Author's Notes
Another chapter for ya'll. This one contains a lot of answers and poses a lot more questions.
As we trotted up to Castle Black I felt increasingly uneased by the Force. There was something very wrong that only came apparent the closer that we came to the Wall. Not in the wall itself, but what it seemed to ward against. Talzin felt it as well as she grew very quiet partway in the trip once it came into view.
"Lyarra, Joanna, I want you and Melisandre to head back south to Harrenhal." I say with a tone that gave no room for protest. Joanna nodded, I pretty sure she was eager to leave the clod but mostly understood my own reason. Lyarra clutched to my body a bit more but otherwise said nothing in way of disobeying me. Melisandre just seemed concerned with what I might be planning but I know she'll also do as I instruct.
"We will be going further than this Wall correct?" Talzin said aloud what the rest were likely thinking. I nodded and left it at that. I needed to confirm with my own eyes what lurked beyond the Wall. I discreetly used my wrist terminal to order the Valerian Dropship to fly to a remote location beyond the Wall. I needed to go places that would take long trips I wasn't willing to waste time on. So with a heavy heart I let Lyarra off to join Joanna and they along with Melisandre turned back. I knew that the Red Priestess was a capable woman that would know how to handle herself and the other two getting back down south, they would be safe.
We soon came upon the gates of Castle Black. It was the very definition of a great castle that was no longer in its glory days. The black stone that made up the structure was crumbling in every nonessential area of the building. It looked like the Night's Watch had gotten very good at only maintaining the most vital of spots. That wasn't good as for a castle like this one with little ostentation every spot was vital. Thankfully the Wall provided a bit of a shielding effect for the snow storm that was going on in the area, so things were a bit clearer for us.
"Who goes ther'?!" Someone shouted down from the castle walls as came to a stop.
"I am Darth Nagash, Lord of Harrenhal and Grand Master of the Sith Order. I have come to speak with your Lord Commander concerning the relationship between our two orders as well as to ask him to allow myself passage beyond the Wall!" I shout back up to the watchman. I heard something like laughing and then mild argument from a incoming voice. Then more arguing but I couldn't make out the words. Then after about ten minutes of waiting the gates then opened. Standing at the head of several Night's Watchman was a face I had not seen I awhile.
"My Lord, it is good to see you again." My eyes widened as I saw Harlello walk up to my horse with a smile on his face. I honestly had forgotten he existed until right now. The idea of the son of the most powerful man in Volantis now just a member of the Night's Watch was honestly weirding me out. Hopefully his father wouldn't find out or if he did would blame me for this. Though… it is sorta my fault but am not telling that old tiger anything.
"And it is shocking to see you so far up North, you will not find anyone willing to hold you off the ground here." If he could see anything but my eyes between my rebreather or hood he would have seen a very amused look on my face. The other Night's Watchmen all chuckled to themselves and Harlello laughed along nervously. Clearly when he first arrived he was still a little high and mighty, but now humbled. "But if you have stayed here and lasted long enough to take the Black, surely you have grown since the last time I saw you."
"I only hope so my lord." He said but then was shoved aside by the only Night's Watchmen that had a sour look on his face through the entire exchange. It was too early for Thorne to be here.
"Pleasant reunions aside my lord…" He growled with every word having to be dragged out of him. "… however Lord Commander Qorgyle is a busy man and can't be disturbed for every southerner lord that wants an audience." Ah, a loyalist. This man served the Watch well but more toward a man than anything else. A unspoken Oath was one that couldn't be renounced. This man had clear northern features and Qorgyle was a Dornish House so there must be a story here. But I don't have time to learn every little tale here in Westeros.
"he will for me, now move." I say with a dismissive tone as I lightly waved my hand to the side and used the Force to push them all away so me and Talzin could come right on in. All those but Harlello I felt were utterly shocked at my use of the Force. I guess news of the Sith's powers were slow this far North. I trotted on in and the brothers of the Night's Watch within the castle all looked to me and Talzin. Those that met us at the gate ran back in, the annoying one shouting that we were attacking the castle or something. I cared little for whatever he thought I was doing.
The Night's Watch, while very important in the grand scheme of things, was of little consequence for my plans down south. I mean me being on their bad side could possible have ramifications here in the North but I doubted that would happen. In the end I was here to see the Wall and then visit the lands beyond it for a small recon mission. Maybe this might result in them denying Sith support later on but again, very big doubt on it.
And being here, at Castle Black I could feel the Wall in its full glory and know that any troubles I might cause for future Naraiz were worth it. It pulsed in the Force. Pushing a invisible wave of power that felt like a static cling on my senses. I wasn't was it was seeking and neither was just straight up Dark Side as Talzin would be reacting more than she was right now. If I had a guess as to what it was doing would be… zombie repellent.
The history of what I consider Necromancy in the Star Wars galaxy was sporadic. On one hand you had many Sith and Force users that tried to extend their lives. That isn't what I was talking about, that more often than not dealt with either revitalization or body swapping. Necromancy, dealing with the already dead was actually fairly rare. Soul Alchemy wasn't, speaking with the spirits, bringing back just the spirits, or binding a soul or many was a science to the Sith. Zombies and undead were a whole other thing. When you brought back a spirit using the Force you weren't upsetting the natural Force if that makes sense, you are simply plucking a bit of the Force that used to be someone and giving them temporary agency again. Even binding them to a physical object wasn't all that bad as they were still just a spirit. But giving them flesh and blood back? That… that was not easy or safe.
Something happens when you step over that line. It's like a chemical reaction, you can mix various chemicals to make any number of things. And you can get a very useful tool by following a few steps, but then take one more and you have a deadly poison. That's what Necromancy is, that step taken too far. Normally it will result in the typical zombie, ravenous and mindless. The three compounds of a person is the soul, body, and mind. I'd like to think that you only get all three once. As a ghost you can have the soul and mind, as the undead you get a body and a soul. But missing even one and you just don't have the complete package. Maybe that's what droids are, minds and bodies without souls? Eh… off topic.
Given what I know about the Game of Thrones world and the info I've gotten from Broonmark and Rathari, I can safely say that the White Walkers are a mix of Necromancers and a Techno-Virus. The White Walkers are likely the same as they were in Game of Thrones canon, creations of the Children of the Forest to fight off the First Men. They were likely a highly advanced form of Necromancy that sacrifices some of a person's soul for a stable mind if a bit twisted. But that's just a theory. But they failed and were exiled to the Land of Always Winter. Then my wayward True Followers came into the picture and made a deal with the White Walkers, improving them with tech and delving too deep into cybernetics. A unholy union of the two groups now is stirring. I wonder if the Wall will still be effective?
"Darth Nagash!" I heard a gruff and Dornish accented voice yell down to me. I snapped out of my musings, noting that I had been absentmindedly catching several arrows in the air and holding back charging brothers of the Night's Watch. Then I looked up at the man yelling at me. He was up by the keep of the castle, wearing finer but still black robes than the rest of the Night's Watch. Clearly this southern Lord Commander wished to remain in some luxury. However… that was disconnected by the look the man had. He was old, but he had that aura of very experienced man who had seen it all and was grumpy all the time at seeing the young repeat the same mistakes of their elders. Honestly the vibe I got was a old drug lord that lived long enough to retire and just play checkers in the park, he still was dangerous as fuck but didn't outwardly look it.
"Lord Commander Qorgyle I presume? It's so nice to finally meet." I say jovially as if a gang of his men had not been trying to kill me for barging into the place. Confusion and stress pooled in the psyche of the Night's Watchmen all around us but the Lord Commander was just irritated.
"You're damn right that's me, now what makes you think you can come in my keep and make demands like a bloody princeling off his mama's teat!" He boomed back down to me as he started to make his way down the stairs to the courtyard. He walked with a cane that I'm sure many young boys had gotten their asses whooped by. "The entire North is buzzing about, crying out with a vengeance as they hear Lady Stark has been mauled by some beastly Wildling. I'm not about in the right mood to be listening to your silly wishes when the North might very well be out for my head!" He finished off as he came up to my horse, Maester Aemon was behind him and looked like already quite along in his time.
"You think that Lord Stark will blame the Night's Watch for the death of his wife?" I asked with a disbelieving snort. It was a possibility but at the same time a unlikely one. Rickard was well aware of the declining quality in the Night's Watch. He was far more likely to attribute that to this turn of events that the Night's Watch itself. "Look around you, there are but three castles maned right now and far too much Wall to watch over. Lord Stark is a smart man and has smart counsel, he will know that this tragedy was caused by the Night's Watch's decay rather than its apathy or incompetence."
"A astute observation my lord, but also one that lacks a understanding of a widowed man's grief." Aemon pointed out and Qorgyle grunted in agreement as he nodded back to his fellow elder. Rickard was a cold anger type of man, plus… there was the fact of the current state of his marriage. And even if he was going to go off in a murderous rampage I have a pretty good idea of what he'll do.
"If that's the case then I'd expect him here soon ready to take the Black rather than place your head on a spike Lord Commander." I got a smirk out the old man, mainly I suspect that he actually wanted that to happen. Probably because he really wanted someone to hurry and show up that was a good choice to replace him as Lord Commander. "But all I request of you is to let me through the Wall. I promise that I and my companion can take care of ourselves."
"Is that so." He grumbled as he looked me over then glanced at Talzin. Thank the Force he was Dornish, meant he wouldn't judge the fact she was a woman too harshly. "And just what do you have planned once your… eh… I don't care." He groaned before turning around and started walking back to the keep. "Let him through and get him out of my castle!"
"Charming man." I mutter with a smile to myself before my horse started its trot toward the large gate carved into the Wall. Once we were on the other side I would find a good clear spot and call the dropship to pick me and Talzin up. There we would fly to the Great Weirwood Tree and I would meet the Three Eyed Raven. I wasn't foolish enough to think that I should be scouting the Land of Always Winter yet or even looking for the Dead yet. "Secrets are about to be unveiled."
The sound of crunching bones and wet meat being torn apart echoed in the Braavosi alleyway. Several thugs were screaming as they were being dragged back toward the flowery robes of the monster that was consuming their boss. Meanwhile Jaesa was lifting up her spilled groceries with the Force, ignoring her Tsân and his feeding time. Another one of the brutes that had tried to mug her screamed as he whooshed under Macha's robes, dragged into the darkness by the monster's centipede like tentacles.
"Hurry up, it might be late but that doesn't mean we can't be caught." Jaesa snapped as she could tell that her Tsân was playing with its food. Several clicking sounds came from Macha and with a sudden swoop of wind the rest of the thugs vanished into its heavy robes. The monster looked overly stuffed but then loud cracking noises came from it and soon enough the bulges of the now corpses slid back into place. "Seriously, sometimes you make me jealous of his two bootlickers. At least they are somewhat normal."
"Hurt, needless." It whispered as it followed Jaesa out of the alleyway. The city of Braavos was covered in the darkness of night. Only the moon and several torches lit the street. Jaesa had paid extra to the merchants to give her what she needed at this late hour. It was a arrangement not designed to avoid getting mugged, but instead avoid talking to the normal people as much as possible. If anything the muggings were a bonus.
"Yeah well shut up." Jaesa replied as she made her way back down the streets to her home. The rest of the trip was in silence. If anyone actually was up this late or saw her, none dared to approach her as the locals had learned to stay far away from the Monk of Bloody Flowers as Macha had come to be known as. This was a typical night for Jaesa, the mugging had been a odd but welcomed surprised this night but otherwise typical. And as she walked in the quiet darkness, Jaesa not for the first time lamented this exile she had chosen for herself. There was little for a woman of action like herself to do here, not when her first priority was keeping the life inside her safe.
"Meow." Her usual normal night seemed to change as a cat jumped out onto the street from another alleyway. Then before Jaesa could shoo it away or Macha could eat it, a young boy ran out to try and catch the feline. Macha made a slight move to attack and likely eat the boy but with a glare Jaesa stopped it. She recognized this boy, and she recognized the tired mother that came out of the alley chasing her wayward son.
"Syrio! You must… stop… chasing cats." Tirysa Forel's voice left her as she came into the street and saw the Monk of Bloody Flowers looming over the strange woman that was on everyone's lips. The woman that her husband had brought into the city not knowing who or what she really was. Rumors of dark powers and missing people surrounded her and Tirysa knew those rumors had a grain of truth to them. "A pleasure to see you again, I'd address you properly but I suspect the name you had given my husband to be nothing but a sham."
"If you must know its Jaesa Willsaam." Jaesa lightly laughed as she saw no reason to hide behind a fake name. She had already instilled a good deal of fear into the locals and doubted they would know to connect that name back to the Sith. Hell, she doubted that any of the locals knew of the Sith, only perhaps the dock workers would hear the merchants talking about them. "And it is a pleasure to see you too Lady Forel."
"I haven't been called lady anything in a long time." She scoffed but then quickly recomposed herself and kept her son behind her as the woman's eyes were firmly on the smiling porcelain mask of Macha.
"Oh, I had a feeling you weren't from around here, pray tell where?" Jaesa danced around the conversation, enjoying talking to another person and even more so with someone that was scared of her.
"Lorath, I was once the daughter of the Fisher Prince Malar. However I grew tried of that life and fell in love with a willy Braavosi captain." I smiled fondly before looking back to Jaesa who was staring at her with a mix of contempt and annoyance. "Something about that bothers you."
"More like how accepting you are of it. Knowing that you came from a place of wealth makes the fact you are so… at peace where you are at all the more frustrating to me." Jaesa explained as her emotions started to flare. As someone that whose life was currently in a violent flux she detested this woman and the fact her life was settled into this wonderful peace. Jaesa didn't notice but the two others in the street painfully did, the small little centipede that was crawling out of Macha's open smile. "I'm sure you were happy before, had all you needed and wanted nothing to change but then suddenly this man comes into your life and makes you question everything. There isn't a bit of regret or longing in you for that old life, and that's what is pissing me off so much."
"Unfair, undeser-"
"You shut up!" Jaesa snapped back at Macha, she wasn't about to let it try and pull some Dark Side tempting bullshit here and now. But thankfully that did shake Jaesa off the train of thought she had been going down. She looked back to the frightened civilians. "You have what I don't, simple as that. That's what bothers me." With that Jaesa took a deep breath and started her way down the street. She and the robed horror stepped on right past Tirysa, as if she didn't exist.
"And you think you know everything about me?" Tirysa said knowing that she should have just let the woman go on her business. But she knew other girls like this one, who were so confused with where they were because of the choices they made. "Yes, I am quite content with my husband and son. But you don't think I don't have thoughts of the life I could be having. That other me somewhere out there. I do. Just as you seem to be fixated with the other you that's out there."
"It's not-"
"It doesn't matter. You can't change how things are. Sometimes you have to accept it and enjoy everything about it." Tirysa said as she held her son close to her. The little boy that made her life so wonderful. Even if she ever questioned her choice to follow her husband she never questioned her child. Her life in Braavos might be difficult at times but there was still life and joy to be found in it. "It is only when you deny the possibility of happiness that you close yourself from it."
"You seem very wise." Jaesa begrudgingly said after a moment of pause. What she said felt... better. It made Jaesa feel better about herself even if she knew it was pointless. "I would enjoy telling you are wrong about me some other time. Also I would enjoy asking you a few questions about... things."
"Oh, so know you are going to start acting like a mother to be."
"I take it back." Jaesa didn't, there were too many questions that needed to be answered.
"Are you sure this spell works?" I asked as me and Talzin stood at the open side doors of the flying dropship as it flew over the lands beyond the Wall. It was a tundra of truest sense, really it was a horrible oversight on Bran the Builder's part to leave anyone in this frozen wasteland. Though I guess it as it always will be, humans can always find a way to survive in the harshest of environments.
"Yes, all Nightsisters undergo this upon their birth. However the ritual is quite subjective to the caster." Talzin explained and that was just fine. I nodded and proceeded to ignore her entirely for the trip. We had discussed the Wall and her thoughts on it. While she did have a few points on the effect it had on the great Force of the Planet, I found her input to be similar to my own observations. I think she picked up on this short coming. So things stayed quiet until a she decided she needed to speak up on something. "I believe it would be best if I were to take my shelter and home in Valyria."
"Oh… not by my side?" I asked as this was quite counter productive to her previous plans.
"Speaking with Melisandre, I have learn I good deal. And I have come to the conclusion that my time is not now. Great Mother Gethzrion had a vision of you coming earlier then when you did, but I know believe that your time should have been much later." That had been something I picked up on, Gethzrion likely had foreseen me coming to Dathomir first as that had been my plan until I had gotten the vision about Qui-Gon. That gave me concern as it meant there were two acting quote unquote forces in the Force. And I was inclined to believe that the one that sent me to Qui-Gon was not the natural Force. As it felt too… deliberate. But I waved these thoughts off for the moment and continued to listen to Talzin. "My presence here is unneeded. My only use is in the creation of your tests for the future Sith. Tests that will not be needed for several years. I am only in the way for you and your plans in the immediate."
"It's not that you're in the way, more like unnecessary for anything but my trials." I said honestly because everything she said was true. But I did respect her a bit more for realizing this and addressing so calmly and not trying to change it in a way that might be good for her but detrimental for my plans. It was a kind of selfless that would be rewarded later… but then again maybe that was the point of this. "What would you need?"
"Once we are finished here, you plan on returning to the galaxy?" I nodded. "Then return to Dathomir and collect my most adherent followers. The Great Mother will not mind once you inform her that they will never bow to her and will seek to sabotage her efforts. Bring them to Valyria and we will begin resettling there. While we will lack the numbers and deeper lore that the rest of the tribes have, we will be utterly loyal and free of the threat of destruction by the heretical Sith." She explained and it did sound like a good plan. Have a Nightsister settlement set up in Valyria, they would defend it far better than some trashed droids and be much more capable of overseeing the Sith trials. Plus if Gethzrion ever starts to get too uppity than I can just abandon her with a good sorceress safety net for myself. Oh yes… it's all coming together.
We flew across the white tundra and pine forests of the far North, and as we approached lands were beyond the Wall's Force shadow I began to feel out our target. I directed the Droid pilot toward our destination. And soon enough came into view a massive Weirwood tree clutching a small mountain. Both me and Talzin could feel the raw presence of the Light Side in the air as we approached. It was immensely more dense then even the Isle of Faces though in a different way. While the island felt more pure in the Light, this just felt more heavy and in larger quantity… if such a concept could be put into terms that a Non-Force user could understand.
The dropship landed just outside a large cave mouth at the base of the largest exposed roots. As I stepped off and onto the snowy ground, I sensed something very unnatural move in the nearby tree line. Glancing to the side I could tell that we were being watched by something… not right. The undead techno zombies that Broonmark told me about. It would be nice to study them a bit but for right now I think it would be best to not.
"So, that is what the Wall was made to defend against." Talzin stated as we started our way up to the cave. She must have sensed the undead as well and I was a little surprised at the look of disgust on her face. Given what I knew of Talzin in the canon timeline, I wouldn't be shocked if she dabbled a bit into that stuff.
"Yes, however they are far worse than the simple creatures that were seen in those times." I said and she seemed interested in what I meant but didn't follow up with any question. We instead ignored the glowing blue eyes that stared at us from the tree line and made our way up to the cave's entrance but then stopped there. Talzin looked up to me but I just kept staring forward until we both saw movement.
"Neti… here?" Talzin whispered to me as several shapes came into view. The Children of the Forest, turns out to be the sentient plant species Neti. Made sense, if this world was made by the Ones like I theorize then it would need guardians just like the Killiks were used as builders of the Ones. And Neti do need very little in the ways of support, just give them access to water and light and they could live perfectly fine. They were also all to a degree Force Sensitive but in a muted type of way. They couldn't use a large range of Force Powers unless extra blessed by the Midi-chlorians, they could all access the Force and feel its shifts and tides. Most with training could also use passive powers of the Force like Mediation.
"It has been a very long time since anyone has called us by the names of our ancestors." The lead Child of the Forest said, it was a small childlike figure with vaguely feminine features. But once she finished speaking her form shifted into a larger more familiar Neti state. It was like a compact Ent to me… but with breasts and a curvy shape. Thankfully I know that Neti reproduce asexually so I don't have to worry about the plot forcing me to fuck a tree any time soon. "Long ago our kind had been brought to this world for a great purpose. We carried out our duties and lived in harmony."
"But then humans arrived." I nervously chuckled as that tended to happen a lot, some alien race is just having a nice time and human show up and mess everything up. But then again it also happens in the reverse.
"Yes, far off in the plains of grass a ship fell from the sky. In it was a great number of human slaves and their side eyed masters." Ah, the Rakatans. I'm guess that the Mother of Mountains in the Dothraki Grass Sea is actually a crash site but the ship got pieced apart by the surviving Rakatans to try and build a city. Said city likely went the way of Valyria when the human revolted and burned it down as a symbol of their oppressors. Then the humans spread across the lands and over thousands of years forgot their own origins. "When the First Men arrived, we attempted to befriend them. Only for them to react in violence, their former masters had left them frightful of anything nonhuman. War ensued but eventually the generations forgot their side eyed masters and a truce was called by less fiery hearts."
"The Pact. But was this before or after The Others." The Neti just stared at me before turning.
"I have been called Leaf, the Greenseer has been expecting you." She said simply before walking forward.
"As he should, he'd be a poor Oracle if he didn't know someone as important as me was coming for him." I chuckled and my words weren't spoken in ego but fact. I had long established that I was a pivotal piece in Fate's design. And I had not yet seen anyone with the criteria to replace me and thus remove the plot armor around my person. The Children didn't seem to care as they led me and Talzin deeper into the cave. Talzin and I's pace slowed a bit a few minutes into the journey as the power of the Light Side was blinding and we needed time to adjust. The Witch more than myself, as she was steeped in the Dark while I had some protection having found Balance. But we powered through it and came upon the very core of the tree base. It wasn't impressive, just a slightly larger cavern with many roots coming down from the ceiling to the ground, and in the middle was a aged man tangled in the roots.
"And so you come Darth Nagash, to sate your curiosity of this world and to claim knowledge that I hold. To find the secrets that can only be answered here." The Three Eyed Raven said in a strained but powerful voice. I could tell that he was on the same power level as some of the other members of the Dark Council. I could easily see him as one of the senior members of the Jedi Council, a master of their order. But all that Power seemed to be fine tuned into this tree, little of it left for anything else but to keep on living. A shame, but I hope that the reason for this is better than the stupid one given in the show… which was nothing.
"Hello Lord Bloodraven." The Three Eyed Raven gave no reaction to me saying his old moniker, instead he just nodded to several of the Children. "You seem to be in good health, despite your age. Care to give me any insights into the future of this world… as I know your power is limited to just this world."
"Aye it is... or was. The prison that traps our skies, soil and seas also does so to the Force. Creating a bubble in it. That bubble has popped several times now, allowing me glimpses into the worlds beyond our skies." He looked up to the rocky ceiling of the cavern, but I'm sure his eyes were seeing something else entirely. But then I took a disappointed sigh and looked back down toward me and Talzin. "Such wonders I saw, thanks to you. Wonders I do hope you will help in bring to this world. Help those that live here gain peaceful and happy lives."
"Something like that." I said with a frown as this meant that his powers to see the future were clouded. He wouldn't be asking me for these things if he already knew what was to come.
"Your concerned. My powers are indeed shrouded they have been ever since you arrived. I existed before your travel in time disrupted the future, and now I am unable to see the futures that I had before then. But I am capable of seeing all that is and had been." He said knowing that these were still very powerful abilities. He still had answers, just not all the answers. But there was one thing I wanted to know above all else. It wasn't the reason why I came but his opening statement now brought it to the forefront.
"The Weirwoods… what are they?" it was a question that tied so much together. The Force does not get produced, it simply is. But these Trees do in fact create the Light Side or at the very least project it. And here, under the Great Weirwood Tree I needed answers. Could I plant new Trees? Could I do so on other worlds? Could I produce the same effect with the Dark Side without creating a Wound in the Force? This was game changing as any Dark Side User could be in the vicinity of a Weirwood and feel its calming effect, allowing a Force User to be free of the whispers of the Dark Side long enough to get ahold of themselves.
"I could tell you, but that would pale in understanding. You must delve into the Force, here beneath the Great Tree. Here you will be safe from her worst… but the danger will still be there." The old Hand of the King said and I still had so many questions. He gave a grim smile at this and I realized something.
"You've been blocking me from this every time I've meditated in front of a Weirwood this whole time." He nodded and I didn't like that. I didn't like it when people covered for me. I felt a hand on my shoulder and saw Talzin with a smug knowing smile and I sighed recalling the last time I was in this situation. "Fine… what's the danger?"
"You know the dangers of the Dark Side. It is pain, torment, and a bloody death. It freely gives these to anyone that dives into the inky blackness. But the Light, it far more sinister in its defenses." He explained as I prepared myself for a dive into the Force. Sitting before him in a meditative stance. My mind began to clear of everything that was going on but for his words and the ebbs and flows of the Force. "It sooths, it calms, and it does so until you don't even know yourself any more."
"Yeah-yeah, I'm the frog and the Light Side is the slowly boiling water in a pot." I knew the dangers of the Light Side just as I knew the Dangers of the Dark Side. While the latter was far more easily apparent and fast acting, the former was slow and often manifested in ways that someone wouldn't even notice. The Light dulled the sense of self and pushed someone to the greater whole rather than the individual. Achieving Harmony with the Light Side was about communing with the Light Side and not losing yourself to a unending slumber in its embrace. "Let's get this going."
"Very well, I have warned you of the danger." With that I closed my eyes I reached out into the Force. The Darkness nipped at my senses, warning me to pull back. Odd… it was different to what-
On the isle of Skane, a small crew of Braavosi traders set up camp. They were quite annoyed at the lack of progress they were having with the Westerosi nobles on the larger island of Skagos. They had been promised a good deal by the old woman that had hired them. And what was worse was that old woman had seemly vanished… but only from their eyes.
"Fehfeh… I do believe it is time for me to make my next move." It had child's play to conceal her movements from the Last Greenseer, even if he had managed to learn of her escape from Qarth which was a impressive feat. But know, her ages long ploy to free herself and her family from this fate her kin imposed on her was soon at hand. She pulled out from her robe a small black chain link, a aura of malice and bloodlust emitted from it.
"Hey! That's mine!" A shout came from one of the sailors that brought her here. Soon a fight began between two men that considered each other brother. The old woman put the chain link away before the fight would inevitably turn bloody. She did still need these men to take her back to Essos after all.
"Not just yet, seems even this small piece of The Wrathful is enough for my needs. But even still I should leave camp before it causes a slaughter." With that the old woman walked out of the camp and to a nearby hill. To ready a ritual that will set this world upon a path that will lead to its final purpose.
An endless void of white. Scratches of darker white came into view and together made up the visible ground. Crystalline figures rose from the ground in shapes much like trees but with no leaves. Something fell from the sky but was not snow, ash? It was black and was the only color beyond the various shades of white.
I had been… fighting? Yes I had just been fighting something. An evil. Something wrong and vile that threatened to consume everything in its path. Its hordes of children had come at me but I was prepared, and my cause was just. I think… I think I had allies but I can't remember. Did we win? I can't recall. I don't even remember how I came here from that bloodied battlefield.
"Come my champion." A voice echoed between the trees. The blast ash that fell from the sky vibrated and moved as if a great many things were disturbing their falls. I looked, I turned my head but I don't know whether it was left or right. But there I saw a tower of white stone off in the distance. Was that where the voice came from?
"Mine." Another voice growled through the void. The crystal trees for a moment started to bleed crimson blood but only as the second voice spoke. Then once it was gone the blood vanished in the blink of a eye. I felt compelled to protect… I don't know what but I needed to protect something from that savage voice.
"Heed not his claim, but I do require your aide my champion." The first voice said and I looked back to the tower. I took a single step and what at first looked like a great distance was accomplished in that sole step. I looked up and there I was, at the base of the tower. Here I could see it was gnarled with a great many thorny roots and vines, all clutching the tower jealously. At the very top I could see from these roots and vines a tree grow out the side of the very top of the tower. Upon it was a great many carved faces of all sorts of states of expression.
This was important. I knew this. But I could not for my life understand why. Was this tree some sort of evil? Confining the voice in this tower like a jailer? Or was it the other way around. Keeping the voice away from everyone else… everyone else? Who else? There only ever had been myself and the voices. And… the Evil? But wait… I had allies in that fight.
"Come quickly my champion, my knight." The voice called out to me. I needed to go. I needed to save her. So I ran for so long I ran circles around the tower, searching for a way in. I once tried to climb to reach the top but then I didn't. Did I try to climb the tower? No… that was a bad idea. There was no windows and if there was no door at the top how would I get down. Just keep running. "I need you my gallant knight, your princess awaits your return."
"And I shall come my lady." I spoke and suddenly my efforts were fruitful. I came upon a archway that had been covered in the roots and vines. I raised my sword to cut down this barrier but then I stopped as I heard the sound of a raven's caw. I looked back and saw upon one of the crystal trees a Raven with Three Eyes. Wait… that too was important. Just like the many faces tree. But why. This is wrong… I shouldn't be…
"MINE!" A roar tore through the void a scattered the raven away. This time the entire world seemed to bleed with this world but just as before it vanished just as fast as it came.
'Please my knight, I am so frightened." I look back to the wall of roots and immediately begin chopping away at them. I could hear some more cawing from the raven but it was but the distress of the mindless animals. And soon enough I had created my entrance into the tower. I walked and as I did the Raven with Three Eyes flew past me and entered the inner courtyard first. The tower was but a circle of walls with no roof. In the middle was a stone platform raised high two men's height with no stairs to the top. The Raven circled the top but was shooed off. "You're almost there my knight. So brave, so chivalrous, your justly rewards are so near."
The voice beckoned and I followed. The raised platform was smooth on all sides, but sloped forward only the tiniest bit. I had no means to climb up it. But I reach out to the smooth white marble that seemed to bleed into the rest of the empty white of this world. Just as I was about to touch it's surface the Raven reappeared and nipped at my finger. It pecked and swarmed around my body and I stammered back trying to shoo it away.
"Please my knight you must come!" The voice begged and as it did so not only did I have to content with a angry raven, a new foe appeared. A frightful green was beginning to stain the white of this world. I swung my sword at the Raven and this seemed to scare it off. But then before I could once again attempt to touch the stone pillar, the vines and roots from the outer side of the tower began to grow and strangle the marble. I did not know if this was a blessing or a warning but it mattered little as I now had the means to climb. And climb I did, with each grasp I pulled myself up closer and closer to the source of the voice. And there I found her.
I pulled myself up to the top of the platform, upon it was a woman in chains. No, she wasn't in chains, she was sitting daintily on a elegant throne. She was wearing a tattered dress… no… it was a beautiful white and gold gown. She was stunning, a vision of beauty and holy purity. She looked up and in her black and gold eyes I saw fury and hate… that's not right… it was of grateful longing. I had no idea who she was… something must be wrong with me for how can I forget my princess.
"My lady, I have returned. I have slain beasts most vile and beheaded foes of great evil." I say as I kneel before her. She looked so desperate, and quite annoyed by my actions. I looked up and saw her looking down on me with a graceful smile, a pure and glorious monarch if there ever was one. "If there is any more that requires my aide you need only speak it."
"Yes!" I looked up, thinking I heard her shout this incredulously. But there I only saw her serene look of content pride in her knight. "I only need of you my knight, to take my hand and lead me out of this tower. I wish to see my kingdom with you by my side." It was a honor I did not deserve. I stood up and time seemed to crawl as I started to walk over to her. The world was increasingly beginning to stain with that unnatural green tinge but I paid it no mind. I had returned to my princess. "Come my knight, let us forever rule all beneath our feet. Simply bring me to my people and we shall be together for all eternity."
Something shattered.
I reached out and grabbed ahold of her throat and squeezed just short of letting her black out. The world around us began to crumble away as I felt my mind return back to me.
"Fucking damn that was close wasn't it." I smirked as I felt my body shift and change. I'm sure that I looked like some medieval knight out of some fairy tale but now I was transforming into my Released Form. I guess that was my astral form as well. I don't think anyone has ever maintained this level of consciousness in the Force before.
"L-Le… Let…" She struggled to speak as I held a tight grip over her throat. I have no idea just what the actual fuck is this thing. It's not Abeloth. It actually feels… no.
"You're a One." I said as the realization kicks in. "Terra… it's a prison for Ones." At that I felt the Three Eyed Raven land on my shoulder and the green mists of Talzin began to fill the void were the white crumbled away. I guess they were trying to save me from her indoctrination. But I don't feel like that was what woke me. Eh… doesn't matter in the end now. I look back to the One in my grasp… yikes… talk about if looks could kill. I drop her and the second i do everything goes… more white.
"Have you returned Darth Nagash?" I heard the Three Eye Raven say as my mind returned to the material world. I felt sick… and weak… and very hungry. Opening my eyes I could see that I was in the exact same position only now I was surrounded by medical and ritual equipment.
"I…" I was barely able to speak before collapsing forward. I felt so weak.
"My lord, refrain from making any movement. Your body has been severely depleted." I heard a Doctor Droid say as several of the Children of the Forest came and lifted me off the ground. I was carried over to a bed of soft leaves and was quickly disrobed. I was barely able to think straight let alone put up a fight as this all happened. Then the Doctor Droid gave me a Kolto shot, I gave out a gasp as the medicine flooded my body and rejuvenated my weakened body.
"W-w-what just happened?" I said between my labored breathing. I looked down and was shocked to see my body was far from what I remember it. It was gaunt and sickly, gone was the strong and toned muscle of all my training, and while my skin was already unnaturally pale it now had splotches and looked pulled across my body.
"Your body is suffering from extreme malnourishment. It will take some time of strict dieting and physical therapy for you to return to an optimal weight." The Doctor Droid stated and I was fuming. My body had been one of the most finely crafted weapons in the galaxy, and now it was reduced to this! I glared up to the Three Eyed Raven with the full intent on reducing him to dust only to find nothing happening.
"Your power in the Force is the only thing keeping your body alive. I'm afraid your attempt on my life is a futile one." He said without any emotion of than distant worry. Like my problems didn't even matter. Fuck this! Fuck this! Fuck this! He warned me that there would be danger, when he said that I didn't think it would be crippling! "You only have your own arrogance to blame, though I am at fault there as well. This venture had not gone as I planned."
"Talzin!" I roared, some of my rage pulled the Dark Side through the veil of Light that the Great Weirwood created to give me some life back for a moment. I want that fucking witch here now to give me whatever rejuvenating spell or whatever bullshit she has now.
"The sorceress has already left for Valyria. However she had been the one to prepare many of the ritual and runes that helped in your recovery. But it has been far longer than a few hours since you communed with the Force." What. No… no-no-no-no-no! "Roughly six months."
"Don't do that!" I shouted back. That's fine… it could have been a lot worse. "Still in time for the kid. Given Jaesa medical family history, early deliveries are common… should be in the next few weeks maybe a month." I said as my mind calmed down from everything that happened. Six months, that wasn't that bad. And hopefully I can cheat my way through recovering from the damage to my body. Two months of eating like a Hutt, spending a shit ton of time bathing in the Light Side of the Force, and a work out regiment that would make Arny proud.
"Interesting… that could be what freed you." The oracle mused and that got my attention. "It was not me or the sorceress's efforts that broke you from her spell, but your own will power. Perhaps deep in your subconscious you knew how much time had passed. With the impending birth of your child was looming… the purity and selflessness of this desire was strong enough to break through her powers."
"Just who is her anyways." I don't care how I freed myself or if it really was me. What matters is that I never fall for the same trick twice. The next time I encounter something like that I'm not going to fall for it again. But right now I needed answers, preferable just given to me rather than go through a bender like that again. "She's a One, like the Father, Son, and Daughter. And this world, its meant to be her prison."
"Not just hers, but four others. One of which interfered with your visit to the Force's realm. I had intended to arrive earlier and guide you through her domain. But I was delayed by the screams of The Wrathful. She was able to influence you before I arrived, after that all I could do was try and delay and deter you… it seems I was only partially successful." He said in a gave tone like something very bad had just happened. I could remember everything from my time in the Force. It very odd, normally the Force is misty and illusive in its visions. But this… it could remember with perfect clarity. "This world had been created long ago, during a time when gods still walked among mortals."
"Back when the galaxy was young and the celestials still ruled the stars. And from them came the most powerful Force users of all time, The Ones." The Father, The Son, and The Daughter. And now four more… making seven. Wait… seven. "No… The Faith of the Seven."
"A construct created by one of the Ones sealed away on this world. The Crone." So… in the end the faith that felt the most empty and unlikely to be true was actually the most true all along. That hurts and is something I will never let the Septoms find out. "The Crone had been sealed in what would later be called Qarth. She manipulated the Order of the Warlocks into building the House of the Undying. It was built using a very detailed ritual schematic that when used in conjunction with the Warlock's life draining practices weakened her prison and allowed her to escape."
"Let me guess, they continued to use this life draining practices and that's why the Red Wastes are as they are." That was a theory that seemed pretty good. The Three Eyed Raven nodded at my guess and continued on.
"While the Crone is gifted in the Force beyond what us mortals can achieve, physically she is quite lacking. Her domain is visions, knowledge, and wisdom. While she can perform great feats in the Force, she is quite limited in the immediate." He explains and what I got out of it was a puppet master that was great at pulling strings but when things came close to home she was useless. That explains why she hasn't been able to take over nations. "The Warrior is trapped in within his own mind. His power completely infused into his blade, The Wrathful. Should he ever pick it up again, it would be the end of all things on this world."
"So he's just taking a nap or something?"
"The Father cursed the Warrior with the emotion of Guilt. Once this had been done, the Warrior cast aside his blade and retreated into a state of eternal shame, pity, and remorse." Crybaby that can turn into Gutz got it. "The Crone has not attempted to anything but place The Wrathful outside the Warrior's cave. No other moves have been made to free him."
"But the other two?" I said and then I did some math in my head. "Wait… so is the Son the Stranger and the Daughter the Mother… that doesn't feel right."
"No, the Crone despises the Son and Daughter and removed them from the Faith's pantheon. Nine Ones exist, three for each aspect of the Force." Okay great we're back to the three thing again. "The Light is represented by the Crone, the Maiden, and the Daughter. The Darkness, the Smith, the Warrior, and the Son. And the Balance, the Stranger, The Mother, and The Father."
"I'm assuming the Mother is not Abeloth. As she came about when there were only three Ones."
"No, you are wrong. The servant was a mortal woman taken in by the Mother. She grew jealous of the family of the Ones. Wanted to be apart of their happiness. As before, the Family had been perfectly Balanced. And with them, the Force was as well. Should it not have been disrupted by the Servant's Betrayal, the Force would never have become what it is now, a tug of war between sides, constantly in flux." So Abeloth really fucked us all over.
"How do you know all this?" I asked as this dealt with things beyond Terra, where his powers are centralized.
"When you broke the containment of this world when you spoke the Words of the Balance, I was given a glimpse of the outside. In that time I discovered a great many things." He said this like he hadn't just given me a reason to strangle him. That meant he also knew everything about my enemies and their plans, and all the answers I could ever want. And it looked like he wasn't going to tell me anything that did not pertain to the cosmic deity bullshit. Whatever… at least I'm getting the answers I need.
"The Smith and the Maiden, what about them." I sighed knowing I should just get this over with.
"The Smith had been entombed under what would become Valyria. In the Doom, he was set free as the Crone had plotted. It had been her that brought your True Followers through time and space and crashed them into Valyria." So that's he meant by the Crone is able to pull off great feats in the Force. But if I had to guess, even for a One that must have taken a good deal of effort. The Ones aren't actual Gods, they are just the closest things Star Wars has to them.
"Would it be not too far off to say that she was the one to bring me and my crew here as well?" The Three Eyed Raven nodded. God only put me in this body, all he had to do was chose from an infinite amount of realities and just so happened to pick the one where this was happening. "And that leaves the Maiden, the bitch that tried to turn me into her little lapdog."
"She is the most difficult to contain. Her very presence bathes all around her in the Power of the Light. The Father created the Weirwood Trees to siphon out her power and dilute its effect across many different outlets." I will never let the North know that their entire religion is actually just piggybacking off the Faith of the Seven. Just like I will never let the Faith of the Seven know that their entire pantheon is real. "The Ones contained on this world, must never leave. I believe that is the Crone's ultimate goal."
"I have a feeling that would way worse than just having four super god-like Force users running around." I groaned as just as I said that the Kotol started to wear off. And instead of another shot I had been set up with a IV was getting drip feed all the meds I could ask for. But what I really want, a fucking burger. A big fat cheese burger. Borger.
"Once, when all Nine of the Ones were in harmony and the Celestials were the masters of the stars their influence was in concert. Their impact on the Force was minimal. But now, should they return their power would be felt by all. There is a reason why the Family has sheltered themselves on Mortis." This wasn't sounding very good. The Crone was in Qarth, a city known for its Warlocks and its wise and successful leadership. Valyria had the Smith, they forged Valyrian steel and was one of the most advanced societies in all of history. Andalos is right in the middle of some of the most contested areas in all of Essos. And then Westeros and its knightly culture that hasn't grown or advanced in centuries. And now I'm being told that this could all happen on a galactic level?
"What is our chances of putting them back in their cages?" I ask and the Three Eyed Raven sighed in defeat.
"It will take a considerable effort. The Crone has proven herself able to shield herself to my eyes, that has been made apparent with her meddling in your foray into the Force. The Smith was deeply affected by the Wound in the Force and the ruined time ritual. He was unleashed from his cell during the Doom, but has only just now begun walking among the mortals, and his mind his fractured. He believes himself a mortal and has taken residence in Qohor."
"Not the best place for him to be in but it sounds like he won't be a issue until he regains his marbles." Qohor was a mystic city, but also one steeped in religious dogma. It wouldn't be likely for him to be discovered quietly so if it does happen I'll hear of it.
"The Warrior has made no attempt to take back his blade, but we must assume the Crone plots for him to at some point." He seems to be the worst outcome for me. While I can accurately say that I am very powerful when it comes to glory of combat… a One that has totally stated into combat is whole other level. "As for the Maiden, you have freed her partially. The bonds that kept her power in control have been unlocked. I suspect that was the goal of the Crone."
"What does that mean? Is she going to be whispering into the ears of my Acolytes? Or is she going to be pushing the people of Westeros further into her chivalry and purity nonsense." I ask as I had gotten a good grasp on what the Maiden was all about. Where the Crone likely represented the wisdom of the Light and the Daughter the Light as a whole, she was the Purity of the Light Side. The moral high ground as it were, only what I felt was twisted into arrogance and superiority. Purity above all else and burn the rest. It was much like a knightly version of the current day Jedi.
"You chose well in your keep, the history of Harrenhal and the residual Darkness that exists there will prevent overt indoctrination. And the Heart Tree of Harrenhal has already been cursed with hate and Darkness so her influence will be mitigated there as well." He explained and that sounded good, at least I won't have to worry about my future Sith being groomed into tiny little knight drones for the Maiden. "Your latter worry is unfortunately not unfounded. I can with effort shield those that spend time before the Weirwoods. And I will do so where I can. But the Isle of Faces I'm afraid will now be acting like a beacon of her power, spreading it throughout the Seven Kingdoms."
"I'm sure there's something we can do on the island itself but I supposed cutting the tree down is not a option."
"No, while her power to influence has been freed her herself has not. The Weirwoods are still draining her of her power, preventing her from physically freeing herself." The Three Eyed Raven warned and I knew that doing that anyway was a big no as everyone in the North would be fucking pissed. "I would say that the Ones are a contained threat however one that has the potential to grow far worse."
"Yeah they're contained alright!" I shout as I feel that my current state does not support this. "What about the other threat on this world, the White Walkers."
"…"
"Fucking damn it!"
Author's Notes
Whoa... I hope everyone was able to follow along with all the nonsense I crammed into this chapter. I really do have fun blending in Star Wars lore with ASOIAF lore. The Ones actually being the Seven has been something I have been planning since the very start of this fic, same with the secret of the Weirwoods.
Next chapter Naraiz will return back to Harrenhal and start his recovery, It may or may not also be the chapter were Jaesa gives birth.
Reviews
Starlord Master - thank you and mostly with their dismissal of their male counterparts
ZhaWarudo - please do not compare my story to that story
GhostFang - no, think more along the lines of Comando Droids wholesale replacing the B1s
Kalvernus - do you remember the part in Twenty Two Jump Street when Ice Cube finds out Jonna Hill is fucking his daughter. think that on this.
AO Black - yes, you're right. Thanks for catching that
javi30 - never said it would be a boy, and yes padme will be in here at some point
Rapidnoob - I'm sure Naraiz will make a comment or two when he meets Mace
