Arena was filled with a cacophony of roars, saturating the golden, sand-filled battlefield which slowly was drenched in blood. The scorching rays of the sun were unforgiving, burning everyone all the same with its incandescent light.
Slaves fought relentlessly, tearing each other apart like beasts. And it wasn't just slaves, but numerous beasts too. There was a giant serpent, spitting acid as smoke rose in the sky and the stench of charred flesh permeated the area as the blackened, burned bodies of slaves fell upon the merciless, scalding sand.
It was a horrifying thing to behold, yet everyone was cheering with excitement and dark, entertained glee burning in the depths of their eyes as if this was the most enjoyable event they had witnessed.
Among that cheering crowd was a young prince who had left home in search of glory, riches and recognition. Yet those were only secondary goals. Zalarys wished to learn the truth, he wished to reach the dreaded edge of the world.
He didn't know why, but one thing was clear. Either he would see what lay at the end of the journey or die trying.
But right now, he was concerned with other matters, such as the mysterious woman sitting next to him, appearing composed and reserved with her palms on her lap and sitting straight with her eyes serene and peaceful, like a chilling embrace of death.
"Just who are you..." Zalarys asked simply, intrigued by this woman whose gaze never left the deformed corpses of slaves.
"Hmm... I was a daughter at some point in life. And then no one. But now... I'm someone once again." She glanced at him with a soft smile.
"I have no interest in riddles, woman. Answer my question, and be glad you don't share the fate of those pitiful people whose only mercy is death." Zalarys leaned back in his chair, his hand on his sheathed dagger in case the woman tried anything funny, he had no trust in someone who helped Saera to steal his dragon, or perhaps even orchestrated her death in the first place.
"Indeed, however don't be impatient. It's improper for a hunter to lose composure, isn't it? Let alone the protégé of Master Eclipse, may Death bring him a glorious end." She answered with a warm smile, giving shape to bizarre hand signs that cast a shadow of a skull on the stone wall, bowing her head with closed eyes, her humble behavior and serenity for some reason giving Zalarys a sense of anxiety yet as contradictory as it was, a bizarre feeling of peace.
"You know my teacher?" He asked in confusion, yet his tone was demanding, wanting nothing more than to learn about his master and his whereabouts as well.
"Why, of course. Master Eclipse is one of the greatest hunters of our order, deadly yet gentle, treating all life as equal."
Zalarys pursed his lips at that, recalling many harrowing events his master threw him into.
Gentle... Master Hihkran? Is she trying to anger me with this or is she genuinely that stupid? Sure, I love my master, he taught me everything, but he was anything but gentle. Zalarys thought with frown, his face painted with doubt and bewilderment.
"Don't be so surprised. He told me a lot about you..." She muttered under her breath, her voice so soft and pleasant to the ear, it was barely audible. "But I can't say I'm impressed with you... Your performance was nothing more than a disappointment. Not only did you knew about the poison, but also the fact that she would use it. Yet, momentarily, the filthy pleasure of the world tempted you, and you lost yourself in lust which almost led to your end."
Zalarys looked down at that, hating to be reminded of his own flaws. No one likes hearing someone talk badly about them after all. Yet he could say nothing against her words, because he too was disappointed in himself.
What's more shameful than knowing what you do is wrong yet still doing it because of comfort and pleasure?
Yes, I know it was wrong... foolish and disgraceful but... He leaned back, covering his face with both hands as he looked up bleakly at the sparkling blue sky. It felt good... Why do I feel so disgusted by admitting this? Why do this woman's words disturb me so much? Who the hell is she even? Almost every man in Westeros goes to brothels and has fun with whores, what's wrong with that? Nothing at all, Daemon enjoys himself too, right? Yet no one says anything about it. So why am I making something this insignificant so big?
But... it still feels wrong... It feels like I've done a truly odious act. Am I feeling guilty about having sex with my own aunt and then killing her? Am I feeling guilty because I know my grandparents will be heartbroken hearing this, not just for Saera but for me too, for committing something so vile? Or is it because I can't look into my parents', Gael's and heck, even Viserra's eyes, knowing I fucked and murdered their sister?
Bloody hell... this is so confusing. If emotions make a situation more complicated, then family being involved in it makes it a hundred times worse...
He sighed, wiping sweat from his forehead and leaned forward, his head lowered as he sank into the fiery depths of his own thoughts.
"So you do understand how much damage these few hours caused, correct?" She tilted her head, crossing her legs gracefully.
"Shit... even if I am, what about it? It's not even your fucking business. Don't forget you caused that, snake..." He looked up at her with bloodthirst gleaming coldly in his mismatched eyes.
"It was a test, which you exceptionally failed. It's ridiculous, isn't it? The prodigious protégé of Master Eclipse being nothing but an uncontrollable pig who can't even control his own dick." Her serenity this time faded away, replaced with nothing but contempt and disappointment.
"What test?" He asked with a raised eyebrow, he was angry, yes, but curiosity overwhelmed it with quite ease.
"From the Elder... but we can discuss that later. For now, what is your goal for coming here?" She waved her hand dismissively, choosing to focus on the subject in front of them.
"I wanted a guard." Zalarys shrugged, crossing his arms nonchalantly.
She blinked at that, her lips curling up in a wry smile and shook her head. "A guard? Why would a hunter need a guard? Not only is it a great shame, but also proof of your lacking skill."
"I know..." He gritted his teeth with clear distaste, avoiding her gaze, but before either of them could say another word, the crowd erupted in cheers.
Intrigued, both of them leaned forward, observing the arena where a giant of a man swung his massive axe with overwhelming might, the blade cutting through the air and descending upon the acid-breathing serpent with monstrous force that cracked the abominable beast's stalwart scales and bit deep into its flesh, forcing the wyrm to spit acid in every direction, blinding pain enraging it while the towering warrior cleverly used corpses as a wall, hiding behind them and waiting for the beast to exhaust itself, only to strike when the opportunity presented itself and he took it with courage, not faltering as his muscles tensed, his legs buckling slightly and leaping forward with all his strength, delivering a crashing blow upon the wyrm's head.
A hot, scalding geyser of blood erupted from the wound, burning the fighter's skin, yet even if he was filled with pain, even if he wanted anything but this, desiring nothing more than peace, he still fought, and grabbed the spear of a dead slave as his axe got stuck between the wyrm's bones.
He gripped it tightly, his dark skin strangely beautiful, as if he was a shadow himself, cast by the immolating light of the sun as he launched himself forward with the spear raised, holding it with both hands and fell upon the roaring monster, piercing its eye and penetrating its head, the spear punching through its skull and coming out from the other side as he twisted the weapon, shattering it in half and the moment the weapon was destroyed, so was the beast.
The towering man, standing over two meters tall, even bigger really, emerged victorious.
Yet little did everyone know how gentle he was, or the fact that he wasn't a man, but only a 16-year-old boy, just bigger and stronger than anyone his age, and even older men.
Looking down, the boy felt deep, aching pain and sorrow, longing for peace, yet all he received were endless battles and mountains of corpses, knowing sooner or later, he would join them too.
Wiping his eyes, the liquid already evaporating from the cruel rays of the sun, he put his helmet on his head, hiding his face, and walked back bleakly, his expression lost and miserable, as if soon he would just break. Maybe not his body, but his mind definitely would.
As for the people... well, all they did was roar and shout and exclaim with excitement and joy, screaming his name which was the...
"Shadow!"
"Shadow!"
"Shadow!"
***
[A/N: yo, wusup, guys? Hope you all are doing well. Just to clear a few things, this isn't Sandoq the Shadow, but he's so goated that I wanted to make a character like him. He can't speak, nor can he write or read, and he is huge and powerful, appearing menacing and cruel, yet his heart is gentle, like a spring after a chilling winter.
What Sword of the Morning? What Rogue Prince? What Blackfyre? Come on, maybe not the most skilled, but the strongest? Sandoq is the one who takes that title easily. Maybe a hot take, but for me, he's the greatest. Eh, how good would it have been if he were mentioned more in the books...
Oh, btw, should we name him Sandoq too or something else? Gimme your thoughts about it.
And now, it's time for Zalarys to join the Order of Hunters. I've thought about the lore and everything related to it, as well as future journeys, including the end of this fic.
So everything is already planned, and some things are foreshadowed. Other than that, Zalarys needs to perform a ritual to join this order, which is obviously related to the Death God, judging by how the woman behaved.
The alchemist arc is starting too, as well as the search for materials to make Zalarys's sword.
Anyway, many things are planned, let's say before he goes to Sothoryos.
I won't say what will happen, but it will be very exciting since we'll be exploring Sothoryos, a land filled with wyrms and flying wyverns, cultists, and pirates.
But before Sothoryos, we need to finish the Volantis arc ;]
Hope you all are enjoying it, and tell me what you think about this story or if you like its direction.
That's it for now, enjoy the meal.]