As he walked towards the king's road, at night he kept having visions, skin changing into birds, squirrels, deers and so on. He looked forward to his sleep every time. Being an animal… it was so freeing!
Max finally reached the king's road and began walking north towards king's landing it took not even two full days before something interesting happened. Day was slowly turning to night and the street was silent. Not even birds were chirping, which should've been his first warning sign. Animals got quiet when a big predator came close or -in this case- a large group of people.
"Halt!" The Voice was deep and booming. People walked onto the king's road, a dozen or so, armed with swords and axes. The biggest and meanest of them, obviously their leader, walked over, his short sword levelled at Max, growling, "drop yer valuables"
Max raised his hands, "I have nothing worth stealing", he said honestly but the bandits didn't believe him.
"You are wearing silk and yer saying you have no coin? No jewels? Don't try this shit with us! This ain't our first day", a smaller man chuckled, "now give us everything and maybe we'll let you live"
Max's eyes scanned them as they were approaching. Overhaul was strong but he didn't know if he could restore his own body from a slit throat. If only he could touch the ground. One touch would be enough to bind them using earth and stone. The leader was close… could max drop low fast enough before he was killed?
"Fine, if you want to do this the hard way, pretty boy. Moxy, release"
The air whistled and there was a sharp pain in his arm. Blood started pouring. His head snapped to it and saw an arrow stuck in his arm. The pain was immense, " fuck me"
"Now ready to give us everything?"
"I said it already, i don't-"
Another shot pierced his arm. They were clever, they didn't hit any vital spots. They would still kill him, he knew. That was their true cruelty. They could just kill their enemies quickly but they found joy in watching them suffer. They were sick, truly sick!
An idea came within pulses of pain. As the third arrow hit him, he let himself fall onto the stone ground, "can't even stand a little pain? You truly are some pampered lordling, ha!"
"You will feel a lot more pain than I did", Max growled. His fingers finally grasped stone.
"Still got a big mouth, huh? Moxy re-"
It all happened in a matter of moments. Not even seconds but moments. The ground beneath broke apart and reshaped to bind the dozen men in shackles of earth and stone, "the fuck?!"
Max ripped the arrows out of his arm and then touched his own skin. He only broke apart his arm but the pain was beyond anything he had felt before, like an acid bath, being electrocuted and flayed alive all at once. The pain didn't last for more than a second but it was hell. He should avoid being hurt in the future.
Then, his gaze landed on the leader, who was staring at him with fear, "I told you, you'd feel more pain than me… and I intend to keep that promise"
Max approached the squirming man, "no! No! No! Please!"
"How many of your victims cried for mercy? I will show you what my hands can do", he grabbed the man's arm and broke it apart before reconstructing it. He screamed but max wasn't done. He kept doing it over and over till he passed out from shock. Satisfaction and horror swept through his being all at once. He now knew how painful that was and he… had done this to another person?
No! That was a monster. Besides his appearance, he had nothing to do with a human… right?
The others got a quick death. The archer -Moxy- might've deserved a bit of torture too but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Death was near instant.
Next, he collected their things, armor, swords, axes, money pouches, he overhauled the weapons and armor, receiving quite a bit of steel and leather, which he placed into a leather backpack he created. The money pouches were quite rich in loot, 2 golden dragons, 22 silver moons and 62 copper stars. Outbid the metal, he also overhauled a bit of scale mail and a sword. He didn't know how to use it but armed, he attracted less attention. With a smile, he cleaned himself. All that blood reeked.
He restored the part of the road which he had used to bind the bandits. Seeing as it was already late, he went to sleep off the road, under a lone oak tree.
As he drifted off to sleep, he took the shape of a raven, flying high above a city. The red castle identified it as king's landing. His sharp eyes watched the few people still around go about their days. He could feel a piece of parchment bound to his leg and he knew where he was flying, to the grand maester's chambers. The chambers were far high up, just below the library tower. Landing on the windowsill, grand maester Pycelle smiled but the smile didn't last long, as he read the message.
He rushed away and max, as the crow, peaked at the message.
'Balon Greyjoy has named himself the king of the iron isles and sunk the Lannister fleet. He and his lot have been reaving the western coast as if it were the days of old. We must act quickly.
Lord Tywin Lannister requests the king's assistance in cutting this rebellion at its root. The Westerlands have already mobilised their banners and await the crown's answer.
-Maester Creylen'
The Greyjoy rebellion? At least he now knew where in the timeline he was… this could be just the thing he needs to build his legacy, his legend!
Max awoke with a huge grin on his face.