Chapter 74: ' Word of Power ' Part I

Hello everyone forgive the wait.

A recovery day to recover from the vaccine and the more complex chapters written so far have contributed to the delay.

Fear not, I will soon do a supporting chapter with all the lists to make it easier for you to remember the magic, numbers, and the market.

Now I understand why Big George always attached a hundred or so supporting pages to each of his books. Ahaha.

Thank you all for your support.

Alas for those who are not sympathetic to the numbers or who are anxious to see gallons of Greyjoy blood flowing will have to wait.

Happy reading!

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POV: Duncan;

In an abandoned temple less than two miles from Riverrun.

After a few seconds of pause...

Ned was beginning to feel tired, but he continued to focus all his attention on my words.

I began the story...

"During the Age of Heroes, history has almost forgotten that even the worshipers of the Ancients had warriors consecrated to their faith. Warriors anointed with the red sap of very ancient trees. The Druids, they were the priests of the Ancients...

You too, Lord Stark, have for your vassal a Lord descended from a line of Green Knights. Lord Manderly...

At the time, the Reach was the green eye of the worshippers of the Old Gods.

Most of the Green Knights defended Oldtown. A city guardian of all the secrets of Love, Beauty, and Magic. There was even a text, written by the chief Archdruid himself, in which all the runes and spells of Nature were kept...

Without the Archdruid's permission, any being attempting to remember the runes read will only remember the sounds of winds, leaves, and chirping.

Even the secrets of the Draconic Runes and Divine Songs were all kept there.

Even the formula of Valyrian Steel...

[At that time, just before the Andals invaded Westeros, there was a famous Green Knight, nicknamed ''The Beast'', and his faithful squire Podrick of House Lann.

No one knew the true name of that Knight. He had never shown his true face to anyone. Although his face was always covered by his helmet, made of oak and deer antlers, his banner was visible. A winged Chalice on a midnight blue background covered in stars. A banner very, very similar to that of an old knight-errant who, millennia later, took with him a young orphan in King's Landing whose chronicles are told to this day.

A banner acquired when he was invested with the title of Knight by winning the tournament of the Love of Beauty and Magic...]

I don't know if you've noticed Lord Stark, but the custom and tradition here in Westeros are that to seduce a Lady Maiden, you usually do it with: Songs, Jewels or Crowns of Beauty and Pledges Of Love...

But let's give more space to our dear friend called {Coincidence}...

[ 'The Beast', was in the direct service of the Lord Protector of Oldtown. His most valiant and trusted knight.

Lord Hightower had always respected The Beast's choice to never remove his helmet. Never forcing such an obligation on his vassal.

Podrick Lann, a young descendant of a minor lineage loyal to House Hightower, whose dream was to one day become a knight as strong, loyal, and valiant as The Beast, had received the honor of serving as his direct squire.

The greatest honor of his life.

When the Andals army was about to lay siege to Oldtown, the First Green Knight, The Beast, rode fearlessly to the side of his faithful Lord, who had called together all the Green Knights and Druids of the Reach.

When the Green Knight, and his squire Pod, were safely inside the enchanted walls of the city, The Beast ordered his squire to return home to his family.

He justified this choice by telling young Pod that he was not yet ready to face the horrors of war...

Pod, embittered by this decision, did as he was told.

When the Andals invaded the city, a massacre occurred in Oldtown...

Thousands of Green Knights and Druids perished under the edge of the Andals' steel blade...

When Pod heard the shrieks of the massacre in the city, he immediately emerged from his family estate armed to the teeth and ready to fight.

Not knowing where the fight was taking place, Pod asked a traveler for directions. Only when he arrived in front of the old man did Pod notice that he was blind.

The old man, without even being called upon, sang a song to the young squire

"Three fires will you light, young Pod:

One for Life, one for Death, and one for Love.

Three Harts you shall ride:

One for Pleasure, one for Death, and one for Love.

Three Betrayals you shall know:

One for Blood, one for Gold, and one for Love."

No sooner had Pod turned away from the old fool with the urge to join the fray then he found a steed. A crazed Stallion with no rider in panic.

Podrick managed to tame the beast the way his Lord had taught him. He sang, stroked him, and gave him calm and serenity.

Wasting no more time, the brave Podrick rode with vigor, eager to prove himself to bring glory and honor to his House, his Lord, and his City.

When Podrick finally arrived, what awaited him was the horror and misery of war. The enemy had already slaughtered all of the city's forces...

At that point, Podrick rode with fury and terror. Terror for what might have happened to his Hero.

Not being able to find him, Podrick cried thinking about the fact that, almost certainly, the Green Knight had already fallen...

At that point Podrick rode back to his home, wanting to at least protect his House and Family.

Returning home, Podrick discovered that his father had already bent the knee to the Andals... He felt betrayed by this choice, and fled, hiding in the slums of the city.

One hundred and fifty-one days passed since the conquest of the city. Podrick spent that time organizing and planning a plan of attack, for the defense of the First Men and all the magical people.

He had discovered that the Andals had come into possession of three key texts:

The Text of Magical Runes, which held all the information needed to recreate Mana Stone and recite all spells known to man.

The Text for Refining. Which contained all the water and earth magic formulas and processes key to synthesizing and purifying Dragon Glass.

And the Text for the creation of Valyrian Steel. The most powerful conductor and channeler of magic known.

The Andals, taking advantage of the secure foothold of Oldtown, were preparing for a world war against the magical people. Strong in the fact that now, besides the sword, they could also count on magic.

The Ghiscarians were already pressing on Valyria and the Dothraki on the confederation of wizards. The Druids and the First Men, already disadvantaged, were on their own...

The squire spent 10 days finding safe shelter.

A shelter that would hide him from the eyes of the guards still searching for him.

Fifty days to find two fellow adventurers to help him...]

Forgive me, my Lord... Gihih... sprrr... ahah... I need a moment to continue... fiuu... some water will help.

Yes... better. Much better.

I can do it...

As I was saying...

[ Pod found two worthy companions willing to help them in their quest.

A mercenary slaver killer named Bronn, and... a deformed-looking wizard skilled in shadow magic.

Out of respect for a known person, we will call him only by the nickname given to him in the city slums...

Demon Monkey].

I swear to you on my honor, Lord Stark, that when I visited Oldtown in person for a few days, I also sought information about these three names.

Even now among the common people, it is thought that the names Podrick, Bronn, and ... 'The Unnamed', are names of ill omen to be given only to bastards of birth.

But... back to the story.

[The young squire had struck a deal with the two individuals. The former was looking for some precious Ancient blood. If he returned to his homeland with that loot, he would be considered a hero. A hero loved and respected by all.

The second sought gold so he could afford to buy what nature had never granted him - beauty.

After another 100 days of training and preparation, the trio was ready.

The first target was the tower where the text of the runes was kept.

After being stunned they tricked the guards with sounds and tricks to spread fear. The guards were distracted, but before they could retrieve the first text, Bronn betrayed the trust of the two companions. He tried to kill them to recover the ancient text for himself by bringing back the book instead of the agreed blood.

Podrick and Demon Monkey confronted the traitor and won the challenge. The squire was forced to destroy the text instead of bringing it back to its owner. He used the only magic he was able to use, minor fire magic.

The text caught fire turning into ash.

From there, the remaining duo arrived at the second chamber where they found Mages intent on refining Dragon Glass. It was an arduous battle. All of the maesters were skilled arcanists, but the two managed to prevail.

Before the last maester fell, he proposed a deal to Demon Monkey. Having recognized the famous powerful demonic wizard of dubious loyalty, the maester offered triple whatever sum he had been offered to betray the squire. The deformed wizard accepted and betrayed his companion.

Podrick, who was surrounded by more enemies now that the alarm was given, threw all the gold coins offered to the traitor into the air to distract the enemies.

Immediately after taking down the traitor, he burned the second text fleeing for his life.

Despite being alone, Podrick did not give up and went on to the last mission.

The boy secretly loved a Valyrian princess. A princess he didn't sing for when he first saw her, fearing his voice wasn't worthy. A princess to whom he had nothing to offer as a gift for her beauty.

Although he knew he was acting for the good of the magical people, the boy hoped within himself to at least retrieve the last text, so he could finally offer a worthy gift to his beloved.

When he reached the last chamber, the boy was stunned by what he saw... Guarding the text was his lord and master. The Green Knight. The boy's heart stopped, his breath caught.

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The Knight, recognizing the intruder, removed his helmet.

It had never been a he, but a she...

A monstrous-looking woman. With two boar tusks instead of teeth, red eyes, and thick fur all over her face.

The Knight wept in turn because of the shame she felt at having broken her oath as a knight. She had betrayed the nature she had sworn to serve and protect.

She tried to justify herself to her beloved squire by telling him that she had done it for her Lord. The only man she had ever loved, but Podrick was blinded by rage. He brandished his sword with everything he had. It was the hardest of fights.

After a fierce and perpetual exchange of blows, Podrick gathering the last remaining energy lowered his two-handed sword roaring with all the breath he had in his body. The woman was so shaken by that blow that she was shocked and helpless. Podrick had defeated his last enemy, but he didn't find the courage to leave the last blow.

The Knight with the last of her strength shouted:

"Do it Podrick! I am a knight without honor.

I don't deserve to live! I no longer have any reason to live...

The Lord will kill me anyway for failing! Do it!

I have failed in my duty..."

Podrick seeing that his esteemed hero had done all this only out of love, spared her and said:

"If you believe that this text is the only way to get his love, then take it, Ser." Podrick gave up on retrieving Valyria's steel secrets and fled.

'The Beast', shocked by her former squire's pure gesture of love took the text with her and fled the city as well.

Let's pause for a moment, Lord Stark.

Notice anything familiar so far?" I asked.

"... A strong analogy between the squire and the Guardian.

The Keeper has also cried, roared, and performed an act of love for the sake of others." Ned replied after thinking about it for a moment.

"Correct answer Ned. The Guardian also had to suffer three betrayals...but we'll discuss that another time...

Now I'd like to stun you with a few more numbers before we return to our young hero. Do you think you can handle that?" I asked.

"I think so... " Ned.

"Good.

Now, let's talk in detail about Blood and Dragon Glass.

In the magic market, unknown in Westeros and little known in Essos, three key figures protect the trade. Three Guardians of the World.

All three figures are neutral to the three superpowers Braavos, Oldtown, and Carcosa. They maintain peace if you can call it that.

Each of them holds with them a key secret to creating mana stone.

The Keeper of Beauty is a powerful Archdruid still alive without a name who still resides to protect the Eye of the Gods, here in Westeros. He was the one who, more than 8,000 years ago, forged a pact with the First Men, thus contributing to the end of the war.

He guards the secret of refining Dragon Glass.

The Guardian of Magic, Lo Tho, is called Lo Longspoon and Lo the Terrible. He was a God-Emperor of the Golden Empire of Yi Ti and the twenty-second ruler of his dynasty. A very powerful and dangerous character. He loves and respects magic and was the master of the Yellow King...

Unfortunately... he has a bit of a memory problem, but he is still neutral and faithful to his task as Guardian.

He guards the secrets of the Runes to produce mana stones.

And the Guardian of Love, The Watcher. Who snatched the title from the Iron Bank about 22 years ago. The Bank was turning the tables by incentivizing the two sides to fight for war. It was settled, after long and arduous agreements that the task would pass to another powerhouse, Zick.

The master... well not him exactly. My master's organization guards the secret of refining Blood.

I don't know if Zick knows or doesn't know that he holds one of the most lucrative businesses in the known world...but I don't think he cares.

All three cities can acquire mana stone from Carcosa, which receives Dragon Glass from Oldtown and Blood from Braavos.

The Guardians simply resell their production monopoly exclusively to their city. Everyone buys and resells at agreed-upon market prices.

If someone in need of mana stones wanted to acquire a mana stone in Oldtown, obviously the price would be higher. The closer you get to Carcosa, the more the price drops.

There are currently four types of Mana Stones available on the market.

Basic Mana Stone.

Low Mana Stone.

Medium Mana Stone.

High Mana Stone.

The remaining class types-Pure, Ancient, Legendary, and Mythic-are simply not sold by anyone. All three superpowers jealously guard them in case a new war should break out.

Each spell from level 0 to 12 is three times more powerful than the last. And so it is with the Mana Stones. Each one has three times the magic reserve of the previous one.

A Basic Stone itself has the power to cast nine 0th level spells, three 1st level spells, or one 2nd level spell as needed.

With all higher stones, you can always cast a lesser spell, but that would be a waste.

With the High Mana stone, in its entirety, you can get to cast a 5th spell.

They are even called directly by the names of the magic circles in Carcosa.

Base Stone= 2°

Low Mana Stone= 3°

Medium Mana Stone = 4°

High Mana Stone = 5°

Are you there, Ned?" I asked.

"Yes...I'm up to here, Lord Duncan, thank you for your concern." Ned replied signaling a slight offense to his intellect.

"Good. Shortly, the High Mana Stones will also go off the market. And do you know why?

There's starting to be a shortage of one of the three components...

Dragon Glass.

A material that could only be produced by the breath of Dragons. Now that the Dragons are extinct... Oldtown, which holds the highest amount of said treasure well guarded in its warehouses, is beginning to be more reluctant to sell said material to its competitors.

Since it is still possible to obtain blood more easily, they have a market advantage.

There are eight known rank categories of Dragon Glass.

For now, I will list the ones respective to the sold stones

Each one is associated with the production of Mana Stone. The runes and magic blood needed to create them are:

Base Glass + Rare Blood + Runes 2° = Mana Stone 2°.

Low Glass + Blood V. Rare + Runes 3° = Mana Stone 3°

Medium Glass + Pure Blood + Runes 4th = Mana Stone 4th

High Glass + Pure Blood + Runes 5th = Mana Stone 5th

Now, why emphasize this.

The fact is Ned, that there is a treasure in the North that none of us have tapped into for thousands of years.

One example is your blood, my Lord.

Currently, a cup of your market would be worth.... 81 silver moons. That is 2 golden dragons and 21 moons. If you had known this when you were young, Lord Stark, you might very well have chosen to leave for the lands of Carcosa and live off your blood.

You would also have one more means to repay Lady Barbrey if necessary! Ahahahaha... No?... Come on, my Lord, at least that was funny!...

Anyway, magical blood is an asset that every being in Westeros could take advantage of, but it's taboo. No one is supposed to know about it. If some poor guy not associated with the big four world organizations blurted it out, after denying the rumors, he would simply be made to disappear.

Only in the lands of the magicians' association is it more widely known. This is the agreement made and renewed for over a thousand years.

Both Blood and Glass have a market price up to the Sons of God levels. That is the level before the Semi-Divine God.

Everyone thinks that Harrenhall is cursed and that the island of faces in the eye of the Gods is haunted. But in truth, that sacred place is still home to Children of the Forest." I said.

"Children of the Forest? The Children of the Forest have been extinct for over... Even if they weren't extinct, it's not possible that in all these years no one has ever seen them." Ned.

"It would be impossible if there was no Archdruid capable of using 9th level magics, my Lord. I assure you that the Sons and the one you would consider the King of the Sons of the Forest still live there. No weapon made of iron can enter that island, and even if an individual could, he would be riddled like a pincushion by arrows tipped with Dragon Glass.

Only Weapons that can kill the Others can enter.

In a few days, I'm going to meet such an individual in person. I will have to ask him a couple of favors and ask a few questions... if and only if he receives me of course.

You said it yourself, my Lord, the world you once knew no longer exists. Ahaha... " I said.

"He is the Guardian of Beauty?" Ned.

"That's right he is. Oldtown currently wouldn't dare make a move against him. He has had no friction with the Andals for over 4,000 years.

He has Sons of God blood in his veins.... a being unique in the world today. A cup of that blood would be worth about.... 950,000 golden dragons if my mind does not deceive me. " I said.

"What! A single cup of his blood is worth nearly a million???" Ned.

"Yes, my lord. From what I understand, the ' King of the Sons of the Forest', pays in tribute a cup every century or two in Oldtown if I'm not mistaken.

The market prices of blood triple up to the very rare rank, and from there on it increases sevenfold up to the Blood Sons of Blood, my Lord. Obsidian has a similar market as well."

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