Chapter 108: Preparing Ahead

When Lynd returned to the camp, he informed everyone about their next move. Instead of showing hesitation, the group was brimming with excitement. From the moment they joined the rebellion, they had been eager to prove themselves, and now, the opportunity had come much sooner than expected.

Dacey stepped forward confidently. "I spent some time in Moat Cailin and know the terrain well. I can guide us."

Scar-Eyed immediately interjected. "Many of my men have also served in Moat Cailin. They'd make better guides."

Jon, his voice sharp, cut in. "If you've got local guides, do they know the terrain better than the locals?"

Before the argument could escalate, Lynd intervened. "We'll decide when we get there. Right now, pack lightly. As per the old rules, leave behind anything replaceable—tents, extra dry food. Bring more feed for the horses; we'll be traveling non-stop and can't risk them going hungry."

"Yes, my lord," the group responded in unison before dispersing to prepare as instructed.

Nymeria began to leave as well but was stopped by Lynd. His tone softened. "I'm sorry. I wanted to show you around King's Landing, but I didn't expect—"

"That's okay! I think fighting is more exciting anyway," Nymeria said with a grin. She stepped closer, kissed him lightly on the cheek, then glanced toward King's Landing with a frown. "And there's nothing to see in King's Landing, really. It stinks. This place isn't anything like I imagined."

Lynd nodded, agreeing silently. He didn't explain that the stench came from the road Jaime had taken, which ran alongside Flea Bottom, the city's poorest district. While the rest of King's Landing was still relatively presentable, the state of the city he'd observed on the way there made him fear that within a few years, most of it might end up like Flea Bottom.

Later, after nightfall, King's Landing delivered the prepared dry rations. The person who brought them was none other than Varys.

"Our activities may have been discovered by Jon Arryn," Lynd said bluntly as soon as they were alone.

"Reason?" Varys asked simply.

Lynd recounted the details he had noticed in the courtyard of the Red Keep.

"You're basing this on the fact that Jon Arryn looked at you twice?" Varys started to dismiss Lynd's concerns but then paused, his expression shifting. A moment of realization flashed across his face. "Ah, I see. You're right. Lord Arryn does know that you and I are connected."

Lynd didn't press Varys for details about his reaction. Instead, he asked directly, "What now?" He hesitated briefly before adding, "Should we eliminate Jon Arryn?"

Varys immediately shook his head. "No! If Lord Arryn dies, His Grace will lose his restraint entirely, and chaos will spread across the Seven Kingdoms." His gaze grew sharp, studying Lynd with suspicion. "Were you testing me?"

"It wasn't a test," Lynd replied with a faint smile. "I just wanted to understand your true intentions."

"And what did you find out?" Varys asked, his own smile reappearing.

Lynd's eyes narrowed slightly as he regarded him. "You want stability and peace. You despise war and chaos, so you'll support a king who can maintain social order. The Mad King may have been insane, but his madness was directed at the Lords, not the common people. To them, he was a kind ruler. That's why you stood by him until the end—until he decided to burn the entire population of King's Landing. Am I right? Jaime Lannister didn't kill the King on his own. You convinced him to do it, didn't you?"

Varys' smile faded as he studied Lynd carefully. "I truly believe you're a sorcerer," he murmured.

Lynd added, "King Robert didn't suit your purpose?"

Varys was silent for a moment before responding, "He wasn't fit to be a king. Lord Arryn would make a better king."

"I understand," Lynd said with a nod, choosing not to continue the discussion. Instead, he shifted the focus, asking, "What do we do now?"

"Don't do anything," Varys replied calmly. "Jon Arryn is a man who respects the rules. He won't act on suspicions alone; he'll wait for conclusive evidence before passing judgment. Moreover, he values political stability. As long as we don't endanger the Baratheon dynasty, even if he uncovers irrefutable evidence of our connection, he won't move against us."

Lynd studied Varys and remarked, "It seems you admire Lord Arryn a great deal."

Varys nodded without hesitation. "He's one of the most suitable people I've ever seen for kingship. His role as Hand of the King is the greatest blessing for the people of the Seven Kingdoms."

After making this declaration, Varys appeared disinclined to continue the conversation. He handed Lynd intelligence reports on Moat Cailin, Seagard, Banefort, The Crag, and Faircastle before preparing to leave. However, Lynd stopped him again.

"Do you have a way to move the dragonbones from the Red Keep's basement to Tumbleton?" Lynd asked.

Varys froze briefly, a flicker of confusion crossing his face. He didn't ask for an explanation, though. After a moment's thought, he said, "It can be done, but I'll need to disguise them carefully to avoid detection, which might take some time."

Lynd considered this and replied, "In that case, once I've secured my territory, just send the dragonbones directly there."

"Territory?" Varys repeated, surprised. "You're already acquiring territory?"

"Yes," Lynd confirmed. "It's located near the Dornish Marches, at the junction of Wyl, Blackhaven, and Stonehelm."

"The Tyrell enclave?" Varys immediately recognized the area, his intimate knowledge of the Seven Kingdoms' geography apparent. He frowned. "That region is far from peaceful. If you go there, you'll likely have to contend with four lords."

"Four?" Lynd asked, his tone doubtful. "Isn't it just the Wyls, the Dondarrions, and the Swanns?"

"There's also House Morrigen of the Crow's Nest," Varys clarified. "They hold part of the Red Watch Valley, which technically belongs to House Tyrell."

Lynd's confidence didn't waver. "The Crow's Nest? No matter. One more won't be too much trouble."

Once, Varys might have questioned the source of such confidence. Now, after reviewing countless battle reports detailing Lynd's campaigns around Tumbleton, he felt certain that even the combined forces of the four houses wouldn't pose a serious threat to him. Quietly, Varys felt fortunate to count Lynd as an ally.

Promising to gather intelligence on the four houses as soon as possible, Varys took his leave.

Lynd didn't linger in his tent. Instead, he walked through the camp, observing the army's preparations. Satisfied, he left the camp alone, climbing a nearby hill. Standing at the crest, he gazed out toward King's Landing, lost in thought.

At that moment, Glory silently emerged from the shadows of the trees and approached Lynd's side. It crouched down, resting its head on his arm, and let out a soft, contented purr as Lynd absently rubbed its head.

Although his gaze was fixed on the distant expanse of King's Landing, Lynd's mind was elsewhere. He was inspecting the state of his cheat. Since acquiring the legacy of the Banished Knight, the cheat's growth had slowed to a crawl. Over the past year, the progress bar hadn't advanced even by one-tenth. At this glacial pace, it might take another ten years—or more—to fill it.

Lynd couldn't shake the growing suspicion that he had been using the wrong approach. Perhaps waiting passively for the progress bar to fill on its own wasn't the solution. There had to be another way to accelerate it.

His thoughts turned to the magic of this world, but he quickly dismissed the idea. He had already explored numerous sources of magical power. From the Godswood in Highgarden to the towering spire of the High Tower in Oldtown, and even the ancient magic-infused Godsgrace Mountains in Dorne, none had proven effective. Despite their potent, otherworldly energy, none had influenced the progress bar in the slightest.

Next, Lynd considered Glory. He wondered if the creature's ability to consume the energy of resentful souls could somehow enhance the cheat's progress. However, after careful reflection, he dismissed this possibility as well. Glory had devoured the energy of such souls twice, and while the power it transmitted to Lynd's body had helped him absorb and integrate the Dragon Communion Ritual, it had done nothing to affect the cheat's progress bar.

Finally, Lynd placed his hopes on the Dragon Communion Ritual itself. Since the Banished Knight's legacy had originated from the cheat, it seemed logical that the ritual, deeply tied to that legacy, might hold the key to speeding up the cheat's progress.

This renewed focus on his cheat wasn't born out of idle curiosity but rather a pressing sense of urgency. The appearance of beings like the Three-Eyed Crow and Garth Greenhand had given Lynd a profound sense of crisis.

While Lynd's strength had reached a level that made him virtually unbeatable among men, he knew this invincibility was limited to humans. The world of ice and fire was teeming with demons, monsters, and other supernatural entities whose powers were beyond his understanding. Should he find himself facing these beings as enemies, he was far from confident in his ability to survive.

Even among these threats, the dragons posed a unique challenge. The Banished Knight's legacy had imparted methods for slaying dragons, such as using dragon runes to conjure hurricanes and freezing winds to ground the beast, followed by delivering a fatal blow with the lightning dragon rune to pierce its scales.

Yet, Lynd was acutely aware of the limitations he faced. The magic concentration in this world was vastly different from that of the legacy's origin. The same dragon runes might not wield the same potency here, rendering them less effective than he'd hoped.

Therefore, Lynd could only pin his hopes on the cheat, trusting that once its progress reached completion, it would grant him even greater strength.

Lynd sensed that the effects of the Dragon Communion Ritual had been fully absorbed into his being. This realization prompted him to seek out Varys to prepare the Dragonbones, intending to perform the Ritual at the opportune moment.

Just as Lynd's arrival had been abrupt, his departure was equally sudden. Before dawn, his camp outside the city vanished, leaving behind only a team of support troops to guard the supplies alongside the Gold Cloaks dispatched from King's Landing.

The Lords and nobles, eager to befriend Lynd due to his growing reputation, found themselves without the opportunity even to greet him. His sudden disappearance left everyone curious about his destination. Some well-informed individuals speculated that it might be connected to Lynd's visit to King's Landing and his meeting with King Robert at the Red Keep.

A dozen days later, reinforcements from The Reach, led by Randyll Tarly, arrived outside King's Landing. Their aim was to rendezvous with Lynd, a rising legend in The Reach.

To their surprise, Lynd had already departed with his forces shortly before their arrival, and his destination remained a mystery.

Initially, Randyll Tarly was displeased, interpreting Lynd's unauthorized departure as a sign of insolence. However, upon learning that Lynd's actions were tied to an assignment from King Robert, his irritation eased. Despite this, his first impression of Lynd was far from favorable. In his view, even if Lynd had received a royal directive, he should have informed the commander of The Reach's combined forces instead of leaving the commander to discover the movements of his subordinate army through secondhand sources.

Nevertheless, Randyll Tarly was not one to let personal grievances interfere with his duties. He promptly set aside his feelings about Lynd and focused on aiding the Westerlands and suppressing the rebellion against the Iron Throne.

As a renowned general of the Seven Kingdoms—one who had once defeated King Robert on the battlefield—Randyll Tarly was met not with resentment or hostility, but with respect. King Robert even created a position for him on the Small Council, allowing him to participate in high-level discussions.

However, Randyll Tarly's role in the council was largely observational. The key decisions and strategies for quelling the rebellion had already been discussed and arranged before his arrival. His primary task was to familiarize himself with the broader plan and the specific role of The Reach's army under his command.

The Reach's forces were assigned two main tasks: first, to collaborate with the Westerlands' forces in eliminating the Ironborn bandits plaguing the region, and second, to act as a support unit for the armies launching a direct assault on the Iron Islands.

The armies designated for the assault on the Iron Islands included troops from the Stormlands, the Vale, the Riverlands, and the North.

Randyll Tarly was displeased by the relatively secondary role assigned to his forces, but he chose not to voice his discontent. For him, following orders was an essential quality of a soldier.

As he left the council chamber, however, his curiosity got the better of him. He inquired about Lynd's whereabouts.

King Robert's response was terse: Lynd was on a secret mission, and no further questions should be asked. The other advisers in the Small Council maintained a steadfast silence, offering no additional details.

This response only heightened Randyll Tarly's curiosity about the nature of Lynd's mission and the reasons behind its secrecy.