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Chapter 37 - Valyrian Labs
🕑 Added 2025-07-04 18:53:32 +0000 UTCValyria
Through the dark hallway, Robert moved with caution, followed by his men. He was filled with anticipation at the chance to discover something mysterious like this. At least, he hoped it was a great secret to be discovered and not some secret tunnel to a brothel like the one Tywin Lannister created.
It was a rather long walk, and when they reached the end, they stood on a wide platform, with many other tunnels connected to it. Walking to the dragonstone railing, he looked down, though it was impossible to see anything due to the darkness.
Taking the stairs down, they reached the lower platform and stood before two massive Valyrian steel doors.
“We need more light. Get as many torches as you can.” Men rushed to carry out his orders, bringing in as many torches as they could to light the place up.
Two thick Valyrian steel chains came out of holes on each side of the doors and were wrapped around the necks of two dragon skeletons. The skeletons had two muzzles secured on the skulls, though upon closer look, Robert noticed they weren’t dragons at all but firewyrms, since the remains had four legs, elongated bodies, and no wing bones.
Knowing how dangerous these beasts could be, Robert wondered why the Valyrians even bothered to use them, which made him more curious about what could be behind the door.
Putting his hand on the muzzle, Robert wondered if they could push the door open, since there would be no rust when it came to the Valyrian steel. He began to push the muzzle forward, straining the chain.
“My lord, I don’t think that is…” He stopped as the doors groaned, and the door ever so slightly opened. “Quick, go and help him.” Tyrion called out to men, who rushed to push the muzzle along with Robert.
Step by step, the door was open enough for one man to pass, and they walked back to the door, stepping inside through the gap.
It appeared to be some sort of prison complex, with three floors and a stairwell in the middle of the bottom floor, leading further down.
Approaching the first cell, Robert cautiously put his torch through the bars to see what was inside.
It was a skeleton.
Not a human or one of those demons, but the skeleton of a child with draconic features the Valyrians were known for having, though this one was an adult.
It had horns protruding from its skull and two stubs growing out of its back, most likely wing bones. Its hands and feet were longer, and if he had to guess, they were claws.
Tyrion hummed, examining the remains closely. “Check if the other cells are like this too. I am going to take a look down those stairs.” Robert ordered, and the young man nodded wordlessly.
Down the stairs, which got hotter as they descended, they found what Robert guessed was a lab of magic and biology.
Tubes, needles, magical circles, surgical tools, and several operating tables covered the room. He had stumbled upon the experiment lab of the Valyrians, and from the remains they found upstairs, they were either trying to create a human-dragon hybrid of some kind for reasons he couldn’t begin to guess or researching the phenomenon of why those abominations were born in the first place.
Didn’t matter anymore since they were all dead, but the research equipment here could be valuable, and thankfully, there were no demonspawn or firewyrms around to impede the work.
He walked back to the upper floor, and Tyrion approached to report. “My lord, the cells have nothing but bones, though we can’t seem to break the stone and remove the Valyrian steel bars.”
“Yeah, even if we get them out there is no way to get those chains and doors out. Have the men search around to see if we can find a larger entrance, since they had to get those here somehow.” Unless the Valyrians had the doors forged here, there had to be an entrance.
“Yes, my lord.”
First they had to illuminate the place, which meant a lot more torches, but the place slowly came to light, and the men began to search for another entrance.
And they found it on the right side of the doors, though it was caved in, and the lava seemed to have fused the stones together, making an excavation impossible.
“Alright, Davos, you are to go to King’s Landing and find a blacksmith named Tobho Mott, tell him his mastery of working with Valyrian steel is required, and he will be compensated handsomely. I’ll send a dragon with you for protection; make sure to take our fastest ship.” The only way to move all that Valyrian steel out was to have it broken down into pieces and carried out individually, and Tobho Mott was the closest blacksmith who knew how to rework Valyrian steel.
Davos nodded and left to carry out his task.
—
Davos’ departure coincided with the arrival of his father, who had taken several ships as protection to visit Valyria, along with Stannis.
He gathered his father in a hug. “Father, how are you?”
“I should be asking that of you. What in the name of the Seven were you thinking, boy?!” Steffon was more worried than furious, though Robert’s antics did not make controlling his anger any easier.
Robert rolled his eyes. “Please, there is nothing to worry about.” He looked at the ship, searching for other passengers. “You didn’t bring Mother?”
Steffon looked around and then at his son. “This is no place for a woman, especially for one in your mother’s condition.” His tone didn’t suggest anything bad, but Robert was still worried.
“What? She is not sick, is she?” He would send Korryn over if she was.
“No, she is fine, but you can hear what it is back at Asgard from her.” Steffon could tell the reason, but he wanted to get back at Robert.
Robert shrugged, turned to his brother, and put his hands on the younger man’s shoulder, giving it a squeeze. “Stannis, you look good, little brother.”
Stannis grasped the hand on his shoulder. “Thank you, brother. I would say the same to you, but Grandmother is going to kill you, so I won’t.” A small smile, probably the best he could get from Stannis right now.
Robert blinked owlishly before guffawing and slapping Stannis on the back gently. “Stannis, did you just make a joke?” Robert threw his arm around Stannis’ neck and pulled him down to give him a noogie on the head. “Look at you, already grown up.” Stannis tried to fight him off, but he couldn’t break Robert’s hold, though he eventually let go of the younger man.
“It’s all thanks to his betrothed.” His father teased from the side, grinning at his sons.
“Really?” Robert was going to join his father in teasing Stannis, but the man in question huffed. “Isn’t there something more important here? Such as the demon you slayed?” His attempt to change the subject was transparent, but Robert decided to let go since Stannis wasn’t the type of person to be teased endlessly.
“If you insist. Come on, follow me.” If they wanted to see the demon, he would be all too willing to show off.
—
Steffon watched with an open mouth as the corpse lay on the rubble with its chest torn out, with Stannis mirroring him, though his expression was more muted.
“How did you even manage to kill it?” Steffon couldn’t even imagine fighting this thing on foot, much less on air. Yet his son somehow managed to do it.
Robert shrugged, getting tired of explaining the same thing over and over again. “I jumped off Obelisk and drove a twelve-foot spear right into its heart.” He should actually get a bard and make a song out of this and a painter to immortalize this moment since he didn’t have a camera.
“On air? I would ask whether you lost your mind or not, but for my sanity, I won’t.” Robert would give him a heart attack with his antics one day.
“Don’t be a buzzkiller, old man; enjoy the moment. Here.” He pointed at the men with his hand, who were bringing a Valyrian steel armor set forward, along with a long sword.
Steffon ignored the old man's comment and tore his gaze away from the corpse, focusing on the priceless gift.
A somber look graced his face as he turned to his eldest son. “Thank you, son.” Words failed him, as he didn’t know what to say to the man who conquered Valyria.
Robert turned around, pointing at his brother. “Don’t think I forgot you, Stannis, though yours will be a wedding gift instead.” He couldn’t think of a gift to give, other than gold, and decided to give the armor later since Robert had already given Stannis a Valyrian steel sword.
“I am grateful, brother.” Stannis was not good at expressing his emotions, though the look on his face told him his younger brother was getting better.
“Alright then, it's time to get some food; I am starving.”
—
Another visitor arrived not much after his father and Stannis, in the form of a representative from the Iron Bank.
Ugh.
Robert may have good relations with the Sea Lord, but he still hated banks, even though he understood their necessity. All those payments he had to make back on Earth, with the bank calling him if he missed it by a single day, and the bloodsucking interest rate on those student loans.
“Lord Robert, I am Sallano, representative of the keyholders of the Iron Bank of Braavos. I was sent here with an offer regarding the wealth you have obtained in Valyria.” The only difference this man had from the modern bank tellers back at Earth was his clothes, which irritated him more.
Robert stopped the man with his hand, the thought of listening to the sales pitch already making him drowsy. “I have no interest in whatever it is. My gold is safe, I don’t think you can pay an enticing amount of interest for it, and I already made plans for investing it.” Not even the Iron Bank could hope to pay interest for all the gold he had shipped to Asgard so far, and he was going to prop up the Asgard Trading Company to basically take over the whole known world.
The representative was taken aback by the blunt refusal since the bank was naturally unaware of any plans he might have made.
“However, do tell the keyholders I intend to hold an auction where I will sell several items to the highest bidder. They are welcome to join it once I decide on the time.” Keyholders were rich, and the more competition there was, the more he could sell the limited items for.
“I shall inform them, my lord. Sallano bowed his head, feeling dejected at failing in his task.
Tyrion walked up, finishing his sandwich. “An auction, my lord?” The explanation was simple, though the why escaped him.
Robert grinned, sitting down to eat. “Oh yes, we are going to sell a limited number of items to the highest bidder, rather than put our stock on sale. That way, the buyers will have to keep increasing the price if they don’t want to lose the chance to get their hands on a Valyrian steel sword or jewels. I mean, why sell ten swords for ten million when you can sell five for the same price, perhaps for even more?” Putting his stock of Valyrian steel items and other rarities up for sale would quickly devalue the worth of the items. An auction would be his best bet to earn maximum profit.
Tyrion grinned, realizing Robert was going to rip off rich nobles of their gold. “You know, I was going to give Brightroar back to Tywin so he would leave me and Tysha be, but I think I’ll hold on to it until this auction of yours ends.” Even if he buys a sword, Tywin Lannister would not turn Brightroar away, and the look on his face would be even sweeter after he spends an exorbitant amount of gold, all for a symbol of status.
Robert winked. “Smart man.”
Sandor approached with four men carrying something quite heavy between them.
“You should take a look at this.”
Comments
orcun demir
Bro, he fell into water from high enough to turn his back to tenderized meat that looks like eggplant, and as Robert is still a human, he needs time to heal. Rushing beyond the Wall without a plan would get him killed, and as the SI already died once, he wouldn't recommend it. Also, I needed a reason so when the premature birth happened, Robert would be there to get Doctor Korryn
Takuma Ryōichi
the robert you wrote for the past 40 fucking chapters would have immediately flown and burned down bloodraven and the children of the forest assisting him, but i guess plot doesnt allow it eh? annoying as shit when an author does this tbh
Takuma Ryōichi
read ahead to ravens and this is the only chapter i can comment on oH nO BlOoDrAvEn AtTaCkEd HiS gRaNdMa. BeTtEr NoT dO aNyThInG aBoUt It :P
orcun demir
Glad to see you here :)
Aeden Emrys
Thanks for the story so far! I'm looking forward to reading much more!
