The air was getting colder and colder by the minute. The wind was howling and the crew was as frozen by it just as they were frozen by fear. Ahead of the Laughing Lion, the coastline was getting more and more visible, covered by weird trees, leafless and dead. Soon after, the mist started to descend and Garon Flowers found it almost impossible to use the far-eye to scout forward. Tyrion was inside his cabin, hearing the wind crackling outside. He was afraid too, not only for his life but also, he was afraid of finding the truth. The dwarf knew that many secrets were hidden all across the known world and some of them should remain so. They were also sailing blind, as no map or sailing charter they had described the Smoking Sea with great detail. The maps they bought in Lys and Volantis were also quite empty when showing that part of the Valyrian Peninsula. A question popped out in Tyrion's mind: how in the Seven Hells would they find the Brightroar when they didn't even know where to begin their search. He then left the cabin and joined his uncles on the upper deck of the ship. Gerion was fully equipped with his golden armor while Emmon Frey was dressed in his blue-grey fur coat. His bald head was wet with sweat but Tyrion knew it wasn't because of his uncle's coat but because of his fear.

"So… Here we are…"

"I don't know where we are. I can't see anything because of this damnable fog."

Garon Flowers approached the noblemen:

"It's not just you, Lord Gerion. I can't see anything either with the far-eye. For a moment, before this mist descended upon us, I thought I saw the coastline up front so I ordered the crew to slow down the ship. We can't risk hitting something along the way."

"This water is damned treacherous." Emmon said. "I think more ships have been lost here than anywhere in the world."

"Indeed. The western side of the sea is called by the Volantene sailors the Water Tomb."

"Such a jolly name."

The discussion was interrupted by one of the former slaves which was perched in the crow's nest:

"Land ahoy! To the starboard!"

Everyone looked towards the right side of the ship. There, a small island with what looked like green trees and strange ruins was sighted.

"What are we going to do, milord?"

Gerion Lannister closed his eyes for a moment and then said:

"Let's explore it. It would give us certain ideas about what we are going to find inland. Also, we should use this opportunity to map it and complete our charts."

"Of course, Lord Gerion. Men, sail towards the island!"

The Lion was near the island. Green trees, some of which none of the people from the ship were unable to identify and also, more interestingly, a few ruins of what looked like temples and cities. The mist was also a bit thinner there. Gerion and the others started to plan their move:

"I'll take the boat and six men and row towards the beach. There, we will start exploring. If we don't return until midnight, I want you, Garon, to turn the ship back and return it to Westeros."

"Uncle, you can't…"

"Yes, I can. I brought you all here and I'm responsible with your lives. I don't want you to die in vain. Do you understand, Garon?"

"Aye, aye."

"Good. Now, who volunteers to come with me?"

The first to raise his hand was none other than Tyrion himself:

"Tyrion, I told you…"

"I don't want to hear anything. I'm coming with you. This is my chance to see something marvelous. Don't take it away from me!"

"Ugh… As you wish. Now, is there anyone?"

A large, dark skinned man arose and approached Gerion. It was Zhorgal from the Summer Isles. Another two men from Lannisport, Lynn and Morry, also joined the exploration party. Rodrik Flowers, the White Centaur, also raised his hand. Before anyone could volunteer, Aerea raised her hand:

"I know you said you want only men with you, Lord Gerion, but I will have to disobey that order of yours and join you."

"It's good. We would need a healer with us. Now, lower the boat, we are going to the island! Emmon, if we don't return, you go home, do you understand?"

"But…but…"

"No buts, do you understand?"

"Yes, Gerion."

"Swear me now, on your honor as a knight!"

"I swear…"

"Good."

On the boat, only Aerea and Tyrion wasn't rowing. He felt a bit strange to be left out of this process but he knew physical capabilities weren't his forte. Zhorgal was the strongest of them all so he was the only one who wasn't tired from the group. He was captured by pirates from the Basilisk Isles who sold him into slavery in Volantis. A slave for the last ten years, Zhorgal was happy to be part of something like this, a journey into the unknown and even though he was bought by Gerion, he was very loyal to the Lannister. Since his enslavement, his greatest dream was to cross the narrow sea and live in the Seven Kingdoms for the rest of his life, as there no man was a slave. Tyrion tried to dissuade him, telling him that Westeros is shit compared to what he had seen in Essos but the Summer Islander told him that in Westeros, there are no chains. Tyrion told him that the maesters of the Citadel wore chains but Zhorgal replied to him that the maesters are not slaves but learned men and their chains are a mark of pride. Impressed by the man's knowledge, Tyrion befriended the immense man and was happy to see him exploring the island with him. Another man rowing was Rodrik Flowers, the bastard of Bitterbridge and one of the finest knights of the Reach, who was captured and held prisoner with Tyrion and his uncles during the final part of their journey to Volantis. His father, Lord Benedict Caswell, sired him upon a young seamstress he bedded one night and after she came back to Bitterbridge nine months later with a son in her arms and made a scene right in the front courtyard, Lord Benedict had no choice but to acknowledge the child, who resembled him, as his own, to his wife's vexation. Knowing that Lord Edmond Fossoway, the powerful lord of the House from which his wife hailed, would be offended by the presence of the bastard in the same place as his lawful grandchildren, Lord Caswell chose to send his illegitimate child to be raised and fostered with House Ambrose at Anthill. Growing up with Lord Morton Ambrose's son Arthur, a strong warrior himself, young Rodrik fought bravely during the Greyjoy Rebellion and was knighted for his valor. He then became a sworn sword of the Hightowers and the moment he heard that his fellow bastard Garon Flowers was chosen as the captain of the Laughing Lion, Rodrik decided to join the mission too. The other two, Lynn and Morry, were part of the original crew that left Lannisport.

Finally, after a period of time that seemed like a century for Tyrion, they landed. The first thing Tyrion noticed after leaving the boat that the sand wasn't yellow, but greyish in color.

"How strange. Look at this sand…"

"This is not sand, nephew. This is ash."

Ash… Tyrion looked around and saw that the entire beach was covered in ash.

"So, this is a volcanic island?"

The White Centaur disagreed:

"From the look of it, it doesn't seem to be any mountain here. It's pretty flat. However, I believe that this ash is one of the remnants of the Doom of Valyria. Remember that the legends say that all the volcanos around Valyria erupted at the same time and sundered the peninsula. This ash probably was spewed by one of them."

"But… after so many years?"

Aerea approached Tyrion:

"Lord Tyrion, whenever a great tragedy happens, the scars remain for a long, long time. Come on, let's go further!"

"I agree. People, we split up. Zhorgal, Lynn and Morry, you are our hunters and foragers. Try to find out animals and comestible fruits. Tyrion, Rodrik and Aerea, come with me to that ruined temple. Let's see what's there."

After they split up, Gerion's team arrived near a great temple. Its towers, burned by flame and covered in ash, were tall and imposing. The four explorers entered it and they couldn't believe their eyes what was inside: a large tapestry, showing a great red city and three dragons circling it. Also, on the left wall wall, another city was shown, a yellow one, circled by seven dragons and on the right wall, a white city was circled by three dragons, one black, one green and one yellow.

"Incredible… Absolutely marvelous… I think those cities are Valyria, Tyria and Oros, the three most important cities of the Freehold…"

Aerea approached the larger tapestry, that of the red city:

"Well, the legend says that Valyria was a city made of towers of gold. And this tapestry is clearly the biggest of the three. Why is the city red?"

Gerion laughed:

"Maybe they ran out of yellow dye?"

Aerea frowned:

"I don't think is that simple, Lord Gerion. Is quite strange…"

"Indeed, Aerea. Three dragons on the red city, one black, one yellow and one green, seven on the yellow city, all black, three on the white city, one black, one yellow and one green. I think the dragons from the red city are the same as the dragons from the white city."

Ser Flowers coughed:

"I also noticed something else. Look at the sun in each tapestry. It's setting in the red city, it's rising in the white city, it's in the middle of the sky in the golden city."

"Yes, indeed. What does it mean?"

Gerion sighed:

"I don't know what that means but I know it's a mystery we would have to decipher another time. There are other ruins we need to explore. Come on."

They left the temple, leaving the tapestries there and, after a short walk, they entered another ruined building, this time smaller than the temple but clearly a shrine of sorts. This time, there was only one tapestry, a golden city with red skies and no dragons. The most disturbing aspect of it was the depiction of men and women. On the right side of the city countless small humans were clearly running from the city. On the left side, however, there were just seven people, one larger than the other six, whose faces were black as tar with no features on it. They didn't run, they stood there. Tyrion wondered:

"What is this? It's… the same city as in the other temple. It's the same yellow city!"

Gerion replied:

"Yes, it's the same. Except here the sky is red. And what are those things over there? Men with black faces?"

Aerea gasped:

"More like… men with no faces."

"Men with no faces? What does it mean?"

"I don't know but we should keep exploring. I feel like we are closing in on something."

They left the small temple and, after a longer walk, they arrived at a third temple, almost as large as the first one. Inside, it was nothing, except a small, red stone in the middle of the temple. It looked unlike anything they ever saw in their lives. It was glowing red but its light was a cold one. Tyrion decided to approach it.

"Nephew, are you sure it's safe?"

"No, but… I want to feel it…"

He took the stone in his hand. It felt like he was touching fire itself and before he could throw it away, his eyes closed. Tyrion felt like the entire world was spinning with him, not unlike in Lys, but this time, he wasn't poisoned. He then opened his eyes. His uncle disappeared, the White Centaur disappeared and even the red priestess of R'hllor disappeared. Instead, he was in the middle of a large garden full of flowers of all sorts. In the middle of it, a man and a woman were making love. The passion of their lovemaking resonated inside Tyrion's heart so much that he could feel on his skin every touch, every kiss, every breath.

"Who… are you?"

They didn't respond. Tyrion looked around the garden and saw many statues of dragons and sphinxes and wyverns. Suddenly, he felt the greatest pleasure, more than everything he felt in a brothel combined. He looked towards the two lovers and he could hear everything they were saying. They spoke Valyrian but for some reason, he could understand each word, like it was been spoken in the Common tongue of Westeros.

"You are mine, my love!"

"As you are mine, Aenar Targaryen!"

Tyrion awoke. The name Aenar Targaryen ringed in his ears. He was the father of Daena the Dreamer, the one whose dreams brought House Targaryen to Dragonstone four hundred years ago, saving them from the Doom of Valyria. The stone was now black in his hand and after he looked around, he was horrified: his uncle, Gerion, was lying dead, his armor torn apart by something which seemed like claws. Rodrik Flowers was also dead, his armor being in the same state as his uncle's.

"No! No! Uncle! No!"

He approached his uncle, whose blood was flowing red on the temple's floor.

"No, Uncle, no! Aerea! Aerea! Come here!"

No sign of Aerea. Tyrion realized that his uncle Gerion was dead. He frozen and started to cry:

"Uncle, no! Think about Joy… Think about me! Please… Uncle, please… Aerea, come here!"

Someone approached, a woman, tall and slender, dressed in red.

"Aerea, please… my Uncle!"

Tyrion looked towards Aerea and realized, to his horror, that it wasn't her… It was another woman, wearing her dress. Instead of having her red medallion around her neck, this mysterious lady had another necklace, one made of sapphires and emeralds and her face… was different. More beautiful than Aerea was ever been, even though she was wonderful and also… this woman's eyes. One green, one blue, like the necklace.

"Who… who?"

"It's fine, Lord Tyrion. You are safe."

"Who are you? What did you do to Aerea? My Uncle…"

"Your Uncle died, so did Ser Rodrik. You are alive."

"Who are you? What kind of witchcraft is this? What have you done to the priestess?"

"I'm right here, my lord."

"What…"

The woman was smiling and kneeled alongside Tyrion, touching his cheek:

"You are a smart boy. I'm sure you figured out who I am. You know your history well, Lord Tyrion."

"Oh… It… It can't be!"

"Yes, it can. You see, each of us have a part in this mummer's play we call life. Life is the most precious gift of all, one I swore to protect at all costs."

Tyrion was dumbfounded:

"Tell me… What… happened? Who attacked them?"

"Nobody… It's… just the price you've paid for knowledge."

"That stone… That damnable stone did this?"

"The stone is just a mean to an end, Lord Tyrion. It played its part. It showed you what it had to show you."

"And it had to kill MY UNCLE for this?! And Ser Flowers too?"

"Your uncle was a good man but also, he was fool who suddenly believed he could bring glory to his name and his House by bringing that sword home to Casterly Rock. How many died because of his quest? His improbable and impossible quest?"

"He… he did what he thought was right…"

"Absolutely. I don't judge him for this. And if he wanted that sword so badly, he should have asked for it."

Suddenly, the woman produced a greatsword from her mouth, with a pommel in the shape of a lion with rubies instead of eyes. The ripples on the blade were the proof: it was Valyrian steel.

"How…"

"This journey was not for your uncle and his precious sword, Lord Tyrion. It is for you, your journey. Gerion Lannister wanted to find the sword, but you want to find something else, isn't it?"

"I… What…"

"I know you are said for losing Gerion and your friend, but you need to focus now. We need to reach Valyria! There, we will find the truth."

"Wait! WAIT! What about my uncle? What about the rest of the crew?"

"Your other uncle, Ser Emmon, will mourn his good-brother, so will the crew. But you will convince them that in order to respect his memory and to fulfill the promise he made to your father, you will press forward. Surely, the deaths of Gerion and Rodrik will deliver a great blow to the others' morale but you will need to become the new leader of this expedition. You need to press forward, like I said. Don't worry, I will be there, with you."

"Why would I help you with this deception?"

"Because you are a smart man, and you are kind. You must know that something is coming. Maybe not now, not tomorrow, but someday, something is coming. A threat that will consume this entire world. And we must stop it!"

"We? Who is "we"? Me and you?"

"There are others in this world that share our vision of peace, each having their part to fulfill. One of them is my only remaining brother."

"What? He's… alive?"

"He is. And he has taken interest in a small wolf pup in the North. Myself, however… I'm not that fond of wolves. I like lions more."

"Are you sure there is a threat to the entire world? Isn't it one of your lies?"

"I never lied to you, Lord Tyrion, not once! Since we've met in Volantis, I've been nothing but true to you."

"Really? Aerea?"

"You do realize that even the lowliest of the Lion's crewmen would instantly recognize me if they see my face. I'm sorry, but this disguise was necessary."

Tyrion now realized what was happening. When Aerea and himself were talking about the Great Bastards, it was clearly that she was affected, that she had feelings for those men. And for some strange reason, even with his favorite uncle being dead, he trusted her. Even though the history would contradict him.

After Aerea and Tyrion met the hunting party, they told them that a tiger was hidden into one of the temples and that Gerion and Rodrik were mauled by it. Inside, Zhorgal, Lynn and Morry discovered the two dead men and a dead tiger with burn marks. Aerea told them how she used her fire magic to kill the animal but it was too late to protect the two warriors. The three sailors, clearly shocked and saddened, carried Gerion and Rodrik back to the boat. Tyrion felt miserably having to lie but it was necessary. The woman was clearly a powerful entity, creating the image of a dead tiger using just blood and magic. Also, she turned Brightroar into a small Valyrian dagger that she gave to Tyrion. She said that only a drop of his blood was necessary to turn it back into its sword form. Arriving on the ship, Tyrion had to convince the crew and Ser Emmon, who was devastated, almost all the night to continue towards Valyria, even though he was now sure that he would lead them to their deaths. They agreed to fight for the honor of Gerion Lannister and bring the sword back to Westeros. Aerea, who now reassumed her former image, approached Tyrion in his cabin:

"I know it's difficult, but you are doing the right thing. The only right thing you can possibly do."

"I swear to you, if anything you said to me was a lie, I will kill you with that sword you gave me."

"I know and I can respect that, but all it's true. The answers we seek will save this world, I know!"

"Maybe… Or maybe this is just an illusion, a glamor or something. Blood magic!"

"I can assure you it isn't. Tell me, Lord Tyrion, do you trust me?"

"I… I trust you, until proven otherwise."

"Thank you, Lord Tyrion."

"Please, call me Tyrion…"

"Only if you call me by my name, my real name, only once!"

"Of course… Shiera!"