{One Week later}
{Casterly Rock}
{Tywin's P.O.V.}
Tywin Lannister was a busy man. As Warden of the West and Lord of Casterly Rock, he had many duties, not counting his continuous need for intervention back in King's Landing. And just recently a new worry had just been added to his list. The apparent detour of the royal entourage who should have already left the Riverlands and instead nobody saw exiting it. He cursed that fool of a king for always being a nuisance with his instinctual actions.
'It wouldn't even be such a problem if he died but that fools brought with him the entire Royal family' the old lord lamented.
What if something happened to the party? All his future would be washed away down the river! For that reason, he had sent many spies all around the Kingsroad while some were part of the contingence itself. All contacts were lost with the latter after they passed the Trident while the former never saw the party pass the Riverlands' border.
He received word that his youngest, the dwarf, reached the Wall. If only the situations could have been reversed… but, by now, he had stopped believing in the Gods' graces… or even the Gods themselves, after Joanna…
The door of his solar was immediately thrown open by his master at arms.
"M'lord! T-There is a ghost in t-the courtyard!"
The man yelled absurdities as Tywin's thin patience was already depleted by his disrespectful behavior. Not to count his words that seemed more accurate for a madman than a member of his household.
'He is getting quite old. We may be in need of a new master at arms sooner than I expected…' he pondered in the loneliness of his mind. His only external reaction was to slightly raise his head from the papers.
"How much have you been drinking Ser?"
He asked even if the man lacked any redness on his face and instead sported an unlikely paleness.
"M'lord I swea-"
The man began before being interrupted by a distorted voice seeming to come from the walls themselves.
"HEAR ME LORD OF CASTERLY ROCK!"
Tywin immediately stood up and without a word immediately went to the window, opening it. The sky was fully obscured by clouds even if that same morning the weather seemed to promise a fair day. The lord's eyes immediately darted toward the courtyard but saw nothing. Then he rose his gaze and there he saw it.
A giant of a figure floating just under the clouds. Its whole body was covered by a silver trashed gown, not leaving much else to be seen apart from its hands which seemed almost skeletal. The whole figure seemed almost translucent as if it was… 'a ghost' the treacherous thought came to his mind. But then again, what was he looking at if not a ghost? If anyone described the scene before him, he would have called them mad and thrown them in the dungeon, but he was seeing it with his own two eyes, and hearing it with his own ears.
"YOUR KING IS OUR PRISONER! ALONGSIDE THE QUEEN AND THEIR CHILDREN! EDDARD STARK AND HIS DAUGHTERS ARE IN OUR GRASP AS WELL!"
The monster announced for all the Rock to hear as Tywin's fist clenched in rage.
"COME AND KNEEL TO YOUR NEW RULERS! THE KING OF DEATH AND HIS NIGHT QUEEN! BOW AND SWEAR LOYALTY OR FACE THE CONSEQUENCES OF YOUR DEFIANCE LIKE THE FOOLISH CROWN PRINCE!"
With those words the ghost took something out from his cloak and let it fall toward the courtyard.
"WE AWAIT YOU AT HARRENHAL!"
The ghost concluded as it floated upwards and disappeared into the clouds before said clouds dissipated leaving no trace of the ghost ever appearing.
Tywin didn't even have to order for the retrieval of whatever the ghost threw down. As soon as he turned away from the window, another knight barged into his solar, something draped in a black and blue cloth in his hands. Tywin just took the cloth and unraveled it revealing the severed head of one dead Joffrey Baratheon. This could mean only one thing. Everything the ghost said was probably true and in Tywin's mind that challenge could only have one answer 'this is war then!'.
"Tell the maester to call for the banners. We move as soon as possible. We are going to war."
The Warden of the West growled out as an old lion stirring in his lair, waking from a very long sleep. The Rains will weep once more, of that, he was sure.
{Winterfell}
{Robb's P.O.V.}
The acting Lord of Winterfell had his head between his hands as he didn't have the slightest idea of what to do. 'Why, why is this happening? What have we done to anger the Gods so…' he cried in despair.
The ghost, or White Walker, as many were already calling it, came the day before bearing news of his father's capture alongside his sisters. It demanded to come and bow to the King of Death and Night Queen, whoever they may be… hence why the men started calling it a White Walker. Many of the northernmen were a religious bunch and even if the ghost said that they should come to Harrenhal instead of beyond the Wall, it seemed to do little difference for the most devout, also meaning there was no way they would give in to their requests.
"Robb, I sent word to my father. We will get out of this."
His mother said as she entered in his solar before placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
"Mother… I do not know what to do… but I can't just stay here and… and do NOTHING!"
He yelled the last word in frustration.
"I-I will call the banners."
He finally declared after a few seconds of hesitation.
"Robb! You can't just march there! What if they threaten your sisters' or father's lives!?"
Catelyn vehemently protested.
"They have the Royal family mother! Do you think that my uncle and grandfather will not have the same result?! And I will be still here… hiding as a coward while my family is in danger! A disgrace to the Stark name! I may as well take the Black!"
He retorted angrily.
"Then I will come too!"
His mother declared eliciting a new sigh from the acting lord.
"Mother you can't… there is still Rickon here to care for and Bran… is yet to wake."
Her firstborn tried to argue back, and his reasoning seemed to move his mother and make her reclaim some sense.
"MY LADY, MY LORD!"
Maester Luwin barged in the room without knocking.
"Lord Bran is awake!"
He announced to the shocked duo who immediately stood up.
"Wait! MY LORD, MY LADY!"
The two didn't stop as the maester pleaded them to and instead ran toward the young boy's room. What awaited them was a bunch of servants restraining a crying Bran who was flaying his arms like crazy. His mother immediately went to him and embraced the boy who stopped flaying his arms but continued crying.
"Calm down my pup… everything is fine now…"
His mother whispered soothingly as Bran wept.
"I-I saw them…"
The boy whispered.
"What did you see Bran?"
Asked her mother curious.
"T-The Others!"
The boy almost yelled as new tears fell from his visage.
"T-They were in a h-huge, ruined castle… T-they had f-father, S-Sansa and Arya!"
The boy continued to the shock of everyone in the room. The only thing that made Robb return to his senses was the fast steps of Luwin coming closer. As soon as the old maester reached Bran's room, Robb already had a new order for him.
"Maester Luwin, call the banners! Tell them that their Lord and his family need them now more than ever. Tell them to march south as soon as possible. We will meet at Moat Cailin!"
He paused.
"And have my brother Jon recalled from the Wall. He shouldn't have taken his vows yet! Explain everything to him and tell him to reach us at Moat Cailin as well!"
That last order granted him a hard look from his mother, but he couldn't care less at the moment. Right now, they needed all the able men they could muster.
'Wait for me father, Sansa, Arya. I am coming for you!' the boy turned lord declared.
{Highgarden}
{Olenna's P.O.V.}
The Queen of Thorns sat on her favorite spot in her family's large garden, some untouched tea and cheese on the table in front of her. To say she was perplexed by the events of the last days would be a huge understatement. She was shocked and even quite unsettled by the apparition of what seemed to be a ghost in the sky.
That it announced the capture of the whole Royal family and Warden of the North seemed like a wild dream to her. It took some minutes for her to finally realize it wasn't a fevered dream or something like that. But when it did her brain immediately went in overdrive to try and realize what that meant. Her plans, so carefully crafted, went out of the window in a matter of seconds.
Now the Seven Kingdoms found themselves headless and with a new ruler claiming the throne by conquest if nothing else, but even then, it would be a strained claim. All they did was capture the king and every child of his, but the king had two brothers, and it was just the case that one of them was in their pockets.
This could be a possibility. A smile graced her face at the thought. Margaery would be queen if they managed to make sure the king and his heirs would not come out of here with their lives. Accidents happen in wars after all… and who would be mad enough to declare for Stannis anyway.
Yes, that seemed like a rather nice plan. But she had to tread carefully. The enemy was a complete unknown. Someone capable of great sorceries judging by the appearance they received.
'King of Death and Night Queen' such fairy tailish titles. They would make for a good song. The bards will have their fun with those two.
Still, she had to thank them in her heart. Otherwise, it would have been a hassle to secure the throne seeing how bent the king was on marrying his firstborn to that Stark girl.
"Mother!"
Called the boisterous voice of her disappointing son.
"What is it Mace?"
She asked, not even bothering to look at him.
"I have called for the banners. We will surely crush these claimants and their foul sorcerers!"
Her son proclaimed.
'As excited as a boy I see.'
"Have you made sure to give Lord Tarly command?"
She asked. She didn't even have to turn to see the smile fall from her son's face.
"I-I can siege Harrenhal just fine! I do not need that man!"
He proclaimed. Making Olenna sigh in disappointment once again.
"You sieged Storm's End and didn't even manage to take it, preferring to taunt them by feasting outside their walls. Harrenhal is far greater a castle than Storm's End, even as a mere ruin, and we have no idea of what those men are capable of."
She explained calmly.
"But-"
Before her son could retort she turned.
"Call him Mace and don't make a fool of yourself in front of the other lords."
Her hard tone seemed to force him down once more.
'Thank the gods Willas isn't like you…'
She still wondered at how that child or Margaery could come from the same idiotic man she had in front of her.
"Now leave. I have things to organize for when you return."
She dismissed her son easily.
'Now, where can I find the right men for the job… they must be the best, most loyal assassins we have, and they must make sure to kill all of them, even the Queen for good measure… an arrow went wrong or a slash blamed on the enemy should be enough to make short work of them' she began to organize a proper plan in her mind.
{Two Weeks Later}
{Satoru's P.O.V.}
He looked on as the future queen entertained the two royal children. Myrcella and Tommen if he wasn't mistaken. They were in the same age range after all. Tommen particularly seemed enamored with young Renner, always talking about how he would become a great knight. Myrcella was instead more difficult, but even she opened up after Renner began to share with her the passion of growing flowers.
It certainly did help that they were in an isolated area of Harrenhal, with a private garden and large rooms, away from the scary undead that patrolled the rest of the castle.
"We have so many knights fighting for us!"
The child said as he moved around the small wooden knight.
"Really? How many?"
Asked the future queen as she ruffled the child's blond hair making him blush.
"Thousands!"
He said energetically.
"Twenty-five thousand from the Crownlands and twenty thousand from the Stormlands. Father said it when he was talking about the Greyjoy Rebellion."
Myrcella added as she joined the other two on the ground with a pot of pretty yellow flowers in between her legs.
"Oh, with the thirty-five thousand from the Westerlands you truly have many soldiers under you!"
Answered Renner, seeming surprised as she gave a glance toward Satoru who just shrugged.
'Quantity is worthless without quality and considering the best they have are those Kingsguards Gazef killed with a single strike, there isn't much to fear… still that orichalcum blade the lord of the north had was quite nice… still, it wasn't even enchanted' he thought in disappointment at the apparent lack of a challenge.
'Still, maybe it is best like this' he considered glancing back at Renner. 'I swore I wouldn't let anything hurt her again after all'.
His thoughts were interrupted when one of his summons informed him of a situation.
"It seems we are needed elsewhere, Your Majesty."
He said as he stood from his reinforced chair. Tommen pouted.
"But I want to play!"
He whined, before Renner ruffled his hair once more.
"We will play more later. For now, I have things to attend to. See you later too, Cella."
She saluted both children as she followed Satoru out of the room.
"An important guest is here to see you."
The undead said as he escorted her to her solar.
He didn't need to explain who their guest was. They both spent the three previous weeks researching as much as they could on the kingdom they found themselves in. The castle's maester has been a great source of information alongside the many books in the library. They learned the basics of the Seven Kingdoms before the Aegon Conquest and all the misery under the Targaryen rule until Robert's Rebellion which brought them here. And it was this last one that gave them an idea of just which kingdom would be here to negotiate with them.
The door opened as Renner strolled inside, followed by Satoru. Inside there sat a man, black hair and eyes with an olive skin tone.
"Oh, am I in the presence of the Night Queen and her King of Death? To be fair I expected someone completely different judging by… the creatures I found outside."
Said the man in a casual tone.
'I can't still believe she used such a lame name… also, why in the world has she named me king? People are going to be so confused and it isn't good publicity to make others think I am doing things to a child… Ah this is such a mess!' the undead lamented as he felt his Emotional Suppression kick in.
"And who might you be?"
Asked the so-called Night Queen as she took a seat in front of the man while Satoru preferred standing.
"Of course, how rude of me. I am Prince Oberyn Martell, the Red Viper, at your service."
He saluted.
"I heard many things of Dorne, like how fierce their people are. So much that their rulers are still able to call themselves princes and princesses, and also… how poorly the last war has treated you."
Renner said calmly even as the man's eyes hardened at the reminder.
"Yes, I am pleased Your Grace would have heard of us."
This time he replied curtly.
"I think you are here to negotiate, so let us start without further ado."
Renner proposed, making Oberyn relax again in his seat.
"Dorne is ready to stay neutral in exchange for independence if Your Grace manages to defeat the other kingdoms, which are raising their banners and heading right here as we speak."
The man proposed as Renner seemed to ponder the proposal.
"I think I would enjoy more having the whole of the Seven Kingdoms under me. You may retain your titles and even be granted more if you submit without a fight."
Renner counterproposal didn't take long to be answered.
"My brother Doran thought you might say so and he already prepared an offer. Dorne will submit if we are to be granted three things… First, we want to see with our eyes the might of your army Your Grace. As we speak, the Riverlanders are already marching on Harrenhal and will be here in a matter of days, so you may have the occasion to show your worth."
The Prince began as he explained what Satoru already knew due to his patrolling wraiths.
"That is acceptable. What is next?"
Renner said without showing any surprise to the news.
"Second, we wish for Gregor Clegane and Amory Lorch to be granted to us once the battle is over, alongside Tywin Lannister."
He stated as his hard gaze returned.
"That is a troubling request. You realize that they may die during the battle, right?"
Renner explained the most natural outcome, making Oberyn sigh.
"That would be… acceptable as well, but we would like to have them alive."
The Prince stated clearly reluctant at the idea.
"We will see what we can do with that one. You may speak about the logistics with Satoru."
Renner said as she glanced at the masked undead.
"Third and final, we wish to know what is to be of the Seven Kingdoms under your rule."
The black-haired man asked as his gaze fixed on Renner.
"That is a troubling question. As queen, my first act would be to do what the Targaryen miserably failed at, creating a united Westeros, even if that meant reducing the power of the Lords Paramount. This is not negotiable. The problems of this whole continent seem to be rooted in its rulers' inability to create a unite front and even pushing for kingdoms to fight each other out of mere spite or amusement."
The Night Queen said honestly, not receiving any reactions other than a sigh from Oberyn.
"I see. Very well. I will remain here to see how you deal with the Riverlands then."
He stated as he stood.
'Uhm. He seemed to be satisfied, otherwise he would have left I guess' the undead thought.
"You will be assigned a room; I hope your coming here was unknown to the other kingdoms?"
Renner asked, eliciting a smirk from the Prince.
"Of course, Your Grace. I came here with barely a hundred men passing unobserved through the kingdoms calling for war. Officially, I am still in Dorne, readying five thousand men to come to assist the king."
He spat the last words as if it was venom, gaining a slight smirk from Renner.
"Very well, Prince Oberyn. Welcome to the Western Empire."
{3 days later}
{Oberyn's P.O.V.}
The younger Prince of Dorne always considered himself an open minded individual. From seeking the arcane to the strangest of positions during sex. But even he could hardly accept seeing dead men walking and, even more absurdly, speaking! He had only been in Harrenhal for a few days, and he already saw absurd scenes of said dead men working tirelessly day and night to repair the ruin that was Harrenhal. Every hour of the day he could see dead horses, nothing more than bones emanating a strange yellowish mist, pull in enormous quantities of materials in order to repair the walls. By the Gods, he saw dead men FLY around to repair the broken towers and he could swear that the dead turned out to be more and more every day.
He considered himself a good judge of martial skill but every time he looked at one of those armed monstrosities, he could only feel the fear of death crawl up his spine as soon as he thought about challenging them.
Instead, he limited himself to sparring with the only human knight of the Night Queen. Gazef was his name. Oberyn never suffered such a crushing defeat since he was a mere squire. The man was faster than the eye and his skill would have been enough to give Aerys's entire Kingsguard a run for their money. Hence why, to his shame, he was currently sparring with the young girl named Lakyus, her appearance so resembling of the accursed Lannister, but still she assured him, she wasn't related to them in any way.
At first, he thought he would take this chance to let out some steam and teach a trick or two to the younger lady, which resembled many of his own daughters in both spirit and demeanor. He was severely wrong. The girl almost ended up cutting his head off when he mocked her height. 'A fierce spirit indeed' he thought as he barely blocked one of her swings. He tried to retaliate with one of his lunges, but the girl danced around him, bringing her practicing sword to his neck.
"I was taught by the Warrior Captain Gazef Stronoff and the Blade Master Brain Unglaus, the strongest men in the whole of Re-Estize. You are far too slow to hope to match me."
She stated before pulling away her blade from his neck. 'Such a passionate dance. If you only had 3 or 4 more years, I may have shown you how to dance in bed' the prince thought as he put away his spear. In the meantime, all the dead men in the courtyard were now climbing on the walls.
"So, they finally decided to move?"
He wondered aloud. The Riverlands' army had stood unmoving just outside archers' range since that morning. They seemed to be waiting for something and it seemed like they finally decided to move. Oberyn himself was curious to see just what type of battle the dead men would put up against overwhelming odds such as this. After all, there couldn't be more than five hundred dead men, and few seemed capable of some kind of reasoning.
He put on a helmet, so to hide his identity, and went up to reach the King of Death, also known as Satoru, on top of the walls.
"Welcome prince."
The masked man greeted.
"Ah, Your Grace, it is good to find you well. I am curious to see how you would deal with these seemingly impossible odds with your few numbers, and the walls of Harrenhal I guess…"
The Prince stated as he saw the infantry advance, many long stairs in their hands.
'Hoping for an easy storming of the castle' Oberyn noted.
This was a big gamble on the Tully's part. If they managed to break in and open the gates it would all be over but if they didn't, they would lose much needed men. But seeing how few troops the newly named king had, the Tully had a great chance to break in.
He moved his eyes toward the dead men who seemed to stay put, not even bothering to put up any resistance or cover the unmanned parts of the walls.
"Such a pathetic strategy… oh well. Let them taste our welcoming gift."
The self-proclaimed king declared to no one in particular and before Oberyn could say anything the dark clouds covering the sky opened and a mountain of fire descended upon the incoming army. It seemed a surreal view to the prince. A giant stream of fire descending like a waterfall on ignorant men and then, as the fire collided with the ground, a deafening sound filled the air as if a thousand thunders stroke the same spot at once.
It took almost a minute for the smoke to clear and then, Oberyn saw the incarnation of the word destruction, as the earth was scorched, and the men were turned to ashes in the wind, alongside their armor and weapons. From the cloud, a group of rotting men descended toward the King of Death, bowing in what seemed to be reverence if not worship before leaving. Their part was apparently done.
'The next time a man speaks to me of magic being dead or nonexistent, I will fucking bash their skull open' the prince swore as he thought about the many, so called, learned men and their stands on magic.
"Now, it's time to put an end to this game."
As the King, spoke his troops immediately jumped down from the walls and, with inhuman speed, charged the remaining infantry and cavalry, too shocked even to run away. What followed were the raging cries of the dead and the desperate pleas of the living, extinguished one by one.
"Let it be known to all, that the magic caster known as Satoru, does not know defeat."
The King of Death said before disappearing into thin air, leaving a shocked and terrified beyond belief Oberyn Martell.
{Three weeks later}
{Robb's P.O.V.}
Robb Stark marched into the commanding tent followed by his half-brother and the imp of Casterly Rock who, once hearing of the events in the south, insisted to join them.
As expected, they were the last to arrive. The other lords already were gathered around a map.
"This isn't good. Harrenhal was already one of the greatest castles in all of Westeros as a ruin, now that it has been reinforced-"
The one speaking, Mace Tyrell judging by the rose on his armor, was interrupted by the dornishman next to him, a sun pierced by a spear on his chest.
"Reinforced?! They fucking built the thing back up! A siege could take years or even decades! You saw those things as well as I did! They certainly don't need food or drink!"
He spoke, making the lord of Highgarden go red in both embarrassment and fury.
"Calm down, Prince Oberyn."
His uncle, the Blackfish, tried to bring peace between the two. Even if he himself seemed to be on edge, and who could blame him? By now most of Westeros heard of the massacre of the Riverlands. Twenty thousand men butchered, not even able to reach the walls.
"The enemy is made out of dead men who do not tire nor stop when their limbs are cut off. This is no ordinary battle or siege, not counting that the enemy is capable of using fire sorceries. We lost half of our army to a rain of fire from the sky."
The Blackfish continued.
"How did you survive uncle?"
Asked Robb, making their presence known and gaining the attention of all in the room.
"I was going around the castle to infiltrate it if our initial attack failed. I saw my men burn to death and my nephew being cut down alongside the remaining men by those monstrosities… There existed no surrender of honor against those things. They will not stop until they killed everything in their path."
The Blackfish explained grimly.
"And they will receive none from our part as well."
Growled out none other than the Old Lion who was currently observing the field in front of the castle. Earth scorched black was all that remained of half of the Riverlands' army.
"Is good to see you father."
Greeted the imp, Tyrion, as he strolled toward his scowling father.
"Why did you bring him?"
The Blackfish asked harshly to Robb as his gaze fell on Jon who remained silent for all this time, surely worried for their family's sake.
"He is here because we need every able man to fight, and he is also my second in command. We were raised together and taught the same lessons. If, gods forbid, I fall, he can take command of the northern army and continue to push forward.
"We now have 30,000 men from the Westerlands, 20,000 from the Crownlands, 20,000 from the Stormlands, 50,000 from the Reach, 20,000 from the North and 5,000 from Dorne… this brings us to almost 160,000 men! An army Westeros never saw before! How could any of you expect us to lose?!"
Asked none other than Renly Baratheon who received an agreeing nod from the lord of Highgarden and a hard scowl from the lord of the Westerlands.
"We were expecting a clear day to launch an assault but in the last week I saw the clouds not even move from their position. I do not think this weather is natural."
Added Loras Tyrell.
"Are you implying the enemy can manipulate the weather?"
Asked the imp more curious than anything.
"The enemy is a sorcerer powerful enough to burn down 10,000 men with a single spell. Who knows what else can it do?"
Hardly answered the Blackfish.
"I may be no expert in the arcane arts but I have made my research as I came here and I consulted what the maesters have to say on the matter… if there is anything in common with every type of magic is that they are all taxing on the body and mind. It is said that the sorcerers of Qarth can summon fire at will, but it is merely enough to start a fireplace… whoever this sorcerer or sorcerers may be, they must use all their might to do something of that calibre, or they should be near their limit anyway."
Explained the Old Lion.
"Are you suggesting we send our men toward certain death to exhaust the enemy, Lord Lannister?!"
Asked Robb, annoyed at the idea of sacrificing lives like that.
"You are still green boy. Do not speak as if you understand what war entails."
The older man said, giving Robb a disdainful look. 'Now I understand why father could not stand this man' Robb growled internally. But to his displeasure, every other lord, his uncle included, nodded, some more eagerly, some more reluctantly.
"After we dealt with their sorceries, we should have nothing else to fear. Ser Brynden informed us that what was launched against his nephew were a mere 400 creatures. Be wary. 400 managed to crush 10,000 but we have over 100,000 men at our disposal. That should be enough to end them no matter how resilient they may be… we have enough men to cut them to pieces if it is needed."
Everybody agreed with this last statement from the Old Lion.
"We already agreed on our disposition. The Reach will fill the centre, the Crownlands and Stormlands will become our left wing while the Westerlands and the, now present, North will be the right wing… Dorne will be our rearguard… to avoid any possible attack from a possible external host."
Lord Tarly spoke, indicating on the map their positioning.
"What can I say, someone always needs to do that."
Said the Prince of Sunspear unapologetically, gaining a glare from all present in the room. It was no wonder Dorne would not even come near a fight for the king. Their presence was just enough to not consider their kingdom treasonous.
"Very well. Everyone get in position, we have scheduled the attack to be in two hours."
Ordered the Old Lion.
"Wait! We should try to negotiate first! There may be no need to fight if we can get them to reason."
Robb said. 'This is what father would do' he convinced himself in his head.
"You foolish boy! Do you wish to be burned down?! As soon as we get near, we are going to get killed!"
The Lord of Highgarden roared as most of the lords nodded in agreement.
"They would dare strike a parley party?"
Asked the action lord of the North.
"Do you think those things care for the judgement of the Gods?"
Asked the Blackfish sarcastically.
"Robb let me do it. If I die, it will be no great loss."
Jon spoke for the first time.
"No Jon, I will go. You stay back!"
Said the lord of Winterfell.
"But-"
"I command you to stay back as your Lord. Jon, you will not move from your post!"
He finally ordered. Jon seemed to want to protest once more but instead bit his tongue as he glared at his brother.
"Very well… My Lord."
He said before storming out. 'I will not lose anyone else!' Robb swore to himself.
{One hour later}
Robb rode hard for the gate of Harrenhal alone as he refused any lord who proposed to accompany him. He alone would take the risk.
"LET THE SELF-PROCLAIMED KING COME OUT! I AM ROBB OF THE HOUSE OF STARK! I DEMAND A PARLAY!"
He shouted as he reached the gates.
Nothing seemed to happen, and Robb started to wonder if they even understood him. Then, upon the walls, a figure appeared from thin air. It was huge, wrapped in a black gown with golden borders and a black mask covering its face, only two blue dots visible where its eyes should be.
Then more appeared. Horrible dead men without eyes, and in their hands were the three people they came here for. On the thing's right was his father and Robb was relieved, seeing him seemingly unharmed apart from the chains blocking his hands and feet. The same could not be said for the king and queen though. They were ghostly to say the least. 10 years older than the last time he saw them. They were wearing rags and were unimaginably filthy, their eyes seeming soulless.
"Welcome, Robb of House Stark. Did you come to swear yourself?"
The thing said calmly, his male voice reaching Robb even when so distant, as if he was just next to the self-proclaimed king.
"YOU ARE SURROUNDED! RETURN THE KING AND QUEEN ALONGSIDE MY FAMILY AND ANY OTHER PRISONERS AND YOU AND YOURS WILL BE JUDGED FAIRLY!"
He yelled back, his gaze locking with his father's.
"No, I don't think I will. Nor do I think you will judge me fairly due to your barbaric standards. Go back to your host and leave this place, else you will know nothing but death."
Robb didn't even respond before leaving. 'Father, Sansa, Arya resist just a little longer.' he prayed in his head.
{Satoru's P.O.V.}
He watched as the rider returned to his army. At the same time, Gazef, Lakyus, Arche and Renner joined him on the top of the wall.
He looked as Arche shivered after passing next to one of the Jailers Of Giudecca. They were more demons than undead in Satoru's eyes but the game still classified them as undead. They were said to be ruthless with prisoners, making them feel like they were in hell, but he was sure that was just some corny crap the devs wrote. The thing was they were his only summon that could be considered viable to work as a jailer.
He looked along the walls. All his 1.000 undead were ready. More than a month before he went to investigate the Trident and discovered why his spell seemed to work so differently there. Not even a meter under the earth there were thousands of corpses, probably remaining from the battle that took place not even 20 years before. From that moment on, for the last month, he visited that place and used his daily summons to raise all sorts of undead warriors and casters. Due to them being summoned by using corpses, they didn't despawn like regular summons, granting him the ability of slowly raising a small army of level 30 undead.
'Still, I didn't think there would be so many… well it should have been expected. After all, the Seven Kingdoms seem to be slightly smaller than Re-Estize and Baharuth combined' he thought as he analyzed the army before him.
"This is not going to be pretty. I suggest you leave if you feel like you can't watch anymore. It isn't a shame to not want to look at a hundred thousand men dying."
He said but nobody moved.
"Then, it is time."
He said in a solemn tone as magic circles appeared all around him in a radius of ten meters. He heard the faint gasp of shock from Arche as the others showed no less shock or awe.
"There are so many… what kind of tier is this?! The mental strain to sustain this would be…"
Arche mumbled as her eyes were wide as plates.
In the meantime, the opposing army began to move. The left wing went for the less defended walls while the right readied to charge once the first wave was getting the full attention of his troops, even if that wouldn't come to be.
'Even now that so many are going to die… I still can't feel any pity or guilt… no, this sensation is…' Satoru glanced down at Renner, the memory of her dead visage overlapping with her current one. 'That's right… this is… satisfaction… and they will all feel the same pain I did.' he thought darkly.
'Oh right, this is supposed to be a ritual so… Forgive me Ulbert, I will need to carry some of your roleplay.' he returned to reality as he pondered what to say.
"Hear me! Mother of monsters! Crusher of kingdoms!"
He began as he tried to put up his best acting skills.
"Accept this offering and bring ruin to my enemies!"
He continued as he activated his first level of passive aura.
"I invoke you! I call you! I summon you!"
His voice rose in volume.
"Come! [Iä Shub-Niggurath]!"
{Mace's P.O.V.}
It was an instant. He just blinked, and they fell, all of them. As if they were mimicking a wave, every last man and horse, lord and peasant, knight and scoundrel.
Lord Renly and his son as well, all down. After that, everything stopped. Every man on the battlefield just tried to understand why 50,000 men suddenly dropped, seemingly dead, for that could not be the truth.
But then something else happened. From the sky, something descended. A pitch-black giant sphere, just falling on the battlefield, upon those downed men. It popped like a bubble as soon as it touched the ground, engulfing in its dark liquid every last of the downed soldiers.
"W-What…?"
Mace heard one of his bannermen mumble incoherently behind him, but before anyone could say anything else, they came.
Rising from the pile of goo, tall as giants, with several goat-like hoofs serving as legs, sustaining a mess of tentacles and teeth.
Mace was unsure of what he was looking at, or if he was looking at something at all. Was this all a dream? But then they roared, all three of them, at the same time. It should have been funny for such a creature to cry out like a lamb but for some reason, he felt warmness go down his legs… oh, that was right, he just pissed himself, and probably shit himself too, in absolute fear.
And then they moved. Uncertain, like lambs taking their first steps, they moved… toward them… and then… as the screams began Mace knew… that was no dream… that was a FUCKING NIGHTMARE!
{Robb's P.O.V.}
He watched as the Reach's host was literally crushed. He just couldn't move. What could he even do? Charge? Fall back? To what end? There was just one outcome… death!
'Nothing but death' he remembered the thing, no, the monster's words 'Am I… going to die?' he asked himself. He always felt ready to die if it was for his family, but until now he never actually feared for his life once.
"R-Robb! Robb!"
He was slightly aware of his brother calling his name, but he could not bother to answer. Then he felt someone grab him and pull him away.
"Retreat! Fall back! Protect your lord and run!"
He heard the words of his brother as he felt like he was moving but still… what did it matter in the end?
{Tywin's P.O.V.}
50 years. He spent 50 long years in rebuilding the Lannister name and bringing it to heights they never saw since before the Conquest, and now it was all gone, literally crushed under hoofs of a thing not belonging to this world. His men fought, at first, then they limited themselves to scattering like rats running from a cat.
He and 100 of his most trusted were falling back as those things were still occupied with his men, but when he dared to hope he could get away from this hell, they were abruptly stopped by another host. A host wearing a sun pierced by a spear and with a madly smiling man at their head.
"The day of judgement has come… who guessed that if I wanted to kill a monster, I just had to bow to a far greater one?"
Rhetorically asked the younger prince of Dorne.
"And Clegane and Lorch are here too… this is such a wonderful day… now then, shall we dance?"
His maniacal grin intensified.
{Satoru's P.O.V.}
The undead stayed silent as he watched the three Dark Young wash away the army as if it was but a bunch of ants.
"To think, you went through this…"
Gazef said, a solemn look on his face. Lakyus just averted her gaze.
"Is this the h-highest form of m-magic?"
Mumbled Arche as she trembled all over, Satoru just placed a hand on her shoulder, slowly calming her down.
"I do not have an answer for that, but learn this Arche, great power leads to great responsibility… and those who cannot bear it, will be crushed."
The young girl nodded averting her gaze at last.
Renner… Renner just continued to look, as if this was a show and her the spectator. She gave him a glance and just took his hand in hers as she resumed her silent watch, a flat expression on her face.
"What kind of demon are you?"
The faint gruff voice said. It took a moment for Satoru to understand where it came from, but at last he turned to the chained king.
"Excuse me?"
He asked.
"What kind of demon ARE YOU?!"
The king seemed to regain some of his strength for a moment as he yelled.
"Oh, I am afraid you are mistaken."
Satoru began as he removed his mask with his free hand while his gloves disappeared showing off his skeletal visage and hands. His robes opened to let the world see his white ribcage and the World Item it housed.
"I am no demon! I am undead!"
He declared to the king whose eyes lost all semblance of sanity.
"Just take it… the crown… the kingdoms… take it all… this is what you want right? Then take it… and let me be…"
He said, his dead tone making Satoru feel slightly bad for his little show… but in the end… they deserved it. For Renner and for his heart. This was retribution!
{One Month Later}
{King's Landing}
{Varys' P.O.V.}
The Master of Whispers, also called the Spider, in more than 20 years of service to the crown, may it be held by a mad or idiotic man found himself at a loss.
Everything went to shit, to use one of the last king's favorite words. Daenerys was still stuck with the Dothraki and Aegon didn't even proclaim himself alive, and yet, the Seven Kingdoms have fallen to an unstoppable force led by a sorcerer, nonetheless.
His little birds singed of impossible songs. Of 50,000 men slain in the blink of a second. Of giant black demons of unspoken physiology marching and splattering every living thing in their way. All of his birds spoke the same thing or else Varys would have not believed it. The few survivors were said to be mad, trying to kill themselves or gouge out their own eyes to not have to see ever again. They spoke of farmers slaughtering all their cattle for they could not bear the sounds they made.
'And yet, I am still here' the spider said as he observed, with his own eyes, the dead soldiers marching through the street of King's Landing, no one daring to even put-up minimal resistance. Varys doubted that they would even if the letter saying to not do so from Robert wouldn't have come.
'And so, magic once again rips apart my life' he said as he wondered if the Gods really took so much pleasure in playing with him.
It didn't take much for the procession to reach the Red Keep. The new banners were already hanging, to signify their surrender. A dragon's skull on a field of black with two crimson bands, one on its left and one on its right. A peculiar symbol, one that was reminiscent of the old ruling house.
Varys made for the Throne room. There, just outside the doors stood the lords paramount.
'Or those who can still claim to have a right to call themselves so…' he added in his head. Alongside the remaining part of the Small Council. 'If something good came from this, it is that Littlefinger ran away in a hurry, probably seething in anger and confusion' only imagining that scene brought a light smile on the Spider's face.
But then the King and Queen came, alongside their entourage. They would have not been considered much at first sight. A warrior, a girl more resembling a Lannister than anything, another girl who seemed affiliated with the faith judging by her manner of dressing, the new child Queen with her piercing blue eyes and pale skin. 'No wonder they think of her as one of the Others' he admitted. But the one who truly brought out attention to the group was the new King, and King of Death didn't seem such a fancy title anymore once you met him in person, or so Varys thought. White bones and crimson flames in the place of eyes, as high as the Mountain That Rides and wrapped in the most divine of gowns. Even his movements seemed royal in a strange way.
Varys heard small murmurs behind him as the king simply passed them all silently, entering in the throne room. As was customary, he advanced toward the Iron Throne. 'At least this time we didn't have to go through that excuse of a ceremony in the Great Sept.' Varys said to himself as he remembered the panic the Faith was currently in, torn between declaring the king a monster, spawn of the Seven Hells, and fearing for the consequences of such an action.
"What an ugly thing, such a soreness for the eyes."
The comment was spoken loudly and clearly from the so-called Night Queen as she scowled at the throne of Aegon the First.
"On that we agree Renner. I have a far better option in mind."
The King of Death spoke for the first time, his voice fascinatingly human even if of a dark tone that Varys was sure no man possessed.
Then the impossible happened. The king raised only one finger toward the Iron Throne, and it shattered into millions of pieces which disappeared into thin air as if it never was there to begin with.
Shouts of shock and horror pervaded the hall as the symbol of the unification of Westeros was no more.
The king stepped up to the non-existing throne and made it as if to sit, and from nowhere a new throne appeared under him, far grander and made out of an unknown metal, fully incased in a dark purple crystal of unknown origin.
"This is far better."
The king said to no one but himself as the queen made to sit on the king's lap. An almost comic scene if not for the circumstances of the events taking place before the Spider's eyes.
"Now present yourself, lords paramount!"
The queen ordered as the assembled lords could do nothing but obey.
"Prince Doran, Lord Paramount of Dorne."
Said the middle-aged man in the wheelchair, currently being escorted by his brother Oberyn. Both Princes bowed their head in a sign of respect.
"Willas Tyrell, Lord Paramount of the Reach!"
Exclaimed the young man as he and his grandmother just behind him went down in an elegant bow.
"Tyrion Lannister, Lord Paramount of the Westerlands!"
Announced the dwarf, now turned lord after the death of his father, kneeling as best he could with his body.
"S-Shireen Baratheon, L-Lady P-Paramount of the S-Stormlands!"
Almost cried out a stammering, disfigured young girl. 'It was said that Dragonstone suffered a great fire a month ago… the poor child is the only one remaining of her family' the Spider thought as he felt some pity for the girl. 'Still, she seems to have her faithful onion knight with her' he assumed, glancing at the older man kneeling alongside his lady.
"Walder Frey, here in the name of Hoster Tully… Your Grace, we are going to need a new Lord Paramount soon, as Lord Tully is old and sick and without any heirs."
The parasite of a lord said bowing respectfully, certainly in hope of receiving such a title himself.
"Eddard Stark, Lord Paramount of the North."
Said the last lord in the room who reluctantly bowed as well.
"Your Grace-"
Began Barristan Selmy before being shut by a glare of the new queen.
"Do not speak without my permission sir knight."
She said harshly as she seemed to find a new comfortable spot on her current… seat.
"As of now, both Kingsguard and Small Council are disbanded. There will be no exception to this."
That shocked everyone. Not even Aerys the Mad ever suggested something like this.
"As for the Lords Paramount present today, you are hereby reassigned to your previous posts. Be warned that any more uprising or revolts will be met with drastic measures."
She continued.
"For all those who are not here currently… The Vale's situation is to be further analyzed as they did not move against us or in our favor."
She began and Varys had finally to concede that she was good. Very good for a child of not even 10 namedays. She knew perfectly how to play and she was now dominating for she had every card in her hand.
"Balon Greyjoy has declared the Iron Islands independence… I assure you that by the next month the Iron Islands will only be a name in the history books. Let this be a lesson for all."
She said stoically.
"Shella Whent, come forward."
She then commanded as the frail looking woman came forward trembling.
"As of now the Riverlands will not need a Lord Paramount as I have decided that the rebuilt Harrenhal will be the new Royal Palace. It is far more central and worthy of being my residence than this dumpster you all call a capital."
Again, shocking noises filled the hall. Walder Frey seemed to want to say something but stopped in his tracks.
"The Crownlands and Dragonstone will become the new Easterlands and will be ruled by my loyal friend and noble Lady Lakyus Alvein Dale Aindra."
The queen continued, uncaring of the reaction of her new subjects, while waving at the girl resembling a Lannister in appearance.
"The Kingsguard is forever! We cannot be dismissed! We swore an oath for life!"
Apparently not being able to contain his anger and frustration any longer, Barristan Selmy bellowed for all the hall to hear. The queen didn't even glance at him.
"Very well. You will serve me as well, if you insist so."
She said, confusing some of those who thought her ruthless. In the next moment, as if appearing out of nowhere, one of the dead creatures appeared behind Barristan, and before anyone could say anything, cut off his head.
Some men and women screamed but apparently the best, or worse, was yet to come as the king rose his hand and the body of Ser Barristan was swallowed by darkness before said darkness began to morph until it formed a new dead creature identical to the one who just killed said knight.
'By the Gods…' Varys could not help to think otherwise as even he had a shocked expression on his face as this all happened.
"Now you can serve me, and interrupt me no longer…"
The queen said for all to hear.
'A monster… Maegor would have been considered a saint if compared to this one…' the Spider could not help but think.
"As a gesture of gratitude from me, Lady Shella will still be considered the Last Lady of Harrenhal, as for, when she will die, its name will be Queen's Heart."
The girl continued as if nothing happened. 'A mockery of the capital? A reference to it being on the center of Westeros? Or some other hidden message?' once again the spymaster found himself speechless and with more questions than before.
"Now… In these past months I have also learnt of a… troubling habit of yours… You lords apparently enjoy backstabbing each other and aiming to sit on the throne… you call it the Great Game I think…"
The queen smiled at them while talking in a sweet tone as if reprimanding children who didn't know any better.
"Let me say this once. If something happens to me, or any of my entourage, Satoru, your king, will use once again that spell many of you saw back at Harrenhal, and this time, the young lambs will not go for your armies, they will trample every last one of your fortresses and your loved ones along with them… am I understood?"
She asked rhetorically as no one dared to even raise their head.
"The spell I used is based on a sacrifice. The larger the sacrifice, the more lambs will be summoned we could say…"
The dark chilling tone of the King of Death filled the hall once more.
"So, I managed to summon 3 by using 50,000 men. Think about how many I could bring to this world if I used the 1 million souls in this city…"
The king mused as some of the lords began to shudder in fear.
'This is it… the end, what else can be done?'
The Spider never believed in Gods. Not really. He believed there was something out there, the thing he saw in the flames, but he never thought there could be a being worthy of the title of God as men imagined them.
And yet, what else could he call the being sitting on the throne? Someone who could kill millions in one moment and unleash hell upon the remaining world. Was this not a God? Many would have said Demon fit that being better, but what really was the difference? In the end the result would be the same, regardless of the name.
"But that is enough for now. As any well-trained horse, we need to use the whip as well as the carrot… we now gave you a taste of the whip, but we also want to show you the carrot…"
The God of Death said, as one of his creations, robed in a jet-black ragged gown, approached Prince Doran, its putrid hands extended.
"For your great service to us, and their immediate show of loyalty, we reward house Martell with a gift of our own."
The king said as a green light washed over Doran who gasped in what seemed to be surprise.
"Now rise, Doran of House Martell, Rise and acknowledge your rulers!"
The God commanded and, to the shock of all who knew of his condition, the eldest prince stood easily from his seat. As surprised as everyone or maybe even more, but, with just an instant of hesitation, he immediately knelt alongside his younger brother.
"Remember this, lords of Westeros! The whip may lash hard, but the reward can be as sweet and grand as your most wild dreams!"
He proclaimed, casting the final nail in the coffin.
'And so, they can be as magnanimous as they are cruel. Are these not the Gods you all were so much awaiting?' asked the spider to no one with all the spite he could muster. But he will not give up. If he wanted what was best for the realm, he will need to make the realm earn it as the Gods demanded.
"Welcome lords, welcome to the Western Empire."
The Night Queen declared with an impish smirk as her King of Death gently caressed her head.