NOVEL NEXT Chapter 15: The Horde Mind
The Rise of the Undying Horde
I could feel them—feel their emotions, their needs, their desires. A voice echoed in my mind, cold and piercing: "Do you feel it? Can you hear them? Can you feel their hunger—their desire to grow and multiply?"
Looking down, I saw the black bone chariot, its surface glistening with a sheen that seemed to pulse with life. It smelled of blood and radiated a chilling cold. The horses, jet black with fiery eyes, resembled Dullahan, my trusted steed. My gaze lifted to the sky where a red comet carved through the heavens, leaving a burning streak in its wake.
"You are Deception. You are Famine. You are Pestilence and War. Bringer of Death. Breaker of Walls. Enslaver of Men. You are the Horde," the voice whispered with frantic intensity.
My city stretched before me, transformed by an unholy power. The square had changed. The pyramid of bones I had built remained, yet its once cold and eerie presence now carried a strange warmth, as if the bones themselves radiated life. Around me, cages that once held the damned now stood empty. Only husks remained within, their souls long since consumed.
Drogo, Jommo, Ogos—their skulls lay untouched. The air vibrated with the collective emotions of my people, an intoxicating mix of awe, fear, and devotion. I raised my voice to address them.
"The Great Stallion has seen our power and deemed us worthy of his blessing!" I proclaimed, pausing as the crowd fell silent, their eyes locked on me. "You who bear the mark of change, whose emotions I feel—you are the chosen. The ancestors of a new era. You will bring the Horde to greatness!"
I drew my blades, raising them high. Both the arakh and longsword had turned jet black, so dark they seemed to absorb light itself. A roar of cheers erupted from the crowd as I stood upon the chariot, their fervor shaking the ground beneath us.
Behind me, Daenerys approached, her pale hands reaching for a chest containing black, stone-like eggs. I could see her, not just with my eyes but through hers, as she murmured words lost in the roar of the crowd. I felt her thoughts—curiosity, fear, and reverence.
"Prepare for the march," I commanded, gripping the reins of my chariot. "The comet has spoken. The Horde will rise."
North of the Wall
Beneath a gnarled weirwood tree, deep within a darkened cave, the Three-Eyed Raven stirred. Roots entwined his frail body, and his eyes opened wide, haunted by a vision he could not escape.
The future had changed. He had never seen anything like this before. Desperation filled his voice as he muttered to himself, "What is this power? This... darkness? It's not R'hllor. Not the Others. It's worse. So much worse."
He had seen the birth of a new terror—an undead Khal risen under the blood-red comet. The vision struck him with primal fear. Thousands of screaming souls had rushed at him, their howls deafening as they tore through his attempts to see the future. Their words echoed in his mind:
"Wait. We will end your folly. A new guardian will rise, and conquest will return to your lands."
Shaking, the Three-Eyed Raven closed his eyes, trying to block out the voices. The future was no longer his to see. Darkness had returned with magic, and with it, a new evil had been born.
The City of the Undead – A Week Later
In the meeting hall of the Horse Palace, I sat across from a yellow-haired merchant and his guard. The guard still wore his braid, marking him as one of my people, though his presence irritated me.
The merchant broke the silence, his voice careful and measured. "Khal Rohan, I see the princess has taken a liking to the dragon eggs."
I glanced to my side, where Daenerys sat, gently stroking the inky black eggs. They rested on a brass platter heated by glowing coals. She ignored the merchant, her attention fixed entirely on the eggs. On my other side sat the boy prince, his broken legs hidden beneath the table. His injuries had kept him from gaining the changes my blood riders and others had undergone, marking him as an outsider.
"Yes," I replied, cutting the merchant off before he could continue. "And once the boy heals, we will march west."
"Do you mean to... collect gifts?" the merchant asked nervously.
"No," I said flatly, my voice silencing him. "You witnessed the rebirth of the Undying Horde and the blessing of the Great Stallion. We march not to raid, but to conquer. We need women to birth warriors and cities to grow our Horde."
The merchant paled, his composure faltering. "But the prince and princess—surely they seek to reclaim their homeland intact?"
I laughed, a low, mocking sound. "The boy will have his crown, but not by my hands. He will earn it with his own. He fought Drogo and lived—that alone earns him a place in my Horde. Whatever men he gains in our conquest will help him keep Dragonstone and King's Landing. The rest will be mine."
Ambition burned in my heart, my thoughts focused on the future. In this world, there were no rules of engagement. Only the strong ruled.
"Relax, fat man," I said, smirking at the merchant. "Prepare for my invasion. Send assassins if you wish—it won't matter. Once my craftsmen finish their work, we will march. You have two years to prepare."
I pointed to the Dothraki guard beside him. "And if this unwanted one dares to stand before me again, I will kill him myself."
My thoughts drifted to Maria who i had decided long ago will have to carry my first child and as she translated my words my eyes lingered before lurking over to Daenerys who was still too young for young for my liking but i had decided in this two years i will sowing my seed and making sure in this world i will leave a piece of myself.