Strangers Hall,Westerlands,289 A.C

He was at a loss, He was a noble lord of House Peverell and from what memories of Hadrian had been absorbed by him currently he was expected to know the art of sword fighting to back up and defend that claim. And yet frustratingly that was the memory that had become part of,along with many other important memories with what he had begun calling the blockage. The fact that even death was unnerved by this sudden halt of new information from what should have been a crushed soul being absorbed by his stonger more whole one was worrying.

Death had had a seemingly thoughtful tone when it had explained to him that either some other deity had taken Hadrian away for it's own purposes or Hadrian was currently squirelled away in a part of his mind hoarding information and awaiting an oppurtunity. He had dismissed the latter rather easily as he could swear he had felt the soul being crushed when he had entered Hadrian's body, that still left the former option however and worried as he was, he had then asked Death to determine where Hadrian truly was,

The surprisingly helpful deity had agreed and had left immediately to search for the soul of Hadrian Peverell. That solved the initial problem and he was intuitive and creative enough to make do without some of the important information temporarily, However; what had been causing him sleepless nights recently was the raven from Casterly Rock that had stated that Lannisport had been attacked by the Iron fleet and that the banners were being called to action.

His sleeplessness stemmed from his and his army's overall unready state, despite being months into this new world He was still unsure if he could or even if he could, if he should bring some modern advancement to his army and lands. On one hand it would change lives for the better but on the other He was no Hermoine and he was only here to escape the wizarding world and start a new normal life, not to start an empire or anything drastic. 'Granted that seems to be slipping away a bit with this lordship and master of death thing'

The fact that Stranger's Hall had a port that held twenty lannister ships and ten of house peverell's ships and was a prime target to being subject to the same night attack on Lannisport did not help his sleeping habits at all.

He had been summoning his levies and calling up his own minor lords to answer Lord Tywin's call to arms. He had been glad for the fact that the how and why regarding those bits of knowledge had been assimilated when they were, else he would have stumbled through the process in a suspiciously ignorant manner for those who knew the real Hadrian Peverell. Surprisingly, despite House Peverell's seeming high status he didn't have many vassals so it didn't take too long to gather all the men needed.

And now he lay in his bedchamber pondering the events of the day. The ships were stocked and ready and he had gathered enough Strength to join with Lord Lannister after all, despite his opinion of his army's unreadiness, from what he heard it was extremely stupid to not come when the old Lion Lord Called.

The plans for attack were quickly yet effectively laid out by the more experienced Ferrox and his other advisors, with his division of thirty ships being split into three groups, with the same goal in mind, to reach one of the iron islands,the plan being to reach the smallest island and to establish a base while waiting for the Lannister Navy to join them, to minimize the chances of losing ships they would be taking separate routes. The plan was solid, foolproof even.

But if that was the case, why did he feel such unease?

Perhaps it all stemmed from the fact that he did not want to admit this newfound weakness of his to anyone,fearing that if he did so his life would soon be forfeit as his or in this case Hadrian's enemies rushed to take advantage of the fact that he did not know how to fight with a sword. That coupled with the stresses of being a lord in this 'Westeros' and becoming the master of death who was about to go to war against the fiercest naval warriors of westeros could also be the source of his unease.

He sat on his sturdy oak chair, content for the moment with simply pondering his lot in life.

His thoughts inexplicably wandered towards his old flame 'Oh Ginny what i'd do to go back in time to save you' he thought with heavy regret. Still, I suppose it isn't all bad, I have a new chance in life here after all there are no death eaters here. Oh Ginny..

An urgent knock on his door along with a slight rumble violently shook him out of his thoughts, he sta up and quickly opened the door and saw a panicked guardsman "My Lord! We are under attack,it's the Iron Fleet!" he ordered the soldier to calm down, the soldier took a few calming breaths then with a nervous air looked to him for instruction.

'Ah the ironborn, the pirate scum of this land' as the identity of the attackers sunk in he was quick to relay orders to the expectant guardsman "Inform Ferrox immediately! Tell him to meet me at the Stranger's Tower" the soldier nodded and rushed away leaving him to get dressed.

He grabbed the elder wand knowing that with his horrible skills with the sword he might need to use it during the raging battle and quickly put on some greaves, a helmet and chainmail grateful that the knowledge of where his personal set was wasn't part of the missing memories from Hadrian.

He was out the door before he quickly reconsidered and went back to strap a sword to his waist useless as it would be to him, he was wise enough to realize that he could not afford his soldiers questioning his ability during the battle or they were sure to run so it was necessary to put on an illusion of a calm and collected leader who knew how to defend himself despite his current nervousness of facing a completely muggle foe.

He ran as fast as he could to stranger's tower. When he reached the top he was greeted by an almost hellish sight, The Ironborn had managed to set fire to and destroy two of his ten warships catching them unawares and the flames from the two sinking ships and torches carried by the damned raiders illuminated a most disheartening scene as Ironborn raiders swept through the port pillaging and killing indiscriminately.

"My Lord, I have ordered our citywatch to defend the port but they are buckling; we need a new plan and we need it now" Ferrox worriedly informed him. He considered the situation before a plan formed in his head and he decided on his course of action "Call for an orderly retreat by the city watch to the castle, but take the men of arms and the knights discretely out of the castle before the retreat is finished we can still save this" He ordered

As messengers rushed to inform his commanders of the change in plans, he began surreptitiously casting some cheering and fortitude charms at the soldiers with him to boost the morale of his personal guard he was surprised at the spells lack of color but controlled his expression in time.

"It has been done my lord, Captain Robert and Lord Perevel and their men are outside the gates concealed behind some currently unburnt buildings on the edge of the battle" Reported a breathless runner who he dismissed and thanked. He turned to Ferrox "Have our Archers fire at the ironborn and get me some ballistae fire on some of those ironborn ships" Ferrox nodded and rushed to complete the order

The Ironborn soon learned the folly of getting close to walls without siege equipment as dozens fell to the first volley, like puppets with their strings cut. This wasn't to last and soon they stayed well away from the walls of the castle however that now meant they were heading for the other docked Peverell ships and attempt to overwhelm the already battered and battling crews.

It was time for the second part of his rushed plan. "Ferrox, We are attacking the ironborn, leave the archers and grab the citywatch." Ferrox nodded and they both jogged down to the gates where most of the citywatch who had retreated into the Castle were now gathered. He checked that he was armed and armored and put on his helmet before turning to Ferrox "When we get out there, find Captain Robert and Lord Perevel and attack the ironborn in the ships, clear their ships and ours of ironborn then swing around and attack the ironborn I will be facing" Ferrox, too charged with adrenaline only nodded and got ready.

The gate was already opened by the time he finished relaying his order to Ferrox and he drew his sword and turned to his men "Let's go show the ironborn how real men fight!" A deafening roar was the only response as his soldiers raised their swords and charged. He regretted being in the front now, he felt squashed and pushed as his once organized soldiers became a moving and roaring miasma as it smashed into the surprised and unorganized Ironborn raiders.

In the din of battle, he was utterly frightened even as he fired silent,wandless and surprisingly colorless stunning spells at ironborn while making it seemed as if he had physically knocked them out. A raspy and sarcastic voice spoke up beside him, "Ah my master, I leave you for a while and here you are waging righteous battle already? And against that upjumped Ocean Diety's followers too, will you continue leaving such surprises for me?" He spared a look and the death deity was indeed there by his side with men and swords passing through the human shaped mist that was Death. With the deity's presence confirmed he proceded to ignore the personification of death,deciding to be focused on the preservation of both his life and his secret of being a wizard.

Death chuckled dryly at his reaction and in a joking manner offered him a piece of trivia "You know your not gonna die even with the most extreme of wounds don't you? Use your cham-ah that is to say,divine form and you will be even more invincible" He dodged an overhead swing thrown by a hulking brute of a man,wishing death would just shut up and made a punching motion while imagining the results for an expulso, the brute flew ten feet crashing into a house and collapsing.

In the uneasy calm that followed as the raiders near him who had seen the brute flung ten feet avoided him and attacked his men instead,Death chose to speak "Use your power Master, these soldiers will think you a god they would follow you to the ends of the earth" That was not his style at all and the very thought disgusted him so he simply tried his best to shut out death's words.

An Ironborn had snuck up on him and landed an ax blow to his head due to his distraction. He turned towards the raider incredously, his expression mirrored by the dumbfounded raider. He plucked the axe out of his head and stared at it giving enough time for the now frightened ironborn to plunge a dirk into his heart. He took that out too, staring at the panicking raider "What the fuck are ye?!" asked the paling raider

He gave a hollow grin as the reality of his new immortality dawned to him,his sudden stillness giving Death a chance to menacingly float behind him and allow the mortal to perceive it,in a flat voice he replied to the question "The Master of Death I suppose, and you are in my land".

With the man now percieving Death fully, the smell of piss became pungent as the raider simply turned and ran, screaming about monsters and gods. A dozen or so wavering Ironborn not expecting a city watch to fight so ferociously and fearing the talk of gods and monsters joined the coward in his flight uncaring of the brave doomed raiders they left behind facing Peverell soldiers, only to be stopped by the angry men at arms and knights led by Ferrox who had finished relieving the beleaguered crews of the Peverell ships.

At that point the tables had turned, the previosuly arrogant Ironborn raiders were now boxed in by the two forces and many began to yield. Those that didn't became fully encircled by his forces and Ferrox and were soon destroyed.

He let the axe and dirk he had been holding tightly fall softly to the ground and he fell to his knees "I'm actually immortal" he stated disbelievingly. Death was fully laughing now, and somehow he felt mocked by the entity "A terrible..servant I would be to allow my new master to shirk his duties that easily" was all it said before it melted into the shadows and disappeared

The weight of his situation registering to him and with the danger of the raiders now passed, he chose the rational option and passed out.

The Red Temple of Lys,289 A.C

The night air was crisp, the night punctuated with the screams of the evening sacrifices. Red Priests milled about going from pyre to pyre like aimless travellers stopping to momentarily gaze at the burning convict or volunteer sizzling on the stake before quickly moving on. In the shadows of the Hall lurked a faceless entity rubbing it's hands over a non existent brazier.

The entity remained unperturbed and became gleeful as a red haired man,thick of muscle and tall, appeared suddenly and stood beside it in a nonchalant manner.

"You, it's been centuries since you last took on a form such as this to speak to me..what has happened?" Asked the red haired man with a note of worry and concern. The faceless entity's face morphed into that of a passing priest and grinned widely at the man "Why R'hollor, I'd be insulted if that wouldn't be such a mortal reaction to your rather direct questioning"

The entity chuckled hollowly before it turned it's limbs in an unnatural way in a mocking parody of a human stretch and continued speaking "I have found a new mortal, promising but a little too moralistic..no matter I have as long as I want to terrify the morals out of the mortal" It giggled amusedly as if it had told a most hilarious jape to which it was both audience and joker.

"Your latest pet project is hardly a concern of mine, why are you really here?" Cut in the red haired man, his sculpted face marred by a deep frown as his fiery hair developed small bursts of flame that left the hair completely untouched and yet cast a dark shadow over his face.

"Always the serious one aren't you R'hollor" The entity fired back with a mocking smile that quickly turned serious as it answered "The Great Fool stirs once more"

The red haired man's expression and voice became icy as it asked in a flat manner "Oh? And you only thought to tell me now?" The entity fowned and held out a hand. It contained a gelatinous mass that morphed and shifted till it was a grey cloud that swirled with images "He is my enemy more than he is yours, you will do well to remember that" the reply was said with a smile but there was an edge to the entity's voice that warned of reprisal if it's primacy in this matter was contested.

"I should prepare my mortal followers and champion then, mustn't I?" The red haired man asked with a sigh, looking determined but weary as if this was simply one of many important matters it dealt with in a daily basis.

"Yes it seems you must. We are both weaker compared to our former selves so we must count ourselves lucky that Balerion and Vīlībazma died during that battle Millenia ago" The entity with the priest's face replied with a smile that didn't reach it's pure black pupils. It inclined it's head to the red haired deity,who had given up on keeping up the mortal appearance and had transformed into a fiery humanoid, then it dissolved into shadow

Holding up a fiery hand that morphed into a roaring dragon's head, the deity spoke to itself in a voice that thrummed with power "We will see if your family will still hold some use for my cause, Dreamer" As the last of the sacrifices returned to dust and were blown away, the deity turned into a ball of flames that,unseen to the priests, floated up to the sky and painted it a warm red, and brought the light forth from the darkness.

Author's Note

And there we are, chapter four at last. To be quite fair, I have pre-warned future and current readers of my stories through my profile of my rare free time(and as a consequence of that my slow updates) and yet I still feel a tad guilty for taking this long to post this new chapter. In any case, here is the new chapter please read and review as your feedback greatly encourages me and also helps me improve my writing. Belated Happy Halloween to you all!