The Kindly Man was already dead, having died in the exact same manner as an Other. Rhaegar pointed his hand, igniting flames, and mist began to rise.
The people of Braavos exchanged glances; they had to confront the reality that the God of Many Faces's magic was seriously flawed.
"What did Prince Rhaegar just say? Ice Dragon? Isn't that just a drunken sailor's fantasy?" The Sealord of Braavos's tone grew astonished. The Sealord naturally knew the legend of the Ice Dragon but had always considered it a joke. Because Braavos is relatively far north, sailors often told terrifying stories of the Ice Dragon and dreadful mermaids on the Shivering Sea! Braavos's religion is extremely liberal—they believe in everything, resulting in the leadership believing in nothing, which is somewhat similar to the Valyrian Dragonlords. The difference is that the Valyrian Dragonlords were arrogant and contemptuous, viewing themselves as gods, while the Sealord of Braavos respects but keeps his distance!
"They roam above the Shivering Sea and the Pale Waste, much larger than the dragons of Valyria. Their bodies are covered in frost, their eyes are pale blue crystal, and they flap huge, translucent wings, spitting cold air. They are the terrifying Ice Dragons, servants of the god of cold, just like the Faceless Men!" "Based on my experience killing Others, the Ice Dragons' magic is similar to the Others'. The Kindly Man also possessed this magic, which originates from the god of cold and represents eternal, unchanging coldness. Think about it: is it reasonable for the Faceless Men to live so long and be so strange?" Rhaegar put away his True Dragon sword. The information was increasingly horrifying. The heads of these Braavosi high-ranking officials were spinning from the deluge of information. Supernatural chaos—it turned out that Ice Dragons had once flown in their skies. But the Kindly Man was actually an Other hidden deep within Braavos, forcing them to consider the accuracy of Rhaegar's words.
"Lord Sealord, your trouble has arrived. The Kindly Man was a servant of the god of cold. He is dead, but the god of cold will bring a wrathful curse! Ice Dragons, mermaids, pale sailors, and those wights will all attack Braavos! It's not just Westeros that has Others; you have them in Braavos too. Think about why those dead faces are preserved so well, and why the Faceless Men retain memories after wearing them—it is the coldness, a gift from the god of cold!" Rhaegar stated his conjecture. This was half-truth, half-falsehood. The Ice Dragons certainly knew the Faceless Men well, but Rhaegar couldn't be sure if they would attack Braavos! But he had to pin the blame where it was convenient, giving the Braavosi a scare so they would know fear and avoid dragging him down during war.
Rhaegar speculated that the Faceless Men might have made some kind of deal with the god of cold. The god of cold granted the Kindly Man a magic that allowed the Faceless Men to preserve faces and store life. Life is inherently warmth, and the death taken by the Faceless Men is the god of cold's best gift. In exchange, the Faceless Men must maintain the balance of ice and fire. When the flame becomes too vigorous, the Faceless Men, as part of the transaction with the god of cold, must kill the flame. Rhaegar is an extraordinary flame, a Dragonlord of sorcery, and his magical flame will be the enemy of the god of cold. The Faceless Men certainly cannot allow disharmony to arise during the great war of ice and fire.
"Then what, what should we do next?" The Sealord was trembling. Wights were understandable, but how could Braavos resist an Ice Dragon truly the size of a city?
"That is another matter entirely. I apologize, but I don't have a good answer right now. But what I must say is: prepare yourselves, and remember this! If the Ice Dragons roar in, Braavos will turn into an ocean of ice!" Rhaegar continued his psychological intimidation of the people of Braavos.
"Lord Sealord, Young Master Fergo, tell your people to allow my observer fleet into the harbor! Otherwise, I will destroy the Titan of Braavos!" Rhaegar said to Fergo. "Mine is an observer fleet, not an armed invasion!"
"You!" Fergo was furious, and the Admiral also reached for his longsword. This was a disgrace to Braavos, a disgrace to the entire navy.
"Agree to his terms!" The Sealord nodded. Under normal circumstances, they might have fought to the death to defend the city. But if what Rhaegar said was true, fire was absolutely essential for fighting the Ice Dragon. How could they afford to fatally offend the Dragonlord now? Moreover, the Kindly Man was dead, and if the god of cold withdrew his favor, the Ice Dragons would surely come.
"Don't leave this place; I'll be back shortly! The Faceless Men have given me many gifts, and I cannot disappoint their kindness! Do not try to resist me. The Kindly Man was no match for me, and I trust you understand priorities! Be careful of your safety; perhaps other running dogs of the god of cold are lurking, trying to kill you!" Rhaegar strapped the True Dragon sword onto his back with imposing confidence, then rode his dragon into the sky. At this moment, he needed to have a word with the Faceless Men.
"You!" The Admiral was furious, but ultimately dared not step forward.
The dragon group soared into the high sky, then flew toward the House of Black and White. The dragon group roared competitively in the air.
All deities are respected in Braavos. Most temples are located on an island in the city center called the "Isle of the Gods." The most magnificent temple is that of the Moonsingers, who led the original people of Braavos to the island; the Father of Waters rebuilds His temple every year when He weds a new bride; the temple of the Seven Gods in Braavos is called the "Foreign Sanctuary"; there are also the temples of the God of Many Faces, the Lord of Light, and so on; even long-forgotten deities are enshrined in the Sanctum.
Rhaegar had no interest in the other temples; he only wanted to deliver some gifts to the Faceless Men. The House of Black and White was quite distinctive and easy to find, built from dark gray stone atop a small rocky hill. The temple had no windows, and its pointed roof was covered with black tiles.
"Priests of the House of Black and White, Rhaegar Targaryen has come to return your gifts. Propriety demands reciprocity!" Magic roared in the sky, the sound echoing across the entire Isle of the Gods. Because the Dragonlord's attack was imminent, people who followed various deities gathered on the Isle of the Gods.
"The Faceless Men conspire with the god of cold, their crimes reaching the heavens! All righteous people of Braavos should unite to destroy the House of Black and White!" Rhaegar waved his hand, and leaflets descended like snowflakes, landing on major temples and into the hands of the temples' believers. "The Long Night is perilous, darkness is everywhere. The Faceless Men are the servants of the god of cold!" A Red Priest of R'hllor's temple shouted loudly. "The winter is long and harsh, only the Dragonlord is the true fire that can save the world!"
The Red Priest looked at Rhaegar's figure and cried out devoutly. It was highly infectious and inflammatory.
Rhaegar landed directly on top of the House of Black and White, and his dragon opened its mouth. "Dracarys!" The dragon group breathed fire together, bright fireballs spraying directly toward the House of Black and White's gate. The distinctive gate of the House of Black and White was blasted into fragments by the Dracarys bombs. The House of Black and White's gate consisted of a pair of twelve-foot-high carved wooden doors. The left door was made of weirwood, white as bone, and the right door was slightly gleaming ebony. Between the two doors, a moon was carved, with ebony inlaid on the weirwood side and weirwood inlaid on the ebony side.
"Since none of you have come out to meet me! Then this is the only gift I shall present to you!" Rhaegar destroyed the House of Black and White's gate and then began a relentless bombardment. Dracarys danced wildly, next blowing open the pointed roof of the House of Black and White. The dragon hovered high above the House of Black and White. Debris and rubble began to fall, and the entire sacred hall descended into chaotic destruction. The House of Black and White was built on a small hill; actually, an aquatic attack might have been a better method, but that could not be exposed yet. Furthermore, there were secret tunnels and roads beneath the House of Black and White, making it even harder to eradicate completely.
Rhaegar saw those idols, saw the main chamber. In the main chamber, there was a ten-foot diameter pool, and along the walls stood thirty distinct idols, with red candles flickering at their feet. The idols worshipped by the House of Black and White all represented the concept of death. There was the Weeping Woman, the Lion of Night, the Hooded Wayfarer, Bakkalon, the Pale Maiden, the Stranger, and the Merling King. Rhaegar thought, one was missing: the god of cold.
"The Kindly Man is dead. Does the House of Black and White not even have a single warrior now? Then let me destroy your temple and see your true colors!" Rhaegar looked at the pool of water, and the Silver Dragon breathed a golden-silver dragonflame, directly blasting the pool open, sending water droplets flying into the air.
"It seems to be a pity!" The magic dragon continued its bombardment, and Rhaegar was looking for the door to the floor below the main chamber. "Since that's the case, I won't be polite!" The dragon group continued to spew fireballs—golden-silver, purple-bronze, and black-red. The Dracarys unleashed immense power in the small space, shattering the walls of the House of Black and White, leaving only the idols staring blankly at the world. Rhaegar had no interest in these idols; he was somewhat interested in the Faceless Men in the main chamber.
The travelers on the canal were also dumbfounded, no one dared to imagine the Dragonlord sweeping through the House of Black and White with such power. The followers of other temples dared not speak, only the Red Priest of the Lord of Light continued to roar fanatically, "Fire! It is fire that sweeps away the darkness and expels evil!"
"Enough! Dragonlord!" Rhaegar saw seven or eight people appear before him. Those priests, nameless ones, emerged from below the main chamber, each wearing a hooded robe, the right half black, the left half white.
"The Kindly Man, the Handsome Man, and the Fat Man are dead! Who is in charge here now?" Rhaegar picked up the True Dragon greatsword he carried; the two-handed greatsword was still very intimidating. Though facing thousands, he was fearless. The Faceless Men had a very mature structure, with those who concocted poisons, and those who provided lies and psychological guidance. Rhaegar felt that the most esoteric magic, the god of cold's gift, was probably only truly understood by the Kindly Man, the highest-ranking person.
"It is I!" A man uncovered his hood, revealing a strange, stern face. He never smiled, his eyes were white, and his lips were thick and black. Under the mentor and priest the Kindly Man, there was originally a three-person team of the Handsome Man, the Fat Man, and the Stern Face, followed by other assassins. What he didn't understand was that now, with the elite dead at the hands of one person, the Faceless Men had fallen to the Stern Face.
"You inherited the Kindly Man's position? How can I believe you?" Rhaegar asked.
"Surely this will explain?" The Stern Face raised the ring on his hand. The ring was still black and white, with that strange smiling face. After the Handsome Man and the Fat Man died, he was qualified to wear this ring, which already indicated he was the next mentor. The Kindly Man had also anticipated future crises.
"Do you choose life, or do you choose death?" Rhaegar asked these priests, followers of the God of Many Faces. Azure flames began to emerge from the True Dragon longsword, and runes and symbols started to flow on the dragon-head hilt. This was a sword of fire; accept the dragon's wrath!
"These matters have nothing to do with them; it was the four of us who decided." The Stern Face sighed helplessly. The Dragonlord had fire and sorcery. Even if his family were assassinated, the world would not lack women willing to bear the Dragonlord's offspring. What was terrifying was the future: under the Dragonlord's wrath, Braavos would be caught in the crossfire, and the entire city would have to pay for the Faceless Men's recklessness. If one assassination failed, Braavos would lose thousands for their impulsiveness. If this continued, the enraged Braavosi citizens would attack the Faceless Men first!
"Are you trying to assassinate me without accepting any offerings?" Rhaegar asked the Stern Face.
"This was a mistake. The God of Many Faces has many names. In Qohor, he is the 'Black Goat'; in Yi Ti, he is the 'Lion of Night'; in Westeros, he is the 'Stranger.' Death is the god's 'gift,' the end of suffering. Under the condition of receiving offerings, the god will bestow his 'gift' upon everyone in this world. Our assassinations are seen as sacred rituals. In the House of Black and White, those who seek release drink from the black pool and die painlessly," the Stern Face said. "But many deities have never heeded our call, nor granted us power. Only the god of the North, he is intimately connected with us; we can feel his pulse, his breath. The god of cold is watching us!"
Upon hearing this, Rhaegar understood somewhat. The god of cold was the most useful among the gods of death, and his magic was among the best in the world. Braavos was in the North, and the god of cold manifested most frequently, so the cult of the God of Many Faces likely leaned most towards the god of cold. When the Ice Dragon breathed, when the god of cold bestowed upon them wight-like death and eternal winter, the core priests would choose to obey under such miracles.
"Ice and fire, an endless cycle. Fire rages, ice recedes! We are merely servants of the God of Many Faces; we must follow the path of balance. The sorcerous Dragonlords are long buried in the ruins of Valyria; you should not repeat their path. Fire burns, and without ice, the Faceless Men will also decline. I only know a little of these secrets. The Kindly Man knew the most and was most deeply involved. Without the god of cold's magic, the faces on the third level would also dissipate. How could the Faceless Men survive? In the foreseeable future, if ice disappears, then the Faceless Men's abilities will be like duckweed, without roots!" The Stern Face answered Rhaegar's question.
"The path of balance, no wonder you were so desperate to assassinate me!" Rhaegar looked at the Stern Face. "You, you are the fourth Faceless Man. The first three who made the decision are dead. What else do you have to say?"
"It's simple, as long as I also die, then all four priests who delivered the gift will be gone, and we will have done right by the gods!" The Stern Face said righteously. Death, for them, was a constant companion. With the Stern Face saying this, all the priests gone, the mission ending in death, it completed the logical loop. "This is a gentlemen's agreement. At least at this moment, I hope you control the flames. If, after this day, any Faceless Men act independently, then your lives or deaths are at your discretion!"
"You say that, and I almost feel reluctant! Can you work for me?" Rhaegar asked the Stern Face. "If so, perhaps I will be a little softer on you!"
"Since I accepted training from the Kindly Man, I have become no one, and will remain so forever. I am merely a servant of the God of Many Faces. There is no joy in death. We are not heroes, not soldiers, not swaggering, self-satisfied assassins. We do not kill at the behest of the powerful, nor for money or gain, nor to satisfy vanity. We do not bestow the gift for selfish reasons, nor do we choose those we kill," the Stern Face said, word by word. Rhaegar almost wanted to applaud him; he was quite something.
"The rest of these people!" Rhaegar looked at the remaining priests. Wiping them all out was the best method. However, there were too many secret passages and tunnels beneath the House of Black and White, making it entirely possible for some to escape. For now, before the wights were eliminated, there was still a possibility of discussion. As for the other Faceless Men, Rhaegar felt they were not as deeply involved as the Kindly Man and the other three; they were merely tools, not superiors.
"Are you thinking of killing all these people?" The Stern Face asked. "They don't know those things, nor did they participate in this murder. I ask for their forgiveness, and let me taste the sweetness of death. I also advise them not to harm the Dragonlord or his family again."
"Hand over those blue crystals, the crystals representing winter. It is these objects that allow you to use the god of cold's abilities! Hand them over, and I will consider your proposal!"
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