The Rise of Valyria - House Belaegon

At the start of the path leading to the mansion's ornamental garden, a rat the size of a dog was eating apples that had fallen from a tree 30 meters away. When footsteps echoed on the nearby stairs, the rat stopped eating and turned toward the sound with a mix of curiosity and fear. Soon, it saw the creatures making the noise. They somewhat resembled the scaly beasts that occasionally approached the barrier at night, but these creatures had no scales. Instead, long white hair flowed down from their heads. One of them was carrying another creature on its back.

The creatures froze when they noticed the rat. While the rat watched them curiously, the one carrying the other gently placed its load on the ground and began cautiously approaching the rat. Although the rat didn't sense any immediate danger, it instinctively moved back. Seeing this, the approaching creature stopped and ensured it made no sudden movements before continuing forward.

When it was just a few steps away, the creature bent down to pick up some of the apples the rat had been eating. Seeing the creature take its food, the rat grew angry. As the creature turned its back while holding the apples, the rat lunged at it with the intent to bite. But the other creature, still behind, shouted something, startling the one with the apples. Panicked, it dropped the apples and fled.

Not wanting to let the food thieves escape so easily, the rat pursued them through the garden.

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Sezayi and Taylan

Sezayi led the way while Taylan followed behind, carrying the unconscious Arda on his back. They left the room and began descending the nearby stone stairs. Taylan was visibly exhausted from carrying Arda.

"How many floors does this mansion have? We've gone down at least four, and we're still not done. And carrying this guy is no joke. How much does he weigh, anyway?" Taylan complained.

Sezayi, alert for any danger, heard Taylan's grumbling. As they continued down the stairs, Sezayi replied, "Let me remind you that this is your fault. If you hadn't lost your temper and knocked Darion out, he'd be walking with us right now. And you wouldn't be carrying this weight."

Taylan was about to retort when he noticed a damaged door supported by partially crumbled pillars below. He opened his mouth to inform Sezayi, but before he could speak, Sezayi silenced him.

"No need to say it. I'm not blind; I see the door," Sezayi said. The two cautiously approached the door.

When they arrived, they noticed the destruction around them. Most of the stone decorations were ruined, and only a few large trees remained in the garden. About 30 meters away from the door, a rat the size of a dog was eating apples that had fallen to the ground.

Taylan took a deep breath and muttered, "Great. Now we have mutant rats to deal with. What's next?"

Sezayi responded by lightly tapping Taylan's head, signaling him to stay quiet. The rat watched them intently as they both froze in place. Finally, Taylan, unable to bear Arda's weight any longer, gently set him on the ground. Then, moving cautiously to avoid angering the rat, he began walking toward it.

"Vaelar, where are you going? Get back here. We need to get out of here as soon as possible," Sezayi whispered harshly.

Taylan replied, "Hold on, Vaegon. I'm just going to grab a few of those fallen apples. You noticed it too—we're starving. Let me grab some for later when we find the treasure room."

Sezayi was about to respond when the rat reacted to Taylan's movements. It took a slight step back, causing both of them to freeze again. Taylan decided the rat wouldn't attack and continued forward cautiously. When he reached the apples, he bent down and started collecting them.

Suddenly, Sezayi shouted, "Vaelar, move! The rat is attacking you!" Startled, Taylan instinctively jumped to the side. The spot he had just been standing on was now occupied by the rat.

For a moment, Taylan locked eyes with the rat. Then, realizing the danger, he dropped the apples, turned, and sprinted to the left. As he ran, he shouted, "Vaegon, grab Darion and go right! I'll distract the rat!"

Seeing Taylan lead the rat to the left, Sezayi wasted no time. He picked up the unconscious Arda and ran to the right with all his strength. After running for about five minutes, he spotted a door ahead. When he reached it, he noticed a large padlock on it. Gently setting Arda down, he began searching the scattered piles of stones nearby, clearly intending to break the lock. His eyes landed on a solid rock nearby. He picked it up and slammed it against the padlock with all his strength.

Meanwhile, Taylan, panting heavily, ran toward Sezayi and shouted, "Vaegon, break that lock now! Or this rat will eat me alive!"

The rat showed no signs of giving up its relentless pursuit. It chased Taylan with fierce determination, its red eyes glowing with rage. Desperate, Taylan started grabbing rocks and branches along the way, throwing them behind him in an attempt to slow the creature down. Instead of deterring the rat, his actions seemed to provoke it further.

At the same time, Sezayi managed to break the lock. The metallic snap of the lock echoed as it fell to the ground. He took a deep breath, quickly pushed the door open, and carried Arda inside. He then called out to Taylan:

"Vaelar, it's open! Get in here now!"

Taylan used the last of his energy to put some distance between himself and the rat. He ran toward the door, but the rat, enraged by his movements, leaped into the air with powerful force.

At that critical moment, Sezayi hurled the heavy rock he was holding with all his strength. The rock hit the rat squarely, causing it to stumble. The rat let out a sharp cry before hesitating and retreating. It disappeared into the bushes, its massive form blending into the dense vegetation.

Taylan slipped through the door and collapsed inside, gasping for breath. A small cut on his brow was bleeding slightly. Struggling to catch his breath, he glared at Sezayi in frustration.

"Vaegon, if you're going to throw rocks, aim better! You almost killed me!" Taylan yelled angrily.

Sezayi calmly sat down and observed Taylan with a steady expression. "I told you not to go, didn't I? I told you not to mess with that rat. But you didn't listen. That's why you ended up in this mess. Now sit and reflect," he replied, his voice firm but composed.

Taylan didn't respond. Deep down, he knew Sezayi was right. He sat quietly, catching his breath and allowing the tension to subside.

Sezayi then turned his attention to Arda, kneeling beside him to check his condition. Arda was still unconscious but breathing steadily. Once he ensured Arda was stable, Sezayi scanned the path ahead. Beyond the door, about 20 minutes away, a large building loomed in the distance.

"We've wasted enough time," Sezayi said, standing up. "Get up, Vaelar. Take Darion, and let's head toward that building."

Without a word, Taylan lifted Arda onto his back. The two began walking, surrounded by an eerie silence. The area was as desolate as the garden they had just left. Stone carvings lay broken, some completely toppled, others scattered across the ground. Along the way, remnants of old statues and shattered stone blocks told tales of a once-grand past.

After walking for about half an hour, they reached the base of the large building they had seen earlier. The structure's size left them both in awe. Standing before them was a massive 10-meter-tall door, imposing and unyielding.

Sezayi approached the door and pressed his hands against it. It was heavy, but with enough effort, he managed to push it open. As the door slowly creaked open, the sound of its ancient hinges echoed, revealing the unknown darkness beyond.