Chapter 3: The Fiery Alliance
The Riverlands' scars bled into a forest glade, the Brotherhood's fiery heart banner fluttering over rough tents. The Riverlands were a country of scars, and the Brotherhood without Banners was a testament to that fact. A low fire's orange glow cut the gloom, smoke curling with pine's sharp tang. "A low fire burned at the center, its orange glow a stark contrast to the ever-present gloom." Elias's weathered scroll crinkled in his pocket, shoulders sore from the trek. Beric Dondarrion stood by the fire, his eyeless socket grim. "Beric Dondarrion, the famed Lord of Light, stood by the fire, his eye socket a testament to his repeated deaths and resurrections." A red priest lingered, robes frayed, blades clinking, marking time. Allies or threats? Elias thought, hands shaky.
"You're the sky-man," Beric rumbled. "The one who turned back the Freys' dogs." "'You're the sky-man,' Beric said, his voice a low rumble. 'The one who turned back the Freys' dogs.'"
"I am," Elias replied, mind racing. "And I saw your banner. We share a common enemy, it seems." "'I am,' Elias replied, his mind already running a thousand calculations. 'And I saw your banner. We share a common enemy, it seems.'"
[THREAT DETECTED: LANNISTER SCOUTS (4). INITIATING BASIC SCAN: VULNERABILITY ANALYSIS.]
Red light flashed, showing scouts' gilded armor, joints exposed. "He saw them, four figures in the distance, their movements too fluid to be normal patrols." "Lannister scouts," Elias said, pointing to cliffs. "They're circling around to attack." "'Lannister scouts,' Elias said, pointing toward the cliffs. 'They're circling around to attack.'"
Beric gripped his sword. "Don't. We'll trap them." "Beric's hand went to his sword hilt, but Elias held up a hand. 'Don't. We'll trap them.'"
Larra nodded, frayed rope belt tightening. "Where do you want the ropes?" "Larra, her eyes alert, immediately understood. 'Where do you want the ropes?'"
Elias guided Larra to string drop-lines between trees, leaves hiding them. "Using the DGS's blueprints, Elias and Larra began to set up a series of drop-lines, thin ropes strung between trees and covered with leaves." A villager's cough broke the silence, a micro-conflict easing tension. Corax cawed, "Look at them! They're so shiny. Do their egos bruise worse than their skulls after this?" "Corax, perched high on a branch, cawed loudly, a harsh, mocking sound. 'Look at them! They're so shiny. Do they think their gold will save them? Their egos'll bruise worse than their skulls after this!'" Scouts tripped, tumbling, as Elias lunged, DGS borrowing Beric's swordsmanship. "Elias, using a skill-borrowing function from the DGS, felt a sudden, sharp clarity, a phantom memory of Beric's sword-fighting prowess." A scout's blade gleamed fiery, a charred twig falling nearby. Magic?"The scout's blade gleamed with a faint, fiery signature."
"Hey, Elias! Look at that sword! It's got some kind of fire magic on it! Bet it belongs to one of those crazy red priests!" "The scout's blade gleamed with a faint, fiery signature, and Corax, who had been watching from his branch, cawed a warning."
[VULNERABILITY EXPLOITED. COMBAT SKILL BORROWED: BERIC'S SWORDSMANSHIP. THREAT NEUTRALIZED. RECRUITMENT PROGRESS: 46/100. STRENGTH GAINED: +15.]
"Your traps… they were ingenious," Beric said, sheathing his sword. "You fight like a strategist, not a soldier." "Beric Dondarrion, sheathing his sword, looked at Elias with a new kind of respect. 'Your traps… they were ingenious. You fight like a strategist, not a soldier.'"
"My system's just warming up," Elias said, hands trembling as the skill faded. "'My system's just warming up,' Elias said, the DGS's power-borrowing function already fading. 'We're just getting started.'"
Beric offered a pact, his men needing a haven. "Beric, impressed by Elias's ingenuity, offered a pact." Elias spoke of a sanctuary, DGS analyzing Beric's idealism. "Elias, using the DGS's Motive Analysis, crafted a speech that resonated with Beric's idealism." Houses rose, Stormlands relics glinting, villagers murmuring approval. "DGS-constructed houses, adorned with relics from the Stormlands, rose in the plaza." Corax poked Beric's sword, squawking, "A nice torch you have there, Lord. But my beak is brighter." "Corax, meanwhile, landed on Beric's shoulder, poking his flaming sword. 'A nice torch you have there, Lord. But my beak is brighter,' he said with a laugh."
Beric chuckled. "A strange bird, indeed. Be careful, boy. Your city is a beacon. And beacons draw things in the dark. There are greater forces at play than men and lords. Powers that burn, and powers that freeze." "Beric chuckled. 'A strange bird, indeed. Be careful, boy,' he warned, his voice turning somber. 'Your city is a beacon. And beacons draw things in the dark. There are greater forces at play than men and lords. Powers that burn, and powers that freeze.'"
Magic threats, Elias thought, gripping his scroll. A new figure, Eldon, arrived, his frayed robe brushing stone. "A few days later, a new figure arrived at the plaza's gates. He was a Maester, though he wore no chain." "I'm a Maester, expelled for magic," he said, eyes manic. "Maester Eldon, he introduced himself, and he had been expelled from the Citadel for studying magic, a subject deemed heretical."
[NEW RECRUIT: ELDON, MAESTER. RECRUITMENT PROGRESS: 47/100. KNOWLEDGE MODULE UNLOCKED. LORE ANALYSIS ENABLED.]
"Your city defies the Citadel's dogma," Eldon said, examining a glowing seed. "They believe all magic is gone, but I see it in your fields, in the glowing runes on your plaza!" "'Your city defies the Citadel's dogma,' Eldon said, his eyes alight with a frantic curiosity. 'They believe all magic is gone, but I see it in your fields, in the glowing runes on your plaza!'"
"Arcane nonsense? That's my favorite kind!" Corax squawked, poking Eldon's book. "Corax, perched on Elias's shoulder, squawked with laughter. 'Arcane nonsense? That's my favorite kind! This guy is a keeper, Elias. You need to study that book of his. I saw some funky runes on it.'"
"The Valyrians… they had soil magic! This isn't just a miracle, it's a forgotten art!" "Eldon went to the Living Fields, his eyes wide with a manic wonder. 'The Valyrians… they had soil magic! This isn't just a miracle, it's a forgotten art!'"Eldon's key, Elias thought, heart racing. Villagers whispered of fiery threats, wind howling, urging him to unravel Aeria's secrets.
Love [ Game Of Thrones I Own Floating City ]? Unlock More Chapters and Support the Story!
Dive deeper into the world of [ Game Of Thrones I Own Floating City ] with exclusive access to 35+ chapters on my Patreon, plus new fanfic every week! Your support starting at just $5/month helps me keep crafting the stories you love across epic universes like [Grimm, Teen Wolf ,blacklist,Game Of Throne ,MCU and Arrowverse].
By joining, you're not just getting more chapters—you're helping me bring new worlds, twists, and adventures to life. Every pledge makes a huge difference!
👉 Join now at patreon.com/TheFinex5 and start reading today!