Sansa had regained her former vitality. The two metallic arms seemed terrifying to some, but Eddard thought as long as his daughter was happy, everything would be fine. However, he soon became worried about Sansa's marriage prospects. Many of the young men who had been interested in her had lost interest upon hearing that she had lost both arms.
Robb, on the other hand, noticed that Geralt had been inseparable from Sansa. Every time they met, Geralt would only greet him briefly before staring at his hands. Sansa had said that Robb's hand being cut off was just a joke; his hands were perfectly fine.
The Stark family's biggest worry at the moment, however, was Bran, the newly-turned Three-Eyed Raven. Bran could still recall everyone's names, but it was obvious to everyone that his personality had changed drastically. Aside from eating, drinking, and basic bodily functions, he seemed like a wooden figure—extremely rational, with no regard for family ties. Many people said that he was no longer Bran but the Three-Eyed Raven. Robb felt that his brother had become a stranger, but Eddard still treated him as his son.
The Northern army was still gathering at the Wall. The three major strongholds of the Wall—Shadow Tower in the west, Castle Black in the center, and Eastwatch in the east—were being manned, with five other castles serving as backup. A large number of training troops and supplies had been positioned to prepare for the incoming White Walker army.
Wright had also been troubled these days. The White Walkers knew that both he and Odahviing were in Castle Black and still dared to gather their forces to march south, clearly preparing for something. However, when he asked Bran for any information, he received nothing. The previous Three-Eyed Raven had tried using magic to spy on the Night King, only to be discovered by a god and killed with a single blow. Bran, inheriting all of those memories, was now even more afraid to approach the Night King.
Furthermore, there was news from his son, Sauron, who had ridden a dragon from Tyrosh to Castle Black to find Wright. He was there because Tyene had gone missing. Since the wedding in the Westerlands, she hadn't returned to Tyrosh, and there had been no word from her for nearly two months. A few days ago, Wright had kicked down the door, angry that Bran hadn't told him where Tyene was, only saying, "What is meant to happen will happen."
Although Tyene had never married Wright, everyone in the Seven Kingdoms knew what she meant to him. Due to the magical link between them, Odahviing had become restless as well, killing a few of the Night's Watchmen who had brought it raw meat. Now, no one in Castle Black dared to cross Wright's path, and only Sauron could speak to him.
The stories about dragons were always uplifting, but those familiar with Odahviing knew it was no kind of gentle beast. It had eaten enough people to form a small mountain. With the war impending, Commander Benjen kept the news of the Night's Watchmen being eaten a secret, telling everyone instead that the dragon had crushed a few unlucky Watchmen underfoot while moving its body and then cremated them with a few sheep.
The winch continued to transport boxes of supplies to the broad top of the Wall, while the Night's Watchmen and reinforcements used carts to distribute the goods. Beside the winch stood a three-meter-high chair made of ice. Wright had been sitting there, overlooking the Haunted Forest beyond the Wall for the entire day.
Sauron arrived, carrying a basket, and placed it down before sitting on the icy ground, pulling open the collar of his black mage robe and taking deep breaths. Wright hadn't let him sit on the winch but had made him run up the spiral stairs along the ice wall. While others were bundled in thick furs, Sauron was shirtless, steam rising from his body, which created a very odd contrast.
Wright opened the basket, took out some sausages and sweet wine, and began eating, speaking to Sauron, "When I first came to the Wall, I could run up and down the hill twice without even breathing hard."
Sauron caught his breath a little and stood up, saying, "Hah... Hah... Don't think I don't know! Commander Benjen told me your story when you came to Castle Black. You didn't even walk up a single step. You always rode the winch up!"
Wright took a sip of sweet wine. "Benjen doesn't know a damn thing. Back then, he was the ranger, off on patrol. The commander here was the Old Bear."
"There weren't just Benjen who saw it," Sauron muttered quietly, unable to argue further.
Wright didn't respond, finishing his meal and then handing the basket to Sauron before saying, "If I die, you need to keep training your body, too."
"How could that happen? Who could defeat you?" Sauron thought Wright was now capable of anything, and death was the last thing on his mind.
Wright didn't answer, turning back to gaze at the Haunted forest, covered in snow.
A dark figure flew up the winch's chain from the bottom and onto the Wall. The black shadow coiled like ink and gathered behind Sauron into a woman dressed in black robes. Sauron didn't even need to look to know who it was. He naturally leaned back into her arms.
Quaithe handed Wright a scroll of parchment. "Master Wright, this is a letter from King Renly."
Wright read the letter and immediately burned it, then took off his signet ring bearing the Duke's seal and handed it to Sauron. "Write a letter to Renly on my behalf, telling him that if the Wall is breached, he must immediately gather the armies of the Seven Kingdoms and march north. Make sure it's the highest level of conscription."
Sauron couldn't fit the ring on his finger, so he clenched it tightly in his hand and gave a salute to Wright. "Understood!"
Wright then looked at Quaithe, who wore a red mask. "Your parents are long dead. Sauron is too young to have children, but if you want, I can arrange for your engagement right now."
"Okay!" Sauron agreed immediately.
But Quaithe shook her head. "No."
Sauron broke free from Quaithe's embrace and turned to her, speaking loudly, "Why? We sleep together every night without clothes; isn't getting engaged better?"
Quaithe reached out, stroking Sauron's black hair, then looked up at Wright: "Sauron still doesn't understand what marriage truly means, but I believe my prophecy will come true."
Wright, not rushing and understanding the situation, responded, "Your prophecy is something both Sauron's mother, Tyene, and I believed in. You've lived longer than I have, and it's up to you to take care of Sauron."
"I will take care of Sauron. I believe Tyene will return safely," Quaithe replied, pulling Sauron into her embrace. She raised one finger to press gently against his lips. Sauron, who had been about to protest, immediately quieted.
Sauron waved his hand, signaling that he wouldn't ask about it again, and Quaithe let him go.
Despite the clear sky, the sun offered no warmth. Several snowflakes the size of a thumb landed on Quaithe, and with a sizzling sound, they evaporated into white steam under her intense body heat.
"Father, it's starting to snow again. Are you just going to sit here?" Sauron suggested that Wright go back into Castle Black to rest.
Wright responded, "Back in the city of Myr, I waited like this for the war to start. I like watching the entire battlefield from the highest point." The threat of the Others was nearing, and Tyene was still missing. Wright felt anxious, and sitting like this was the only way to calm his mind.
"Let's go down. Writing to the King is more urgent." After bidding Wright farewell, Sauron jumped off the Wall.
"Someone jumped off the cliff!" Several young members of the Night's Watch shouted, rushing to peer over the edge.
Meanwhile, the older Night's Watch members and noble knights continued to move supplies without a hint of worry. "Typical of those from remote places, they clearly have no experience."
Quaithe, too, transformed into a shadow, catching up to Sauron in the air and wrapping around him. The young Night's Watchmen watched as the black-haired boy, surrounded by swirling dark shadows, slowly flew into the tower window.
The harsh winter had already overwhelmed the Seven Kingdoms' northern limits, and stationing soldiers at the Wall was the kingdom's absolute limit. Further north was no longer habitable for humans. Even the Night's Watch rangers dared not venture deeper into the snow-covered north, where the snow piled several meters deep. They could only make limited explorations around the Wall through a few dug tunnels.
No one knew how many Others there were, nor what new weapons or magic they had. Wright truly had no idea how to fight them. He might really die, but he swore that if he did, he would drag Bran, the Three-Eyed Raven, with him!
There were also some advocating for retreat within the kingdom. Since the Others could only live in the icy wastelands, the idea was to evacuate the Seven Kingdoms' population south or east, leaving the lands for the Others, and then reclaim them once summer arrived.
This proposal was firmly rejected by King Renly and Wright. Renly even ordered that anyone suggesting retreat be treated as a traitor, as both he and Wright knew that if the Others arrived, they wouldn't leave. The land they conquered would never be given back.
The longest and coldest winter was setting in, and the snow line reached the middle of the continent, meaning the Others could attack King's Landing. Over half of Westeros would fall to them. With vampires joining in and seizing so much territory, they wouldn't stop expanding, and soon, the entire continent would be lost to darkness.
The snow kept falling heavier, and the soldiers began shoveling the snow off the Wall. From top to bottom, snow cascaded like waterfalls, except where Wright stood. The falling snowflakes around him would automatically be blown away by the wind.
The next day, the atmosphere at Castle Black was even tenser. Wright wore his full dragonbone armor, and countless ravens flew in and out of the Rookery Tower. Soldiers who had been on duty all day began their shifts to rest until dinner and sunset.
Woo~
The distant sound of a horn echoed from the Haunted Forest, signaling the return of the scouting rangers.
At the giant horn at the top of the Wall, the hornblower held the horn tightly with shaking hands. The Night's Watchmen and knights were already in armor, holding bows and arrows, hiding behind the crenellations.
After a pause, the hornblower shouted excitedly, "No second blast! Hahaha, no second blast!"
One blast signaled the return of the scouts. Two blasts meant wildlings were approaching. Three blasts meant the Others were here. Upon hearing this, everyone began to relax and stood up to look outside the Wall, expecting to see which group of scouts had returned.
"Dammit, the Others are here! Blow the horn three times now!" Wright shouted at the hornblower and let out a roar, summoning Odahviing.
He then shoved his massive sword into the solid ice beside him, raised both hands toward the sky, and released a massive surge of fiery magic from his body that gathered into his hands.
"Hah~!" Boom! Boom! Boom! With Wright's roar, three golden-red fireballs, trailing smoke, shot from his hands, each fired five seconds apart into the sky.
At Castle Black, the people who had just relaxed upon hearing the noise rushed to the training field and looked up at the top of the Wall. Those resting in their beds were woken up by the loud sound, cursing in confusion.
However, with the roar of a dragon, Odahviing raised its head outside Castle Black. It spread its massive wings and let out an unknown dragon tongue cry, spitting several large magical projectiles from its tooth-filled mouth. After releasing the powerful magic, it flapped its wings, sending a massive snowstorm swirling around as it flew into the sky.
"What's going on? The dragon didn't even take off, just spitting at the sky?" Lord Roose Bolton was not inexperienced, but with no second horn blast, he tried to ease the tension.
"Battle has begun! Battle has begun! That's dragon magic! I've never seen Odahviing unleash so many in one go!" Geralt shouted as he ran up to Benjen.
Boom~~ Boom~~ Boom~~ Accompanied by several explosions, flashes of fire appeared at the top of the Wall, with broken ice, severed limbs, and a few complete bodies falling from above.
"It's not our magic, the Wall is under attack, blow the horn! Prepare for battle!" Benjen immediately realized something was wrong and quickly began issuing orders.
"Brave men of the North! Take up your weapons and ascend the Wall!" Eddard drew his sword and immediately gave orders to the surrounding nobles.
Woo~~ Woo~~ Woo~~ Three horn blasts were finally heard. The rangers who had gone into the Haunted Forest were not dead, but after sacrificing everyone, only one blast had been sounded.
Wright's magical shield covered the largest area, but it was no more than several dozen meters, protecting only those around him. Other mages on the Wall also raised shields, but the number of fireballs coming from the Haunted Forest was overwhelming. Some exploded at the Wall's summit, while others fell in the middle, blasting ice into the air.
All the torches and braziers atop the Wall were lit, but the target still hid in the Haunted Forest, out of range of the archers. Only the mages could strike at such a distance. Dozens of fireballs, trailing smoke, flew from the Wall's summit, causing massive fires to erupt in the forest below.
The clouds in the sky were rapidly changing, with white clouds turning to dark clouds, swirling quickly and forming a massive vortex. The lightning within the vortex lit up the entire Castle Black as if it were daytime, and the thunder drowned out the cries from below.
Suddenly, the center of the vortex turned a golden-red, with the dark clouds swirling like lava. Then, a fireball fell from the molten mass, racing toward the Haunted Forest.
Boom! The massive explosion sent trees and snow flying higher than the Wall, and after the blast, the magical flames didn't extinguish, continuing to burn. Meteor-like fireballs kept falling from the sky, bombarding the Haunted Forest one after another.
The dark cloud vortex spread to fill the entire horizon. Boom! White lightning followed the falling meteors, striking down into the Haunted Forest, turning the previously snow-covered pine forest into a hellscape.
However, parts of the Haunted Forest, ravaged by magic, still managed to hold up magical shields. In the intervals between meteor showers, dozens of fireballs and red magical orbs flew from there toward the Wall. The vast Haunted Forest and the endless Wall—wherever the eye could see, fireballs and magic rained down on the Wall.
"Damn it, hold the line, I'm going up!" The dragon swept over the Wall, and Wright shouted one last command before grabbing the dragon's claws and soaring into the sky.
Benjen, Eddard, and others, who had just climbed to the top of the Wall on a winch, were greeted with a barrage of magic, falling like rain.
"How can the White Walkers use fire?" Benjen shouted to the people around him as he raised his shield.