Autumn rain blanketed Westeros in a curtain of mist, while dark clouds smothered the sky.
The farther north one traveled, the heavier the air became with moisture, and the colder the winds grew.
The Riverlands, in particular, received endless rainfall during this season because of its unique geography.
None of that mattered to the giant dragon soaring high above the clouds.
Down below lay the storm.
Above it stretched a sky illuminated by the bright moon.
---
Time passed as Karl and Robert cut through the night sky.
Eventually, through a break in the clouds, Karl spotted a rugged bay below and the mighty fortress of Casterly Rock, perched atop its colossal stone cliff.
He gently pressed against Robert's neck.
The dragon immediately folded its wings and dove.
The peaceful moonlit sky vanished as they plunged into the thick rain clouds, as though diving beneath the surface of a vast lake.
The clouds were cold, damp, and filled with unstable electrical energy.
Positive and negative charges continuously shifted within the storm as changing winds forced the clouds together.
Lightning was inevitable.
As Robert pierced through the storm...
He became the final trigger.
Crackling electricity instantly gathered around them.
Karl calmly raised one hand.
A flash of magic leaped from his fingertips.
A cage of lightning enveloped both rider and dragon.
The surrounding electrical charge was instantly redirected into the magical barrier before exploding outward in a brilliant bolt of lightning.
Wrapped in flashing arcs of electricity...
The dragon burst through the storm clouds.
---
Heavy rain poured endlessly across the night.
Suddenly...
A deafening clap of thunder echoed overhead.
People instinctively looked toward the dark sky.
The lightning flashed.
Darkness returned.
Then...
Illuminated by another streak of silver light...
A gigantic dragon wrapped in crackling lightning descended from the heavens.
Before anyone could decide whether their eyes had deceived them...
A mighty dragon's roar shattered the lingering thunder.
ROAR!
Unlike thunder...
The dragon's cry was deep, powerful, and alive.
It sent a primal shiver through everyone who heard it.
"It's Robert!"
"King Karl's dragon has returned!"
The guards stationed atop Casterly Rock recognized the beast immediately.
After the battle in Lannisport Bay...
Robert's enormous figure had become impossible to forget.
There was only one dragon like that in the Seven Kingdoms.
As more people rushed outside...
They watched in awe as the giant dragon descended through the storm, lightning continuously dancing across its scales.
Gasps spread through the crowd.
---
Robert circled high above Casterly Rock.
Cold rain poured over his body.
Yet his immense heat instantly evaporated every drop that touched his scales.
Clouds of white steam surrounded him.
Half hidden by mist.
Half revealed beneath flashes of lightning.
The great dragon looked less like a living creature...
And more like a legendary beast descending from the heavens.
Every sweep of his wings left long trails of white vapor behind him.
The rain extinguished them...
Only for new ones to form moments later.
The guards knew Robert had arrived.
Yet the dragon didn't land.
Instead...
He continued circling above the castle before roaring once more.
This time...
It sounded almost impatient.
As if urging someone to hurry.
---
Deep inside Casterly Rock...
Tyrion Lannister was jolted awake by the thunder.
Still wrapped in the warmth of his bed, he muttered a few complaints.
Then he heard the dragon's roar.
His mismatched eyes flew open.
"A dragon?"
He immediately looked toward the window.
Robert had accompanied Karl ever since leaving Highgarden.
Later...
They had traveled together to Oldtown.
Why had the dragon suddenly returned alone?
For only a moment...
Tyrion was puzzled.
Then...
He remembered the war report that had arrived from the North earlier that day.
Realization struck him.
Without another word, he jumped from bed.
Before he could even finish dressing...
Two guards burst through the door.
"Lord Tyrion!"
"His Majesty King Karl has returned!"
"He's waiting outside!"
Tyrion hurriedly pulled on his trousers.
"Where is he?"
"Did he come on Robert?"
"Yes, my lord."
"His Majesty is waiting in the Stone Garden."
"The dragon landed there."
Not even bothering to search for his shoes...
Tyrion tightened his belt and hurried out barefoot.
As they hurried through the castle, he glanced toward the dark sky.
"What time is it?"
"How long until sunrise?"
"About three hours."
"Though..."
"I'm not sure we'll even see the sun today."
Tyrion's heart sank.
---
Casterly Rock's Stone Garden served as its godswood.
Ancient weirwood trees twisted unnaturally among the rocks.
Their roots crawled through cracks in the stone like enormous serpents.
Few other plants survived there.
In the darkness...
The place felt haunting.
Lightning occasionally illuminated the garden.
Making every tree resemble a silent ghost.
Standing at the edge of the rain...
Tyrion peered into the darkness.
As if sensing his arrival...
Robert lifted his massive head.
A torrent of dragonfire erupted skyward.
Compared to months before...
The once orange flames now carried faint streaks of blue.
The scorching heat instantly vaporized the falling rain.
Steam exploded upward.
For a brief moment...
The entire garden glowed with fiery light.
Karl sat atop Robert's back.
Clad in emerald dragon armor.
Perfectly still.
After nearly twenty seconds...
Robert finally stopped breathing fire.
Darkness returned.
Only the afterimage of the flames remained in everyone's vision.
Then...
A soft white light appeared above Karl.
A radiant sword of pure light floated into the air.
It wasn't especially bright.
Its gentle glow flickered through the rain.
Because Karl sat so high above everyone else...
The floating sword appeared to hover directly behind his head.
Like the halo surrounding the statues of the Seven.
The sight left everyone speechless.
Tyrion swallowed unconsciously.
Without hesitation...
He stepped barefoot into the rain.
Lowered himself onto one knee.
And bowed deeply.
"I greet King Karl El."
"Tyrion Lannister awaits your command."
Unlike most people...
Tyrion addressed him as Karl El rather than King Karl Baratheon.
He knew Karl cared little for the Baratheon name.
Karl gave a slight nod.
He hadn't intended to create such a spectacular entrance.
He had simply been in a hurry.
"Tyrion."
"You've heard what's happened in the North."
Tyrion nodded without lifting his head.
"I have, Your Majesty."
"Are you heading there?"
"Yes."
"The situation surrounding Robb is too strange."
"I have a bad feeling."
"I intend to investigate personally."
"But before I ride north..."
"I'm paying a visit to the Iron Islands."
Karl's voice became colder.
"I'm here tonight to tell you something."
"By tomorrow morning..."
"I will destroy every military force on the Iron Islands."
"And every longship capable of sailing."
"After that..."
"I want you to send troops."
"But not to invade."
"Surround the islands."
"Allow no one in."
"Allow no one out."
"Do not negotiate."
"Do not communicate."
"Simply wait."
"They may surrender."
"That will be the only path I leave open for them."
Karl delivered every order without pause.
His calm tone made the words even more chilling.
Tyrion was momentarily stunned.
Even so...
He bowed deeply.
"I will carry out your orders without fail, Your Majesty."
Karl nodded.
"Good."
"That's all I came to say."
"Await my further instructions."
He paused briefly.
Then delivered the final judgment.
"When the majority of the Ironborn surrender..."
"Every member of House Greyjoy is to be drowned."
"I don't wish to see a single one of them left alive."
The fate of the Iron Islands...
Had been decided.
Karl raised one finger.
The floating sword of light shot into the clouds like a meteor before disappearing into the storm.
He gently patted Robert's neck.
The dragon roared.
Spread his wings.
And launched into the sky.
Ancient weirwood roots cracked apart beneath the force of his takeoff.
With a single powerful glide...
Robert cleared Casterly Rock.
The people of Lannisport watched as the dragon circled overhead one final time.
Another stream of dragonfire lit the heavens.
Then...
With several mighty beats of his wings...
He disappeared into the clouds.
---
The rain had grown lighter.
Cold drops continued striking Tyrion's face.
He wiped away the water and tried to stand.
A sharp cramp shot through his leg.
He stumbled backward and landed squarely in a muddy puddle.
As he grimaced in pain...
He noticed something.
Every guard who had accompanied him...
And every soldier who had arrived afterward...
Was still kneeling in the rain.
None of them had moved.
Tyrion couldn't help smiling bitterly.
"Someone..."
"Help me up."
"My leg has cramped."
Several guards hurried over.
One carefully lifted the soaked dwarf to his feet.
One of them asked hesitantly,
"Lord Tyrion..."
"Is King Karl truly... a god?"
The guard still couldn't erase the image of Karl descending through the storm.
Tyrion remained silent for a moment.
Then answered quietly,
"Whether he is..."
"Or whether he isn't..."
"Remember only one thing."
"He is our king."
The guards exchanged uncertain glances.
None of them argued.
Tyrion, meanwhile, had no time for further discussion.
Shivering from the cold, he immediately began issuing orders.
"Prepare hot water."
"And dry clothes."
"Summon Ser Sandor Clegane."
"Bring Shagga."
"And Timett."
"I want all of them at Casterly Rock immediately."
"Explain everything you've seen tonight."
"Also gather every captain we've appointed recently."
"We have important work ahead."
Karl's orders had already sealed the fate of the Iron Islands.
The Ironborn had only two choices.
Submit completely...
Or perish.
As for House Greyjoy...
Their future was already written.
Either the other Ironborn would abandon them...
Or they would all drown together beneath Karl's judgment.
Those few calm sentences had already decided the history of the Iron Islands.
The soldiers hurried away to carry out Tyrion's commands.
Before long...
News of King Karl's arrival on dragonback spread throughout Casterly Rock and Lannisport.
Along with it...
Spread word of the coming judgment upon the Iron Islands.
As dawn slowly approached...
The rain finally ceased.
A crimson glow appeared in the eastern sky.
Far across the sea...
The peaceful Iron Islands welcomed an unexpected visitor.
The island of Pyke, nearest to Casterly Rock, basked beneath a clear morning sky.
The storm had already passed.
Fishermen set sail.
Warships resumed their patrols.
Life continued as usual.
Then...
Someone noticed a tiny black speck on the horizon.
It grew larger.
And larger.
"What is that?"
People shaded their eyes against the rising sun.
As the object drew closer...
Golden light reflected brilliantly from its enormous form.
"It looks like..."
"...a dragon."
________________________________________
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