Chapitre 273: Chapter 273: The Great Wall is Just a Big Battery
Viserys had seen structures like the Wall before—the towering Giant of Braavos and the Topless Tower of Sunspear came to mind. But nothing compared to the sheer scale and weight of the Wall, stretching hundreds of miles across the landscape. It resembled a colossal, gleaming sword, dividing Westeros from the wild lands beyond. Even from miles away, Viserys felt dwarfed by its immensity.
'Let's see if touching the Wall has any effect on the panel', Viserys mused, wondering about the mysteries of its construction. Perhaps the Wall had been built atop a mountain range by the legendary Brandon the Builder, but the scale of such an undertaking suggested the use of some ancient and powerful magic.
Using his "dragon's eye," Viserys spotted the Night's Watch gathered at the harbor to receive him. They had noticed his three dragons as well, and he could see them pointing and gesturing in amazement. Though he couldn't hear their words, he could easily imagine their astonishment.
As the fleet drew closer, the Wall loomed larger, blocking out the daylight and casting the ships into its vast shadow. It was a stark contrast to the more welcoming atmosphere he had encountered at Crackclaw Point. Here, there was no House Pyne to greet him with open arms. But Viserys was undeterred. He had a mission—to address the wildling threat and, if all went well, take Maester Aemon with him.
As in the original timeline, Viserys is worried that the Red Woman might exploit Aemon's "king's blood," so he wanted to arranged for Aemon to be sent to Braavos. Unfortunately, Aemon was far too old by then—102 years, the oldest living person in Westeros—and in fragile health.
Now, however, Viserys's blood magic had advanced to the level of a Paragon, allowing him to transfer or extract vitality without bloodletting. Though the latter method had dangerous side effects that could drive the recipient to madness, Viserys, with his system's assistance, had no need for such risks.
When the Old Bear and his officers saw the supplies being unloaded from Viserys's ships, they began to grasp the extent of his wealth. The sheer volume of goods he delivered in a single shipment was equivalent to fifty shipments from Winterfell. Whatever his true intentions, the magnitude of these supplies alone was enough to earn him the most sincere smiles from the Night's Watch. Furthermore, Chief Ranger Benjen Stark, who had recently returned from a mission Beyond the Wall, also showed Viserys full respect.
"Your Grace Viserys," the Old Bear greeted, leading the group in acknowledging Viserys's arrival as the commander-in-chief. The others, particularly Ser Alliser Thorne, studied the Targaryen prince with quiet curiosity. Alliser had met Viserys as a child, but the man before him now bore little resemblance to the boy he remembered. Viserys's commanding presence and regal bearing made it impossible for Alliser to approach him with the same dismissive attitude he had shown when questioning Jorah.
"My lords, you have waited long enough. Let us proceed to Castle Black," Viserys said, gesturing for the group to move. Led by the Old Bear, they made their way to the 'crane' that would carry them to the top of the Wall.
The crane operated using a system of pulleys, designed to lift important people or goods to the Wall's summit. It could bear only a limited weight—about that of seven or eight people—so this trip carried Viserys, Jorah, Jeor Mormont, and a few others.
As the crane slowly ascended, the figures of the Night's Watchmen and the soldiers below grew smaller and smaller, their voices fading into the distance. Once they were high above, Viserys turned to Jeor Mormont and asked, "Lord Commander Mormont, how are the wildlings faring these days?"
Jorah had already briefed his father on Viserys's plan for the wildlings, a plan the elder Mormont had not fully embraced. After a moment of contemplation, Jeor responded, "The wildlings have been more active lately, far more than they were two years ago. We estimate their numbers to be in the tens of thousands, possibly even hundreds of thousands, all united under Mance Rayder, the King-Beyond-the-Wall. It won't be long before they attempt an invasion en masse, and the Wall simply cannot support such a large population."
His words carried a note of concern, revealing his true apprehensions. Jorah, standing nearby, looked uncomfortable. He hadn't succeeded in convincing the Night's Watch to fully accept Viserys's plan, and he felt the weight of that failure.
Viserys, however, was in no rush to counter Mormont's concerns. He replied calmly, "We can move them further south. I recall that Queenscrown and Mole's Town are both abandoned—they could be settled there."
"Your Grace, those lands are no longer part of the Night's Watch's fiefdom," Jeor reminded him, his tone cautious.
"Father, His Grace is the Warden of the Seven Kingdoms," Jorah interjected, trying to defend Viserys's proposal. "He has the authority to grant the wildlings a place to settle..." But as he saw his father's expression darken, Jorah's voice trailed off.
Viserys then turned to Benjen Stark, the long-faced, dark-haired chief ranger of Castle Black. Unlike his brother Ned, whose stern features seemed permanently etched with the harshness of the North, Benjen's expression held a hint of warmth, his gray-blue eyes brighter than most. In truth, Benjen was one of the key reasons Viserys had chosen to come to the Wall so quickly.
At the beginning of A Song of Ice and Fire, several members of the Night's Watch encountered White Walkers. In the original timeline, Benjen Stark was sent to search for the missing men but never returned. Rumors had spread that Benjen might have been possessed by a White Walker, or worse, that he had become an incarnation of the Night King himself. But now, as Viserys observed him, those dark speculations seemed unfounded.
At least, Benjen still appeared to be very much human.
"Ser Stark," Viserys greeted.
"Your Grace," Benjen replied, studying Viserys closely. The resemblance to Rhaegar was unmistakable, confirming in Benjen's mind that this was indeed Rhaegar's younger brother.
"You are the First Ranger here. I've heard reports of White Walkers beyond the Wall. Do you have any information about them? Have you seen any?" Viserys inquired.
Benjen shook his head. "No news yet, but I was planning to search for Ser Waymar Royce, who went missing recently."
Ser Waymar had been a Night's Watchman ambushed by White Walkers in the early chapters of Game of Thrones.
"Hold off on that for now," Viserys suggested. "Let's deal with the wildlings together first."
Benjen glanced at the Old Bear, and seeing his tacit approval, nodded in agreement. With Viserys bringing so many troops and supplies, it only made sense to cooperate. Perhaps, after addressing the wildling threat, they might find clues about Waymar and the others.
After some more discussion, the pulley system finally came to a halt. Viserys stepped off the crane, removed his gloves, and prepared to touch the Wall. The others weren't surprised by his actions; they had been just as curious when they first arrived, eager to feel the ancient, imposing structure for themselves.
While Viserys placed his hand on the Wall, some of the Night's Watchmen looked up at the hovering dragons. They were much larger than expected, their wingspans wider than their bodies were long. The sight stirred memories of old legends—Conqueror Aegon, the Black Dread, the Dance of the Dragons... These stories swirled in the minds of those watching, blending awe with a sense of novelty at seeing dragons alive once more.
As soon as Viserys's hand made contact with the Wall, a message flashed before him:
[Contact with The Wall. Absorb 949,437,120 Magic points.]
"Good grief, that's a lot!" Viserys couldn't help but murmur in surprise as he stared at the long string of numbers before him.
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