Chapter 177: Dusk

"Ah?"

Hearing the guard's report, a young man in casual clothes sat in a chair, with his silver-gold hair flowing freely. He put down the letter in his hand.

For some unknown reason, Pentos had once again invited him to attend a banquet.

However, Viserys didn't quite believe the letter's claims about fostering the relationship between the two city-states and celebrating Pentos' traditional festivals, among other excuses.

There must be another reason—

The thought crossed Viserys' mind, and he squinted his eyes.

Viserys didn't ponder for long, just pausing briefly.

"Give this letter to Ramsay."

"Tell him to look into this matter and find out what Pentos is up to."

Then, the young king stood up and spoke.

"Let's go."

"See how the forging of this sword is going."

...

Not long after.

Tread, tread...

Footsteps echoed in the castle's corridor.

"Your Majesty."

"Your Majesty."

The servants on both sides of the courtyard bowed respectfully upon seeing Viserys.

When Viserys arrived at the castle's smithy, smoke still filled the room.

However, the longsword forged from the heart of the Red Comet had just been freshly completed. Master Tobho Mott was in the process of cleaning up some dust.

"This is the sword, Your Majesty," said the soot-covered Master Tobho, respectfully.

His eyes couldn't hide his joy. He was very satisfied with his work and had a premonition that it would be a divine weapon that would make a name for itself in the long river of history.

As the craftsman who had personally forged it, Tobho Mott's name would become synonymous with the title of 'Master Craftsman.'

Although people called him 'Master' now, old Tobho knew that a 'Master' without a famous work couldn't be considered a true master.

Hence, Tobho's joy was even more intense than Viserys'.

As soon as Viserys entered the workshop, without needing old Tobho to say much, his pale purple eyes were drawn to the longsword displayed on a rack.

The dark red blade seemed to be wrapped in blood, with a simple black pattern at the center of the crossguard. The golden hilt curved towards the blade like the claw of a dragon grasping the edge.

The blackened, elongated hilt could be held with one hand or grasped with both. A golden accessory at the end was set with a red gemstone.

The overall style of the sword was the color of blood, reminiscent of the Red Comet that streaked across the sky at dusk, its bloody light even overshadowing the setting sun before falling into Viserys' gaze.

"This sword..."

Viserys was deeply captivated by it from the moment he laid eyes on it, as if staring into a blazing fire, with the rolling heat washing over him.

Unable to resist, the young king reached out and firmly gripped the hilt. The sensation of heat vanished in an instant, leaving only the clear texture of the hilt and the desire to use it to slay his enemies.

Clink—

Viserys took the sword from the rack, its blood-red light like the setting sun, illuminating the entire workshop and even surpassing the blazing furnace.

...

Flashes of images crossed his mind, and the smooth, water-like blade clearly reflected the handsome face of the young king.

"Give it a name..."

"This sword... shall be called 'Dusk'."

"It will end the rule of usurpers, and perhaps save many lives in the future."

Of course, it wasn't named Dusk simply to match another sword forged from a star's heart called Dawn; Viserys wasn't so mischievous.

When he first saw the sword, Viserys' mind was instantly filled with images of a blood-red setting sun.

The sun set in the west.

In the dim sky, a dazzling red comet streaked across, even overshadowing the light of the sun and the moon.

Then, as if a giant hand gripped a dagger, it descended from the sky, plunging violently into the ground.

"After the twilight of the apocalypse comes an even more prosperous vitality."

"Your Majesty has chosen a good name."

Old Tobho, with his piercing gaze, looked at Viserys holding the crimson sword, and seeing Viserys' satisfaction, he felt relieved and appropriately responded in agreement.

The red-robed woman nearby had fatigue in her eyes that she could not hide.

The sword was finally forged successfully.

The efforts she put in over the past three months were no less than those of Master Tobho.

The power of R'hllor within the priestess had been almost completely drained; for each forging, she personally ignited the flames with her divine power.

"This shall be the dusk of false gods."

Melisandre's voice was flat.

"The true king of light and fire will undoubtedly wield the Lightbringer to defeat the Other, saving the world."

The doctrine of the Red God has some similarities to a dualistic deity, meaning there are two true gods in the world, and the rest are false gods.

The true god R'hllor is known as the Lord of Light, the god of shadow and fire, as well as heat and life, symbolizing the sun.

R'hllor's eternal enemy, also recognized as a true god in the Red God's doctrine, is known as the 'Cold God' or the 'Other', the god of darkness, cold, and death.

Their endless struggle is the source of the world's long summers and harsh winters.

When the Lord of Light has the upper hand, it is a time of long summer; when cold engulfs the world, it signals that the Cold God has gained the lead once again.

But now, as the Cold God is about to awaken and winter approaches, Melisandre feels a closer connection with R'hllor and his power is also returning.

She doesn't know the reason.

Viserys, holding the crimson sword that shone brilliantly under the scorching heat of the forge, ignored the flattery of Old Tobho and Melisandre's indoctrination, then turned his head to his squire.

"Draw your sword."

The young king's guard hesitated slightly, but soon reacted and drew his longsword.

Clang...

Two swords were drawn in the narrow workshop, glinting with a cold, deadly light. Master Tobho and Melisandre wisely stepped aside.

They knew Viserys wanted to test the sword and feared being accidentally injured by the pair.

Though Melisandre was a witch, like Mirri Maz Duur, they could cast curses but were still mortal.

Cold steel could pierce their hearts, killing the witches.

In the center of the workshop, the two stood apart. Viserys held 'Dusk' in one hand, his silver-gold hair hanging down his back, his pale purple eyes gazing at the guard before him, and then he nodded slightly.

"Attack me."

"Forgive me , Your Majesty."

The guard gritted his teeth as he held his sword and then swung it towards Viserys.