[Edric's POV]
It was agonising.
I was burning alive, and every moment my body pleaded retreat to salvage what I could. The dragon egg had cracked open, and the intensity of the flames grew even further. My hair was singed away, leaving me bald. My clothes had long since burnt to ash, and every inch of my body was red with burned skin.
I did not hear anything happening around me, except the scorching flames.
By now, Aegon had melted and deformed... swiftly becoming a pile of mush and ash. It was a terrifying sight, even for me.
The flesh is weak.
I heard a voice resound in my head as my arms began burning away.
My heart felt like an erupting volcano, unleashing a wave of magma inside my body. My vision had blurred, my knees buckled to the ground, and my heart stopped entirely. I saw darkness again... and there it was, at the core of my being, a golden flame ignited.
It spread like wildfire, burning my inner world with ferocity. The once dead tree began to glow more and more, brighter than ever before.
A familiar feeling.
A part of me that I had lost...
I was becoming whole.
I regained my strength, slowly rising from my knees.
As I did so, my arms burst open and flew off. They burned away in the distance, and the blood from them only served to fuel the flames even more. Blood poured from the wound.
Yet... the pain was slowly becoming less. Less and less, until... it gave comfort, even. It began to feel refreshing. I felt alive. My body was no longer burning. The flames... were my own. They were golden in colour with traces of black, taking the shape of a dragon.
They condensed around my body and focused where my arms used to be... and scales began to emerge out, replacing the flames.
Eventually, I had a whole set of arms. Entire black dragon-scaled arms, sharp with flickers of gold. They felt powerful, unlike anything else. My hands had claws at the end of each finger, stretching out like nails... except these nails looked more fatal than castle-forged steel. They looked like the daedric armour gauntlets from Skyrim. The rest of my body had also grown such scales.
I raised my left arm, admiring it.
Then the scales split away and fell, revealing a human arm.
Not cool.
My excitement died immediately.
The rest of my body followed, shedding the scales.
The sky began to darken, and with it, came a pour of rain. I took a deep breath, showering in it. The remaining flames around me began to dim and reveal my surroundings.
The rain was the most refreshing I've ever experienced.
It was like being born again, everything washing away.
There was nothing else like it in the world.
In the midst of this ritual, the garden was entirely scorched, and any structure within it was burnt down. The people around me had retreated further back to safety. My skin looked absolutely clean, brand-new, as if I had the best skin-care routine known to man. I'd make quite the model - maybe the best in the world. Unfortunately, my skin wouldn't stay that way for long, considering how I treat my body.
"What a sight..." Dorian looked in awe. "Mad bastard really did it. A dragon is born!"
"A dragon..." Brienne muttered.
"It is a miracle," Arthur added, letting out a sigh of relief. "For a moment, I thought this was a mistake."
"Don't you doubt me..." I smiled, shaking my head.
I closed my eyes for a moment, observing my status.
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Status Page
Name: Edric Storm
Age: 13
Lord
Charm: 84 (Diplomat III)
Leadership: 76 (Inspiring Leader III)
Steward: 53 (Midas Touch II)
Warrior
Athletics: 105 (Titan V)
Battle Instincts: 89 (Hyper Focus III)
Warhammer: 78 (Thunderous Warhammer III)
Knight
Sword: 88 (Swordskill IV)
Riding: 87 (Riding III)
Armour: 79 (Fortress III)
Ranger
Marksman: 120 (Sniper V)
Scouting: 76 (Scouting III)
Throwing: 85 (Throwing IV)
Smith
Blacksmithing: 44 (Blacksmithing II)
Engineering: 65 (Engineering III)
Stranger
Roguery: 37 (Serpent I)
Trade: 27 (Merchant I)
Medicine: 25 (Whole Of Body I)
Mage
Storm Manipulation: 60 (Stormlord III 'The Collapsing Storm') - Greatly increases ability to manipulate storm-related elements with less strain.)
New Storm-related ability gained:
Raitei (Lightning Emperor) - Your own form of the Baleful Omen, bringing forth the Plane of Euthymia into the mortal plane. It is the activation of a large-scale long-lasting storm 'field' that greatly increases elemental energy and stamina regeneration for yourself and your subjects. You are also able to manipulate reality itself only close around you, bringing forth elements of your inner world seamlessly. However, once the storm ends, you are left entirely exhausted. The greater your experience, the longer it lasts, the greater the area of effect and the more effective the regeneration becomes.
Greenseer: 42 (Greenseer II - Stronger greensight, the ability to control dreams and even actively enter the dreams of others + Warging greatly abilities improved, able to warg into any animal and from a greater distance)
Demon: 20 (Dragonborn I ' Born Anew' - Great resistance to all forms of flame (immune to ordinary fire and heat), enhanced physical attributes across the board and the ability to manipulate flames. Due to your 'dragonheart', magic is passively bolstered in strength and regenerates at a greater rate for yourself and magic users around you.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Raitei... small wonder I handled that Kraken without any sacrifices of note in that other timeline. This new 'Demon' skill also seems broken.
If I fought that Kraken now, it would have plenty of reason to fear me.
I opened my eyes.
"Well, don't you look absolutely beautiful in your naked visage, Your Grace," Dorian remarked sarcastically, seemingly getting over his surprise rather swiftly. "I can't blame you for admiring yourself... but there's a task at hand. We are under siege with trebuchets violating our walls every waking moment."
"I see..."
I nodded, reaching into my chest. A small portal appeared, opening the Plane of Euthymia as I dragged out my replacement clothes. I got dressed in similar black-golden garments, albeit less lavish ones. Fresh boots, a new glove, the whole fit.
I noticed that the words on my left hand had returned.
Live... Eternity.
We will.
"What did Aegon say before he died? The Unsullied and those other guards were glaring at you."
I questioned.
"Well, he essentially said that I was the one to release the dragons in the first place... which was very much desperate, I must say. He wanted to take me down with him."
True or not, this would inevitably destabilise Daenerys' council. I could see him doing such a thing... but, whether he did it or not, didn't matter now.
"I see," I looked at the Unsullied, who all shared fearless eyes. "Tell them we'll settle this situation upon Daenerys' return. She may judge you. For now, we have a common enemy to destroy, and we shouldn't allow this internal conflict to distract us from that."
"As if I need your words to sway them," Dorian grinned slightly. "But, very well, I shall pass down your word."
"I suppose the trebuchets are more pressing than the fleet?"
"Indeed."
"I'll deal with all of their siege engines."
"How I miss your battle-altering strength," Dorian smiled. "All this time under siege was worthwhile."
"You seven," I looked at my company. "Ready the Robert's Hammer for my arrival. We will be sailing back to repay Qarth's hospitality shortly after."
"Yes, Your Grace."
...
Six trebuchets, even more catapults and scorpions.
I observed from the outermost walls of Meereen. They had sustained quite a bit of damage, but it seems that they were able to repair almost as quickly as Yunkai were able to damage the walls. I closed my eyes, deciding it's better to deal with it now than later.
"Night King, your free trial of Edric's Inner World has come to an end..."
"Is that so?" His eyes retained the same look, unfazed. Indifferent. "Cutting us from you would mean wounding yourself."
"You're just a major fragment of the Night King's soul, aren't you? Strong enough to possess practically anyone... but me. It's why you chose to hide in here, even when I was at my weakest. Your entire purpose was to bring down the Wall so that your true vessel could march on the world - which you've failed all too spectacularly."
"You are correct," The Night King remained still, "But you have only delayed the inevitable, Harbinger of the Storm. We now know everything about you."
"You've been busy digging?" I frowned.
"Your plans, your defences, your strengths, your abilities, your strongest subjects. Those you value the most. Even the truth of the world... we would not call that a failure."
"What is this great revelation you've found?"
"It was as you said. Our power comes from you."
"... Heh," I chuckled. "So you admit to being a stepping stone."
"Slaying you would be the end of that. A new beginning," The Night King replied. "We will not fail."
"Even if we were equal in power, you have no soul. No spirit. Your resolve cannot compare to mine."
"So you think."
"I don't think, I know. You're just a discarded tool that managed to stick around... speaking of failures, you made quite the mistake here. Do you think I'd let you eavesdrop on my life without a price?"
"..."
"I see now that you are linked to your true vessel... but what if this link was severed?" I raised my hand. "You did want to be a part of me so badly, didn't you? I'll indulge you."
In just a moment, he was smothered in my aura. Bit by bit, he was consumed, properly assimilated... and the link to the Night King's true vessel had broken. I had effectively taken part of his soul and made it my own. This act was likely not without its own consequences.
Between the 'dragonheart', Night King's partial soul, the time I forcefully breached a dragon's body and my own personal issues... it's more than enough to break and twist most men.
Even I'd likely not walk entirely unscathed. Then again, when was the last time I was 'normal'? Was it before I sought the crown? Before I turned the melee at King's Landing into a bloodbath?
This... is a treacherous path I walk. And yet, I have no choice.
Not long after, a new skill appeared.
[Other (incomplete): 10]
"System, since one of my requirements is to 'singlehandedly' kill over a hundred thousand men... mind enlightening me on my current kill count?"
[Compiling data...]
--------------
Personal kills gained in each major encounter
Melee at King's Landing: 10
Lannister escape from King's Landing: 70+
The Dance Of Stags And Lions: 500+
The Second Greyjoy Rebellion: 2000+
The Vale Campaign: 1000+
The North Campaign: 5000+
Attack on Pentos: 15
Battle at the Orange Shore (not counting Viserion): 1000+
Other: 20+
Current total: A little over ten thousand
--------------
That's a bit more than I expected.
Even so, it's only a tenth.
A hundred thousand...
I opened my eyes again.
The men atop the walls with their beast masks looked at me strangely. They probably thought I was daydreaming. I turned my eyes to Yunkai's army. It was the largest force I had ever seen in person. Tens of thousands of slaves, a shit ton of armoured elephants, a khalasar, thousands of sellswords, even bloody camel riders! The entire east of the world had seemingly rallied against Daenerys.
"Quite a large force, eh?" Dorian joined me, grinning.
"Do you have their exact number?"
"Do I look like a god to you?" Dorian scoffed, shaking his head. "I do, however, have rough estimates. New Ghis brought about 36,000 men and a hundred war elephants, Yunkai brought 10,000 men and about 4,000 sellswords, Qarth brought that fleet you encountered and a few hundred camel riders, Elyria provided several hundred crossbowmen and an additional five hundred infantry, Tolos provided a couple of hundred as well... and your Essosi brothers - a khal and his khalasar of twenty thousand."
Over 70,000...
"My Essosi brothers?"
"Dothraki are the master of the bow."
"It is their one redeeming quality," I nodded. "I dislike everything else about them."
"Not fond of eating horse?"
"... Of course not."
"It tastes quite good," Dorian chuckled. "Daenerys would agree."
Whooosh.
A trebuchet launched, hurling stone right at my vicinity. I glanced at it, and it stopped in the air. Then a powerful force of wind sent it flying right back at the trebuchet it was fired from - smashing against it and crushing dozens of men along with the siege engine.
"... You are one frightening boy," Dorian remarked.
"You've seen nothing."
I drew out my beloved dragonbone warbow and quiver, strapping it on my back. Afterwards, I grabbed two arrows and loaded them. A purple-black flame sparked at the tip, rising up. I fired it at the next closest trebuchet... and the next, one charged with lightning, right after.
The lightning one caught up almost at the perfect time, triggering an overloaded explosion after the flames had erupted on the trebuchet.
A bit sloppy...
It still exploded to the point of being unusable, however.
Purple flames, though? I was under the assumption that they were golden... are they bicolour, changing at a whim? God knows.
Without thinking too much about it, I proceeded to blow up every siege engine in my view.
"You should be fine for the moment," I looked at Dorian. "I'd do more, but Qarth's fleet has been patiently waiting... on that point, how did you end up with that absurd wall of ships?"
"At first, it was our defence against them. While it slowed them down, I had ships carrying scorpions fire upon them. Eventually, they did break through, and we had to defend the port... forcing them to retreat. It was a terrible mess, that ordeal, but we held on. Now they know to stay at sea until we all die of starvation or the bloody flux, heh. The Slaver's main force also tried to take the walls at the same time, but the Unsullied are famed for good reason."
"... Daenerys truly robbed Astapor blind."
I returned to Robert's Hammer and had it sail up to the wall of ships, jumping down onto one of them and observing Qarth's fleet. They had stayed at sea this entire time... had Dorian discouraged them to such an extent? Qarth's fleet truly is soft.
No use in wasting my time with them.
Raitei.