Chapter 356

Aegor had initially hoped to craft bullets, shrapnel for bombs, or cluster munitions out of Valyrian steel—ideas fit for modern warfare—but the technology wasn’t there yet, and the enemy certainly wouldn’t grant him the time to research and perfect such advancements.

Besides, the ability of Valyrian steel to kill White Walkers came from the fire-aspected magic infused within it. If the steel were divided into fragments, the magic within each piece would be proportionally reduced. Aegor had good reason to believe that White Walkers, much like humans, varied in strength, and the idea of a "needle-sized shard of Dragonsteel killing the Night King" sounded laughably implausible. Each piece of “Lightbringer” had to be substantial enough to ensure lethality, even against the strongest foes.

Thus, arrows became the most practical option for the time being.

“Harvey, summon the ravenkeeper from Castle Black to my chambers. I have a task for him.”

By invoking the authority of a prophetic vision, Aegor finally silenced Melisandre’s objections to his plan. After cautioning her not to bother Bran, Aegor dismissed her and returned to his quarters, where he quickly summoned the acting maester of Castle Black. The Citadel had sent only one additional official maester to the Night’s Watch, and he was still en route. In the meantime, Aegor had to rely on the acting maester to maintain communication between the twenty fortified outposts along the Wall, all equipped with rookery.
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Aegor issued three key orders.

First, he sent Bran Stark’s application to join the Night’s Watch to Winterfell, while also instructing the Watch’s King’s Landing branch to locate and hire the craftsman known to reforge Valyrian steel.

The second was more complex. The Gift’s population had grown, but there were few who could be called a proper army. The militia, drawn from wildling tribes, received only partial wages and were reluctant to leave their families or clans for military missions. After carefully reviewing the rosters and recalculating his options, Aegor selected two larger, more compliant tribes and offered them compensation to relocate en masse to Icecanyon Port and the Shadow Tower. This increased the defensive forces along the Gorge to five thousand, a targeted response to the latest enemy movements Bran had revealed.

Finally, Aegor hesitated before adding a third order, this one more dangerous: reopening patrols beyond the Wall. He had previously persuaded Commander Mormont to halt all such patrols to minimize casualties. However, with the enemy so close, sacrificing the patrols’ lives to ensure the rest of the Watch wasn’t left blind and vulnerable was a necessity.

“Relay to Dennis Mallister: allow controlled access across the Bridge of Skulls. On days with good weather, send patrols over the bridge to scout the weirwood forests north of the Gorge. Patrols are to return the same day, determining the depth of their forays based on their own judgment while prioritizing their safety. Above all, ensure the bridge can be immediately destroyed if necessary.”
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The Lord Commander’s orders flew swiftly via ravens to Crown's Rest and the Shadow Tower. From there, they were relayed by couriers to their destinations, setting the machinery of war in motion.

Massive troop movements began, organized yet urgent. After a year of closure, the rangers of the Shadow Tower, led by Colin Halfhand, prepared to cross the Bridge of Skulls and resume long-abandoned patrols beyond the Wall.

Meanwhile, in the Gift and along the Wall, activity surged, but it wasn’t limited to land. For the first time since Aegon’s Conquest, conflict on the Northern seas emerged. Centered around Icecanyon Port, the North’s fledgling navy was tested in the icy waters of the Bay of Seals.
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The icy sea spray whipped against the sailors aboard the Direwolf, the first warship launched by the newly established Northern navy. It had just departed from Icecanyon Port on its third voyage since its construction.

Shipbuilding wasn’t advanced technology, and with the full support of White Harbor and Bear Island, the first warship had been launched shortly after Icecanyon Port’s completion. Veteran craftsmen worked tirelessly to ensure its swift construction and launch.

The Direwolf was a modest vessel: a single-masted ship roughly one hundred feet long, with two decks and modest firepower. It differed slightly from its Westerosi counterparts, designed to withstand the fierce winds of the Bay of Seals. The ship’s fore and aft castles were shortened to reduce wind resistance, and instead of additional masts and sails, wooden platforms at the ship’s center housed small torsion-powered trebuchets capable of targeting enemies from all directions. The crew was a mix of Northern soldiers and Night’s Watchmen, trained to operate under these harsh conditions.

Though nominally a vessel of the Northern navy, the Direwolf was also pledged to assist the Night’s Watch in times of need. This was both an acknowledgment of Aegor’s contributions in establishing the port and a reflection of the shared threat posed by the White Walkers.

The ship was armed with improved wildfire incendiaries. While not technologically groundbreaking, these weapons provided a distinct advantage, capable of inflicting significant damage on enemy ships or shoreline targets.
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Today, the Direwolf embarked on its first real mission. After months of evading detection, Icecanyon Port had finally been discovered by the Ironborn. Two longships had been spotted prowling just outside the harbor, their crews conducting reconnaissance and attempting to intimidate the defenders. While the Ironborn’s presence was a nuisance, the fortified port and its garrison were confident in repelling any direct assault.

Still, the Northern navy could not allow the Ironborn to operate so freely. Though the Direwolf was merely a single warship, its superior firepower made it more than a match for the longships. Lady Maege Mormont, now the commander of the Northern navy, gave the order: drive the Ironborn from the port’s waters.
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The Ironborn longships, sleek and swift, turned tail as soon as the Direwolf began its pursuit. Built for speed and raiding, the longships couldn’t match the Direwolf’s firepower but could easily outpace it in open water. The Northern sailors knew they had no chance of catching their quarry; their goal was merely to drive the enemy out of sight and prevent further reconnaissance.

However, the longships soon slowed, their movements erratic as they lingered just outside the Direwolf’s effective range. The helmsman of the Northern ship grew uneasy and raised his Myrish spyglass to peer into the fog ahead.

Moments later, he shouted, “Lady Mormont! There’s movement in the mist ahead—could be more ships! You’d better take a look.”

Maege Mormont, clad in armor and wielding a spiked mace, stepped forward. She was a stout, gray-haired woman, respected for her strength and leadership. Once the head of House Mormont, she had risen to command the Northern navy after restoring her family’s honor and managing the fallout from her nephew Jorah’s exile. Shaking her head, she declined the spyglass.

“My eyesight isn’t what it used to be,” she admitted. “But we’ve chased them far enough. Reduce speed and turn back to Icecanyon Port.”

The order was relayed, and the Direwolf began to slow, its single sail and oars maneuvering the ship back toward the harbor. Just as the Northern sailors breathed a sigh of relief, the Ironborn longships abruptly reversed course and began to pursue, their crews blowing piercing warhorns that echoed across the bay.

A trap had been sprung.