33 Game of Gods
King's Landing, the capital of the Seven Kingdoms, sprawled before them, a vast metropolis of towering red brick buildings and bustling streets. The city's imposing walls, adorned with the crests of noble houses, reached high into the sky. Its scent was a cacophony of smells - fish from the docks, the earthiness of the streets, and the underlying stench of humanity.
As the royal caravan made its way through the city gates, the crowds gathered, filling the streets with a cacophony of voices. The smallfolk, drawn by curiosity, pressed against one another for a glimpse of their returning king.
Robert Baratheon, a hulking figure with a full black beard and a crown atop his head, sat atop his warhorse. His jovial expression was a stark contrast to his burly form. Beside him, Queen Cersei Lannister, regal in her crimson and gold gown, displayed a serene facade that masked her cunning. Her twin brother Jaime Lannister, the Kingslayer, rode with a quiet air of confidence, his golden armor glinting in the sunlight.
Tyrion Lannister, the Imp, was weirdly absent from the Caravan , as if he broke off from them beforehand, having gone towards another location by himself.
Eddard Stark, newly appointed Hand of the King, bore the weight of his newfound responsibilities with stoic determination. Clad in his signature fur-trimmed cloak and stern-faced, he was a stark contrast to the opulence of the southern court.
Amidst these figures, a young man with short, blond hair and a robust physique rode his horse alongside them. His identity remained a mystery to the onlookers, who could only guess at the significance of his presence.
Indeed, the mood in the crowd was one of jubilation. The common folk of King's Landing had awaited the return of their king with eagerness.
Their cheers and applause filled the air as they waved banners and flags in support of King Robert's return. For them, it was a rare occasion to catch a glimpse of the ruler of the Seven Kingdoms and to revel in the festivities that accompanied his arrival.
The caravan rolled through the imposing gates of the Red Keep.
The massive castle, with its crimson walls, rose before them, an enduring symbol of power in the realm.
Within the Red Keep's walls, the courtyard teemed with activity.
Servants and courtiers bustled about, each fulfilling their duties with the precision that the royal court demanded. Knights in gleaming armor marched along the cobblestone paths, maintaining a vigilant watch over the premises.
As the royal entourage ventured deeper into the castle, they approached the heart of power: the Iron Throne itself.
The throne room, an awe-inspiring chamber, greeted them with its soaring ceilings and walls illuminated by flickering torchlight.
The Iron Throne, a monstrous construction of swords and blades, rested atop a raised dais at the far end of the room, casting an imposing presence over all who entered.
The nobles and courtiers assembled in the throne room turned their attention toward the newcomers, their conversations and murmurs fading into a tense silence. All eyes fell upon the new Hand of the King, Eddard Stark, who walked confidently beside King Robert.
The atmosphere within the throne room was charged with a mix of anticipation and unease. The future of the Seven Kingdoms appeared to hang in the balance, as the intrigue and power struggles that defined the Red Keep awaited their next chapter.
King Robert Baratheon, standing before the Iron Throne, raised his voice to address the assembled court. "My lords and ladies, after a long journey from Winterfell, I am delighted to be back in King's Landing and among you all. It's time we get back to the business of running this realm."
His words carried a boisterous, hearty tone, echoing through the grand chamber. He then turned his gaze toward Eddard Stark, the new Hand of the King. "Ned, my old friend, I trust you'll serve me and this kingdom as faithfully as ever. You've always been a rock I can depend on."
Eddard Stark nodded solemnly, acknowledging the king's trust. "I will do my utmost to serve you and the realm, Your Grace."
With that, King Robert offered a warm smile to his courtiers. "Very well, let's not keep you all standing. Go on, enjoy the comforts of the Red Keep, and let's prepare for the council meeting tomorrow. There's much to discuss. Dismissed."
The courtiers began to disperse, returning to their various concerns and intrigues, while King Robert, Queen Cersei, Eddard Stark, and the other members of the royal party made their way to their respective chambers within the Red Keep. The game of thrones continued, as ever, in the shadow of the Iron Throne.
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Negary Pov :
I watched the room, draped in silks and adorned with golden trinkets. Velvet cushions and lavish tapestries were strewn across the room, a testament to the wealth and extravagance of my family. A roaring hearth cast flickering shadows upon the marble floors, and the scent of burning candles lingered in the air.
My bed, an enormous canopy affair with crimson hangings, sat like a throne at the center of the chamber. It was not my desire for opulence that led to such extravagance; it was the expectation of my station. The heavy curtains could be drawn to shield me from prying eyes or opened wide to invite the morning sun.
But none of these trappings could truly claim my attention. I remained unmoved, unbothered by the luxuries that surrounded me. They were but symbols of this body's birthright, hollow reminders of a destiny that I would forge, not one that was predetermined by gilded rooms or grand furnishings.
"What is wealth , if not a hoarding addiction" I intoned as I contemplated my plans.
Plans that would need to be put in action now that I reached King's Landing.
We spent a month traveling from Winterfell towards the capital city of Westeros.
It was an uneventful journey, at least for me.
I spent most of my time training, and the rest socializing with my ,,family,, and those traveling with us.
I talked with Sansa for a bit , but she was still a spoiled girl , not having faced the cruelty of the world yet , so I didn't bother with her.
I also showed Arya how to train properly in swordsmanship and I think I'm her favorite person.
My Warging experiments failed when I tried it on their wolves though , most certainly because of my lack of ,,connection,, with the animals.
I also gave a silver stag coin to the peasant boy Arya still found and trained with , just for the lolz.
I especially tried to forge a stronger bond with my ,,father,, and Eddard Stark because I would surely need their cooperation in the near future.
.
Which brings me to my very first objective,now that I have finally reached the place where players of the game test their wit against one another.
"The fat king is more useful alive..."
And indeed he was.
He managed to maintain peace for as long as 17 years.
He was respected and loved by the population.
And neither of his brothers would revolt against him , at least in the short term.
As long as I manage to pretend that I am a real heir to the throne , (for which I already have some plans) I can take care of the rotten apples in the realm one by one , and I would be able to face the Night King with an united army of my own.
The Fat King could also be easily removed , in case he proved too stubborn in his hate against Daenerys Targaryen and refused to see the bigger picture.
.
Another thing I should do is getting the world to see Little Finger's involvement in Jon Arryn's death , and also get him killed.
Not necessarily in that order.
I didn't have any enmity with him personally. If anything, I respected his resourcefulness and willingness to do anything to climb the ladder of power even further.
Still , he was a dangerous schemer that could not be easily controlled , and while he wouldn't pose any threat to me personally, he could always try to drive wedges between the very people I wanted to keep united.
.
I also had other pressing concerns , such as trying to win over Melisandre , but this seemed a bit hard to do since I remember her fixation on Stannis , believing him to be the reincarnation of Alibaba or something.
After which, I had to go and convince the King Beyond the Wall that peace was the best option for everyone currently alive in Westeros.
So yeah , I had my work cut out for me.
~
"No matter what you do....the king will die soon"
~
But of course, my friend Murphy had to immediately throw a wrench in my plans .
He's a prick like that...
The moment I heard the feminine disembodied voice tell me that the Fat King will die , my mana exploded outwards , stretching as far as possible, trying to sense the direction of the possible enemy that appeared from nowhere.
...And I didn't find shit....
It was as if the one who talked was a ghost , but that would be quite weird since I was technically a ghost as well...
"What's happening!?" Leaf asked , her own soul body having appeared near mine a few seconds ago.
"Did you hear a female voice just now?"
I already knew the answer but asked her anyway.
"Besides my own? None" She stated firmly
"*Sigh* , I'm sure it was nothing"...yeah right , like anybody would believe that.
"Hmm...." Leaf , proving she wasn't as guillible as her appearance indicated , just hummed in agreement but I am sure she didn't believe me at all.
....Well , I guess Man proposes and God disposes...
But was this a friendly warning , or a threat?
I guess only time will tell...
But this unexpected piece of information works to prove a very troubling theory of mine...one that states that this so called ,,game of thrones,, is nothing but a joke , a facade for the truly important battles happening in the background....
Because what is a king to a god...if not a joke?
"Hahaha...how interesting..." I whispered very softly , but if some ,,higher beings,, were indeed watching my every move , I had no doubt they could also hear my words
"Well then...let the game begin..."
And my first move shall be... cutting off the head of a particularly annoying snake....
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A.N :
"
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;
If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And—which is more—you'll be a Man, my son!"
-If , by Rudyard Kipling .
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Stat changes :
Strength - 75kg -> 90kg (550kg with 100% hysterical strength)
Speed - 12sec/100m -> 11 sec
Negary can now use the infiltration aspect of take over magic at a basic level.
His reality manipulation was slightly strengthened and he can now do two things at the same time without problem , provided they are quite similar to one another.
This still requires 100% focus and does not allow for planning while using it.
Greensight has made no visible progress.
Corpse control is getting closer to adept.
Now that we are in a bit city , his soul foundation might grow a lot (✷‿✷)
