I Became the Mother of Dragons

      "Your Majesty, this is the Sorcerer's Lens, potentially the sole one of its kind in the world," the old man earnestly implored. "Even if you have no use for it, consider taking it back and gifting it to the Citadel. The Maesters would surely be most appreciative. They expended a sum of 1.5 million Golden Dragons over the course of four decades, yet failed to fashion a Sorcerer's Lens."

Dany sighed and remarked, "This thing is enormous and consumes so much space. I'd much rather have books."

Could the Citadel's gratitude truly be worth such a ponderous contraption?

A collection of individuals who couldn't even forge a microscope...

"Your Majesty, did you not take notice?" Barristan inquired, "It's entirely constructed of Valyrian steel!"

"What?" Dany's eyes widened with elation. "Seven, how many swords could be forged from such a melting!"

The old Knight couldn't help but suppress a wry smile. What sort of unpredictable symphony was being played here?

"Set it down, and I shall arrange its transport. You may return to your duties... And before the assembly commences, remember to fetch a length of rope for me."

With a rather blank expression, the old man carefully lowered the Sorcerer's Lens, then turned and descended the stairs.

Dany ceased her inspection of the molten lead and approached the enigmatic iron contraption.

The Sorcerer's Lens lay upon the floor, rising to the height of her neck. It bore a matte, smoky black finish and emitted an icy chill to the touch. It felt much like a solid block of iron, with no visible signs of rust upon its surface, further confirming its Valyrian steel composition.

She grasped it, gauging its weight...

In appearance, it should have been light, certainly not exceeding 100 pounds.

Indeed, a microscope was comprised of multiple hollow lens barrels, thus the interior should be composed of empty space rather than solid porcelain.

"Hmm, what an intricate structure."

Dany was taken aback as she realized that the contraption consisted of over 80 lens barrels. The entire iron object was a fusion of both large and small lens barrels, along with some components whose function eluded her entirely. It was a complexity beyond her comprehension.

"I haven't the faintest clue how to operate it."

"What in the name of Valyria is all this complexity for? The combination of eyepieces and objective lenses is fundamentally straightforward... Such needless intricacy; I'll have you melted down once we return!"

"Your Majesty, we must hasten. A servant girl has managed to slip away, and she will surely alert the guards," Barristan urged with a renewed sense of urgency.

The contents of a sizable sack, concealed beneath purple damask curtains adorned with golden patterns, clanged against the ground. Within lay a leather scabbard for a longsword, a large, upraised shield, a book measuring fourteen inches in width, and several beads roughly the size of fists.

"Are you ready?" Dany inquired.

"I located a library or rather a picture book chamber with thousands of tomes. I couldn't possibly peruse them all, so I've selected a few bearing titles that I couldn't fathom."

The White Cloak retrieved a linen sheet, which he then used to enrobe the Sorcerer's Lens, strapping it securely to his back.

"I do not comprehend it. Can you read Valyrian?"

Dany gathered the curtains to bundle the items. The package weighed around two hundred pounds, and it was quite large. She secured it with ropes, giving it the appearance of a gift bag complete with a buckle at the end. This design allowed Little White to insert its paws and lift the "large gift bag."

"I recognize the titles, but their meanings elude me. My best conjecture is that as long as I cannot decipher the content, a good most of these books pertain to magic," he replied.

"Are you certain you've retrieved all the Valyrian weapons?" Dany inquired once more.

"One one-handed sword, and one shield."

"Very well."

The roofless Tower, designed to facilitate Dragon takeoffs and landings, bordered the platform's edge. The two Dragons gracefully descended to the skies, their burdens of Valyrian treasures in tow, swiftly leaving the clamor of the ground far behind.

It was fortuitous that they had selected an opportune time. At this hour, it was late, approximately eight or nine o'clock in the evening, and the Oros people, bereft of entertainment, had already retired to their slumbers. Otherwise, Dany and her companions would have faced insurmountable obstacles.

After soaring to the northeast for an hour and a half, the distant sound of waves reached their ears. It felt as though a veil had been lifted, revealing the starry night sky in all its resplendence. They had departed the Lands of the Long Summer.

"What an eventful day!" Dany exclaimed, her laughter echoing through the night.

The two Dragons, also weary from the day's journey and having foregone sustenance for a day, assumed a leisurely "first-gear" flight mode, gliding at a leisurely pace toward Astapor. The atmosphere was tranquil, and their altitude exceeded a thousand meters, making it feasible to converse without shouting.

"Ah, today's experiences have utterly left me..." Barristan sighed with relief, lifting his visor. He then queried with a hint of hesitancy, "...Was that truly Valyrian's God? I..had always thought... Well, I do not harbor faith in Gods, but I never anticipated that I might one day be in their presence."

"Ser, what do you believe Gods to be?"

"I have always adhered to the faith in The Seven, with its seven facets and seven depictions, but now...I find myself rather perplexed," Barristan admitted with a wry smile.

"You were steadfast in your beliefs before, in the righteous way," Dany mused.

After a brief pause, she continued, "I encountered the Gods in Qarth."

"The Undying Ones?" White Cloak inquired with astonishment.

"Yes, the Undying Ones. Gods can be categorized into three types. The first type, like the Old Gods, comprises natural gods—a group of inherent deities, or perhaps even Nature Spirits, as one might call them. I cannot speak to their precise nature or make judgments, but one certainty remains: they are all Gods.

Only natural Gods are truly eternal.

The second type encompasses individuals who aspire to Godhood. Ser, consider me and then ponder any ordinary Maiden; the distinction should become evident. People truly differ."

Although her words might have possessed a hint of self-aggrandizement, Barristan found himself in tacit agreement. Could an ordinary Maiden hatch a Dragon, let alone withstand their fiery breath? Could they manifest such obedience from these mighty creatures, or hold some transient power over the Gods? Could they instantaneously ignite a glass candle?

"Extraordinary natural talents have the capacity to perceive and harness transcendent power from their own life. This can lead to the emergence of Sorcerers, Priests, and more. Should a Sorcerer possess sufficient knowledge and ambition, they may enter a unique state that resides between mortals and Gods. In that state, they are capable of absorbing external power from nature, the magic within the tidal sea, and above all, the power of human belief, known as the Power of Faith! In this condition, they could be referred to as Half Gods, or 'Belief Spirits.'"

"So, the Undying Ones and Balerion are essentially Belief Spirits?" Barristan inquired, feeling a sense of relief.

"You have also realized that Balerion, manifested within Jaen, was not invulnerable. In fact, if three mighty Knights such as yourself, unyielding and unafraid of death, wielding Valyrian Steel swords, were to confront it, there is a strong likelihood they could vanquish that entity."

"Perhaps you ought let me attempt it," Barristan suggested with a grin.

Dany chuckled in response. She recognized that the old man was simply trying to lighten the mood, and he harbored no regrets about shedding his "Godslayer" title.

When three formidable Knights, each armed with Valyrian Steel, rushed forward, the odds of them requiring one or two to make the ultimate sacrifice—expending their lives and creating an opening for the last among them to deliver a decisive blow—seemed highly plausible.

"The third category of Gods is the 'Doctrinal Gods' crafted by human hands. There are so many faiths in the world; it would be implausible for each Church to be accompanied by a true deity."

The old man queried with hesitation, "What of the Church of The Seven?"

Dany replied, "It's not entirely clear. The theories I've shared were compiled by myself after encountering Half Gods on two occasions."

"Then, why did Balerion attack you? Even if you inherited the legacy of the Grand Sorcerers, Valyria has perished. What purpose is there in adhering to past conventions?" the old man inquired, perplexed.

Dany sighed and explained, "Initially, I didn't understand, but then... after Jaen's body detonated, each of the Firewyrms uttered a distinct cry. Did you take notice?"

"Well," the old man nodded and admitted with a wry smile, "To be truthful, I was quite frightened, and thus was not keeping notice. It was all just so insanely bizarre."

"I surmise that the souls of those voices were devoured by Balerion. In other words, Balerion is a confluence of the spirits of many of the Fourteen Flames' predecessors. The Undying Ones share this attribute as well. They all sought to consume my life and soul. The reason why I can hatch Dragons likely stems from some unique aspect of my bloodline, but..."

Barristan pondered the situation and contributed, "It appears he made an erroneous judgment earlier, presuming that you weren't the quarry he sought."

Dany's brow furrowed as she contemplated what Balerion might have misunderstood.

"Fortunately, Balerion was unable to leave the Lands of the Long Summer," the old Knight sighed in relief.

"We have no reason to fear him. We can melt the Sorcerer's Lens when we return. The Bloodriders and the Kingsguards may very well possess Valyrian Steel Swords soon, and they will be capable of vanquishing him!" Dany proclaimed with pride.

"Your Majesty, I believe it might be wiser to keep the Sorcerer's Lens. I am in dire need of a Valyrian Steel Sword, which would allow me to pierce through Mormont's armor," the old man suggested.

"Let's discuss it upon our return. If I tinker with the Optical Microscope, I'll probably end up melting the Sorcerer's Lens."

"Your Majesty, what sort of inheritance have you acquired? I've observed you employ this 'Dragon Roar' multiple times in succession."

"Other than the initial occasion when it rescued us from peril, I didn't specifically target you in the subsequent three usages. Did you discern the distinction?" Dany inquired with a peculiar tone.

"Well, I could vaguely perceive a Dragon's roar that appeared more majestic than Big Black's typical vocalizations."

"Big Black's roars merely produce sound waves, whereas I employ sorcery. The technique is modeled after the Dragon Horn."

"It's somewhat akin," the old Knight responded, realizing that this was his first time witnessing Dany's "Soul Strike."

"Besides 'Dragon Roar'..."

The name sounded peculiar, evoking thoughts of "Lion's Roar"… Lion's Roar Art, Mother of Dragons, loudspeaker?

Dany shuddered and swiftly dismissed the notion from her mind.

"The inheritance provides basic meditation, which aids in strengthening my mental acumen. I'm still uncertain about its full potential. Let me practice it for a while before I get back to you on its potency."

"Oh, and there's another matter—I'm now capable of dispelling the 'curse' of the Lands of the Long Summer," Dany proudly announced.

"You can remove the entire curse from the Lands of the Long Summer?" Whitebeard was taken aback.

"No, just the two of us."

"What? Are we under a curse? But we don curse-proof armor," the old Knight exclaimed.

"Uh..."

Dany felt a tinge of embarrassment.

"I misspoke. Those emanations aren't nuclear radiation; they're high-level magical radiation."

Radiation isn't limited to nuclear radiation alone; for instance, the heat dissipation of a high-temperature object to a cooler one is also a form of radiation—thermal radiation.

Practically any object possessing high-level energy can emit radiation toward objects with lower-level energy. The magic harnessed from the Earth Fire by the Valyrians is regarded as a type of high-energy source, and the Lands of the Long Summer is permeated with this magical energy radiation.

The Grand Sorcerer's inheritance didn't impart this particular knowledge to Dany. However, after she learned basic meditation, she, much like Quaithe and the Grand Warlock Pyat, employed her own body to perceive the surge of the Magic Tide.

Dany couldn't say for certain what the others were doing, but she was able to draw magic energy from the external world via the magic's conduit, merge it with the mental fortitude contained within her mind, and cultivate her magical power.

Previously, when she employed "Soul Strike" against the Faceless Men, she had merely expended her own Soul's energy, utilizing both her and Big Black's Souls to shatter the adversary's mind and unleash a formidable strike. This act nearly depleted her energy and briefly rendered Big Black's Soul unconscious.

Now, following her acquisition of meditation, "Soul Strike" relied on the expenditure of magic.