The Seven.

Darkness...

It is the only thing Jin saw after entering the baby's body.

-I feel a great discomfort just to be in the middle of this darkness. This must be Jack's dark aura. This seems to be consuming the child's vitality.

-I need to do something before it's too late. But what should I do?

Jin thought endlessly as he realized the darkness gradually consumed the baby's vitality.

Until then, as if a blade had lit for him, Jin saw the light.

-I think it is better to try that than to do nothing.

Jin began to concentrate and to concentrate the rest of his soul energy.

-Argh, I hope that after this universe I can start to practice my astral energy, using my soul energy is just so exhausting.

Concentrating everything in an imaginary point, Jin then began to make the energy circulate rapidly throughout his soul as in an explosion.

-Now!

Jin's energy left his soul and spread through the darkness, yet nothing seemed to change.

-It's all or nothing. Spiritual absorption!

All the darkness started to vortex towards Jin's soul.

While all the darkness entered his soul, Jin endured all the pain.

-Santa mom !! It reminds me of Corin's training!

After absorbing all the darkness and just before losing consciousness, Jin went into a process of deep sleep.

It turns out that Jin had just used a technique not very suitable for the situation, yet it was the only thing he could think of in such a short time.

This technique absorbed everything considered spiritual present in a being, this includes a soul or any type of magic or energy of a spiritual type.

Jin was not sure about the nature of the black aura, but luckily for him, it seems to have been some kind of magic with at least some spiritual characteristic.

So, after absorbing something clearly harmful to him, Jin decided to enter a state of deep sleep that will gradually purify the evil energy.

They are the fruits of Jin's studies. Although there are probably other better choices to make, in such a short time, it was an acceptable result.

Meanwhile, Julio was looking closely at the little baby in his embrace.

Gradually the black aura in the baby's eyes began to smoke and his blood seemed to circulate again, much to Julio's relief.

Seeing the little boy sleeping peacefully, Julio suddenly remembered Jin's words.

"That ghost said he was an envoy of the gods ... Seeing you sleep so peacefully after such a complicated birth can be proof that the gods heard my requests."

"The successor BlackGold ... But why would the gods want me to take care of you? Your family could give you a better education. But maybe, if I take you to them, they'll call me a liar and kill us in public square ... Given their internal instability. " Confirming his determination, Julio then stood up.

"I hope we killed all the wolves when we came. Aside from the guards who left earlier ..." The old man said as he covered the baby with another layer of clothing.

"If it is the gods' desire that I take care of you, then we will need to leave this continent first. The BlackGolds are famous for their information network, and if they know that I leave this cave alive without their Lord but with a newborn baby ... We will have to do more than fight to survive. "

While speaking, Julio removed a necklace from the neck of the woman's body.

Julio then went to BlackGold's body and removed a ring from his fingers.

And, after taking a deep breath, he began his journey with the newborn in his arms.

"We will survive, little one, the gods are on our side!"

***

While Julio leaves the cave. In a fortress among mountains, soldiers in armor and swords were grouping quickly.

"What? Was our Lady kidnapped?" A soldier asked in shock

"Yes, and it looks like the Lord hurried after her with just a group of farmers" Another soldier replied in a low voice

"But why would he do that?"

"Are you an idiot? Have you forgotten that they left the Golden Fireplace a few days ago on a mountain tour?"

"This is so strange, why would they go out with Lady in such a delicate state?" Another soldier joined the conversation and asked.

"I don't know, but it smells like rotten fish."

The soldiers then nodded.

"Men! The formal Golden Fireplace lord has ordered us to go to the valleys in support of Lord BlackGold. Our Lord needs us, we will march on and on until we reach the farms where they were last seen!" A man in armor carrying a banner suddenly shouted.

The banner had the symbol of a gold coin on a black field.

Getting on their horses, the men then hurriedly left the fortress.

Through one of the fortress's windows, a young man with blond hair and blue eyes watched the soldiers walk away.

"My lord, do you think they'll be on time?" An old man who was beside the young man asked

"If the bandits are foolish enough to wait for them to arrive" The young man replied

The old man nodded and said

"If your plan succeeds, my lord, then you will be the new Lord BlackGold in a few days. Still, that was a risky move, as it could damage our alliance with House Lefford."

"This alliance does not matter to me, anyway, the Leffords did nothing without hard evidence. The Lannisters will not allow chaos in their territory." The young man spoke calmly with an indifferent look.

The old man then smiled slightly and asked

"If by chance Lord BlackGold and his wife return alive, what will you do?"

The young man remained calm and answered coldly:

"Half the vassals in our house are on my side ..."

The old man then bowed his head while shaking slightly.

***

The soldiers rode without stopping until they reached a valley with several fields of wheat.

After consulting some of the farmers, the rider with the banner shouted:

"It seems that our Lord left just over fourteen hours ago, we have to hurry, we will go without rest to the den of the wolves where we will leave on foot to the lair of the bandits."

Without hearing the men's complaint, the knight left in a hurry, making the soldiers not dare to stand still.

"This is insane, after so long our Lord must have already reached the bandits' lair and rescued the Lady." One of them spoke

"... or have been killed." Another murmured under his breath, even though some other soldiers were listening.

The soldiers sighed and continued to ride for another full hour until they reached the cave entrance.

"We have to go on foot from now on, the roof of the cave can collapse if we go with the horses due to the vibration."

After tying the horses, the men moved forward without stopping into the cave, leaving only one man to look after the horses.

After a few minutes, among the bushes where one of the horses was eating, Julio appeared.

Vigilant, Julio looked around and noticed that the soldier left began to doze off.

Swallowing his own saliva, Julio slowly drew his sword and went towards the soldier.

Before he could reach the soldier, however, one of the horses began to make a noise, waking the soldier.

Seeing the man with a sword in front of him, the soldier quickly drew his sword and asked as he looked around

"Who are you? What do you want here?"

Without answering, Julio went after the soldier without hesitation.

Swinging the sword towards the soldier's neck, Julio was blocked by the opponent's sword.

The soldier then pushed Julio, making him fall to the ground.

Realizing the opponent's lack of technique, the soldier asked suspiciously

"You ... Are you by any chance one of the farmers who were Lord? I heard that one of those who went was an old man like you."

Julio, still without answering, got up and started on the soldier.

After a few exchanges of attacks, the two began to circle in circles around each other.

The horses suddenly started making a lot of noise, scaring them both.

Suddenly a wolf came out of the bushes and started snarling at them.

Julio quickly thought of a strategy and decided to pretend to be dead, falling to the floor holding his breath.

The wolf then began to approach Julio slowly without taking his eyes off the soldier.

After sniffing for a few moments, biting Julio's arm and realizing that Julio didn't move, the wolf then thought that Julio really had died.

The soldier, seeing the ridiculous scene in front of him, just spat on the ground and waited for the wolf to attack.

After a few moments, the wolf finally attacked the soldier, dodging the attack from his sword and biting him in the leg, however, because of the light armor the soldier wore, he didn't do much damage.

Before he could retreat, the soldier's sword pierced the wolf's body until it crossed.

After a few seconds, the wolf stopped breathing and the soldier then relaxed.

But before he could draw his sword from the wolf, Julio suddenly stood up and swung his sword.

The sound of a head falling to the floor followed by his body resonated.

Breathing heavily, Julio was barely able to stay upright, since previously he had several injuries and now was bitten on the arm by a wolf.

But he knows that he cannot stop.

Going to one of the bushes, Julio took the baby that was hidden.

Julio then untied all the horses but one and chased them away.

Riding on the horse, Julio started to ride.

-I hope that in my house I still have some ointment, if I do not treat my wounds, I will die soon.

-I'll need to take all the money I can get from now on ...

-The soldiers must take about 5 hours on foot to reach the nearest farm and the nearest village is 10 hours walk ...

While making plans for himself and the baby, Julio rode for an hour to the farm where he lived and worked.

In the center of the farm, there was a wooden hut and a small barn.

Upon arriving, the first thing he did was take a shower and apply ointment to his wounds.

If he dies, the baby will not live long.

After finishing patching his wounds, Julio then went out of the house to the barn where he drew milk from one of the trapped goats.

After drinking a glass of milk, Julio wondered if the baby could also drink goat's milk.

After sighing slightly, he decided to take another glass and try to give it to the baby little by little.

After returning to the hut, Julio collected all the valuables and coins.

Being an old man who has always lived a humble life, Julio managed to raise a considerable amount that would allow him to live for a while with the baby, even without income.

Julio planned to sell his things that had some value in a nearby village to a man who was famous for wasting his money.

After finishing preparing everything for the trip, Julio then went to the baby and decided to bathe him, since the baby was soiled with his mother's blood and even the umbilical cord was badly cut.

Taking a basin and adding warm water that he had heated, Julio then started to clean the baby carefully.

After finishing cleaning the little one, Julio took a pair of scissors and cut the rest of the umbilical cord correctly.

Julio found it strange that the baby had not cried even a little. But he ignored it thinking that the baby was weak from previous experiences.

After wrapping the baby up in clean robes, Julio decided to rest a little before leaving, since he has some time.

"I hope that our life in Essos will be more peaceful, little one." Julio murmured looking at the baby as he fell asleep.

After a few hours, the horse started to make a noise, waking Julio.

Julio then got up quickly and looked out the window.

To his dismay, there was nothing out there.

Thinking to be a sign of the gods, Julio quickly gathered his things and left with the baby.

Looking at the cabin from a distance, Julio was moved, he knew he would never go back there.

Then looking at the baby on his lap, Julio thought

-Maybe this is my first and last adventure. Make it worth, successor of the BlackGold

After riding for several hours, Julio arrived in a village.

Tying his horse to a pole, Julio went first to sell his belongings.

After entering a tavern, Jin spoke to the owner

"Hello Pency, how long ago."

The owner named Pency laughed and spoke amiably

"Haha, how long ago Julio, what brings you to this humble establishment ?? Do you miss a company?" Pency spoke as he pointed discreetly at a woman sitting at one of the tables.

Julio shook his head and said:

"Not today, I came here to sell some things"

"So you want to talk to rich old Gerald, huh? He's at his usual table." Pency spoke and then pointed to the baby in Julio's embrace

"Whose child is this? As far as I know you don't have children, so it can't be your grandson."

Julio then stalled for a moment and replied:

"The child ... is my son!"

Pency looked surprised and opened his eyes wide as he said aloud:

"HAHAHA, it looks like age hasn't weakened you, huh? I think I know the reason why you don't want Bela Rosa's company."

"Your wife abandoned you and now you have to support the child yourself, so are you selling your stuff, huh?" The woman who was seated approached Julio and spoke.

"How long, Bela Rosa" Julio spoke with a bitter smile.

After looking at the baby for a few moments, Bela Rosa then said:

"If you want to sell something to old Gerald, you better hurry up before he passes out drunk."

Julio nodded and headed for a table farther away. There was an old man with a long beard in thin clothes.

"Old Gerald, how about t--" Julio was cut off by Gerald who said:

"Get to the point, Julio."

Julio smiled bitterly and said:

"I came to sell some things" Julio then picked up a bag that was in one hand and opened it.

After Gerald observed things for a while, he suddenly raised a finger.

Swallowing saliva, Julio asked:

"Silver?"

Gerald then put a gold coin on the table and said:

"Based on your current state, you must have been in trouble. Do you think you can hide it from my eyes? This coin is not for these things but for the favors you have done me in the past."

Julio looked surprised and thanked:

"Thank you, Gerald. Thank you very much!"

"Go away before I change my mind!" Gerald shouted.

Julio smiled bitterly, he knows that Gerald said that just so he won't be at risk standing there.

Julio then said goodbye to Pency, Bela Rosa and Gerald and left the tavern.

He then headed for a cabin a little further from the village.

After knocking on the door, Julio waited for a few moments until the door finally opened.

"Julio! But what are you doing here? Are you tired of the farm and decided to take a walk?" A old woman in an apron spoke.

"Auntie, how long ago. And I came here to buy supplies for a few months of travel."

The Aunt then looked at Julio suspiciously and asked:

"What did you do?"

Julio just shook his head and smiled bitterly.

The aunt then sighed slightly and said:

"Supplies for two months cost 2 silver coins. Can you pay for that?"

"Do it with love!" Julio said as he put 3 silver coins in Tia's apron pocket.

The aunt looked suspiciously at Julio, but went to prepare the supplies while saying:

"Come in two hours!"

Julio sighed and looked at the sky

-Well, what should I do in the meantime?

Julio then thought of something.

-I think it costs nothing to have some equipment, since nothing guarantees that I won't have to fight in the future.

Julio then went to a blacksmith shop and bought a chain mail, hardened leather boots and a small dagger.

After wearing the equipment and not finding it too heavy, Julio then bought a light armor of hardened leather.

At that point, half of his accumulated money was spent. Not that Julio cared, since he also had a gold coin.

Julio then went to fetch his horse and tied it near Tia's hut.

With nothing to do, Julio sat on a nearby bench and began to watch the baby on his lap.

Quickly noticing something strange, the little boy's facial features seemed to have changed a little, and his little blond hairs turned black.

Julio quickly dismissed the possibility of being another baby, as he did not part with him for an instant.

While he was thinking nervously, the baby's eyes started to open and, to Julio's amazement, the eyes that were blue at birth were now green.

"This ..." Julio's eyes widened.

With his memory still fresh, Julio remembered Jin's green eyes.

Swallowing hard, Julio got up and went towards the only small chapel in the village. This chapel had a seven-pointed star at the top.

"Priest !! Priest !!"

A priest, hearing the screams, left the chapel and looked at the old man in front of him.

"Why are you screaming?"

"Priest, that child ... Please look at that child ..." Julio spoke nervously

The priest then looked at the baby Julio was carrying and frowned.

"It looks like a normal, healthy baby to me."

Julio then shook his head and said:

"I swear to all the gods, this child is not normal, look at him more closely." Julio spoke seriously

The priest pursed the corners of his mouth and asked:

"Can I hold the baby?"

Julio then handed the baby over to the priest and waited anxiously.

The priest then looked at the baby, and met his little green eyes.

Seeing that there was nothing wrong with the baby, the priest frowned and asked:

"What and why do you think there is something wrong with this baby?"

"Priest, it's a long story, but I swear to the seven gods that what I'm going to say is not a lie, if I'm lying that the Stranger kills me in the most terrible way possible!" Upon hearing Julio's oath, the priest's face became serious.

Julio then explained briefly what happened to the baby, of course, without saying the child's true origins.

The priest, after hearing this, walked in circles and looked visibly nervous.

Until he finally stopped and said:

"Come with me, if what you said is true ... and if the ghost you spoke to really possessed this child, we will find out." The priest then entered the chapel followed by Julio.

The priest stopped in front of the altar and said:

"But if that child was really saved by the Gods, then we too will know."

Placing the baby on the altar, the priest lit seven candles around him.

Kneeling down, the priest began to pray fervently.

"May the gods manifest the truth!" The priest then shouted.

However, nothing happened.

Julio became even more nervous and the priest began to sweat.

Until finally, a mutation occurred.

The candles, one by one, began to extinguish, until only one remained, and the flame of that candle turned green.

The priest's face went pale with a surprised expression, and Julio asked:

"Priest, what does that mean?"

"That candle, symbolizes the stranger. I think that by turning green like the baby's eyes ... The stranger says that those eyes symbolize death." The priest said as he continued to sweat.

Julio's face went pale as he thought he was being deceived by the ghost.

Removing the dagger from its sheath, Julio approached the baby until the priest stopped him.

"Wait."

"???"

"I think the stranger has something more to show us"

Soon after the priest spoke, the candle's flame turned blue.

"!!!" Julio was then shocked, this was the same color he saw in the baby's eyes as soon as he was born.

The flame then turned green again. Until it finally went out.

After a brief silence, Julio asked:

"Father, what should we do?"

The priest then took a deep breath and said:

"This was a manifestation of the Stranger, the face that we don't fully understand, all the candles went out and the stranger's flame became the baby's eyes. Blue and green, and then the candle went out."

"I have never heard of such a manifestation of the Stranger before. But I think that if the stranger wanted to take this baby's life, he would have already taken it. And if any of the other faces wanted it too, his flames would not have gone out."

The priest then looked seriously at Julio and said:

"The seven want this baby to live, regardless of whether he was possessed by the ghost or not. Do you understand?"

Julio seemed to hesitate, would he sacrifice everything for a ghost?

Suddenly, the six candles that had gone out first lit up with a green flame.

Julio looked in shock at this, and the priest said seriously:

"The seven have plans for this baby, don't you see? Even the other six faces seem to favor the boy. You have no choice."

Julio then knelt and prayed aloud:

"My lords lost their lives, and the soul of your successor may have been taken by a ghost. Is this a punishment of the Seven? Do I really have to do this?"

The candles then went out.

After a brief silence, the priest said:

"The seven seem to leave the choice in your hands. If you don't want to do that, you can leave the baby with me."

Julio remained silent, until suddenly the baby started to cry.

Hearing the baby's cry, both Julio and the priest looked surprised.

"This cry ... Could it really be that of a ghost?" The priest murmured.

Julio then settled his determination, got up and went towards the baby, taking him in his arms.

"Maybe this is a test of the Seven. Even though this baby was really possessed by a ghost, I remember that he looked young and he didn't look evil, since he didn't attack us before." Thinking about it, Julio remembered the various bodies scattered around the fortress and the woman murmuring when they found her.

"Ghost ..." She murmured over and over.

At that time, Julio simply did not pay much attention to this because of the urgent situation, and ended up forgetting.

-Maybe the ghost helped us in that battle ...

Julio then looked deeply into the baby's green eyes and said:

"Listen here, you little bastard, being possessed by the ghost or not, I will raise you as a son! And if you dare to disrespect or disobey me when you grow up, I will make sure to educate you firmly!"

The priest then smiled bitterly and said:

"If the ghost is in the baby, he was certainly scared."

Julio then thanked the priest and asked him to keep it secret.

After saying goodbye to the priest, Julio then went to Tia's hut, which was waiting for him with the provisions outside.

"Why the delay? Do you think I have all day to wait for you? Go away before your trouble gets to you." Auntie said while helping to load the horse with provisions.

Julio then said goodbye and started riding towards the nearest port, his destination?

The continent of Essos.