and ran, only to halt at a locked door. They hammered at solid wood reinforced with iron, screaming to be let out.
Viserys jumped through the hatch, feeling more disappointment at the opposition he was facing. It was true that the effects of his technique here were not unique. A person needed a strong mind, courage, and, ideally, exposure to Force-induced fear to reliably resist something like this. Such people were vanishingly rare in the Clone Wars era, much less here. Knowing this didn't change the reality that the Sith's warrior's heart craved a worthy opponent to match himself against.
At the same time, it was a good thing he could clear the tower fast and clean without resorting to particularly destructive techniques.
Viserys slaughtered the terrified locals and looked critically around the room. Barrels with wooden stands for various weapons lined the walls. Thin slits to shoot from and torches illuminated the space rather well, including the most critical part it held – a mechanism of wooden and metal wheels and heavy chains. That was obviously the way to open and close the portcullis.
Unsullied came down the ladder, and Viserys pointed at the device.
"Lift the portcullis. I'll deal with the other gate," Viserys ordered before heading to clear the rest of the tower. Once the gatehouse was secure, Viserys could deal with the gates and the defenders coming to reinforce the area.
Climbing a wall with a knotted rope while people shot arrows at you, or tried to poke holes in you with spears through slits in the very wall you were climbing, was not Richard's idea of fun. The plan was insane and should have been a great way to get many good men killed for no gain.
Instead, due to the magic his Prince wielded, he was able to rapidly secure a space on a tower and provide cover for the people climbing behind him. By the time Lonmouth began climbing, Unsullied had held the tower above, with more climbing on the wall to his left. Even better, Yunkish no longer tried their best to skewer those climbing like boars through slits near the top of the tower!
That was the good news.
Whoever was clearing the tower hadn't reached the lower levels yet, which was a problem. A spear shot through a slit just above Richard and caught an Unsullied in the neck. The poor bastard gurgled and reflexively let go of the rope, trying to catch the weapon stuck in his throat. Richard cursed and pushed with his legs, swinging farther away from the slit above than the now dead Unsullied. He did it just in time, too, for a spear came out of the slit. He was fast and was now climbing past, barely missing him. Lonmouth arms burned as he held for the rope for dear life before his boots touched the wall again, and he could continue his ascend in a more controlled fashion.
An arrow buzzed past Richard; however, the angle was awkward, and the archers on the closest wall had other things to worry about instead of aiming properly. Like a group of Unsullied three abreast advancing slowly but steadily behind their shields, those behind them threw javelins at the defenders before them.
The Commander of the Royal Guard finally reached the top, glad that no one attacked him from the slits below the ramparts. A pair of Unsullied waited for him and the other warriors who were busy climbing. They were ready to help them get over the rampart faster so they could get out of the way and into cover.
"Where is the Prince?" Lonmouth demanded.
"He is taking the gatehouse," an Unsullied pointed at a hatch on the floor.
Lonmouth nodded and went to follow his liege. All he had to do was follow the corpses until he reached his Prince. Richard found Viserys at the gates, standing behind a thin line of Unsullied. A crescent-shaped group of Yunkish surrounded them, ready to hold the entrance to their city with a spiky wall of spears. A couple of officers on horses towered behind the infantry, shouting encouragements and orders to attack.
A semi-circle of corpses divided the Unsullied and defenders, standing as evidence that the enemy's first attempt to secure the gatehouse had failed. Richard noted that his Prince was paying no attention to the enemy, but instead, he was focused on the gates. A massive wooden beam held them closed, likely carved from a single large tree. It would take a lot of people and ropes to move that thing and open the gates.
Or a single Targaryen Sorcerer.
Viserys raised a hand, and the beam moved with a loud moan. The metal fittings holding it in place groaned as the weight lifted.
"Duck," Viserys' voice rang throughout the area.
The Unsullied obeyed without thinking, falling on one knee and hiding behind their shields. Richard had a moment to comprehend what was happening, and he ducked as well, just in time for the beam to fly over his head before coming lower to pass just over the heads of their soldiers. Then it slammed into the enemy like a stick blowing through a row of toys. A horse shrieked horribly, followed by the screams of wounded men.
Richard looked at the unexpected carnage, then at his Prince, who made a gesture. The gates slowly swung open with a groan of protesting wood and metal.
"Secure the rest of the walls near the gates. I will take care of this," Viserys pointed at the shaken Yunkish, who looked stricken at his handiwork.
Chapter 13 Part 5
=Sith=
=Sith=
291 AC
Yunkai
Yunkai's defenders were shaken but not yet broken. From his vantage point, Viserys could see units converging on the city gate he was assaulting, while others were doing their best to get as far away from him as possible. It wasn't hard to guess that those running were Wise Masters. That would be a crippling blow to the defender's morale – something Viserys intended to take full advantage of as soon as he opened the gates.
The Sith used the Force to telekinetically move Unsullied from the top of the tower to the wall below, where they formed a shield wall to protect another safe-ish climbing spot. The next group he put down hurried to secure ropes to the ramparts, allowing more of their comrades to climb up and reinforce them. With a second insertion point in place, Viserys could finally focus on the tower below and the gatehouse it was part of. The Sith went to the hatch and focused on sensing what lay below.
Living beings were far easier and simpler to detect through the Force, though it was possible to do the same with droids and other machines. However, the former's life force and minds simply glowed in the Force, making them stand out in a way you couldn't miss once you knew how to properly look for them. The downside was that doing so was quite distracting at the best of times.
A dozen people were below, forming a circle around the ladder leading to the top of the tower. Without explosives, crossbows, or something hot to dump on them, trying to storm the level below through the hatch would usually lead to a bloodbath. It would be feasible for the defenders to stack up the bodies of the attackers high up around the ladder, making that route unviable before enough soldiers could storm the place before enough soldiers could get down there, and survive long enough to kill them.
Viserys had other options, though he had to be careful not to trash any mechanisms used to open the gates, so unfocused use of telekinesis was out. The same went for Sith Lightning, just in case.
The Sith tore the hatch with telekinesis and glowered at the people below. He focused his will and intent through the Force and slammed them into the minds of the defenders' minds. Their mental defenses were paper-tin. Claws of dark intent shredded through those mental defenses, dragging the deepest, darkest fears of everyone affected to the forefront of their minds. Any courage the Yunkish mustered to hold their position vanished like a snowflake on Tatooine at noon. Warriors collapsed on their knees, lost in their nightmares, while others clawed at their eyes, trying to make visions of horrors go away. A handful threw away their weapons and ran, only to halt at a locked door. They hammered at solid wood reinforced with iron, screaming to be let out.
Viserys jumped through the hatch, feeling more disappointment at the opposition he was facing. It was true that the effects of his technique here were not unique. A person needed a strong mind, courage, and, ideally, exposure to Force-induced fear to reliably resist something like this. Such people were vanishingly rare in the Clone Wars era, much less here. Knowing this didn't change the reality that the Sith's warrior's heart craved a worthy opponent to match himself against.
At the same time, it was a good thing he could clear the tower fast and clean without resorting to particularly destructive techniques.
Viserys slaughtered the terrified locals and looked critically around the room. Barrels with wooden stands for various weapons lined the walls. Thin slits to shoot from and torches illuminated the space rather well, including the most critical part it held – a mechanism of wooden and metal wheels and heavy chains. That was obviously the way to open and close the portcullis.
Unsullied came down the ladder, and Viserys pointed at the device.
"Lift the portcullis. I'll deal with the other gate," Viserys ordered before heading to clear the rest of the tower. Once the gatehouse was secure, Viserys could deal with the gates and the defenders coming to reinforce the area.
=Sith=
Climbing a wall with a knotted rope while people shot arrows at you, or tried to poke holes in you with spears through slits in the very wall you were climbing, was not Richard's idea of fun. The plan was insane and should have been a great way to get many good men killed for no gain.
Instead, due to the magic his Prince wielded, he was able to rapidly secure a space on a tower and provide cover for the people climbing behind him. By the time Lonmouth began climbing, Unsullied had held the tower above, with more climbing on the wall to his left. Even better, Yunkish no longer tried their best to skewer those climbing like boars through slits near the top of the tower!
That was the good news.
Whoever was clearing the tower hadn't reached the lower levels yet, which was a problem. A spear shot through a slit just above Richard and caught an Unsullied in the neck. The poor bastard gurgled and reflexively let go of the rope, trying to catch the weapon stuck in his throat. Richard cursed and pushed with his legs, swinging farther away from the slit above than the now dead Unsullied. He did it just in time, too, for a spear came out of the slit. He was fast and was now climbing past, barely missing him. Lonmouth arms burned as he held for the rope for dear life before his boots touched the wall again, and he could continue his ascend in a more controlled fashion.
An arrow buzzed past Richard; however, the angle was awkward, and the archers on the closest wall had other things to worry about instead of aiming properly. Like a group of Unsullied three abreast advancing slowly but steadily behind their shields, those behind them threw javelins at the defenders before them.
The Commander of the Royal Guard finally reached the top, glad that no one attacked him from the slits below the ramparts. A pair of Unsullied waited for him and the other warriors who were busy climbing. They were ready to help them get over the rampart faster so they could get out of the way and into cover.
"Where is the Prince?" Lonmouth demanded.
"He is taking the gatehouse," an Unsullied pointed at a hatch on the floor.
Lonmouth nodded and went to follow his liege. All he had to do was follow the corpses until he reached his Prince. Richard found Viserys at the gates, standing behind a thin line of Unsullied. A crescent-shaped group of Yunkish surrounded them, ready to hold the entrance to their city with a spiky wall of spears. A couple of officers on horses towered behind the infantry, shouting encouragements and orders to attack.
A semi-circle of corpses divided the Unsullied and defenders, standing as evidence that the enemy's first attempt to secure the gatehouse had failed. Richard noted that his Prince was paying no attention to the enemy, but instead, he was focused on the gates. A massive wooden beam held them closed, likely carved from a single large tree. It would take a lot of people and ropes to move that thing and open the gates.
Or a single Targaryen Sorcerer.
Viserys raised a hand, and the beam moved with a loud moan. The metal fittings holding it in place groaned as the weight lifted.
"Duck," Viserys' voice rang throughout the area.
The Unsullied obeyed without thinking, falling on one knee and hiding behind their shields. Richard had a moment to comprehend what was happening, and he ducked as well, just in time for the beam to fly over his head before coming lower to pass just over the heads of their soldiers. Then it slammed into the enemy like a stick blowing through a row of toys. A horse shrieked horribly, followed by the screams of wounded men.
Richard looked at the unexpected carnage, then at his Prince, who made a gesture. The gates slowly swung open with a groan of protesting wood and metal.
"Secure the rest of the walls near the gates. I will take care of this," Viserys pointed at the shaken Yunkish, who looked stricken at his handiwork.
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Yeah, he is just cementing the worship of his people with this. The Unsullied are warriors they choosen leader fighting at the front is just the thing that makes them even more loyal that they where to dany in canon. As for Yunkai, the door is open und Viserys is inside the city there is not much they can do now, outside of dying.
Would be funny if the reinforcments come in right as the sacking starts and safe some of the "good" masters. After all the slaves will not show any mercy to the people that owned them, and Viserys himself is also angry for the whole nailing his people to a cross thing.
Would be funny if the reinforcments come in right as the sacking starts and safe some of the "good" masters. After all the slaves will not show any mercy to the people that owned them, and Viserys himself is also angry for the whole nailing his people to a cross thing.
Chapter 13 Part 6
Disclaimer: I don't own A Song of Ice and Fire, the Game of Throne or the Star Wars books, TV series or games. They belong to their creators, publishers and/or copyright owners. This story is not for sale or rent.
291 AC
Yunkai
Power coursed through Daenerys' veins, begging to be unleashed. The fire magic in her blood ran hot, making the Princess feel restrained. It also begged to be released, though she knew not how to do it!
As if that was not frustrating enough, Daenerys could feel the emotions of the army surrounding her and those of the people in the city they were storming. Hungry anticipation, righteous anger, fear, bloodlust, and more mixed into a heavy beverage that enhanced her emotions.
It was all she could do not to rush into the fray to join her brother in fighting those despicable slavers! Only her desire not to disappoint him by doing so held her back. The knowledge that sooner, rather than later, she would be ready to fight beside Viserys did little to soothe the Princess' burning hunger for action. Yet, the need to do something, anything useful, was becoming overwhelming. The tipping point was when the Unsullied secured the gates and ordered the rest of the army to follow them into the city.
At that point, the soldiers' elation and bloodlust cracked Daenerys' restrain. Still, she retained just enough control not to rush forward, leading the charge. Her fingers clenched around her mare's reins so hard it hurt while the Sith Apprentice tried to find a way to retain a semblance of control. The Princess's eyes swept over the walls where Unsullied was pushing back the Yunkish until her gaze returned to a sight that made her blood boil. There was one of her people crucified and stuck above a platform above the gate, right below a statue of a Harpy. From where Daenerys stood, the symbol of slavery looked like it was holding the poor man into its clawed feet.
Right there! If the man was still alive, then she could do something without breaking the promise to stay safe she gave Viserys! With her mind made up, Daenerys' hold on the reins relaxed, though the fire in her blood burned even brighter, making her feel even less comfortable.
"We are going to rescue him!" the Princess pointed at the crucified man, putting forth as much authority behind her words as she could muster. The magic in her gleefully hurried to obey, giving the Apprentice's orders far more weight than it would have had otherwise.
Reaching the gatehouse and their destination right above it was easier said than done. Thousands of soldiers gleefully marched towards the gates, and even with the large passage secure, it took them time to pass through. While Daenerys and her guards approached the gates, the din of combat grew more and more distant – a testament to her brother's and their Unsullied success. By the time the Princess climbed off her horse and entered the gatehouse, all she could hear were shouted orders, distant screams, and the constant beat of countless marching feet.
Daenerys passed by or over dozens of butchered Yunkish, a sight that should have been shocking, no matter how much she had experienced since the death of Ser Darry. Instead, all the Princess felt was disappointment that she wasn't among the soldiers who butchered the slavers! Her rage at those who crucified and killed her people left no place for pity or regret, much less mere shock.
Finally, Daenerys reached her destination, only to find out that she was too short to reach the man she wanted to help! To be fair, the group of Royal Guards who stumbled to a halt beside her, who were much taller and larger than the young girl, would still need a ladder or two to safely pull down the crucified sailor.
Fortunately, Daenerys had magic at her beck and call! Her brother had been teaching her how to use it for months now! All the emotions swirling through her like a poisoned cocktail served as fuel for the power begging to be used.
The Sith Apprentice focused on the raging magic, grasped it with her mind, and forced it to obey with all her will. Power surged through her small frame, filling it to bursting. If the magic in Daenerys' blood was on fire before, now it was a raging inferno threatening to consume her. She pushed through the fire posed to burn her from inside and ordered it to obey!
Daenerys raised a hand and made a grasping motion. Magic surged through her, forming invisible fingers around the crucified man. She gently took hold of him, then willed more power at the base of the cross he was bound to, focusing her anger on the wood. The solid beam of sturdy wood snapped like a twig with a loud sound, the likes of which Daenerys had never heard before. She almost dropped the man and the cross he was still attached to from shock, then nearly squeezed him to death as she did her best to retain her hold of him.
Nevertheless, Daenerys' endless hours of training paid off. She managed to lower the cross without killing the man she desired to rescue. Doing so was awkward and harder than she imagined, but it worked, and that was all that mattered in the end!
Daenerys let go of the magic, and the inferno burning through her veins abated somewhat. The Apprentice felt like a weight lifted from her shoulders, yet at the same time, a profound sense of weariness pressed down. The Princess gasped, drawing deep breaths. Only now, the smell of blood and ruptured bowels hit her in a way she noticed. It didn't help that the still crucified sailor was soiled and covered with offal that had been baking in the sun for days now. Daenerys recoiled, stumbling back and almost slipping on fresh blood coating the stone below her feet.
Once again, magic surged through her, summoned by the Princess' building shock and panic. Cool frost spread through her instead of more liquid fire, yet it still burned within her, even in a very different way. At least Daenerys could again think more or less clearly, so she welcomed the magic, even if holding it was less than pleasant.
The Sith Apprentice focused on the sailor, struggling to find something to say. She was a Targaryen Princess and had to act the part!
"You don't have my permission to die!" Daenerys ordered, echoing her brother's words.
Viserys sounded and looked amazing when he did so! She surely couldn't go wrong by emulating her brother!
Daenerys saw how a look of stunned disbelief, not a small amount of fear, and relief was replaced by something she couldn't readily recognize. She glanced at the Royal Guard beside her, sensing the same odd mixture of emotions coming from the sailor bubbling within them.
There were looks of exasperation and relief focused on her, or so the Princess thought, for helmets hid most of their faces.
Chapter 13
=Sith=
Part 6
=Sith=
=Sith=
Part 6
=Sith=
291 AC
Yunkai
Power coursed through Daenerys' veins, begging to be unleashed. The fire magic in her blood ran hot, making the Princess feel restrained. It also begged to be released, though she knew not how to do it!
As if that was not frustrating enough, Daenerys could feel the emotions of the army surrounding her and those of the people in the city they were storming. Hungry anticipation, righteous anger, fear, bloodlust, and more mixed into a heavy beverage that enhanced her emotions.
It was all she could do not to rush into the fray to join her brother in fighting those despicable slavers! Only her desire not to disappoint him by doing so held her back. The knowledge that sooner, rather than later, she would be ready to fight beside Viserys did little to soothe the Princess' burning hunger for action. Yet, the need to do something, anything useful, was becoming overwhelming. The tipping point was when the Unsullied secured the gates and ordered the rest of the army to follow them into the city.
At that point, the soldiers' elation and bloodlust cracked Daenerys' restrain. Still, she retained just enough control not to rush forward, leading the charge. Her fingers clenched around her mare's reins so hard it hurt while the Sith Apprentice tried to find a way to retain a semblance of control. The Princess's eyes swept over the walls where Unsullied was pushing back the Yunkish until her gaze returned to a sight that made her blood boil. There was one of her people crucified and stuck above a platform above the gate, right below a statue of a Harpy. From where Daenerys stood, the symbol of slavery looked like it was holding the poor man into its clawed feet.
Right there! If the man was still alive, then she could do something without breaking the promise to stay safe she gave Viserys! With her mind made up, Daenerys' hold on the reins relaxed, though the fire in her blood burned even brighter, making her feel even less comfortable.
"We are going to rescue him!" the Princess pointed at the crucified man, putting forth as much authority behind her words as she could muster. The magic in her gleefully hurried to obey, giving the Apprentice's orders far more weight than it would have had otherwise.
Reaching the gatehouse and their destination right above it was easier said than done. Thousands of soldiers gleefully marched towards the gates, and even with the large passage secure, it took them time to pass through. While Daenerys and her guards approached the gates, the din of combat grew more and more distant – a testament to her brother's and their Unsullied success. By the time the Princess climbed off her horse and entered the gatehouse, all she could hear were shouted orders, distant screams, and the constant beat of countless marching feet.
Daenerys passed by or over dozens of butchered Yunkish, a sight that should have been shocking, no matter how much she had experienced since the death of Ser Darry. Instead, all the Princess felt was disappointment that she wasn't among the soldiers who butchered the slavers! Her rage at those who crucified and killed her people left no place for pity or regret, much less mere shock.
Finally, Daenerys reached her destination, only to find out that she was too short to reach the man she wanted to help! To be fair, the group of Royal Guards who stumbled to a halt beside her, who were much taller and larger than the young girl, would still need a ladder or two to safely pull down the crucified sailor.
Fortunately, Daenerys had magic at her beck and call! Her brother had been teaching her how to use it for months now! All the emotions swirling through her like a poisoned cocktail served as fuel for the power begging to be used.
The Sith Apprentice focused on the raging magic, grasped it with her mind, and forced it to obey with all her will. Power surged through her small frame, filling it to bursting. If the magic in Daenerys' blood was on fire before, now it was a raging inferno threatening to consume her. She pushed through the fire posed to burn her from inside and ordered it to obey!
Daenerys raised a hand and made a grasping motion. Magic surged through her, forming invisible fingers around the crucified man. She gently took hold of him, then willed more power at the base of the cross he was bound to, focusing her anger on the wood. The solid beam of sturdy wood snapped like a twig with a loud sound, the likes of which Daenerys had never heard before. She almost dropped the man and the cross he was still attached to from shock, then nearly squeezed him to death as she did her best to retain her hold of him.
Nevertheless, Daenerys' endless hours of training paid off. She managed to lower the cross without killing the man she desired to rescue. Doing so was awkward and harder than she imagined, but it worked, and that was all that mattered in the end!
Daenerys let go of the magic, and the inferno burning through her veins abated somewhat. The Apprentice felt like a weight lifted from her shoulders, yet at the same time, a profound sense of weariness pressed down. The Princess gasped, drawing deep breaths. Only now, the smell of blood and ruptured bowels hit her in a way she noticed. It didn't help that the still crucified sailor was soiled and covered with offal that had been baking in the sun for days now. Daenerys recoiled, stumbling back and almost slipping on fresh blood coating the stone below her feet.
Once again, magic surged through her, summoned by the Princess' building shock and panic. Cool frost spread through her instead of more liquid fire, yet it still burned within her, even in a very different way. At least Daenerys could again think more or less clearly, so she welcomed the magic, even if holding it was less than pleasant.
The Sith Apprentice focused on the sailor, struggling to find something to say. She was a Targaryen Princess and had to act the part!
"You don't have my permission to die!" Daenerys ordered, echoing her brother's words.
Viserys sounded and looked amazing when he did so! She surely couldn't go wrong by emulating her brother!
Daenerys saw how a look of stunned disbelief, not a small amount of fear, and relief was replaced by something she couldn't readily recognize. She glanced at the Royal Guard beside her, sensing the same odd mixture of emotions coming from the sailor bubbling within them.
There were looks of exasperation and relief focused on her, or so the Princess thought, for helmets hid most of their faces.
Last edited:
Chapter 13 Part 7
AN: Unfortunately, my muse continues to be uncooperative, fighting me all the way writing this update, or trying to update one of my other stories. 
I hope that this update will pass muster.
Disclaimer: I don't own A Song of Ice and Fire, the Game of Throne or the Star Wars books, TV series or games. They belong to their creators, publishers and/or copyright owners. This story is not for sale or rent.
291 AC
Yunkai
The hill crowned by his family's pyramid offered Agnak zo Ghaqa a breathtaking view of Yunkai. The most powerful noble houses ruling the city took pride in that. Yet, now, that very sight brought despair to Agnak's heart.
The Targaryen's Unsullied swept over the walls like a dark tide, pushing the Yunkish army and City Guard back with every passing breath. More of the bastards poured through the breached gate like a stream of poison that spread through Yunkai, poisoning all that was right and proper!
Agnak saw a wave of death and sorcery head towards the docks, intent on taking them, while more angry slaves pushed on the heels of the unsullied in all directions. They intended to trap all the Wise Masters and citizens inside the city! The diplomat's gut clenched at that realization, as if a rebellious slave had stabbed him with an icy dagger.
"We must leave now! Brother, get our wives and children on horses! We must ride to the harbor while we still can!" Agnak shouted.
His older brother and the head of the family moved his bulk as fast as his feet could carry him to join the envoy on the balcony overlooking the fallen gate.
"You must be jesting, brother! Even with Unsullied attacking, Yunkai can't fall this fast…" Qokiz zo Ghaqa trailed off when his gaze fell upon what drowned Agnak's heart in fear and despair.
"We must leave now while we still can!" Agnak pointed at the Unsullied and other slaves the Valyrian Sorcerer unleashed upon Yunkai. "That's our death coming for us!"
Agnak didn't wait for Qokiz to make up his mind or process the madness descending upon their fair city. He dashed back into the pyramid, shouting orders to the guards to drag his family if that was what it took to get them to the docks while there was still time. Agnak's eldest son came from the treasury, followed by loyal guards carrying bags of gold and precious gems.
"I've done as you bid, father!" Ornal mo Agnak waved at the men behind him. "Is it really so bad we must flee?"
"I just saw Unsullied march on the docks. What's left of our army will barely slow them down. We are running out of time, son. We must go now! Get your brother and sisters! We must flee now!" Agnak sharply pointed at the vague direction of the docks, wondering if it might be better to try their luck on the road between Yunkai and Meereen. At least the Targaryen didn't have cavalry to speak of that could chase them that way…
=Sith=
war gallery Ghiscari Pride
en route to Yunkai
They were doing amazing time, or so people kept telling Oznak zo Pahl. That might very well be true; he wouldn't know. The Great Master was no sailor. However, it didn't feel that way, and the less said about the experience, the better. Oznak was learning the hard way why almost all the nobles he knew left such things to servants, sellswords, and, when they could get away with it, favored slaves.
Until now, his sole experience with sailing was traveling to and enjoying nights on pleasure barges. The Pahl scion quickly found the hard way that sailing on a war galley, even the flagship of Meereen's navy, was nothing like that. He had a cramped officer's quarter to himself, which was a far cry from anything he had experienced before. There was no space for salves who would do his bidding, and the less said about the sea turning his stomach with every swing of the deck below his feet, the better.
Traveling from Meereen to Yunkai by warship was supposed to be a short journey. This overnight voyage didn't depend on favorable winds but on the rowers' raw muscle power. The ship's Captain was happy that it was smooth sailing, and if the old seaman wasn't lying through his teeth, then Oznak didn't want to imagine what hard sailing might entail.
After spending hours emptying the contents of his stomach and losing an incredible amount of dignity, the Good Master dragged himself to the tiny, claustrophobic setup for him, wanting to die. He was sure that by the time they reached Yunkai, he would care not if the place was on fire, with Valyrians busy burning it with mythological dragons. At least he could die on solid ground then, ideally with a shred of dignity!
=Sith=
Just before afternoon on the next day, Oznak felt a bit better, thanks to mulled wine spiked with medicine that the Captain had brought him.
"You need to take it on an empty stomach, Master Pahl," the seaman shrugged apologetically when Oznak did his best to glare at him for not bringing the drink much earlier. Judging by the Captain's lack of reaction, the glower was far less potent than the Good Master intended.
The Pahl scion dared show his face on the deck when he was reasonably sure he wouldn't spell what little water and wine he had in his belly, hoping to regain some of his lost dignity. It was bad enough that so many sellswords saw him last evening. The Meereenese crew and officers witnessing the indignity Oznak suffered were far worse.
Warning cries from lookouts on the lead ships derailed the Great Master's plans.
"Yunkish ships approaching!" that announcement made everyone relax. Those were vessels from their allies, likely coming to welcome the help, not the Targaryen's navy or potentially hostile sellsails Viserys might have hired.
Some distant shouting later, it became clear that those ships were no honor guards sent to great Yunkai's prospective saviors, but instead, vessels fleeing a city being sacked. That bit of news put things into perspective. Oznak no longer felt like dying, though he still resented the need to sail and his decision to be one of the people doing said sailing.
"We'll be too late. By the time we reach port, your men are unlikely to make a difference," The Captain pointed out.
The mercenary commanders sailing on the flagship nodded glumly. So much for easy money holding Yunkai's walls against an assault that was unlikely to come. To be fair, Oznak didn't believe that the Valyrian would dare storm Yunkai, much less succeed, before reinforcements could reach the city. Otherwise, he wouldn't be on board this damned boat!
"We need to know how our enemy breached the walls and succeeded in storming the city," One of the Free Company commanders noted. "Otherwise, the same can happen to us back in Meereen."
That was an excellent point, Oznak decided. He certainly didn't think of it, but now that someone pointed it out, he couldn't get the idea of such a disaster out of his head. Oznak paid no attention to the following argument but instead imagined Valyrians leading Unsullied and countless liberated slaves to butcher their way through Meereen. Such a thing couldn't be allowed to happen, yet it was suddenly a realistic prospect. This was no longer about the threat to slavery and profits! It was a matter of survival!
"We must reach Yunkai and find the truth!" Oznak decided. He was technically in charge of the reinforcements, after all, so even if he lost much face, people still listened to him. Besides, he had to be seen doing something practical to was away the stain on his honor that last night's indignity created.
"We should carefully approach the harbor and decide what to do depending on the situation. If the Yunkish still holds it, we can get any Wise Masters out and get first-hand accounts about how the city fell," the Captain suggested.
That was a good idea, Oznak noted and nodded in agreement.
"It is decided then! Get us to Yunkai as fast as you can!" he blurted out, immediately regretted it.
"Signal the fleet! Have the oarsmen put in maximum effort! We are heading straight to Yunkai's harbour!" the Captain began shouting orders, and soon, the deck below them lurched as if struck as the boat sped up.
I hope that this update will pass muster.Disclaimer: I don't own A Song of Ice and Fire, the Game of Throne or the Star Wars books, TV series or games. They belong to their creators, publishers and/or copyright owners. This story is not for sale or rent.
Chapter 13
=Sith=
Part 7
=Sith=
=Sith=
Part 7
=Sith=
291 AC
Yunkai
The hill crowned by his family's pyramid offered Agnak zo Ghaqa a breathtaking view of Yunkai. The most powerful noble houses ruling the city took pride in that. Yet, now, that very sight brought despair to Agnak's heart.
The Targaryen's Unsullied swept over the walls like a dark tide, pushing the Yunkish army and City Guard back with every passing breath. More of the bastards poured through the breached gate like a stream of poison that spread through Yunkai, poisoning all that was right and proper!
Agnak saw a wave of death and sorcery head towards the docks, intent on taking them, while more angry slaves pushed on the heels of the unsullied in all directions. They intended to trap all the Wise Masters and citizens inside the city! The diplomat's gut clenched at that realization, as if a rebellious slave had stabbed him with an icy dagger.
"We must leave now! Brother, get our wives and children on horses! We must ride to the harbor while we still can!" Agnak shouted.
His older brother and the head of the family moved his bulk as fast as his feet could carry him to join the envoy on the balcony overlooking the fallen gate.
"You must be jesting, brother! Even with Unsullied attacking, Yunkai can't fall this fast…" Qokiz zo Ghaqa trailed off when his gaze fell upon what drowned Agnak's heart in fear and despair.
"We must leave now while we still can!" Agnak pointed at the Unsullied and other slaves the Valyrian Sorcerer unleashed upon Yunkai. "That's our death coming for us!"
Agnak didn't wait for Qokiz to make up his mind or process the madness descending upon their fair city. He dashed back into the pyramid, shouting orders to the guards to drag his family if that was what it took to get them to the docks while there was still time. Agnak's eldest son came from the treasury, followed by loyal guards carrying bags of gold and precious gems.
"I've done as you bid, father!" Ornal mo Agnak waved at the men behind him. "Is it really so bad we must flee?"
"I just saw Unsullied march on the docks. What's left of our army will barely slow them down. We are running out of time, son. We must go now! Get your brother and sisters! We must flee now!" Agnak sharply pointed at the vague direction of the docks, wondering if it might be better to try their luck on the road between Yunkai and Meereen. At least the Targaryen didn't have cavalry to speak of that could chase them that way…
=Sith=
war gallery Ghiscari Pride
en route to Yunkai
They were doing amazing time, or so people kept telling Oznak zo Pahl. That might very well be true; he wouldn't know. The Great Master was no sailor. However, it didn't feel that way, and the less said about the experience, the better. Oznak was learning the hard way why almost all the nobles he knew left such things to servants, sellswords, and, when they could get away with it, favored slaves.
Until now, his sole experience with sailing was traveling to and enjoying nights on pleasure barges. The Pahl scion quickly found the hard way that sailing on a war galley, even the flagship of Meereen's navy, was nothing like that. He had a cramped officer's quarter to himself, which was a far cry from anything he had experienced before. There was no space for salves who would do his bidding, and the less said about the sea turning his stomach with every swing of the deck below his feet, the better.
Traveling from Meereen to Yunkai by warship was supposed to be a short journey. This overnight voyage didn't depend on favorable winds but on the rowers' raw muscle power. The ship's Captain was happy that it was smooth sailing, and if the old seaman wasn't lying through his teeth, then Oznak didn't want to imagine what hard sailing might entail.
After spending hours emptying the contents of his stomach and losing an incredible amount of dignity, the Good Master dragged himself to the tiny, claustrophobic setup for him, wanting to die. He was sure that by the time they reached Yunkai, he would care not if the place was on fire, with Valyrians busy burning it with mythological dragons. At least he could die on solid ground then, ideally with a shred of dignity!
=Sith=
Just before afternoon on the next day, Oznak felt a bit better, thanks to mulled wine spiked with medicine that the Captain had brought him.
"You need to take it on an empty stomach, Master Pahl," the seaman shrugged apologetically when Oznak did his best to glare at him for not bringing the drink much earlier. Judging by the Captain's lack of reaction, the glower was far less potent than the Good Master intended.
The Pahl scion dared show his face on the deck when he was reasonably sure he wouldn't spell what little water and wine he had in his belly, hoping to regain some of his lost dignity. It was bad enough that so many sellswords saw him last evening. The Meereenese crew and officers witnessing the indignity Oznak suffered were far worse.
Warning cries from lookouts on the lead ships derailed the Great Master's plans.
"Yunkish ships approaching!" that announcement made everyone relax. Those were vessels from their allies, likely coming to welcome the help, not the Targaryen's navy or potentially hostile sellsails Viserys might have hired.
Some distant shouting later, it became clear that those ships were no honor guards sent to great Yunkai's prospective saviors, but instead, vessels fleeing a city being sacked. That bit of news put things into perspective. Oznak no longer felt like dying, though he still resented the need to sail and his decision to be one of the people doing said sailing.
"We'll be too late. By the time we reach port, your men are unlikely to make a difference," The Captain pointed out.
The mercenary commanders sailing on the flagship nodded glumly. So much for easy money holding Yunkai's walls against an assault that was unlikely to come. To be fair, Oznak didn't believe that the Valyrian would dare storm Yunkai, much less succeed, before reinforcements could reach the city. Otherwise, he wouldn't be on board this damned boat!
"We need to know how our enemy breached the walls and succeeded in storming the city," One of the Free Company commanders noted. "Otherwise, the same can happen to us back in Meereen."
That was an excellent point, Oznak decided. He certainly didn't think of it, but now that someone pointed it out, he couldn't get the idea of such a disaster out of his head. Oznak paid no attention to the following argument but instead imagined Valyrians leading Unsullied and countless liberated slaves to butcher their way through Meereen. Such a thing couldn't be allowed to happen, yet it was suddenly a realistic prospect. This was no longer about the threat to slavery and profits! It was a matter of survival!
"We must reach Yunkai and find the truth!" Oznak decided. He was technically in charge of the reinforcements, after all, so even if he lost much face, people still listened to him. Besides, he had to be seen doing something practical to was away the stain on his honor that last night's indignity created.
"We should carefully approach the harbor and decide what to do depending on the situation. If the Yunkish still holds it, we can get any Wise Masters out and get first-hand accounts about how the city fell," the Captain suggested.
That was a good idea, Oznak noted and nodded in agreement.
"It is decided then! Get us to Yunkai as fast as you can!" he blurted out, immediately regretted it.
"Signal the fleet! Have the oarsmen put in maximum effort! We are heading straight to Yunkai's harbour!" the Captain began shouting orders, and soon, the deck below them lurched as if struck as the boat sped up.
Chapter 13 Part 8
New
Disclaimer: I don't own A Song of Ice and Fire, the Game of Throne or the Star Wars books, TV series or games. They belong to their creators, publishers and/or copyright owners. This story is not for sale or rent.
Chapter 13
=Sith=
Part 8
=Sith=
291 AC
Yunkai
Marching through Yunkai's streets felt odd. Even if he knew better, Viserys couldn't help but be on the lookout for familiar threats, the kinds that, as far as he knew, didn't exist in this world. There was no artillery to worry about, no incoming air strikes ready to incinerate the Unsullied that marched in lockstep behind the Sith. Planetos' orbitals were clear of hostile ships ready to rain enough hellfire to scour whole continents off life.
Storming Yunkai was a boring walk in the park compared to many battles, much less whole campaigns he could remember. The forces Viserys led to the docks faced no organized resistance. On two occasions, small groups of the local military made desperate last stands, which barely slowed down the advance. Even without a bored Sith acting as a spear point, they wouldn't have lasted more than a minute or two against the thousands of Unsullied pushing forward.
At the same time, there was the pointed reminder of the Ironborn raid, backed by unnatural forces, to say the least. Such unfamiliar local dangers could prove to be the worthy challenge Viserys' warrior heart craved to face.
Instead, everything was going according to plan, for the enemy knew not what they were dealing with. As a military man, that should have made him happy. Plans coming together without the enemy derailing them when they got a vote was always a rarity. Instead, all Viserys felt was boredom that quickly warped into frustration. The Force weaved around him, and the Dark Side hungered for action. His heart craved a proper challenge that the Sith was certain would not come anytime soon. If anything, the hard part would come after the city was more or less secure, and it would be painfully tedious to deal with.
They were almost at the docks when the latest groups of defenders rallied their courage to face the invaders. This bunch was different. Even at a glance, it was clear they were all nobles or their retinue. Gilded or otherwise richly decorated armor, tabards, and other decorations made their nature painfully obvious. Viserys could feel their fear, mixing richly with grim determination and resignation.
"We must hold! Our families are behind us, trying to leave!" The defenders' apparent leader screamed in Ghiscari. By now, Viserys had picked up enough of the language to get the gist, though he was by no means fluent in it. After all, it always paid to know what the locals told each other if you would be around for the long haul. He lacked an Assassin Droid moonlighting as a harmless protocol, one to do the heavy lifting language-wise.
Under different circumstances, the Sith might have appreciated the grim fanaticism of the men ready to die to slow him down. Sometimes, such doomed last stands made all the difference in the world by costing time and resources to overcome. Enough of them could derail the course of critical campaigns. That was why, when he had the option, as a Sith, Viserys went out of his way to take prisoners and treat them well. At the same time, most of his piers gleefully did their best to outdo themselves in the war crimes department with predictable results.
Today was not such a day. The people these men wanted to protect were the same who Viserys wanted to make an example of. Many of them fleeing Yunkai didn't feature in his plans.
The Sith's heart beat faster, thirsting for combat, and his hand gripped the hilt of his sword tighter. He could use his frustration to feed the Dark Side and unleash it upon the bastards about to die. Yet, he was hungry for a more personal approach, especially after shattering the last two groups trying to slow him down with the Force.
It would be so satisfying to slam into the loose group of locals and bathe in their blood, to feel his blade part through flesh and bone, and to watch his enemies in the eyes as life left them… The desire for instant gratification was nearly overwhelming. The Dark Side hissed hungrily; however, it wasn't whispering sweet nothings in the back of his mind which made all the difference in the world.
Viserys took a deep breath, inhaling the stench of fear and all the unpleasantries common to cities of this era, pushing aside his desire to indulge in gratuitous slaughter. It appeared that he didn't have to worry just about Dany struggling with the Dark Side and teenage mood swings. He was young again, in a body not yet fully grown, with all that entailed… and this was the first battle he fought where he didn't have to worry about his little sister. The incessant need to just let loose and indulge in his darkest impulses sneaked up on him in a way it hadn't in a very long time. He didn't even have the excuse of the Dark Side edging him one this time; it was just good old-fashioned frustration!
At least he could do something about the frustration to alleviate it. Viserys fed it to the Dark Side, fueling it and channeling the resulting surge of power at the nobles making their last stand. A torrent of angry purple lightning danced across his fingers before he guided and unleashed it into a fan of agony and death.
When all was said and done, the nobles' last stand only slowed down the marching Unsullied due to the need to be careful while stepping over their smoking corpses.
Mere minutes later, Viserys and his forces finally reached the docks. Their rapid advance through mostly empty streets finally came to an end. Whoever wasn't bunkering at their homes, hopping for the best, or running for the Yunkai's farther gates was apparently here. A throng of well-off locals was shoving, pushing, and trampling their way toward still-docked ships, desperately bargaining for passage.
From a somewhat elevated position, Viserys could finally survey his targets. There were a few dozen ships still at the piers. Clusters of what had to be household guards held most of the approaches while the slavers in charge loaded treasure and family members on board. It was painfully clear that Viserys wouldn't get them all here and now, much less in a state fit to make a proper example of them. On the other hand, there was something he could do for some of the ships.
"Secure the piers and as many ships as possible. I want prisoners from the local slavers fleeing like rats," Viserys ordered and waved his Unsullied to advance. Instead of leading or following them, he vaulted on top of a nearby warehouse to get a better vantage point.
=Sith=
Agnak zo Ghaqa couldn't miss the Sorcerer's arrival even if he wanted to. Fortunately for his family, they were already on board a ship, ready to leave. He wanted to pat himself on the back for his quick thinking and the trust his brother had in him. Otherwise, they would have spent precious time arguing back in their pyramid instead of taking all the treasure, easy to pack and transport, before fleeing. Even then, they got on board in no small part because their household guard managed to threaten their way to a ship of an acquaintance still in port.
"We must leave now! They're here!" Agnak shouted at the Captain, even before most of the huge crowd at the docks understood they were all out of time.
Watching it all happen was a queer thing. Most people in the crowd were packed so tight they couldn't even see the approaching Unsullied, much less the mad Targaryen Sorcerer leading them. Agnak, on the other hand, had a great view of the slave soldiers marching down a distant street and slamming into the nobles and merchants trying to flee. Due to his location, he lost sight of the Unsullied at the head of their column within moments of their arrival as the throngs of people hid them. However, there was no missing the Sorcerer, who somehow made an inhuman jump on top of a warehouse to survey his prey.
Distant shouted orders and screams finally alerted the crowd that something was amiss. Dying screams soon followed as the Unsullied scythed through everyone between them and the ships.
At least the Captain was finally screaming orders to get the ship underway. Sailors swarmed all over the place, while the remaining household guards had to use their weapons in anger to buy themselves breathing space to board in a hurry. Agnak could see nearby ship Captains deciding it was time to flee.
Panic spread through the people trying to flee like wildfire. Soon, more and more desperate wretches attempted to overwhelm the guards at the piers, who were, in turn, doing their best to board their only way out of a sudden death trap.
Only when their ship reached the harbor's middle did Agnak figure out how fortunate he and his family were. They could hear the screams of the dying and see Unsullied reach the piers, shoving dead and dying people into the water at spearpoint. By the time they fought through the crowds, most ships managed to get underway, with only a couple being swarmed by the desperate.
That should have been it, but the Sorcerer struck in a way Agnak couldn't miss, proving once again that they all underestimated him.
One of the last ships to leave its pier had its rowers rowing furiously to escape. Instead of gradually picking up speed and heading for safety, the ship slid back right towards the dock it just left. The place was now swarming with Unsullied, waiting for their next target. The boat slammed into the wooden pier with a crash that momentarily silenced the cries of the dying. The Unsullied wasted no time in jumping on board and engaging the crew and passengers.
That madness was no fluke. Screams of terror came from another fleeing ship as its forward momentum abruptly ceased. An invisible force reeled it back like a speared fish towards the slave soldiers waiting to capture its crew and, more importantly, noble passengers.
"Row faster! Row like all our lives depends on it!" The Captain finally got out of his stupor and desperately screamed in a way Agnak had never heard before.
Similar orders and cries came from nearby vessels, and their rowers redoubled their offers.
They were the lucky ones—many merchant cogs and such trying to flee relied on the wind, which was much slower and more ponderous. They were left at the mercy of the Sorcerer and light breeze alone.
Only then did the chilling realization that they might not make it penetrate Agnak's stunned mind, and he felt terror like no other.
Chapter 13
=Sith=
Part 8
=Sith=
291 AC
Yunkai
Marching through Yunkai's streets felt odd. Even if he knew better, Viserys couldn't help but be on the lookout for familiar threats, the kinds that, as far as he knew, didn't exist in this world. There was no artillery to worry about, no incoming air strikes ready to incinerate the Unsullied that marched in lockstep behind the Sith. Planetos' orbitals were clear of hostile ships ready to rain enough hellfire to scour whole continents off life.
Storming Yunkai was a boring walk in the park compared to many battles, much less whole campaigns he could remember. The forces Viserys led to the docks faced no organized resistance. On two occasions, small groups of the local military made desperate last stands, which barely slowed down the advance. Even without a bored Sith acting as a spear point, they wouldn't have lasted more than a minute or two against the thousands of Unsullied pushing forward.
At the same time, there was the pointed reminder of the Ironborn raid, backed by unnatural forces, to say the least. Such unfamiliar local dangers could prove to be the worthy challenge Viserys' warrior heart craved to face.
Instead, everything was going according to plan, for the enemy knew not what they were dealing with. As a military man, that should have made him happy. Plans coming together without the enemy derailing them when they got a vote was always a rarity. Instead, all Viserys felt was boredom that quickly warped into frustration. The Force weaved around him, and the Dark Side hungered for action. His heart craved a proper challenge that the Sith was certain would not come anytime soon. If anything, the hard part would come after the city was more or less secure, and it would be painfully tedious to deal with.
They were almost at the docks when the latest groups of defenders rallied their courage to face the invaders. This bunch was different. Even at a glance, it was clear they were all nobles or their retinue. Gilded or otherwise richly decorated armor, tabards, and other decorations made their nature painfully obvious. Viserys could feel their fear, mixing richly with grim determination and resignation.
"We must hold! Our families are behind us, trying to leave!" The defenders' apparent leader screamed in Ghiscari. By now, Viserys had picked up enough of the language to get the gist, though he was by no means fluent in it. After all, it always paid to know what the locals told each other if you would be around for the long haul. He lacked an Assassin Droid moonlighting as a harmless protocol, one to do the heavy lifting language-wise.
Under different circumstances, the Sith might have appreciated the grim fanaticism of the men ready to die to slow him down. Sometimes, such doomed last stands made all the difference in the world by costing time and resources to overcome. Enough of them could derail the course of critical campaigns. That was why, when he had the option, as a Sith, Viserys went out of his way to take prisoners and treat them well. At the same time, most of his piers gleefully did their best to outdo themselves in the war crimes department with predictable results.
Today was not such a day. The people these men wanted to protect were the same who Viserys wanted to make an example of. Many of them fleeing Yunkai didn't feature in his plans.
The Sith's heart beat faster, thirsting for combat, and his hand gripped the hilt of his sword tighter. He could use his frustration to feed the Dark Side and unleash it upon the bastards about to die. Yet, he was hungry for a more personal approach, especially after shattering the last two groups trying to slow him down with the Force.
It would be so satisfying to slam into the loose group of locals and bathe in their blood, to feel his blade part through flesh and bone, and to watch his enemies in the eyes as life left them… The desire for instant gratification was nearly overwhelming. The Dark Side hissed hungrily; however, it wasn't whispering sweet nothings in the back of his mind which made all the difference in the world.
Viserys took a deep breath, inhaling the stench of fear and all the unpleasantries common to cities of this era, pushing aside his desire to indulge in gratuitous slaughter. It appeared that he didn't have to worry just about Dany struggling with the Dark Side and teenage mood swings. He was young again, in a body not yet fully grown, with all that entailed… and this was the first battle he fought where he didn't have to worry about his little sister. The incessant need to just let loose and indulge in his darkest impulses sneaked up on him in a way it hadn't in a very long time. He didn't even have the excuse of the Dark Side edging him one this time; it was just good old-fashioned frustration!
At least he could do something about the frustration to alleviate it. Viserys fed it to the Dark Side, fueling it and channeling the resulting surge of power at the nobles making their last stand. A torrent of angry purple lightning danced across his fingers before he guided and unleashed it into a fan of agony and death.
When all was said and done, the nobles' last stand only slowed down the marching Unsullied due to the need to be careful while stepping over their smoking corpses.
Mere minutes later, Viserys and his forces finally reached the docks. Their rapid advance through mostly empty streets finally came to an end. Whoever wasn't bunkering at their homes, hopping for the best, or running for the Yunkai's farther gates was apparently here. A throng of well-off locals was shoving, pushing, and trampling their way toward still-docked ships, desperately bargaining for passage.
From a somewhat elevated position, Viserys could finally survey his targets. There were a few dozen ships still at the piers. Clusters of what had to be household guards held most of the approaches while the slavers in charge loaded treasure and family members on board. It was painfully clear that Viserys wouldn't get them all here and now, much less in a state fit to make a proper example of them. On the other hand, there was something he could do for some of the ships.
"Secure the piers and as many ships as possible. I want prisoners from the local slavers fleeing like rats," Viserys ordered and waved his Unsullied to advance. Instead of leading or following them, he vaulted on top of a nearby warehouse to get a better vantage point.
=Sith=
Agnak zo Ghaqa couldn't miss the Sorcerer's arrival even if he wanted to. Fortunately for his family, they were already on board a ship, ready to leave. He wanted to pat himself on the back for his quick thinking and the trust his brother had in him. Otherwise, they would have spent precious time arguing back in their pyramid instead of taking all the treasure, easy to pack and transport, before fleeing. Even then, they got on board in no small part because their household guard managed to threaten their way to a ship of an acquaintance still in port.
"We must leave now! They're here!" Agnak shouted at the Captain, even before most of the huge crowd at the docks understood they were all out of time.
Watching it all happen was a queer thing. Most people in the crowd were packed so tight they couldn't even see the approaching Unsullied, much less the mad Targaryen Sorcerer leading them. Agnak, on the other hand, had a great view of the slave soldiers marching down a distant street and slamming into the nobles and merchants trying to flee. Due to his location, he lost sight of the Unsullied at the head of their column within moments of their arrival as the throngs of people hid them. However, there was no missing the Sorcerer, who somehow made an inhuman jump on top of a warehouse to survey his prey.
Distant shouted orders and screams finally alerted the crowd that something was amiss. Dying screams soon followed as the Unsullied scythed through everyone between them and the ships.
At least the Captain was finally screaming orders to get the ship underway. Sailors swarmed all over the place, while the remaining household guards had to use their weapons in anger to buy themselves breathing space to board in a hurry. Agnak could see nearby ship Captains deciding it was time to flee.
Panic spread through the people trying to flee like wildfire. Soon, more and more desperate wretches attempted to overwhelm the guards at the piers, who were, in turn, doing their best to board their only way out of a sudden death trap.
Only when their ship reached the harbor's middle did Agnak figure out how fortunate he and his family were. They could hear the screams of the dying and see Unsullied reach the piers, shoving dead and dying people into the water at spearpoint. By the time they fought through the crowds, most ships managed to get underway, with only a couple being swarmed by the desperate.
That should have been it, but the Sorcerer struck in a way Agnak couldn't miss, proving once again that they all underestimated him.
One of the last ships to leave its pier had its rowers rowing furiously to escape. Instead of gradually picking up speed and heading for safety, the ship slid back right towards the dock it just left. The place was now swarming with Unsullied, waiting for their next target. The boat slammed into the wooden pier with a crash that momentarily silenced the cries of the dying. The Unsullied wasted no time in jumping on board and engaging the crew and passengers.
That madness was no fluke. Screams of terror came from another fleeing ship as its forward momentum abruptly ceased. An invisible force reeled it back like a speared fish towards the slave soldiers waiting to capture its crew and, more importantly, noble passengers.
"Row faster! Row like all our lives depends on it!" The Captain finally got out of his stupor and desperately screamed in a way Agnak had never heard before.
Similar orders and cries came from nearby vessels, and their rowers redoubled their offers.
They were the lucky ones—many merchant cogs and such trying to flee relied on the wind, which was much slower and more ponderous. They were left at the mercy of the Sorcerer and light breeze alone.
Only then did the chilling realization that they might not make it penetrate Agnak's stunned mind, and he felt terror like no other.
Last edited:
I'm calling this out as the only place where the spelling is appropriate. Everywhere else I see the word in this chapter, it should be "pier." There's a list below.
Yep, that was a major brainfat on my part. It's fixed now.
Fellow Human
Verified Roado Rolla
Good stuff, what a power move, giving the ships a head start and hope, before pulling them in.
Well, that was less intentional and more the time needed to get to the docks, and yank ships one by one to where the Unsullied could board them. However, no one would know that for sure, and either way, it was a terrifying display of power to those who will be able to witness it and flee to spread the word.
Chapter 14 Part 1
New
Disclaimer: I don't own A Song of Ice and Fire, the Game of Throne or the Star Wars books, TV series or games. They belong to their creators, publishers and/or copyright owners. This story is not for sale or rent.
291 AC
war gallery Ghiscari Pride
Yunkai's harbor
Despite everything, a part of Oznak zo Pahl's mind dared hope that Meereen's reinforcements would reach Yunkai in time and make all the difference in the world. Surely, even an unbelievably powerful Sorcerer couldn't just storm the city without seeing their army suffer heavy casualties in the process!
Encountering more and more fleeing ships as they approached Yunkai's harbor dashed those hopes, though they still darer smolder in the noble's heart. That persisted until the lead squadron the Ghiscari Pride was part of sailed past a group of desperately fleeing vessels chock-full of people shouting warnings. Their target came into view, leaving Oznak to stare in incomprehension.
The Pahl scion didn't need the Captain's Myrish lens to figure out that the enemy was busy overrunning the docks. While they looked tiny at this distance, it was clear that Unsullied in dark armor were securing piers and boarding ships that failed to leave in time. It immediately became clear that the reinforcements from Meereen could not safely disembark. Trying to do in the face of Unsullied ready for them would be suicide, and not what their sell swords signed up for. That was a failure enough but not enough to stun Oznak into gaping in disbelief.
One of the Yunkish warships that managed to leave the piers in time was running at an unseemly speed and was close enough to the fleet to be clearly seen. The vessel suddenly froze in place, as if the waters below it turned into quicksand. Oznak stared in disbelief at the rowers, who kept desperately rowing in a futile effort to get the ship moving again. Instead, in spite of their efforts, the boat slid backward, slowly moving back towards the docks.
"Turn around! Run, you fools!" A familiar voice screamed, dragging Oznak out of his stupor. He looked to the left to see a galley rapidly sailing past his ship.
Agnak was on board, and despite the distance, it was clear he was as shocked at what was happening as Oznak. He waved wildly, gesturing for them to turn back.
This was all the Sorcerer's doing, Oznak's mind supplies as it somewhat recovered from the shock. If he could pluck ships back from fleeing, was it a wonder he managed to breach Yunkai's defenses, far easier than anyone dared fear? And they were foolishly sailing right into his grasp! A sudden chill spread through Oznak's blood, making him feel faint.
"Captain, turn us around!"
The ship's master shook himself out of his own stupor and spent a few endless moments looking around before gathering his wits.
"Turn to starboard! Rowers, row as if your lives depend on it! Signal the rest of the fleet! We are leaving with utmost haste!" The Captain bellowed. He shoved his Myrish lens in Oznak's hands and rapidly walked among the rowers shouting encouragements.
Before the ship could even begin changing its direction, Agnak's boat was past them, rapidly leaving the harbor. Oznak glanced at the device in his hands and raised it to look through it. Finding out more about what was happening in Yunkai was the only thing he could do right now.
Getting out of there was up to the Captain, the ship's crew, and potentially the Sorcerer if he decided to target them. That by itself cut as deeply as any blade, for until this very moment, Oznak thought himself on top of the world and ready to face all challenges to make his people great again. Instead, he was beginning to wonder if it would be a fight for their survival in the face of a mad Valyrian Sorcerer.
Oznak fumbled with the device for a few moments, feeling creeping frustration on top of everything else until the view through the lens sharpened and cleared. Finally, he could properly see what had happened at the docks. For once, Oznak felt no joy at being proven right.
Unsullied were sweeping from right to left, corralling a crowd of nobles and well-off merchants away from the piers. Here and there, small groups of guards tried to fight, making a doomed last stand. More often, the Yunkish warriors fought to cut themselves a path through their fleeing betters and get away from the enemy. It was clear that dealing with all these people was an afterthought for the Unsullied. Most of the slave soldiers marched to the piers, and either helped secure the ships there or waited for the Sorcerer to pull one within their reach.
Oznak swung the Myrish lens towards the vessel that the Sorcerer was dragging back to his soldiers. Everyone on board was panicking now, with more and more people jumping in the water and trying to swim for the dubious safety of a different fleeing boat. Oznak shuddered at the knowledge that only mere luck kept him from suffering such a fate. For now, anyway. The ship heaved under his feet and turned sharply as it sped up into a rapid turn to gain as much distance between them and the Sorcerer as fast as possible.
From his perch, Viserys idly noted the arrival of a small fleet that swung into view from around the city walls protecting the harbor. He wasn't enough of a mariner to recognize their allegiance, though that didn't really matter. They couldn't be friendly, especially not coming from that direction, and that was all that mattered. More importantly, they were too late to make any difference in saving Yunkai from his forces.
The question was what to do about them.
Viserys was already dragging a fifth war galley back to the piers for his Unsullied to seize. That, combined with his earlier fun, drained him quite a bit, though he was by no means spent. He could push his body some more, and in the future, when he fully matured and got more accustomed to channeling the Force, his limits would increase somewhat. However, the unpleasant truth was that in this body, he simply lacked the potential he had enjoyed before merging with Viserys Targaryen and, more or less, becoming a better version of the boy.
When all was said and done, it was a very good thing that the caliber of the opposition he was facing and would likely face wasn't the same as he was accustomed to dealing with. That clear fact did nothing for his desire to face worthy opponents, even if that should logically be the last thing he wanted.
Those musings were enough to disrupt Viserys' concentration and momentarily slacken his hold on the war galley he was reeling in. He glared at the helpless vessel and pulled harder, making it lurch towards the nearest pier.
The enemy reinforcements, whoever they were, reacted with commendable speed and turned to flee, likely as fast as their vessels allowed. Letting most of them get away was going to be a pity. However, even a glance told Viserys all he needed to go – at best, he would be able to snatch only a couple of them before they got out of sight. To add insult to injury, that would likely be at the cost of letting a few more of the ponderous merchant vessels get away as well. While those would be far less useful until the current war was resolved, they were still valuable prizes in the long run – both for their utility and how useful anyone trying to flee on board might be.
Viserys let go of the ship he was pulling and focused on the closest vessel among the reinforcing fleet. Capturing them would take too long, and the opportunity cost would be too high. However, letting them go without a parting gift simply wouldn't do.
The Sith grasped one of the turning ships and pushed it sharply into the turn, relishing the increased amount of fear pouring into the Dark Side like fuel feeding an inferno already out of control. Viserys kept pushing, channeling more of the Force into it to speed up the vessel. The rest of the fleet did its best to scatter and escape, but it was too late. The Sith's puppet ship rammed another galley, shattering most oars on its left side, then splintering its hull and lodging into it at a sharp angle.
Viserys let go of the crippled vessel and took a deep breath, feeling far hotter than his armor and the Essoss' climate could account for. A wave of weariness spread through him because of the greater effort required to pull off his latest stunt. He could do it perhaps one more without risking too many ships running away. Either way, Viserys couldn't fully exhaust himself when there might be threats still lurking within Yunkai that might become a credible danger in that case.
The Sith pushed through the weariness, weighing him down, and focused on another fleeing warship.
Chapter 14 Part 1
=Sith=
=Sith=
291 AC
war gallery Ghiscari Pride
Yunkai's harbor
Despite everything, a part of Oznak zo Pahl's mind dared hope that Meereen's reinforcements would reach Yunkai in time and make all the difference in the world. Surely, even an unbelievably powerful Sorcerer couldn't just storm the city without seeing their army suffer heavy casualties in the process!
Encountering more and more fleeing ships as they approached Yunkai's harbor dashed those hopes, though they still darer smolder in the noble's heart. That persisted until the lead squadron the Ghiscari Pride was part of sailed past a group of desperately fleeing vessels chock-full of people shouting warnings. Their target came into view, leaving Oznak to stare in incomprehension.
The Pahl scion didn't need the Captain's Myrish lens to figure out that the enemy was busy overrunning the docks. While they looked tiny at this distance, it was clear that Unsullied in dark armor were securing piers and boarding ships that failed to leave in time. It immediately became clear that the reinforcements from Meereen could not safely disembark. Trying to do in the face of Unsullied ready for them would be suicide, and not what their sell swords signed up for. That was a failure enough but not enough to stun Oznak into gaping in disbelief.
One of the Yunkish warships that managed to leave the piers in time was running at an unseemly speed and was close enough to the fleet to be clearly seen. The vessel suddenly froze in place, as if the waters below it turned into quicksand. Oznak stared in disbelief at the rowers, who kept desperately rowing in a futile effort to get the ship moving again. Instead, in spite of their efforts, the boat slid backward, slowly moving back towards the docks.
"Turn around! Run, you fools!" A familiar voice screamed, dragging Oznak out of his stupor. He looked to the left to see a galley rapidly sailing past his ship.
Agnak was on board, and despite the distance, it was clear he was as shocked at what was happening as Oznak. He waved wildly, gesturing for them to turn back.
This was all the Sorcerer's doing, Oznak's mind supplies as it somewhat recovered from the shock. If he could pluck ships back from fleeing, was it a wonder he managed to breach Yunkai's defenses, far easier than anyone dared fear? And they were foolishly sailing right into his grasp! A sudden chill spread through Oznak's blood, making him feel faint.
"Captain, turn us around!"
The ship's master shook himself out of his own stupor and spent a few endless moments looking around before gathering his wits.
"Turn to starboard! Rowers, row as if your lives depend on it! Signal the rest of the fleet! We are leaving with utmost haste!" The Captain bellowed. He shoved his Myrish lens in Oznak's hands and rapidly walked among the rowers shouting encouragements.
Before the ship could even begin changing its direction, Agnak's boat was past them, rapidly leaving the harbor. Oznak glanced at the device in his hands and raised it to look through it. Finding out more about what was happening in Yunkai was the only thing he could do right now.
Getting out of there was up to the Captain, the ship's crew, and potentially the Sorcerer if he decided to target them. That by itself cut as deeply as any blade, for until this very moment, Oznak thought himself on top of the world and ready to face all challenges to make his people great again. Instead, he was beginning to wonder if it would be a fight for their survival in the face of a mad Valyrian Sorcerer.
Oznak fumbled with the device for a few moments, feeling creeping frustration on top of everything else until the view through the lens sharpened and cleared. Finally, he could properly see what had happened at the docks. For once, Oznak felt no joy at being proven right.
Unsullied were sweeping from right to left, corralling a crowd of nobles and well-off merchants away from the piers. Here and there, small groups of guards tried to fight, making a doomed last stand. More often, the Yunkish warriors fought to cut themselves a path through their fleeing betters and get away from the enemy. It was clear that dealing with all these people was an afterthought for the Unsullied. Most of the slave soldiers marched to the piers, and either helped secure the ships there or waited for the Sorcerer to pull one within their reach.
Oznak swung the Myrish lens towards the vessel that the Sorcerer was dragging back to his soldiers. Everyone on board was panicking now, with more and more people jumping in the water and trying to swim for the dubious safety of a different fleeing boat. Oznak shuddered at the knowledge that only mere luck kept him from suffering such a fate. For now, anyway. The ship heaved under his feet and turned sharply as it sped up into a rapid turn to gain as much distance between them and the Sorcerer as fast as possible.
=Sith=
From his perch, Viserys idly noted the arrival of a small fleet that swung into view from around the city walls protecting the harbor. He wasn't enough of a mariner to recognize their allegiance, though that didn't really matter. They couldn't be friendly, especially not coming from that direction, and that was all that mattered. More importantly, they were too late to make any difference in saving Yunkai from his forces.
The question was what to do about them.
Viserys was already dragging a fifth war galley back to the piers for his Unsullied to seize. That, combined with his earlier fun, drained him quite a bit, though he was by no means spent. He could push his body some more, and in the future, when he fully matured and got more accustomed to channeling the Force, his limits would increase somewhat. However, the unpleasant truth was that in this body, he simply lacked the potential he had enjoyed before merging with Viserys Targaryen and, more or less, becoming a better version of the boy.
When all was said and done, it was a very good thing that the caliber of the opposition he was facing and would likely face wasn't the same as he was accustomed to dealing with. That clear fact did nothing for his desire to face worthy opponents, even if that should logically be the last thing he wanted.
Those musings were enough to disrupt Viserys' concentration and momentarily slacken his hold on the war galley he was reeling in. He glared at the helpless vessel and pulled harder, making it lurch towards the nearest pier.
The enemy reinforcements, whoever they were, reacted with commendable speed and turned to flee, likely as fast as their vessels allowed. Letting most of them get away was going to be a pity. However, even a glance told Viserys all he needed to go – at best, he would be able to snatch only a couple of them before they got out of sight. To add insult to injury, that would likely be at the cost of letting a few more of the ponderous merchant vessels get away as well. While those would be far less useful until the current war was resolved, they were still valuable prizes in the long run – both for their utility and how useful anyone trying to flee on board might be.
Viserys let go of the ship he was pulling and focused on the closest vessel among the reinforcing fleet. Capturing them would take too long, and the opportunity cost would be too high. However, letting them go without a parting gift simply wouldn't do.
The Sith grasped one of the turning ships and pushed it sharply into the turn, relishing the increased amount of fear pouring into the Dark Side like fuel feeding an inferno already out of control. Viserys kept pushing, channeling more of the Force into it to speed up the vessel. The rest of the fleet did its best to scatter and escape, but it was too late. The Sith's puppet ship rammed another galley, shattering most oars on its left side, then splintering its hull and lodging into it at a sharp angle.
Viserys let go of the crippled vessel and took a deep breath, feeling far hotter than his armor and the Essoss' climate could account for. A wave of weariness spread through him because of the greater effort required to pull off his latest stunt. He could do it perhaps one more without risking too many ships running away. Either way, Viserys couldn't fully exhaust himself when there might be threats still lurking within Yunkai that might become a credible danger in that case.
The Sith pushed through the weariness, weighing him down, and focused on another fleeing warship.
Chapter 14 Part 2
New
Disclaimer: I don't own A Song of Ice and Fire, the Game of Throne or the Star Wars books, TV series or games. They belong to their creators, publishers and/or copyright owners. This story is not for sale or rent.
291 AC
Yunkai
Viserys sat on a crate at the docks, taking a brief rest and supervising his Unsullied while they were busy processing prisoners. A chunk of the crowd swarming the area managed to flee when they reached it, while the Sith's soldiers focused on reaching the piers and the ships still there. They managed to secure three merchant vessels that didn't have enough crew on board to set sail before it was too late. Viserys had to drag all other ships his people captured to the piers so they could board them, deal with any resistance, and capture whoever they could.
The Prince's efforts netted him six mostly intact war galleys and five more merchant vessels that were too slow to leave due to lack of good wind. By the end of the exercise, a swift breeze carried over the harbor, pushing the fleeing vessels beyond the Sith's range. At any rate, at that point, Viserys was quite tired from dragging a bunch of vessels back to the piers, so the wind helping the rest escape was almost a moot point.
The Sith perked up when he sensed Dany's approach. She was clearly disgruntled and dejected, which raised some interesting questions. Viserys pushed himself off the crate and walked up the street, where he felt his sister approach. A Spear of Unsullied fell in around him, acting as honor guard.
Ser Richard came into sight first, leading a group of Royal Guards and Unsullied marching in a defensive formation around what had to be Dany. The Lord Commander gave the impression of someone quite irritated – something strongly reinforced by the way the man felt in the Force. That, combined with what Viserys sensed coming from his sister earlier while he was busy marching on the docks, put things into perspective. He really should have seen some kind of shenanigans coming from her. Dany's youth combined with the Force and Dark Side was an explosive combination at the best of times, even if she had been handling it like a champion so far.
"My Prince," Lonmouth saluted, sounding less than pleased with the situation. He stepped aside, revealing Dany's short form.
It was a good thing that Viserys didn't feel her getting injured or sense her experiencing physical pain. Dany looked almost like she had bathed in blood.
Only her face and hair were mostly free of drying blood.
"Sister, I see you found a way to entertain yourself." Viserys was pleasantly surprised at how level his voice was. Did he need to murder someone about this, he wondered?
"He's dead!" Dany exclaimed and waved her hands in vexation. "I couldn't save him!"
A wave of pain and resentment washed over Viserys at those words.
"I'll need a bit of context," Viserys noted and slowly walked to stand before his sister.
"That poor man, those slaving bastards crucified above the gates!" Dany spat. The venom in her voice was impressive for someone so young. Her smoldering anger was delicious if concerning, but at least it was aimed at an acceptable target. Then, there was a tang of simmering hatred below all other emotions, bidding its time to shine.
Ah. That one. Viserys might have been able to save him if he had the time and a few appropriate sacrifices to drain the life force of. However, he had more pressing concerns to deal with. Or not, depending on how far the man was gone. It wasn't like he had a natural inclination for healing with the Force.
Viserys sighed and stepped forward. He hugged his vexed sister, sending her a wave of reassurance through the Force. He was relieved that she didn't throw herself into combat. If that had been the case, Viserys would have been compelled to give an example of his Royal Guard, even if they would have been hard-pressed to stop his sister.
"They will pay," he promised.
"It won't bring him back! It won't bring any of them back!" Dany hissed.
"No. But it will make everyone else think long and hard if it will be a good idea to murder our people in such a way," Viserys spoke in his best soothing voice.
"I hate them, brother! I hate them so much it hurts!"
Dany shook in Viserys' arms. Her hatred was flared like a raw, open wound that gleefully fed the Dark Side.
"Ser Richard, continue securing the city. You have command," Viserys ordered.
There should be no coordinated resistance able to stop their Unsullied and garrison troops from securing the rest of Yunkai. Viserys could worry about everything else in the city later. His sister was more important.
"Little Dragon, you're coming with me. I'm not letting you out of my sight for now," Viserys told his sister.
"What? Why?" Dany squirmed in her brother's hands. "Gah, you're all bloody!"
Viserys pointedly didn't mention how Dany looked.
"We both can use a bath, sister, but that will wait. The people responsible for your anger are either our prisoners, about to be captured by our forces, or out of reach for the time being. We will decide how to deal with them tomorrow."
Viserys gently guided his sister to the docks, where he rested before her arrival until they reached a convenient stack of crates. He deftly picked Dany up and perched her on a crate before sitting beside her.
"Some of those responsible are dead around us. Our Unsullied are in the process of capturing others," the Sith pointed at the soldiers busy with the part of the crowd that failed to flee.
"That doesn't make me feel any better! I was useless!" Dany pouted.
"Sister, you are doing incredible for someone so young and with so little training and experience. I am afraid that there is no substitute for the latter. No matter how you want to utilize the power in your blood, you need to hone your skills with it. Some applications come in easier and require less skill to be useful. Blunt force can be a very effective tool. However, healing, for example, requires skill and finesse. Having a natural aptitude for healing with this power also helps," Viserys explained. "However, that's not a trait we have."
"This doesn't make me feel any better!" Dany grumbled dejectedly.
"You can practice putting back together some of our prisoners," Viserys suggested. While he needed to make a proper example of them, he had more important things to deal with than dedicate much of his time to properly dealing with the Wise Masters. However, they may be useful as more than a mere example.
"Why would I want to heal those people!?" Dany exclaimed. The sheer incredulity and offense radiating from her was quite amusing.
"That way, they will suffer longer for their crimes. And if some of them die while you learn how to better heal people you want to keep safe, it will be no great loss," Viserys reasonably pointed out.
Dany opened her mouth to interject before a thoughtful look spread over her face, stretching a smudge of blood over her cheek.
"Huh. I think I might like that," Dany allowed.
"Good. Speaking of teaching opportunities," Viserys changed the topic to distract his sister. "What do you see?" He pointed at the ships at the piers. "Why do you think I immediately headed this way after securing the gates?"
Dany looked at the dead people on the streets, the Unsullied on the piers and swarming over ships, as well as the prisoners.
"You wanted to stop them from escaping!" she beamed at that.
"That was one of the reasons why. The only ways out of the city are either by ship from here or by road leading to Meereen. We might still get some of the people fleeing overland," Viserys noted. "What else?"
"We're building a navy. You wanted to capture more ships," Dany waved at the nearby vessels.
"That was another reason, yes. Until recently, I was busy using our magic to pull back fleeing ships so our Unsullied could board and capture them. I could have destroyed ships instead. Perhaps, that way, I would have denied more ships to the enemy instead of spending the time and power needed to capture them," Viserys looked expectantly at his sister.
Dany looked around with narrowed eyes. Her emotions settled up a bit, so the distraction worked. Viserys mentally patted himself on the back for a job well done and waited to see what conclusion his sister would reach.
"Our fleet is small, isn't it? Wouldn't sinking more enemy ships benefit us more than capturing a smaller number?" Dany asked.
"Will it?" Viserys shot back.
Dany looked at the Unsullied and then at the ships. Her head snapped towards Viserys, and she looked at him. Her eyes shone with speculation.
"Training! Soldiers, scholars, administrators, sailors! You've been hammering on that point. Me too! Training all the time, all kinds of training, and not all of it boring!" Dany eagerly blurted out.
"While that's true, what does that have to do with capturing instead of sinking ships?" Viserys prodded.
"You need ships to properly train sailors on! We can train more sailors with the ships you captured, so they will be ready to crew any new ships we build!"
"That's correct. Building a navy is a long-term project. We need to speed it up any way we can. Further, our enemies can replace lost ships and crew faster than we could. Sinking a few more of their ships doesn't reduce their naval strength compared to ours in a meaningful way. However, capturing as many ships as possible to use and train our sailors on can shift the balance of naval power in our favor faster than the alternative."
Chapter 14 Part 2
=Sith=
=Sith=
291 AC
Yunkai
Viserys sat on a crate at the docks, taking a brief rest and supervising his Unsullied while they were busy processing prisoners. A chunk of the crowd swarming the area managed to flee when they reached it, while the Sith's soldiers focused on reaching the piers and the ships still there. They managed to secure three merchant vessels that didn't have enough crew on board to set sail before it was too late. Viserys had to drag all other ships his people captured to the piers so they could board them, deal with any resistance, and capture whoever they could.
The Prince's efforts netted him six mostly intact war galleys and five more merchant vessels that were too slow to leave due to lack of good wind. By the end of the exercise, a swift breeze carried over the harbor, pushing the fleeing vessels beyond the Sith's range. At any rate, at that point, Viserys was quite tired from dragging a bunch of vessels back to the piers, so the wind helping the rest escape was almost a moot point.
The Sith perked up when he sensed Dany's approach. She was clearly disgruntled and dejected, which raised some interesting questions. Viserys pushed himself off the crate and walked up the street, where he felt his sister approach. A Spear of Unsullied fell in around him, acting as honor guard.
Ser Richard came into sight first, leading a group of Royal Guards and Unsullied marching in a defensive formation around what had to be Dany. The Lord Commander gave the impression of someone quite irritated – something strongly reinforced by the way the man felt in the Force. That, combined with what Viserys sensed coming from his sister earlier while he was busy marching on the docks, put things into perspective. He really should have seen some kind of shenanigans coming from her. Dany's youth combined with the Force and Dark Side was an explosive combination at the best of times, even if she had been handling it like a champion so far.
"My Prince," Lonmouth saluted, sounding less than pleased with the situation. He stepped aside, revealing Dany's short form.
It was a good thing that Viserys didn't feel her getting injured or sense her experiencing physical pain. Dany looked almost like she had bathed in blood.
Only her face and hair were mostly free of drying blood.
"Sister, I see you found a way to entertain yourself." Viserys was pleasantly surprised at how level his voice was. Did he need to murder someone about this, he wondered?
"He's dead!" Dany exclaimed and waved her hands in vexation. "I couldn't save him!"
A wave of pain and resentment washed over Viserys at those words.
"I'll need a bit of context," Viserys noted and slowly walked to stand before his sister.
"That poor man, those slaving bastards crucified above the gates!" Dany spat. The venom in her voice was impressive for someone so young. Her smoldering anger was delicious if concerning, but at least it was aimed at an acceptable target. Then, there was a tang of simmering hatred below all other emotions, bidding its time to shine.
Ah. That one. Viserys might have been able to save him if he had the time and a few appropriate sacrifices to drain the life force of. However, he had more pressing concerns to deal with. Or not, depending on how far the man was gone. It wasn't like he had a natural inclination for healing with the Force.
Viserys sighed and stepped forward. He hugged his vexed sister, sending her a wave of reassurance through the Force. He was relieved that she didn't throw herself into combat. If that had been the case, Viserys would have been compelled to give an example of his Royal Guard, even if they would have been hard-pressed to stop his sister.
"They will pay," he promised.
"It won't bring him back! It won't bring any of them back!" Dany hissed.
"No. But it will make everyone else think long and hard if it will be a good idea to murder our people in such a way," Viserys spoke in his best soothing voice.
"I hate them, brother! I hate them so much it hurts!"
Dany shook in Viserys' arms. Her hatred was flared like a raw, open wound that gleefully fed the Dark Side.
"Ser Richard, continue securing the city. You have command," Viserys ordered.
There should be no coordinated resistance able to stop their Unsullied and garrison troops from securing the rest of Yunkai. Viserys could worry about everything else in the city later. His sister was more important.
"Little Dragon, you're coming with me. I'm not letting you out of my sight for now," Viserys told his sister.
"What? Why?" Dany squirmed in her brother's hands. "Gah, you're all bloody!"
Viserys pointedly didn't mention how Dany looked.
"We both can use a bath, sister, but that will wait. The people responsible for your anger are either our prisoners, about to be captured by our forces, or out of reach for the time being. We will decide how to deal with them tomorrow."
Viserys gently guided his sister to the docks, where he rested before her arrival until they reached a convenient stack of crates. He deftly picked Dany up and perched her on a crate before sitting beside her.
"Some of those responsible are dead around us. Our Unsullied are in the process of capturing others," the Sith pointed at the soldiers busy with the part of the crowd that failed to flee.
"That doesn't make me feel any better! I was useless!" Dany pouted.
"Sister, you are doing incredible for someone so young and with so little training and experience. I am afraid that there is no substitute for the latter. No matter how you want to utilize the power in your blood, you need to hone your skills with it. Some applications come in easier and require less skill to be useful. Blunt force can be a very effective tool. However, healing, for example, requires skill and finesse. Having a natural aptitude for healing with this power also helps," Viserys explained. "However, that's not a trait we have."
"This doesn't make me feel any better!" Dany grumbled dejectedly.
"You can practice putting back together some of our prisoners," Viserys suggested. While he needed to make a proper example of them, he had more important things to deal with than dedicate much of his time to properly dealing with the Wise Masters. However, they may be useful as more than a mere example.
"Why would I want to heal those people!?" Dany exclaimed. The sheer incredulity and offense radiating from her was quite amusing.
"That way, they will suffer longer for their crimes. And if some of them die while you learn how to better heal people you want to keep safe, it will be no great loss," Viserys reasonably pointed out.
Dany opened her mouth to interject before a thoughtful look spread over her face, stretching a smudge of blood over her cheek.
"Huh. I think I might like that," Dany allowed.
"Good. Speaking of teaching opportunities," Viserys changed the topic to distract his sister. "What do you see?" He pointed at the ships at the piers. "Why do you think I immediately headed this way after securing the gates?"
Dany looked at the dead people on the streets, the Unsullied on the piers and swarming over ships, as well as the prisoners.
"You wanted to stop them from escaping!" she beamed at that.
"That was one of the reasons why. The only ways out of the city are either by ship from here or by road leading to Meereen. We might still get some of the people fleeing overland," Viserys noted. "What else?"
"We're building a navy. You wanted to capture more ships," Dany waved at the nearby vessels.
"That was another reason, yes. Until recently, I was busy using our magic to pull back fleeing ships so our Unsullied could board and capture them. I could have destroyed ships instead. Perhaps, that way, I would have denied more ships to the enemy instead of spending the time and power needed to capture them," Viserys looked expectantly at his sister.
Dany looked around with narrowed eyes. Her emotions settled up a bit, so the distraction worked. Viserys mentally patted himself on the back for a job well done and waited to see what conclusion his sister would reach.
"Our fleet is small, isn't it? Wouldn't sinking more enemy ships benefit us more than capturing a smaller number?" Dany asked.
"Will it?" Viserys shot back.
Dany looked at the Unsullied and then at the ships. Her head snapped towards Viserys, and she looked at him. Her eyes shone with speculation.
"Training! Soldiers, scholars, administrators, sailors! You've been hammering on that point. Me too! Training all the time, all kinds of training, and not all of it boring!" Dany eagerly blurted out.
"While that's true, what does that have to do with capturing instead of sinking ships?" Viserys prodded.
"You need ships to properly train sailors on! We can train more sailors with the ships you captured, so they will be ready to crew any new ships we build!"
"That's correct. Building a navy is a long-term project. We need to speed it up any way we can. Further, our enemies can replace lost ships and crew faster than we could. Sinking a few more of their ships doesn't reduce their naval strength compared to ours in a meaningful way. However, capturing as many ships as possible to use and train our sailors on can shift the balance of naval power in our favor faster than the alternative."