The Mountain of Ice and Fire

Great Sept of Baelor. The plaza.

At the forefront of the plaza was a Rainbow Pool, in the middle of which stood a statue of Baelor, dozens of feet tall, his eyes filled with mercy as he looked down upon the faithful.

Baelor was a Targaryen king of a bygone era, a devout follower of the Seven who abstained from carnal desires. He imprisoned his own sister in a tower behind Maegor's Holdfast to prevent himself from succumbing to lust. The tower was thus named the Maidenvault.

The Targaryen family practiced incestuous marriage to ensure the purity of their bloodline.

Later, King Baelor built this sept, which was named after him, and his statue became a landmark of the Great Sept of Baelor's plaza.

Trial by combat originated from ancient law, which dictated a duel between seven champions on each side.

If a person could not find seven warriors to fight for them, they were considered defeated.

However, because these seven-on-seven duels often resulted in the deaths of numerous knights of the realm—when a lord was to duel someone, he would inevitably seek out the most elite warriors in the kingdom, seven on each side, meaning a life-or-death struggle for fourteen individuals.

If this kind of relentless duel occurred several times a year, the best generals in the entire kingdom would be wiped out. As the valiant knights of the realm continuously perished in these bloody duels, the ancient tradition of seven-on-seven combat was forbidden, evolving into the one-on-one duels of today. However, challengers and those challenged are still permitted to find champion to fight on their behalf.

Prince Oberyn Martell was the foremost warrior of Dorne, known for the saying, 'Dorne has sands as thick as men, but only one is peerless under the heavens.' He led the Dornishmen to the plaza of the Great Sept of Baelor as agreed.

The plaza was already surrounded by the city watch, encircled tightly. Outside the watch's cordon, noble men and women were packed together, all the royal courtiers having arrived. Queen Regent Cersei and Prince Tommen arrived in sedan chairs under the protection of the Kingsguard and the red cloaks.

The monks from the Great Sept of Baelor occupied the east side of the plaza near the Rainbow Pool, while the barefoot monks calling themselves sparrows, wielding clubs and axes, occupied the north side of the plaza. They were naturally distinct from the monks of the Great Sept.

The sept monks were clean, tidy, solemn, dignified, and holy. The sparrow monks, on the other hand, were unkempt, barefoot, ragged, gloomy, hostile, and fanatical. The sept monks wielded 'The Seven-Pointed Star' as their weapon, while the sparrows wielded 'The Seven-Pointed Star' plus clubs and axes.

Lord Kevan Lannister saw his eldest son, the family heir Lancel Lannister, standing at the forefront of the sparrow monks' ranks, a blue seven-pointed star on his forehead—tattooed on by one of the sparrow monks, indelible for life unless the flesh was cut away.

Several chains crisscrossed Lancel's body, and he held a club in his hand, an axe hanging from his waist, his gaze indifferent and resolute, his expression cold. Beside him were a total of seven chained sparrow monks.

Kevan Lannister did not approach; he knew he had permanently lost this eldest son. Alongside Lancel were many other nobles who had donated all their lands and wealth to the High Sparrow, fanatically becoming fearless sparrows.

The High Sparrow was very tall, standing a head above the sparrows around him, his gaze like an awl as he looked at Prince Oberyn Martell walking into the arena.

'The Seven-Pointed Star' forbade incest, adultery, affairs, and same-sex relationships beyond friendship, advocating for monogamy and absolute loyalty to one's spouse.

Oberyn Martell's rumors of promiscuity and indulgence were countless. He was a man who violated many of 'The Seven-Pointed Star's' laws, and the High Sparrow deeply loathed such high-ranking nobles who openly defied 'The Seven-Pointed Star.' He yearned to bring Prince Oberyn to justice, but he was not the High Septon of the Great Sept of Baelor; he had no authority to order Oberyn's arrest. Moreover, his power was insufficient; he could not uphold the solemnity and holiness of the Faith of the Seven with just a few clubs and broken axes. He needed to obtain greater power and more arms. However, within the kingdom, the law forbade monks from possessing arms.

The High Sparrow had to overcome this legal hurdle.

The sparrows he had now, though they appeared to have some weapons, were actually utterly vulnerable. Even if the sparrows had gold dragons, they could not openly and legitimately buy fine weapons from the blacksmiths because the blacksmiths dared not defy the laws of the kingdom. Blacksmiths did not dare sell weapons to monks; once questioned, they would be imprisoned at best, beheaded at worst.

The High Sparrow looked towards the Queen Regent. The Queen Regent was in full dress, her beauty unparalleled, surrounded by white cloaks and red cloaks. The High Sparrow then looked at the sept monks beside him. They looked down upon the sparrows, and the sept monks were brewing an election for High Septon, but the High Sparrow and his sparrows were excluded from the election…

Suddenly, the crowd erupted in clamor as the Mountain arrived on Red Smoke, leading his six hundred heavy cavalry. The densely packed crowd parted to make way, the Mountain riding Red Smoke, majestic and fierce as a giant, the cavalry beside him like fierce lions, their horses like evil dragons, each horse a steed of a thousand leagues.

The Mountain's arrival caused the entire field to boil over.

The guards and knights of House Tyrell, numbering several hundred, crowded together, led by Queen Margaery Tyrell and Lord Mace Tyrell. The soldiers of the Reach clamored loudly, cheering for the Mountain. The smallfolk of King's Landing watching owed much to the Mountain's grace. Before House Tyrell had brought grain, the relief for the refugees and starving smallfolk of King's Landing had come from the Mountain.

The Mountain dismounted, receiving cheers from all the smallfolk except for the monks and the Dornishmen.

Oberyn wore a mocking, contemptuous smile. He looked down on the Mountain, and he looked down on the smallfolk of King's Landing. He looked down on everyone cheering for the Mountain. He was certain that the Mountain would, in due time, turn on these people, including Cersei. He was delighted that he knew this.

A septon came out, first inspecting the weapons of both sides. The Mountain's was Ice, a world-renowned sword, a Valyrian greatsword, the light of the sword dim like smoke, yet the blade projected a bright, cold light. As the greatsword Ice was drawn, cheers rang out throughout the field.

Valyrian steel swords were the best swords in the world, and the greatsword Ice was the thickest and sharpest of the Valyrian steel swords, cutting iron like mud.

Oberyn was tall and burly, but in front of the Mountain, he was but a half-grown child. The Mountain's greatsword only needed to graze him, and it would be Oberyn's end.

Under the anxious gazes of Ellaria Sand and others, Dickon Manwoody walked out of the crowd, holding a very special long spear.

The spear reached Oberyn's hands, and he casually executed a few flourishes with it, swift and unparalleled, unpredictable, causing hundreds of Dornishmen to erupt in shouts.

Tyrion, still a prisoner, was escorted by several jailers and stood on a carriage to watch this trial by combat.

The Mountain saw that Oberyn's spear was about three feet longer than the spears he was used to seeing. His greatsword was six feet long, while Oberyn's spear was nine feet and three inches long. The front foot of the spear shaft was entirely made of fine steel, while the rear seven feet and three inches was made of the most flexible and sturdy sentinel tree.

Of the thousands of people present, none had ever seen such a long spear.

A spear that long was not convenient for dodging and maneuvering. If one were riding a horse, the height would be sufficient, and there would be no worry about this, but in foot combat, the spear's thrust would become more lethal, but turning to parry would be somewhat restricted.

Clearly, Oberyn had deliberately lengthened the spear shaft, with the sole purpose of attacking, not defending.

As long as one focused on attacking, the longer the spear, the more advantageous it would be.

In the past, when the Mountain fought others, his longsword would cleave the opponent in two, while the opponent's thrusting sword would still be a single-handed sword's length away from his body. This was the benefit of 'an inch longer, an inch stronger.'

Oberyn's spear could stab the Mountain, but the Mountain's sword could not strike Oberyn.

Oberyn's spear was too long! It was a full three feet and three inches longer than the Mountain's greatsword.

The soldiers and smallfolk cheering for the Mountain were all worried, and even Queen Regent Cersei almost stood up from her seat.

Such a rare long spear; Oberyn had come prepared!

This was not the long spear tactic of densely packed spearmen; the long spear tactic of spearmen only required thrusting forward, without needing to consider offensive and defensive transitions. It was rare to find someone who could use such a long spear in a life-or-death duel.

Oberyn's spear technique was unmatched, his skill consummate. He casually twirled the long spear a few times, dazzling the onlookers. The speed of his movements was astonishing.

Many knights and lords who favored the Mountain began to feel uneasy for him.

The septon examined the weapons and identities of both sides and was about to announce the start of the combat when the Mountain said, 'Wait, I need to take off my plate armor.'

The Mountain was wearing a suit of armor, the weight of which two ordinary soldiers could not even lift. The advantages of this plate armor were obvious: swords were difficult to penetrate it, and although spears were best at armor-piercing, it was also very difficult to pierce such plate armor.

Protection was the most important aspect of combat. The Mountain's plate armor was crafted by the weapons master Tobho Mott, providing unparalleled defense, but this plate armor had a flaw: there were connections between the plates, and these connections were weaknesses. Such a long spear, held in Oberyn's hands, would undoubtedly be accurate. And the tip of the spear gleamed with cold light, sharp as a razor, and given the Red Viper's reputation, it was certainly coated with poison.

The Mountain was about to remove the plate armor, even though he had a clear defensive advantage.

Everyone was astonished.

Tyrion shrugged. The Mountain was wise. The Red Viper's spear was longer than his greatsword, with the front foot made of fine steel. The Red Viper's movements just now showed that the spear's thrusting speed was too agile, and his person was always outside the Mountain's greatsword's attack range.

The Mountain could only increase his speed to get closer to Oberyn by removing the plate armor. If he could not get close to Oberyn, the greatsword could not attack Oberyn's body at all, and he would inevitably be in a position of being beaten without being able to fight back, a certain loss.

Removing the heavy plate armor would free the Mountain's speed and agility from the burden of the armor's weight, but the disadvantage would also be very obvious: his defense would decrease sharply.

Oberyn's spear technique was known for its speed. The Mountain was voluntarily giving up defense, wanting to fight speed with speed. The outcome of this battle was actually difficult to predict.

Captain of the Guard Alyn, Guard Marwyn, Squire Comm Warner, and Squire Landon Garre walked out of the ranks and came to the Mountain's side to remove the heavy plate armor that two ordinary soldiers could not even move. The front plate, the back plate, the abdominal plate, the rib plates; the four men worked together to remove them one by one, placing them on the ground, a heap of steel shimmering with black light.

Leg guards, knee guards, arm guards, and the huge flat-topped helmet were all removed.

Another four tall and robust guards came over and carried away the Mountain's astonishing pile of steel.

The Mountain, wearing a coat of mail, felt as if his whole body had become light, as if he could fly with just a light leap.

His longsword was too short compared to Oberyn's long spear; he had to fight speed with speed to win. Only by matching the speed would he have a chance to cut off Oberyn's long spear. If he could not get close, the Mountain would lose; as long as he got close, Oberyn would surely die.

The Mountain stood tall with his sword, like a humanoid giant peak. The septon announced the start of the combat. Oberyn, with the long spear in hand, was as confident as if armor had been put on his body. He immediately attacked, thrusting the spear towards the Mountain's lower abdomen.

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