Chapter 217: The Magic Empire, Gunpowder, and the Dragon Soul of Cornfield

Located on the Ocean Road and adjacent to the Reach, Cornfield is the outpost for the Westerlands to defend against the Reach.

Cornfield possesses the largest forest in the Westerlands, and relying on the barrier of this forest, the lords of Cornfield, House Crakehall, have defeated invaders from the Reach to the south many times over the past thousand years.

After the Wolf King's army captured Casterly Rock and Lannisport, Cornfield became the last isolated island in the Westerlands loyal to the Lannister forces; the banners of the direwolf were everywhere in the Westerlands.

On this day, the Young Wolf Robb, Ser Brynden the Blackfish, and Theon, leading a large army, arrived at the north side of Cornfield along the Ocean Road.

Originally, according to the original plan, Robb should have set off for Harrenhal to participate in the war against the undead and Joffrey Baratheon in King's Landing, but because House Crakehall of Cornfield had been slow to surrender, Robb decided to stay in the Westerlands for a while longer.

A smile hung on Theon's face; after the depression of the past few days, Theon finally revealed a smile again.

The news of Euron Greyjoy attacking the Three Sisters reached Casterly Rock in the Westerlands, and the nobles of the Vale and the nobles of the North's east coast were all greatly shocked; people were talking about Euron's black magic and the threat of the ironborn, and Bronze Yohn, Waymar Royce, and Ser Wendel of White Harbor all looked at Theon with strange gazes.

"As long as the ironborn pirates make any provocative move, it's as if it's all my fault," Theon complained to Robb, "I was sent to Winterfell when I was ten and grew up in Winterfell; since then, I have never seen my father or my uncles again."

"Even if the krakens have some plan, they wouldn't possibly tell me!"

Robb held Theon's hand, "You are a member of the wolf pack; my father the Wolf King trusts you, and I trust you, and that is enough."

Theon hugged Robb excitedly, "Good brother!"

Robb promised Theon, "According to the laws, the heir to King Balon is you. My father told me before that if your second uncle Euron, third uncle Victarion, or Asha wanted to seize your right of inheritance, my father would send troops to defend your rights."

From then on, Theon was content and no longer cared about the comments of the lords; he went to the brothels of Lannisport every day to spend the nights with blondes.

At this time, Bronze Yohn, Ser Barristan, Greatjon Umber, and others had already taken more than forty thousand troops from the Riverlands, the Vale, and the North and set off for Harrenhal.

The army remaining in the Westerlands consisted mostly of soldiers from the North, Rockborn, wildlings beyond the Wall, and some Winter Wolves from Last Hearth, Bear Island, Deepwood Motte, White Harbor, Dreadfort, Barrowton, and the Rills who remained in the Westerlands.

Autumn had already descended upon the North, and what would follow was winter. Every time the cold winter arrived, agricultural production in the North was almost abandoned, and they could only rely on fishing and hunting. Although the North had sufficient grain and grass, in the situation where the undead were ravaging, no one knew how harsh or cold the coming winter would be, and no one knew how many years this winter would last.

Keeping the soldiers of the North in the Westerlands and using the food of the Westerlands to survive the winter could both defend against the Lannisters and save rations for the North, killing two birds with one stone.

These Winter Wolves soldiers, in addition to preventing the Lannisters from making a comeback, also had to build military colonies in the Westerlands and reclaim the Stark Estate.

In this branch of the Wolf King's army that came to attack Cornfield, most of the soldiers came from the Westerlands nobles who had surrendered to the direwolf; among the army's banners were the purple unicorn of House Brax of Hornvale, the burning tree of House Marbrand, the white badger of House Leyton of Deep Den, the quartered sunburst of House Kenning of Kayce, the red bull of House Prester of Feastfires, and the archers of House Uff.

Some houses had just changed their heads. The former head of House Locke, which held the manticore banner, Amory Lorch, was tortured to death by the Red Viper, and Amory Lorch's entire family was slaughtered; now the head of House Locke was a distant relative of Amory Lorch.

The soldiers of House Clegane held high the three-dog banner of the Hound, Sandor. The Wolf King Eddard stripped the Mountain Gregor of his fiefs and castle and bestowed them upon Sandor Clegane.

The bantam rooster banner of Cornfield also appeared in the Wolf King's army. Because the former lord, Harys Swyft, was the father-in-law of Ser Kevan, and Harys Swyft followed Duke Tywin and his son-in-law Kevan to flee by sea, the Young Wolf Robb, in the name of the Wolf King Eddard, stripped Harys Swyft of his title, and the new lord of Cornfield was a cousin of Harys Swyft.

Every lord offered up a ward as a hostage to the Wolf King, and these wards had already set off for Riverrun. The Winter Wolves stationed troops directly in the Westerlands fortresses of Golden Tooth and Deep Den, and controlled the gold mines and silver mines of Castamere, Nun Castle, and the Pendrey Hills, all of which fell into the hands of the Starks.

Almost every Westerlands noble family had some of their fiefs stripped, and these lands were directly confiscated by House Stark. Ser Brynden the Blackfish and the Young Wolf Robb, according to the instructions of the Wolf King Eddard, built Stark Estates on these lands. Military colonies were set up on the Golden Road, the River Road, and the Ocean Road, and the direwolf completely controlled the North.

With the Wolf King's army pressing on the border, the castle of House Crakehall at Cornfield lowered the roaring lion banner of the Lannisters and raised the white flag symbolizing surrender.

This was also the last noble family in the Westerlands to surrender, and from this point on, the territory of the Westerlands was entirely incorporated under the rule of House Stark.

The Earl of Cornfield, Roland Crakehall, had graying hair but was as strong as the brindled boar of House Crakehall; he rode majestically on a black warhorse and walked out of the castle gate, with the standard-bearer behind him holding high the white flag and the brindled boar banner.

Roland Crakehall had always been highly valued by Duke Tywin, and both Duke Tywin and Jaime believed that Roland Crakehall had the ability to become Hand of the King.

When Renly Baratheon was crowned king in the Reach and led the Reach army to attack the Westerlands, he was defeated and returned by Roland Crakehall and Jaime joining forces at Cornfield.

Robb sized up this formidable opponent, "Earl Crakehall, you are finally willing to surrender."

Roland Crakehall said helplessly, "The lion has fallen, and the direwolf has entered the Westerlands; I can only surrender."

Ser Brynden the Blackfish looked toward the south, his thick eyebrows twitching.

"I heard that your territory was attacked by the Reach?"

Earl Roland Crakehall spat and said contemptuously, "Duke Mace Tyrell of Highgarden heard that the Wolf King's army had captured Lannisport and Casterly Rock, and immediately dispatched the troops stationed at Red Lake and Old Oak to march north along the Ocean Road to attack the territory of House Crakehall."

"The Inflated Fish lord probably thought that since the Wolf King Eddard had captured Casterly Rock and Lannisport and the Lannister lion had been defeated, the Reach could take advantage of the fire to loot and occupy my territory and castle. The Inflated Fish lord sent Parmen Crane and Arys Oakheart to lead the army, and I directly led my army and crushed this Reach army."

"Rather than having my territory and castle taken away by the opportunistic and treacherous Inflated Fish lord, I would rather kneel to the direwolf."

Robb said, "Earl Crakehall, you have made a wise choice. The Wolf King Eddard is currently at Harrenhal, fighting against the undead army; the war against the undead is the most critical, and in the face of the undead, humanity must unite."

Roland Crakehall said sadly, "Before surrendering, I would like to ask, where exactly have my liege lord Duke Tywin, Jaime, and the others gone?"

Ser Brynden the Blackfish said, "We are also looking for the whereabouts of Duke Tywin and the Kingslayer; we only know that Duke Tywin took a longship out to sea. At this time, he might have fled to the Iron Islands, or he might have gone to King's Landing to join Cersei and Joffrey, or even gone to the Free Cities across the Narrow Sea or the Summer Islands—who knows?"

Both sides quickly agreed on the terms of surrender. Earl Roland Crakehall handed over a grandson to be a ward of the Wolf King Eddard. The second son of Earl Roland Crakehall, "Strongboar" Lyle Crakehall, had been a prisoner at Harrenhal and would be released to serve by the side of the Wolf King Eddard. Some of the territories of Cornfield were stripped to build Stark Estates and military colonies.

Roland Crakehall was a bit worried, "How are the wards of the Starks treated? I heard that the Wolf King Eddard has more than a hundred wards spread throughout the Vale, the North, the Westerlands, and the Riverlands, and even some from Dorne."

Theon said, "I am a ward of the Wolf King Eddard, and I can guarantee to you that the Wolf King Eddard is the greatest foster father in the world; he will cultivate boys into excellent talents. Even the son of Lord Randyll, the useless Samwell Tarly, has found his use in Winterfell."

Earl Roland Crakehall was slightly relieved.

Robb said to Earl Roland Crakehall, "Your son, Ser Lyle the Strongboar, is one of the strongest knights in the Westerlands; he will surely become a fierce general in the Wolf King's army."

Roland Crakehall said, "My son has always been the type to fight, but just thinking about Lyle having to fight the undead makes me break out in a cold sweat. There won't be undead in the Westerlands, will there?"

Ser Brynden the Blackfish said, "Then you must pray that the Corpse Queen Serxi and the bastard Joffrey do not lead the undead army to attack the Westerlands. The undead are a disaster created by the Lannisters of King's Landing; for a crown, Serxi and Joffrey sold their own souls and fell into corruption."

Robb looked toward the east, "Theon and I should also head to Harrenhal. Ser Brynden, I leave the affairs of the Westerlands to you."

At Storm's End, Stannis stood on the majestic city wall, looking toward the direction of Crab Isle, and began to grind his teeth.

"The one-eyed pirate stood on the beach, and the crabs around him died one after another; Melisandre, this is the scene you saw in the holy fire. We knew the prophecy long ago, knowing that Claw Isle or Crab Isle might suffer a pirate attack, and I also ordered the Royal Fleet and the Lysene mercenary Salladhor Saan to be prepared."

"As a result, Crab Isle was still easily captured by Euron the Crow's Eye; what is the use of a prophecy that cannot be prevented?"

Melisandre said, "R'hllor sent a warning, which at least bought us time to prepare for war."

"The result was still a total failure," Stannis gritted his teeth.

The Onion Knight Davos said, "Your Grace, Salladhor Saan stated very clearly in his letter that at that time, a storm rose on Crab Isle, blowing away the ships of the Lysene mercenary fleet and the Royal Fleet, and the pirate fleet of the Crow's Eye took the opportunity to capture Crab Isle. Salladhor Saan suspects that the sorcerer of the Crow's Eye created the storm."

Stannis said, "The Serxi of King's Landing and the undead sorcerer have already exhausted me, and now there is another Euron the Crow's Eye. This damned golden kraken—back when Robert quelled the Greyjoy Rebellion, he should have executed the Crow's Eye and his brothers."

Earl Ardrian Celtigar was dressed in a silk coat, with a golden silk cloak pinned by a crab carved from rubies; Lord Celtigar said excitedly, "Your Grace, my castle was captured, my wife and daughter were humiliated, and my people were sold as slaves by the ironborn pirates. What is even more terrible is that all those rare treasures I collected were taken away by the Crow's Eye!"

The Onion Knight Davos couldn't help but frown on the side; in the eyes of the greedy Lord Celtigar, the status of his wife, daughter, and people was not as important as the rare treasures he collected. When the old man spoke of the rare treasures, his hands began to tremble, and he touched his heart as if he could not bear this sudden blow.

Subsequently, Lord Celtigar counted on his fingers and began to complain to King Stannis.

"Among my collection, there was a magical falcon, as well as carpets from Myr, tapestries from Norvos, ivory sculptures from Volantis, many rubies, gold and silver tableware, a Valyrian steel battle-axe, and a horn that is said to be able to summon krakens from the bottom of the sea!"

The large ruby on Melisandre's snow-white neck pulsed with a halo, "Without a doubt, Euron the Crow's Eye came specifically for this kraken horn."

The Onion Knight said, "According to the news sent by the raven from Duskendale, Euron the Crow's Eye raided the Three Sisters and took away a horn from the temple of the Sistermen. The Crow's Eye seems to have a preference for collecting horns."

Lord Celtigar said excitedly, "That is my ancestral treasure. I request to take the Crab Isle fleet, return to my fief, and protect my home."

Stannis's jaw tightened, "You have fewer than a thousand soldiers and only those few ships. If you ran into Euron Greyjoy's pirate fleet in the Narrow Sea, it wouldn't even be enough to fill Euron's teeth. You must remain at Storm's End."

Without a doubt, Stannis's refusal was too blunt and harsh; the Hand of the King, Lord Alester Florent, immediately spoke up to soothe him.

"Lord Celtigar, the main force of the Iron Islands fleet has already suffered heavy losses in the Battle of the Heatwave River in the North. I believe that it is only a matter of time before the Wolf King Eddard and His Grace Stannis wipe out the Iron Islands and defeat Euron's fleet."

"Once His Grace captures Euron Greyjoy and reclaims those expensive treasures of yours, they will certainly be returned to you in their entirety."

This hollow assurance was the best answer Lord Celtigar could get from Stannis, and Lord Celtigar turned and left.

Stannis gazed at the ocean of Shipbreaker Bay beneath Storm's End; the gale swept up the seawater, slamming it against the walls of Storm's End and emitting a tremendous sound.

"I have never liked the ocean. Back then, my father, Duke Steffon, was a close friend and confidant of the Mad King Aerys. Prince Rhaegar had no sister to marry at the time and was not yet betrothed, so King Aerys sent my father to Volantis to find a suitable noble girl for a marriage alliance with Prince Rhaegar."

"In the end, my father returned from Volantis empty-handed. He and my mother took a ship, traveled across the sea, and arrived at Shipbreaker Bay, arriving beneath Storm's End. However, within sight of the castle, a storm destroyed the ship. I was standing in this very spot at the time and witnessed my parents die in the shipwreck with my own eyes."

The Fool Patchface was the only survivor of that shipwreck; talented and versatile, he had been discovered by Duke Steffon in Volantis and was intended to be presented to King Aerys to fill the King's halls with joy. It is a pity that after being spat out by the sea, Patchface became simple-minded, and now Patchface has become the fool of Princess Shireen Baratheon.

Stannis recalled the past, feeling deeply melancholy.

"There is no one who hates storms more than I do. The storm took my parents away."

The Onion Knight Davos said, "Your Grace, the storm has also helped you before. Back then, when King Robert Baratheon sent Your Grace to seize Dragonstone, was it not a storm that destroyed the Dragonstone fleet? That is why Your Grace was able to advance smoothly and capture the ancestral fortress of the Targaryen family."

In that storm, Queen Rhaella died in childbirth, giving birth to Princess Daenerys, which is why the first epithet of the Dragon Mother Daenerys is "Stormborn."

Stannis said gloomily, "Of course I remember that storm that destroyed the Dragonstone fleet. The Narrow Sea is prone to storms; if Euron Greyjoy relies on Dark Magic to manipulate the storms, neither the Royal Fleet nor the Lysene Mercenary Fleet will be able to contend with Euron's fleet."

When the Onion Knight Davos was smuggling on his black ship, his tracks covered the Seven Kingdoms, and he often dealt with Ironborn Pirates, so he was very familiar with the customs and habits of the Ironborn.

"The Ironborn believe in the Drowned God. According to the priests of the Drowned God, the Drowned God who dwells in the Liushui Gongdian brought the sea, water sources, and fish to nourish humanity, while his mortal enemy is the Storm God who dwells in the palace in the dark clouds. The sky and the ocean are engaged in an endless war."

"The Storm God is the mortal enemy of the Drowned God, just as the Follower of the Great Other is the mortal enemy of R'hllor."

The Hand of the King, Lord Alester Florent, raised an eyebrow, "Since the Ironborn view the Storm God as an evil thing, why can Euron manipulate storm magic?"

The Onion Knight Davos said, "Lord Florent, this is because Euron keeps many sorcerers from the East on the Silence. Moreover, I have heard many Ironborn Pirates talk about how Euron Greyjoy is eccentric in temperament and takes the greatest pleasure in life in abusing others; such a person cannot possibly respect any god."

Stannis frowned, "Crab Isle is already very close to Driftmark and Dragonstone; there is no guarantee that Euron's pirate fleet won't attack Dragonstone."

The Hand of the King, Lord Alester Florent, was so frightened that his eyes widened, "Queen Selyse, Princess Shireen Baratheon, and many members of House Florent all reside on Dragonstone; they should all be brought to Storm's End."

The Red Woman Melisandre said, "Dragonstone and Driftmark are both safe; I have seen it in the holy fire. Storm's End is currently suffering from attacks by the Undead; it is actually less safe here."

Stannis's expression was grim, "Melisandre, didn't you say that after sacrificing living people to R'hllor, R'hllor would grant you greater power to resist the Undead?"

In these past few days, the Royal Fleet had captured many pirates in the Stepstones, and every day Melisandre would burn a pirate to death with fire as a sacrifice to R'hllor; Melisandre's flames grew increasingly powerful, and both Stannis and the Onion Knight could feel Melisandre's power.

Melisandre lowered her voice, "Your Grace, the power of R'hllor at Storm's End has indeed increased, but the power of the Great Other in King's Landing is growing faster. I have seen it in the holy fire: the frost dragon has opened its blue eyes, and the shadow of death shrouds the earth."

"R'hllor and the Great Other are mortal enemies whose strengths always wax and wane against each other. If the frost dragon comes to Storm's End, no one can guarantee whether the flames can hold it off. We can only pray that R'hllor can grant us greater power."

Stannis sneered, "Joffrey Baratheon in King's Landing has a frost dragon, the remnants of the dragons in Slaver's Bay in the East, Daenerys, have three Magic Dragons, and the Wolf King Eddard possesses three dragons: the flying wolf, the koi, and the Eagle Eye. Only I have no Magic Dragon."

"Melisandre, don't you often say that Magic Dragons belong to blood and fire and are the creations of R'hllor?"

A hint of chill seeped into Melisandre's voice.

"Dragonstone has no Dragon Egg, but it has a stone dragon. As long as Your Grace offers Edric Storm, offers that boy, you can awaken the Magic Dragon within the stone."

The Onion Knight Davos said disdainfully, "Edric Storm is Robert Baratheon's only noble bastard, but in reality, Robert Baratheon has many other bastards. If I remember correctly, the bastard girl from The Vale, Mya Stone, Gendry from King's Landing, Bella from Stoneway, and the little girl born in a brothel, Bella, have all been adopted by Eddard at Storm's End."

"These bastards of Robert Baratheon also possess king's blood. When Eddard hatched the Magic Dragons, he didn't sacrifice any of Robert Baratheon's children."

"This world is already in a bad state; Robert Baratheon has turned into Robert the Death Storm, becoming a puppet of the Great Other and slaughtering in the Stormlands. If Your Grace burns Robert Baratheon's children alive as a sacrifice to R'hllor, then how are we any different from the bloodthirsty followers of the Great Other?"

Melisandre was relentless, "After the long summer, the stars will bleed, and a cold darkness will shroud the world. Your Grace was born in a place of smoke and salt; it is fated that you are Azor Ahai reborn. Only you can wield Lightbringer and save this world."

"To sacrifice one boy to save all the common people of the world, what is wrong with that?"

Stannis gritted his teeth, "But this is unfair to Edric Storm. An injustice to one person is a threat to everyone. Your method is untested, and I will not easily harm Edric Storm."

"Melisandre, you need to prove your power, to prove the divine power of R'hllor."

Flames danced wildly in Melisandre's eyes, "I will prove the power of R'hllor to Your Grace; I have already smelled the scent of blood and fire."

After everyone had left, the Onion Knight Davos said to Stannis, "Your Grace, if the target of Euron's plundering is a treasure like the Kraken Horn, then Driftmark is very likely the next target."

"Driftmark is the island of House Velaryon. The 'Sea Snake' Corlys Velaryon and 'Oakfist' Alyn Velaryon have both completed many great voyages, their tracks reaching as far as Asshai, bringing back all kinds of rare treasures from all over the world."

"Perhaps Driftmark has a magical horn, and Euron might go to plunder Driftmark. Driftmark is the largest island in Blackwater Bay; once it is captured by the enemy, it will be a heavy blow to us."

Stannis said, "Without a doubt, House Velaryon was very wealthy in the past, but their family has fallen on hard times. If Driftmark truly had a magical horn, it would have been sold long ago."

"I will remind the Royal Fleet and the Lysene Mercenary Fleet to strengthen their defenses."

At Harrenhal, the Wolf King Eddard rode his Direwolf to welcome Archmaester Marwyn.

Archmaester Marwyn had a jaw like steel, a neck as thick as a bulldog's, and thick arms and shoulders; he did not look like a Maester at all, but rather like a fierce Warrior.

As an authority in the magical circles of the Citadel, his Chain, mask, and staff were all made of Valyrian Steel. It is a pity that Archmaester Marwyn was highly ostracized in the Citadel; many Archmaesters considered Marwyn's research into Magic to be impractical, evil, and depraved.

In order to study Magic Dragons, giants, and Unicorns, Archmaester Marwyn went to Winterfell and had been serving Eddard ever since. In Winterfell, he was responsible for teaching Eddard's children and wards. Archmaester Marwyn and Maester Luwin together built the Wolf Academy to teach students and research Magic.

South of the Neck, the Undead were running rampant. After Archmaester Marwyn heard that Prince Rhaegar and Robert the Death Storm had been reborn, he could no longer stay in Winterfell. He set off from Winterfell, traveled south along the Kingsroad, and finally arrived at Harrenhal.

Archmaester Marwyn had ten attendants in total, each riding a warhorse. They looked on in astonishment at the bones everywhere in Harrenhal, the charred corpses, and the dead Giant Bat.

Archmaester Marwyn cleared his throat, "Are these all corpses of the Undead?"

Eddard nodded, "Correct. Only after attacks by flames and Dragonfire will the Undead truly die. Archmaester Marwyn, Harrenhal is frequently attacked, and nearby Undead appear from time to time; it is not safe here. You should have stayed in Winterfell."

Archmaester Marwyn revealed a beast-like smile.

"I heard that the one leading the army of the Undead is the famous Prince Rhaegar; how could I have the heart to stay in Winterfell? With the Undead running rampant and Magic Dragons reborn, this is a good opportunity to put magical knowledge into practice. I must participate in person."

Eddard led Marwyn and his attendants into Harrenhal, and the gates were immediately closed and bolted.

Mya Stone and a group of stable boys took the horses of Marwyn and his attendants and sent them to the stables.

Robert Baratheon's bastard daughter Mya Stone now works in the stables of Harrenhal, and many Hired Knights and squires are pursuing this girl.

Eddard and Archmaester Marwyn walked toward the Alchemist laboratory, and Eddard said, "How is the situation at home in Winterfell?"

Marwyn said, "The Warden of the North, Jon Snow, has managed everything in an orderly fashion. During the last Ironborn invasion, the Wolf Castle that was damaged, the Warhorse City in the Rills, the Stony City on the Stony Shore, and the Blacksmith City at Sea Dragon Point have all been rebuilt."

"The grain reserves in all areas are very sufficient; a great harvest was recently completed, and the ice cellars of The Wall are full of food. Jon feels that winter is coming, and in the future, the North will need to rely more on fishing at sea."

"The delicacies of our North—black truffle, caviar, foie gras, Blue Noble, and perfume—are bestsellers in the Free Cities; the vaults of Winterfell are nearly overflowing."

"The fishing grounds of Seal Bay and the Bay of Ice yield massive catches of crabs, prawns, cod, salmon, sardines, and saury every single day."

"The only trouble is that when fishing in the Shivering Sea, our fishing boats are often seized for no reason by the fleet of the Sealord of Braavos."

The location of Braavos is roughly level with the Neck, yet they occupy the Shivering Sea; even the Shivering Sea near Skagos and the Grey Cliffs of House Karstark is considered the sphere of influence of the Sealord of Braavos, and Northern fishing boats are frequently seized and expelled without cause.

The Wolf King Eddard said: "I am currently busy dealing with the Undead and do not wish to clash with Braavos. But I promise, one day, I will shatter the maritime hegemony of Braavos."

"Is there any news of the Undead Beyond the Wall?"

Archmaester Marwyn shrugged, "At least before I set out, there was none. The nineteen fortresses on the Wall are prepared, and the Night's Watch will resist the Undead invasion together with the North."

"I believe the situation Westeros is currently facing is even worse than the Long Night of the past; during the Long Night, the Undead did not ravage the lands south of the Neck!"

At this moment, Eddard and Archmaester Marwyn arrived outside the Alchemist's laboratory, and Eddard said: "It does not matter, I have already prepared a secret weapon for the Undead."

Eddard pushed open the door to the Alchemist's laboratory, where the Alchemist Hallyne was staying with Tyrion.

Tyrion said: "Archmaester Marwyn, I have always been a loyal reader of yours. *Lost Books* is my favorite."

Archmaester Marwyn looked Tyrion over in surprise, "Could you be the little Tyrion of House Lannister?"

Tyrion made a face, "That's right, I am the Imp, Tyrion."

Eddard said: "Tyrion has already joined my think tank, and he can help us."

Tyrion said: "Compared to the great Wolf King Eddard, I am but an apprentice. I had the honor of participating in the research and development of the cannonball, but in reality, the specific work was completed by the Wolf King Eddard himself."

The Alchemist Hallyne chimed in: "That is correct, Tyrion and I are at most assistants."

Archmaester Marwyn was bewildered, "Cannonball?"

Eddard said: "This thing is similar to fireworks; it is made by mixing saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal, and its power is formidable. To let the cannonball unleash its power, I made a fire gun to launch it."

In fact, during the invention of the cannonball, Eddard used some Magic. With the help of the Old Gods, Eddard mastered Element Power; he could sense different elements like metal, wood, water, fire, and earth in the surrounding environment, which played a role in the research and development of the cannonball.

Subsequently, Eddard showed Marwyn the fire gun, which was as thick as a bowl and about half a meter long, along with the black cannonball, and Eddard said: "Load the cannonball into the fire gun, and after lighting the fuse, the cannonball will be launched to attack the Undead."

Marwyn frowned, "Does this clumsy thing really work?"

Eddard said: "We shall try it and see."

Thus, on the training grounds, a skeleton was placed fifty meters away; Eddard tested the fire gun himself, and after lighting the fuse, the cannonball was fired with a loud "Bang—", hitting the skeleton and shattering it.

The Magic Dragon Koi, Eagle Eye, was eating beef on the other side of the training grounds, while the Magic Dragon was circling above Harrenhal with several Griffins and giant eagles.

Hearing the sound of the Gunpowder, the Magic Dragon, the Griffins, the giant eagles, and even the giants nearby were all startled.

Archmaester Marwyn's eyes widened, "This must be Magic, right?"

Eddard said: "The fire gun can fire at the air, and its power is far greater than a Crossbow or bow and arrow. Of course, I must admit that this thing has many shortcomings; first, it is too heavy, and then the loading time is too slow, even slower than a Crossbow."

"If it encounters wet or blizzard weather, the cannonball is prone to failure. The fire gun still has a lot of room for improvement, but after all, we have taken the first step."

Tyrion stared with those mismatched eyes.

"If we use larger iron pipes to make larger fire guns, similar to a Ballista, couldn't we use Gunpowder to blow open city walls directly? This is a divine weapon for sieges!"

Eddard nodded dramatically, "Not bad, a fire gun similar to a Ballista should have a brand new name; let's just call it a Cannon."

Tyrion revealed a lewd smile, "Cannon! Good name, it sounds like sleeping with a prostitute."

Eddard said: "However, the improvement of weapons must be gradual; the fire gun still has many shortcomings, and I must improve the fire gun."

In the future, Eddard hopes to build a Musketeer unit, paired with archers and crossbowmen; it would be simply perfect, capable of suppressing enemies from a distance on the battlefield.

The Magic Dragon is growing day by day, and with the fire gun, paired with giant eagles and Griffins, even if Cersei resurrects an ice dragon, Eddard has the confidence to defeat the enemy.

The Wolf Castles in the Riverlands were completed one after another; the High City at High Heart in the Riverlands, the Crossroads at the Ruby Ford, and the Stoney Sept near the Westerlands—all these Wolf Castles were garrisoned, and relying on the Wolf Castles, large numbers of Stark Estates were reclaimed.

The River Fleet in the Trident basin was assembled, with garrisons at The Twins, Riverrun, Fairmarket, the Crossroads, and the town of Lord Harroway.

As for Saltpans, Maidenpool, and Seagard, they were protected by the Riverlands Naval Fleet, and the maritime defense capabilities of the Riverlands were significantly improved.

In The Vale, the Wolf Castle Griffin City was completed; it was there that Eddard discovered the Dragon Egg and Griffin eggs, and he used that silver-white Dragon Egg to hatch the Magic Dragon Eagle Eye, as well as seven Griffins.

The current Empire of the Wolf King has gold and silver in the Westerlands, the Riverlands and The Vale are granaries, and the North has wool, timber, and animal hides.

The empire of the Direwolf is growing stronger, and to guard his subjects and protect his territory, Eddard will never retreat in the face of the Undead.

Tumbleton in the Reach was overcast.

Tumbleton is located southwest of King's Landing, almost at the northeasternmost point of the Reach, sixty leagues from King's Landing, and is also the town in the Reach closest to King's Landing.

The Undead were ravaging the Stormlands, and Lord Randyll Tarly had been guarding the Kingsroad south of Tumbleton, ready to resist the Undead invasion at any time.

Upon hearing that Giant Bats had begun attacking villages in the territory of Tumbleton, Lord Randyll Tarly immediately led three thousand cavalry to reinforce Tumbleton.

Tumbleton was abnormally cold; although it had already entered autumn, it gave people the feeling of a cold winter, and the withered yellow leaves in the woods of Tumbleton seemed to be covered with a thin layer of frost.

Lord Randyll Tarly wore a fur coat and a heavy cloak, with the Valyrian Steel Sword Heartsbane hanging at his waist. Lord Randyll stood before the city gate, and soldiers were digging pits and setting up iron caltrops and dragon's teeth.

A group of Beggar Brotherhood brothers and Septa gathered together, standing not far from Lord Randyll.

A scout riding a sweat-drenched warhorse arrived before Lord Randyll Tarly and dismounted.

"Lord Randyll, I saw a... an ice dragon."

Lord Randyll Tarly frowned, his forehead looking like deep gullies and canyons, "An ice dragon? I thought the Giant Bats were bad enough, and now there is an ice dragon? Are you sure you didn't see wrong?"

The scout shook his head, "I couldn't be wrong; I have seen Giant Bats too, they are black, but the skeleton of the ice dragon is covered with a layer of frost, and it looks white from a distance; how could I have seen wrong?"

Randyll's youngest son, Dickon Tarly, who is Sam's brother, stepped forward and said: "This must be the Undead sorcerer, the lackey of Queen Cersei, using Dark Magic to create monsters."

Lord Randyll snorted, "It is indeed the handiwork of the Undead in King's Landing, but I do not think that Undead sorcerer is Cersei's lackey; on the contrary, Cersei is more like the dog of the Undead sorcerer."

"The Undead sorcerer resurrected Rhaegar Targaryen and the death storm, and created the ice dragon and Giant Bats; Cersei may be completely unaware, but in my view, that Undead sorcerer has long since hollowed out Cersei."

Dickon said: "Father, I heard that Storm's End and Harrenhal are often attacked by Giant Bats, but they have never suffered an attack from an ice dragon. Why would the ice dragon come to kill at Tumbleton in the Reach?"

Lord Randyll pondered for a long time, "I cannot figure it out either; even a fool can see that Storm's End and Harrenhal have greater strategic value. If the Undead capture Storm's End, the Stormlands to the south cannot be held; if the Undead capture Harrenhal, they can not only directly threaten the Trident basin but also have the opportunity to slaughter the Magic Dragon of Stark in Harrenhal."

"What are they coming to attack Tumbleton for?"

At this time, a young Septa pushed through the crowd and came before Lord Randyll.

"Lord Randyll, the Undead are attacking Tumbleton for the Magic Dragon."

Earl Randyll had always looked down on the likes of Septas, singers, and Maesters; he felt that a man should rely on his sword to carve out a place in the world, and he felt only revulsion for a Septa who spent his days praying to the Seven like a woman.

When this young Septa actually rushed over to strike up a conversation, Earl Randyll's expression darkened.

"Septa, what nonsense are you spouting? Where in Tumbleton is there a Magic Dragon?"

Earl Footly, the Lord of Tumbleton standing to the side, hurriedly introduced him: "Earl Randyll, this is Septa Hartley; he is learned and talented, well-read in many books, and understands much knowledge regarding the Undead and Magic Dragons."

Earl Randyll said contemptuously: "A bookworm? What is so great about a bookworm? I have a son who looks like a pig, and he is also a bookworm who does nothing but read all day; I sent him to The Wall, and he is now a foster son of the Wolf King Eddard."

Earl Footly said: "Listening to Septa Hartley's prophecies can never be wrong. Septa Hartley can see things that will happen in the future by praying to the Crone."

"Previously, Septa Hartley accurately predicted the death of King Robert Baratheon, predicted the disastrous defeat of Renly Baratheon at Bitterbridge, and even predicted the Eye of Death and the resurrection of Prince Rhaegar Targaryen."

"Most crucially, three days ago, Septa Hartley predicted that a Frost Dragon would attack Tumbleton."

Earl Randyll was half-believing and half-doubting; he sized up Septa Hartley, who was delicate and frail, with a gaunt frame, golden hair, and amber eyes that were strikingly heroic.

"Septa Hartley, do you truly have the ability to prophesy? I warn you, if you dare to play the mystic in front of me, I will execute you immediately and hang your corpse on the city wall."

Septa Hartley said calmly: "I will not boast of what abilities I possess. It is only that when I pray, the Crone can use her lantern to light the path ahead for me, nothing more."

Earl Randyll was not convinced, but because he was surrounded by a crowd of Sworn Knights and Hired Knights, and he himself was a Knight, Earl Randyll naturally dared not openly question the power of the Seven.

"Very well, tell me, what future has the Crone shown you?"

Septa Hartley said: "The Frost Dragon will easily capture this town, and then the Undead necromancer will use a certain Dark Artifact to collect a certain power from Tumbleton to resurrect the Frost Dragon in Tumbleton."

Earl Randyll frowned, "There are no Magic Dragons here, nor are there any Magic Dragon skeletons; how could a necromancer come here to resurrect a Frost Dragon? How is this possible?"

Septa Hartley said: "But during the Dance of the Dragons, Tumbleton suffered two Great Wars, and three dragons—Seasmoke, Vermithor, and Tessarion—fell in Tumbleton. I believe the necromancer will collect the Dragon Souls in Tumbleton to use for resurrecting the Frost Dragon."

Earl Randyll asked curiously: "What use are Dragon Souls?"

Septa Hartley said: "The necromancer used souls to resurrect Prince Rhaegar Targaryen and the Eye of Death; I believe that when resurrecting the Frost Dragon, one must also collect Dragon Souls."

Earl Randyll stroked his Valyrian Steel Sword, Heartsbane.

"If that necromancer Ogbeta dares to come to Tumbleton, I will have a chance to kill him. I know the weaknesses of the Undead and have prepared Fire Arrows and torches; if the Undead dare to invade, I will deal them a fatal blow."

Septa Hartley was greatly shocked.

"This is too crazy; when the Undead attack, even a Warrior cannot provide the courage to fight. The wise course of action should be to retreat immediately."

Earl Randyll said: "If we retreat the moment the Undead attack, what use are we soldiers? The Wolf King Eddard holds Harrenhal, and Stannis holds Storm's End; if the Knights of The Reach flee before the Undead, would we not become the laughingstock of the Seven Kingdoms?"

Hartley pointed at the low walls of Tumbleton with his finger, "Earl Randyll's courage is commendable, but it is a pity that Tumbleton is not Storm's End, nor is it Harrenhal; this town is vulnerable before the Undead, not to mention that the Undead also have Giant Bats and a Frost Dragon to assist them."

"When Stannis faced the Undead attack, he voluntarily abandoned Haystack Hall, and other castles, concentrating his forces to hold Storm's End."

Earl Randyll said disdainfully: "The logic you speak of is understood even by a three-year-old, but where in The Reach is there a castle as majestic as Storm's End? If we retreat the moment the Undead attack, Tumbleton, Bitterbridge, Highgarden, Horn Hill, and Oldtown will all fall, and The Reach will completely become a land of the Undead."

"I know it is difficult for me to win this battle, but those who fear failure can never achieve victory; I would rather die on the path of the charge than die on the path of flight."

Septa Hartley was filled with admiration, "Lord Randyll, you are truly the incarnation of the Warrior. However, once you engage the Undead, corpses can turn into Wights at any time; if the Undead slaughter the city, they will create a massive number of Wights."

Randyll looked at the crowd nearby, "So why haven't you bunch of trash gotten out yet!"

"Tumbleton does not support idlers; if you are not a soldier, hurry and retreat to the west."

Fortunately, a large number of the populace had already fled the town days ago; the remaining hundreds of residents, under the leadership of Septa Hartley and Earl Footly, retreated toward Bitterbridge.

The next night, the Undead army appeared beneath the walls of Tumbleton.

The moon shivered in the cold night.

Earl Randyll Tarly stood on the city wall, shouting orders.

"The Undead fear fire; no matter how many Wights or skeletons they bring, as long as we keep attacking with Fire Arrows, the enemy will not be able to scale the walls."

Pits, caltrops, and iron spikes slowed the advance of the Undead.

The crossbowmen of The Reach fired Fire Arrows, lighting up the night sky and landing among the Undead; the pits had already been doused with olive oil, and upon meeting the flames, they instantly began to burn. Although not as intense as Wildfire, the heat of the flames was not to be underestimated, and the Undead died one after another, shrieking.

Just as the Knights around Earl Randyll were shouting in victory, a shadow of death obscured the sky.

The Frost Dragon Dream Fire obscured the night sky, and dark clouds swallowed the moon and stars.

The crossbowmen on the walls of Tumbleton felt a chill of terror.

Earl Randyll said: "There is nothing to fear from this monster; Magic Dragons do not fear fire, but Frost Dragons fear flames. Warriors of The Reach, show them some fire!"

Some Fire Arrows struck the Frost Dragon, bouncing off in vain as they landed; the Frost Dragon Dream Fire lazily spat out a breath of blue frost, and the first row of crossbowmen on the wall had their blood instantly frozen, dying on the ramparts before they could even scream.

Only a heartbeat later, the necromancer Ogbeta appeared in the night sky riding a Giant Bat; the Skull Scepter in Ogbeta's hand emitted bursts of blue light, bathing the corpses on the wall.

"Rise! Warriors of the Great Other, for the Great Other, slaughter madly!"

The newly dead defenders of The Reach immediately turned into blue-eyed living dead, crawling up from the ground one by one to become Undead crossbowmen, and began firing ice arrows at the human defenders of Tumbleton.

Randyll Tarly, under the protection of Dickon and Hyle Hunt, fled down the city wall.

"Father, we have no way to fight the Frost Dragon at all, let's flee quickly!"

Earl Randyll sighed, seeing that humans could not resist the Magic Dragon at all, and had no choice but to take the remaining soldiers, flee through the south gate, and head toward the Rose Road.

Several Giant Bats pursued from behind.

Ogbeta rode a Giant Bat and landed slowly on the ground of Tumbleton; the necromancer Ogbeta took out an urn and began to chant.

"Great Great Other, may you open your Eye of Death and let the Dragon Souls reappear in the world!"

Under the gaze of countless blue-eyed Wights, the Dragon Souls of three dragons appeared in the night sky of Tumbleton.

The three dragons all died during the second Battle of Tumbleton in the Dance of the Dragons: they were the Blue Queen Tessarion, the mother dragon of Prince Daeron; Vermithor, the mount of Jaehaerys I Targaryen, the Dragon of Bronze; and Seasmoke, the silver-grey Magic Dragon, mount of the dragonseed Adam Velaryon of Driftmark.

Among them, the Dragon of Bronze Vermithor was the largest Magic Dragon, his size being approximately three times that of the Blue Queen Tessarion and Seasmoke.

In many records of Magic Dragons in Westeros, Vermithor was the fourth largest Magic Dragon; the only ones ranked ahead of him were Balerion, Vhagar, and Meraxes, who participated in Aegon's Conquest.

The Frost Dragon Dream Fire let out a roar, using ice to destroy the walls and the Sept of Tumbleton.

The necromancer Ogbeta chanted his spell, and the Dragon Souls of Vermithor, Tessarion, and Seasmoke were all collected into the urn.

The necromancer revealed a ferocious smile.

"The Frost Dragon Legion is just around the corner!"

Thanks to 2023060680527, Wanbang Ryker Ju, and Drunkard Returning for Gold for the monthly tickets; thank you for your support!

(End of chapter)