Chapter 14: City of Shadows, City of the Night

Volantis 293 AC.

Thoros.

While the training improved daily, the visions it seemed grew more insistent, but it was the one he had the night before which worried Thoros, Melisandre too. The prince had led them down deep into the temple itself, telling them of a voice he heard, a voice which called to him. So they had followed him and he had led them to a broken brazier, had then lit it alight with his torch and the flames had grown higher than should be possible, and so he had looked into the flames and seen it.

The tunnel was small, only large enough for a young boy to crawl through and the flames hotter than any he had ever felt. He moved towards it only to be forced back, only for the flames to come towards him forcing him even further back, then he watched as the prince got down on the ground and crawled towards it. He was unable to move, unable to reach out and he watched the flames as they swept around the room, as they grabbed the prince and pulled him inside.

Melisandre said hers showed her being engulfed as she tried to stop Daemon from crawling, being caught and thrown back as she tried to reach him. As for Daemon he just said he needs to face the fire, that only his chosen could survive the flames. He would have denied him the right to do so and knew Melisandre felt the same, but breaking his fast he found to his horror that Daemon had spoken and Benerro wished to see him undertake the test.

"What test, what are you talking of?" he said loudly as he Melisandre, Benerro and Kinvara argued.

"The test of the chosen, the Tunnel of Flame." Kinvara said and while Benerro looked like this was a way to prove Daemon false, she looked almost euphoric that Daemon had brought it up himself.

"What if he fails?" Melisandre asked her worry clear.

"I thought you a believer, did you not say that he was our gods chosen, that it was his destiny, or is it that you both feel for the boy and it blinds you?" Benerro said.

"The choice is not yours to make." he heard Daemon's voice and turned to see him behind him.

"My prince." he said and Daemon smiled.

"To pass under the shadow, I need the gift's R'hllor has left for me." he said and Thoros wasn't the only one confused by this.

"Gifts, my prince?" Kinvara asked.

"You'll see, it's time." Daemon said and turned to leave Thoros running after him as he did so.

"Daemon, it's too risky, too dangerous."

"Faith means nothing until it's tested Thoros," Daemon said and he looked at him as he walked down past the acolytes.

They stood in front of the door an hour later, Benerro opening it with a circular key, the room they entered was dark but as soon as they got inside the flames lit up, each of them looking to the other to see who had made it happen, though soon it was clear that none of them had. He saw it then, the tunnel, the flames, and felt his body stiffen as Daemon moved towards it.

"Daemon." he cried out as he watched him crawl towards the flames.

"Have faith Thoros." Daemon said back and then he was gone.

It was no more than a blink of an eye when Daemon returned, yet his hair was longer, his body more muscular, his height that much taller. In his hands, he carried two swords, one small and the other larger, both made of Valyrian Steel he guessed as he looked at the ripples in the steel. He stood up and Thoros turned to Benerro who seemed about to say something dismissive until he saw the swords.

"Flame and Spark, the blades forged by R'hllor's will alone." Daemon said and he found himself on his knees looking on as both Melisandre and Kinvara gasped as the blades lit up.

Speaking to Daemon later was hard, once word had come he'd passed the test, once the Fiery Hand had seen the blades, once acolytes, priests, and priestesses had come to speak to him though. he finally got his chance. He and Melisandre found him sitting on the wall of the temple as the sun went down, looking out into the distance a small smile on his face.

"My prince." he said and Daemon turned to them his eyes seeming almost alight and Thoros wasn't sure if they were or if the night was playing a trick on him.

"We need a ship, but first we need to travel to Mantarys, we will need the Fiery Hand." Daemon said and he looked at him but it was Melisandre who asked the question.

"What's in Mantarys."

"Treasure my lady, the second of R'hllor's gifts, treasure and the key to these swords." he said and they looked at him confused.

"The swords, Daemon how did you get them?"

"R'hllor gave them to me, an incentive or bribe, or just a way to show me that he is the true god."

"I don't understand?" he said shaking his head.

"I don't think we're supposed to, it is just his will and we follow after all." Daemon said and Melisandre nodded while he did not.

The next day the argument began, Benerro telling Daemon he couldn't have the Fiery Hand and Daemon telling him they were not his to give or take, they belonged to R'hllor and this was R'hllors will. Over time more and more of them had come to see him train, some had come to test their steel against his, he had watched and wondered if they would swear to him, wondering if it came to it who would they follow, it seemed he was about to find out.

"I have received a vision from R'hllor, a gift for his chosen, he bids me to travel to Mantarys to receive another of his gift's and he bids the Fiery Hand join me on this journey, what say you?" Daemon said.

"We shall follow you, my prince."

"His chosen."

"The prince who was promised."

One by one they stood up and one by one the Fiery Hand made it clear who they followed, who they supported, and Thoros looked to Melisandre and Kinvara who smiled, and to Benerro who did not.

Mantarys 294 AC.

Melisandre.

The march to the city took them over a moon and they found out very quickly that they were not welcome, the guards coming out in force to meet them. She looked to Thoros who shook his head and then to Daemon who just smiled before walking to the leader of the men who stood in their way, the man's hand immediately going to the small sword at his hip.

"I seek entry into the city, my men will await me here, they will not attack unless I am harmed." Daemon said to the Mantarys guard and with him now standing closer she could see the man far more clearly.

She had heard tales of the twisted monsters that the people of Mantarys had become, how the doom had affected them so that every man or woman born within the walls was some form of grotesque. Her fellow priests had told tales of men with two heads, of men with extra limbs, yet the man and the guards in front of her looked perfectly normal though a little angry at her prince.

"You and your people are not welcome here, should you not move, then you leave us no choice and violence shall occur." the man said his smile showing misshapen teeth.

"Trust me, the last thing you want is for there to be violence here my friend, the only blood that would be spilled is your own." she heard Daemon say and she looked on nervously.

"You think your words scare me boy, I've fought bigger and more dangerous men than you and your priests." the man said laughing as some of his men chuckled.

"Were they faster?" Daemon said.

"What."

"Were they faster than me?"

She watched as he quickly moved around behind the man and with a kick to the back of the knee the man was on the ground, Daemon's swords out, Flame pointing to the rest of the forces while Spark was held to the man's neck. She saw the look in their faces when Flame lit up and then the way they backed off, Daemon looking down at the man on the ground and pulling Spark away as it too lit up.

"We've been sent here on a mission for the God of Flame and Shadow, to deny us is to deny him and R'hllor looks down very unkindly on those who dare to do so. I seek entry to your city, I will not stay long." Daemon said and she saw the guards looking at the flames.

"You and you alone?" the man on the ground asked and Daemon nodded.

"Just me."

After letting the man back to his feet Daemon walked over and they tried to talk him out of it, tried to make him take an honor guard at least, but he just smiled.

"I walk with a god's favor, what need have I for a guard."

Had she not been so worried for her prince she'd have laughed, the little boy who she had met a little over a year ago had grown and was far more assured and confident than she thought one so young could be. They waited for most of the evening and as night fell, she, Thoros and the Fiery Hand all looked to the city in the distance, waiting, hoping for their prince's return.

He did so at the break of dawn the next morning, the sun beaming in the sky and she watched as the prince walked towards them, a small sack in his hands. She was relieved to see him unharmed, annoyed by the smirk on his face after he had made them worry so, but her relief won out for now.

"It was exactly where R'hllor said it would be." Daemon said and sounded once more like the excited young boy he truly was.

"What was my prince?"

"The map and the key." he said taking out a large parchment and a charred blackened key.

"A map to where?" Thoros asked and Damon showed them.

"Here." he said pointing to where two rivers crossed each other, she looked more closely, they were not far but they would need to travel some more to reach them, another week perhaps.

"What will we find there?" she asked and received no answer.

The journey to the river was made so much easier due to Daemon's own excitement and sense of adventure, he by the third day of travel had convinced her more about her god's true power than Benerro or Kinvara had in years. What made it more amazing to her was that while it was clear Daemon was R'hllor's chosen, it was also clear that for some reason her prince had not yet made the same commitment back.

"Given what he's shown you my prince, given what you know to be true, why have you not accepted your role, your fate, and given R'hllor your fealty?" she asked the night before they reached their destination.

"Others may believe me to be a prophesized prince, a savior, they may believe me to be chosen my lady, but from the day I was born it was clear to me I was not wanted, it was made clear to me that I was not worthy. For years I've been told this, shown this, despite having people who care for me tell me different, why should I believe a god, when I didn't believe my own blood?" he said and she felt his sadness and so reaching out she placed her hand in his.

"You are my prince, now and always." she said and he smiled before walking to the tree and laying down to sleep.

The next day they reached the river and she looked on as Daemon drew his blades, igniting them and placing them in the water, she heard the sound of a stone moving and looked around to see a large rock fall and reveal a cave. Swords still alight Daemon took them from the river and joined by Thoros all three of them walked to the cave entrance. What she saw inside took her breath away, gold, jewels, books, scrolls, and a small chest on a stone table.

"Where did this come from?" she asked.

"Valyria." Daemon said and neither she nor Thoros could argue.

She watched as he walked to the chest and took the charred key and opened it, and then she gasped when she saw the chain with the ruby on it, a ruby so much like her own, but bigger, even redder, seeing Daemon place it on his neck she waited to see what would happen. Then both she and Thoros ran as he fell to the ground, they tried to remove it, to take it off, to even cut it away, but nothing worked.

"His swords, use his swords." she said to Thoros, her voice high pitched due to the worry she felt.

"No." Daemon said a moment later, his hand grabbing Thoros's before it could touch his swords, she turned to look and had to blink as she saw the flames in Daemon's eyes, when she opened her own again though they were gone.

"The chest, where is it?" Daemon said jumping to his feet and she watched as he grabbed it and took out some parchment smiling as he did so.

"Daemon, what is it?" Thoros asked.

"Another gift, the key to the ruby and the swords." he said and handed him the parchment, she waited while he read it and then looked at it when he handed it to her.

There is power in blood, my chosen's most of all, use it wisely but only when called.

For those who need to see the light.

Quick like a shadow from a fading sun

Fierce like a Dothraki charge

Sharp like a scorpions tail

Resolute like an unsullied spear

For those who need to be shown the darkness.

Quick like a shadow from a fading sun

Fierce like a Dothraki charge

Sharp like a scorpions tail

Resolute like an unsullied spear

Lethal as a dragons flame.

"What does this mean?" she asked.

"Light is life, Dark is death." Daemon said and she looked to Thoros confused.

"R'hllor showed you this?" Thoros asked.

She looked on as Daemon reached his hand to the ruby and nodded, before he turned to them and motioned to the rest of the room.

"What we need to do requires coin, gold, R'hllor has provided us with both. There is a ship in Mantarys waiting to take us to Braavos, we need to go see some bankers, and then there's a man we need to meet in Pentos." Daemon said.

Each member of the Fiery Hand, herself, Thoros and Daemon all of them carried a part of the treasure her god had provided, looking at the empty cave behind her she felt a small shudder down her spine. She had thought Daemon needed the Fiery Hand for a fight, for protection, but this was more than that, this was more than just needing their help, more than just needing them to carry this treasure, this was a test of faith.

The Black Betha 295 AC.

Davos.

Had the boy's coin not been so good, were things not so desperate he would never have taken on this journey. But his need and the offer of the reward, the chance to earn so much took his usual caution away, that the boy had also promised he'd not need to actually sail into Asshai had helped greatly. Still, the journey itself was long and perilous and though well supplied, he still worried.

The seas remained calm though, the wind stayed up, and apart from the knot which every so often appeared at the pit of his stomach each time he spoke to the boy's companions, he had rarely had a more easy journey. They restocked in Lys, any doubts he had about the boy's coin soon faded when he saw how much they had bought, fine wines, good food, he'd be comfortable at least should this turn out to be his final voyage.

They sailed through the Summer Sea, the Sunset Sea, sailed closer to Sothoryos than he had ever been, through the Cinnamon Straits and into the Jade Sea and Davos marveled at some of the sights he saw. As for the boy, he spoke to his sons, both of them liking the lad it seemed, to his priest and priestess, and he helped out with the rigging despite Davos hearing the priests refer to him as a prince.

"A dangerous place lad." he said as they passed the Manticore Isles.

"More dangerous than where we go Ser Davos?" the boy asked with a chuckle.

"Why go there, you have wealth, why go to a place such as that lad?"

"Why don't you use my name?" the boy said and Davos laughed.

"Daemon, why risk yourself so?"

"Something calls to me Davos, something I can't explain. I hear it at night, in my dreams, it's there in that city, amongst the shadows and it doesn't' belong there, it needs the light, it has to have the light." Daemon said and he looked at him shaking his head.

"How do you know that it's not just a dream, or madness?" he asked and Daemon laughed fully then.

"You think me mad?"

"I don't know." he said honestly.

"My family has known madness Davos, true madness, this is not that, but isn't you taking this trip a form of madness anyway?"

"Desperation, Daemon there's a difference." he said.

"Is there Davos, or does desperation not force you to do something mad?" he looked at him trying to answer but Daemon shook his head "I promised you wealth Davos, a fair price, I'll do you one better, the urge you get to flee and leave me alone here, when it comes, I ask you to fight it, to wait, and I'll see your house secure for not just yours but for your children's lifetime."

He looked at him when he walked away, still unsure what to make of him. Was he Confident or Mad? Brilliant or Delusional? He couldn't figure out which he really was, what he really was, he was highborn, wealthy and from Westeros, that these people called him prince he couldn't understand. As he stood there trying to figure it out he smelt the perfume and shook his head, the lady coming to talk as she always did once he'd spoken to the prince.

"Those questions you have, they have answers you know?" Melisandre said and he nodded.

"Why do you follow him, my lady?"

"He is my god's chosen, the Prince that was Promised." she said and he turned to look at her, having not heard the second part before.

"The Prince that was Promised?"

"He will birth dragons from stone and bring the dawn, for he is Azor Ahai reborn." she said and had she not spoken so softly, so earnestly he'd have thought himself at a sermon.

"He means to walk into Asshai alone my lady." he said and she nodded.

"Ask him to show you his swords Ser Davos, ask him to show you the light, then tell me why he should fear the shadows."

A few days later he could see it in the distance, the shadow city, and his first urge was to turn and sail back, to tell Daemon and his priests to keep their coin. He did not wish to be here, did not want to be here, as they sailed closer the feeling became even more sure, even more certain, this was a place of darkness.

"You can drop anchor here Ser Davos, I'll travel on alone." Daemon said and just hearing his voice almost scared the remaining wits out of him.

"You shouldn't do this, we should leave." Davos said and Daemon smiled at him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"I cannot, I ask that you do not, remember what I said, I hope to see you again Ser Davos, but if not, I wish you good fortune."

He watched as the boat was lowered as Daemon said goodbye to the red priests, the lady hugging him tightly and the man's face showing a father's concern. As he climbed down into the boat, as he began to row off, Davos leaned over the side and called out to him.

"Your sword's Daemon, show me the light?"

He heard the small chuckle and in the gloom, he saw the swords being lifted into the air, then he looked on as they lit up, he looked on as they shined, and in mere moments he had to shield his eyes the light shone that brightly. As the light faded from the swords he saw the shadows move closer and Davos felt that knot in the pit of his stomach return.

Asshai 295 AC.

Quaithe.

These men, these foolish men, for far too long she had spent her time in their company, spent her time listening as they searched for secrets they had no right to know. She had watched as the scratched the surface of powers they knew not how to handle and laughed as they predicted events that would never come to pass. Now with him so close these fools still knew not of what was to come, and she feared their ignorance.

"The glass candles are burning, but the things they show cannot be real." Azak No Raal said.

"Dragons are long since past, for one to appear now is but a dream brother." Razka No Raal said and Azak nodded.

"Yet we see them still, what does this mean? Olads asked.

"The prince that was promised is near." she said and the six men laughed at her, even as she rose to her feet "The time of the dragon is at hand, the Red God has chosen and those who stand in his way will fall."

She left the room leaving the fools both cursing her and laughing at her, walking to her home she took the red mask off when she reached her room, then she took off the ruby and watched as her dark hair become blond, her eyes go green and blue and Quaithe was no more. Combing her hair in the mirror, she felt something she had not felt in many years, she felt her blood call out to her and her heart began to race.

She reached for the candle, tried to see but the boy just looked as he was, a boy, dark of hair and eye and yet there was something familiar about him and it intrigued her even more. Putting the mask back on she called for her Palanquin and bid them take her to the docks, she wished to meet the boy, to seek the truth of him. Their journey to the docks was quick and fast and she was surprised to see the boy rowing alone, to see him arriving by himself, he was either brave or stupid and she could not tell which.

"My name is Quaithe, I welcome you to the Shadow City."

"Daemon my lady." he said and she smiled a true smile, it had been long since she had heard her brother's name spoken allowed.

"Why have you come here Daemon?" she asked and watched as his expression became more guarded.

"My business is my own my lady." he said and she nodded.

"I offer you my hospitality then, a gift to a tired traveler, do you accept?"

He looked her up and down, looked as if he was about to refuse before he saw something and it took her a moment to see what it was that had caught his attention.

"A gift from a former love." she said holding the ruby in her hand.

"It's beautiful my lady, I'd be more than happy to take you up on your offer."

He was quiet on the ride back, but as they neared her home she heard them and wondered what had brought them out tonight, the Shadow Hounds had never come this close to her before. She heard the screams and the yells and knew they were under attack, her men falling she reached for the ruby and then looked on in horror as the boy jumped out, following him a moment later.

The swords were alight, the flames burning brightly and the Shadow Hounds retreated quickly, her men had fallen and would soon rise again she knew, as she saw their eyes flickering from blue to red to white.

"The bodies, you need to burn the bodies." she said and Daemon moved quickly, the flames on his swords quickly setting the clothing alight.

"What were they?" Daemon asked as they walked to her home, his swords still out and the flames lighting the way.

"Shadow Hounds, they usually don't attack so."

"Why did they then?"

"What is your name Daemon?"

"What has that got to do with anything?"

"Your name, your true name, please I must know?" she said and whether it was her panicked voice or the boy's own concern over the Shadow Hounds he answered and she almost fell to the ground when he did.

"Daemon, Daemon Targaryen."

"You should not be here, you cannot be here, come we must leave tonight, your ship it is close."

"It is, you are free to use it my lady, but I must travel forward, I need to go to the City of the Night."

"Stygai, you cannot, no one can, no one has" she said and Daemon just smiled.

"Then I'll be the first."

Reaching her home she brought Daemon inside and prepared as much food and water as she could for him, before taking him to visit the stable master. Lortes owed her and it was time to collect, the Shadow Mare would be hers this night and so after haggling with the man, after Daemon paid him in coin, he gave her up and she watched as Apothic was led out.

"She will serve you well, be careful and return, we will speak then."

"I thank you, my lady." Daemon said and as he mounted the Shadow Mare, as he moved to ride away she found herself speaking words she'd not uttered in many a year.

"To go north you must journey south, to reach the west you must go east. To go forward you must go back and to touch the light you must pass beneath the shadow." she said and as he rode off she wondered why she had done so, what had made her say that of all things.

Sitting in her room that night, she looked down as the ruby glowed, as she combed her hair, she looked into the glass candle as she saw her kin ride the Shadow Mare into the darkness. Touching the ruby she saw him standing there, the red birthmark clear, the smile on his face as he handed her the ruby, as he told her those words.

" One day my love you will know what they mean." Brynden said as he kissed her for the last time.

The Shadowlands 295 AC.

Daemon.

He had never ridden a horse like Apothic before, she never tired, never slowed, she just ran and given the sounds around him, given the shapes he saw, that was a good thing. There would be no rest in this place, no peace, if he stopped he'd be fighting and so he let her run and in the end, he tired long before she did. He dozed off more than once, but the shadows in his dreams allowed no real rest and the shrieks and howls he heard woke him quickly.

Glancing down on the Ash as it flowed beside him he more than once had to shake his head and rub his eyes, the things he saw swimming in it couldn't be real, it had to be tiredness playing with his mind. He ate the food Quaithe had given him and was wondering if he should give some to Apothic, when he heard a buzzing and things came from the sky.

Apothic stopped her head turning to look at him and he saw them clearly then, they weren't quite birds, their wings seeming to be a part of their bodies. The bodies themselves shrunken and almost humanlike, the shrieked and he saw they had claws and sharp teeth, and they were close and getting closer. Grabbing his swords he stood ready and as they drew closer he began to chant.

Quick like a shadow from a fading sun

Fierce like a Dothraki charge

Sharp like a scorpions tail

Resolute like an unsullied spear

Lethal as a dragons flame.

He moved faster than he had ever moved, his swords a blur, their blades moving in arcs so swift that you couldn't make out which were which, and it was only the feel as it connected with something soft that made it clear he'd been successful with his strike. How long it went on for he didn't know, but as the sun rose they were gone, Apothic moving around the ground eating the bodies of the fallen.

The Shadow Mare refused to move during the light, refused to carry him, almost attacking him when he tried to mount her, whatever tiredness she didn't feel at night, she seemed to feel now. In the end, she lay down and he lay beside her, sleeping as she slept and waking when she did.

"Ready to go again girl?" he asked and she whinnied and he set off as night fell once more.

It took them almost three days to reach the gates of Stygai and when they did, Daemon for the first time felt he should turn back. There was death in this place, he could feel it all around him, even Apothic felt it the Shadow Mare refusing to go any further. Climbing off the horse he moved closer and as he did so the gates opened, and he heard a voice calling him.

"Remember who you are, Daemon. The dragon knows. Do you?

Stygai 295 AC.

The City of the Night.

Daemon.

As he walked through the gates, as he stepped into the city, he felt the heat on his back and looking up he saw the sun rise and in the distance, he saw the shadows retreat. He walked further into the city and found it wasn't a city at all, it was a graveyard, stones marking where the fallen had been laid to rest. Some were more elaborate than others, some graves bearing names or statues, some with fresh flowers even though he had seen none growing since he'd stepped off the ship.

He looked at the statues, a tall man with a shield and sword, a man carrying a spear, a beautiful woman holding a lute, a small girl looking sad. He began to read the names and found most in a language he couldn't make out, words he couldn't understand. But then he found some in a language he knew well, and wondered why in this place it seemed that Valyrian's had also been buried here.

"Velaryon."

"Ageriox."

"Tolaskts."

"Baelerys."

"Celtigar."

"Aurion."

"Targaryen."

Daemon stopped and looked, finding more than one stone with his family's name on it, more than one of his ancestors, of his kin, was laid to rest in this place and he couldn't understand it. As he was standing there he felt a chill and looked to see the sun began to lower and he shook his head, he had been here no more than an hour, surely?. He saw the building in the distance and without knowing why he did so he ran for it, opening the doors and closing them behind him as the sun went down.

Taking out his swords, he set them alight and looked around finding himself in a large room, he heard a scratching at the door and moved further into the room, almost screaming as the doors burst open. Seeing what stood there he felt like screaming even more, but he had no time for it as the misshapen things came towards him. His swords were true and the flames kept them to a distance and as he backed up, he pushed against a door and fell downwards.

"Fuck." he said dusting himself off and looking up at the hill he'd rolled down, he waited but nothing followed him down, though he heard them up there still.

Looking around he was faced with a simple choice, forward or back and so he pushed forward, walking down a long tunnel. After what felt like an age he came to a passage, one way giving him a pretty simple option, though one which soon became a lot harder as when he looked behind him he found the way he'd just come from was brighter, more illuminated, and far different than it had been just moments ago.

"What the fuck?" he said loudly hearing no echo, instead he heard a voice in his head, Quatihe's voice and shaking his head he laughed "Fuck it, why not.".

He headed back south until he came to a crossroads, then he went east until he came to another, turning around he went back the way he came and then in front of him high above a doorway he watched as a shadow flickered on the ceiling, he moved forward, opened the door and found him in a room full of light, a throne in front of him.

Walking forward he took the seat to rest and then looked on as a man stepped into the room, a silver crown resting on his head.

"Out of the night I come, into the light, I step, for the night is dark and full of terrors." the man said drawing his longsword.

Daemon looked on as another man stepped forward this one wearing a bronze crown, and carrying a spear, repeating the words the first man had said. Before he had time to react five more stepped out, each of them carrying weapons, An Axe, a Greatsword, a Bow, Daggers, one carrying a halberd and wearing a steel gauntlet. Each of the men wore crowns, Dragonglass, Iron, Gold and Glass and one wore Valyrian steel.

"Do you bring the light, or are you to join us here in the darkness?" the man wearing the Valyrian steel crown asked and then the man looked above, he looked around as the flames on the wall went out one by one.

He soon felt himself being thrown against the ground, felt the wind as a blade went close by his head, heard the whoosh of an arrow. As he pulled his swords, as he set them alight he saw the flames to be far dimmer than they had once been. He felt the longsword crash against his blade, and instinctively he pushed Spark forward and felt the sword cut through flesh.

The light on his sword grew stronger and so he turned and swung flame, feeling it make contact with something, hearing a noise, and the flames were brighter still. How long he fought he didn't know, how many times he'd made contact with someone he couldn't' be sure, in the end, he fell to the floor, no sounds, no noise, no light, and his eyes closed as he collapsed.

"You have defeated us all boy, you have my fealty and that of my brothers, call only when needed, but remember the price is high so use it well, for only blood can pay for blood." he heard the voice say and he opened his eyes to see the shadows fade into the wall, to find himself sitting alone on the throne.

"You have done well, but there is more to be done, blood knows blood Daemon, a dragon will only follow a dragon." he heard a voice which he knew to be his own though it sounded older and far more distant.

Rising to his feet he walked to the door to find it locked, he pushed against it, kicked it, he tried to force it open with his blade, nothing worked, nothing he did made it budge. He looked around the room again quickly finding there was no way out, no other door and he began to pace, trying to think, trying to remember if there was anything he'd forgotten, anything he needed to do and finding nothing.

In his frustration and anger he kicked the throne, seeing it fall over and looking on as the passage beneath was revealed, he didn't even wait and began climbing down the ladder immediately. The room he found himself in was filled with shelf upon shelf, everywhere he looked there were eggs, dragons eggs of varying colors and sizes. Moving around he felt himself drawn to one, in particular, it's black scales barely discernible in the gloom.

Picking it up he felt it deep within him, felt it call to him, reach out to him, heard it speak his name, without thinking he cut his hand with Spark and let the blood drip over the egg, feeling it's joy as it drank. He carried it towards the door and opened it to find himself back in the room he'd entered at the very beginning, the door was still open and immediately he was surrounded by them, the things from the shadows seeking him out.

The ruby around his neck glowed, his blades were alight, countless bodies surrounded him and still they came, burning them proved no barrier, no obstacle, still they came and he felt his strength begin to fade, his will begin to falter. The crack he heard almost got him killed, the shock of the noise stopping him for a moment, the screech from the dragon almost losing him his head.

When he heard her in his head, when he heard her voice though it filled him with a strength he didn't know he possessed, a will that couldn't be broken and as the dragon looked at him, as the Shadow Demons came closer, he finally understood.

"Dracarys." he said as loudly as he could and the dragon's flames were released.

By the time he left the city the dragon was the size of a small dog, she had feasted on the corpses of the shadows, their flesh, their essence, whatever it was they were made of helping her grow. When she was full, when she was no longer hungry, he had knelt down and looked at her, looked into her eyes.

"Lyanax, for my mother." he said and the dragon chirped its acceptance.

Aptohic was gone, whether she had run back home, or had fallen prey to the things in the night Daemon couldn't tell, all he knew was he had a long way to go to reach Asshai and no certainty of making it back alive.

The Shadowlands/Asshai 295 AC.

Daemon .

The journey felt like it took a lifetime, Daemon actually felt himself grow older, felt himself age as he walked. Each night he fought, he and Lyanax side by side, she with her flames and he with his, each night they came and each night Daemon and the dragon beat them back. During the day he rested while she ate, he had picked one of the things up such was his own hunger, only for her to grab it from his hands, her eyes looking to him, her voice telling him no.

"I'm starving." he said in his frustration one day and the dragon just nudged him, drawing his attention to the ruby around his neck.

Picking up one of the bodies he watched as the ruby glowed, watched as it dimmed when he threw it down and then finally realized what it was the dragon was telling him. One morning he woke hungrier than ever, almost willing to take the chance, but Lyanax was gone and his worry and fear he'd been left alone trumped his hunger for now.

Collapsing to the ground in both his exhaustion and despair, he found himself hoping she was safe at least, that if she had abandoned him that she had at least found her way out of this hell. He was woken a little later when she nudged against him, looking at her he was stunned to see she was now the size of a small horse, but it was the meat in her mouth which drew his gaze.

She dropped it in front of him and he grabbed it, ready to put it in his mouth when he looked at the ruby, relieved to see it stay dark as ever and so he ate ravenously. They fought them again that night and this time it felt lesser, felt easier. By the time they saw the city Lyanax was as big as an Aurochs, she refused to join him inside though heading out towards the sea instead.

"Quaithe? Which way to Quaithe's?" he asked a woman in a mask who ignored him.

In the end, he found it though he knew not how, when she saw him she seemed relieved and he found himself, eating, drinking and asleep within an hour of seeing her. The next morning he woke up to see her sitting there looking at him, her mask flickering in the light of the candles that still burned.

"It's is good to see you back Daemon, though I hadn't expected you so soon."

"Soon, I've been gone for moons." he said confused and reached up to his face, where he had felt hair had begun to grow only the day before.

"Daemon, you've been gone for less than a day." she said and he looked at her shaking his head.

"That's impossible, Stygai, Lyanax." he said and Quaithe just looked at him as if he was mad.

"Lyanax? Daemon I swear it you left me only yesterday, when Apothic came back I feared the worst, but to see you here." she said a smile on her face.

"That cannot be, the City of the Night, the shadows, the things I've seen, the things I've done." Daemon said and Quaithe just nodded clearly not believing anything he said.

"We must leave here soon, your blood, our blood, they will seek to use it for their own ends."

"Our blood?" he asked and she took her ruby off, then her mask.

"My name is Shiera Seastar, It's good to meet my kin again."

He looked at her in shock watching as her hair changed from dark to blond, as her eyes changed to one blue, one green, it couldn't be, it was impossible, even should she live she'd be, she'd be over a hundred name days old.

"How?" he asked and she shook her head.

"A story for another time, we must leave and leave now, we cannot be here when night falls." she said and he nodded.

She left the room and he heard her feet shuffling in the background while he threw water on his face and tried to figure out if he had dreamed of dragons, of monsters and shadows or had he lived it. He felt a presence though, a voice at the edge of his mind, a thing of unimaginable power calling to him, seeking him out, her voice in his head.

"Run." she said.

Moving quickly he found Quaithe, Shiera, whatever the truth of her he'd figure that out later, for now, the urgency of the voice, the fear in it fuelled his own and he knew they had to go now.

"We need to hurry, Lyanax says we need to run." he said and while Shiera shook her head, she grabbed her things and they left through a small window at the back.

They heard the crashing of the doors, the breaking of wood. almost as soon as they had left, running through the street he pulled Flame out his other hand carrying a sack with Shiera's things inside. Reaching the docks he was surprised to find his boat still there, he helped her in and began to row away as fast as he could, the voices getting louder behind them.

"Watch out." she said and he looked as arrows flew, their shadowy form almost making them invisible to the naked eye.

The flames came from above, and he heard the screams of pain and Shiera's gasp as Lyanax burned the men who fired on them. As he rowed for his life, they finally made it to a safe enough distance from shore to relax and Shiera looked to the sky to find it empty.

"That was a dragon." she said her voice full of joy.

"Lyanax." he said and she nodded.

"How?"

"I found her egg in Stygai, she hatched before we left, she's grown ever since."

"I meant what I said Daemon, you were gone no more than a day."

"For me, it was far longer." he said and she looked at him oddly.

"How much longer?"

"Moons, two maybe three."

"Even were it so, she should not be so large."

He told her then of the shadows, of finding the egg, of the things they'd faced, the things Lyanax had feasted on, Shiera sat there listening, the boat drifting while he rested his arms.

"Magic, she feeds on magic."

"I don't understand?"

"Magic knows Magic, Daemon, it needs it, feeds on it, all who use Magic know this, but perhaps for a dragon, it's even more literal, maybe they need to devour magic itself."

"You think in killing those things, in eating them, it makes her stronger and helps her grow?"

"I do not know, perhaps."

When he was rested he rowed again further out into the bay, there was no sign of the Black Betha anywhere, no ship in sight and he felt upset that Davos hadn't listened, that he'd not believed in him. It was to thoughts of this and to thoughts of the position that left them in, that he heard Shiera call out and he turned to look to see the ship floating some way off to the right.

The Black Betha 295 AC.

Thoros.

Though it had only been days, he, Melisandre and the ship's captain had all shown their worry in different ways, Melisandre had looked to the flames, prayed to their god and found no comfort. The captain, Davos had looked to his ship, he had made some repairs, fixed some sails, he had checked and rechecked their stocks and spent time on the ships bow looking to the land.

He had found himself exercising, while he couldn't spar he had practiced his movements, he had ran around the deck, looking like a mad man though he cared not. He had carried things from the cabins to the deck and back, increased the weight he could carry each time, trying to keep his mind off the dangers Daemon may be facing. None of it had done any good, not for him, nor the others and as he woke that morning, he prepared for yet another fruitless day.

"You're not hungry?" Dale asked him as he moved his plate away.

"I find my appetite gone." he said and Mathos smirked as he grabbed his plate.

"More for me." Mathos said as Dale mouthed 'Fat Fucker' at him.

It actually brought a smile to his face to hear the banter between the brothers, he had found Davos and his son's to be good company and had it not been for his worry over Daemon, he'd have enjoyed theirs even more. He was standing up when Melisandre came running in, her smiling face telling him all he needed to know.

"The prince has returned, he is not alone." she said and he joined her as she turned to run back up the stairs.

When he reached the deck he looked out to where Davos was pointing, seeing Daemon rowing with a woman sitting in front of him on the boat. It took them almost an hour to reach them, then another few moments to be helped onto the ship and for the boat to be taken back on board.

"You are well?" he said grabbing his prince and making sure he could see no injuries.

"More than well, may I present Shiera Seastar, my..my."

"We are kin." the woman said and Thoros nodded.

"Thoros of Myr and Melisandre of Asshai, my lady"

"A Shadowbinder?" she said to Melisandre.

"I know of the gift my lady, though I've never used it."

"Ser Davos, it's good to see you." Daemon said his smile beaming as he looked at the onion knight.

"You too lad, now can we leave this god's forsaken place."

"We can, I've gotten all I need from here."

"You were successful?" Melisandre said hopefully and Daemon nodded.

Over the next few weeks, he told them tale of what he'd seen, of what he'd done, both he and Melisandre torn between believing him unconditionally and questioning him extensively. When they finally reached Volantis, Thoros found himself doubting his prince, not that Daemon didn't believe it himself, but that Lyanax existed having not seen the dragon once on the journey.

"She's flown home." Daemon said when he asked him where the dragon was.

"Home?"

"Valyria, she seeks the magic that engulfs that place."

"Why?"

"You'll see when we meet her."

As they got ready to leave the ship he heard Daemon and Davos speak, the knight welcoming the chance to make more coin, to join the prince's service, when Daemon told him to buy a bigger ship, one which could carry more men, both he and Melisandre looked at him trying to work out his mind. But it was Shiera who spoke to them, who told them of the prince's plans.

"R'hllor has a plan for him, for the Prince that was Promised, it is our duty, mine, yours and yours." she said pointing to him and then Melisandre "To keep him safe and help him in this plan, we cannot fail, if he falls, the world falls." she said and he nodded.

Arriving back at the temple was strange, the Fiery Hand had lined up to welcome them their spears raised as they stood in strict formation and it brought a lump to his throat to see the prince welcomed so. Not everyone seemed so friendly though, Kinvara was more than happy to see them return, Benerro not so much, he glowered at the prince until anyone caught his eye and then he put a fake smile on his face.

"I had thought you'd have brought something back, was it not a gift from our god you sought?" Benerro said and Daemon just laughed.

"R'hllor has gifted me many things Benerro, but this one is the greatest of all his boons, look up and see his majesty." Daemon said and Benerro, Kinvara, he and Melisandre, the Fiery Hand, priests and acolytes alike looked up and saw.

"Lyanax." Shiera said her voice full of awe as the black dragon flew over the temple, it's shadow casting them all in darkness, before he heard Daemon say the word and she let her flames free into the sky.

"Dracarys Lyanax." and the darkness was gone and the world bathed in light.

Kings Landing 300 AC.

Rhaella.

She staggered away from the fire her feet barely holding her up, Daemon grabbed her in his arms and held her tightly to him as she cried on his shoulder. The things he'd seen, the things he'd done, they scared her, terrified her, worried her and yet all she could really concentrate on was how proud she felt. He had faced more hardships than she could ever imagine, he had faced things she never knew existed, yet he stood in front of her, still the boy she had loved all her life.

"Daemon, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry you had to face that, you had to live that."

"Don't be, I survived, I'm well, I'm here and happy, you taught me all I know Grandmother, you kept me safe, even when you were not with me, you kept me safe."

"Shiera?"

"Awaits in Lys, it's not her time to come back home yet."

"Those things, those eyes, red, blue, white, what does it mean?"

"A story for another time grandmother, rest, try to sleep, we can talk on the morrow."

He walked her to her room, whispered to Bon and she climbed into her bed, her knight climbing into bed beside her, she thought it would be hard to sleep and she worried about her dreams, but her grandson's words comforted her.

"The night is dark and full of terrors, grandmother, but we, you and I, we walk in the light."