Chapter 8: Where the Doom still rules - part 1

                                    

                                          
Martin and I have been sailing for a few days now. Almost a week. It is boring, to say the least. I try to keep myself occupied but there is not much to do. After some time I even convinced Martin to teach me some sailing techniques. I fail at it horribly and Martin laughs at me. 
                          
On the seventh day, we are starting to get close to Old Valyria. On the sides, we sometimes see small ruined buildings, overgrown with vegetation. Martin is very on edge and it makes me on edge. I watch the banks and cliffs that give the small river its form like a hawk. The river we are following should lead us to the center of the city. Martin said there was a place that should give us shelter and safety. The place he used when he came here. 
                          
As we followed the river to the city I felt something pulling me. As if some thread linked me to some part of the city. It could only mean the mansion that shows up in my dreams. 
                          
Martin squints his eyes and tugged me on my shirt. I turn to face him and he points to a cliff that was jagged. First I did not see anything out of the ordinary but as I watch I saw movement. "Stone men?" I whisper. Martin nodded. 
                          
Stone Men, people infected with greyscale in its final stage. In turns people in animals and if you get touched you would get Greyscale yourself and slowly turn into them. 
                          
"What should we do?" I whisper. "Get one of the paddles and stand ready," Martin whispered. "If they jump hit them hard to the opposite side. Don't let them touch you." I nod and pick up one of the paddles as quietly as possible. I also place a paddle close to Martin just in case. He nods in appreciation. 
                          
I stand ready to knock them away. I could feel the nervous sweat forming on my forehead and in my palms. The boat got closer and closer to the cliff. I readied my paddle, ready for anything. 
                          
As we are passing the cliffs my heart rate was soaring. It was like I was in one of the horror stories my father or one of the neighbors used to tell me when I was young. I watch the cliff carefully and in one sudden movement, a stony head snapped in my direction. 
                          
It made a horrible raspy scream before jumping to me from the cliff. In mid-air, I hit it as hard as I could and it screamed in pain. It landed in the water and did not come up. As I watched the cliff for any other movement I felt the boat rocketing from side to side. "Visenya! Behind you!" Martin yelled. 
                          
I swirled around ready to punch the stone man in the face when it lurched towards me. I just had enough time to put the peddle between me and the horribly disfigured man. It took everything I had to keep it away from me. 
                          
I'm losing grip on the paddle due to my sweety hand. I cursed and try to get more grip on the paddle. The stone man was swinging wildly with his arms trying to hit me with its disfigured hands. 
                          
When I was about to lose my grip, the stone man got punched off the boat by a paddle from behind. Martin stood there, worry written on his face. "We need to get out of here! More will come!" he says. 
                          
I nodded. I take his peddle from him and put in the rings along with the one I had. Martin made his way to the helm to steer the ship. I mustered all the strength I had to get as far away as possible. 
                          
I kept paddling till I had no strength left. Out of breath, I looked at Martin. "Are we... clear?" I manage to get out. "I think so, but we better get to the shelter quickly. Those things live in packs," he says. I nodded. "Did they touch you, Martin?" I asked with concern. "No, luckily they did not get the chance. And you?" I looked at my hand, writs, elbows, even under my clothes just to be sure. I haven't been touched. I was clean. I sighed with huge relief. "No. But it was very close" I say with relief. I could see the relief in Martin's face.
                          
"Thank fuck for that. The shelter should not be far now. Stay sharp," he say. I nodded. I kept paddling at a decent pace but slower than before. I also kept Blackfyre unsheathed in case of more Stone Man attacks. 
                          
It took Martin and me 15 minutes to get to the shelter. I never felt more nervous in my life. Every sound made me jump up and grab Blackfyre.
                          
The shelter was a small building. It looked very defendable. Martin docked near the house and tied the boat to a nearby tree. The feeling of something pulling me got stronger and stronger as we closed in. 
                          
"Okay, Visenya. I will take shelter here in this house and block every exit and opening I can find," Martin begins to say. "If you aren't back in 3 days I will go back alone. It is not something I wish to do, but I won't stay here just to die."
                          
"I understand. I think I can manage to do everything in that time." I say. Martin gave me a satchel. "It should have enough provisions for you to last a few days. Watch out for Stone Men and other creatures. It should be relatively safe in the city since even the Stone Man avoid the area... the Doom will be your enemy instead of half-dead people," he says. 
                          
The Doom of Valyria. One event to wipe out a whole civilization. A civilization where my family, or technically, the Targaryens, came from. I nodded nervously and made myself ready to traverse the ruins. I felt a hand on my shoulder and saw Martin looking at me intently. "Stay safe, those ruins are really dangerous." I nodded and stepped in the direction of the invisible thread that is pulling me, deeper into the city. 
                          
The city was really creepy. Ruined buildings and roads all around me. As Martin said, I felt like people are watching me. Judging me. It felt incredibly uncomfortable and nerve-wracking. Not only the feeling of people watching me but also the air. The air was hot and smelled like sulfur. You could really feel that the Doom rules this place. It is as if it wants to melt the city away with the hot air. The pull gets stronger and stronger as I made my way through the ruins. 
                          
I kept my eyes wide open for any dangers, but luckily no stone man or beast was nearby. After a few hours, I turn around a corner for what felt like the hundred time, and when I turned the corner I arrived on a wide road. Not just any road but the road I see in my dreams. The pull felt so strong that if I stood still I could fall over. 
                          
I have walked on this road so many times in my dreams. The cracks and vegetations is very familiar. I picked up the pace but still kept an eye out for any danger. 
                          
A few minutes later I arrived at the large square. It looks just like the one from my dreams, but it was slightly different. Instead of just rubble, I saw something of a camp on the far left side. It consisted of tents made of red fabric.
                          
I am really intrigued by the camp so I made my way over to the camp. The despite the fact that the pulling sensation was telling me to go the other way. The camp was not large it seems. Only a few tents are left standing and most fabric that is left on the tent is heavily damaged. Most likely due to the high temperature of the air. It is completely deserted as if someone removed the bodies. One tent, or at least the tent frame, was larger than the rest. I slowly walk towards it.
                          
The inside of the tent was empty of life but it was clear it belonged to whoever was in charge. It had expensive-looking furniture and tables. On the tables were several papers strewn about but they were unreadable. As I looked around the tent, one thing caught my eye. A sword. It had a beautifully decorated sheath made of gold. The hilt had a very detailed motif of a lion same as the crossguard. Furthermore, some crystals were placed into the center of the crossguard. It was a true masterpiece. 
                          
I pick it up the sword up and take it with me. "Might as well take a souvenir with me..." I mutter to myself. I left the camp without looking into the other tents. The pull towards the mansion became unbearable. It took some time to make my way through the rubble and avoiding the craters. I now stand before the mansion. 
                          
It is just like my dreams. A few holes in the walls and decorated with dragons motifs. The doors were closed "I hope I can open them instead of waiting for the silver-haired woman..." I whisper to myself. 
                          
I walk to the doors and started to push the doors open.