Ice and Fire: Reign of the Dragon.

Chapter 450 Preparing to Meet the Enemy
Black Castle, drill ground.

A biting wind howled, whipping up the snow that had accumulated on the Great Wall. The Night Watchmen's black robes fluttered in the wind as they looked up, their pupils reflecting the terrifying shadow in the sky. The grotesque black body of the Shadow Nightmare descended like a nightmare, black flames seemingly flowing between its jagged bones, like a cursed dragon skeleton resurrected.

As the old man slowly climbed down from the dragon's back, the entire Black Castle fell into a deathly silence.

That was Ray Vareses, the living legend of the Vareses family.

His silver hair was already thinning, and wrinkles were deeply etched into his pale skin like knife cuts, but his purple eyes were still sharp as swords, as if they could see through everything.

"Nonsense!"

A roar shattered the silence. Dan Vareses strode forward, the dark green Centaurus growling behind him as its butterfly-shaped tail hammer slammed heavily into the snow. His face was etched with anger and worry; the dragon rider who had slain the most dragons during the Blackfyre Rebellion was now an old man.

"You should be resting in Dragon's Nest, Uncle!" Dan's voice was almost a roar. "This war shouldn't be fought by you!"

Even the usually jovial Luslis's smile vanished, a rare seriousness appearing in his purple eyes. He strode forward, his voice low and urgent: "Grand-uncle, it's too dangerous here for your health."

Lei Geng didn't say anything, but reached out to help the old man. He knew that Lei's personality was actually the worst among the three brothers, and normal persuasion was ineffective. The only way was to forcibly take Lei back to Dragonback and send him back to Dragon Nest City.

However, the old man simply raised his hand slightly.

"enough!"

Ray's roar was like a thunderclap, freezing everyone in place. His gaze swept over the crowd, finally settling on the area north of the Great Wall, where the savages' torches stretched like a galaxy to the horizon, and in the darkness further away, a chilling blue tide was slowly approaching.

"The long night is coming, and every dragon knight should take responsibility."

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable authority.

“I have experienced the Dance of the Blood Dragons and witnessed the Blackfyre Rebellion.” He paused, a hint of pride flashing deep in his purple eyes. “I followed my brother back alive from the ruins of Valyria, bringing back immense power. My brother fulfilled his duty, and I should also pay the price for that power.”

“And now, the White Walkers have returned, the ice dragons have awakened in the north, and I…” He slowly drew his Valyrian steel longsword from his waist, the blade gleaming with magical light in the snow: “I will never hide in the warm Dragon's Nest and wait to die.”

The drill ground was completely silent.

Even the unruly Mekka Targaryen fell silent, clutching his wounded chest. The sheep thief growled behind him, as if sensing his master's emotions.

Finally, Joniel took a deep breath and stepped forward: "We cannot deny an old man's wish."

Ray glanced at him, a slight upturn at the corners of his mouth revealing an almost fanatical smile.

"Kid, it's not a wish, it's a responsibility."

He turned and looked northward at the gradually clearing stench of decaying waters, an ocean of ghouls, a harbinger of the long night.

"Because of this time."

Shadow Nightmare spread its jagged bone wings and let out a deafening roar.

"We will never lose."

The old man seemed to have become fifty years younger. Even though he had become thin as a skeleton, the "young" dragon knights present still felt his majesty and power.

The "Free People" finally reached the Great Wall. Commander Daniel Mellist ordered the ancient gates of the Ice Tunnel to be opened, allowing these people, who had once been excluded by this high wall, to enter.

When the first savages crossed the Wall's massive ice tunnels, fear and chaos spread like a plague. The free people, who had once faced such a magnificent human creation as enemies, never imagined they would one day traverse it as refugees.

The leading giant, hunched over, squeezed through the doorway, his thick, frost-covered fur almost touching the tunnel ceiling. Several young Night's Watch recruits retreated in fear, their spears trembling slightly. "Back off! Back off!" a black-clad brother shouted sharply, but his voice was so weak amidst the giant's deep breathing.

Just as the commotion was about to erupt.

The sky suddenly darkened.

The massive body of the Sunbeam pressed down like a dark cloud, and the shadow of the black dragon enveloped everyone. Joniel was not riding on the dragon's back, but stood on the city wall, one hand on his sword, his cold gaze sweeping over the crowd.

"Quiet." His voice wasn't loud, but it was as firm and unquestionable as steel.

The giants froze, the savages held their breath, and even the children's cries stopped abruptly.

The witch Var stepped out from the crowd, her icy blue eyes fixed on Ray beside Joniel. Her face still bore the marks of frostbite, but her back was ramrod straight. This witch, with the blood of the Child of the Forest flowing through her veins, could immediately see the blazing magical fire emanating from Ray.

Despite his advanced age.

"Are the dragon knights now able to set foot beyond the Great Wall?" Her voice was as sharp as the cold wind. "Although the Free People have no history books, we still remember the stories of the past. Your king and princes once visited the Great Wall, but not a single dragon was willing to fly over this high wall."

Ray didn't answer immediately. His gaze passed over her to the exhausted wildlings, the old men hunched over, the mothers clutching their frozen babies, and the warriors' eyes still etched with the fear of the White Walkers.

"Because the Great Wall blocked the magic of the Song of Ice," the old dragon king finally spoke, "and at the same time, it also prevented the Song of Fire from interfering with the Land of Eternal Winter."

He pointed north.

Just then, a bugle call suddenly sounded from the watchtower at the top of the Great Wall.

One sound.
The watchmen looked up, their faces solemn.

两声
The savages began to stir restlessly; they knew the sound all too well—it was a warning, a harbinger of death.

三声
The entire Black Castle fell into a deathly silence.

Mance Rayder's face looked especially weary in the firelight. "They're here," he said hoarsely. "The White Walkers. They've followed in our footsteps."

At first, the savages felt only fear when they saw the dragons. The roar of the Sunfire made children cower, and the shadow of the Moondance made warriors grip their weapons tightly. The free people sang terrifying songs about these beasts for generations, but now, these beasts became their only refuge.

But gradually, the fear transformed into another emotion.

A gaunt, wild girl looked up at Ragen's Golden King and suddenly whispered, "Are they protecting us?"

Her mother hugged her tightly, tears welling in her eyes: "Yes, my child. This time, the flames are on our side."

Under the command of Mans and Var, the wildlings began to enter the Wall in an orderly fashion. Young men were assigned to temporary Night's Watch units and given black cloaks and steel weapons. The elderly, women, and children were sent to Mole Village for resettlement.

North of the Great Wall, a faint blue light gradually appeared amidst the wind and snow.

The army of ghouls surged forward like a tidal wave, the clattering of bones grinding together into a chilling groan. The figure of the ice mage loomed in the distance.

"Prepare to meet the enemy!" Ray's voice boomed like thunder.

Shadow Nightmare unfurled its jagged dragon wings.

"Dragon Knights, prepare!"

(End of this chapter)