The Mountain of Ice and Fire

"Dragonflame!" The Mountain patted the Sheepstealer's hideous and enormous head, issuing the dragon command.

Light emanated from the Sheepstealer's long neck. Its massive mouth opened, and a golden-red fireball erupted, trailing a long pillar of flame that swept across the scattering Dornishmen.

Screams, exclamations, and shouts of defiance mingled into a chaotic symphony that echoed through the night sky.

Tens of thousands of Dornishmen scurried about like insects. Where the dragonflame touched, human-shaped candles shrieked and fled, engulfed in flames.

Instantly, the dragonflame cleaved the Dornish army into several segments, like a sharp knife slicing through cheese.

"Dragonflame!" The Mountain relentlessly issued dragon commands.

The dragon Sheepstealer flapped its wings, traversing from one end of the castle to the other in a heartbeat. The dragonflame it spewed quickly formed a closed ring, trapping tens of thousands of Dornish soldiers within its fiery confines.

嗖嗖嗖! 嗖嗖嗖!

Dornish archers began their counterattack.

"Ascend!" The Mountain commanded.

The Sheepstealer soared higher, circling. The puny arrows had a limited impact on the Sheepstealer and even less on the Mountain. Clad in full plate armor, he would be difficult to injure unless struck repeatedly in the same spot by armor-piercing arrows.

The scales of an adult dragon like Sheepstealer were as tough as rock and steel.

However, the Mountain was always wary of death and injury. While attacking the enemy, he ensured his and the dragon's safety, never letting his guard down.

Dragons could fly freely in the sky. Though their immense size made them appear slow, their speed was actually astonishing. A mere ascent was enough to evade the barrage of arrows.

"Dragonflame!" The Mountain roared.

The Sheepstealer swooped down, circling outside the dragonflame ring, adding a second fiery barrier. The two rings of dragonflame intensified the blaze, while the fires set by the Dornishmen were confined to a few key castles. The Mountain's dragonflame encircled everyone, creating a complete closed loop, like a ring-shaped city wall.

Except this was a wall of fire.

With the second dragonflame ring completed, the two rings combined, setting ablaze everything in their path—rocks, trees, artificial hills, and waterfalls. Rocks that couldn't burn into open flame melted into a liquid state within the dragonflame, reaching temperatures akin to lava.

The circling dragon was incredibly fast, making it impossible to track and target with small arrows.

The raging fire also hampered the archers' aim.

"Circle and Dragonflame," The Mountain continued to command.

The Sheepstealer suddenly veered, swooping as its massive mouth opened, unleashing a gigantic and dazzling pillar of fire. Its lightning-fast flight and the wind generated by its wings created a whirlwind. In the blink of an eye, a third ring of dragonflame formed, pressing inward, superimposed upon the previous two. A towering wall of fire rose within the beautiful city of Highgarden.

Although the dragonflame wall was still distant from Arianne Martell, Willas Tyrell, and their companions, this dragonflame ring was no ordinary fire. Its temperature was incredibly high, capable of melting steel and rock into liquid. Human bodies stood no chance.

The Mountain ceaselessly issued commands, and the Sheepstealer continuously circled, spewing pillars of dragonflame, layering them upon the three rings, advancing step by step, shrinking and constricting towards the city center.

This was a carpet of fire, leaving no place untouched. Anyone within the fire ring would eventually be burned to ashes unless they could burrow underground.

Was the Mountain planning to bury everyone alive?

Highgarden's warriors had been nearly annihilated by the Dornishmen. What remained were the nobles and citizens of Highgarden, along with tens of thousands of Dornish soldiers. Except for a few outside the dragonflame ring, most were trapped within Highgarden's second city wall. The city's archers, overwhelmed by the fleeing soldiers, had long lost their formation, scattered and fighting individually.

Due to the two ring-shaped walls, most archers couldn't keep up with the dragon's circling speed. Those nearby found their range and accuracy severely hampered by the raging inferno.

The Mountain steered the dragon in circles, slowly layering the dragonflame walls, advancing steadily. The merciless fire consumed countless warriors and civilians. Trapped within the fire ring, the Highgarden nobles, commoners, and Dornish soldiers cried out in earth-shattering wails and screams.

Highgarden was a vast city. Although the dragonflame wall advanced rapidly, it would still take some time for the towering wall of fire to reach the highest and most central part of the city.

Dornishmen and Highgardeners, no longer distinguishable, surged towards the main castle square, seeking refuge from the dragonflame. They now shared a common enemy: the ever-advancing dragonflame wall—a closed ring of fire, growing higher, wider, and brighter, with increasingly intense flames.

Standing before the main castle, Willas Tyrell's face was pale, and he trembled uncontrollably.

Was the Mountain going to incinerate the entire city of Highgarden? Was he an ally or an enemy? Had he come to slaughter everyone on both sides? This, the most beautiful city in the Seven Kingdoms, was Willas's greatest love!

"Arianne Martell," Willas heard his voice, faint and unreal. It trembled violently. "The main castle has a cellar, but it can only accommodate a maximum of two hundred people."

Arianne Martell couldn't hear Willas's words. Her eyes were wide with shock, her pupils reflecting the dragonflame wall and the cries of tens of thousands of people. These tens of thousands of soldiers were the fate of Dorne, its lifeblood, its strength… Was the Mountain going to burn the entire Dornish army? Was Dorne about to be utterly destroyed?

Yes, unless they could break through the gap in the dragonflame wall, they would all die, burned to ashes. There was no doubt about it.

The man and dragon flew through the sky like demons, ceaselessly spewing flames below. The fire ring was expanding rapidly, both towards the city center and outwards.

In just a short while, the fire had gained momentum. No one could break through the closed ring of flames sown by the dragon. The fire's inward spread was too fast, its coverage too wide. In many places, the dragonflame had already reached the second city wall.

More and more people surged towards the main castle square—Arianne and her companions stood at the main castle gate, witnessing a surging tide of humanity, trampling and crushing each other to death. The archers had vanished, swallowed by the churning crowd. No one could organize them for a counterattack.

"Archers! Arianne, we need to gather all the archers," Ellaria Sand shouted beside Arianne. The guards of Sunspear raised their axes, preventing the crowd from overwhelming Arianne Martell and her companions at the main castle gate.

The Mountain remained silent, steering the dragon, the pillars of dragonflame ceaselessly erupting, layering upon the fire ring. In many places, the second city wall had already collapsed under the dragonflame, accompanied by thunderous crashes.

The dragonflame wall had become a dragonflame sea. As far as the eye could see, the city's surrounding slopes were engulfed in raging fire. The entire vast city was bisected by the dragonflame. The first city wall at the foot of the hill remained, but within it was only fire, everywhere fire.

And the Mountain continued to steer the dragon, relentlessly sowing pillars of fire, layering them upon the ever-widening ring of flames.

The Mountain was burning the entire city, step by step!

If this continued, no one would survive. Even those who hid in the main castle cellar would be suffocated by the heat, smoke, and molten flames.

"You are the enemy, and the Mountain is a demon," Willas Tyrell's voice was hoarse. He staggered forward, attempting to rush out, but before him was a surging sea of people. Many had gathered in the main castle square, and more continued to pour in from all parts of the city, crowding together, shoulder to shoulder, a dense mass of heads. The soldiers and knights of Sunspear formed a protective circle around Arianne, Ellaria, Willas Tyrell, and their companions, preventing the crowd from overwhelming the area. Cries, shouts, and the crackling roar of the inferno filled the night sky.

The night sky was as bright as day, as if lit by the fire. The flames of Highgarden, built upon a hill, were visible throughout the Highgarden plain.

The Mountain's cruelty was unbelievable.

"Surrender, we surrender! Submit, we submit!" Someone shouted the first cry. But it was drowned out by the torrent of panicked voices, heard by only a few.

But this was a spark! A spark that could ignite a prairie!

A second, a third, a fourth person began to shout: "Surrender, we surrender, submit, we submit."

However, these voices were too weak, like a straw drifting on a raging river.

As if sensing something, the Mountain ceased his actions of spewing pillars of dragonflame and sowing dragonflame fireballs.

Although he had stopped sowing the dragonflame, the fire had already gained momentum. Once fire gained momentum, it seemed to possess an incredibly powerful and indestructible life of its own. It spontaneously spread to all parts of the city, unstoppable and rapid.

When fire itself possessed life and the power to attack, it was like a well-trained army. No one could stand against it. The encircling flames, like living creatures, burned towards the highest and most central area of the city—the main castle.

Once the fire had gained momentum, it would autonomously slaughter the city. The Mountain and the Sheepstealer no longer needed to act. The flames would complete their mission on their own, and nothing could stop them!

*

"Surrender, we surrender!" More voices cried out.

"Surrender, we surrender." Many voices shouted.

"We surrender, we submit!" Whether Dornish or Highgardener, they all shouted.

Finally, the voices of surrender and submission became the only dominant sound, echoing through the night sky.

The Mountain, flying in the sky on his dragon, had achieved his goal through the 'firestorm city slaughter'.

He wanted people to surrender and submit themselves, rather than through negotiations and bargaining.

He wanted Arianne Martell to surrender unconditionally.

Surrender, without any conditions.

If he hadn't burned and slaughtered the city, hadn't demonstrated thunderous methods and a willingness to incinerate everything, Arianne Martell would have organized the archers to resist. Willas Tyrell would have become her bargaining chip and hostage.

In demanding the Dornishmen's surrender and submission, whoever spoke first lost.

If the Mountain spoke first, he couldn't get the result of unconditional surrender.

Ellaria Sand hated the Mountain to the core. She would definitely hinder the Dornishmen's surrender; she would rather die!

But the situation was different now. The Mountain didn't want them to surrender; he wanted them all to die. Even Willas Tyrell was included, without distinguishing between Dornish and Highgardener.

Who was as vicious as the Mountain!

Willas Tyrell was the Mountain's ally. The Northern Alliance army lived well on the supplies provided by Willas Tyrell.

The fire raged, encircling from all sides. The Mountain had unleashed an army of flames. This army was invincible; the Dornishmen couldn't defeat it. This army didn't distinguish between friend and foe; it buried them all alive!

Once the fire gained momentum, it possessed life, especially such fierce dragonflame.

Seeing that the time was right, the Mountain steered the dragon to the center of the city: "Drop your weapons, raise your hands."

The soldiers and civilians of the entire city dropped their weapons and raised their hands.

"Arianne Martell, Ellaria, are you there?"

The Mountain's voice was like thunder, drowning out the sound of the encircling fire. The main castle square and the nearby streets and houses were packed with people. Tens of thousands raised their hands, silent, looking up at the dragon in the sky and the terrifying demon of the Westerlands.

The fire raged, crackling, burning towards where these people were!

Their lives were hanging by a thread. They didn't want to die; they wanted to live.

Arianne and Ellaria stepped forward. Arianne shouted, "Mountain, release my people, give them a way out."

"Where is Lord Willas Tyrell? I want him alive and well. If he dies, you will all die." The Mountain saw Willas Tyrell and said it on purpose.

Willas Tyrell shuddered!

His beloved Highgarden. The Dornishmen had set fire to Highgarden, damaging its skin, while the Mountain's dragonflame had burned Highgarden's flesh and blood. The Dornishmen had hurt Highgarden's body, while the Mountain had taken Highgarden's life.

"Lord Willas Tyrell is unharmed!" Arianne said in a low voice.

"Lord Willas, I want to see you. Where are you?"

"I'm here, Mountain!" Willas Tyrell shouted loudly. "Mountain, what must you do to extinguish this fire and save this city and our lives?"

"I can't put out this fire. Highgarden can only be rebuilt. I'm sorry, Lord Willas, but this is the only way to save your life. If I don't push the Dornishmen to the brink, they won't surrender. And you, you've been slaughtered by the Dornishmen." The Mountain's voice was like a bell, every word echoing over the city, heard clearly by everyone.

Willas Tyrell's heart ached.

Arianne Martell, Ellaria, and the others were as pale as death.

Historically, the Targaryen family's dragonriders had repeatedly led armies and dragons to attack Dorne, but they were eventually defeated. The Dornishmen forced the dragon family to lower their noble heads, exchanging submission and peace through marriage.

But they were trapped in Highgarden by the Mountain and his dragon, with no way to think, no way to stop him.

"Arianne Martell, dragonflame is merciless, time is running out. Kneel and swear allegiance to me, never to betray me for the rest of your life."

Arianne Martell looked at Ellaria Sand. Ellaria's expression softened. Her hatred for the Mountain was unmatched, but she didn't stop Arianne's surrender. Countless expectant eyes in the square were fixed on Arianne. They were all brave warriors, but they couldn't defeat the raging flames. They didn't want to be burned to death.

They wanted to live!

Only by living could there be Dorne. Here were all of Dorne's elite troops. These people were Dorne. After tens of thousands of people died in battle, Dorne no longer had any strength. Anyone could enslave Dorne.

Arianne Martell knelt down, and Ellaria Sand knelt down. Oberyn's bastard daughters, the famous Tyene Sand, Sarella Sand, Elia Sand, and Obara Sand, all knelt...

Penrose Braemont, the heir to Braemont; Dicken Manwoody, the Earl of Kingsgrave; Sylva Santagar, Arianne's confidante; Edric Dayne of Starfall; Ser Gerold Dayne, the Darkstar... these Dornish nobles and fierce generals all knelt down...

Finally, all the Dornishmen knelt down, a dark mass filling the square, filling the streets, filling the last city wall...

The Reachmen all stood, standing straight, everyone's face showing complex emotions, filled with a helpless and tragic air.

"Arianne Martell, for the rest of your life, I will not allow you to have any other man. I already have a wife and cannot marry you, but you can only have me as your only man," the Mountain announced loudly, without shame.

Dornish people have an open private life and are even more open to matters of men and women, with the custom of having lovers prevailing. Prince Oberyn's eight Sand Snake daughters were all bastards. But the Mountain's declaration would spread to King's Landing and throughout the Seven Kingdoms, which would damage Jeyne Westerling's reputation and perhaps even cause confusion. In Jeyne's heart, the Mountain was not someone who liked to fool around with women.

"Yes, Mountain!" Arianne Martell replied expressionlessly, loudly.

"The Tower of Joy is the only place where I can meet you and be happy every time I come to Dorne."

"As you command, Mountain!" Arianne Martell stood up. "Mountain, I will serve you for life, be loyal to you, and will not rebel. But how will you save my soldiers from this fire?"

The fire was raging, rapidly engulfing the highest point of the city, rapidly burning everything, unstoppable. Throughout Highgarden, the sky and the earth were as bright as day.

"I have my own way. You first lead the Dornishmen to swear allegiance to me, all the Dornishmen, not just your oath of allegiance. I want the entire Dorne to submit. If the oath is violated, it will be an indelible shame for the entire Dornish people and will be rejected by God."

So, in the raging firelight, against the background of crackling sounds and earth-shattering noises, in front of the low-flying dragon and the Mountain, Arianne led the Dornishmen to swear allegiance to the Mountain, and made a poisonous oath in the name of God and the honor of the Dornish people that they would never betray him.

The Mountain shouted: "Arianne, Willas, you organize the soldiers and people and follow behind me and the dragon. We will break through from the back of the main castle." The dragon roared and descended towards the back of the city's main castle. On this side, although there was fire, the Mountain did not allow the fire to burn into a large conflagration. On the closed ring, the Mountain left a small exit.

The back of Highgarden's main castle was not an official road, not a plain, but a mountain range, a mountain range connected to the Red Mountains, with no road.

But there was originally no road in the world, and when more people walk, it becomes a road.