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Geek's Guide to Thriving in a Low End Fantasy World ( Robert Baratheon OC SI AU)

Chapter 77 - Rest
Hello there,

If you enjoy my stories, you can read up to 15 chapters in advance per story on my
Patreon page / patreon.com/Samael61.

Robert is a badass who treats killing gods and slaying demons like just another Thursday. Did you know it was inspired by Thairon, the protagonist of my original story, Arrival : Ruptures, long before I began to write it? Comments, likes and reviews are appreciated. Here are the links for :
AO3, Spacebattles, Royal Road and Webnovel.





King's Landing

The Red Keep


"Is it true?" Lyanna asked after barging into her husband's room.

"It is," Rhaegar said. He did not even bother to rise, gazing at the ceiling with blank eyes.

"Can't Varys be wrong?" She sat down on the bed, right next to her husband. "He has not been as reliable as before."

Rhaegar turned his head, glancing at her before continuing to look at the ceiling. "Volantis is gone. There is nothing but a gaping hole left there now."

Varys was not the sole source of word on Volantis. Every trader that had sailed through the waters of Volantis brought the same tidings.

"Oh."

"What now?" she asked. If Robert truly managed to kill a god, or whatever R'hllor was, then House Targaryen had truly lost. Who would heed their words when the Lord of Asgard could even bring the gods to their knees?

"I don't know," he muttered. What did it matter anyway?

Lyanna intertwined her fingers with her husband's. "Your son misses you, and so do I. How long are you going to be buried in your books of prophecy?"

Jaehaerys wanted his father, and she wanted her husband.

"It is not about the prophecy, Lyanna. I am seeking a way to stop Robert before it is too late." His search so far had not revealed anything beyond worthless legends.

"Have you found anything?" she asked. Rhaegar closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.

"Then come have an outing with us." It would hopefully raise his spirits, as well as her son's.

"I cannot."

She pulled her hand away, storming off. "I was a fool to ever believe you. Once your prophecy was fulfilled, you had no need of me anymore."

"Lyanna, you are being childish. If I only wanted you for the prophecy, I would have taken a lover by now."

That was the wrong assurance to give.

"I am being childish?" she asked, her nostrils wide, lips trembling. "You are more obsessed over Robert than anyone else. If he wanted to destroy us, do you think he would need a reason? By the old gods, the man is straight out of the Age of Heroes. No one would dare cross him."

Tywin Lannister had given up on punishing his youngest son. Her father and Lord Hoster did not even dare seek revenge for all the insults Robert had laid on them.

"Perhaps you should have wed him then," he said in a moment of weakness. His eyes widened as he realized what he had just said.

"Perhaps I should have," she said, her voice even. The fury that should have accompanied such a statement was absent. "At least he wouldn't ignore me like this."

"Lyanna, Lyanna, wait," he shouted, running after his wife.




Eddard was enjoying the sunlight in the courtyard with his wife. The smell of flowery perfumes announced the arrival of a most unwelcome visitor before he graced Eddard with his presence.

"Lord Eddard, Lady Ashara." The eunuch of the court stood before them, smiling.

"Lord Varys," he greeted the Master of Whispers. His eyes had hardened like stone.

"Have you heard the latest word on Essos?" Varys asked.

Unlike his wife's, Ned's face twitched at the mention of his former friend. "We have."

"Is it true Robert was the one responsible?" Ashara asked. The implication that he had slain a god was too much to believe, even with all he had accomplished so far.

"Two dragons were seen flying away before Volantis was lost in an enormous pillar of fire," he responded. The sight of the dragons said enough about who could be responsible for the utter destruction of a city.

Varys tilted his head up, gazing at the sky. "It is such a pity we have no one to tie us to Robert. Should he rebel, I cannot imagine the harm he would cause."

He knew it was on purpose. The eunuch wasn't the only one to throw such jabs at him. It had become quite common for people to remind him of his friendship with Robert.

"Though, perhaps the gods will smile on us soon. My birds tell me he has been wounded grievously."

Ashara's purple eyes widened, as had the grey ones of her husband. "I wouldn't hold my breath, Lord Varys. The Stranger seems unwilling to take him yet," she said.

Robert had proven to be able to overcome everything thrown at him so far.

"Provided he does not kill the Stranger either," Varys said as he left the courtyard to find another target.




Lys

"How is he?"

"Not good. If it was anyone else, he'd be long dead by now."

"Fucking hell."

"We are doing our best, but the infirmary is only meant to treat small wounds. There isn't even a doctor here."

"Those operators, where are they?"

"This way."

"Reach out to Tyrion Lannister. I need to speak to him."

"You may speak now."

"Tyrion, can you hear me?"

"Sandor? Where is Lord Robert? What happened?"

"He is wounded. Tell the doctor to be ready; I'll try to convince the dragons to take me to Asgard. If not, send him to Lys by ship."

"Fine. Tell me one thing. Is it actually true?"

"It is."




"Hey," he shouted at Obelisk. It was a dangerous action to take. The dragons rarely treated anyone except their father gently.

The beast rose to all fours, peering down at Sandor. A huff of hot breath left its nostrils.

"We need to go to Asgard. Robert needs it," he explained. He didn't even know if the dragon would understand, much less listen to him.

Obelisk titled his blue head to the left. He knelt, extending his neck. Sandor held with all the strength he could muster. The dragon threw him at the saddle. He barely had time to grasp the handles before the beast took off.

He couldn't even raise his head, lying flat on the dragon's back. Even then, the winds were deafening.

Obelisk must have understood the urgency of the situation. He did not even take any breaks, flying all the way from Lys to Asgard before the sun reached the middle of the sky.

The dragon landed in the courtyard of Valhalla. He had barely slowed down, sending violent winds that shook the trees. Doctor Korryn was already waiting with his tools and medicine.

He nodded at the dwarf, and the dragon took off as soon as the saddlebags were secured.

The flight back to Lys was just as fast. He could feel the beast's low, dragging growls, but it did not stop. Once on solid land, the dragon collapsed, asleep.

"Get those bags now," Sandor screamed at the men. He helped the doctor get off, dragging him towards where Robert lay.

Korryn reached for Robert's neck, checking his pulse while appraising his state. Bruises in the chest, abdomen, neck, and most of the body. The leg was broken, most likely in multiple places, but the healers had set it straight.

As much as they could.

Possible fractures in the ribs. The breathing was labored, but there was no sign of a pneumothorax or fluid in the lungs. Skin around the neck had been charred up, exposing the flesh beneath, and the sterilized gauzes were covered in fresh blood.

His face was almost unrecognizable. Eyes and lips were swollen, and the skin was entirely purple.

Korryn brought forward all the knowledge he had learned under Elia Martell's tutelage, as well as the experience he had earned in Asgard. He worked until sundown. Stopping the bleeding was simple. Resetting the leg bone, which had been broken in three places, in addition to pulling the ribs into place with wires, was not.

Once Robert was stabilized, he took a break to eat.

"How is he?"

"I did everything I could. The rest is up to him. The leg, though…" Korryn shook his head. "Unless there is a miracle, he won't be able to walk without a cane."

"Shit."

"There will be a scar around the neck, or rather, the skin of his neck will be a giant scar."

"But he'll live?"

"As I said, it is up to him now."

"Good."




He felt weightless, as if he were floating in a sea. The currents swayed his mind to and fro. It would have been a pleasant experience if it weren't for the voices.

Or rather, screams.

It started small, a child of clear Valyrian descent appearing before him, screaming. Flames consumed the boy. From his ashes, more people were reborn, consumed by the flames, which led to more and more.

The screams had quickly become constant.

He tried to plug his ears, run away, and do anything to silence the gut-wrenching wails.

It had not worked.

He did not know how long it lasted. Eventually, he was left with blissful silence. Or so he thought. He fell, gravity taking hold of him once more. The light orange purgatory became darker and darker, turning to a crimson red.

He looked around, sucking in a breath.

People were arrayed around him, and he could not see the end of it. Children, adults, the elderly, and even babies.

"You who freed our souls, go forth and claim what is yours." A million voices spoke as one, and he lurched forward.




When he came to be, the first thing he felt was the pain.

Everything was hurting at once.

"My lord, my lord, lay down, please," a familiar voice pleaded. He was in no hurry to refuse and laid back on the bed.

He could not see shit.

"Water," he rasped, feeling his throat burn.

"Slowly," the voice said, guiding a cup to his lips. He drank, feeling the cold spread through his lips, tongue, and throat.

"What happened?" His mind felt like he was swimming through thick mud.

"What do you remember?" the voice asked. He thought, but the only thing in his mind was the screams.

"Screams, so many of them."

There was a beat before the voice spoke again. "You were in a fight, my lord; your wounds are severe, but you will heal. You must sleep now."

"Yes, sleep," he mumbled. His mind felt heavy, and his breathing evened in seconds.




Korryn opened the door for Sandor. "He woke up briefly but fell asleep again. As long as he rests, he will pull through."

"Did he say anything?" he asked, glancing inside.

"That he heard screams."

"Go and sleep, doctor; I'll keep watch."

"You must rest too. You are no good as a guard if you fall asleep on your feet."




When he came to awareness again, he could actually see, at least through one eye. The left side of his vision was blurry.

"My lord, how do you feel?" A voice—Korryn—asked him.

He took a deep breath. "Like a truck hit me."

"I don't know what a truck is, but you are healing well," he said, checking Robert's wounds.

The memories came rushing forward to his mind now. "Right, right, I was fighting R'hllor." He almost lurched forward, but the doctor pushed him back down.

"You killed him; at least we believe so," Korryn said, explaining what had happened after the battle.

"Volantis is gone?" he asked. There were more people in that city than in King's Landing, and most were slaves.

He did not know the exact numbers, but close to a million people must have died.

"Correct. There was a pillar of fire reaching the heavens. It left nothing but a gaping hole where the city used to be." Which was terrifying, even if he was on the side of the man who had killed a god.

A vision of a flash of heat followed by rising flames played in his mind. "I think I remember something about it."

"That is good. Your memory is intact." That part was trickier than everything else to restore.

"My vision is blurry on the left side."

"I believe a hit must have damaged the nerves. For now, please eat and rest."

He could taste meat in the soup. When he asked for solid food, the doctor said he was in no condition to chew anything.

The warmth of the soup and his sated hunger sent him to sleep once more.




Two continents waited with bated breaths. The man that had slain a god and destroyed Volantis was not seen for weeks. Rumors rose, propped up by the word of Robert Baratheon's wounded state.

He was dead, crippled, had fallen into an eternal sleep, and had lost his memory. None knew what the truth was, not even his family.

One certain word was that Robert had been in Lys for weeks, and his special healer had been brought there.

It was seen as an opportunity to kill him. Wounded, Robert was at his weakest. The threat of the dragons disabused them of that notion. The beasts acted like guard dogs, sniffing every single man who approached the trade post.

Should the beasts dislike someone, they either had to run or would be an appetizer.

Which left them to pray that he would die. Some, mostly traders in the slavery business or the ones suffering losses to Asgard Trading Company, had taken to the streets to celebrate.

Voices to ascertain what had truly transpired in Volantis had risen. No one was brave enough to visit the site of the greatest calamity ever since the Doom of Valyria.

The Doom was the result of a mad Valyrian summoning a demon. A demon that Robert Baratheon had slain. If word was that he had also slain R'hllor, they would not question it.

The Free Cities, as a whole, were terrified. Robert's distaste for slavery was well known. Now that he had destroyed Volantis, whether by accident or on purpose, how could they hope to stop him should he wish to do the same to Myr, Lys, and the others?

Animals, and in some cases slaves, were sacrificed to the gods, all for the same purpose. If Robert did not succumb to his wounds, the future that awaited the Free Cities—except Braavos—would be dire.

At Asgard, the citizens were lost. Had their gracious and generous lord done the impossible once more? If so, where was he? He had always returned without wounds, whether against the archdemon, the kraken, or the White Walkers. Why was he in Lys and not home?

Words of his demise were met with scorn. Robert was invincible in their eyes. None would sully his prowess in battle.

Though, the idea of him slaying a god wasn't simple to accept. Foreign or not, a god was a god. If killing one was so easy, it would have been done before.

As his ancestor, Durran Godsgrief, had done, he too could have easily defied R'hllor. But he had gone beyond that. Even the wildest tales from the Age of Heroes did not compare to his deeds.

There was no choice but to wait for his return to learn the truth.







In the next chapter:

"What the fuck is that?" he muttered to himself. Right at the center of the hole, he could see a crimson glow now that the sun was setting.

"Get up, we are here."

"Huh? Oh, right."

"There is something glowing down there."

Robert couldn't see it from his side. He nodded, opening the window on his side. "Boys, land near the glow down in the hole."

His dragons growled.




Curious about the next chapter? Please consider supporting me on Patreon.
 
Chapter 78 - Fever
Hello there,

If you enjoy my stories, you can read up to 15 chapters in advance per story on my
Patreon page / patreon.com/Samael61.

Robert is a badass who treats killing gods and slaying demons like just another Thursday. Did you know it was inspired by Thairon, the protagonist of my original story, Arrival : Ruptures, long before I began to write it? Comments, likes and reviews are appreciated. Here are the links for :
AO3, Spacebattles, Royal Road and Webnovel.





Lys

Robert groaned, a dry, drawn-out noise of suffering leaving his lips. The first thing he noticed was that he felt like a giant bruise.

A wooden cup was brought to his lips, and a hand lifted his head up slightly. "Drink, my lord, it will soothe your throat."

He took a sip, feeling the sour taste in his mouth wash away with each gulp of water. Once the cup was empty, he lay back down.

"How long?" he asked, wetting his dry lips. The water had brought clarity to his mind, and he started to get a sense of his bearings.

"Two weeks since you have been brought in."

"Fuck."

"We kept you fed with beef broth with shredded meat, but you need to start eating to regain your strength."

He grunted, rubbing his growling stomach.

The dishes brought before him were soft. Boiled meat, boiled vegetables, and porridge. Korryn was against him eating so much and upsetting his stomach. He was starving enough to ignore the good doctor's advice.

Once he stopped feeling like there was a hole in his stomach, he lay down, gazing at the ceiling with half-lidded eyes and slightly parted lips.

"Where is Sandor?"

"Hanging assassins, my lord."

Had it not caused him pain, he would have chuckled. "Good."

"How am I doing?" Korryn's mouth tightened at the question.

Robert took a deep breath, feeling his ribs strain. "You can tell the truth, not like any of it is your fault."

This was all his work.

"Your leg has been broken in three places. I set the bone straight as much as I could, but you will need a cane."

He fell silent at the answer. Even back in Volantis, his left leg has been in horrible shape. But to hear it... "What else?"

"Your left eye is damaged beyond my abilities to heal. You won't be totally blind, but the loss of vision is severe."

He squinted his left eye. "I got that much from the constant blur."

"Other than that, you are surprisingly healthy. If it were anyone else, we might have been holding a funeral now."

Robert chuckled. The victory this time had come at a cost. Not only were several hundred thousand enslaved people dead, he was crippled.

"How soon can I move?" he asked. There was much to do, and his state did not magically vanish it all.

"Your leg needs time for the bones to heal. Straining it will only make your limp worse in the long term. I advise bed rest for another month."

His lips thinned into a straight line. He needed to be at where Volantis used to be as soon as possible.

"I understand. Send Sandor when he returns."

"As you wish."

He closed his eyes, waiting for the doctor to leave. Once he heard the door close, he opened his eyes. He could not straighten himself much as the sharp pain in his abdomen made him grimace.

His leg was in a splint, wrapped in thick bandages.

Ugly, purple blotches that were healing at the edges covered his leg from ankle to knee. He didn't even attempt to move it, knowing better than to push his luck.

"Fucking finally."

"Sandor," he nodded at his guard. "I barely remember what happened after mounting the Obelisk. Remind me."

"Volantis is gone. A giant pillar of fire left a city-sized hole on the ground."

"Yes, Korryn did say something about that."

"Everyone is pissing themselves, and I've killed a dozen assassins."

"Any idea who sent them?" Because there were too many people for him to know for certain without torturing someone for answers.

"No."

"Doesn't matter; once I am up, they will back off." Otherwise, he would find out who they were.

"Fucking hell," Sandor swore for the umpteenth time, "you actually killed a god."

"Wasn't easy, but yes." He took a deep breath. "Speaking of killing a god, I need to return to Volantis."

"What for?" There was nothing left of the city, not even ruins.

He glanced at the man and turned to look at the ceiling again. "I kept seeing people, probably the ones that were sacrificed to R'hllor."

Sandor had followed him across the known world for two deadly tasks. He had earned the right to know this much.

"Shit."

"They tell me to claim what is mine."

Sandor blinked rapidly before raising his voice. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"I haven't a clue. Hence, why I need to return to Volantis."

He cursed under his breath, kicking the side of the door.

"Korryn was insistent. You need to rest. You couldn't even ride a carriage in this state, much less a dragon."




He had a brilliant idea.

Even after a month, he would need to work to regain his strength to ride a dragon. But what if he didn't have to?

It started with a call to Asgard. The operators had become talented enough; he could see his grandmother's visage as if looking at a mirror.

She looked ready to murder him on the spot.

Assuring her that he was in good health and would be returning soon took time. Then he had to do the same with Tyrion and Davos.

When his welfare check was over, he summoned Tobho Mott to Valhalla.

The master blacksmith was to take Valyrian steel chains and secure them on a simple but durable carriage after removing the wheels. Next, those chains needed to be tied to two harnesses.

Finally, a door on the front side to allow the wheeled bed to be pushed inside.

The first medical airlift in the history of Planetos.

"My lord, this is a horrible idea. You have been awake for just over a week," Korryn protested, even as the bed was wheeled forward.

Robert waved his hand. "It will be fine."

"I highly doubt that." He stomped off. If his medical advice was going to be ignored, there was no reason to stay here.

Sandor watched the doctor leave. "He is right, this is fucking stupid."

"Noted, now get on."

Sandor growled but pushed the wheeled bed inside. Tobho had even gone as far as to add a spring-loaded system so the carriage would not shake on landing.

Brilliant.

He gave the order, and the dragons took off in sync. The load was distributed evenly, and the locks around the small wheels kept the bed in place. Slowly, the air car rose from the ground, much to the astonishment of the crowd.

The stupor left its place to deafening cheers.




"I can't believe you had this carriage built just so you could leave early."

"I am not moving out of the bed but still travelling to Volantis. It's a win-win."

"Wake me up when we are there." With this speed, he could nap for a couple of hours.

Once his eyes had closed, sleep had found him quickly. So did the visions. The spirits of the dead beckoned him forward to Volantis louder than before.

"I will."

That promise cut through the cacophony. The spirits disappeared in droves.

He slept in peace for the remainder of the journey.




Sandor looked out the window. His eyes narrowed at the sight.

One of the oldest cities in the world, with over a million people, gone in an instant. All because R'hllor didn't want Robert to be the one to defeat the Others. Now, Volantis was nothing but dust in the wind, a monument to his foolishness.

And to Robert's might.

He had to beat the envoys of the Free Cities back with the threat of the dragons. Desperate as they were, he saw dozens of noblemen beg for an audience on their knees.

Even Yi-Ti was terrified now.

"What the fuck is that?" he muttered to himself. Right at the center of the hole, he could see a crimson glow now that the sun was setting.

"Get up, we are here."

"Huh? Oh, right."

"There is something glowing down there."

Robert couldn't see it from his side. He nodded, opening the window on his side. "Boys, land near the glow down in the hole."

His dragons growled.

The carriage began to descend. The walls of the giant hole were smooth and angled towards the ground. The stone had melted and cooled down, but not before flowing freely to the ground.

Being so close to finding whatever awaited him down there made the slow landing grate his patience like cheese.

Once the spring-loaded plates touched the ground, the dragons landed slowly.

"I'll check the area first," Sandor said. He left the carriage without a word, sword drawn just in case.

It was dark.

But closeby, something warm and inviting offered a small light. His throat bobbed. The first step was the most difficult one to take. After that, it was just a matter of not stopping.

He could feel it get hot as he closed on the object.

Standing a few feet away from the crystals, he did not dare take another step forward. Sharp, blood-red crystals, akin to solidified flames, created an altar of twin claws around a sword. At least, another crystal roughly shaped like a sword. He could see no edge, only the handle, the handguard, and the part that would be the blade.

He raised a hand towards the sword. Flames lashed out of nowhere, and he jumped back, eyes wide. His heart hammered on his chest, leaving him to scramble back.

"What is it?"

"Something you have to handle."

"Wheel me there."

Sandor squeezed his fists and shuddered. He removed the locks and pulled the bed out of the carriage. His every step was delayed a second. Once he got too close again, the flames burned into existence, pushing him back.

"Give me your sword," Robert said, turning to sit on the bed. It had made his journey extremely comfortable and painless, but this part seemed to require only him.

He handed over his sword as instructed, taking a step back.

Leaning on the sword, he approached the crystals, careful to not jostle his leg. His upright position made the pain flare up again. He had to be quick.

Unlike with Sandor, there were no flames as he approached.

He could feel the warmth emanating from the sword-shaped crystal. It was now or never, and he took the final step. He leaned on the large crystals, checking the temperature first. Laying the Valyrian steel sword aside, he reached out.

His hand stopped inches away from the handle. A dark, slimy feeling creeped into his heart. Eyes closed, he took a deep breath and crushed the doubt swelling inside him.

He grasped the handle, bracing himself.

The crystals surrounding the sword broke into flecks of light that flowed into the sword. The wind, so still and lifeless here, carried two words to him.

"Thank you."

And nothing else happened. There were no grand explosions, no flame shows, nothing.

He pulled it out of the ground. It was most likely Nightblood since R'hllor did not carry a weapon. Whatever happened to his sword, he had no idea. He couldn't even be sure it was Nightblood one hundred percent.

Sandor leaned forward. "That's it?"

"Seems so." He paused for a second. "Let's camp here tonight and return in the morning. The dragons must be tired."

Sandor wheeled Robert back in and removed the harnesses so the beasts could either rest or fly out to hunt. Down in this deep hole, there were no dangers to be cautious of.

Simple rations kept them fed while the carriage offered an excellent spot to sleep in.

It had all gone smoothly.




Upon returning to Lys, he boarded a ship of the trade fleet returning to Asgard. He was good enough to travel with special accommodations. Not only had he missed home, he didn't want to dodge assassins.

His treatment would also progress better in the comfort of Valhalla. All those reasons were enough for Korryn to drop his objections. The good doctor would be on the ship, checking on his state.

The journey itself was boring. The dragons have been sent to Asgard ahead, as he could not coordinate them from the ship. No one even knew he was on the ship, bar the crew itself.

Ever since the first time he had flown to Braavos, escorting the small trade fleet, no undesirable actors had the courage to attack a vessel carrying the flag of Asgard Trading Company.

They were safe.

His leg was healing well, though it did not change the need for a cane. There wasn't any improvement in his left eye, leaving him in a foul mood.

He distracted himself with the sword. It was warm to touch, but only for him. Violent flames barred anyone else from touching it.

It was the extent of it.

He could not summon the flames at will, and the sword was too dull to cut through anything. It was useful to keep him warm at night, but not much else. He set it aside after a couple of days, turning his attention to his other trophy.

The crystal.

Gaunter had said that it was life force crystallized. It could be used to heal wounds, but he had no idea how.

The unnatural growth of his dragons during the first year had happened because he burned a similar, but smaller, crystal with the Dothraki rider.

If a teardrop could accelerate the growth of dragons so greatly, the one that barely fit his palm could heal his wounds.

In theory.

He tried everything he could think of as a fantasy geek. Focusing on the crystal while meditating to draw its power, trying to resonate his soul with it, and even considering just breaking parts off and swallowing it.

Success was elusive so far. I

He was not going to be fighting ever unless his leg and eye healed, so there was plenty of time.

"If only there was a user manual," he thought, willing the crystal to do anything at all. By tomorrow, the fleet would be docking at Asgard.

Putting the crystal under his pillow and covering the sword with the blanket, he went to sleep. If he was going to be wheeled out of the ship, he wanted to be well rested for it.




Asgard

Valhalla


"Bring medicine for fever, and ice," Korryn ordered, running after Sandor as he pushed the wheeled bed to the medical wing in Valhalla.

Everything had gone smoothly up until the morning. He found Robert drenched in sweat in his bed, squirming like a fish out of water.

"He said he was fine. What happened?" Rhaelle asked. She had been waiting at the docks to give her grandson a piece of her mind. She had not expected him to be rushed out of the ship in this state.

"A fever unlike any I have ever seen. We need to lower his temperature before his organs shut down."

Korryn shut the medical room's door behind him, leaving everyone outside to sit down and pray.

Notes: Here is the link to the ChatGPT generated image of the sword: https://i.imgur.com/E9wObMc.png






In the next chapter:

His skin was melting.

Or at least, that's what it felt like. The blood in his veins was boiling, and he was suffocating. Yet, there was a familiar feeling inside the sea of red he found himself in. An old friend he had not seen in years, a food he had not tasted in quite a while, and a home that he last returned to ages ago.

He sought that sensation amid the heat.




Curious about the next chapter? Please consider supporting me on Patreon.
 
Last edited:
Chapter 79 - Godslayer
Hello there,

If you enjoy my stories, you can read up to 15 chapters in advance per story on my
Patreon page / patreon.com/Samael61.

Robert is a badass who treats killing gods and slaying demons like just another Thursday. Did you know it was inspired by Thairon, the protagonist of my original story, Arrival : Ruptures, long before I began to write it? Comments, likes and reviews are appreciated. Here are the links for :
AO3, Spacebattles, Royal Road and Webnovel.





Asgard

Korryn sat on the ground, fanning himself.

"Doctor, how is he?" Tyrion asked, handing a glass of iced water to the man. He has been working for days, and they were desperate for a good word.

"No matter what, we can't reduce the fever. At this point, he is burning with heat far beyond what any man should be able to produce."

"It is not a mere fever," Caerindra said, stepping forward to lay her palm on the door.

"My lady?"

"It is the sword. Your lord has touched its power. Either he takes it, or it burns him from within."

Korryn blinked repeatedly. "Anything we can do to help?" Magic would explain why the ice blocks they had laid over Robert melted as if on open fire.

"Nothing except to wait."




His skin was melting.

Or at least, that's what it felt like. The blood in his veins was boiling, and he was suffocating. Yet, there was a familiar feeling inside the sea of red he found himself in. An old friend he had not seen in years, a food he had not tasted in quite a while, and a home that he last returned to ages ago.

He sought that sensation amid the heat.




Tyrion grasped his head between his palms. No matter how careful they were, word of Robert's illness had gotten out. Citizens were worried, the Targaryens were celebrating quietly, and the affairs were tense. Dozens of envoys, along with noble ladies and princesses from all the way to Yi-Ti, were persistently requesting audiences.

He had no answers to give.

Days blended together between work, which brought more pressure now that Robert wasn't here to set everyone straight. Each passing day made Asgard's rivals and enemies bolder. He could not summon the dragons as a show of force.

At the end of the week, while having managed to find the time to sleep, Tyrion woke up to the light of the sun flashing through the slightly parted curtain. He stumbled out of the bed, opening the window to see a blazing pillar set the sky afire.

Telling his wife to stay inside, he took the nearest coat he could find.




"What is happening here?" Tyrion asked, filling his burning lungs with air before speaking.

"We don't fucking know," Sandor swore, waiting.

"Lady Caerindra, might you be able to offer any ideas?"

She rolled her shoulders, wings twitching for a moment. "Either your lord succeeded and he will be well or he did not and is already dead."

"I regret asking," Tyrion mumbled, averting his gaze.

A guard approached, saluting. "My lord, people gather outside the keep. What shall we say to them?"

"Tell them to wait. Lord Robert will not let us down."

No sooner than the words left his mouth, the width of the pillar began to reduce. Intense flames retreated slowly, letting the night sky slowly take its place over the city once more. They watched with gaping mouths and still breaths until the last embers faded out.

"Who is going to enter?" Davos asked.

Sandor kicked the crackling door open. It was a wonder it hadn't caught on fire yet. A wave of heat surged out, needling their skin with sharp, pinprickling warmth. He covered his face, pushing inside the bedroom.

"My lord, are you alright?"

"Yeah, yeah. Just have someone get me clothes. I am naked here."

Guards rushed to find servants with his order. The pillar of fire, which had annihilated the roof of the infirmary building, had the whole city awake. The workers of the castle were no exception.

His wardrobe was raided for clothes, and Sandor personally carried them inside the infirmary. When he left, it was with a frozen face.

The short wait as Robert dressed felt like hours to the restless people. Tyrion kept pacing up and down, while Sandor snapped at every little sound.

When he finally left the burned building, it was in a manner that was so Robert.

"I am definitely going to need a larger wardrobe," he said, fidgeting with his clothing, which was a size too small.

Davos sucked in sharply, while Sandor muttered a curse. Tyrion's eyes were wide, and the guards backed away in fear.

"M-my lord, what happened to you?"

He shook the blood-red crystalline sword in his hand. "It's the sword. Don't I look great?" He grinned, flexing his biceps, displaying his body. Even Sandor was at least a couple of inches shorter than him now, and his muscled body, easily the strongest one in all of Westeros, looked greater than before.

Though, they were not the most important changes.

Doctor Korryn had revealed his left eye and left leg were beyond his capabilities to fix. The left side of his vision would be blurry, and a permanent limp would follow him forever.

His eye was gone now; instead, a crimson orb burned over a field of orange within the socket. It moved like an eye, moving simultaneously with the right eye. The leg was much the same. There was no sign of a limp, not even a stumble.

Even the scar around his neck had disappeared, leaving its place to flawless skin.

Korryn was quick to snap out of his stupor. He walked and knelt before Robert to examine the leg.

He sat down, pulling the leg of his trousers up. When it got stuck, he tore it off, allowing the doctor to touch the flesh. He pressed firmly, feeling the state of the bone.

"Fascinating. I thought nothing short of a miracle could heal your leg. It appears you have found it, my lord."

"Great, now can someone bring me food? I am starving."




Korryn had insisted on running more tests, starting with his eye. The vision was perfectly normal to Robert. He would say it was even better than before. The leg had passed through every activity, and each one was meant to put more pressure on it than before.

He was declared healthy.

As the almost seven-foot man gorged himself on a small feast, Tyrion had sent criers to the city. Word of Robert's good health reached every corner of the city. At noon, the Lord of Asgard himself would appear before the people.

Seeing their sorry state, he had ordered them to rest.

Except for one person.

"Of all the things to fight, you had to choose a god? Are you out of your damn mind?" Rhaelle screamed, trying to reach for her grandson's ear.

"I am fine, aren't I?"

"Because of this magic on you. Do not think I was deaf to your doctor's words concerning your state."

"All's well that ends well."

His grandmother's lips trembled. She clenched her fists, raised her head, and screamed her frustrations over him to the heavens.

"Think about it this way: R'hllor's dead; I am not."

She only screamed more.




Once the attention over his miraculous healing had settled down, mostly because their sleep was cut short, he finally had some alone time.

The power of the sword, the crystallized remains of the souls that R'hllor had consumed, along with a portion of his divine essence, now responded to his command.

He held the sword from the blade part, treating it more like a staff. A thrust forward and a mental command fired a beam from the pommel that burned through several training posts. He grinned, slackening his grip. The blade slipped forward, and he grabbed it by right at the tip.

The crystal structure turned into liquid flames with his swing. The rigid body turned flexible, and the flaming whip sliced the wooden posts in half. Each side of the cut was burned to charcoal.

He explored the newfound strength until it was time for his appeal to the citizens.




"People of Asgard," Robert raised both hands, silencing the cheering crowd. "There have been concerns over my health. I assure you, I am as healthy as a war horse." He had let them chant his name, along with whistles and applause, but the crowd had no intention of stopping.

Choruses rose in groups.

"My latest enemy, R'hllor, the so-called God of Light, has fallen at my hands. I have seized his powers." He pulled the sword out, raising it to air, "since it would be a shame to let it go to waste."

His left eye had already drawn too much attention. He wanted to come clear with the matter.

"In honor of this great victory, not just mine, but all of Asgard's, I have ordered a citywide celebration. We shall eat, drink, and enjoy to our heart's content."

The cheers returned with tenfold intensity.

"I know, I know, you love me, and I love you all back."

He basked in the cheerful shouts of his name for a time.




While the preparations for the celebration were underway, he had one last matter to take care of.

He had all the envoys gathered in the Administrative Hall, seated around a long table, with him at the head. Twelve envoys, from Braavos to Qarth, were waiting for him to start. Only the Braavosi and the Qartheen envoys weren't avoiding his eyes.

"I have heard some very troubling words." His frosty face swept over the table. He rose, sharp and quick, startling some of the envoys. He gathered his hands at the back, walking to the left side of the table with slow and deliberate steps.

"Such as," he swiftly bent down right over the shoulder of the Myrish envoy, "prayers for my death and celebrations over my crippling wounds," he said, voice even. It terrified the man more than any scream or threat would.

"We would not dare, my lord," the trembling man stuttered out.

"Truly?" he asked, trying to force his smile down.

The envoy shook his head so vigorously I half expected him to hurt his neck. "Truly."

He patted the man on the shoulder once, continuing to walk. "I will certainly remember your words."

"What about the rest of the Free Cities?" he asked, stopping to glance at the remaining envoys. One of them jumped to his feet, arms stuck to his side, shouting the first couple words.

"My lord, I give you my word; should anyone attempt to pray for your death, they will be executed."

"Now, now, no need for that. A simple warning should suffice. Though," he appraised the man bearing classic Valyrian features, "who are you, exactly?"

"I am Molero of Volan Theres."

"Ah," he said, remembering the name after a beat of silence, "one of the towns of Volantis, yes?"

It was a town of Volantis but had a larger population than any city in Westeros.

"Indeed."

"Speaking of Volantis, I should clarify what truly transpired there to avoid confusion," he said, standing at the other end of the table.

"You see, Melisandre of Asshai has been trying to assassinate me with shadow magic for a while. I came to learn it was under the orders of R'hllor," he said, resuming his round around the table.

"In an effort to seek a way to thwart her plans, I and my trustworthy guard," he gestured to Sandor, who was waiting at the side of his seat, "journeyed to Asshai. I shall spare you the details, but I have discovered a way to slay a god. It required me to journey to Stygai, the corpse city. There, I discovered the heart of a necromancer, a foul sorcerer who raised the dead. I took his heart, which summoned his spirit back. Turns out, the shadows in the Shadow Lands were actually his spirit, torn apart once his body could not handle the power. Hence, once I vanquished the necromancer, the Shadow Lands were no more."

"T-truly, your bravery is beyond mere humans like us," the Lyseni envoy squeaked out.

"How kind of you to say that."

"Following my success in Stygai, I made my way to the Temple of the Lord of Light. I discovered that R'hllor was beneath the temple, waiting in the catacombs to devour enough souls and ascend to a higher state."

"I outwitted him, and once he lowered his guard, I stabbed him in the heart," he explained as the envoys listened with rapt attention.

"I had not expected him to blow up and destroy Volantis."

"My bad." He leaned over Molero's shoulder this time, almost whispering the word.

He took his seat once again. "Any questions?" The envoys glanced at one another but did not rise to speak.

"No? Very well then."

"Now," he clapped his hands, startling the envoys once again, "with Volantis gone, the towns it once controlled will need new management, correct?" Molero nodded at his words slowly, eyes darting around.

"I believe Volan Theres should take that role," he said, gesturing to the envoy.

He was still for a moment before leaping to his feet again. "A wise decision, my lord, we will not let you down."

"I am sure you won't. Who else wants to hear another wise decision of mine?" He gazed across the table once more. In an instant, every envoy raised a hand.

"Excellent."

"You see, I believe that slavery is a blight on humanity and should be banned forever. In fact, it should be declared one of the gravest crimes. Every slave should be set free. Every slaver who does not do so should be executed."

The Braavosi envoy's eyes sparkled, a clear contrast to the rest who appeared ready to object.

He tapped the floor with his sword, smothering the embers of complaints before they could turn into flames. "Isn't this a wise decision too?"

"It is my lord," the Qohorik envoy said after raising his hand to speak. "Yet, it will ruin our trade and plunge the cities into chaos, giving more opportunities to the slavers."

"I know. Which is why the Asgard Trading Company shall invest in your cities generously, provided you sign the Declaration of Human Rights, which I shall deliver to you as soon as it is ready."

"Truly, your wisdom knows no bounds," the Braavosi envoy said, speaking for the first time.

"You are dismissed then. The details will be forwarded to you at a later date. In the meantime, enjoy the countless bounties of Valhalla."




Sandor was howling once the envoys had left. Robert too chuckled every time he remembered the terrified faces.

"They looked ready to shit themselves on the spot."

"I am sure they were too scared to do it here. With how fast some ran, they are definitely heading to the privy."

His words only made Sandor cackle more.

The second part of the meeting was less annoying. The girls from Yi-Ti were gorgeous Asian princesses, though the mindless giggling and eye batting didn't exactly endear any to him.

They were promptly sent away.

The third and final piece of business he had was a letter from Asshai. The citizens wished to rename the Shadow Lands and requested permission to use his name. He, in his infinite generosity, allowed it.

Hence, Robert Lands was born in far Essos, thousands of miles away from Asgard.






In the next chapter:

"The preparations are proceeding well, Your Grace," Wyman said, wiping the sweat on his forehead.

"Some good tidings, at last," Rhaegar thought, waving the Master of Coin away.

"Yes. Such a pity Robert did not die."

"Don't," Rhaegar growled at Varys, holding his head between his hands, squeezing to crush the developing ache, "utter his name."




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Chapter 80 - The GOAT New
Hello there,

If you enjoy my stories, you can read up to 15 chapters in advance per story on my
Patreon page / patreon.com/Samael61.

Robert is a badass who treats killing gods and slaying demons like just another Thursday. Did you know it was inspired by Thairon, the protagonist of my original story, Arrival : Ruptures, long before I began to write it? Comments, likes and reviews are appreciated. Here are the links for :
AO3, Spacebattles, Royal Road and Webnovel.





Asgard

Robert was doing an exercise he had never done before.

Meditating.

He wanted to master the new magical sword as soon as possible. The more he harmonized with it, the more apparent the effects became. His left eye was now a crimson, burning orb within a black void.

The sword itself could take any shape he could imagine and impose on it. Great sword, hammer, whip, spear, even a bow that fired exploding flame arrows.

Soon, he would do more.

The sword, lying over his crossed legs, moved. It was a twitch at first, as if it were trying to turn over. The handle side shot up forward, hovering over his right leg, spinning lazily.

He ordered it to rise. It did so by embedding halfway into the ceiling of the private sparring room. He sighed, willing it to come back down. It struggled for a while, carving a wider hole, and dropped to the ground.

Another command suspended the sword in the air. He gently moved it around himself in a circle, simply focused on keeping the speed and the accuracy consistent.

He brought it to a stop, tilting the sword so the handle faced him. It launched forward, tearing through the head of the training post. The jagged hole behind was scorched black. The sword turned around, the crystalline edge sharpening. It spun like a circular saw, each pass cutting knuckle-thick pieces.

The next training post did not fare any better.




He had to cut his training short. Ellyn, the young apprentice of Caerindra, was ready to put all that she had learned to work. She would create the headquarters of the First Legion, at least parts of it.

Outside the city, where the expanded part of the wall would cover the new, enormous complex that would house the ten thousand men currently under training, he waited at the head of a crowd.

"Go on, don't make us wait," he said, giving her a gentle push. Obelisk had already melted a pool of stone into lava for her use. There was no reason to drag this out anymore.

She nodded, taking a step forward with clenched hands.

Taking a deep breath to calm her raging nerves, she spread her hands. The surface of the pool rippled. Once she began to raise her hands, the lava responded. Flowing like a very viscous liquid, it rose to the air. She guided the stream to the foundations.

Slowly, the headquarters of the First Legion took shape.

Obelisk blasted the furnace above, causing a fresh wave of lava to flow into the pool. The amount necessary for the headquarters was already gathered. Ellyn had her work cut out for her with the thousands of tonnes of stones.

He would pay her accordingly, of course.

The slow but steady stream of lava filled the foundation, solidifying into a white, matte stone. Layer by layer, her work continued before the baffled crowd. When she could no longer continue and her arms fell, work that would take weeks was done.

Robert started clapping very enthusiastically. It broke the gathered mass out of their stupor. Chants of Elly had the young woman blush like a tomato.




"You are leaving already?" he asked Caerindra. The display had barely ended, yet her bags were already packed.

"I have fulfilled my end of the bargain. There is no reason for me to stay any longer."

He could see the faraway look in her eyes. She must have missed her people dearly.

"Can't disagree. If you are ready, I'll take you back," he said.

"No need. Just have your dragon land me near the entrance."

"The path back wasn't exactly secure." Hunting more spiders down would give him an excuse to test his new powers.

"We have a little trick for going back down. I shall be safe; you don't have to worry."

"Alright. Just don't forget to tell your people the truth about Asgard."

She snorted. "That their lord is a madman who slew a god and carries his power?"

"That too, but about how Asgard is safe, accepting, and progressive for all races."

He chose Ra for the task. Caerindra waved from atop the dragon as she left. Her departure was without fanfare, as she had requested, but her presence and company would be missed.




He had decided to inspect the city for the rest of the day. Nothing like the surprise arrival of the city's lord to ensure no one had any funny ideas.

The bustling market had three issues.

"Boy, where is the butcher?" he asked, glancing around the shop. There was something wrong.

The boy, not even ten years old by his estimate, jumped to his feet, eyes wide. "Master is inside, milord. I shall call him immediately."

The noise coming from the back changed his mind.

"Wait, I'll go see him," he said, pulling the boy back. He barged inside, lips slightly parted at the sight.

"What the hell?" he growled, seeing the knife near the donkey's throat.

The butcher froze, dropping the knife. "I-I can explain, milord."

Flames poured out of his left eye, reaching his brow. "You can?"

"Aye, we were, uh, I was, that is, I was just shaving the donkey."

"Shaving the donkey? Oh go on then, let me see your technique."

The fat man's throat bobbed. He pushed the other apprentice to bring soap and water. The boy returned soon with them. Foaming the soap, the man slathered it on the donkey's muzzle while the apprentice sharpened the knife.

He, along with Sandor and Tyrion, watched the man actually shave the donkey.

"Not bad, not bad. You definitely should have been a barber," he said. The butcher smiled, but Robert's next words caused him to pass out.

"Get the donkey out of here, ban this place, revoke his license, and send him to the cells to await trial."

"Yes, my lord."

The second issue was with a grain seller.

"Milord, welcome to my humble store. Fairest prices in all of Asgard."

"They certainly are."

He inspected almost every product. Corn, wheat, barley—everything was in good condition, and there was no foul play. He was impressed with the state of the store. With such affordable prices, it would certainly be the favorite of many citizens.

His instincts told him something was amiss.

Approaching the scale, he pushed the end with the weight down. It went back faster than he expected.

The shop owner's eyes widened when he reached for the bag one of the men was carrying and pulled out a one-pound weight. He put it on the other pan.

When two equal weights were put on the scale, it should stay evenly leveled. Surprisingly, his weight went down.

"Tyrion, I think our weight is broken. Certainly, such an honorable man would not do something like this, right?"

The dwarf coughed into his fist. "Indeed, my lord. If I did not know any better, I would say we were trying to screw this man over."

"I believe the punishment is the seizure of all the illegal profits and suspension of the shop and the license for a month. You have until the end of the day to move all the perishables out for storage. Otherwise, they will be bought at half the rate."

The shop owner fainted, leaving the officers to go through his ledgers.

The last one was the most personal to him.

"Explain to me. How exactly is there no cacao or chocolate anywhere?" he asked, teeth involuntarily grinding. This was the seventh bakery he had visited. He only wanted a slice of chocolate cake to finish his day.

It shouldn't have been this difficult.

The aging baker lowered her head. "Milord, the wholesalers say the last batch has gone bad. The chocolate makers can't afford the new price. We haven't been able to buy any for three days."

"Where are those wholesalers?"

The bakery directed them to the docks. He stomped the entire way, threatening to leave cracks on the pavement with each step. Only the fact that he would have to pay for it kept his fury at bay.

He found one of the wholesalers before a crowd, trying to explain his situation.

Wun Weg pushed the crowd aside gently. Robert reached the short, round man, hands gathered at the back, eyes squinting, lips twitching every now and then.

"M-milord."

"I would like to see how many pods you have left now."

"Of course, this way," he said, waddling to open the gate's lock.

He blinked. In the middle of the room, eight crates were stacked together. The rest of the warehouse was barren, not a single more cocoa pod in sight.

"As you can see, this is all that is left in my hands. If I don't increase the price, I will have no way to recoup my losses."

He clicked his tongue. A chocolate shortage was unacceptable to him.

His giant guard walked inside. The boards beneath his feet creaked. He sniffed at the small cluster of crates. Before he could take any, the ground gave away. He fell with a dull thud, breaking something.

The wholesaler was sweating now.

Robert rolled his eyes, approaching the hole.

"Wun Weg, are you alright?" he asked. The giant grunted, holding his hand up. He took it by the wrist, pulling Wun Weg with ease no other could boast.

When he came up, it was with another crate of pods, one that was most certainly not among the pile.

"Pods, lots of pods."

He turned his neck so sharply, the crack felt like a whip. The round man was whimpering now.

There would be no mercy for him.




He paced in front of the three swindlers who had been tied to a post in their undergarments. Not only had all three reached a deal to hide their cocoa pods to inflate the prices, they had done it in his city.

"Citizens of Asgard," he shouted, arms open. "These rats have been caught trying to swindle us. Let this be a lesson to all who seek to profit by believing I and the public servants of the city are blind."

"We are not. You will be found and punished for Asgard."

"For Asgard!"




"Today was truly productive," Tyrion said, handing over the last of the papers for the archives.

"I know. I should go out more," Robert muttered, sitting crosslegged in the middle of his private study.

"Is there a reason you are doing this meditation exercise again, my lord?"

"Quiet, I almost got it."

Blood red flames sparked into life, spreading from the front of his forehead over his ears and becoming one at the back. The thin lines flared, turning flat and sharp, like leafs.

"What the?"

"Hah!" He leaped to his feet, running to the mirror. He checked the laurels, making minor adjustments.

"My lord?"

"I call this my Laurel of Victory." His hand glided over the flames, careful to not disturb its form. "It is fitting, don't you think?"

Tyrion rolled his shoulders. "You are the one with the magical powers; far be it from me to disagree."

He chuckled, splitting his focus to protect the laurel's shape. As his proficiency with the sword's magic increased, he was looking to make use of the crystal as well. Starting with Sandor, who had been keeping a distance due to the fire.

Apparently, he could handle the dragons belching fire, but not him. Only humans seemed to trigger his trauma, and he knew a possible way to help. The crystal was better put to use than left to gather dust.

All he needed was to have its magic respond to him.




King's Landing

The most populated city in the Seven Kingdoms was experiencing an unnatural surge in numbers. A tourney would be held to celebrate the first named year of Prince Jaehaerys Targaryen, first in line to the throne after his father, King Rhaegar I Targaryen.

Attendance was expected to be in great numbers. The rewards for the joust, melee, and archery were some of the greatest in recent memory. Every knight worth his salt would take place, either for the gold or for the prestige.

But one matter cast a great shadow on the tourney.

The Godslayer, the latest title of the Lord of Asgard, was a matter that the people were not going to stop talking about any time soon.

Word of Robert's latest deeds, bringing light to the Shadow Lands by killing a foul mage and slaying R'hllor in man-to-god combat, were deeds fit for the legends of the Age of Heroes. Even the total destruction of Volantis paled in the shadow of his greatness.

Even Yi-Ti had sent princesses and ladies to win him over to no avail.




The Red Keep

"The preparations are proceeding well, Your Grace," Wyman said, wiping the sweat on his forehead.

"Some good tidings, at last," Rhaegar thought, waving the Master of Coin away.

"Yes. Such a pity Robert did not die."

"Don't," Rhaegar growled at Varys, holding his head between his hands, squeezing to crush the developing ache, "utter his name."

He was quick to bow. "I apologize, Your Grace."

He had decided to not take any action against Robert and his family. After the Shadow Lands, Volantis, and R'hllor, he was terrified of what the man would do next.

Tywin stole a look at the Spider. "Lord Stark has sent a letter. He should arrive soon."

The eunuch would forget the ban on mentioning that name every other week. It was getting tiresome.

"What else?" He asked, mind drifting elsewhere. He was sure Lyanna would be delighted to see her father.

"He has a detailed report on the Wall's state. He says that the influx of men and resources, as well as the return of the Gift, has done much to improve the Watch." Men and resources that the Westerlands had to contribute as well.

In lieu of Robert's deeds, the Stormlands was the sole region to be excluded.

"And the Ironborn?"

"They have been obedient ever since Lord Stark visited the Wall."

The rest of his report was concerning the tourney. The city had to be distracted from Robert's heroics and charisma. He was already becoming more beloved than the king, in the seat of the Targaryens no less.

He had no idea what to do. Even the tourney was unlikely to be more than a momentary diversion. His experience in ruling and war did not present him any path forward. Killing Robert was out of the question. At best, he would advocate to keep away from the man.

A sleeping monster was best left where it was.

He had even retracted the secret bounty on Tyrion's head. His pride was shattered, but the Lord of Asgard had made it clear that the dwarf and his commoner wife were under his protection.

His only condolence was the fact that Rhaegar did not follow in Daeron's footsteps. Obsessed with prophecy might be, but the king was sharp enough to keep away from the godslayer.

Just as they all would do.






In the next chapter:

"Lord Tyrion, what is the meaning of this? Where is Lord Robert?" the Pentosi envoy asked, face red like a tomato.

Tyrion looked around, thinking, quickly deciding to tell the truth. "He has left to resolve the matter of the storm."

"How so?"

"You don't want to know," he assured the envoy. Even he didn't want to know, and he was the second-highest-ranked person in the city.

"We have spent months planning for this moment. I do want to know," the envoy demanded.

Tyrion looked at the man with half-lidded eyes and shrugged. "Well, do you know the story of Durran Godsgrief?"




Curious about the next chapter? Please consider supporting me on Patreon.
 
Pilot Chapters on Questionable Questing New
I shared 4 pilot chapters for my stories in this link in Questionable Questing. They include : Mortal Considerations - Hela X Original Male Character, Percy Jackson and the Powers of the Unholy Triangle - Percy Jackson with Bill Cipher's powers, End of Days - Doomsday in Invincible Universe, which I already posted under its own thread, and the Many Heroes : MHA x League of Legends. You can check them to see what we have going for the future.
 
Chapter 81 - Battle Against the Divine New
Hello there,

If you enjoy my stories, you can read up to 15 chapters in advance per story on my
Patreon page / patreon.com/Samael61.

Robert is a badass who treats killing gods and slaying demons like just another Thursday. Did you know it was inspired by Thairon, the protagonist of my original story, Arrival : Ruptures, long before I began to write it? Comments, likes and reviews are appreciated. Here are the links for :
AO3, Spacebattles, Royal Road and Webnovel.






Asgard

"Where is Sandor?"

"Training the men, my lord," Tyrion reported.

"Someone fetch him immediately," he said to the guards.

"Have you achieved something with the crystal?" the dwarf asked, still focused on his work.

"Yes. I want to see if I can heal his scar."

His hand jerked, leaving a trail of ink on the paper. "Any chance it could fix my diminutive state?"

"I don't know, we'll see," he said.

Sandor, ever close by, entered the room."My lord."

"Sandor, come closer," he said. Sandor approached hesitantly, prompting Robert to roll his eyes.

"Closer."

"For the love of it," he grumbled. Since Sandor was so hesitant to approach him because of the flames, Robert walked up to him instead. His palm rested on the man's forehead, his fingers spread and locked tightly.

Sandor froze.

"This might hurt a bit," he warned. The gem began to emit a glow, barely a shine at first, before it intensified.

Tyrion hopped off his chair and hid beneath the desk. Whatever Robert was doing, he did not want to be in its line of sight.

Sandor screamed.

He felt as if hundreds of hot needles were stabbing his scar and fell to his knees before blissfully passing away.

"Hey, it worked," he said, inspecting the now smooth skin.

"Truly?" Tyrion popped out, walking to check the man's face.

"Incredible," he muttered, seeing the ugly burn scar gone. The new, smooth and undamaged skin took the scary visage away, leaving him more human.

"I can try this on you, but if the pain of that scar was enough to knock him out, I don't think you'll survive." Remaking the dwarf into an ordinary human would be too traumatic for the body.

"Well," he sat on his chair again. "I enjoy living, so I shall pass this time."

"Get him to his room until he wakes up."

"Yes, my lord."




He was done with his magical shenanigans and started to catch up with his work. The city expanded every day. It was organized, structured, and well funded. There would be no slums, no narrow streets, but a spacious settlement in harmony with nature.

The Children of the Forest took work on that front, planting trees, shrubbery—mostly fruit-bearing ones at his insistence—and even helping the farmers raise healthy crops.

Everyone in Asgard had a part to play.

His current part was the Declaration of Sophont Rights. It was similar to the one back on Earth, modified to fit the cultures and geopolitical state of this planet.

Sixteen pages in total with explanations for some of the concepts, he had the clerks create copies to be sent to everywhere. King's Landing, nobles, and the Free Cities would each receive one to read and send feedback, and once they agreed to sign it, investment would flow.

With how dependent they were on slavery, he would kill two birds with one stone. Not only would he have great influence over the cities, he would start the end of slavery.

The irony was delicious. The wealth of Valyria, acquired through slavery and conquests, would be used to end slavery.

He hoped the dragonlords of old were turning in their graves.




"Sandor, there you are. How do you feel?"

The hound touched the left side of his face, feeling the smooth skin. Knowing the mark left on his face by his brother was gone still didn't feel real to him.

"You don't have to say anything; you are welcome."

"I… as you wish."

From that day onwards, Sandor was less apprehensive to fire. He still felt uncomfortable, something Robert could see, but far less than before.




Months of back and forth, and the Free Cities, from Braavos to Qarth, had agreed to sign and implement the declaration.

Slavery and torture would be prohibited first. Courts, inspired by what Robert had set up in Asgard, would be adapted to each city and more.

In return, he would invest millions of gold dragons in chosen areas of production, services, and more in the cities that were dependent on slavery. The smooth transition would stop the chaos that would follow, and the free people would be the winners.

And him too, but that was neither here nor there.




290 AC

Robert stood before the assembly that had gathered in the city square. The Sea Lord, the oligarchs of the Free Cities, traders, and citizens of Asgard were waiting for him to start the speech.

"Guests and citizens, welcome. Today is a great day for the history of this world. "Today is the day." He raised his index finger to punctuate the point, but his speech was interrupted. Not by the dignitaries, not by any traders or dissatisfied parties, but by thunder.

The sky darkened in an instant. The sunlight disappeared behind the clouds as if someone had just flicked a switch to turn it off. Rain poured down on the city, drops sizzling on his laurel.

The celebratory mood was washed away in seconds. The gathered assembly left in panic, seeking shelter while he stood there, blinking. He slowly lowered his finger, taking a deep breath to calm down.




He ordered the assembly to head inside Valhalla.

"This storm is the work of the gods," Leaf said.

Robert's face scrunched as if he had aten a lemon. "No shit. It appeared in a second."

"How do I get to the god responsible for this?" he asked.

"He is the one deeply tied to the history of your house."

His right eye twitched. "Again, how do I get to that bastard?"

"Come."

"Tyrion, tell the guests I am off to deal with the source of this storm."




"Touch the tree; let it guide you to the god of the sea."

"That bitch better have an explanation for this," he scowled. The bark of the weirwood tree felt like a liquid beneath his fingers. When he took a step closer, it gave away, and he fell inside.




Only to appear high in the sky. The dark skies glittered with violet stars, but there wasn't a single cloud in sight.

His brows furrowed, wondering why the god of the sea wouldn't be seated in the sea.

Lightning flashed overhead, and he saw the mistake. He wasn't in the sky but beneath the waters, in the reflection of the water.

There was a figure in the distance, a throne. He held the sword tightly, walking towards it. He hadn't even taken his armor, though, against a god, it wouldn't offer much. As he approached the throne, he could see the figure and the one next to him were asleep.

The female, the sea god's wife and Elenei's mother, looked normal enough. Black hair, diamond-shaped face, and dressed in a white toga.

It was her father that looked weird.

The sides of his eyes had white, pulsating veins. A deep, dark blue color spread from the middle of his forearm to his nails. More of the white veins, less apparent, glowed faintly. His nails were sharp, almost claw-like.

He was slouching on the throne, dark locks covering a part of his face. He only wore white trousers, upper half lying naked. He wasn't muscled, not like Robert was, but his build was thick.

"Hey dumbass, wake up," he roared, shaking the air.

The sea god and his wife were not startled but merely woke up as if it were the time. Now that he was standing straight, his ancestor from eight thousand years ago made it apparent where the Durrandon, and then the Baratheon, looks came from.

His eyes were the same shade of blue as his, and the face shared the same strong outline.

"That stench. You are of Durran's ilk."

"Durran died like eight thousand years ago," he said.

"Yet his house prospers."

"Not really. They were conquered like three centuries ago. It's Baratheon now."

"The names do not matter; the blood does," the god of sea bellowed.

"Whatever. Listen, I was in the middle of achieving something great, and your little temper tantrum screwed it up. Get rid of this storm now," he said, pointing up.

"You presume to order me, mortal?" he asked, teeth bared.

"I'll do more than that if you don't back off, you decrepit fool," Robert sneered.

"You came into my domain, insulted me, and commanded me, and you expect to live? You certainly don't have Durran's smarts," the sea god said.

He struck, his left arm a blue blur.

Robert raised his hand, catching the fist. His laurel flared into existence, as did the flames in his eye. He pulled the sea god forward and headbutted him on the nose.

He flew back, lying at the feet of his wife, eyes glazed.

"Argal!" she shouted, rushing to his side.

"You... how is this possible?"

"None of your business. Get rid of the storm now."

"Elenora, stand back," Argal growled. He pointed his left hand at Robert, firing a bolt of lightning.

Robert held his sword by the blade's side and struck the bolt, sending it beyond where the two gods were standing.

"You asked for it," he sneered. Flames engulfed him, and he leaped forward. Argal met his charge, blocking the sharp tip of the sword with his left hand, sending Robert back this time.

He did not stop there, rushing to meet Robert halfway.

His sword morphed around his fists, becoming thick gauntlets with sharp ridges covering the knuckles. He dodged to the left, striking back. Argal raised both arms, wincing as the knuckles dug into his flesh.

He continued to defend as Robert rained a flurry of blows. He pulled his right arm back, gauntlets flowing like liquid metal to reform the sword, this time with a sharp blade.

He thrust the sword beneath the sea god's defense, aiming for a lethal blow. His opponent wasn't done so easily.

A geyser of sea water struck him from below, launching him upwards. Robert backflipped in the air, dodging another jet of water.

Argal lowered his arms, watching the mortal warily. This one wasn't like the rest. That sword, and the shallow divine essence he carried, made him dangerous.

Dangerous enough that he would have to die now.

While he was ruminating, Robert struck again. The sword turned into a hammer with a hook, ready to break through the sea god's defenses. His wife, Elenora, stood next to him, waving her arms in an intricate pattern.

A gust of wind came out of nowhere, strong enough to almost send him flying. He tried to push forward but couldn't take the step.

He grinned, an idea striking him like a spark.

Flames rose high, fanned by the wind she was using against him. The heat increased, forcing Elenora to take a step back, disrupting her concentration. It also had the added benefit of turning the geysers into steam instantly.

A small weakness in the gale was all he needed to push the flames through. Argal stepped in the way, blocking the attack, but it was enough to stop the winds.

He swung the hammer, turning it to a whip midway. His ancestors did not expect the trick, barely leaping back to avoid it, though they did not stop. Strike after strike gave them no chance but to scramble away from the scorching flames.

Argal slammed his feet on the ground, and Robert had to stop. A wave, enormous enough to sweep his dragons away, rose from the transparent ground. It washed over the gods before him harmlessly, seconds away from his position.

His whip turned to a sword once more, crimson flames gathering at the blade. He brought it down with a bellow. The flames extended out of the blade, carving the wave into two. An intense wave of scolding steam covered the area, blinding them all.

Though, they all saw with more than just eyes.

Argal stepped in front of his wife, meeting the blade with his hand, ready to strike back at the owner. Only, the mortal was nowhere to be seen as the sword acted on its own.

His eyes widened, realizing what had happened, but he was a moment too late.

Robert appeared out of the mist, having circled Argal, and struck Elenora. The kick knocked her out instantly, sending her crashing into the throne.

"No!" Argal screamed. His hand crackled with lightning, blasting the sword away, and turned to Robert, meeting his punch with a punch.

Three punches, each one causing a blast of air at the point of contact, and neither warrior found victory. On the fourth punch, Robert opened his hand, arm flowing around Argal's, catching him by the bicep. He flipped him over his shoulder.

Before Argal could leap to his feet, he caught the sea god by the leg, slamming him side to side with both hands.

The ground shook with each smash, drowning Argal's grunts of pain. He threw the god up next, catching him by the throat as he fell.

"You should have just ended that storm, you old bastard," he scowled, fingers digging into the sea god's neck.

"Durran took my daughter; I won't stop until I take everything from his people," Argal screamed, slamming his hand on Robert's arm.

"Good luck doing that when you are dead," he retorted, ignoring the pain and continuing to squeeze.

Argal panicked and tried to pry the fingers off with lightning. Robert commanded his sword to wrap around the arm, containing the magic in it.

He grinned, continuing to squeeze, but his bloodlust blinded him to Elenora. She appeared out of a mirage, bringing her hand down. He saw the flicker of a distortion, and pain bloomed in his arm.

He cursed, gritting his teeth as he stepped back. The pain was dulled by the adrenaline and the heat of his flames, but it shocked him to see his left arm drop to the ground.

Blood gushed out of the wound, staining the ground. Rather than try to finish him off, Elenora ran to her husband, kicking Robert's severed hand aside. She helped her husband up while Robert tried to concentrate to find a solution.

He did not have the time to use the crystal, but seeing Argal's struggle to free his arm gave him an idea.

The crimson crystal wrapped around Argal's magical arm melted down like ice, flying to slam into Robert's stump. Through the pain, he reconstituted it into a crude arm, quick enough to release a stream of fire to meet the geyser.




"Lord Tyrion, what is the meaning of this? Where is Lord Robert?" the Pentosi envoy asked, face red like a tomato.

Tyrion looked around, thinking, quickly deciding to tell the truth. "He has left to resolve the matter of the storm."

"How so?"

"You don't want to know," he assured the envoy. Even he didn't want to know, and he was the second-highest-ranked person in the city.

"We have spent months planning for this moment. I do want to know," the envoy demanded.

Tyrion looked at the man with half-lidded eyes and shrugged. "Well, do you know the story of Durran Godsgrief?"

If he wanted to know, the dwarf was happy to oblige.

"Everyone does." Robert's deeds had made him famous across both continents. It was inevitable for the story of Durran Godsgrief and Elenei to spread beyond the Seven Kingdoms.

"You see, the Children of the Forest have assured us that the sea god, the one in the legends, is the one responsible for this storm. Lord Robert has gone to kill him, because no one rains on his parade."

"Oh," the envoy muttered, his face suddenly blank.

Tyrion smiled behind his hand, enjoying the sight. "Oh indeed."

The skies were lit white and red in that moment, signaling the start of the battle.

He took a glass of wine, sitting down to enjoy the colors.

Notes: Sorry for the delay, my mind turned blank on what to write. I wanted to keep this for later, but here we are.





In the next chapter:

"My lord!" The guards at the gate saluted as the doors were opened for him.

"Guards," he greeted with a nod.

"My lord."

"Guards."

"My lord," more guards saluted him, and Robert's eye twitched. This was going to be a long walk.

"Guards."

Once he managed to not blow at someone who did not deserve it after the hundredth salute and reached the banquet hall, the gathered dignitaries turned to him, frozen like statues.




Curious about the next chapter? Please consider supporting me on Patreon.
 
Chapter 82 - Madness Abound New
Hello there,

If you enjoy my stories, you can read up to 15 chapters in advance per story on my
Patreon page / patreon.com/Samael61.

Robert is a badass who treats killing gods and slaying demons like just another Thursday. Did you know it was inspired by Thairon, the protagonist of my original story, Arrival : Ruptures, long before I began to write it? Comments, likes and reviews are appreciated. Here are the links for :
AO3, Spacebattles, Royal Road and Webnovel.





He clenched and unclenched the fist. The adrenaline in his blood dulled the pain, and the sword stemmed the bleeding, but he knew it wouldn't last long.

He set himself on fire and rushed at Argal again, keeping Elenora in his peripheral vision. Argal weaved through the rain of blows, barely. Robert was unrelenting in his assault, not giving this relic of a bygone era any chance to attack.

His wife was a different matter. She kept trying to flank him, but Robert always kept Argal between them. He had to find a way to break the stalemate.

Quickly.

Argal couldn't dodge and blocked his right hook but not the left jab at his stomach. The sharpened ends of his fingers pierced through the skin before the sea god jumped back, grunting.

Realizing the geysers did nothing more than cause steam that blocked his vision, Argal stopped. The lightning strands covering his arms chirped with the noise of a thousand birds. Elenora was still unable to get a good opening, waiting.

He couldn't strike Argal because of the lightning coursing in his arms. He fired a scorching beam at the sea god, but he pushed through with arms covering his body.

He lowered his hand, targeting the legs instead. It connected for a second, but a wall of water rose to block the flames.

Argal attacked with lunges and wide swipes to catch him. Robert was ducked under the first swipe, feeling the lightning raise his hair up. He leaned back under the second one and kept dancing through.

He decided on a risky move, one that had a good chance to give him an edge.

He gritted his teeth and took the next left punch. He made a full turn with the punch, his left hand turning to a sharp blade. He brought the blade up with a deft move, severing the arm exactly where Elenora had taken his.

Argal bellowed.

The lightning covering his arms disappeared, and he stumbled back. Blood, so red and humanlike, gushed out of the stump. He capitalized on the moment, dashing forward to skewer the bastard.

The wind struck like a canon, launching him and Argal away. Elenora fired a continuous air blast at him while she ran to her husband. He slowly pushed forward, trying to reach them.

By the time he was through, she had helped Argal up and stopped the bleeding.

He fired another gout of flame at them. A water dome rose in response, covering both.

He did not stop, increasing the intensity as much as he could. His grunts were drowned out by the flames. The dome did not yield. Instead, a tornado began to grow inside. Carrying the seawater, it could not be used to his advantage.

It grew to enormous proportions in moments, enough to carve a Valhalla-sized trench in Asgard. His flames would prove to be no use here, and he did not think he could go through the tornado to reach them.

Escaping would be futile, and he used his head. He could not breach the walls, but the top was open. He just had to get there.

He ran, taking his belt off. He quickly tied it to his upper arm, pulling it tight. The sword melted out of his hand, turning into a flat, floating platform. He jumped on it, growing protrusions to keep his feet stuck.

Alone, he could not fly, but with the violent winds dragging him, it was possible. The platform almost touched the ground under his weight, yet the winds of the approaching tornado pulled him towards itself.

He leaned back so the platform would face the tornado. He willed the improvised glider back, letting the rising winds take him to the top of the tornado. It wasn't a smooth ride by any means. He had to fight the winds every step of the way while seawater at lethal speeds impacted his body, leaving bruises.

With one last turn, he was at the top, over the eye. No more winds meant he was free to fall at his targets. The sword returned to his hand, taking the shape of a trident. He was silent during the fall to not give his position away, no matter how much he wanted to scream.

Both deities were unaware of his location. The tornado blocked all outside vision, much to his advantage.

"Where is he?" Argal asked himself, grunting as he grasped his stump.

His head snapped up at the last second, but it was too late. The prongs pierced deep into his skull, nose, and jaw, reaching his throat. His pupils skittered, trying to understand what had happened.

Robert pulled the trident to the side, tearing out chunks of Argal's skull, dropping the corpse.

Elenora was frozen on the spot, eyes on her husband's dead body. It was a mistake that he took advantage of. The trident shifted into a hammer with a hook. The sharp end pierced through her head, slamming the goddess of the wind to the floor, dead.

"Fucking hell," Robert muttered as the tornado around him fell away. He searched for his missing arm, looking to attach it back, but it was nowhere in sight.

But he saw something better.




Asgard

Valhalla


The dark clouds disappeared as quickly as they appeared, leaving nothing behind but clear skies with the setting sun. The battle had continued for much of the afternoon while they could do nothing but wait.

When it ended, those in the know rushed back to the weirwood trees, waiting for Robert to come out. Only he did not.




Robert dropped the corpses on the beach.

He fell down, away from them, letting out a long groan. He couldn't have something nice without a god coming to shit on it. His ancestors, to boot.

At least no one would be crying about kinslaying.

"My lord?!" the guards patrolling the area screamed, rushing to his side.

"Good, you are here. Get a cart and load these corpses on."

"Are these?" one of them asked, having heard where Robert had disappeared.

"Elenei's parents."

One of the men swooned and fainted.

Robert groaned again.




Now what was he supposed to do with the corpses of two gods? Burn them? Maybe. Bury them? He didn't want to imagine what unforeseen consequences that could have. However, there was one idea that struck him.

He whistled.

His dragons, circling in the sky, dove. They were growling at the cart, as if the corpses had personally insulted them. He gestured to the men to tip the cart over, dumping the bodies on the ground.

"Eat up, and make sure to share."

Obelisk approached first, sniffing the bodies. His brothers weren't far behind, and Robert left before he had to watch the bloody scene.




He trudged into Valhalla, battered and bruised. His laurel was absent, as he did not have the energy for it.

His new hand throbbed.

It wasn't an exact fit. Argal was larger than him, and so was the limb. His flames acted like a bridge, allowing him to use the hand, but each movement was painful. Once he had the crystal, he would see about changing its size.

"My lord!" The guards at the gate saluted as the doors were opened for him.

"Guards," he greeted with a nod.

"My lord."

"Guards."

"My lord," more guards saluted him, and Robert's eye twitched. This was going to be a long walk.

"Guards."

Once he managed to not blow at someone who did not deserve it after the hundredth salute and reached the banquet hall, the gathered dignitaries turned to him, frozen like statues.

"The signature ceremony will be delayed until tomorrow," he announced, leaving without an explanation.

He headed for the administrative hall next, nursing a headache. He was in no state to listen to the mutterings about his new hand, needing a cool drink to relax.

He reached for the fridge, tapping on the bottom to irritate the White Walker for the heck of it. Snatching a pitcher of ale, he sat on the padded seat, taking a sip. The cold that flowed through him was a relief that he could not describe with words.

"My lord!" Tyrion shouted as Sandor slammed the door open with Davos and the dwarf following.

"Quiet, please," he grunted, feeling his headache flare. "My head is killing me."

"Your hand…" Davos said, first to notice the distinctively blue appendage.

"Yeah." He flexed his hand, feeling the fingers barely move halfway to a fist." I got it from Argal, the God of Sea, after I couldn't find mine."

Tyrion was the first one to break. "I would say 'by the gods,' but I am afraid you might take offense."

"Oh fuck them alright," he snarled. First R'hllor with his bullshit about wanting to kill him, then his ancestors from eight thousand years ago being a pair of little bitches because Durran had bagged their daughter.

At least he knew where his house got its spiteful nature from.

"What happened to Argal and his wife?" Sandor asked. The idea of corpses of two gods hanged as trophies gave him the chills.

"I fed their corpses to the dragons."

Davos coughed, trying to clear his airway after sucking in his spit. "Is that wise?"

"If they could eat the heart of something like Niduan and survive, this shouldn't be a problem." At least he hoped not. He had no idea what to do with the corpses otherwise.

"I am off to bed. I don't want to be disturbed unless the world is coming to an end."




He threw himself on the bed, feeling weariness of the battle ease ever so slightly. He rolled over, reaching the nightstand for the crystal.

He drew on its power. The throbbing subsided gradually, and he could finally fall asleep.

His dreams swarmed with storms, violent winds, and visions of the past. He saw himself walking on the sea, standing against a storm, and then he was flying. He also heard distant noises, as if someone were calling him, but they were too far for him to reach.




"When do you think he will wake up?" Davos asked Tyrion, who was, once again, busy with handling the business Lord Robert could not.

"I don't know," the dwarf muttered, leaning on one hand as he worked. Three days, and the man still showed no sign of waking up. Perhaps his fight with the gods had tired him more than he thought.

Doctor Korryn once again found his talents and learnings to be of no use. Leaf, at least, assured them Robert would wake up, but even she did not know when. His new hand, the one he took from the sea god, almost set his bed on fire with random sparks of lightning a couple of times. They had to post servants to put out any embers.

"The envoys are grumbling." Lord Robert had delayed the signing of the Declaration of Sophont Rights. Months of work had been poured into it, mostly because of the rulers in the Free Cities who dragged their feet.

Three days after he fell asleep, some of the envoys were making too much noise.

Tyrion raised his head slightly, throwing a glance at Davos, and turned back to his work. "Tell them Lord Robert is available in his room anytime."

"I think they would rather keep quiet."

There was a knock on the door. Davos opened it, allowing the knight inside.

"My lords. The dragons are awake," the knight, in charge of the security of the dragon nest, reported with a bow.

"Wonderful!" Tyrion clapped his hands. "How are they doing?" Much like their father, the dragons had fallen asleep. They were not dying as far as the handlers understood, but none knew what eating the corpse of gods would do to the beasts.

"Starved. They are eating right now," the knight reported. Tyrion's head fell, realizing why the knight's face was so blank.

"No one was hurt, right?" he asked, hoping that they did not have to deal with that kind of a mess.

"Not as such." The knight shook his head. "They were rather vocal about it. They also demanded to see their father."

Tyrion rubbed his eyes, trying to understand what the man had just said. "You can speak to the dragons now, ser?"

"Nay, my lord, the dragons were the ones to speak."

He did not even ask for an explanation, simply choosing to go and see the dragons.




"Ah, the short one." Ra peered down at them, speaking with human words. His voice was light, as if he cared not a whit about anything.

In contrast, Slifer's voice was deeper and harsh. "Where is our father? Why has he not visited?"

Tyrion inspected each dragon. He turned around, a giggle leaving his lips. He burst out into hysterical, high-pitched laughter, rolling on the ground.

No one had the heart to stop him.

Davos was quick to take charge. He ordered the guards to take Tyrion home, turning to face the dragons himself. His throat constricted, and he swallowed the saliva before approaching the beasts.

"My lords," he bowed, unsure how to even address the dragons. Calling them by their names, especially since they called Lord Robert "father," sounded too disrespectful.

"The one with the salty smell of the sea. Davos, was it?" Obelisk spoke. Different, just like his brothers, his deep voice was noble. He felt the weight of the dragon's tone, as if he was speaking to kings of old.

"Indeed, my lord. Your father is asleep, much as you were for the last three days. We don't know when he will wake up."

"Is he well?" Obelisk asked.

"He is. Simply asleep. We are just waiting." He did not know who to pray for a quick recovery on Lord Robert's part, but he did so nonetheless. This situation was becoming beyond his abilities to handle.

"I see. Inform us at once once he is awake."

"As you wish."

He twitched where he stood, unsure what to do. "May I ask how you came to speak so suddenly?" he asked the question that was eating him inside.

"The corpses were brimming with power, much like the demon's heart. When we woke up, speaking in human words came to us easily," the blue dragon explained, licking his snout.

"Wonderful to hear my lord. If you excuse me, there is much I have to do," he mumbled, quickly leaving the dragon nest, lest he lose his sanity as well.




With Tyrion on forced leave, Davos knew he wouldn't be able to handle the work as the young lord had. Much as he had learned in letters and sums, it wasn't enough to handle the pile of parchments and papers waiting for him.

He saw no choice but to call for help from Storm's End.

House Baratheon was not informed yet. Tyrion had chosen to wait and let Robert make the call once he was awake. Words might have been carried by traders, but the rumors tended to quickly warp away from the truth.

He motioned at Marwin to light the glass candle and cleared his throat.





Notes: The results of the poll are out. We will be having a Witcher 3 crossover with Ciri x Robert romance.









In the next chapter:

He leaned on his elbow on his chair, watching the redheaded twins make eyes at him. They were cute, but there was something in their gaze. Something more than a desire to get in his bed and good graces.

"Who are they?" he asked Davos. The knight was forced to take over Tyrion's duties, which included knowing who was who.

"Braavosi traders, my lord. They were leading a ship trading in spices."

"Well, it would be rude if I didn't at least say hello."

"As you wish."

He closed his eyes, squeezing his fists. His height, which had almost reached eight feet, wasn't the only part of him that grew in size. Taking them to bed would definitely leave them in pain.

He began to shrink.




Curious about the next chapter? Please consider supporting me on Patreon.
 
Chapter 83 - Death of Two Bitches New
Hello there,

If you enjoy my stories, you can read up to 15 chapters in advance per story on my
Patreon page / patreon.com/Samael61.

Robert is a badass who treats killing gods and slaying demons like just another Thursday. Did you know it was inspired by Thairon, the protagonist of my original story, Arrival : Ruptures, long before I began to write it? Comments, likes and reviews are appreciated. Here are the links for :
AO3, Spacebattles, Royal Road and Webnovel.





Asgard

Valhalla


Robert walked into the Administrative Hall. His battle had tired him to the point he was asleep for five days. Out of his depths, Davos had resorted to requesting help from the only person he could.

Rhaelle Baratheon.

"Finally deigned to wake up, my boy?" she asked, rising to get up from his seat. He waved her down, snatching a chair.

"Slaying gods is hard work."

"You would know better."

"I apologize. I didn't expect to sleep so long or for Tyrion to have a breakdown."

"Breakdown?" She tilted her head, the quill in her hand coming to a stop. "Yes, that is an apt description. Even I still can't believe it, and your dragons called me "great grandmother."

"Aren't you going to say anything else?"

"We decided it is better to stop questioning your deeds and accept them without much thought. Our lives have been more peaceful ever since."

"Fair."




The signing ceremony was quickly reassembled. The feast was lackluster compared to the first day, but at least the skies were clear. The servants worked like a beehive; however, time was not on their side.

Robert took his seat on the courtyard once again. He appeared even more imposing than before. He closed his eyes for a moment. The Laurel of Victory flared to life around his head. The envoys watched with bated breaths, waiting.

"My apologies for the delay. The God of Sea and the Goddess of Winds, my ancestors from the Age of Heroes, decided to rain on my parade. They are dead now, their corpses fed to my dragons. There will be no other interruptions."

"Now, we can proceed with signing the agreement," he said, his voice even, but the force behind it could be felt. The Braavosi envoy approached first. Even Robert's announcement could not wipe the smile off his face.

In total, there were fifteen copies of the document to be signed. He wrote his name and pressed a seal on the final page of each replica, one carrying the Sea Lord's sigil. Once he was finished, he bowed with a flourish and took his seat.

The envoy from Volon Therys followed, signing the document in the name of the former holdings of Volantis. A three-starred sigil, followed by his name, repeated fifteen times, and three of the largest slave-holding cities had just forbidden the act. One by one, each envoy signed, earning a round of applause.

Only Robert was left.

His signature was at the top as the enforcer of the agreement. His signature, stylish initials of his name and last name followed by Asgard's five stars, and it was over. The reaction to him binding the agreement was deafening. He raised both hands, one taken from a god, the other, mortal flesh, waving with a lopsided grin.

He still had to sign individual investment agreements with the cities.

For now, he would enjoy the moment.




"Father."

"Boys."

"Wow, this is awkward," he said, tilting his head.

"Why so?" Ra asked.

"I thought you three would just get a boost in power, not intelligence. This is way better though."

"We do feel stronger than before," Obelisk said, standing proud.

"Summon a storm, shoot lightning, or create winds that can cut like a blade—kind of strong?"

"I do not believe so," Slifer said.

"Ah well."

Ra leaned his head closer to Robert. "Are you disappointed?"

"Of course not," he said, scratching the dragon's scales. "This is even better than I imagined. You guys being able to talk makes things so much easier."

"Do you have orders for us, then?" Obelisk asked.

"Not really. Just continue as you were. Not like anyone's going to cross us."

"As you command."

"Relax, will you? No need to be so formal."




He moved to the Administrative Hall, relieving his grandmother of the work. The deals on which areas he would invest were already finalized. It was just a matter of signing the documents and starting the work.

His grandmother had decided to go and talk more to the dragons. It was a novel experience, and she wanted to enjoy it.

Volon Therys and the Three Party Alliance would receive investments in farming and steel production. Myrish glass and other crafts would be carried to the next level. Lys would focus on clothing and fishing. Tyrosh would continue with its mercantile nature, producing everyday goods.

Pentos had already outlawed slavery on paper. However, their free bond servants were slaves with a fancier name. It would be abolished all together, and the city would expand its beverage production along with starting to mass produce cotton clothes.

Meereen, Yunkai, and Astapor had other economic attractions besides slavery. Spices, fruits, olives, and farming—they all would receive ample investment.

Qohor, the City of Sorcerers, was already using new waterwheels to replace the slave workforce. In return for covering the transition costs and sending in experts, Robert had taken more than half the shares of the entire city's forges.

Just as he had done in almost every industry.

Norvos would increase the size of their tapestry business while setting the slaves free. Lorath did not practice slavery, but he invested to keep the city relevant on the table.

The port of Qarth would be increased in size to accommodate more ships. As one of the richest cities, the investment package into the city was large but worth every coin.

Should any party go against the agreement, he had the right to enforce the agreement through force, backed up by the rest of the Free Cities. Once he was in, he would fix the issues plaguing the city, such as a house for every family, restructuring taxes, and more.

He would not have to campaign to the populations to join him. They would be clamoring to be part of Asgard.

Otherwise, he would expand his grip in each city through the economy. If he ever felt like it, Robert's empire would be one step away.

Sometimes his genius frightened him.




Word of Robert's latest incredible deed was quick to travel. He had slain the God of Sea and his wife, the Goddess of Wind, Elenei's parents and Durran Godsgrief's enemies. What his ancestor had started eight thousand years ago by defying the gods, he had finished by feeding their corpses to his dragons. His new left hand, taken from the sea god after Elenei's mother, Elenora, took his, was the proof both continents needed.

The dragons, after feasting on the corpses of two gods, had gained the ability to speak in Common Tongue. What they did with it was far more important.

Walking around Asgard, the dragons had taken to exploring the city. The three brothers started with food stalls, tasting almost everything there was to eat. Since they did not carry coin, their father had spent time covering the expenses, paying each vendor.

It led to the creation of Valhalla's Procurement Department.

The beasts, once feared and seen untouchable across Asgard's sky, were quick to become beloved figures. They did not cause any commotion, treated the citizens with respect, and their eating habits brought a lot of coin to the market.

The new rule of the world, which was to do as Robert said or face the consequences, became known to all.

Except for two people who thought themselves smarter than they were.




He leaned on his elbow on his chair, watching the redheaded twins make eyes at him. They were cute, but there was something in their gaze. Something more than a desire to get in his bed and good graces.

"Who are they?" he asked Davos. The knight was forced to take over Tyrion's duties, which included knowing who was who.

"Braavosi traders, my lord. They were leading a ship trading in spices."

"Well, it would be rude if I didn't at least say hello."

"As you wish."

He closed his eyes, squeezing his fists. His height, which had almost reached eight feet, wasn't the only part of him that grew in size. Taking them to bed would definitely leave them in pain.

He began to shrink.

It was a trick he learned after hitting his head one too many times. He appeared in his taller form when it was necessary, but his less tall form would be necessary now. His bones cracked without any pain, flesh contracted, and he was six and a half feet tall again.

Getting up, he strode up to the twins, smiling.

Davos rolled his eyes, turning to the papers in his hand.

"Ladies, welcome to Asgard," he said, holding his hand out. They raised their delicate, far smaller hands, and he landed a gentle kiss on each.

"Thank you, my lord. It is our pleasure to be here," the smiling twin said. The other had a more serious visage, though she too smiled.

"I am Linea, and this is my sister, Lenia," she introduced. The two were indistinguishable to each other, both in body shape and looks. "Such beautiful names for such gorgeous ladies like you two."

Heart-shaped faces, supple assets, dressed in white silk that accentuated their blood-red hair and purple eyes, they were a sight to behold.

"You flatter us," Lenia said, bowing gracefully.

"Just the truth," he winked. "What brings you to Asgard?" he asked to continue the conversation.

"Trade. We also wished to see the legendary Robert Baratheon in person."

He spread his arms, flashing a grin. "And you have."

"The tales don't do justice to your majesty, my lord," Lenia said, still colder than her twin.

"Perhaps," Linea gave him a once-over, gazing below his belt longer than necessary. "We can speak of your deeds in a more private place."

"The sun's about to set, and my room is large."

"We shall be there."

The twins turned around, walking with a certain beat to their hips. He watched until they were out of sight. He still had work to do, though; the night looked to be promising with fun.




He escorted the twins to his room, hands on their waists, laughing at a terrible joke Linea made. A feeling still gnawed at the back of his mind, but he ignored it. If these two were a danger, then they were hot ones. The only thing better than a femme fatale in his room was two of them.

"Please, make yourselves comfortable," he said. The room, besides the bed, had a small bar, seats, and sofas for any guests he might bring. The twins giggled as he groped their asses.

Lenia slowly began to undress, gazing at him with a blank expression. It was not lost on him how Linea moved out of his sight, but he kept his eyes on Lenia's tits.

They struck like vipers.

Linea thrust a sharp, small knife to the back of his neck while Lenia pulled another one out of her chest wrappings, going for his heart, believing he was mesmerized by her tits.

He was, but not that much.

He raised his hands, catching the knives, and pulled the twins closer, slamming their faces together. He let them go, groaning. "When I had a fun time in my mind, this wasn't it."

The assassins struck again. Rolling his eyes, he just slapped both of them to the ground, out cold. He was about to call for guards to remove them out of his room, but something that stuck out of Linea's jaw stopped him.

He knelt, touching the piece of loose skin. It was not bleeding but seemed to be real. He pulled on it, and the face came off.




He slapped his fist on the Valyrian steel armrest, his cackles echoing in the Administrative Hall.

"Oh my fucking goodness," he breathed out for a moment before resuming his mad howling.

"Why is this so funny?" his grandmother asked, lips pursed in distaste at the two whores who had just tried to kill her grandson.

"How could it not be? These two, of all people, becoming Faceless assassins is the funniest thing I have ever seen."

"Someone go and bring Tyrion here. He will want to see this."

"Are you going to execute them?" she asked. Certainly, they deserved nothing less.

He flashed her a thumbs-up amid his snickers.

"Davos," he took a deep breath, "go and see what happened to the true owners of that ship."

"At once."

"Stop playing; you are not fooling me," he said. Giving Sandor a nod, his guard nudged the blonde woman, who did not stir from her feigned state. When he kicked her in the ribs, she understood it was no use.

"Nothing to say?" he asked, grinning at the female, who glared at him with green eyes burning like wildfire.

"I will admit, I am actually impressed. Of all the people in the world, I would never in a million years expect you two to become Faceless Men, women, or whatever," he murmured towards the end.

The other female, an actual redhead, was silent, looking down.

"Though, the failure part definitely suits you two," he commented, considering how to dispose of these two. The blade would just leave blood everywhere. Hanging them would be seen as unorthodox, as females are not usually executed.

"How long would it take to make a catapult?" he asked one of Davos' underlings. The idea of an execution catapult was in his mind for a long time, but he never actually had one built.

"Too long, my lord," the man answered with a curt tone.

"Ah well. We'll just hang them." He flicked his wrist, dismissing the idea. The guards rushed in with Tyrion, who looked half asleep, dressed in silken clothing fit for bed.

"Tyrion, look who tried to assassinate me today." He gestured to the blonde female, bounding in chains.

The dwarf's mismatched eyes snapped open in alarm, glaring at the woman in question. "Cersei."

"You accursed imp," Cersei sneered. She struggled to break free, trying to murder her little brother with her gaze.

"Aw, she speaks," Robert cooed.

Sandor pulled her head back by the hair, laying his sword on her neck. She stilled, though her eyes were still blazing.

"I thought you might want to see her as she hanged."

The offer brought blood and vitality to Tyrion's sunken, pale face. "I would actually."

"Great. Prepare the gallows and a hole to burn the bodies. I don't want them poisoning my soil."




"Hear ye, hear ye. Cersei of House Lannister and Lysa of House Tully are guilty of an assasination attempt on Lord Robert Baratheon. Their punishment is death, for no other path will be fitting."

Robert rolled his hand, indicating to the crier to speed up. That damn part needed to be shortened down drastically. They would be here all day otherwise.

"In the name of his awesomeness, take the chairs away," the crier finished.

Robert howled. That part was just as funny to him. He could have added anything to the title, even called himself the God Emperor of Mankind, and they would have believed it was the greatest title on the face of this world.

He loved being himself.

The executioners took the chairs away, letting the fallen, disgraced assassins dangle. They struggled in their white robes in futility. The screams of the crowd, full of curses and profanities, drowned out their dying gurgles.

It was another great day in Asgard.






In the next chapter:

"Yes!" Rhaegar screamed, moving out of the cover of the trees.

"He is gone. He and his damn men and damn dragons are all gone!" he screamed to the heavens, dancing and laughing like a madman.

From behind the trees, more men came out. Jon Connington, Richard Lonmouth, and the members of the Kingsguard stood around their king, still unable to believe what they had seen. Robert Baratheon and his dragons were gone, sent away by the magic the king had discovered at Dragonstone.

They were so stunned none of them reacted when their captives ran off to the forest.

"Your Grace, the Children!" Richard called out, pulling his sword to run after the small creatures.

"Leave them be. Without Robert and his dragons, the only danger we have left to face is Rhaelle and her dragon," Rhaegar shouted, cackling at the end.

"Not quite," a voice growled.

Slifer, the red, foul-tempered son of Robert Baratheon, dropped out of the sky, snarling.

"Oh," Rhaegar said, his shoulders slumping forward.

They were so fucking dead.




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Chapter 84 - A Brand New Adventure New
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Robert is a badass who treats killing gods and slaying demons like just another Thursday. Did you know it was inspired by Thairon, the protagonist of my original story, Arrival : Ruptures, long before I began to write it? Comments, likes and reviews are appreciated. Here are the links for :
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Asgard

291 AC


He leaned back on his chair, bored.

Everything has been peaceful during the last year. Slavery was mostly gone, trade was thriving, and no one dared to make an issue out of respect and fear of him. He was earning so much gold, he considered building a canal in the neck just to have a place to spend it.

Since it would make North one of the richest regions, he was reserved on the matter.

"You're going to be maybe the one that lifts me, lady.

You're going to be maybe the one that fits me, lady.

You're going to be maybe the one that kissed me, lady.

You're going to be, maybe my dreams come true," he muttered to himself, changing the parts that would be problematic in Westeros.

Singing songs, sparring with Sandor and Wun Weg while teaching his guards how to use the powers he had granted them.

He smiled at the memory.

He worked to master his powers in every spare second he had. He could summon small-scale storms, fire lightning bolts large enough to smite a dozen men to ash, create flaming tornados, and of course, hit so hard he would split the ground open.

Yet there was nothing to use these powers on.

It made him seek a way to see if he could grant powers to the others, like R'hllor had done to his priests. Sandor was his first volunteer, though he still shied away from fire.

He raised his left hand, clenching and unclenching. The raw edge had faded away, leaving behind a smooth skin. The mark on his palm, a skull with an open jaw and two thunderbolts crossed behind it, gave Sandor a smaller degree of control over lightning.

By his standards anyway.

Sandor had become something beyond a human. He could now easily spar with giants, his strength easily matching theirs. He had also become terrifyingly fast when covered by lightning.

His only match in the field, aside from Robert, was Wun Weg.

Another mark, this one a flaming hammer, glowed faintly on Godbreaker's hilt.

A ten-foot giant, donning Valyrian steel plate armor with chainmail inside and carrying a hammer as large as himself, whose each earth-shattering strike would release pulses of scorching hot flames, was an equally terrifying prospect.

Things were going so well, he was bored out of his mind.

He slouched on his chair, listening to the latest reports, unaware there was a scheme brewing against him.




"My lord!" A familiar voice screamed, barging into his solar.

"What?" he asked, putting his feet down.

Davos closed the door, trying to catch his breath. "Leaf and several other Children of the Forest are kidnapped. We found a ransom letter demanding half a million gold or the kidnappers would kill them."

"Who the fuck is that dumb?" he asked, equally angry and curious.

"We don't know."

"For fuck's sake," he grumbled. "Get Sandor and Wun Weg. Also send someone to bring the boys out."

"Already done, my lord."

"Where do they want the ransom?" he asked, wondering where he would bury those fuckers alive.

"Right at the border with House Wendwater, my lord."

"Great, it's close by at least. One last thing, find out how exactly someone managed to kidnap them under our noses."




Sandor rode with him, while Ra took Wun Weg. Slifer tended to become grumpy when someone other than Robert was on his back, and Sandor did not want to be on the dragon's bad side.

The border with Wendwater was close, but something was off. No one, not unless they had lost all sanity, would try to blackmail him like this. For half a million gold dragons, no less.

This was a trap.

He grinned, urging Obelisk forward.




He could see a group hiding around a clearing in the forest extending to both sides of the border. He prepared to jump into the clearing, but a flash beneath caught his eye. A white circle, the kind you would find in D&D, appeared out of nowhere. It glowed with an eerie light, and he felt an unnatural weight grip him. It slowed him and the dragons down to a snail's pace.

He forced himself to turn around, seeing Slifer as the closest one to the edge of the barrier.

He thrust his hand forward, creating violent winds that pushed the dragon out before the light engulfed them. When it disappeared, there was no sign of Robert, his men, or his dragons.




"Yes!" Rhaegar screamed, moving out of the cover of the trees.

"He is gone. He and his damn men and damn dragons are all gone!" he screamed to the heavens, dancing and laughing like a madman.

From behind the trees, more men came out. Jon Connington, Richard Lonmouth, and the members of the Kingsguard stood around their king, still unable to believe what they had seen. Robert Baratheon and his dragons were gone, sent away by the magic the king had discovered at Dragonstone.

They were so stunned none of them reacted when their captives ran off to the forest.

"Your Grace, the Children!" Richard called out, pulling his sword to run after the small creatures.

"Leave them be. Without Robert and his dragons, the only danger we have left to face is Rhaelle and her dragon," Rhaegar shouted, cackling at the end.

"Not quite," a voice growled.

Slifer, the red, foul-tempered son of Robert Baratheon, dropped out of the sky, snarling.

"Oh," Rhaegar said, his shoulders slumping forward.

They were so fucking dead.




The first thing Robert noticed was that they were in free fall.

"Obelisk, Ra, catch them!" he ordered, seeing Sandor and Wun Weg falling. They wouldn't survive a fall like this, unlike him. The dragons roared, diving after the human and the giant.

The first thing he saw once beneath the clouds was a city. One that he was quickly approaching. Well-organized, orange tiles covered the roofs and right at the edge of the sea; he did recognize the city and the surrounding area.

From a great world of fiction.

He didn't have much time to ponder. He summoned winds to slow down his fall. He still hit the ground hard enough to leave a small crater, blacking out for a moment.




The guards approached the hole, halberds out. Whatever that was seemed to be the work of a mage.

"Stand ready, you cowards. We killed dozens of freaks already," the sergeant screamed. Still, an unnatural fear gripped his heart, just like his men. There were cracks coming from the hole, but the dust cloud made it difficult to see what was inside.

He stepped out of the dust, eight feet tall, one eye bearing flames and the other, lightning. He looked like a human, one that exuded an aura that screamed danger. Nothing else could be seen in his pitch black plate armor with wavy patterns.

One of the men struck with the hammer side of a halberd, acting out in terror. The weapon hit the men on the chest, not even leaving a scratch.

Only the sound of the wind ruffling the scaly plume at the top of the man's helmet could be heard.

He snorted.

None of them saw the kick that sent the poor fellow through the wall of a shop.

"Kill the freak," the sergeant screamed. He wasn't aware of what he just said as the terror gripping his heart grew.

The freak chuckled.

He reached to his back, pulling out a crystal sword that seemed to be alive with flames. They did not see the slash that bisected five men either.




He was in Novigrad, one of the cities in the Witcher world, and it felt awesome. The celebrations would have to wait until he dealt with the situation at hand. Mainly the Church of Eternal Flame and all the mage-hunting bullshit.

Sandor and Wun Weg dropped to his sides.

"Orders, my lord?" Sandor asked, watching the fleeing smallfolk and the

He glanced at the stake where a still smoldering corpse was tied to, with a priest next to it on his ass.

"Kill the guards, spare those that surrender," he said. They would be necessary to keep order in the city once there was a change in command.

"No mercy for the priests," he ordered. His eyes flashed, turning the priest into human-shaped ash, one that crumbled with the wind.

All hell broke loose.




His first target was the Great Temple of the Eternal Fire. They liked burning people. With Radovid's orders, he would bring the flames of retribution on them.

His dragons were just providing air support on a small scale. Anything large, they would set the city on fire for.

"My lord, where are we going?"

"The temple over there leads these burnings for the Eternal Flame," he said, already creating a plausible explanation for how he knew that.

"Shit," Sandor cursed. Last time someone with a fondness for burning people crossed Robert, a god was slain, and one of the oldest cities in the world with over a million souls was sent to oblivion.

The priests of the Eternal Flame were dead.

Robert reached the bridge, which led to the temple. A contingent of guards stood before them, creating a line to protect the bridge. Obelisk swooped down, releasing flames that were mere embers compared to his full might.

The soldiers could not even scream as the air in their lungs burned.

The trio stomped through the ashes, growling. The soldiers at the top were firing crossbow bolts and arrows, which uselessly pinged off their armors. Rather than bother with the door, all three leaped up.

Sandor landed on the left side of the wall above the gate, lightning spreading to cover his body.

Time slowed down for him.

He decapitated a crossbowman, reaching the one behind him before the first one's head fell on the ground. His strike broke through the steel plate from one shoulder to the waist, bisecting the bastard into three parts. Even as he moved forward, he could see the light in the man's eyes fade slowly.

Wun Weg growled, having crashed through the wall. There were plenty of soldiers on the ground as well, and as ordered, he did not show mercy. He leaped again, bringing his massive, two-sided hammer on the ground.

The stone ground where he hit was pulverized.

A circular wall of flame spread out with the shockwave. The force crushed the humans inside their armor while the fire left behind half-burned bodies. He stomped forward, roaring. A right swipe sent three humans flying away, each one dead on impact.

He brought the hammer down on another lone human. There was a crunch and a splatter as the man was crushed from head down to his legs, only leaving the arms intact.

Robert extended the sword to thrice its length, each swing slashing multiple men to half.

A swing to the right decapitated three of them, and a swing to the left turned half a dozen to ashes. Already hundreds lay dead, and it broke their morale.

The soldiers ran.

Sandor was on his right side in a heartbeat.

Wun Weg came lumbering, muttering about sticky humans.

"To the temple," he ordered. The tall, ugly building was grating on his nerves.

The civilians had already run away, and the dragons were screening the fleeing men. Of course this mess wouldn't be over just with the deaths of the Hierarch and the priests. There were Dijkstra and his men, Whoreson Junior, and Radovid.

He appeared furious on the outside, but in his heart, he wanted to jump up and down in joy. He didn't know who was responsible for that trap. However, he would be sure to thank them for this opportunity.

Right before killing them if Slifer hadn't already done so.

He stood before the temple, considering what to do. He could certainly burn it but wanted something more poetic. An idea came when the salty smell of the sea breeze tickled his nose.

What better way to spite them than to cast the Temple of the Eternal Fire in water?

First, he had to get all the loot inside, though. The temple received constant donations, and it would definitely be useful.




The citizens of Novigrad saw the temple from all corners of the city at all times. It was the tallest building in the city, its spire dominating the sky. Citizens, huddled in their homes in fear of the sudden invaders that arrived with dragons, prayed for safety.

When they saw the temple rise to the sky, the people believed their salvation was at hand.

When the temple flew and crashed into the sea, the people had one of three reactions: silent disbelief that turned them mute, fainting on the spot, or fits of mad laughter accompanied by believing that the end times were near.

The enormous temple flew off, flipping in the sky. The priests inside, along with the Hierarch, were already dead as the forces involved crushed them to a pulp.

It crashed into the sea, sinking, creating a wave that reached the harbor.




Robert dusted his hands, walking away from the hole where the temple used to be. He would have to take over a place as his new residence as the provisional ruler of the city and find a way back home. He had no idea how he came into the Witcher world of all places.

The days he had spent playing this game, and here he was, literally a part of the world. He was not confined by the narrative, and he had the power to do whatever the heck he wanted.

This was going to be so fucking fun.




"What?! What the bloody hell do you mean the temple is gone?" Dijkstra asked, feeling his knee flare in pain.

"The invader, he, he ripped the building out of the ground with his bare hands and threw it to the sea," the soldier, one of their agents in the army, stuttered out. He fell face-first to the ground, laughing until his throat went hoarse.

"Is this true?" he asked Francis, who had quite the strained look on his face. Which never boded well for anyone. The King of Beggars merely nodded, confirming the soldier's words. They had all taken refuge in the bathhouse, waiting for news, and what had arrived terrified them.

"Fucking hell," Dijkstra cursed, throwing a vase to the wall. "I was busy for half an hour, and my city's gone to shit."

"That is not all, I am afraid," the rugged, self-proclaimed king said, lowering his head.

"What?" Dijkstra exploded. What else could there be other than a fucking monster throwing buildings around like toys?

"The invader, he has two dragons under his commands," he said, having seen the gold and blue beasts patrol the skies, occasionally striking down on the soldiers.

He gritted his teeth, straining to reach down his knee over his gut. "First my vault gets robbed, and now there are men riding dragons?"

"Yes."

Dijkstra sunk into the hot bath. The pain in his knee subsided, but the one developing in his head only got worse.




Notes: And we have a lightning intro into the Witcher world, just days before Geralt reaches Novigrad. I wanted to write an interlude, but I found nothing else to write after a thousand-word-long summary of Asgard's development in general. Instead, I chose to spread it between chapters to keep you engaged.

As for whether I made Robert travel between the worlds or not, we'll see next week. Stay safe and in good health.







In the next chapter:

"Citizens of Novigrad!" Robert shouted, standing atop Obelisk's head.

He could hear a pin drop among the crowd.

After dousing the Temple of the Eternal Fire in seawater, the remaining guards had fallen in line. He was quick to summon the citizens for an announcement the next day. Under the threat of two dragons patrolling the skies, they gathered in the city square.




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