"World Devourers?"
The name made Daemon freeze. Even from those two words alone, he could sense the raw ambition burning in Logar's heart.
It made him think about his own fate. Though he was born a Velaryon—seemingly far more prestigious than Logar—he was only the son of Malentin, Corlys's nephew. He had no lands of his own and would never inherit High Tide or the true power of House Velaryon.
Yet here was Logar, younger than him, who had carved out such staggering achievements in the Stepstones with nothing but his own strength. It wouldn't be long before he became the rightful Lord of the Stepstones.
The vast difference in their destinies stirred an unexpected pang of envy in Daemon's chest.
Logar, however, had no time to dwell on any of that. The great battle had only just ended. His bones felt like they were about to fall apart from exhaustion, yet the mountain of work waiting for him never seemed to shrink.
Cleaning up the battlefield, dealing with the prisoners—every major decision fell on the company commander. Femon, Kendel, and the rest of his officers were still waiting for him to hand out rewards and promotions.
The coming days were destined to be both exhausting and deeply satisfying for the young sellsword captain.
...
When the battle report from the Stepstones finally reached High Tide, Corlys Velaryon could hardly believe his eyes.
"What did you just say? That sellsword captain named Logar, along with his company, burned over twenty enemy warships, slaughtered more than a thousand men, and even captured the Triarchy's admiral, Sharako Lohar?"
This was the greatest victory House Velaryon had achieved in the Stepstones in years. Malentin and Daemon had not dared to exaggerate even slightly—they reported every detail exactly as it happened in their letter.
They even openly admitted that they had deliberately held back the Velaryon fleet to preserve its strength, forcing Logar's company to bear the brunt of the enemy's main force on the island.
Yet even after reading the full report, Corlys still found it almost impossible to believe. The scale of the victory described was simply staggering.
Only when the Velaryon soldiers who had personally witnessed the battle described to him how the enemy ships had been set ablaze across the harbor, with corpses floating everywhere on the burning sea, and mentioned that Logar would soon bring the prisoners to Dragonstone, did Corlys's doubt finally turn into wild joy.
The gods were merciful. Sharako Lohar had led the Triarchy fleet against House Velaryon for years. The hatred between them ran bone-deep. Corlys had dreamed of seeing the man dead for a long time.
Now that their greatest enemy had been captured alive, a massive weight finally lifted from the Sea Snake's heart.
After the initial rush of elation, Corlys found himself regarding the young sellsword captain with newfound respect.
The report made it clear: Logar had used a devastating fire attack to burn the entire enemy fleet while it was packed together in the harbor. Just reading the words, one could imagine how terrifying the scene must have been—and how much courage and decisiveness it had taken to order such a bold strike.
"The World Devourers..." Corlys murmured, looking at the new company name Daemon had specifically mentioned in the letter. He remembered the poise and sharp intellect Logar had shown when he first came to High Tide. He became more certain than ever that he had made the right choice back then.
"Prepare my ship immediately!" Corlys ordered, barely able to contain his excitement. "I am sailing to Dragonstone at once to deliver this magnificent news to the queen! I will also ask Her Grace to formally grant Logar, commander of the World Devourers, the title of Lord of the Stepstones!"
...
By the time Corlys's ship reached Dragonstone, Queen Rhaenyra of the Blacks sat upon her throne, watching her son Prince Jacaerys and Lord Bartimos Celtigar argue heatedly over how to deal with the Green army that had just taken Rook's Rest.
The council chamber on Dragonstone was built of ancient black stone, its walls carved with old Targaryen dragon motifs. Flickering torchlight cast long, shifting shadows, making the atmosphere feel heavy and oppressive.
Ever since the Queen Who Never Was, Rhaenys Targaryen, had died along with her dragon Meleys, Rook's Rest had fallen. Lord Staunton's head had been cut off and sent to King's Landing, where it was now displayed above the city gates.
This was the first major victory the Greens had achieved since Aegon II's coronation, and the mood across Dragonstone had grown grim.
The only silver lining was the later report that both Aegon II and his dragon Sunfyre had been badly wounded in the battle with Meleys. Sunfyre's wings were burned and could barely carry him, while the false king himself had suffered terrible burns and was forced to retreat to King's Landing to lick his wounds.
That news had lifted the spirits of the Blacks on Dragonstone. No one was more fired up than Lord Bartimos Celtigar of Claw Isle.
The old lord, who had served Dragonstone faithfully since Viserys I's reign, pounded his fist and passionately urged an immediate gathering of all loyalist forces. He argued they should strike King's Landing at once while Aegon II was still gravely injured.
Prince Jacaerys Velaryon, who was currently presiding over the council in his mother's place, strongly disagreed.
He pointed out in a grave voice that their grandfather Corlys had withdrawn the fleet blockading Blackwater Bay after Rhaenys's death, due to his rift with the queen.
They had to wait until the Sea Snake calmed down and agreed to return to Dragonstone to serve as Hand of the Queen before they could launch any major campaign.
After all, the Velaryon fleet was the Blacks' only real weapon for blockading King's Landing and the entire Blackwater Bay.
With the Blacks suffering repeated setbacks and Prince Daemon holding position at Harrenhal to tie down the Greens' growing armies, they needed the Sea Snake's ships to safely march on the capital.
Queen Rhaenyra sat upon the throne looking weary and hollow-eyed, having withdrawn from most affairs of state. Watching her son and her councilors argue endlessly, she felt only confusion and helplessness.
Both Corlys and her husband Daemon had left her side because of her decisions. The guilt weighed heavily on her, feeding deep self-doubt.
Finally, she turned to Grand Maester Gerardys beside her and asked softly:
"Grand Maester Gerardys, do you support Jacaerys's view, or Lord Celtigar's proposal?"
Seeing the queen—who had barely participated in governance lately—finally look to him, the maester rose from the council table and answered in a steady voice:
"The false king's injury presents a rare opportunity that may never come again. However, Prince Jacaerys's concerns are also valid. It would be wisest to wait for Lord Corlys's reply before deciding our next move."
The moment he finished speaking, a guard's loud voice rang from outside the hall:
"Lord Corlys Velaryon of High Tide has arrived to see Her Grace!"
"Grandfather is here?"
Jacaerys shot to his feet, unable to hide his delight.
Even Rhaenyra, who had been listless and distant from state affairs, lifted her eyes toward the entrance. Could it be that Corlys had finally emerged from the grief of losing his wife?
"Corlys Velaryon greets Her Grace the Queen!"
The Sea Snake strode into the ancient black-stone council hall of House Targaryen, bowed deeply before the throne, and spoke without wasting a single breath:
"I have come to accept Prince Jacaerys's appointment and take up the position of Hand of the Queen!"
"Wonderful, Grandfather!" Jacaerys exclaimed with genuine joy. This was the first major political matter he had handled, and he had successfully brought his grandfather back from his quarrel with the queen. His heart swelled with pride.
"Furthermore," Corlys continued, "I bring the queen a piece of magnificent news."
Under the watchful eyes of Lord Celtigar, Grand Maester Gerardys, Ser Steffon Darklyn of the Queensguard, and the other Black councilors, Corlys declared in a ringing voice,
"The gods smile upon Your Grace! The World Devourers sellsword company from Essos, under the command of Logar, has helped the Velaryon fleet reclaim the long-contested Stepstones! Those war-torn islands now return to the realm's control!
"Moreover, Logar has captured the Triarchy's admiral, Sharako Lohar alive! He will soon bring the prisoner here to present him to Your Grace!"
---