The ice-blue dragon egg lay quietly on the crystalline platform.
The cracks on its surface seemed deeper and more numerous than before.
But that faint ripple of life appeared to have vanished.
Had that intense, invisible clash just now exhausted its last wisp of vitality?
Lynn's heart sank like a stone.
You're kidding me, right?
I nearly died for this.
And now you're telling me it's done for?
No way. You hang in there.
Refusing to believe it, Lynn reached out again, gently touching the stone egg.
It felt cold and hard, just as before.
But this time, Lynn sensed something different.
Beneath that dead silence of cold, there seemed to be a trace of warmth—extremely faint, almost imperceptible.
Like an unyielding spark buried beneath ten thousand years of ice.
Lynn slowly infused his Ice Magic into his palm.
He wanted to see if it would trigger any reaction.
However, nothing happened.
The dragon egg remained like a stubborn rock, completely unresponsive to his power.
"Damn it," Lynn muttered under his breath.
Is it really hopeless?
Lynn thought back to what had just happened.
It seemed that the aura of dragonflame and magic within the Valyrian steel sword had saved his life.
Thinking of this, Lynn pressed the steel sword against the dragon egg.
This time, he not only channeled his Ice Magic but also poured the dragonflame aura from the sword into the egg.
Ice and Fire.
Two diametrically opposed forces were simultaneously injected into the fossilized dragon egg.
At that very moment.
A change occurred again!
The ice-blue stone egg gave a violent shudder!
Immediately after, the dragon scale patterns on its surface began to erupt with blinding light!
It wasn't the faint, flickering light from before.
It was a blazing, golden-red radiance that threatened to illuminate the entire cave!
Hummmm—!
A powerful pulse of life exploded from within the stone egg!
That pulse carried an unrivaled majesty!
The temperature inside the cave began to climb at an astonishing rate.
The platform carved from ice crystals started to melt.
The frost on the walls turned into water droplets, dripping steadily onto the ground.
Torren, Jason, and the others stumbled back in shock at this sudden transformation.
They stared in horror at the glowing stone egg.
It felt as though they were facing a volcano on the verge of eruption.
Only Lynn stood rooted to the spot, motionless.
His face was written with wild ecstasy!
He could feel it!
Inside that stone egg.
That life which had slept for millions of years.
It was waking up!
He had succeeded!
He had successfully activated this fossilized dragon egg!
By accident, he had simulated the legendary conditions of "Ice and Fire" required to wake a dragon egg!
Although the egg hadn't hatched yet, it was no longer a dead stone.
It was alive!
And as long as it was alive, the day would come when it would break its shell!
But now, Lynn had a new headache. The conditions for hatching a true dragon were even harsher. It required blood—and not just any blood...
Daenerys hatched her dragons using the blood of a maegi (Mirri Maz Duur), the blood of a king (Khal Drogo), and the blood of the dragon (herself and her unborn child).
Who could he use?
Hitch a ride with Daenerys?
Good idea.
But she's too far away.
Who to use for the maegi's blood?
Any random Archmaester from the Citadel should do.
King's blood? Robert would work perfectly, undeniable king that he is, but killing him is a bit difficult.
His son Joffrey should work too.
As for dragon blood... Lynn's first thought was Jon Snow.
The only people left with Old Valyrian blood were Maester Aemon, Jon, Daenerys, and Viserys.
But would it work? After all, Daenerys had that rare "Unburnt" trait...
This needs a long-term plan.
The light gradually faded.
The dragon egg returned to its ice-blue color.
But it was no longer cold.
Lynn could clearly feel a strong, rhythmic heartbeat transmitting from within it to his palm.
And with it, a thought filled with affection and reliance.
It... thought he was its mother?
Chicks and ducklings did the same.
It was a real possibility.
Lynn's expression turned a bit strange.
I don't have Targaryen blood. Even if I hatch it, will I be able to command it?
Forget it. One step at a time.
Thinking this, his anxiety lessened considerably.
Arya, having calmed down, looked curiously at the dragon egg. She didn't notice that Nymeria, at her feet, had her tail tucked firmly between her legs...
"My Lord..."
Torren's trembling voice pulled Lynn's thoughts back to reality.
"Is that... a dragon egg?"
Lynn withdrew his hand and carefully lifted the now-warm dragon egg from the melting ice platform.
He looked at Torren and the soldiers, whose faces were filled with shock, and took a deep breath.
He knew this secret could no longer be kept.
Moreover, he needed these people to guard a secret that could overturn the entire world.
"Yes."
"It has come back to life."
Lynn held up the dragon egg.
"This is the ultimate weapon we will use to fight the Long Night and burn away all darkness."
Everyone sucked in a cold breath.
This fossilized egg can actually birth a dragon!
Their faces showed even more shock than when they had seen the wights.
Dragons!
Those were the exclusive mythical beasts of House Targaryen!
The ancestors of the Targaryens were Valyrians.
Valyrians mastered fire magic and could control dragons, these powerful magical creatures!
House Targaryen was the last line of Valyrian blood, allowing them to control dragons too!
And their commander had actually found a fossilized dragon egg?
And seemed capable of hatching it?
This... this was simply unbelievable!
The way the soldiers looked at Lynn changed completely.
If before they held him in awe and trust...
Now, it was fanaticism!
A man guided by the Old Gods, a man who could even revive a legendary dragon egg.
He was no mortal.
He was a divine messenger sent by the Old Gods to save them, to save the entire North!
"My Lord!"
Torren was the first to drop to one knee. Holding his longsword across his chest, he spoke with utter reverence:
"I, Torren, swear by the Old Gods to follow you forever, until death!"
"We swear to follow you to the death, my Lord!"
The Northern guards behind him all dropped to one knee in unison.
The rangers of the Night's Watch looked at each other.
"We swear by the Seven to follow you forever, my Lord!"
Their voices were filled with fanatical loyalty.
Arya stared blankly at the scene.
Suddenly, an inexplicable sense of pride surged in her heart.
Lynn looked at the scene before him, his heart stirring.
From this moment on, this force belonged to him completely.
They were no longer just his subordinates.
They were his believers!
"Rise, all of you."
Lynn helped Torren up and addressed the others.
Then, he carefully wrapped the dragon egg in a soft piece of fur and held it tight in his arms.
"We should leave."
Lynn's gaze swept over the murals in the cave recording the history of the Long Night.
"But before we go, there is one more thing to do."
He looked at Torren.
"Burn this place to the ground!"
"Burn it?"
Torren paused.
"Yes."
A cold, ruthless light flashed in Lynn's eyes.
Clearly, he was still angry about being "ambushed" earlier.
Even though it was a blessing in disguise that granted him immense power.
It wasn't enough to quell his rage.
Without the System's novice protection protocol, he would be dead already!
And if he died, Arya would be married off to someone else.
Thinking of this, the fire in Lynn's eyes burned brighter.
Damn it.
"I don't care who this altar worships."
"I don't care what other secrets it hides."
"I just want it gone from this world completely!"
"As you command, my Lord!"
Torren asked no more questions and immediately led men to execute the order.
They moved half the oil they carried into the cave.
Then, they lit a hemp rope at the entrance.
Oil covered the entire cave floor.
As the oil ignited, a roaring fire consumed everything inside!
Holding the dragon egg, Lynn stood at a distance, watching the sea of fire indifferently.
His face was expressionless.
But inside, he was sneering.
Didn't you want to use this dragon egg as a trap?
Now the egg is mine.
And your altar is gone.
Let's see what other tricks you have.
Just as Lynn turned to leave.
A will filled with endless malice locked onto him from afar.
It felt like an invisible pair of eyes staring at him from the darkness.
Staring at him, and at the dragon egg in his arms.
Lynn's steps faltered for a second.
He didn't look back.
Instead, the corner of his mouth curled into a provocative smirk.
You, Night King, are thousands of miles away. Teleport here if you dare!
At most, you can send some minions to harass me.
I have a Valyrian steel sword!
Want to steal the dragon egg back?
Come and try!