NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 113: Redeeming Bounties
Volantis was divided into "New City" and "Old City." Viserys and his companions landed in Old City as sellswords. To cash in on their bounties, they needed to reach the "Black Wall" in Old City and find the person in charge. But first, they had to cross the Long Bridge, the longest in the world.
The Long Bridge stretched wide and far across the Rhoyne, reportedly taking forty years and millions of gold coins to complete. It was teeming with pedestrians, as slavery was a common practice in Volantis. Here, the ratio of slaves to free men was about five to one. Many slavers preferred not to walk, so those of modest means were carried by slaves, while the wealthier rode in slave-borne palanquins.
Slaves in Volantis bore tattoos on their faces that identified their "function." Those tasked with cleaning excrement had flies inked on their faces, while those managing carts and horses had wheels tattooed near their ears. Bed slaves, responsible for attending to their master's physical needs, had a tear tattooed on their faces.
The bridge was also lined with various shops, offering everything from weapons and armor to household goods. Almost anything could be purchased there.
"Brother, look, it's a dragon," Dany said, pointing to the reliefs on the black arches of the Long Bridge. The arches were adorned not only with dragons but also with sphinxes, lions, scorpion-tailed beasts, and other mythical creatures. Viserys touched one of the carvings but found no reaction, leading him to believe they were not from Valyria's time.
His hopes now rested on the Black Wall in Old City. Since he had already rallied a group of pirate leaders, staying under the radar was no longer an option. It was better to take the opposite approach and expand his reputation, which might yield some benefits.
As for any fear of pirate retaliation, it was unnecessary—those pirates were all decapitated. The surviving ones were likely fighting over the spoils, and in the future, they'd probably flee at the mere mention of Viserys's name.
"Perhaps we can draw the attention of the Triarchs of Volantis and get them to honor the bounty sooner!" Viserys declared to his companions. "Pick up all the pirates' heads and shout out the name of our Windblown Company!"
"Good!" they shouted in unison.
Amid the horrified gazes of the surrounding pedestrians, the Windblown Company members picked up the pirates' heads and strutted forward on the Long Bridge.
"We, the Windblown Company, have taken out pirates across the world! See this head in my hand? This is Black Wave's!" Even though they had only decapitated one pirate, boasting was a vital skill for sellswords. Their claims weren't entirely false—pirate activity was likely to decrease significantly in the coming years.
"Look at mine! This is Dark Pound's head!"
The mercenaries, already fierce and menacing, became even more intimidating as they paraded with the pirates' heads. The entire Long Bridge seemed to clear out ahead of them.
In panic, some slavers pulled their slaves in front of them as shields. Viserys and his group moved through the crowd like magnets with a repelling force, creating a wide berth wherever they went.
"Windblown? I've never heard of them."
"They killed all the pirates? How is that possible?"
Their bold display soon caught the attention of various factions, who reported back to their leaders. Naturally, Viserys's actions also attracted the notice of the Volantis guards. After all, a group of self-proclaimed mercenaries flaunting dozens of severed heads in broad daylight was hard to ignore.
Soon enough, a group of guards in light armor, their faces adorned with tiger-striped tattoos, halted the group. Viserys quickly realized that Volantis even used slaves in warfare. One of the guards, with dark eyes and a fierce expression, froze at the sight of Viserys and his companions. But remembering that this was his territory, he gathered the courage to ask, “You there, what are you doing?”
Viserys glanced at Jorah, signaling him to step forward and handle the situation.
“Gentlemen,” Jorah began, “as you can see, we've taken down the leaders of these pirate groups and are heading to the Black Wall to claim the bounty.”
“Claim the bounty?” the guard repeated, momentarily perplexed. It was like seeing someone wielding a knife in the street only to find out they were selling tofu. But regardless of their intent, allowing sellswords to roam unchecked would be a serious dereliction of duty.
“Put away those heads, and I’ll take you to the Lord Triarch.” The guard leader gave a few instructions to his men, ordering them to continue their patrol. He then led Viserys and the others, along with five guards, across the Long Bridge to the Old Town.
After crossing the bridge, the leader sent one of his men ahead to inform the "nobles" within the Black Wall. As they walked, Viserys and his group passed numerous dilapidated public facilities, including at least four dry fountains. These were clear signs of Volantis' decline, though they also hinted at its former grandeur through the variety of facilities.
This sight made Viserys wonder what Valyria must have been like at its peak. From the scant records that remained, it would have been a city driven by magic. Did it have anti-gravity spells to make buildings float in the sky? Were there projection spells that created magical theaters? One could only imagine. For now, Viserys thought, he would let Euron investigate before making any conclusions.
As the group continued, a tall black wall loomed in the distance. Viserys activated his Soul Binder skill, viewing the Black Wall from above through the eyes of a golden eagle. The Black Wall, originally a colonial fortress built by the Valyrians, formed a barely perceptible but perfectly regular oval. The architecture within was markedly different from that outside, with dragons statues adorning nearly every corner.
Some buildings seemed to merge seamlessly with dragon statues, while others, clearly chimneys, were decorated with dragon heads. Smoke billowed from the dragons' mouths, as if to display the last remnants of Valyria’s glory. As Viserys pulled back his perspective, the blackened walls of the fortress appeared even more oppressive. Standing over three hundred feet tall, they seemed to bear down on the hearts of those who gazed upon them, making their breath catch in their throats.
The captain of the guards glanced back at the awestruck group, a hint of pride and contempt in his eyes. “Please wait here, gentlemen,” he said before heading towards the gates of the Black Wall to deliver his report.
“Wait!” Viserys called out just as the captain took a step. It was then that the guard noticed Viserys' silver hair and purple eyes—traits that marked him as a Targaryen. “Tell your lord that Viserys Targaryen, the last living descendant of the Dragonlords, along with Daenerys Targaryen, have come to visit.”
The guard froze for a moment, shocked to realize that the people standing before him were indeed Targaryen descendants. He quickly nodded and rushed forward to deliver the message.
Viserys and Dany had visited Volantis in the original story, but the nobles had merely regarded them as curiosities. This time, eager to collect the bounty as soon as possible, Viserys chose to reveal his identity. He wondered what kind of reception the nobles within the Black Wall would offer this time.
