Yo! No, I'm not dead...

It's been a while, eh? I would love to say that the last few months of my life were very productive, but truthfully they were anything but... Got caught up in some shit, had the biggest writer block in my short life and my work pretty much took away any motivation I had to do anything after I was finished with my job.

Thankfully, I somehow managed to kick myself in the ass to get back on track, or at least push myself in the right direction again. That's why some of you probably noticed that I just published a chapter for each Grimm's Evolution, For Myself, and Road to Power. Two of those were ready for two or three months on my discord server, but I never really got to editing them. Well, now it's done so enjoy.

Of course, those three chapters aren't all I worked on during this time. No, most of my almost non-existent motivation went towards the revamp of my original story, which I just published on RoyalRoad. To give you some insight, I will just say that if you enjoy the LitRPG, post-apocalypse setting, evolution (human to monster), and progression, then you might like my story.

So if any of you are interested you can either copy the link at the end of the chapter, or on my profile after deleting the spaces. Or you can just go on RoyalRoad and search for "A Universe of Bloody Evolution". Just remember to go for the new version, not the old one. And don't forget to leave a rating, comment, or review if you enjoyed the story.

With that said, let's continue with the next chapter of "For Myself".

Chapter 23. Desperation

The two Magisters didn't waste any time getting comfortable in the large study. Both took a seat by the ornamental desk, one on each side. The plump one, Ormah, fished out a large bottle of wine from one of the desk's compartments and quickly filled up two goblets, almost spilling the drink in the process.

"Truly wonderful!" The fat Magister boomed as he took a long sip. "Even with Black trying to ruin what we have built over the years, you still somehow manage to acquire such fine specimens for your establishments."

Harry sighed internally. They just had to start this important meeting with a discussion about a brothel... Sometimes he really hated how primitive and primal this world was. Not that Harry was blind to the faults of his old world. After living through years of pain, fighting and death, he just couldn't. And yet, after living for only a few years on this planet, Harry could easily say that Earth was ten times better than this.

"Get your mind out of the gutter, Harry," Ralnor hissed in his mind. "We didn't waste the last few hours so you can daydream during our only chance to gain any useful information. Now listen."

Aye, aye, captain, Harry grumbled and glanced at Magister Bahoris, who dipped his head and accepted the offered goblet.

"Those were my finest from the latest batch. I knew you would enjoy yourself, my friend," the muscular man puffed up. "Black might have gotten particularly confident after his latest wins, but he played his cards too early. If he had hidden this sorcerer," he pretty much spat out the word, "for just a bit longer, then our plans might have crumbled. Black's idiocy will be his downfall."

Harry almost snorted. Yeah, Sirius might not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but at least he isn't underestimating the might of magic. After all, it's not like I'm right here, listening to your every word, while in my pocket I hold a list full of the people who are loyal to you for one reason or another. Now give me those 'plans' of yours, I have waited long enough...

As if they heard him, Ormah placed down his goblet, eyes narrowed. "How so, Sallyrio? Get to the point already. Black might be an idiot, but I can't see how we can still execute our plans with his influence and the sorcerer. The battle against Dothraki cost us more loyalists than Black's actions during the last two years."

"And here you're wrong, my dear friend," Bahoris smirked, taking another sip of wine. "This battle might have cost us some sheep, but it gave us the support we needed in return. Apparently, rumors of a sorcerer massacring hundreds of Dothraki spread faster than wildfire and some people became wary."

News really do travel fast. Much faster than I expected, Harry hummed, his attention fully on the conversation below.

"So now they are finally willing to act? Because of rumors? Not when we begged and threw our wealth at them?" Ormah spluttered, face reddening. "That's preposterous!"

And here I thought I would never see Uncle Vernon again... This world is truly cursed, Harry grumbled as he ignored Ralnor's snickering in the back of his mind.

"It doesn't matter what forced them to act!" Bahoris bellowed, his fist banging on the hardwood of the desk. "What does matter now, Arys, is that we finally have the allies we need to move forward and take care of Black. There might not be many of them, but they are powerful and if we combine parts of our previous plan with their resources then soon Myr will be prospering once again."

Ormah's eyes widened, his body jerking back. "I apologize for my outburst," he muttered, quickly gulping down half of the wine in one go. "As you well know, I have been on edge for the past few moons. To hear that the allies we trusted decided to help us only after hearing some rumors is..."

The other Magister nodded. "I know how you feel, my friend," he almost growled. "I reacted quite similarly when I received the missives last night. Alas, it does not do to dwell on the past. We have a goal that we can reach now, and reach it we will."

Ormah raised his goblet, a smile spreading on his face. "Wise words, Sallyrio. Now tell me please, who decided to answer our call?"

"From Volantis, Lord Jaerio and his wife, Lady Vellora of the Tigers. They offer us military support if necessary and are willing to pay for one of the sellsword companies to aid us. Additionally, they have some sway with the current Tiger triarch. We can use it in case our initial plan fails." Bahoris listed off. "Apart from them, our mutual friend from Pentos is willing to reach out to his contacts in Golden Company. A path we should be treading carefully if we don't want our coffers to bleed almost dry. We both know how expensive Golden Company is."

Tigers from Volantis, Triachs, and Golden Company... At least they didn't lie about having important friends, although I very much doubt that a triarch would involve themselves in Myr's civil war, Harry thought, taking just a moment to process the information. Or maybe they would? Myr and Volantis don't have the best history and people in this world really like to hold a grudge over things that happened even centuries ago.

"I wouldn't worry that much," Ralnor suddenly spoke up. "Golden Company should be their last resort and there is enough distance between Myr and Volantis that we can easily deal with those two before their allies even make a move. Especially now that we just might get some solid proof to show to the public and the highborn. Find those missives and we are set."

True that, Harry nodded. Although I doubt it will be that easy. I wouldn't be surprised if he had already burned those lett... As the last word flowed through their connection, Harry's mind froze when Boharis reached into his robe and pulled out two rolled-up papers. No, it can't be, right? He can't be that stupid to carry extremely confidential documents on his person for the whole day.

"Read," Boharis ordered, sliding the papers across the desk. "Those should make everything clear, even if certain parts might anger you..."

"Yes, he is..." Ralnor murmured, incredulity seeping into his voice. "Although you can't really fault him that much. Bastard always walks around with a garrison of guards so the only way for those papers to fall into enemy hands is if he somehow loses them without noticing. And trust me, you don't become one of the city leaders by being a complete moron. As for the current situation? Well, you are a bird."

Point taken, Harry snorted as his keen eyes watched the plump Magister dig through the contents of the letters. Going by the further reddening of his face, something definitely didn't seem acceptable to the Magister.

"They demand a place on the Magister Council for one of their people?!" Ormah growled, hand clenching around the letter. "We would be exchanging one tyrant for another. You know how Tigers work. They will drain us of everything we have and then do the same exact thing that Black is attempting. We have to offer a different boon, trade agreements, official alliance, anything!"

The other Magister sighed, his goblet long forgotten. "Calm down, Arys," he stated firmly. "As much as it pains me to do it, we don't really have any better alternative. At best we might have about five hundred soldiers ready to fight for us right now. Against Black's ten thousand we would be crushed... But, with the help of an experienced sellsword company and the might of the Tigers, we can secure Myr for ourselves. And then... then we can worry about the deal."

Ormah shook his head, "This is madness. Alliances mean nothing in the face of power. What is stopping them from killing us after everything is done, Sallyrio or even before that? There will be nothing to secure if we are dead."

"Because, my friend," Bahoris smiled. "I plan to use our trusted friend from Pentos and get us a bit different deal with Golden Company. Hiring them as attack dogs would hurt our coffers too much, instead, I want to pay them to move towards the area to the north of Myr. It won't be cheap, but at least we will have the most powerful wandering army a call away in case the Tigers try anything... Who knows we might be able to convince the Commander of Golden Company to become the official army of Myr after we take control. After all, even if Black is a treacherous bastard, he is right about one thing. It's time for Myr to have a strong standing army."

Fools, Harry sneered. There is no way Golden Company would become a standing army for a Free City in Essos. And what is stopping the Tigers or Sirius from offering them a better deal once they come near Myr?

"Those two are merchants and occasional politicians, Harry, not military strategists," Ralnor reminded. "Their plan has holes all over the place, but in their current situation, it still seems like one of the best options. And who knows, if we weren't here, it might have given Sirius even more problems to worry about."

I would like to think, that my godfather wouldn't be dumb enough to rush things as he did in the last council meeting if we weren't there. Besides you heard for yourself that their allies are only willing to help because they heard rumors about me. Not because they suddenly grew a heart, Harry sent back to his partner. Without us, Sirius would have just dealt with those two as he did with all the others. We are the only reason why he is speeding up his plans. Well, that and the upcoming war between Lys and Tyrosh.

"I hope your plan will work, but there is still one problem," Ormah suddenly spoke up, stopping the conversation between the two mages. "The Sorcerer, how do we deal with him?"

Bahoris chuckled, the goblet of wine once again in his hands. "Why, my friend, it's quite simple. We're just going to move forward with your previous plan for Black and add the Sorcerer into the deal. His magic might be impossible to defeat on the battlefield, but I hear that the Faceless men are unmatched outside it. I already took care of sending a message to the House of Black and White along with a note to the Iron Bank to transfer the appropriate sum for the job."

"Wonderful," Ormah smirked. "I told you those freaks would become useful sooner or later... Now let us drink, my friend. To the glory of Myr!"

And suddenly things got a lot more serious, Harry grumbled, as the two Magisters downed their entire goblets. If they didn't send the missives yet, then we could have just intercepted them. What a pain... We will need to place a few more wards around Sirius' home and enchant a few items to detect poisons. Better to be safe than sorry.

"Agreed," Ralnor replied instantly. "Your unique situation might provide you with a certain immunity, but Magister Black doesn't have Death's touch lingering on him. A hidden blade or a speck of poison is all it takes for you to lose your godfather again. I bet you're glad now that we waited for them to come here. "

Yeah, yeah. Doesn't change the fact that I barely feel my body, Harry shot back. Although, I think that you might be wrong regarding Sirius' immunity. After all, it was Death who transferred him to this world from the limbo inside the Veil. There is a possibility that my protection extends to him

"That's certainly possible, but I doubt you want to leave your godfather's life to chance. Like you said, better to be safe than sorry."

Instinctively Harry bobbed his birdy head in agreement. Sirius' life was his highest priority. When he lost his godfather in the Department of Mysteries something broke inside him. A repeat of this heart-wrenching event was out of the question.

With that depressing thought in mind, Harry once again gave his full focus to the duo in front of him. They barely spoke anything between their drinking, but every once in a while one of them would spill a name, a part of their plan and Harry was always there to burn those moments into his memory. Those morons could celebrate as much as they wanted, but in a day or two, it would be their funeral that Myr celebrated.

Time flew by as their debauchery continued long into the night. More than once Harry's control over his magic was tested to its limits as his animagus form threatened to pop like a balloon. At last, the two barely conscious men stumbled out of the room, knocking over chairs and flower pots on their way out. All the while Harry's gaze never left the ornamental desk, or rather the two letters that Boharis left there.

How careless a man can get behind the safety of his home's walls, Harry chuckled as he jumped out of his hiding spot and glided onto the desk. His eyes scanned the letter on top, confirming its content. Should be more than enough... And if it isn't, I can always try out the trick I learned from Hermione, now that I have a working wand.

Ralnor hummed inside Harry's mind, "Interesting trick... If that works then it would make presenting our case much easier to the wider public, not only the highborn."

Harry nodded, I will try it out later. For now, I got to get moving. Who knows when one of them recovers some clarity of mind and decides to come back here.

Feeling his companion's agreement, Harry directed a single strand of magic toward the two missives and grabbed them in a tight hold. Another quick thought had the letters rolled up again and so without wasting any more time, Harry snatched the items into his talons and shot towards the nearest window. No one ever noticed the small bird that flew under the cover of the night.

As Ormah's mansion grew smaller in the distance, Harry fought the urge to release a happy shriek. Enjoy your night of celebration. It will be your last.

The Masters of Whispers slid into his usual seat by the large rectangular table as his eyes gazed upon the chamber dedicated to the small council. Such a simple thing even though it was the place where most of the important decisions regarding the realm happened. There were no fancy ornamental decorations hanging on the walls, no plants to give the room more life, and not even a single window to have something to gaze through. The only things this chamber needed were a hard wooden table and eight simple chairs that were already partially filled.

Pycelle, Littlefinger, and the youngest Baratheon Lord. The old Maester arrived in the small council's chambers long before anyone else, while the other two came in just a moment after Varys took his seat. Lord Stannis was out of King's Landing, so they only had to wait for the last three, or two if Varys wanted to be realistic.

Just then the door to the chamber slid open, revealing the wizened visage of Jon Arryn and the armored form of the finest knight of the realm. The Spider studied the Hand of the King, the slump in his shoulders, the bags under his eyes. Everything about the man screamed another problematic council meeting.

Dropping onto the seat at the head of the table, the Warden of the East announced, his voice hard and clear, years of experience masking his current state, "Thank you, my Lords, for gathering for this council. Let us begin."

Littlefinger, like always, couldn't help but start with his usual rhetorical question, "Will the King be joining us today, Lord Hand?"

Lord Arryn sighed, "Unfortunately King Robert is taking care of a more important matter at this moment, and trusts us to make the right decisions during this council. Now before we move on to the most important subject of this meeting, which is Prince Joffrey's coming nameday, I would like to hear anything you have to report."

The old Grandmaester was the first one to shift in his seat, "My Lord Hand, according to my colleagues from the Citadel, they couldn't spot any signs of the Summer ending. If nothing changes in the next few moons, they predict that it might even last for a few more years."

The Hand of the King nodded, "Thank you Grandmaester. That is indeed a pleasant surprise. I only worry if the next winter won't be just as long... Something we will definitely have to discuss during one of the future councils." The man cleared his throat as he gave everyone a quick glance, "Anything else?"

In the corner of Varys' vision, Littlefinger smirked. "Indeed, my Lord Hand. What I bring you is just a little bit more than a rumor I received from my good friend across the Narrow Sea, but taking into consideration its sheer impact on the world, I thought it wise to present it to this council. After all, there is some truth to every rumor."

So some kind of information also reached your ears, Littlefinger. I'm curious if they match...

Lord Arryn frowned. "You know how I feel about rumors, Lord Baelish. Nonetheless, I will trust your judgment of the importance of this news," he stated, gesturing to the Master of Coin to speak.

And so he did. Baelish recounted everything from a letter he received. He told them about the latest Dothraki attack on Myr and the battle that followed. He also told them how a Sorcerer took control of the entire battlefield and forced the earth to swallow their opposition. No detail was much different from what Varys heard from his sources and for the first time in a few years, the Spider wasn't too sure what to make of those rumors.

Magic on this scale had only a place in legends, not in Varys' reports from around the world. Although considering the current situation, it certainly deserved more attention and a full investigation. I will need more time. Magic, no matter how despicable, can be a powerful tool, Varys mused as Litterfinger finished his report and complete silence descended upon the chamber.

The Grandmaester's skin turned as pale as a sheet of paper, while young Lord Renly couldn't hide the excited glint in his eyes. In contrast, the old Selmy knight didn't even look moved by the delivered news and Jon Arryn's frown only deepened a bit.

"This is certainly quite the tale, Lord Baelish, preposterous even, and yet you did bring it before the council," the Hand took a deep breath before directing his gaze towards the Spider. "And you, Lord Varys? Do you have anything to add as the Masters of Whispers? Can you shine more light on those rumors?"

Varys dipped his head, expecting the questions. "My little birds also heard similar tales, my Lord Hand, and yet I wouldn't be too fast to believe them," he stated. "The Disputed Lands are currently in disarray and many different unbelievable or far-fetched songs come from there. I would require at least another moon to collect more information about this tale."

Lord Hand nodded, "You will have all the time you need. Just be sure to bring any news either to me or this council at your earliest convenience. Now if we are done with rumors, I would like to hear your input towards the upcoming tourney that the King ordered for the Crowned Prince's Name Day."

Varys only had to take a single peak at Baelish's smirk to know that the realm would suffer yet again due to the King's decision. I can only hope that there will be a Kingdom to rule before our plans are put in motion, Illyrio. We are running out of time.

And that's it.

And we are moving again. More setting up and more events unfolding across Planetos. My politicking might not be the best or even good, but I hope you can still enjoy it. Soon we will be moving towards some action and more major players appearing in Myr.

With that said, I would like to thank you all for still sticking with this story even after my long break. I hope you are here to stay because I definitely am. Now as I mentioned in the beginning, I just posted the new version of my first ever original story. For now, it's only a prologue, but I will be posting every day from Monday to Friday (2k words chapters). As my story will be kinda similar to Grimm's Evolution when it comes to the setting (post-apo, gamer, evolutions human to monster), I would be grateful if some of you could check it out. Who knows, you might enjoy it. You can find the link to the story below, on my profile, discord or you can just search for it on RoyalRoad.

"A Universe of Bloody Evolution" on RoyalRoad: royalroad (.com)/ fiction /58667 /a-universe-of-bloody-evolution (Delete the spaces an brackets)

Have a great day/night.