Chapter 62: The Great Defeat of the Rockborn Army

Billy Stern watched the Northern Army's horse archers wreak havoc, his fury burning within him. He led the Rockborn army in pursuit of the horse archers, arriving outside Ice Valley.

Gewen, leader of the Frost Clan, grew suspicious. "This group of Northern horse archers, harassing us while retreating, seems to be baiting us. The path through Ice Valley is narrow; could it be that Eddard Stark has laid an ambush for us in the valley with the Northern Army? Leader Stern, we should send scouts in to investigate!"

Billy Stern said, "The Northern Army is unfamiliar with the terrain; how would they dare to ambush us in the mountains? Besides, we have unicorn cavalry. Even if Eddard Stark has ambushed many Northern soldiers here, I am not afraid!"

Fellan rode his warhorse to within a few dozen meters and shot Billy Stern's standard-bearer dead with an arrow. The Stern Clan's Floating Driftwood Banner fell to the ground, accompanied by the standard-bearer's screams.

The red-haired, pockmarked Fellan mocked, "Is there any Rockborn who dares to cross blades with me?" Fellan spurred his horse and led the horse archers into the valley.

Billy Stern was furious. "I must slaughter this red-haired, pockmarked brat! Charge!"

The Rockborn cavalry, unicorn cavalry, slingers, and infantry of the Stern Clan, Ice Dragon Clan, and Frost Clan entered Ice Valley.

Liddle, "Big Barrel" Wull, and Donnel Flint of the Northern mountain clans hid behind rocks on the mountain, watching the Rockborn army pass below.

Billy Stern led the Rockborn army in continued pursuit of the Northern horse archers. Seeing many pine branches piled up and scattered in heaps throughout the valley, he grew suspicious. Billy Stern smelled a strange odor drifting in the air.

Skagos was filled with the scents of sea salt, pine needles, and rock. The strange odor now coming through the air immediately alerted Billy Stern. "What is that smell?"

Ace, leader of the Ice Dragon Clan, took a sharp breath. "It is the smell of tar. Pine wood sprinkled with tar—these are all kindling!"

At this moment, a Rockborn riding on the back of a unicorn shouted loudly, "Lord Leader, a Northern Army camp has appeared on the hillside ahead!"

Billy Stern, on the back of his unicorn, shielded his eyes with his hand and saw the Stark House's Direwolf Banner fluttering on the high ground. In addition, there was Greatjon Umber's Broken Chain Giant Banner, Lord Rickard Karstark's Sunburst Banner, Lady Maege Mormont's Rampant Black Bear Banner, the Battle Axe Banner of the House Cerwyn, the Horse Head Banner of the Ryswell family of the Rills, and the Rusted Crown Banner of the Dustin House of Barrowton.

The Northern tents stretched for miles, with no end in sight, and the hillside was densely packed with crossbowmen. Billy Stern, Aisi Binglong, and Gewen Hanshuang felt a chill.

Billy Stern said, "We have been ambushed. Rear guard becomes the vanguard; retreat quickly!"

"Retreat!"

The order was passed down, but the Rockborn army had over twenty massive unicorns. Many unicorns were crowded together, unable to move, and could only slowly shift toward the valley entrance.

At this moment, three hundred mountain clan warriors on the mountains at the valley entrance pushed rocks down the mountain, which rolled into the valley. The rubble and rocks instantly piled into a small hill, blocking the exit.

Many Rockborn soldiers reached the mouth of Ice Valley and, seeing the path blocked by rocks, instantly fell into panic. Liddle, Donnel Flint, "Big Barrel" Wull, and others on the mountaintop led the mountain clan warriors and began attacking the Rockborn on the ground with rubble from the summit. Many Rockborn were struck, their heads bloodied.

Eddard Stark, in the Northern Army camp on the other side of the valley, stood beside the crossbowmen and raised his fist. "Loose!"

The crossbowmen released a volley of fire arrows, some of which landed directly on the Rockborn infantry, cavalry, and the slingers and crossbowmen on the backs of the unicorns.

Through mountain warfare, Eddard had already mastered some experience in dealing with unicorns. Unicorns possessed thick, rough skin, and ordinary arrowheads could not harm them, but fire arrows were different; unicorns feared fire.

Some fire arrows landed on the pine wood piles, and the tar-soaked wood instantly caught fire and burned. Flames surged, and the unicorns began to scream repeatedly, charging wildly. Many Rockborn infantry were trampled to death by the unicorns, and some Rockborn riding mountain horses were also pierced to death by the unicorns' sharp horns. Some maddened unicorns began to attack each other, and the drummers, riders, and Rockborn on their backs were all thrown off, landing on the ground.

Fellan led the horse archers to pursue the routed Rockborn enemy through the fire, shooting the chaotic Rockborn with arrows.

Billy Stern, riding on the back of a unicorn, saw the path at the valley exit blocked. He drew his longsword and shouted to the Rockborn, "Our retreat has been cut off! If we do not fight to the death, we will die here! Rockborn would rather charge toward death! Even if we die, we must kill a few more enemies!"

The desperate Rockborn army, encouraged by Billy Stern, regained their courage. After moving out of the archers' range, the unicorns saw that the fire had not spread and gradually adapted to the surrounding flames. The drummers on the unicorns' backs beat out the rhythm of a desperate counterattack: Boom! Boom! Boom!

Fellan's Northern horse archers were originally pursuing the Rockborn when suddenly a dozen unicorns let out roars. The Rockborn unicorn cavalry, infantry, cavalry, and slingers began to counterattack.

The unicorns began a fierce charge, and for a time the earth shook. The Northern horse archers were caught off guard; many warhorses were terrified by the unicorns' roars, rearing or rolling, throwing the horse archers from their saddles, only to be trampled to death by the unicorns' pillar-like legs. Some fallen horse archers were struck by stones thrown by slingers, their heads bloodied.

There were also Rockborn cavalry riding mountain horses, brandishing battle axes and broadswords, who charged in front of the Northern horse archers. The horse archers were slaughtered before they could even switch the bows in their hands for swords. Fellan had no choice but to lead the remaining horse archers to flee toward the high ground.

Jon Snow, Theon Greyjoy, and Domeric Bolton were all somewhat surprised to see the Rockborn actually begin a counterattack. Jon Snow said, "Lord Stark, these Rockborn actually dare to counterattack even knowing they have no retreat. The Rockborn are truly terrifying enemies."

Eddard said, "Enemies in desperate straits with no retreat, once they regain their courage, are often even more terrifying. However, we occupy the favorable terrain; the Rockborn's death throes will be of no use."

Billy Stern led the unicorn cavalry, infantry, and cavalry, killing their way to the high ground where the Northern Army was camped.

"Loose!" Seeing the Rockborn army enter range, Eddard issued the order.

A volley of burning fire arrows landed among the Rockborn, and the battlefield was filled with the screams of the Rockborn. Some Northern soldiers began throwing torches at the unicorns. The unicorns struck by torches and burning arrows quickly fell into madness again, and the unicorns began to attack and trample each other.

Gewen, leader of the Frost Clan, was struck in the arm by an arrow and fell from the back of his unicorn. The unicorn of Ace, leader of the Ice Dragon Clan, reared up, throwing Ace, the slingers, and the drummers on its back to the ground.

Watching the Rockborn warriors around him fall one by one, Billy Stern understood that everything was over. At this moment, a unicorn nearby knocked over Billy Stern's mount. Billy Stern jumped off in a panic, landed on the ground, and was immediately knocked over by a warhorse.

The red-haired, pockmarked Fellan stood in the firelight, aiming his crossbow at Billy Stern's heart. "Lord of Floating Driftwood Hall, Billy, leader of the Stern Clan, you are captured."

(End of chapter)