Chapter 96: Longsword and Horse Taming

"Every time I see this, I can't help but feel like I'm witnessing a miracle," exclaimed Russell as he stood on a large stone, gazing at the breathtaking scene before him.

In the center of the valley, nestled amid mountains of rubble, lay a vast, pristine lake. Surrounding the lake was a carpet of lush grass, where a herd of more than 200 wild horses roamed and played, exuding a sense of tranquility.

Such a serene sight might not be unusual in open plains or gentle hills, but the circumstances here were extraordinary. This valley was perched atop a mountain range, its peaks devoid of snow. What made it even more remarkable was the absence of rainfall in the Godsgrace Mountains for thousands of years. Yet, here was this massive lake, defying all natural expectations. No wonder Russell regarded it as a miracle.

However, for Lynd, the lake's existence was no mystery. He immediately discerned the underlying reason for both the lake's presence and the longstanding drought in the region. The explanation was straightforward: the valley was encircled by mountains imbued with a peculiar magic. This magic acted like a funnel, pulling atmospheric moisture directly downward, bypassing the usual cooling process that would form rain. Instead, the moisture converged here, creating the lake.

This phenomenon wasn't unique to this valley; Lynd knew of several similar areas scattered throughout the Godsgrace Mountains. These zones drained the surrounding atmosphere of its moisture, leaving the region perpetually dry. Furthermore, Lynd surmised that the lake likely connected to an underground river, which carried away excess water, maintaining the lake's size over the centuries.

Even though Lynd understood this forbidden area's secret, he chose not to share it with Russell. The explanation would likely be lost on him, rendering the effort pointless. Instead, Lynd focused entirely on their mission: observing the two Kings of Wild Horses within the herd.

As Ser Lys and Russell had described, the two Kings of Wild Horses were indeed magnificent. Larger and more robust than the other wild horses, they bore a striking resemblance to the Shire horses Lynd remembered from a previous life.

Yet, these creatures were distinct: they were astonishingly fast, outpacing any ordinary wild horse. Their stamina was equally impressive. Lynd had been watching them for nearly an hour, yet they continued to run and play energetically, showing no sign of exhaustion.

"Stay where you are," Lynd instructed, his voice low as he braided a rope into a noose. He gestured for Russell to remain still and signaled Glory to maneuver the herd. Then, without hesitation, he leapt off the rock, vanishing into the half-meter-high grass. Glory followed, crouching low as he silently circled around to position himself at the herd's rear.

As Lynd moved through the grass, he noticed its unusually lush growth. This puzzled him briefly until he realized the surrounding magic had diminished to a normal level. This shift in magic made him wonder: was this phenomenon naturally occurring, or did it confirm the legends that this was where the Greenseer had performed a great sacrifice?

Though Lynd took care to conceal his movements, the grass inevitably betrayed him, forming a clear trail as he advanced. For an ordinary horse, such subtle signs might go unnoticed. But the Kings of Wild Horses were far from ordinary. Stories had long attributed them with extraordinary intelligence, and now Lynd could see the truth in those tales.

The two Kings, ever watchful, quickly detected the disturbance in the grass. They neighed sharply, their alarm sending a ripple through the herd. The wild horses stopped grazing and playing, their bodies tense and alert.

Lynd, crouched low, his vision obscured by the grass, could sense the unease among the herd. Despite the risk of discovery, he remained calm, continuing to move deliberately, leaving more marks in the grass to maintain the Kings' focus. His actions were calculated, a lure to draw their attention away from Glory, who had now stealthily taken his position at the rear of the herd.

At that moment, one of the Kings of Wild Horses let out another commanding neigh. As if responding to an unspoken order, the entire herd began to gather around the King, their movements coordinated as they headed toward Lynd's position.

Through Glory's eyes, Lynd observed the shift in the herd's behavior and quickly deduced the King's strategy. It was attempting to lead the herd in a coordinated stampede to trample whatever was concealed beneath the grass. To the King of Wild Horses, whatever was lurking would surely be crushed under the sheer force of the charging herd.

Recognizing the danger, Lynd swiftly issued an order to Glory. Immediately, Glory, who had been lying low in the grass, erupted into motion, letting out a powerful roar before charging at the nearest wild horse and knocking it to the ground.

Glory's sudden appearance threw the herd into chaos. Despite the King of Wild Horses' attempts to maintain order, not all the horses shared the King's courage. Faced with what they perceived as a predator, their survival instincts took over, and they scattered in all directions, ignoring the King's commands.

Lynd, watching from his concealed position, noted the herd's disarray. The King of Wild Horses' focus was now entirely on Glory, an opportunity Lynd seized without hesitation. Rising from the grass, he sprinted toward the larger of the two Kings, the lasso he had prepared earlier spinning in his hand.

Lynd's lasso skills, honed by the Banished Knights, were precise and effective. Although they were primarily infantry warriors, the Banished Knights were skilled in mounted combat and adept at capturing wild horses for their campaigns. This expertise served Lynd well as he hurled the lasso, which tightened securely around the neck of the massive King of Wild Horses.

The moment the noose cinched tight, the King of Wild Horses reacted with a powerful burst of speed, bolting toward an open area. The sudden pull nearly wrenched the rope from Lynd's grip, and despite his preparation, the sheer force lifted him off his feet and dragged him across the ground.

As if anticipating this moment, the second King of Wild Horses charged toward Lynd, coordinating its attack perfectly. As it neared, the massive horse leapt into the air, aiming its hooves at Lynd's back in a devastating strike.

Lynd had prepared for this deadly maneuver, one he had learned about from accounts of failed attempts to capture these kings. Dozens of horse catchers had perished under this very tactic. With practiced precision, Lynd released the rope and rolled out of the way just as the hooves slammed into the ground where he had been.

As soon as the second King of Wild Horses landed and momentarily lost its balance, Lynd seized the chance. Springing to his feet, he leapt onto the first King's back in one fluid motion.

The King of Wild Horses, feeling the weight on its back, immediately began bucking violently, attempting to throw Lynd off. But Lynd's grip was unrelenting. His legs clamped tightly around the horse's torso, resisting every effort to dislodge him.

Realizing that it could not shake him off by bucking, the King shifted tactics, preparing to roll onto the ground and crush him under its weight. Anticipating this, Lynd drew his greatsword, the Banished Knight, from his waist. He pressed the hilt against the horse's neck and summoned the power of the dragon rune embedded in the blade. Electricity coursed down the sword and into the horse's body, instantly subduing it. Its muscles trembled uncontrollably under the magical current, rendering it incapable of further resistance.

This method, a unique taming technique of the Banished Knights, would have been even more efficient if Lynd had been wearing the armor of a true knight, which channeled the dragon rune's power directly. Even without it, the method proved effective.

Lynd carefully sealed the rune's power before the electrical stimulation caused any harm to the King of Wild Horses. As the current ceased, the horse regained control of its body. To Lynd's surprise, it did not resume its fierce resistance but instead stood still, subdued.

Despite the horse's compliance, Lynd remained cautious. He kept his greatsword ready, prepared to reapply the rune's power if the King of Wild Horses resisted again. However, it seemed unnecessary. The Banished Knight's taming method had worked more effectively than he had anticipated. The once-mighty King now stood obediently.

At this moment, the other King of Wild Horses charged toward Lynd, its mouth open, ready to bite. However, despite its speed, it was no match for Glory. Glory burst out of the grass, leaped into the air, and pounced on the King of Wild Horses, aiming a powerful bite at its neck.

Just as Glory was about to deliver the fatal attack, Lynd quickly issued a command. Glory immediately halted, leaping away from the King of Wild Horses. The startled creature scrambled up from the ground, its panic evident. Before it could recover, Lynd darted toward the another King of Wild Horses, mounted its back, and pressed the great sword of the Banished Knight against its neck.

Everything unfolded smoothly. The power of the dragon runes subdued the King of Wild Horses once more, rendering it docile as Lynd seated himself on its back. Sheathing the great sword, Lynd returned to the smaller King of Wild Horses. With one leading the other by a noose, he headed toward Russell, who stood atop a massive boulder.

Russell observed the scene in awe. The sight of Lynd taming the two Kings of Wild Horses with ease—a feat no one in Dorne's history had achieved—left him astounded. What truly unsettled him, however, was Lynd's method of taming. Threatening a wild horse with a sword was an unthinkable approach, yet it had proven astonishingly effective. The success made Russell question everything he thought he knew about horse training. Could a horse really distinguish between a threat and a weapon? he wondered.

Carrying these doubts, Russell descended the boulder and approached Lynd. As he drew near, he recognized one of the Kings of Wild Horses—the same one that had attacked and severely injured him with a kick. Both Kings looked remarkably similar, their differences subtle. The larger mare had a white, prismatic patch on her forehead, while the smaller one was entirely black. They appeared to be sisters, descendants of extraordinary lineage, given their exceptional size and strength. Their parents, undoubtedly formidable creatures, were likely long dead; otherwise, the sisters would not be leading the herd.

Russell's gaze lingered on the larger mare with the white-marked forehead. Despite the faint ache in his chest from his previous injury, he reached out to touch the King of Wild Horses, as if fulfilling a long-held wish. However, even tamed, the wild horse wanted no part of him. It charged forward, knocking Russell to the ground, and raised its hoof to strike.

Lynd, noticing the attack in time, yanked hard on the lasso, forcing the King of Wild Horses to veer away and miss its target.

"Russell, are you alright?" Lynd called down to him.

"I'm fine, my lord! Truly, I'm fine!" Russell scrambled to his feet, still shaken, and glanced warily at the King of Wild Horses. "Shall we head back now, my lord? The sky's growing dark. Perhaps we should stay here for the night and leave at dawn."

"No, we'll leave now," Lynd decided without hesitation. His sharp eyes scanned the area, his expression tense. Despite the serene appearance of the mountains, lakes, and meadows, an undercurrent of unease unsettled him. To avoid unforeseen dangers, leaving immediately seemed the safest choice.

As Lynd mounted one King of Wild Horses and led the other, the sound of hoofbeats made him glance back. The herd of wild horses, which had previously scattered in terror of Glory, was now regrouping and following the Kings of Wild Horses. It seemed they were drawn to the newly tamed leaders.

Watching the herd of nearly two hundred wild horses trail behind, Lynd couldn't suppress a smile. The journey to Dorne had been more fruitful than he had imagined. With these horses, he no longer needed to rely on shipments from Lys to form his cavalry patrol.

Guiding the herd away from the tranquil meadow, Lynd pressed onward.

Shortly after their departure, a lone wild horse emerged, disoriented, from the maze of rocks. It wandered onto the meadow, seemingly searching for its companions. Not finding them, it approached the lake, thirsty from its ordeal.

As the horse lowered its head and began to drink, the still waters suddenly stirred. A massive figure burst from the lake, jaws wide, and seized the horse in an instant, dragging it beneath the surface. Moments later, the lake returned to its calm state, the surroundings peaceful once more, as though nothing had happened.