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Chapter 175: The Sacrificial Offering
🕑 Added 2025-02-27 12:55:13 +0000 UTCWith the formation of the Miracle Fleet, Miracle Harbor was on the right track. Though the city's urban area remained a mere plan on paper, merchant ships had already begun to dock and unload their cargo.
Various goods were transported north from the Boneway through Summerhall to Grassy Vale, then shipped by water to different territories of The Reach. Others traveled south from Yronwood into the Dornish hinterland.
The Dornish Marches, in particular, benefited significantly from the Bone Road, receiving much-needed supplies. Settlements such as Blackmont, High Hermitage, Starfall, Kingsgrave, and Skyreach had come to value this trade route, even forming their own caravans to conduct direct trade with Miracle Harbor.
After dealing with the Miracle Fleet, Lynd attended to various administrative matters, including the appointments of Ser Jason Lefford’s men. Most of the knights who had pledged their loyalty to Lynd were assigned to suitable positions. Only a few remained unassigned, among them Ser Jason Lefford, whom Lynd had personally favored and sent ahead to Summerhall.
This delay in Jason Lefford’s appointment was not due to a lack of ability. On the contrary, several departments had recognized his talents and were competing to recruit him. Since Malora had been unable to decide, the matter had been left to Lynd.
After reviewing Malora’s evaluation and the departments’ requests, Lynd ultimately decided to appoint Jason Lefford as the army’s master-at-arms.
One of Lynd’s first initiatives after taking control of the territory had been military reform. Instead of relying on the traditional practice of enlisting farmers, craftsmen, and vagabonds as temporary soldiers during wartime, he had established a standing army akin to a city guard. Unlike the city guard, however, this force was solely dedicated to combat training, spending every day drilling in the barracks rather than performing other duties. This standing army consisted of 3,000 men.
Though maintaining such a force significantly increased the territory’s financial burden, the benefits were evident. Besides, money was not an issue for Lynd at the moment.
Thanks to the Slayne map of resources in the Red Mountains, he had easily located two silver mines, a small associated gold mine, and deposits of copper, tin, iron, and coal—an open-pit coal mine, no less. And this was only a fraction of the resources marked on the map. Many other sites remained to be formally surveyed. With such abundant resources at his disposal, Lynd could confidently push forward various reforms in the territory.
In just a year, he had established the Political Council, the naval battalion, the army battalion, the circuit court, and more. While there had been minor setbacks along the way, overall, progress had been smooth.
Lynd spent an entire day reviewing political documents, addressing both major and minor issues. Thanks to the Political Council, only a limited number of matters required his direct attention, allowing him to complete his work within a day.
That evening, he visited the castle to check on its construction progress. On his way back to the temporary official residence, Malora’s words from the previous day suddenly came to mind. Changing direction, he headed toward Malora’s laboratory.
“I thought you weren’t coming today,” Malora said, a trace of reproach in her voice. Without further preamble, she led Lynd straight to the dungeon beneath the laboratory.
Qyburn was already waiting outside a cell. Upon seeing Lynd, he turned, unlocked the cell door, and stepped inside, lighting several braziers.
A man was chained up inside. His physique was striking—his exposed limbs were thick with muscle, his entire body appearing as though it had been sculpted for sheer strength, reminiscent of a former Mr. Universe.
But a closer look revealed something unsettling. Unlike the balanced, well-proportioned muscles of a bodybuilder, this man’s muscles were asymmetrical—some grotesquely large, others disproportionately small. The irregularity of his physique gave him a distorted, almost deformed appearance.
“What is this?” Lynd asked Malora.
The moment Lynd spoke, the chained man suddenly reacted as if triggered by some unseen stimulus. With a snarl, he lunged at Lynd. But the heavy chains restrained him, yanking him back after just a few steps. He strained against his bindings, baring his teeth at Lynd, as though possessed by an uncontrollable rage.
Lynd, ever observant, noticed something off about the man’s eyes. His pupils were unnaturally small—shrunk to the size of a grain of rice.
“Wight?” The thought crossed Lynd’s mind immediately. But he quickly dismissed it. The man’s wounds were still bleeding—proof that he was very much alive.
Without a word, Malora took out a powder and sprinkled it on Lynd. Instantly, the frenzied prisoner fell into a stupor, dropping to his knees. The rage that had consumed him moments ago vanished as if it had never existed. Now, he was eerily still, as lifeless as a wooden puppet.
"What's going on?" Lynd asked Malora.
Malora explained, "The deodorant powder made from Mermen oil can block the human scent on the body."
"I'm not asking about the powder." Lynd frowned, pointing at the man in front of him. "I'm asking about him."
"This guy is a real piece of work," Malora said. "Not only did he rob and kill, but he also cut out his victims' hearts and ate them. The garrison caught him not long ago, and I had them bring him to me for experimentation." She glanced at Lynd and added, "You promised Qyburn that truly wicked people could be used for experiments."
"You know what I'm really asking about," Lynd said, his tone edged with displeasure.
This time, Malora didn't tease him. Instead, her expression turned serious. "Do you remember the Sacrificial Stone and the candles you had brought back in advance? This is the result of our research."
Lynd was momentarily taken aback. "You've uncovered the secret of the Sacrificial Stone already?"
"The reason it happened so quickly is that someone had already studied this sacrificial tablet before," Malora replied. She gestured to Qyburn, who immediately retrieved an extremely old book and handed it to her.
Malora opened the book, flipped to a specific page, and handed it to Lynd as she explained, "Back in the Age of Heroes, before the Citadel even existed, Prince Peremore, the second son of King Uther Hightower, gathered scholars of all kinds—Wisdoms, teachers, priests, healers, singers, shamans, and alchemists—anyone with knowledge to share. He brought them to Oldtown to record their teachings, and their collected wisdom became the foundation of the Citadel."
"Among these scholars was a man named Shrike from K'Dath in the Further East. He presented the Prince with a collection of ancient texts, claiming they came from K'Dath—the world's oldest city and the origin of all sacrificial rituals. These books contained numerous dark and forbidden sacrificial rites."
"When the Citadel was founded, these books were among the first to be banned, but my ancestors made copies and kept them in the High Tower."
Malora's eyes gleamed with a mixture of amusement and fascination. "My ancestors were a bunch of lunatics, obsessed with these ancient rituals. They conducted extensive research, and one of them left behind detailed notes on this very sacrificial tablet. So, this sacrificial stone might not have originated from the White Walkers but rather from K'Dath."
Lynd studied the page Malora had indicated. It was filled with scribbled annotations and arcane writings, but at the center was an intricate illustration—a depiction of the Sacrificial Stone. This version was far larger and more detailed than the one found in the White Walkers' possession.
Malora retrieved the four candles that refused to be extinguished by the cold wind. "The candles that came with the Sacrificial Tablet were made from merman oil," she said, "and they were also one of the primary materials required for the sacrifice."
Lynd frowned slightly. "Are you talking about the legendary Merlings?"
"Yes," Malora nodded.
Lynd didn’t pursue the topic of mermaids further. Instead, he focused on the sacrifice. "So, based on your research, you've already performed a sacrifice using the Sacrificial Stone? And this man is the result?"
Malora shook her head. "A sacrifice was performed, yes, but this man was just an unintended by-product."
She signaled to Qyburn, who retrieved a glass bottle from a nearby box and handed it to Lynd. The bottle, crafted in Myr, contained something unsettling.
Lynd held the bottle closer to the firelight, scrutinizing its contents. Inside was a mass of flesh—not dead, but writhing, pulsating like some grotesque, skinned mollusk.
"What is this?" Lynd asked, his voice tinged with suspicion.
"A rabbit," Malora replied. "After the sacrifice was completed."
At that moment, Qyburn interjected. "The flesh itself isn’t dangerous," he said. "But if some of its blood is extracted and injected into a human, the person will undergo severe deformation. They will gain immense strength but lose all rationality, becoming impervious to pain and attacking all living things indiscriminately. Only the application of powder made from merman oil can stop them."
He glanced at Malora and added, "That powder isn’t just deodorant powder. A small amount wouldn't be enough to fully mask a person’s scent. The merman oil candles must contain some property that suppresses the effects of the sacrifice. Simply lighting one of these candles has the same effect."
Malora ignored Qyburn’s correction and looked back at Lynd. "This is likely just one of the many secrets hidden within the Sacrificial Tablet." She pointed to the book filled with ancient sacrificial rites. "If we continue our research using this book, we may uncover even more."
Lynd considered her words, his mind racing. After a long moment, he handed the glass bottle containing the writhing flesh back to Qyburn and asked, "Is there a way to control the changes caused by its blood? To enhance strength without deformity? To numb pain without destroying reason?"
Qyburn studied the bottle before answering. "It’s possible, but it would require extensive testing—human experimentation."
Lynd thought for a moment before saying, "Dagon, Asha, and Baelor are about to set off for the Stepstones archipelago. That place is swarming with ruthless and irredeemable pirates. They should make suitable test subjects."
Malora raised an eyebrow and smirked. "You’re actually agreeing to experiment on that many people?" She leaned in slightly, watching him closely. "That’s not like you."
"You think you know me?" Lynd replied flatly. "I will never allow innocent smallfolk to be used for experiments. But for those who burn, loot, pillage, and commit unspeakable atrocities—I have never considered them human."
Malora chuckled. "Flexible justice. I like it." She deliberately brushed against Lynd’s arm before returning to business. "If we’re going to continue these experiments, we need a better location. The commotion this one caused has people whispering about ghosts. Some are even saying the ghost of Summerhall has taken up residence here."
Lynd looked at her knowingly. "Since you're bringing this up, I assume you already have a place in mind."
Without answering immediately, Malora led Lynd out of the cell. Qyburn followed behind them, extinguishing the flames and locking the door.
Once they reached her office, Malora retrieved a map of the Red Mountains from a nearby shelf. Unfolding it in front of Lynd, she pointed to a location. "There’s a valley between the Red Watch Valley and the road to Summerhall. A prospecting team discovered a natural cave there. The valley is surrounded by cliffs, with only a single mountain road leading to it. If we reinforce the path and make some modifications to the cave, it would be the perfect site for a secret laboratory."
Lynd studied the location before nodding. "I have no objection to establishing this laboratory. However, it must be supervised by the Silent Priests of the Redemption Sept. Any subject used for experimentation must be deemed beyond redemption by three individuals—Septon Hullen, Holy Sister Melessa, and Elder Colin—before being handed over to you."
Malora scowled. "You want the Church of the Seven to oversee us?"
"It’s the only way to ensure you don’t overstep," Lynd said, fixing both Malora and Qyburn with a serious look. "You two are too dangerous. You went ahead with a sacrifice without even informing me. This time, it only resulted in a lump of flesh and a monster. But what if, next time, it summons some dark force upon Redemption Town?"
Malora and Qyburn remained unimpressed.
Lynd’s voice lowered. "The best option is for the Church to supervise your experiments."
Seeing that he wouldn’t budge, Malora sighed and relented. "Fine, but they can only observe. They cannot interfere."
"Agreed," Lynd nodded.
