The Sunset Sea, early morning…
Harry was enjoying the fresh morning air as the ship neared its destination, the ancient city of Qarth. Harry had heard of the old and wealthy city for years and longed to visit it and finally he thought with glee he would get the chance.
But it would be a few hours yet before they docked so Harry instead took a few calming breaths and sat down on the bow of the ship, crossed legged and sank into a meditative state. Meditation he had learned from his study of the water magic books recovered in Chroyane was required in the beginning so you could feel the flow of energy in the body, an essential part of water magic and later could assist in replenishing your magical reserves after using your powers. He was making progress and was starting to feel the flow of energy around his body. It was amazing he thought, seeing it racing along the nerves of his body.
But the more he learnt the less he seemed to understand about magic, he had the skills and knowledge of his alternate self but that just told him what he could do with magic, not where it came from or how he could make the most use of it. Now he was starting to see more of its nature rather than its application and from that how he could use it more effectively but still he did not know where it came from or why there was so little of it in the world now.
But as he looked ahead of him, he saw the large and busy port of Qarth coming into view. Knowing they would be docking soon he got to his feet and except for some soreness from sitting on the hard deck for so long he was excited and rushed to his cabin to get ready. It was going to be a busy day.
Qarth…
The only city he had seen with such a busy port was Braavos Harry thought with amazement, being the major port between the east and the west meant ships had to dock here while sailing between the two. Harry smiled seeing the sheer vibrancy of the port but frowned when he saw the port authority coming towards them remembering why some merchants preferred to take the longer route through Qohor than dock here.
The slimy port official looked expectantly at the captain who sighed before handing over a large pouch of coins that presumably was the exhaustive docking fee. Harry then felt the official's eyes turn to him and smile that oily smile. Knowing what was coming Harry walked over the official deciding just to get it over with.
"If you wish to enter our great city, you must pay the toll and state your reason for visiting." The Official said with the same nasty smile and Harry honestly felt his skin crawl, his earlier good mood quickly evaporating. He looked into the surface thoughts of the official and while reporting the reason for his visit was correct procedure the toll was not. Just a way for the official to skim a little off the top from gullible travellers. Harry felt a nasty smile appearing on his own face as he decided to call the man out on it.
"I will play my toll to the Harbour Master and tell him of your 'loyal' service. I am sure he will be grateful to see his men doing their utmost to encourage trade. The city's lifeblood." Harry said slowly, his smile only growing wider as the official grew nervous and the captain who had looked annoyed now had a slight grin on his face.
"I am sure he would be delighted to see you but his time is limited as is mine. Please just tell my scribe your name and the reason for your visit and I will trouble you no further." The official said quickly gesturing for a lurking scribe to come forward and take his details.
"Harry Tyrell, just visiting the city." Harry said seeing no reason to lie after all no one here knew him.
A statement that would come back to haunt him as when the scribe later filed away the declaration, it was quickly read by a clerk who secreted it away to his unknown employer.
-x-
Harry was blissfully unaware of his arrival being noteworthy to someone as he toured the city that might well be the most ostentatious he had ever seen, not even Qohor or Braavos could compare.
The port for example, it must have been one of the busiest and most colourful he had ever seen with so many ships of different nations filling its great stone quays it must be a logistical nightmare to keep track of them all. A vast complex of warehouses, inns, brothels, gambling den and temples serviced all of the ships and men that came here and must Harry thought be very rich with all the business the sailors brought.
But things did not become less impressive as he entered the city proper; the three great walls standing fifty, forty and thirty feet high respectively. But Harry did think the elaborate carvings and murals of animals, war and lovemaking on them was a bit ridiculous, walls were supposed to be for defence not showing off at least in his mind but still they were an impressive sight.
That theme of decorating buildings did not lessen as he rode around on Storm. A bronze arch that had been shaped like two snakes mating with their scales made with flakes of lapis lazuli, dragonglass and jade. Every square had ornate fountains styled after dragons, griffins and manticores. Balconies that stood out from colourful buildings were nice to look at although delicate and frail.
The Great Arcade was a particular sight he wanted to see having heard about it from the Maesters. Heroes of the city's past were celebrated here with enormous statues on columns made of marble coloured green and white, Harry noticed that many of them were centuries old which was unsurprising since the city had not fought a war for at least that long.
But as he walked down the street, despite the gloriously designed buildings around him Harry felt…unnerved. His magic felt strange, not as strong as it was normally and there was an aura in the air that felt wrong. Perhaps Harry thought the best way to describe it was if it were a smell then it would be like rotting flesh in the burning sun. Foul was the word Harry would use to describe it, he would have been grateful to feel actual magic but this magic felt wrong to him and he almost considered leaving but he shook himself and carried on, determined to enjoy himself and see more of the city.
Palaces that belonged the city's richest men the size of market towns filled the city but Harry ignored them and headed into the city's largest single building; the bazaar where stalls and shops spread as far as the eye could see, selling their wares and adding to the city's already considerable wealth. Actual trees and flowers decorated the vast space and Harry was glad to wander around and explore.
He passed one stall and saw a very beautiful and delicate rose styled necklace with tiny emeralds in the roses. It practically screamed Tyrell he thought and wondered to himself whether he should get it as a present for his sister Margaery, a girl he had not seen since he was six years old and it would be a few more before he finally got to meet his little sister properly a fact that did depress him slightly. Letters exchanged between him and his grandmother before he had left Oldtown indicated she was growing to be a very beautiful flower indeed and grandmother had called her intelligence…promising which for Olenna was a big compliment.
He turned to the vendor and exchanged a few gold coins for the necklace and went about looking around for other gifts he could give to his family and friends when he saw them next. Soon he had bought a bolt of green silk decorated with gold patterns, again for his sister while picking up a beautifully crafted walking stick which had carved vines for decoration for his grandmother. She usually used one although she did not need it as part of her image as a stubborn old woman but the stick he had purchased for her had a surprise which she might enjoy, the handle came away revealing a hidden compartment that could fit a vial of poison, her chosen weapon.
He bought a few more things for other people he had known or was close to like Gunthor before he reluctantly left the bazaar thinking to return tomorrow to finish his exploration. Then just as he was leaving a party of men moved to block his path, Harry stopped and instantly became serious as he sized up the situation.
Ten men, all armed with curved scimitars, wearing leather armour and stood with feet firmly planted on the ground. Trained but not necessarily experienced Harry thought unless they were hired sellswords given Qarth had not fought a war in generations. Still if they were well trained without his magic at full strength he was not sure he could win. With so many people around and the strange feeling of this city he was unsure if he should use it regretting now giving his real name so freely. A man stepped in front more richly dressed than the others, their employer Harry guessed.
"Harry Tyrell." The man said in accented common tongue and Harry just raised his eyebrow while making plans that might even the odds against him. If he could use some of the throwing knives at his belt he could take out three maybe four before they closed on him. Then he would have to rely on Orphanmaker to deal with the remaining six and whatever magic he dared use. The well-dressed Qarthi man spoke again. "I have a proposition for you. Perhaps we might talk."
-x-
A café nearby was the chosen venue, Harry was ready to bolt at the first sign of trouble but the man who had sought him out seemed to be doing his best to put him at ease. Harry knew food and wine could easily be poisoned so he ignored the refreshments put in front of him, staring silently at the man across the table who happily started eating and drinking.
"Are you sure I cannot tempt you?" The man who looked only a few years older than he, with the darker skin and eyes typical of the men in the area. Harry chose not to respond hoping to put the man ill at ease and seemed to be working judging by the tenseness around his eyes. The man rambled and revealed the reasons why he had sought him.
"I heard from a contact of mine in Braavos of your duel there, I hoped that a man willing to take such a chance and change the balance of power in a city would be willing to help me do the same here."
Harry frowned not really thinking he had actually changed the balance of power in Braavos but was impressed that news of his exploits might have reached as far as here as annoying as it was for his anonymity to be compromised. He wanted to travel free of obligations and without being watched, he conceded to himself that he had done a poor job of it so far resolving to perhaps start using false names if he got out of this. Deciding to see exactly what the man across wanted of him, Harry spoke for the first time.
"What do you expect me to do that would change the balance of power in a city? I am but one man." Harry knew he was no spy and so the likelihood was that the man wanted an assassin, if that was what he wanted then he was going to be sorely disappointed. He only killed when absolutely necessary, not on command or for money.
"There are a number of factions that vie for power here in Qarth." The man said thinking Harry was interested. "My name is Xander Pythoras, representative of the Tourmaline Brotherhood. Myself and my father, our leader hope to undermine our rivals; the Pureborn, the Thirteen, the Ancient Guild of Spicers and the Warlocks to make the brotherhood dominant here in Qarth. The constant fighting has gone on long enough and I want you help to undermine them."
Harry frowned not wanting to become involved in such a power struggle but the mention of Warlocks reminded him of the legend he had only heard in passing. The ancient magic wielders of Qarth that were rumoured to live forever and wield the most darkness of powers and it honestly made Harry wonder if they might be the reason for the magic around here feeling so…corrupted. He wondered if he should accept Xander's proposal, he could not sense any deception from him as thankfully that part of his magic was still working as it should.
"Why should I get involved in your struggle? How do I know it would be best for Qarth?" He asked wondering what enticements he would throw his way.
"I would pay you handsomely for your service, all in goods that you could trade for great wealth so there is no evidence of our connection." Xander told him which made Harry realise how much they wanted no connection to him in case he was caught. Plausible deniability, classic Harry thought and then there was the wealth he was being promised. With the riches he had acquired in Chroyane he did not need their pay but there was something he could use from them and they would not even realise the significance. The money would just be a bonus.
"I might be willing to accept your terms but with two conditions." Harry said without expression making Xander look both confused and nervous. "I will not kill people for you and in addition to the pay you promise, I want all the information you can acquire about the Warlocks. I have business with them." Harry said not elaborating any further.
Xander felt relieved that the conditions were not unreachable although he was confused, why would anyone seek out the Warlocks unless they wanted to die? He nodded in agreement anyway, shaking hands to mark the settling of their deal. Tonight no man would have to do anything…tomorrow the work would begin.
Harry settled on the bed of the inn where he was staying while eating his breakfast, his tent's runes and wards were still working fine but the security was not absolute if these warlocks came. So he would not reveal his hand or tent just yet and do the work Xander asked of him until he had more of an idea of just what he was dealing with.
A knock at the door brought his attention towards the exit and then a letter was shoved underneath it. Footsteps quickly echoed as the messenger departed, Harry got to his feet and opened the letter.
The Thirteen are an alliance of traders that control a combined fleet of a thousand ships.
Your mission is to tear their union apart.
Xaro Xhoan Daxos is their leader, find a weakness in his organisation.
Also they hold a dossier of blackmail material they use to extort clients for their own gain. Retrieve it if possible, destroy it if necessary.
X.P.
Harry reread the note, committing the words to memory before throwing it in the fire. He made sure it had burnt to nothing before planning his first move. He was not sure if notice-me-not charms would work in this city, they at best might fail at unexpected moments so he would have to use normal guile and stealth. So to start with he would find information on this Xaro Xhoan Daxos and there was one place he was sure to find it.
-x-
The brothels, bazaar and gambling dens of the city teamed with people and hardly anyone noticed one foreign man that was asking questions about the Thirteen and their leader, reliable information was difficult to find but it came eventually.
The man owned a large palace that was one of the largest in the city with much wealth on display, he desired to become the King of Qarth. He also claimed to have an unbreakable vault that housed his wealth and had many thieves try to break in to prove its strength, the vault's toughness was fact at least as some of the thieves could be found around the city and they had given him a rough layout of the palace and its grounds with a few drinks or coins as incentive.
Harry however had found one piece of information that was in contrast to Xaro's image. He was sitting with a disgruntled captain who was only too happy to complain that Xaro had not paid him for cargo he had brought over. While it could be a simple case of greed Harry conceded it did connect with some other merchants and suppliers around the city that claimed Xaro had not paid them for their wares, at least not properly. The prices were small compared to what he supposedly had so why not pay and be rid of that annoyance Harry thought, thinking that Xaro might not be as wealthy as he claimed.
Perhaps this might be a clink in his armour Harry thought and decided he should visit the palace of the wannabe king and see what the truth could be. It would not be easy Harry thought later as he watched the guards at a distance but there were gaps he might exploit under the cover of darkness. He smiled and went back to the bazaar, there were a few things he would need before nightfall.
-x-
The moon cast long shadows over the city as Harry moved from shadow to shadow until he reached the perimeter wall of the palace. He had looked for another entrance but they were all covered by guards so he had chosen to scale one of the walls in one of the spots where guards were few and far between. Harry carefully judged the distance to the top of the wall and threw his grabbling hook up and over the top of the twenty foot wall. The hook caught hold of the top and Harry gave it a firm pull to ensure it was secure before starting the climb.
His hands burned as he pulled himself up the rough rope but it was worth it as he arrived at the top and scrambled over the wall, looking around to check there were no guards around before picking up his grappling hook and rope and sneaking inside, pulling a mask and hood over his face to obscure his identity just in case any guards saw him.
The servants were largely asleep at this hour of the night which was a part of his plan, letting him move unhindered around the palace with the exception of an occasional guard not that there were many of them another point worth investigating.
He managed to find the personal rooms of Xaro Xhoan Daxos and the man was much as he had been described; dark skinned with a pot belly and his dark hair cut short but Harry did not care what he looked like, he only wanted the key around his neck but he did not dare take it just yet as the man was merely sleeping and would surely wake if he tried. So he pulled a small vial containing a Chroyane sedative from his pouch that he had prepared earlier and carefully poured it in droplets into Xaro's mouth. The man still sleep just swallowed them or licked them from his lips sending him into an even deeper sleep allowing Harry to remove the key without waking him.
Harry smiled now having the elusive key in hand and made his way as quietly and quickly as he could towards the bowels of the palace where the vault was located, wondering what he might find inside.
He put the small disc into the mechanism and turned it, the gears turned more loudly than he would have liked but the large and heavy door soon swung open. He moved the torch he took from the wall nearby to see what was beyond the door, not sure what he expected but what greeted him was a complete surprise.
There was absolutely nothing inside! Nothing at all, no gold, no silver, no documents. Nothing.
Harry honestly could not believe what he was seeing, he had suspected that Xaro might not be as wealthy as he claimed but for this impregnable vault to be completely empty changed everything. He must be using whatever income he did have to maintain the elaborate charade he had seen upstairs when in reality he was nearly or completely bankrupt, this was the evidence he needed to break Xaro as the other members of the Thirteen would never follow him once they knew of his true financial status and could start fighting between themselves over his assets and who would now control their guild. Exactly what Xander had wanted, so Harry closed the vault again and slipped the key into his money pouch before deciding to try and find the blackmail dossier he had been told of. It would be leverage he could hold over them if needed.
But since he did not know where it was, Harry stopped and frowned as he came back to the foot of the stairs as he thought on how he might find it. He knew one spell that could help but without a wand he did not know if it would work, but he thought it was worth trying.
"Point Me, Blackmail dossier."
His dragon ring began to glow faintly the moment he said it and with interest Harry waved his arm slowly around and watched the light grow dimmer and brighter as it moved. Realising that the light got brighter in the direction of the dossier, Harry moved up the stairs and down the corridor while occasionally waving his hand around to get another baring on the dossier finally discovering it hidden in the palace's ornate library.
With his mission complete and dawn approaching Harry wasted no time in fleeing the palace, already preparing the letters he would write to the other members of the Thirteen in his head asking to meet about Xaro betraying the Thirteen for his own gain that should get their attention.
-x-
Harry walked out of the inn where the other members had met to hear his information, smiling as he listening to them fighting as he left. They had all been so desperate to rise to the top of the pyramid so to speak that the sight of Xaro's vault key had been all he needed to convince them of his non-existent treasury before they had started to argue about who would take possession of his assets and become the new leader. Factions forming in minutes with all the screaming and posturing of angry and pomposity of politicians, it would be a long time before they regained any kind of cohesion although that was unlikely to include Xaro Xhoan Daxos whose life could now be counted in days before one of the other merchants caught up with him, given all the money they had invested in his schemes which he could not repay.
The Blackmail dossier was still in his possession, it had been rather bland mostly just a few juicy affairs with other men's wives or such things but nothing too malicious, no murders or anything like that. So as he left the building and saw Xander waiting for him on a cart he had no objection to handing it over.
"Excellent work. I knew our confidence in you was not misplaced." Xander said pocketing the dossier with a smile. "Your reward is here." He said showing him several trunks containing his payment. "Saffron, spices, silks and spiced liquor as promised. Sold they will make you a small fortune, as for the other condition you asked for." Xander said handing him a collection of parchment. "That is all the information we could find on the Warlocks for now. My father is trying to find more but doing it discreetly is taking time."
"Thank you and thank your father. The more he can find out the better." Harry said and Xander smiled. Harry decided to turn the conversation to a more personal subject. "Your father set you on this, didn't he?"
Xander looked surprised for a moment before he grimaced and explained.
"My family has been running the Tourmaline Brotherhood for nearly eight generations. My grandfather nearly ran it into the ground with a mix of bad business decisions and obscenely lavish living and my father has spent most of his life rebuilding it back up but we still remain the smallest of the factions here. If I want to take his place some day and take over the Brotherhood then I must prove myself. Hiring you to dismantle our enemies is the first step in my plan to make the Brotherhood the most powerful faction in this city. I…I cannot do this without you." Xander admitted looking lost for a moment as his dreams all hinged on Harry's help, it terrified him how quickly it might all vanish if Harry left or defected to his enemies but it was his only chance to make the Brotherhood the strongest faction in the city.
Harry saw the fear in Xander and sensed it was genuine, this operation really meant a lot to him. Making the Tourmaline Brotherhood stronger and pleasing his father. Harry could not really relate to the former or the latter but at least he knew Xander was being honest with him.
"Harry." He said offering his hand, Xander looked at him for a second before smiling and shaking it.
"Xander. Now, what do you know of the Ancient Guild of Spicers?" Xander asked and Harry nearly sighed, no rest for the wicked.
The Ancient Guild of Spicers was nearly as old as the Pureborn and clung to their large share of the city's trade. Ruled by old men that had inherited their positions it was impossible to join if you were an outsider which was why many joined the Tourmaline Brotherhood or the Thirteen as in this city the larger guilds crushed anyone who tried to be independent.
Harry and his new friend stood on the corner of one of the many streets looking at a large tower in the distance. Xander turned Harry and said.
"That is tower of the Spicers. It was built by the first members of the Guild when they originally went into business together centuries ago. It was their headquarters when they started but now it's only used as a safe house for important documents and spice samples, it is guarded by a group of Unsullied and what I need is in there. I need documents relating to their trade partners, once I have them we can undercut their prices and then they become our customers and samples of their latest spices would be useful to copy for ourselves. As I have said it is guarded by the Unsullied so they will not under any circumstances let you in and there is no buildings adjacent to jump in from. It is over three hundred feet high so climbing would be out of the question. The documents I want are on the top most part of the tower and the spices are held in the in the centre. If you can get inside and get what we need you will get double the payment you got last time."
"You certainly don't believe in doing anything halfway do you?" Harry asked considering the size and security of the tower. He had no idea how he was going to get inside as there was no way he could risk climbing the tower and with the Unsullied guarding it and his usual magic unreliable he was at a loss on how to gain entry, let alone get out. Biting his lip he realised the only way was going to get inside was to risk using his notice-me-not charms and hope that they did not fail him.
-x-
He decided to go at night again, hoping the darkness would aid him. The Unsullied unfortunately would not move from their assigned positions for anything, the door was big enough things slip through but that was dependent on them not seeing him. So with little trepidation Harry cast that notice-me-not charm and felt the feeling come over him as he waited for it to take effect. Once he was sure it is in place, he carefully crept slowly forward, inching his way with sweat falling slightly from his brow.
He moved slowly around the Unsullied and into the tower breathing sigh of relief once in its atrium.
He looked around and saw it was again a testament to style over substance. Gilded and marble lined with plenty of decoration on display despite the fact that it was no longer a place of business, for one thing that did worry him however was the large winding staircase that went right up into the distance from the centre of the tower. He sighed knowing that this was going to hurt his legs a lot and began slowly climbing up the stairs, deciding to go first for the documents at the top and pick up spices on the way down.
-x-
Despite all his years living in Hightower Harry had never quite got used to the stairs, which admittedly were bigger than the tower he was now in but the price his legs were paying better be worth the reward he was getting this job. Thankfully the charm was holding up so he managed to slip past patrolling guards long enough to get top. Coming into the room where the documents were kept he was surprised at how little there seemed to be, taking a few of the scrolls and bits of parchment aside to look at them and see that they were indeed the contracts he had been sent for for only these went on for years rather than months. The prices the merchants were paying was a lot more than Harry would have thought and would he realise make it much easier for the Brotherhood to undercut the Guild once they had them and other documents included the deeds for a third of their fleet, but as he was picking up the parchment he needed he suddenly felt an unwanted sensation, much to his own horror he realised the notice-me-not charm had failed.
He tried to reapply it but every time it failed so now he was stuck at the top of the tower, with no way down except through a group of ruthless and unquestioning Unsullied. He could try apparating but with the way magic was behaving in this city, he thought it would probably be a very unstable jump and he could easily end up splinching himself.
So with little choice left Harry began to creep down the tower hoping that he could avoid the Unsullied long enough to escape. The top of the tower was thought impregnable so thankfully had no patrols but as he came to the spice store he was forced to duck inside to avoid the patrols that came up the stairs.
He looked around the incredibly smelly room as the smells of all the spices hit his nostrils. He felt a little lightheaded from the sheer strength and mix in the confined space. He managed to see the samples that Xander wanted and with a shrug quickly put them in his pouch but then he was greeted with a sight that he really did not want to see.
Two Unsullied were standing at the door, looking at him in surprise but with deadly looking spears in hand already. They all looked into each other's eyes for a moment before Harry said one word.
"Hello."
That was enough to make the Unsullied charge at him with spears ready, Harry threw a throwing knife at once to try to take them down before he crossed the room but the Unsullied sidestepped the knife without even thinking about it making Harry blink in surprise before he quickly grabbed his sword and he had to deflect the thrusts of the spears as they came at him.
Harry sized up both of his opponents as they circled him, they were non-descript in their leather armour but were completely focused on with no other distraction.
" They looked more like statues than men, without feeling or emotion. Harry was almost feeling pity for them where they not trying to kill him for what these two men must have gone through along with the rest of their kind to make them this unfeeling. But it still meant that he was going to have to fight to these two and win he thought hardening his resolve.
He could try using magic but with the way it was behaving in this city he was not sure which curse he could try, it might easily end up back fire and the effects could be severe. However he was quickly forced to abandon this as he deflected more spear thrusts in his direction and narrowly avoided the tip of one coming within reach of his head. He quickly thrust his sword aiming at their mid sections however the slave soldiers jumped back and before he knew it the other was on him forcing Harry on the defensive. They launched strike after strike and Harry knew he was going to have to risk magic since they were too quick on their feet for his knives or his sword so we decided to try simple spell that hopefully would not be too risky.
"Expelliarmus."
The spell that had saved Harry Potter more than once proved its usefulness as the spears of the Unsullied flew from their hands, it was enough Harry to manage a quick sword strike on one of the Unsullied while throwing a knife with his free hand into the neck of the other. Both men did not make any sounds as they fell to the floor…dead.
Harry with his heart racing did not feel elation over winning only pity for the poor boys they had once been. He quickly collected the knives he had thrown including the one that had missed to leave nothing to trace back to him before he quickly made his way back to the stairs, only avoiding the other patrols by ducking into alcoves and rooms until he finally reached the first floor.
Harry ducked into one last room and shut the door behind him. Thankfully the room was empty and through the window Harry could see the roof of a building adjacent that was just high enough to jump onto with one small problem he noted he could not fit through the window.
He was about considered ducking back down the stairs and somehow try to sneak his way past twenty Unsullied when he suddenly looked at the wall and realised it was not worth the effort. His mask was still in place so no one could see it was him and without anyone seeing his magic he was quite free to use it even if a person saw him casting. So he decided to throw caution to the wind and aimed his ring at the window. He concentrated his energy and chose the spell to use, speaking its name out loud to aid casting.
"Bombarda."
A blast of red energy shot out of the ring and impacted hard against the wall which exploded outward in a shower of dust and debris shocking everyone who saw it and Harry without even waiting to see if it was clear took a running jump from the tower, leaping through the air and landing on the roof the other building. It was more of a tumble and not as graceful as some would have liked but he was at last out of the tower. Knowing that the Unsullied and everyone who would heard the blast would come to investigate he wasted no time quickly getting to his feet and rushing across the rooftops and away from the scene, leaping across the small gaps until he was able to jump to street level and vanish into the alleys.
He was unaware of the gaunt and white face that watched him from afar.
-x-
Xander was not exactly pleased when he met Harry the following morning in the inn that he was staying and chosen to make his base.
"You were supposed to break into the tower. Not nearly bring it down!" The Qarthi merchant son was almost bursting with annoyance and anger at the noisy escape Harry made last night. Harry on the other hand was not bothered at all and only gave a slight shrug before he spoke to explain himself.
"It was either that or fight through twenty Unsullied; but I got all the information you wanted, the Guild's latest spices and I also got the deeds for about a third of their ships. Most of them are run by slaves who would only be only too happy to work for you if you paid them a wage and set them free, increasing the size of your fleet while you undercut your enemy. Worth the trouble I hope?" Harry said pushing the information he had retrieved and the spice bags towards Xander who looked at them and managed to contain his still burning with anger and indignation before taking them. Eventually his anger faded at the prospect of not only increasing their fleet but also stealing some of their competitors' clients. So he called for his men who brought him more chests of the same exotic goods as before.
"Here's your payments as normal, and the last of your assignments might actually put you against the warlocks as well as the Pureborn." Harry looked a bit surprised that Xander's words, and Xander then explained the situation he and his father had discovered. "It seems that the wife of one of the Pureborn has been taken by the warlocks, he is a very influential member and could well be amenable to working with us to take down the other Pureborn. Joining our brotherhood if we can get her back alive and intact. As far as we know she's being held in the House of the Undying."
Harry was silent for a moment, not wanting to conceive of how dangerous this mission was. Not only did they want him to fight against sorcerers of unknown power and intent and not only fight them but do it in their own home was something he had hoped to avoid when asking about them. To say he was walking straight into the Lion's den was understating the situation.
"What else have you uncovered?" Harry asked quietly, weighing up in his head whether or not this was worth the risk. He knew virtually nothing about them or what they could do and really he was only gathering intelligence on them with his request to the Tourmaline Brotherhood not actually planning conflict.
But as Xander was talking, Harry looked over to the corner of the street and saw a vicious looking creature sneering at him beneath a hood. Its skin was completely white with narrow little grey eyes, standing hunched it was shorter than him but with hands that looked more like talons with nails that were far too long and pointed to be normal. He could not identify what his outfit was made of but it was a brown cloth of some kind.
But whatever his eyes could see, his magic instinctively recoiled at the creature's presence. The foul aura if you will that Harry had sensed since arriving in this city seemed to intensify, the creature enjoying his disgust but as quickly as it appeared, the strange creature disappeared as soon as Harry blinked.
He had not met its eyes but the sheer malevolence of the creature he had just seen had echoed in his bones, they were the dark lords of this world or at least some of them and as long as their order existed they would be like a gaping wound that would fester and sicken the city and possibly the world if they learnt to spread their power beyond this place. To remove the threat, he would have to deal with them himself.
"Tell me where to go?" Harry asked Xander who looked at him astonished, never imagining anyone would be so bold to take the Warlocks where they lived.
Or so foolish.
Harry looked at the so called 'Palace of Dust' or 'House of the Undying' the headquarters of the Warlocks. To call it a palace was a stretch of the imagination as it more resembled a large circular tower with no windows and broken blacks tiles for a roof, surrounded by a small forest of trees that contained certain potion ingredients. Still as Harry got closer to it the sheer strength of magic that was contained within put him back a step. The corruptness of it and the age of it was astonishing and more than a little overwhelming at first, he had never felt the like of it before and was about to turn around and run away, fear gripping him at what might lie inside. He had vials of dittany in a special pouch at his waist just in case but only the gods knew if that would be enough.
But he hardened his resolve, if his opposite could walk towards his own death so the dark lord of that world could be killed then he could face these warlocks and he had no intention of dying today. Not entirely convincing himself that he was not afraid, Harry walked forward his heart pounding in his chest as he arrived at the door which did not make him feel better as it was carved with grotesque images. It opened for him, instantly making him jump back expecting an attack but nothing came however what was inside the tower was not in any way appealing.
The doorway to the outside provided the only illumination, no torches or windows meant it was nearly a void of blackness. The light from the door showed old, crumbling stone work on the walls and floors but nothing beyond that. Harry feeling more and more that this was a bad idea walked over to the nearest tree and snapped off a branch. He transconfigured it into a proper torch and lit it with a quick fire spell, before taking a steadying breath and walking inside the House of the Undying.
The door slammed shut the moment he entered, startling him but now in near complete darkness except for the light of his torch Harry pressed on down the first passage he could find.
The floor was uneven beneath his feet making him stumble occasionally as he navigated the dark and seemingly endless passages. Sometimes he was sure that he heard noises in the darkness, footsteps moving around or laughing which stretched his already stressed nerves to breaking point. Sometimes he would see one of the warlocks appear in front of him then just as he reached for his sword disappear again followed by the sounds of mocking laughter. It began to replace any fear with irritation as he wished he could get his hand on one of their fragile necks and squeeze out whatever life was left in their gaunt bodies. His eyes glaring into the darkness, hoping to convey his hatred as he did not want to waste his breath with words.
Finally just as he was starting to think the passage were truly endless he came to a door. It was old and made of wood with gold square plates. Not sure of what to expect when he stepped through, Harry took a deep breath before rushing through the door with his sword drawn.
But there was no one to fight, much to his ambivalent relief and disappointment. It was however he thanks the gods not another passage but a large circular chamber with several doorways and a plinth in the centre. Harry could swear that he heard different voices coming from the doorways, a couple sounding familiar although he did not know who was speaking.
Thinking the warlocks might be inside Harry crept slowly towards the nearest door and pulled it open slightly so he could see inside and was shocked to see what looked like a great hall with banners he had no seen outside of history books, a white sheet with a green hand on it. The banner of House Gardener, the predecessors to his own family as rulers of Highgarden and the Reach.
Fascinated Harry pushed the door open wider and saw a throne at the end of the hall where a man wearing old style andal clothes was speaking to a knight that kneeled before him. None of the gathered nobles looked at Harry personally and he realised it was a vision of the past as he waved his hand in front of a noble only to be ignored before turning his attention to the king.
"My son, you have done well. I have seen few with your prowess and integrity so henceforth you shall serve as my sworn shield and captain of my personal guard. Arise Ser Alester, first of House Tyrell." The hall filled with the sound of applause as Ser Alester stood with a smile of triumph on his face. Harry was struck dumb for a moment as he was faced with the founder of his house and the son of the Gardener King.
Many houses in the Reach claimed decent from the Gardeners but it had been his family that were given Highgarden by the Targaryens after their conquest when the Gardeners had been wiped out, many houses contested saying they had more of a claim to the castle in particular the Florents but so far none had manage to wrest it from them.
Quickly walking back through the door he had come through Harry found not back in the room with many doors but in a room at Highgarden, only it was someone familiar this time sitting in a room that he recognised. It was his grandmother Olenna looking somewhat younger than he remembered with less wrinkles on her face and her posture was a little straighter but otherwise still recognisable. Harry felt a brief pang in his heart at the sight of his favourite relative, he had not seen her in years and not communicated except for occasional letters and even that was lost now. He wondered if he should send her a letter again when he noticed the younger version of Olenna hand a pouch of what sounded like coins to a guardsman.
"Ensure your men are too distracted to stop him. My husband is easily distracted while hawking, lead him towards the cliffs and his hobby will do the rest. I take it your silence can be counted on?" She asked and the guard nodded causing Harry's expression to change from one of warmth and affection to outright disgust when he realised what Olenna was talking about. The death of his grandfather Lord Luthor Tyrell, he knew that he had ridden off a cliff while hawking but he like many thought it a mere accident. If this vision was true and while he knew he should be careful to believe anything here, it seemed to imply that his grandmother had assassinated her own husband, possibly to control Highgarden better through their son.
He honestly was to shocked to say anything, he had known she was ruthless in her quest for power but this was one line he had never thought she would cross, to actually kill a member of their family…her own husband. Harry decided against his plan to send her a letter, she might be his grandmother but he would never turn his back on her after what he had just seen.
Rushing through the door again he found himself in a dockyard of some sort, it was night and he did not recognise this place, he looked around confused at what he was seeing now.
The night made it nearly impossible to see any familiar landmarks but he looked into the distance at a collection of lights that illuminated a large and powerful looking castle made of what looked like red stone. He had seen illustrations of the Red Keep in his education at Oldtown and it looked nearly identical but that could be to do with the late hour. Still unsettled by his last vision he looked for the door he had come out of when he noticed a considerable number of ale barrels piled up on the side of the quay where a large ship, baring an complex gold pattern on a brown sail. Two men stood on the quay talking, curious Harry walked closer but only managed to capture part of the conversation before it ended. A man in a hood spoke in an effeminate voice but Harry could not see his face.
"The barrels will be sent to the prearranged location until the time is right, you my friend will take our precious cargo to my friend as discussed. Your family is already there as I promised."
The other man however did not look happy to hear that, Harry noticed. He was of Valyrian descent with silver hair and violet eyes and dressed reasonably well but not lavishly so. His face however was thunderous as he looked at his 'friend'.
"You mean prisoners to force my cooperation. Say it for what it is you demon." He snarled and only stopped when two men arrived with a crate with large gaps in the side. He looked at the crate as if concerned for a moment before he swallowed and walked up to plank to aid with the loading of the cargo. As the crate passed him Harry could swear that through the gaps he could see a small figure of a child inside.
Harry was surprised but could not dwell on what he had just seen as the world began to warp around him, showing a beautiful white stone castle by a lake before it warped again into a room in a city of white buildings and black walls. A young woman with long dark hair looked out of the window at the city beyond mournfully while other women who seemed to be her ladies stood behind her, with similar sad expressions.
Finally Harry spotted a door that looked like the one he had come through, desperate to be free of this visionary place he ran for it and pulled the door open, turning briefly to see the gardens of Highgarden in the distance covered by snow and looking completely dead. He stopped and stared in concern before turning to head through the door he had found.
-x-
Instantly Harry found himself in another area of the House of the Undying, a hall where twenty warlocks of various sexes stood around as if waiting for him. Harry was instantly on his guard, his had ready at his swords. He was glad that he had brought both Orphanmaker and the sword he had taken from Strickland. Their weight was comforting as was the throwing knives and dagger he wore.
However the warlocks just smiled, confident he was no threat. They spoke to him as if he were a stupid child with an arrogance that few could match.
"Your actions have unsettled the city, but not to any great extent. If you had the slightest sense you would not have come here but for one as limited as you, it is all you can do." One of the warlocks said with dirty rotten teeth making a disturbing grin as they all laughed, a chill going through Harry as he heard it. But his anger was close to the surface at being spoken too like that but he contained it and asked the one question he needed answering.
"What were those images? Illusions conjured by you to trick me?" Harry asked only for the warlocks to laugh, like he had asked a completely stupid question which only made him narrow his eyes.
"Each vision has meaning to you, be it the distant past of your ancestors or perhaps your future. Not of course that you will leave this place alive." The Warlock said and Harry without hesitation, threw a knife at the warlock's throat only for it to stop in mid-air. Harry was stunned and the warlock sneered before throwing the dagger back at him, making Harry duck sharply to avoid the blade.
Then just as he was about to draw his swords, he was thrown back by a blast of magic from the warlocks and the swords were ripped from their sheaths and flung across the room, Harry could only watch as they flew out of his reach and the warlocks grinned as they closed it. He was about to reach for his dagger when he thought better of it. If his swords and knives could be taken so easily, his dagger would be too which left him without any of his usual weapons which meant he was fucked. The twenty warlocks moved around him, smirking believing their triumph already complete and Harry's mind raced with a way out of this situation and in truth he could only think of one. There was still one weapon he had at his disposal that could not be taken away so easily.
His magic.
It was the only real card he had left to play he thought with worry and it was a wild one too. He had no idea just how skilled or powerful the warlocks were in combative magic and he could easily find himself overwhelmed from sheer numbers alone. But what other choice did he have Harry thought with resignation and tightened his fist, calling on all he had learnt so far.
He held his hand in the air ahead of him and called on as much magic as he could and a certain memory, the day he had started travelling.
"Expecto Patronum"
The laughing of the warlocks stopped as the pure light of the patronus shone so brightly it burned them slightly. They howled out in pain, positive emotion channelled through the right would be like poison to them given how foul their magic was Harry thought, not sure of the shape of his patronus in this world but it did not matter as it did its job. He ended the charm and threw out cutting charms as quickly as he could, the first three warlocks hit had their heads taken clean off their necks before they knew what hit them. Two of the bodies simmered briefly before disappearing and before Harry could think on what he had just seen, the rest of the warlocks began to attack now their vision had recovered.
Blasting and cutting hexes were being flung at him left right and centre, he erected his own shield and threw out fire spells as quickly as he could, hoping to set their robes on fire so he could take advantage. The strain of maintaining his shield was excruciatingly painful as it was pounded by spells but he could not afford to dodge as there were too many spells coming at him, one or more would surely hit. The good thing was that by using fire spells he managed to hit one or two of the warlocks causing them to break off their attack for a split second, allowing Harry to fire blood boiling curses at them. Darker than Harry Potter would have used but it was effective, the warlocks screamed as blood literal ran from every orifice.
But despite hitting a few warlocks there were still too many, finally Harry felt his shield collapse and he moved his head just in time to dodge a purple curse being sent at his head only to be hit by a another opening a gash on the right side of his head, missing his eye by a fraction of an inch. He knew he was bleeding but he could not react and instead began another fire spell, creating a current stream that he could direct around him.
The warlocks caught in the stream of fire screamed as they burned, some disappearing as if smoke but while it cleared many of the remaining warlocks he paid a price for it. Blasting hexes and a few cutting spells hit him sending him flying with gashes here and there but thankfully none would be fatal.
He looked horrible, cuts and bruises everywhere but he was still standing with his breathing quick and shallow, now facing only five of the original twenty warlocks although there was only eight bodies. That was when Harry realised that they were using magic to create duplicates of themselves, he had heard they had the ability to do so from Xander's Intel. It was effective Harry admitted and his body ached with the hits he had taken but it had a flaw, take out the original and the copies would vanish.
That Harry thought with a grim smirk made things a little better but not much as they could still hurt him until then. Seeing the spells of the warlocks coming towards Harry ducked and rolled to avoid them and saw the glint of his swords lying there on the floor just ahead. He grabbed them both and with aching arms rushed at the nearest warlock, the change in tactics caught the warlock completely by surprise and he had no chance to react before Harry severed his head from his shoulders which then rolled across the floor. Another of the warlocks simmered and disappeared from view leaving only three warlocks standing against him, all of which were now looking more angry than confident as they had been a few moments before.
Now there were only three Harry could see their faces and all were identical meaning only one of the warlocks was real. If he got the right one, the other two would disappear but which one was real? He looked between they and they were as someone might have guessed completely identical. He wondered about using another fire spell to try and clear them all when a strange idea entered his head. Surely it would never work but he shrugged, it was worth a try.
"Point me Warlock of Qarth."
The warlock and his two duplicates seemed confused at his words, not understanding what he hoped to achieve until the light appeared from the dragon ring, shining brightest when directed at the warlock on the left.
"Found you." Harry said, smirked as he advanced at the surprised warlock and thrusting both his bloodied swords into the stomach and then pulling them roughly out, leaving a bleeding hole. The warlock gasped and clawed at the air between him and Harry as if trying to get one last blow in but his body, frail with age and lack of muscle collapsed, allowing blood to pool beneath him. Instantly the last two copies simmered then vanished as the man that created them lost his life leaving Harry alone in the chamber.
Harry finally safe fell to his knees as his exhaustion and injuries began to take their toll, he took the vials of dittany he had brought with him and began rubbing it into the skin where he had been cut. None of it was cursed thankfully but as he rubbed the stinging substance into his skin, Harry was angry…at himself.
"Stupid. Stupid!" He cursed as he tended to his wounds. He had just blundered in here and nearly been killed for his hubris…again. He had to be smarter or one day he would not be as lucky as he had been today. His magic had saved him, that and the overconfidence of the warlocks if either had not been in his favour then he would be dead. From this point on he planned ahead, Harry resolved as the dittany worked its magic and sealed the cuts. Rushing in blind was for idiots and he would not be doing it again, he would plan in advance and be ready next time.
A repair charm fixed the tears in his clothes once the dittany was applied and Harry got to his feet, eager to leave this place and burn it to the ground. He was about to leave the way he came when he heard a slight scream in the distance, it was barely audible but it had definitely been a scream. He picked up his swords and cautiously moved to investigate, mindful of his new vow and that there might still be warlocks around. He followed the sound down a long corridor to a similarly gilded door to the one he had seen before and with trepidation and his swords ready, he kicked it open.
What he saw on the other side shocked him, he never imagined someone would do this not even in his worst nightmares.
Thirty children hung by their feet upside down and suspended off the floor over some kind of runic array with an ornate chalice at its centre. Ten of the children had their throats slit, dried blood in the channels towards the chalice, twenty of them were still alive though and screamed when he burst in through the door.
"Help us! Please?" A young boy begged and Harry while stunned momentarily quickly recovered and started cutting the children down, they swayed as the blood flowed down their bodies and needed to sit down till they were steady on their feet again. While they did that Harry carefully let down the bodies of the dead children and moved them to the side where they were out of the living children's sight. Once that grisly task was done Harry knelt down to the oldest living child, a boy that looked like a native of the city and asked him while passing his wineskin filled with water so the children could get a drink.
"What was going on here?" The boy who looked no older than twelve namedays old spoke with fear.
"The warlocks bought us off the slave market, then they brought us here. They cut our friends throats and drained their blood, they put in that cup and drank to live for ever or so they said." The boy said still completely terrified by what he had been forced to witness, his other friends around him looked similarly scared and Harry could only just hold the disgust he was feeling inside so as to not frighten the children any more than they had been already. Now he recognised the runic array, it was meant to transfer energy with the channels in the runes directing the blood of the children into the chalice that Harry could see was meant to hold the gathered energy. The warlocks would then drink the blood and extend their lives for however much energy was drained. Given it was from children possibly it could last for years and Harry almost threw up at the practice. No wonder the magic of the city had felt so foul, this was magic of the darkest kind and little wonder that the warlocks looked so ghastly. That kind of practice took a toll on the body while keeping it alive and Harry was honestly glad he had killed the warlocks.
He lit torches in the room for the children and checked the side doors to see if there was any more being held here. Find none was a relief but he did see a stash of magical items being held in one of the side rooms. He found two dragon carved chests of Valyrian design which he quickly enhanced with a space expansion rune before collecting all the magical items including the chalice to study later before returning to the children with a large hammer he conjured. He stared at the runic array for a moment before he brought the hammer down upon it again and again. The children watched slightly scared as Harry smashed the magical array that would have drained their life energy to keep the decrepit and disgusting warlocks alive. Once finished he put the hammer down and told the children.
"Go through that door." He said indicating the door he had entered through. "I will follow you in a moment."
They looked fearful for a moment but did as he said, so they did not see him vanish the shards of the array and his hammer so they could not be repaired with magic.
Thankfully the children were in good health as the warlocks had kept them healthy to get the most life energy from them and eagerly they followed their saviour up the dark tunnels towards the surface. As they passed through a junction they came across a locked door that Harry opened with his magic carefully so the children did not see. Inside was a well-dressed woman huddled on a bed of straw that looked up at him in surprise.
"Who are you?" She asked, worried it was the warlocks coming to kill her in some insane ritual as they had threatened too. The handsome stranger smiled and she felt her heart flutter for a moment.
"Lady Mallarawan?" Harry asked and she nodded. "I think it best if we return you to your husband."
The lady was instantly on her feet and shocked to find the flock of children with the stranger but followed them regardless until they finally reached the exit.
Everyone was blinking as the sunlight hurt their eyes until they adjusted when they finally emerged into the outside. Harry smiled as some of the children, realising they were free rushed about to play in the trees as children should. Lady Mallarawan was more sedate in her relief at being outside and just enjoyed the feeling of sun on her face as she leaned against the walls of the tower.
Harry meanwhile was dealing with a slight problem, what was he going to do with the children he rescued? He could not in any conscience just abandon them on the street and there were no real orphanages here in Qarth. More than likely they would end up enslaved again if he left them there anyway so what was he going to do with them? However he decided to deal with that later so he let them play for now. They had gone through enough hardship and needed some time to get back the joy stolen from them.
As darkness fell over the city, Harry called the children together and walked them to the inn where he had made his base and gave the innkeeper some money to make a good meal for the children while Mathos Mallarawan came for his wife. Xander was of course there to offer his terms for an alliance so the Pureborn could be undermined and eventually destroyed. He paid Harry for his work in the usual luxury items that now sat in a trunk in Harry's tent. But while the children ate, Harry stuck a sleeping draft into their broth, he had an idea on what to do with them now. He had thought it up while waiting for Xander to arrive. He cleared his throat after seeing they had drunk their broth to get their attention and told them.
"Tonight we are going on a journey to a fantastic city called Braavos. A place where there are no slaves or warlocks and a giant guards the city from harm." He told slightly exaggerating the colossus to make it exciting. The children cheered, loving the idea of going somewhere new and Harry waited patiently for them all to fall asleep as the broth took affect before carefully putting all of them into one of his expanded trunks. The broth would keep them asleep for hours so he would have plenty of time to make arrangements before they woke.
Once all of them were inside, he took a firm hold of the trunk and turned a fork that was within reach into a portkey.
-x-
Braavos…
While it was night in Qarth it was morning in Braavos when Harry arrived. He took in the familiar smells and sights of his first stop before using a weightless charm on the trunk to lift it through the city towards one of the better orphanages he had seen while here the first time. He came to the large and bland building and smiled before knocking on the door. There was nothing for a while before the door finally opened, revealing an older woman with black hair and blue eyes.
"Can I help you?" She asked looking at the stranger with interest, it was rare that they got visitors to the orphanage. Especially ones this young.
"Good morning. I have a group of children in need of care, twenty or so and I would gladly pay a donation to cover their upkeep and the running of the orphanage. Say a thousand gold pieces" Harry said getting down to business, carefully reading the woman's mind to see if this was the place that he wanted to trust with the children. He could see her interest in the money of course, but not for herself more towards how that kind of money could keep her orphanage going for years. Labour was cheap here and it would be enough to make a lot of improvements around the building and feed the children for years not to mention provide them with a basic education. She was a bit of a mother hen he thought with relief, she would take good care of the children.
"That would be most appreciated young man. If I may ask where are the children in question? I would like to meet them before I accept them." She said wondering if all the money he was paying was due to a problem with them like a disease which she could not risk infecting the other children. Harry smiled and told her.
"I will bring them in a few hours."
-x-
Harry quickly booked into an inn for a night and removed the children from the trunk before they woke up. He sat in the corner waiting while putting the small chest with the money aside for later. He could well afford it, especially with the payment for the Tourmaline Brotherhood which was even now sitting preserved in stasis and it would give the children a good chance of a life free of chains. The magical items he had found were also a boon to him in surprising ways; twelve glass candles that would allow him to observe any location of his choosing once he figured out how to light them, a few cursed objects he would lock away for safe keeping, five dragon rings like his with two ruby chokers that likewise could be used as foci, a runic controlled cauldron, books and scrolls of dark magic that he had locked firmly away and a Weirwood staff. But three of the items in particular caught his attention; one was a broken time turner. The delicate crystal was broken and the sand all gone so effectively it was useless but it proved they existed in this world and he would be on the lookout for more.
Then there was the sacrificial chalice, while tainted by the practice of the warlocks its primary use was to collect energy and store it. Harry was not sure of what use he could make of it yet but he would think of something.
The last thing was a book older than any other he had ever seen; the runes carved into it was the only reason that it had survived.
The book was written in the old tongue of the first men and detailed their alchemy and magic for making fertile land, changing animals and how to make or alter existing plants. It was hard to understand in places as his grasp of the language was not great, he had only given it a passing glance in Oldtown but it was incredibly valuable and once he had learnt to read it properly there was much to learn from it. How it had ended up in Qarth he could not understand but regardless he was glad that it had.
His thoughts then turned back to the children as he saw the boy that had spoken to him in the House of the Undying was starting to stir.
"Good morning. Nice dreams?" Harry asked the boy who smiled as he saw the man that had saved him and his friends from being slaughtered.
"Yes, I dreamt we went on that journey you said. To Braavos." The boy said with a bright smile and Harry now smirking said.
"We did. Have a look out the window." He said pointing to the large window that looked out onto the docks. The boy disbelieved him for a moment before going over the window to prove Harry wrong only to gasp when he saw the very different city beyond. The rest of the children when they awoke excitedly ran to the window to see they had somehow changed cities. The oldest boy looked back to him and Harry only winked while he smiled.
Later when he brought the children to the orphanage and the money to pay for their upkeep, the lady that ran the building was acting like everyone's favourite grandmother. The children gathered around her like a moth to a flame and waved goodbye as they went inside. He waved back, glad that for now at least they had a chance of a good life. His grandmother and others would think him foolish but while politics was a cutthroat game, it did not mean that you had to be cold-hearted all the time. Today those children would start a new life with a roof over their head, food to eat and the prospect of an education where before they might have been sacrificed and all that promise snuffed out before it had the chance to flower or sold into slavery which would be almost as bad. Not only had their lives changed but the lives of the other children in the orphanage that would now have an education too thanks to his donation.
Occasional kindness could change the course of people's lives. It might not change history or propel you to a throne but it was a great thing to see, like throwing a stone in a lake and watching the ripples expand outward. He smiled and took the portkey back to Qarth to continue his travels.
Qarth…
Pyat Pree watched as the man that he decimated his order sailed away from Qarth on a ship bound for Yi Ti. He was furious, a vision had sent him away from the House of the Undying just before he came and saved his life but what use was that? He asked himself. The runic array and the chalice were gone so he could not prolong his life anymore. His old body was good for a few years yet but soon enough it would it would wear out and he would die. The power of the warlocks was ebbing and would fade to nothing.
He looked to future hoping to see a glimpse that would provide some hope and while his sight was not clear, he saw a girl with three dragons would one day come to Qarth. That he realised be his chance to find a path to power and to survive.
-x-
Elsewhere another magic user watched the ship carrying Harry Tyrell, wearing her customary mask Quaithe was glad to see the warlocks gone. Her own vision was now much clearer with their corruption of the local magic ebbing, he had a destiny she now saw. He would not always be just a traveller as he referred to himself. He would never truly seek power but he would need it she thought seeing all the chaos that was coming, the ripples had already started creating new and unpredictable patterns that she could only just see.
It would be interesting to watch she thought.