Game of Thrones: The Wrath of the Sleeping Dragon

"combine!"

boom--

With a unified sound, the shield formation was erected in an instant, protecting the commander in the center with only a small gap to allow continued observation of the outside world; it was almost airtight.

Sir Jeffrey, however, didn't even move an inch, remaining standing in place with his head slightly tilted back.

The fleet guarding Dragonstone was the most elite naval force of House Targaryen, but unfortunately, it did not play a significant role in the War of the Usurper.

In this day and age, land power remains the most decisive force, while naval power is insufficient to reverse the tide of war or determine the outcome of a large-scale conflict.

The Dragonstone fleet was tasked with attacking and harassing rebel ports such as White Harbor in an attempt to divert the attention of the Northern army.

However, in reality, the North has not had any substantial naval force since Brandon the Shipburner burned all of his father's warships a century ago.

Without offering any resistance, they simply surrendered the coastline, allowing the royal fleet to attack at will. Even if the Dragonstone navy wrecked part of the northern coast, it wouldn't make Eddard Stark even flinch.

After all, no matter how strong the Dragonstone navy was, it was not enough to blockade the entire sea, let alone abandon the ships to fight on land. The weather and cavalry in the North would have made it impossible for these Targaryen soldiers to return alive.

...

At the heart of the Battle of Dragonstone, Ser Geoffrey, commander of the Dragonstone fleet, gazed into the distance.

And the next second.

The black cloud formed by the spears launched from the ballista finally arrived.

Puff puff--

Countless spears, emitting sharp, piercing sounds, plunged directly into the turbulent sea, splashing up waves. In naval warfare, the hit rate of such siege weapons mounted on the main ship was practically a matter of luck.

However, out of the many spears launched in a volley, a few were lucky enough to hit the array on the deck of the Black Death directly.

boom--

The spear, imbued with immense force, tore through the soldiers' shield formation as easily as crushing a cookie.

It directly pinned a soldier holding a giant kite shield to death on the deck, while also knocking down several other people.

The shield formation was instantly torn open in several places, and the soldiers' blood splattered on the deck. Their bodies were still slightly twisted, emitting shrill screams.

The scream sent chills down the spines of all the Targaryen soldiers. Their hands, gripping their shields tightly, were slightly sweaty, and they swallowed hard.

However, they kept their lips tightly closed and did not utter a word, because they knew that fighting at sea was a life-or-death war, and if they were defeated, there would be no way to escape on the sea.

However, against the siege weapons equipped on the Queen Qingting, their sturdy shields were as brittle as paper.

"Counterattack!"

However, the commander of the Dragonstone fleet did not hesitate or get intimidated. He remained calm and composed, standing in the center of the shield formation, and decisively ordered the catapults on the Black Death and the other two flagships to launch a counterattack.

No one knew that the old knight's palms were also sweaty; in such a large-scale naval battle, life and death really depended entirely on luck.

They prayed that the enemy's catapults and crossbows would be inaccurate, that the wind and ocean currents would be favorable to their side, and that their own catapults would be more accurate.

The more brutal boarding battle, which relies on soldiers jumping onto the ship to fight, takes place after the two main ships have exchanged fire. Moreover, one side must take the initiative to charge; otherwise, if the two sides do not intend to board, they will simply engage in long-range bombardment.

With a command from the commander of the Dragonstone fleet, the soldiers twisted the ropes with all their might, and the stone projectile was placed into the 'spoon'. The Black Death, the largest warship in service with the Targaryen Dynasty, finally roared.

Boom boom boom—

A series of stone projectiles were launched into the air, carrying immense force, and flew straight toward the Qingting Island fleet in the distance.

Meanwhile, Earl Redwin, aboard the flagship Queen Qingting of the Qingting Island fleet, narrowed his eyes and calmly observed the changes on the battlefield.

Although Green Pavilion Island is just an island famous for its wine production, the Redwyn family has always attached great importance to the training of the navy. They provide the Reach with a powerful fleet protection and are the maritime barrier for the entire Reach.

The traditional naval strength of the Qingting Island fleet is comparable to that of the Royal Fleet and the Iron Fleet of the Iron Islands.

That's why Paxter Redwyn was able to cooperate with the Tyrell army to blockade Storm's End for a year, forcing Stannis Baratheon, who was trapped in Storm's End, to kill horses and eat meat, and even later on, he ate dead people and rats.

However, at this time, the Redwyn family, who had already surrendered, accepted the new king's orders to attack Dragonstone.

Two strands of orange-yellow hair fluttered on the top of his head as the man waved his hand.

In response to the Dragonstone fleet's slinging, the commander ordered a full-scale assault, with all longships prepared to draw the Dragonstone fleet's attention and simultaneously engage in boarding action.

The most brutal part of this naval battle is about to unfold.

Chapter 23 Getting Lost

Meanwhile, on Dragonstone Island.

Inside the castle, in the narrow corridors, rows of torches shaped like dragon claws extend from the walls, their flames burning fiercely, radiating light and heat.

Dragonstone’s main castle is entirely built of black stone, and the overall atmosphere is somewhat somber and oppressive. Even timid people might feel uneasy walking through it.

The silence in the castle corridors was like heaven and earth compared to the fierce battle raging on the sea outside.

Renis, holding a rag doll in her arms, walked somewhat timidly down the quiet corridor of the Stone Drum Tower. She swallowed hard, then called out softly, tentatively and cautiously.

"Hello...is anyone there?"

However, only her echo returned, along with a faint sound of wind.

All that remained was silence.

Although she had been living on Dragonstone Island for half a year, the little girl with brown hair was only four years old.

Moreover, the terrain around Dragonstone's castle is undulating, with the castle built against the mountainside, winding roads, and complex interior facilities and rooms, including many hidden passages.

therefore.

Rene is lost.

She had woken up in the middle of the night intending to go find Viserys, as their rooms weren't far apart. However, when Renes arrived at his bedroom, she found the bed in disarray and no one there.

Even the queen's maid who had been taking care of the two of them had disappeared.

Renis was freed from supervision.

Then the daring little girl grabbed her doll and ran out on her own in the middle of the night, hoping to find the missing Viserys.

But she wandered around the castle for a long time with her doll in her arms, and still couldn't find Viserys and Queen Leila, who were at the Tower of the Sea Dragon at that time.

Scholar Daniel suddenly fell critically ill, and they were bidding farewell to the old scholar.

However, at this moment...

thump—

distance.

The lighthouse on Dragon Stone Island sounded the alarm; its deep, distant chimes echoed throughout the island, striking a chord in the hearts of everyone present.

The little brown-haired girl had been wandering around the castle alone for a while, and she was already feeling a bit uneasy. Then she heard the bells, and her small body shivered slightly as the fear hidden in her heart was amplified dramatically.

The little girl bit her lip tightly, not daring to utter a sound, and then ran all the way back to her bedroom, wanting to shrink into the quilt.

Then...

She tragically got lost.

...

At night, except for the areas lit up with lamps, the castle is shrouded in darkness, far less expansive than during the day.

Because of her young age, Renis was usually kept under strict surveillance and rarely had the opportunity to go out at night. Now, she felt as if she had arrived in an unfamiliar place.

Fortunately, the little brown-haired girl was braver than other children her age. She wasn't scared into crying immediately; her eyes were just a little red and tears were welling up inside.

A small hand gripped the cold wall, the body curled up, hugging the plush toy in its arms, listening to the constant sound of the wind, and then groping its way forward.

Call ~

The flames overhead swayed gently with the eerie wind blowing from who-knows-where, and the girl's shadow cast on the opposite wall also distorted slightly.

"scare."

Renis was startled when she saw her own shadow; her scalp tingled with fear.

Then, instinctively, she leaned against the edge of the wall, one hand gripping the hem of her skirt.

And at this time.

Clang—

From the dark end of the corridor, there seemed to be some faint sounds, like something falling to the ground.

"what?"

The little girl's ears twitched slightly as she heard the faint sound. Then, leaning against the wall, she turned her head and looked into the darkness in the distance.

"Viserys?"

Renis called out softly, thinking it was Viserys responding after hearing her voice.

However, the next second, she heard the sound of metal scraping.

Clang...

A nail claw was thrown in from a stone window not far away, fell to the ground, and then pulled back slightly until it hooked onto a crack in the wall.

click -

The spike claws kept adjusting their position, and the metal scraping against the uneven wall made a teeth-grinding sound. It seemed that someone outside was pulling a rope to fix the spike claws.

In the torchlight, the nail claws not far away gleamed with a cold light, while a rough, deliberately low voice came from outside the wall.

"Ready...to go..."

They seemed to be whispering something, then their voices were carried away by the wind.

Renis felt the hairs on her body stand on end.

Who is it...?

The little girl's face was slightly pale, her lips trembled, one hand tightly gripped the hem of her skirt, and the doll she was holding in the other hand fell to the ground, but she was completely unaware of it, and unconsciously pressed herself against the cold black stone wall behind her.

She didn't know... what to do at that moment.

but.

Even though Renis was young, she understood that anyone who infiltrated the castle in this way was definitely not a good person.

Moreover, she had personally witnessed the battle on the main road, where the two sides fought so fiercely that blood and flesh flew everywhere, which became a nightmare that had haunted her countless times.