Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction, and all rights for characters, plots and settings belong to G.R.R. Martin and FromSoftware. I have no ownership.
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"I am Revan reborn. And before me you are nothing."
Revan
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There is no ignorance; there is knowledge.
There is no fear; there is power.
I am the Heart of the Force.
I am the revealing fire of Light.
I am the mystery of Darkness
In balance with Chaos and Harmony,
Immortal in the Force.
Je'daii Order Code
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"I have something else," Meetra told him. "Bastila asked me to give it to you." She nodded at Scourge, who pulled a package from the large pouch on his hip. He tossed it to Revan, who didn't even try to catch it, but just picked it up off the floor.
The object was wrapped in cloth. It was clearly metal, and there was something oddly familiar about it.
"You spoke with Bastila?" he asked. "You saw her?"
Meetra nodded. "And your son. They're both well."
Revan smiled. His mind felt like it was floating blissfully away, but he wasn't sure if the euphoria was triggered by thoughts of his family or the drugs still working their way out of his system.
He unwrapped the cloth to reveal the masked helmet he had worn during his campaigns against the Mandalorians and the Republic. In an instant, all his lost memories came flooding back to him.
A million images years upon years of forgotten people, places, and events flooded his consciousness simultaneously. In his weakened state it was too much to take. As his brain went into sensory overload, his body went limp.
He awoke on the floor of a small cell, his head pounding, but his thoughts clearer than ever before.
The sounds of the battle raging outside forced him to quickly gather himself. He rose to his feet, still clutching his mask, the same mask that inspired fear and respect across the galaxy.
Holding it with both hands, he slowly placed it over his face. He heard a click and a hiss of air as it closed around his head. Finally, for the first time in a long time, he felt whole.
He pulled up his hood and moved toward the cell door, reaching for Force and hearing a familiar female voice.
"Gaze upon me and see your doom!" she declared. "I am Darth Nyriss, Lord of the Sith. I am the conqueror of Drezzi, the destroyer of Melldia, and a member of the Dark Council!" He felt that Scourge clearly braced himself for the end.
Just then, Revan emerged from the cell. A dozen bolts of lightning sprang from Nyriss's hand, arcing across the room to incinerate her enemies. Instead of leaping back into the cell to avoid the deadly attack, Revan stepped forward to intercept it.
He held both hands in front of him, his arms fully extended at shoulder height, his thumbs touching and his fingers splayed wide. He drew the bolts of lightning into his waiting grasp, channeling them away from their intended targets and absorbing their power.
"I am Revan reborn," he said to Nyriss. "And before me you are nothing." Nyriss's eyes went wide as Revan unleashed the power of her own attack against her.
She tried to throw up another Force shield, but the bolts ripped it apart and continued on unabated. The lightning engulfed her, the intense heat consuming her instantly, leaving only a pile of charred ash.
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Westeros, Kings Landing
Year 298 AC
Raevan
He opened his eyes, panting, leaning against the wall, realizing where he was and what had happened. His vision was slightly blurry, but he thought he saw Rhaenys's before him, holding his face in both hands.
His vision began to return to normal, and he immediately saw the worry on her face; their identical eyes met, but he only shook his head.
"It's okay, Rhae. I'm feeling better," he assured her, but judging by her expression, she didn't quite believe him. However, she released his face and took a step back, revealing the frightened twins, who immediately rushed to hug him.
"It's okay, really. I'm sorry I scared you," he said, hugging them both.
"I don't know, Raev. These episodes are becoming more frequent," his older sister replied, wrapping her arms around herself. "Nightmares are one thing, but these visions... they're dangerous. What if it happened at a tournament, or in a fight, or even during training?"
He wanted to assure her that everything would be alright and that it definitely wouldn't happen, but he knew it was a lie. The visions of his past life that haunted his waking hours were becoming more frequent and intense, especially as his previously muted connection to the Force grow stronger along with the memories.
Just as now, even though the vision had ended, he still felt the metallic, heavy aftertaste of the Dark Side when he used it to amplify Nyriss's Force Lightning. The feeling of the Force flowing through him and the way he redirected it were seared into his memory.
He was by no means ready to use this ability yet, but he knew where to start. Raevan had seen how he had subjugated the Dark Side back then, balancing it with the Light Side, as if measuring the right proportions of ingredients in a dish.
Another piece to the puzzle, another step towards becoming whole again. But that didn't change the fact that his sister was right. He knew, however, that there was nothing he could do about it, and the visions wouldn't subside until he remembered everything, and who knows, maybe never.
He had to learn to live with it, but Rhaenys and the twins didn't need to know that. "I'll speak to Grand Uncle Aemon about this later, and we'll try to find a solution," he promised, but she didn't look convinced.
Still, she sighed slightly, as if not wanting to argue with him, then placed one hand on his cheek and said with a rare seriousness, "You must be careful, Raev. Aegon may be king someday, but you, you are the backbone and future of our House."
He smiled faintly at her words, knowing that while her words seemed pragmatic, the ones she didn't say held greater significance. His loss would be painful for his family. He was aware of this.
Their bond was as strong as ever in their House's history, and he intended to ensure it remained that way. United we stand, divided we fall.
"Go, talk to Aemon. I'll help the twins with their kitten," Rhaenys ordered him. "Besides, we have Ser Jamie to help us," she added, nodding slightly at the Kingsguard watching them worriedly. Raevan should have expected his father to learn of the vision anyway.
"Fine," he sighed, then looked at the twins. "I'll come see you after the Small Council meeting, and you can show me the kitten then. Agreed?"
They both nodded, but he could see they weren't happy he wasn't coming with them. However, he had to reflect on what he'd seen and experienced. He wasn't about to go to Aemon, because it wouldn't change anything, and he'd make it up to Daeron and Visenya somehow.
Rhaenys smiled reassuringly and held out her hands to them. "Come. We'll manage on our own, and Raev can join us later."
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Later
He entered the Small Council chamber, where everyone present was already waiting for him. He was the last one there, as was usually the case. Around the long table sat the council members, with his father at the head. Often, his wives sat at his side, but not this time.
Aegon sat on the king's right, smiling faintly at the sight of him. His brother, though older, had only begun attending council meetings two years ago, while Raevan had done so since his eighth name day, though initially he was officially only a cubearer.
On his father's left sat Hand, Archmaester Marwyn. A man as brilliant as he was quirky. It seemed a controversial choice, but Marwyn proved time and again that his renowned knowledge of arcane magic was only the tip of the iceberg. Added to this was his extraordinary resourcefulness.
In any case, in his own opinion and from his knowledge of their kingdom's history, Marwyn seemed to be one of the best and most effective Hand to have held that position. Most importantly, he was loyal to their House and knew more than the other council members about Raevan's uniqueness.
Aegon was joined by Aemon as Grand Maester by the king's will, followed by the Master of Law, Stannis Baratheon.
Although the choice of Stannis, brother of the leader of the Rebellion, seemed controversial, it was a display of tactical and political genius on his father's part.
Not only did he appease the Lords of the Stormlands, but he also demonstrated that his rule was not guided by personal motives or emotions but by the good of the realm.
And anyone with eyes could see that Stannis Baratheon was perfectly suited for the role. He was strict but also fair, though Raevan had to admit that he personally wasn't very fond of the man, as he reminded him too much of the Jedi Council members to his liking.
Blinded, they were rigid in their principles, convinced they knew everything best. And it was people like him who saved their and the Republic's asses time and time again.
To the right of Lord Storm's End sat Lucerys Valyryon, Master of Ships, a position he had held since the reign of Raevan's grandfather, Aerys. He had a favorable personal relationship with Lucerys; they both worked on new ships for the royal fleet, the first of which was to have its maiden voyage in five moons.
Next to Lucerys sat the newest member of the Small Council, though he had held the position for almost five years: Willas Tyrell, heir to Highgarden and a very brilliant young man, with whom conversations were always interesting and engaging. He was, in any case, a very resourceful Master of Coin.
Across from him sat Ser Barristan Selmy, Commander of the Kingsguard, and to his left, of course, was Varys, who smiled in greeting at the sight of Raevan. However, the few thoughts he could detect revealed the uncertainty beneath the smile.
Raevan was probably the only person in King's Landing, if not the Seven Kingdoms, that Varys's little birds couldn't get to, at least not for the last two or three years.
Although the Master of Whispers seemed to outwardly care about the well-being of the kingdom's inhabitants, as he liked to proclaim, Raevan was convinced that this man had his own motives.
The Spider reminded him of that most dangerous kind of Dark Lord of the Sith, less skilled with the Force or lightsaber but possessing extraordinary intellect and cunning, and whose plots were more convoluted than Coruscant's urbanization plans.
Raevan had no official position on the council and didn't need one, but everyone present respected him. In recent moons, his father had turned to him for advice as often as to Aemon or Marwyn.
Regardless, his advice usually proved spot-on.
With the words, "Sorry for the delay," he sat down in his usual seat opposite the king and picked up a thin booklet filled with block letters and sparse illustrations that lay on the table in front of him.
The result of his next 'discovery' was the printing press. The booklet contained a preliminary plan, prepared by him and his father, for the entire celebration of his brother's coming of age.
After corrections, the final version was to be delivered to every lord in Westeros and the most important figures beyond. A display of their House's wealth and development.
"Did I miss anything?" he asked, glancing around the table until his gaze settled on his father, but Rhaegar shook his head slightly. "Nothing specific. We started with an estimated number of guests."
"Around 80,000," he replied without flinching, having already made the necessary calculations.
Stannis frowned at him. "Isn't that a bit much? Smallfolk can't just travel from city to city. They can't afford it. Even including the lords and their retinues and the guests from Essos, 20-30 thousand is already a significant number."
Raevan sighed inwardly at how short-sighted they were about their own actions, especially the impact he himself had on the world economy.
On the other hand, he understood Stannis, who would have liked to have cancelled the whole thing altogether. After all, he will be responsible for the city's security during this time and for overseeing the entire mess that Kings Landing will likely become.
"Lord Baratheon, I don't think you understand the significance of this event we're preparing here, and with all due respect to my brother, people won't be coming here to celebrate his coming of age."
"Then what?" he asked, though Raevan was convinced the man was beginning to understand what this was all about.
He smiled predatorily and leaned toward the table, while Varys, seated closest, moved away slightly.
"People from all over Essos, and I'm not just talking about the Free Cities, but also the Yi-Ti and beyond, will come to witness our growing economic power and multiplying wealth. They will come to see a brilliant prince who discovers groundbreaking inventions and devices as if he were pulling them out of his ass."
"Some will come to see what they can gain or lose. Seek alliances or trade agreements. Others, however, will come with assassins or thieves hidden among their people to steal the plans. They will assess and test our weaknesses. And they will surely find some. Our focus would be on those we ourselves expose."
Silence fell in the chamber, then Marwyn's voice rang out. "Of course, we expect all this; we have discussed it many times before. Our enemies, both within and without, will not wait. However, we are talking about the number of people the capital will grow by. One hundred thousand is probably an exaggeration."
Raevan shook his head and replied, "7,000 men and women will come from Yi-Ti alone, 37 ships loaded with people and exotic goods."
Everyone looked at him in surprise, including his father, for this was information he had not shared with anyone. It concerned his own plans, and the fewer people who knew, the less chance the wrong people would find out.
He felt his father's searching gaze on him, probably wondering why he hadn't told him. Well, he could have, but he might have forgotten, considering the number of dreams and visions he'd had in recent moons.
"My Prince, are you sure about that number, and about the fact that someone from the Golden Empire will come?" Lucerys asked with a hint of hope in his voice. Velaryon was probably already thinking about potential trade agreements.
He nodded slightly, "I am certain, and not just from the Golden Empire, but from Yin itself, specifically Bu Han, the eldest son of Azure Emperor Bu Gai, along with many lords and many important officials of the Imperial Palace."
"Why and for what purpose are they coming?" Raevan heard the worry radiating from his father as he asked the question.
"I don't intend to go into details, as they concern my personal plans. Besides, I've been corresponding with him for over two years and he comes mainly to meet with me," he explained.
Seeing the consternation on their faces and sensing a barrage of questions was about to begin, he reached for Force and let it flow through the chamber, calming everyone.
"I'll discuss the exact details with my father later, but I'm informing you so you can prepare; this will be an opportunity to strike favorable deals without the Free Cities as a middleman."
Before any further questions could be asked, his father cleared his throat and spoke. "As my son said, I'll discuss it with him later, and as for the number of guests, we need to prepare for many more. Raevan is right, Essos is much larger, and the nobles and wealthy merchants of the Free Cities alone could number tens of thousands."
"Do we even have room to accommodate that many people?" Lucerys asked, and it was a question everyone was asking themselves.
"If some of the guests are put in the Red Keep, we should be able to accommodate maybe 50,000," Willas replied, though judging by his tone, he wasn't entirely convinced.
"Hmh," Aemon cleared his throat, drawing their attention. "There's a simple solution to this problem... Every major lord has a residence in the city; some, like those of the Lannister's and Willas's family here, are extensive."
Everyone immediately understood what the Grand Maester meant, and Rhaegar began to nod slowly, as if increasingly convinced. "We'll present it to them as a chance to gain new contacts and foreign connections—a potential profit."
"I would suggest, instead of just throwing carrots, you also scare them with a stick, but it shouldn't be anything serious," Raevan interjected, then added, "Father, announce that those who refuse will face the Crown's disapproval and all that comes with it. They'll figure out the rest themselves."
He saw that not everyone present was happy with the idea; even his brother was clearly unconvinced. "Brother, I don't know if we're in a position to threaten the lords in any way. You seem to forget that, unfortunately, we no longer have dragons."
"I guarantee you, brother, that our position is stronger than anyone might think, and it is my and our father's responsibility to ensure that your rule will be the most stable in the history of our House."
He could see from the faces of the Council members, with the exception of his father, Aemon, and Marwyn, that they didn't quite believe his words and took them for arrogance.
"We will do as you suggest, son," the king decided, closing the subject. He then took the booklet and, holding it up, added, "Let's discuss the details of the ceremony and the tournament. I don't want us to spend the whole day here."
The meeting of the small council then went on as usual and lasted for several hours, after which everyone was clearly fed up, even he, even though he spent most of the time either wandering far from what they were doing or meditating.
He found some variety in his time by teasing Varys. Every so often, he would telekinetically pinch him lightly on the neck or head, mimicking a mosquito bite. He had a good laugh watching the man swat away the nonexistent insect.
His father only gave him a disapproving look every now and then, but nothing more.
After the meeting ended, the men began to rise from their seats. "Aegon, escort Uncle Aemon to his chambers, and you, Raevan, stay a while," the king ordered.
As the others left the chamber, Raevan rose with them and stopped Varys, placing his left hand on his shoulder and whispering softly in his ear, "If even one of your little birds overhears our conversation, the lack of a cock will be the least of your problems."
"Are we understood, Varys?" he added, looking him squarely in the eye. He gently touched the eunuch's mind, making the threat exert more pressure than it should have.
He just nodded hurriedly and left the room silently, leaving him alone with his father.
"What was that, Raevan?" his father asked with a slight irritation in his voice, something Raevan hadn't heard in a long time.
He frowned in surprise. "You mean Varys? I just scared him a little; we don't need his little birds sniffing around near us."
"I'm not talking about him, son. But about the situation with the prince of Yi-Ti, don't you think it would be good if, as king, I was informed about it in advance?"
Raevan mentally grimaced at those words. He really should have talked to his father about this earlier, but it had somehow slipped his mind.
"You're right, I should have talked to you about it earlier, but with the increasing symptoms and visions..." he tried to explain, but his father interrupted him by suddenly standing up.
The king approached him, taking his face in his hands and examining him carefully, "Raevan, did this happen again… not in a dream, but while awake?" His voice was laced with worry and concern, leaving no trace of his earlier irritation.
Raevan looked into the mirror image of his eyes on his father's face and nodded. "Earlier... after breakfast, when I was with Rhaenys and the twins, I suddenly completely drifted off, and out of nowhere a vision appeared, a memory, whatever you call it."
"That's bad; that's damned bad. By the Seven... if this had happened at a tournament or a horseback ride..." his father said, pulling away from him and nervously pacing the room.
"Don't even suggest I give up on competing... winning is important for building our standing," he immediately replied, unwilling to budge on the subject. Besides, if he couldn't have a real fight, he at least wanted to experience a substitute.
"It would be even better if Aegon did it, but it's impossible. Not against Arthur and Barristan," he added, and his father nodded, agreeing without hesitation.
"Yes, it's impossible," the king admitted, then, looking at him with a small smile, added, "I still don't believe I could stop you from entering the lists."
Raevan smiled faintly as well, then replied, "No, Father, you wouldn't. I'm stubborn like my mother."
"Yes, you're definitely your mother's son."
"I am my father's son too. Or so Mother says." he replied with a slight laugh. And he truly meant it. He didn't remember his parents in his previous life, having entered the temple so early. However, his current parents made up for it completely.
They were good, caring people that loved him. Of course, they had their flaws, like everyone else, but they paled in comparison to their positive aspects. And as the years passed, even the memories of the rebellion slowly faded.
"Yes, apparently you are," his father admitted, then turned serious again. "Tell me about this prince from Yi-Ti and why he's really coming. A months-long journey on so many ships costs a lot, and the situation in their Empire isn't looking good.
The Emperor's power doesn't extend far beyond the capital; hundreds of officials have carved out swaths of the Empire for themselves, and according to what we're hearing, two pretenders to the throne have emerged."
"Exactly, the situation is even worse than you think," Raevan agreed, recalling the last letter he'd received from the prince and the information it contained. "And I might have suggested that I could help him solve the sorcerer's problem."
His father frowned. "Do you think he's a real sorcerer?"
"Oh, I'm convinced," he replied, levitating a goblet and a jug of water into his hands. He took a moment to pour water into the goblet and drink it down.
Then he looked at his father seriously. "According to the prince's descriptions, his abilities indicate he's a Force user, skilled but very crude in his use of it. That doesn't change the fact that he's dangerous and powerful enough."
The king looked at him carefully. "Do you think you could defeat him?"
Raevan burst out laughing. "Easily, even now. But I don't plan on going there in a year or two. When the emperor becomes desperate, then I'll go."
"You're not telling me everything," his father said after a moment, digesting his words. "I know your ambition runs deep; you have some deeper agenda. What is it?"
Raevan shook his head with a smile. "Forgive me, Father, but I won't tell you. My plans are safe only in my head. But yes, I have plans for Yi-Ti, and for now, I'm preparing the chessboard."
"Furthermore, your council must understand one thing. I am doing everything I can to strengthen your rule and Aegon's future, but I have my own plans that lie beyond Westeros," he said after a brief moment of silence. "If you think I plan some conquest of Essos or the creation of New Valyria, you are mistaken. I have no time to organize and run an empire."
At least not for now. Likewise, plans to rebuild the Temple would have to wait until he fully regained his power and knowledge and organized his teachings.
He remembered that, as Revan, he had wanted to rebuild the first Order, the Je'daii, but also improve its teachings and formula. He had never succeeded. Perhaps that time was approaching.
But his father didn't need to know that just yet, especially since his plans were only just beginning to take shape.