Chapter 2 (ADF)

It had been one month since Daemon had been knighted, at the mere age of twelve, he decided to travel until he was sixteen and 'a man grown' by Westerosi custom. Daemon also needed to expand his spy network further and had to travel and place the appropriate spells to do that.... Daemon would also raid Valyria for more wealth. It was the last one that Daemon was most looking forward too though.

Daemon had magically expanded and warded trunks and a magically shrunk ship just for that purpose.

Daemon's personal ship was magically shrinkable and only requiring a crew of one. Controlled by will and bound to him with blood and soul magic. It had ship-breakers, flamethrowers, and was enchanted to nigh-invulnerability; immunity to fire, wind, and bypasses wind & water resistance for incredible speed, multiple storage rooms; all magically expanded to the point that it can transport incalculable weights with enchanted trunks and each room is enchanted to ignore the weight of its contents. It was warded to prevent people from boarding unless invited, can erect a powerful Notice-me-not charm for ten hours. Contains a master bedroom fit for a king and was 450 feet long, with its weight reduced with magic and the ship reinforced with magic. It took years of intense work, but Daemon had his desired ship.

The first stop was to take Caggo's Valyrian steel arahk and then it was onto Lys to visit his mother and to search for the blade of Moredo Rogare... he found Truth and the curved Valyrian steel blade belonging to Sandoq the Shadow.

Daemon was soon off to Volantis where he bought large amounts of silk and spice and then placed them under stasis in his ship, and adding spying and eavesdropping spells everywhere he could. Daemon would be back though. That was a lot of wealth that he was carrying.

Daemon went up the Rhoyne next, fighting and killing pirates in large numbers and adding their spoils to his own. Daemon won another Valyrian steel bastard sword, and several chests of valuables like gold, silver, and gems and other miscellaneous objects....

Daemon spent a month on the Rhoyne and Dagger Lake, and when he left Daemon was very very wealthy.

It was time for Daemon to venture into Chroyane and hopefully loot any treasure left behind.

Daemon disapparated to near the ruined city of Chroyane, with his ship magically shrunk and stored, and his magically expanded trunks at the ready.

When Daemon arrived, he wasted no time in entering the city and began cleansing it of the stone men, he quickly grew bored of casually obliterating hundreds at a time and opted to loot instead. If there was anything Daemon had to leave behind then he would have plenty of free security for it.

Daemon had already summoned Valyrian steel blades, armor, and dragon horns from beneath the water, likely belonging to the now deceased Dragonlords. Valyrian steel being infused with magic made it very easy to sense for Daemon, but he wasn't complaining that Valyrian steel was basically the easy pickings. It just meant even more wealth for him.

Daemon, surprising even himself, decided to loot all of the houses of what he assumed to be the Rhoyner peasants. Unfortunately, it wasn't all that profitable and was basically a waste of four hours of his time.

After that failure, Daemon started on the palaces, mansions, and the nicer places. Basically anything with ostentatious shows of wealth. That worked much better. Collecting several times his weight in gold and silver tended to do that, he took cutlery, plates, goblets, jewelry, and weapons enhanced with runes to be usable. And there was still a vault left in the first mansion that he was in.

When Daemon opened that, he was awed. It wasn't so much the contents, those were only worth maybe five million gold dragons, but it was the unspoken promise of the other homes having far more wealth in them. Still, he had already gained a lot of wealth.

Daemon continued on looting the less grand mansions, gaining far more wealth than all the Great Houses combined and finally filling up his first trunk. Daemon repeated this once more and matched his previous accomplishment and gained a couple more Valyrian steel objects in the process. Daemon even saw the cage of Garin the Great and sensed the dark magic coming from it. He would break whatever curse when he had taken all that he wanted from Chroyane.

It was the palaces made of gold that were a logistics issue to break down or relocate, but the contents were incredible. Excessive amounts of gold inside and out, the vault had several Valyrian steel weapons, huge amounts of gold, silver, copper, gems, scrolls and books about magic and alchemy, and, most importantly, four Philosopher's Stones. Daemon magically melted the decorative gold, which was attached to the inside of the building and turned it into bars and ingots.

Daemon eventually decided to place one palace made of gold under the Fidelius Charm and then strip it down into gold bars and ingots. The first palace took him a day to strip down, but there was thankfully only two of them.

The second palace was noticeably bigger and its owners were far wealthier than those of the other gold palace. They had ten Philosopher's Stones, Valyrian steel weapons and armor, incalculable physical wealth in the form of piles of gold, silver, copper coins and stacks of bars in them. Stripping down the palace took Daemon two days, but he now had enough gold to fund a global fiat currency when he was done. Daemon had no intention of doing something so utterly stupid, of course; paper wasn't real money or a valid form of wealth and Daemon had learned that from experience. Daemon was now worth billions in a medieval society and he had it all in tangible wealth.

When Daemon finally finished looting Chroyane, it had been a month since he had arrived and Daemon was pleased that it was a highly productive week for him.

Due to Daemon's expanded spy network he discovered the existence of a Blackfyre supporter and funder for their future conquests. Blackfyre, the ancestral blade of House Targaryen, was recovered and returned with it being held for Aegon. The Blackfyre spawn was Obliviated and sent to a nice orphanage and Jon Connington was executed.

With his actions against the known Blackfyres done, Daemon apparated to near Volantis where he would buy more spice and silk before heading to Valyria.

When Daemon arrived in the Valyrian peninsula, he first saw the so-called demons, but they were merely the ghosts of the victims of the Doom and the Smoking Sea. It was the toxic environment that was effecting him the most, but Daemon endured, knowing that the Hallows would keep him alive and allow him to adapt. It would be an under-utilized ability to breath in similar environments but it was worthwhile nonetheless. The krakens weren't at all threat to him. They, like sharks, were drawn by blood and Daemon was also giving them some distance so that they didn't feel threatened by his rather large ship that was 450 feet long and magically expanded on the inside. It would be a shame to kill such amazing creatures after all.

Unfortunately, some of the victims of the doom tried attacking him and were instantly sent to their afterlife. Being the Master of Death had a few perks after all and being untouchable by the undead was one of them.

Daemon extended his magical senses to detect any Valyrian steel and then promptly summoned all that he had sensed, gaining quite a bit of Valyrian steel and more dragon horns too. Daemon even summoned House Lannister's ancestral sword Brightroar from beneath the oceans surface.

After finally reaching the shore, Daemon set up his tent and he began his salvaging trip by summoning the shade of Tommen Lannister. Daemon ended up with two chests of gold that he magically expanded and enchanted before emptying one into the other.

It took Daemon ten days to pick the underwater areas clean and fill up his two new chests and five others full of loot, but it was worth it and Daemon was going to continue and take as much wealth as possible. He still hadn't found any dragon eggs though and Daemon really needed more of them for his plans.

It was when Daemon arrived in Valyria the city that things got interesting.... Even after the Doom there was still ambient magic in the air and Daemon could sense several magic sources in the surviving buildings, which were surprisingly numerous. Some of which seemed like the magic within Valyrian steel and dragon eggs.

Daemon summoned up that Gryffindor courage and entered the first tower, his skin beginning to blister from the heat and only getting worse as he was exposed to greater levels of heat, but Daemon gritted his teeth as he quickly regenerated from the rapidly worsening damage.

Daemon calmly pushed open the doors, the heat burning his hands, and entered the tower.

Daemon was shocked by the contents; gold and silver decorations, with the more delicate objects such as paintings, fabrics, and furniture having decayed from the intense heat and time. Daemon quickly stored the few objects of value and began searching the tower.

In the dining hall, he found utensils, plates, and goblets of gold. The decorations were of similar expense, and Daemon was thrilled to have found three large tables made of Goldenheart wood with plenty of seats made of it. They were thankfully preserved with Valyrian runes and still in perfect shape.

In the various bedrooms, Daemon found jewelry; quite a bit made of Valyrian steel, some useful furniture and other chests for storage. It was in what Daemon assumed to be the solar of a Dragonlord that Daemon found a vault made of Dragonstone and layered with enchantments, which had been weakening for over four centuries. As such, unlocking it was extremely easy and when it was opened... Daemon was in awe.

Two sets of Valyrian steel armor, six Valyrian steel blades; two greatswords, two longswords, two bastard swords, and about a dozen daggers of the same metal that Daemon hadn't noticed at first. Apart from that, there was a massive amount of gold, silver, gems, dozens of dragon eggs, crates of dragonbone, dragonbone bows, books on Valyrian magic, arts, history, culture, dragon breeding and raising, and the magic of several ancient societies.

Once everything was stored, Daemon magically extracted the vault, shrunk it, made it feather light, and stored it on his ship.

It was a real pity that so few people in this world preserved their property with magic. If they all had, then Daemon's looting could have been far more profitable.

Daemon continued looting the other towers, sometimes alternating from wealth greater to the first tower or wealth lesser than the first tower, but it was all worth taking and was all extremely valuable. The best way to describe Daemon's new class of wealth? Essentially limitless. It was logically impossible for Daemon or his family to spend all of it. Daemon would still take precautions, of course, one idiot heir could ruin everything. One idiot could destroy a families legacy.

It was in the grandest tower that had the most ambient magic and was virtually spared from the damage of the Doom that caught Daemon's attention. It was a meeting place, like the Wizengamot chamber of Britain, but seated over forty. Now that was the normal part, but the three Deathly Hallows, that was the strange and confusing part. Daemon also believed that the Hallows were unique to his universe.

*"They aren't, but each magic dominant universe has a set. The Dragonlords sought to pervert the power of the Hallows and enhance their powers to a godlike level, much like you possess after working hard for it. The Dragonlords felt themselves above such difficulty and sought to defy me, drain some of my power, and dared to consider themselves beyond death and to have become gods. I ended them as punishment. The Hallows absorbed the magic of the deceased Dragonlords and have been absorbing ambient magic for centuries...."* Death spoke into Daemon's mind.

*"Take them, they are yours. Merge with them and prevent others from gaining and abusing them."* Death said. *"The White Walkers are also real, but you can pimp slap the Night King into the afterlife. Undead are so overdone and the Children of the Forest made an amateur mistake that you need to correct.... You were actually born here primarily for that reason. That and combating stupidity, incompetence, and advancing this primitive world. The Maesters hold it back and suppress and deny the existence of magic... this includes murder, dissecting and vivisecting people to understand them. Feel free to purge them too and once you beat the Night King the undead will be undone."*

"That's surprisingly easy," Daemon said.

*"So your past girlfriends have things in common with undead, wonderful. Both are surprisingly easy...."*

Daemon rolled his eyes and absorbed the other Deathly Hallows into himself and unleashed a scream of agony at the sudden influx of power, obliterating the meeting chamber as he unleashed some of his excess power.

*"Now, you have truly godlike power, Daemon,"* Death said, with clear amusement. *"Most Dragonlords had power rivaling or surpassing Merlin. If you improved your physical abilities than you could actually fight at the god level."*

"It isn't safe to perform any more power rituals and training isn't practical," Daemon replied in confusion.

*"Daemon... you can perform the physical rituals seven times each lifetime. That is the true upper limit of the rituals that only the owners of the Hallows can exploit. You should take advantage and multiple your power further, not all worlds will have the necessary ingredients in them. I must go Daemon, good luck."* Death said, before its presence withdrew from Daemon's mind.

After looting the remaining cities and taking anything of value, Daemon departed Valyria for Dorne, but stopped by Volantis to buy more spice and silk.

## **287 AC.**

When Daemon arrived back in Dorne, he was welcomed by his father, cousins, and his fathers paramour Ellaria.

"Daemon! Fuck any good whores?" Oberyn, Daemon's father, asked.

"A few, but I found something as good as the greatest whore in Valyria," Daemon handed his father the sword Brightroar. "Something that I intend to melt down...." Oberyn laughed at the revenge his son was getting for House Martell. Brightroar was covered back up and they went to speak with Doran.

"Welcome back Daemon," Doran said with a smile. "I trust that your trip was productive?"

Daemon's response was to uncover Brightroar. "Oh, I found some trash that that needs to be melted down and redestributed." Doran's smile was vicious and triumphant.

"What did you have in mind?"

"Reforge it into arrow heads or daggers and give them away to House Lannister's enemies. I was thinking about sending the lion head pommel to Tywin either anonymously or just let him know who did it."

"Anonymously, Tywin will guess that we did it, but have no actual proof. Arrow heads would distribute the sword more widely and prevent Brightroar from ever being reforged." Doran said, weighing in on the matter.

"So will the magic that I cast on the arrow heads... it will make them almost unmeltable."

"Daemon, this will placate many of those within Dorne who desire revenge. You've taken something truly priceless to Tywin and House Lannister and have ruined it for them. You destroyed Tywin Lannisters mere dream of regaining it and have eternally denied him it." Doran said in awe. "You inherited our families gift for making revenge an art form."

Daemon, with the guidance of the shade of a Valyrian blacksmith would reforge it hours later, and an arrow each would be sent to several of the important vassals of House Martell, House Stark, each of the surviving Targaryen's, House Baratheon; both branches, several other families who disliked House Lannister, and even people in the Free Cities.

Tywin Lannister was enraged and irrational and he had no one to vent it all upon. The 'rumors' being spread around about the bastardy of Robert Baratheon's alleged children Joffrey, Myrcella, and Tommen made it much worse.

With Balon Greyjoy's rebellion imminent and him calling Ironborn back home, the Stepstones would soon be vastly under-defended and Daemon intended to conquer them. He would just have to deal with the Tyroshi, Lyseni, and Myrmen.... Daemon estimated that he would have about two years at minimum to secure his new holding, but he was hoping to prolong the Greyjoy Rebellion from the shadows to buy himself more time. Simply sabotaging siege equipment would do that, but Daemon might have royal ships burned at anchor or further sabotage the war against Greyjoy.

Thinking longterm, Daemon hatched several dragons to help secure his islands.

Daemon would be looting the Westerlands and Iron Islands; taking wealth from the Lannister loyalists and the Valyrian steel, ships, and wealth from the Ironborn. This would cause Daemon to win the war without actually getting truly involved. He would get the spoils, weaken the Ironborn and the Lannisters, win his own holding, and gain massive amounts of wealth for himself. He might even return all that he took from the Westerlands if someone that he actually liked took over there... but he probably wouldn't. Eternity was a very long time and Daemon would need money for emergencies.

"Daemon Seastar?" An assistant to the Iron Banks council said.

"Yes?"

"The council will see you now."

Daemon nodded and entered the council chamber.

"Daemon Seastar, we are told that you have a business proposition for the Iron Bank."

"Yes, chief councilor," Daemon replied. "I intend to conquer the Stepstones, purge the pirates and slavers, and establish an independent kingdom with myself at its head. If your bank backs me against Westerosi, Tyroshi, and Myrish opposition, and the Iron Banks name alone should do that, I will grant the Iron Bank a monopoly for banking within the Stepstones and when Tyrosh, Myr, and possibly Volantis oppose me, I will liberate all of the slaves and then grant you control over their banks. Not only that, but when I charge tolls to pass the Iron Banks ships shall pay far less than the others for passage." The council looked impressed by the generous opening offer.

"What would our backing require of us?" One asked.

"The Iron Throne is currently in immense debt and the threat of economic warfare and ruin would cow the Baratheons and Lannisters into submission. It should make Myr and Tyrosh wary, but they will eventually gain the nerve to declare war upon me and be destroyed. I can understand your reluctance to antagonize the Iron Throne, but the Baratheons and Lannisters will never pay their debts to you. Robert is a drunken brute, a whoremonger, and he wastes money on pointless excess. He deems financial responsibility to be counting coppers and is an idiot. Cersei Lannister is an idiotic whore, short-sighted, impatient, untrained in leadership, and prone to poor judgement... like conceiving bastards with her brother. Joffrey is the Mad King Aerys reborn, but is already bad and he won't start out on a high point. They are already a bad investment. If anything, the threat of calling the debt due would inspire them to begin paying off their debts much faster."

"Besides... the Iron Bank is already backing House Targaryen's return to power and I'm also aiding House Targaryen. The Iron Bank is taking little real risk here, but gaining potentially great rewards." Daemon could pass laws regulating the bank, if necessary, to ensure that the banking monopoly was mutually beneficial and would remain so.

"The Iron Bank would clearly gain a lot... vastly increased influence and wealth being but one benefit," one councilor said in agreement.

"And our relationship with House Targaryen and Seastar is far better than ours with House Baratheon and Lannister," another said.

"Baratheon lacks discipline and maturity; he will never pay his debts and I've said that for years. I'm in favor of backing King Seastars conquest."

"Seastar could wipe out both houses now and leave us with nothing... It is a foregone conclusion that the Baratheons and Lannisters will lose this war. Our course is clear."

"All in favor?" the chief councilor asked.

It was surprisingly unanimous.

"You have our backing, King Seastar," the chief councilor said. The Iron Bank was so powerful that for all intents and purposes, Daemon's reign actually began with them declaring him king.

"Thank you, councilors. I won't waste any more of your valuable time." Daemon said, before departing the room and shortly thereafter, Braavos itself. Secretly, he would also be leaving behind many ignorant spies belonging to the various spy masters. It was necessary that he modify their memories, kill, and simply evade them to keep his plan secret.

Daemon arrived near Castle Black in the North, needing to speak with Maester Aemon in private and he was able to easily sneak inside with his magic. Daemon soundproofed the room so that he could speak with him in private.

"Maester Aemon," Daemon greeted politely, causing Aemon to jump in shock. Aemon didn't know that he was there!

"Yes?" Aemon asked in concern and a little fear.

"I'm Daemon Seastar, one of Oberyn Martell's bastards by a Lyseni noblewoman... I'm sure that you can guess which family."

"Indeed, I can," Aemon replied.

"I've been aiding House Targaryen and I'm seeking the sword Dark Sister for them... did Ser Brynden Rivers leave it with you by chance?" Daemon asked.

"He took it with him beyond the Wall, I'm afraid, and he may very well be dead with the sword forever lost."

"Well, I'm a knight without a quest so I'll take recovering the sword as one. You seem like a wise old man, so it counts." Daemon replied, to Aemon's amusement. "I'll be sneaking north of the Wall now, but it was nice to meet you."

"Likewise, young Seastar," Aemon replied politely.

Daemon turned invisible and intangible and left the room, while thankful that he was prepared for the cold weather and even the White Walkers and wildlings.

Sneaking into the true north was easy for Daemon. Magic opened doors and impaired sight and so many on the Wall were weak-minded thugs.... Once he was clear he began sensing out sources of magic while ignoring the Wall, which was a beacon of magic to contain the White Walkers.