Chapter 4: The Lone Believer

Kinvara leaves the great meeting hall feeling confident but not without seeds of doubt. She's only newly initiated but she's confident in her abilities.

'If they don't heed me there will be other routes to take, others will rise as the Valyrian's fall. The Lord will find a way to succeed' she thinks to herself.

She wanders through the city marvelling how different Valyria is from Asshai. Total opposites in fact. One is a city of shadows and whispers the other a city of light, fire and pride. As she looks around the visions of the prophecy dwell in her mind.

'Will be a shame if this all disappears one day' she shakes her head to herself, 'but others will rise'

Knowing she's done all she was tasked to do she heads for the docks to get the first passage back to Asshai. She's to return to her temple duties and await the next meeting with her Lord. She walks through the city in her thoughts when she feels a presence folllwing her for a short distance now. She sends out her mind and recognises the presence as being at the great meeting. She seeks out an appropriate place and turns down an alley conjuring flames in her hand as she turns to confront who is tailing her.

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The hooded figure slips out of the great hall and seeks out the priestess. How could this foreigner have an idea what is to befall Valyria? The silvery hooded figure slips from street to street seeking their prey. The whole while looking at their beloved home and fearful the fate they saw could be real. Casting out, the priestess is a few blocks away heading towards the shore.

'How could she know this...' they think to themselves.

They pick up pace and follow the priestess to catch and confront them. The fury in the figures mind drives them forward focusing all the might and energy that can be summoned to cast out this dissident.

A sight of red skirts swishes away up ahead and they speed up to almost a run to close the gap between them. Getting puffed, the assailant won't give up until the truth is revealed. Spurred on by the thought of catching this red woman, the figure breaks into a run and just catches the red woman sneaking into an alley.

'Trying to avoid detection, as if that's not suspicious'

The figure smiles and conjures a ball of stunning magic to disarm this false priestess and turns into the alleyway.

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The priestess and the hooded assailant clash with weapons of light and the force of their power explodes and forms a shield between them. Both parties cease their attack and watch each other warily.

"Who sent you?" snarls the hooded assailant.

Kinvara sneers and replies with mock innocence, "My Lord sent me"

The figure steps toward the shield of energy between them, "How much were you paid to spread fear and dissent? Who gave you the prophecy? "

Kinvara spreads her hands out in mock surrender and moves towards her accuser sensing this person to be trustworthy.

"You misunderstand me, I came to support the Targaryen prophecy because what I said is true. The real threat needs Valyrians to finish what is to come"

The figure hesitated

"You came...to help?"

"I came because my Lord told me to come and I do as I am asked. I am shown what is to pass in the flames and I do what my Lord wills me to do"

The figure conjured some magic in her palm and Kinvara conjured fire in her palms to match.

"We can fight all night but it seems we are matched in skill. So we can fight like you instinctively want to or we can talk Lady Alaerya"

The figure laughs "Trying to prove to me you know who I am won't win me over"

Kinvara closes her eyes and sends magic to the figure showing her the temple in Asshai and her visions in the flames. Her Lord's voice speaks clear and concise "Go to Valyria and convince them their destruction is coming"

When the vision breaks the figure nbnnnnnnj moves forward "But you didn't convince them did you?" They say quietly, "There were more non believers in the room than those who believe the visions of the Targaryen girl"

Kinvara smiles wide and brightly, fervent power in her eyes as she steps forward and says "Yes, what you say is true but the one with the power I'm looking for has chased me through the streets to confront me in an alley way Lady Alaerya Valreon"

The figure stands up straight and removes her hood. She is proud and tall, braids intricately woven around her head finishing in plaits down the length of her back. She is physically strong and attractive, an epitome of warrior princess.

Kinvara senses the magic oozing off this majestic woman and moves closer with greedy desire in her to understand what makes this woman so powerful.

"Tell me all you know Kinvara, Priestess of Asshai and former slave of Volantene Lord Qaerylln"

Kinvara looks up to this woman and hides the awe in her, she needs to be measured and composed. This woman's gift of sight had slightly unnerved her something no one else had been able to do before.

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"That is all you know of this Valyrian destruction?" repeats Alaerya in hushed tones when the Priestess finishes giving her account of events.

"Yes Lady Valreon that is what I saw in the flames. An almost mirror image of the Targaryen girl's vision. I have told you many things which you can use to know the destruction is coming. More information than I should have given"

Kinvara bows her head.

'Why is she telling me this?' questions Alaerya internally.

She steps back from the priestess

"We will meet again my Lady" smiles Kinvara with either joy or malice, Alaerya can't discern which.

She watches as the red woman disappears in a swirl of red robes in the alley way flashing her an ominous smile as she leaves. She turns and leaves the alley way her mind and heart full of dread at what she had just heard. She casts out her mind to find her ride, ' Vaella come meet me'

Her dragon is close by and she can feel her advancing towards her. The dragon dives down alongside her and Alaerya runs at a sprint alongside her. She powers up her legs with magic and projects herself high into the air catching onto Vaella's spikes and swinging onto the dragon as she spirals up towards the open sky.

She reaches the top and flies around the colourful crystalline domes. Ducking and diving around other dragons in flight as she goes.

Alaerya sees her glowing dome nearby, one of the bigger domes in the sky. But seeing her home doesn't bring her joy. She looks over Valyria on dragon back and up at the Valyrian peaks she saw spewing death and lava in the prophecy. She leans down along the dragons spine and braces for landing.

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She dismounts Vaella and walks to look her in the eyes. They lock eyes and the world rolls and lurches. She sees Valyria rise and fall into the sea, a desert dwelling people fight and kill each other into obscurity and she sees a new civilisation rise and fall only to rise again and fall to a wall of icy death. She breaks the connection with the dragon, and nuzzles her head to her nose thanking her.

In her robes the orb is burning into her side with anticipation. Here will be the true test of what this priestess said. She can analyse and re view what Kinvara claims and use her skills of foresight to test their validity. She walks through her Valyrian mansion her servants bowing to her as they make their way on business. She smiles and greets many by their names on her way. She enters a sacred room and locks it behind her. There is a large purple flame ever burning in the centre of the room

One side there are shelves on the walls with many vials of ingredients, another shelf is laden with books. But only relevant books in Valyrian for potion making, her true library was breathtakingly extensive on the lower levels. She removed the orb and contemplated it for a while, Kinvaras face floating temptingly at her willing her to unlock and view the contents. She felt an energy drawing her in the opposite direction, she sighed and placed the orb in a locked chest on her potions shelf. Mentally she planned to return in good time.

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Kinvara appeared in a swirl of red skirts on a darkened ship leaving the Valyrian freehold. Still an acolyte but with great power she didn't have the power to travel on the wind to Asshai. Thankfully she found a boat going directly to Asshai.

The captains surprise at her arrival was expected, he also did not expect the large bag of gold she paid for his passage though. This bought her the largest room under the deck after the captain's which is just what she needed to do her practice rituals and practice forging her endless connection with her Lord.

She stood on the deck as the ship left the Freehold Bay, her hair slightly ruffled in the wind and she smelled the refreshing salt of the sea. There is power in the elements-she reaches out with her mind and the power in her eyes and drew in the power around her. She smiled at that familiar feeling of magic surrounding her. As she watched the landscape sail by she reflected on how she had failed to convert many of the lords of Valyria to the Targaryens prophecy. All except one very powerful woman who did seem to come to see the truth in her words. She could feel the woman searching her for lies but there was so much power there she didn't recognise. Pondering if she had done the right thing she cast out her mind, 'My Great Lord...I hope I have achieved what was desired'

She turned to watch the boat leave the bay of Valyria and glance at the city one last time. It truly was breathtaking, surrounded by the fourteen flames powered by volcanoes and mysterious Valyrian fire magic. The flames burned evenly and brightly reflecting in her eyes, making them shine bright red in their wake. As she cast out her mind to her Lord all the flames in unison died to embers and roared back to life.

She turned away from the flames towards Asshai in satisfaction and confidence in her Lord filling her and overflowing like a waterfall in a cup. Her eyes burned bright red into the night.