Chapter 350

"'After a long summer, the stars shall bleed'—this clearly refers to the red comet in the sky. As for how it was formed and why it lingers motionless, no one knows."

"'Cold darkness will envelop the world'—this undoubtedly refers to the winter that has already arrived and, by extension, the resurgence of the White Walkers."

"'In this terrifying time, a hero will be reborn in the land of smoke and salt.' This part is meaningless drivel—it’s so vague it could apply to almost anywhere. Even the kitchen in Castle Night has smoke and salt."

Finally, Bran’s tone shifted as he reached the part that had sparked countless debates: "'He shall awaken dragons from stone and draw a flaming sword from the fire—Lightbringer, the Red Sword of Heroes.' This could be either literal or metaphorical. Before we interpret it, we must accept this: the things described in prophecies are not necessarily what they appear to be. Dragons from stone don’t have to mean real dragons, and a flaming sword doesn’t have to be an actual sword ablaze. They could symbolize something else entirely."

Seeing Aegor nod in understanding, Bran continued, "For example, if one believes Stannis Baratheon is Azor Ahai, then the dragons from stone refer to the dragon statues on Dragonstone, and Lightbringer might just be any glowing sword. If someone insists Daenerys Targaryen is the prophesied hero, the dragons from stone become the dragons hatched from her petrified eggs, and the flaming sword could symbolize the fire they breathe."

Bran suddenly paused, giving Aegor a pointed look before adding, "But if someone were to claim that you, Lord Commander, are Azor Ahai? Then dragons from stone could refer to wildfire, given that it’s created using materials derived from stone, and the flaming sword would naturally be the blaze ignited by it."

Aegor raised a hand to cut off Bran’s increasingly elaborate theorizing. "I get your point. The vagueness of prophecy allows for wildly subjective interpretations. Anyone could be made to fit as the prophesied hero if you stretch the meaning enough. So what?"

"You’ve grasped a key aspect," Bran said, his tone carrying subtle approval despite his unchanged expression. "But have you noticed the discrepancies between the sequence of events described in the prophecy and how they actually occurred?"

"What do you mean?" Aegor furrowed his brow, momentarily losing track of Bran’s train of thought.

"This prophecy originates from Asshai. It is ancient, both in time and geography, so old that even I cannot trace its true beginnings. Over time, it has begun to manifest, appearing remarkably accurate. But if you examine the details closely, you’ll find inconsistencies."

"Such as?"

"'After a long summer, the stars shall bleed, and cold darkness will envelop the world.' Notice the sequence: summer ends, the red comet appears, and finally, the White Walkers return. But in reality, the White Walkers were active beyond the Wall over a year before you encountered them. The red comet didn’t appear until after you killed the first White Walker—more than a year later. And the long summer was only officially declared over well after the comet’s appearance. The actual order of events is: cold darkness stirs first, the stars bleed second, and the long summer ends last."

As a member of the Night’s Watch who had witnessed these major events firsthand, Aegor didn’t need to dwell on it to know Bran was right. But to the general populace, who lived their lives distracted by daily survival, two or three years could pass in a blur. Did these subtle chronological discrepancies really matter?

"I don’t see the significance," Aegor said. "So the first part of the prophecy is slightly out of order—so what? It could just be due to inaccuracies in oral transmission or the original seer being less concerned with precision. Are you trying to dismiss the entire prophecy based on this?"

"No, I’m not dismissing it. I’m offering a new perspective," Bran replied, shaking his head. "Have you considered that this discrepancy might reflect a delayed reaction—someone realizing events were in motion and only then taking steps to fulfill the prophecy?"

Aegor’s eyes narrowed. "What are you suggesting?"

"Think about it. If the bleeding stars signify the awakening of magic or the start of the prophecy’s fulfillment, then the White Walkers, dragons, and comet should have all emerged around the same time. But instead, dragons and the comet only appeared after news of the White Walkers spread—nearly two years later. Doesn’t that make you wonder?"

"You mean…" Aegor trailed off as realization dawned.

"Rather than the prophecy predicting events, it seems more like a powerful entity noticed its rival making moves and hurried to orchestrate events to match the prophecy, ensuring it would come to pass," Bran concluded.

Aegor leaned back, his mind racing. The "third type" of prophecy Bran had mentioned earlier suddenly made sense.

"So you’re saying this prophecy isn’t truly foresight, but a guarantee. It isn’t backed by supernatural precognition, but by a powerful force ensuring that it becomes reality?"

"Exactly," Bran said, his tone firm. "It’s just a theory, but it explains a lot. Now, suppose this theory is true, and you are the one behind fulfilling the prophecy—would you spend decades or centuries meticulously grooming and preparing a chosen hero just to fight this final battle?"

...

Aegor wasn’t a god, nor could he think like one. At first, he wanted to dismiss the question outright. But then he considered it from a different angle, imagining himself as a business owner—an experience he’d gained in organizing the Night’s Watch’s logistics.

Would a business groom its key employees from birth, planning their entire lineage and upbringing, just to meet specific goals? Of course not. The world is dynamic, constantly evolving. So long as humanity survives, there will always be people with the right qualities. The challenge lies in identifying and supporting the right individuals when the time comes, not in preordaining them.

With this perspective, Aegor replied confidently, "No. I wouldn’t waste resources grooming someone from birth. I’d focus on strengthening my own position and gathering resources. When the need for a hero arises, I’d identify a suitable candidate, provide them with resources and opportunities, and let them fight my war for me."

Even before he finished speaking, Aegor realized the implications of his own answer. It was the strategy of a powerful force seeking pawns for a proxy war. Bran’s point became clear: the prophesied hero isn’t born—they’re chosen. Whoever fulfills the prophecy isn’t predestined but simply the person who happens to be in the right place at the right time, with the right support.

Was Daenerys, with her dragons and fiery conquest, merely a pawn of R’hllor? Was Aegor himself, rising to command the Watch and reinforcing the Wall, another unwitting piece in this celestial game?

The thought made Aegor uneasy. No one liked the idea of being a puppet on someone else’s strings.

"This ancient prophecy," Bran said, breaking Aegor’s thoughts, "is nothing more than the Lord of Light’s warning to the Great Other: ‘Oppose me, and someone will come to destroy you.’ The hero is irrelevant. The key lies in the prophecy’s conclusion: darkness will be driven away."

Aegor couldn’t help but think of the prophecy as an exaggerated, otherworldly version of a street brawl. A fiery figure threatening an icy rival: Touch me, and I’ll burn you to ashes.

And then, with sudden clarity, Aegor realized why this felt so familiar. The prophecy was nothing more than a cosmic ultimatum.

...

"Just as the Great Other has the White Walkers, the Lord of Light has his prophesied hero," Bran concluded. "Whether by inability, unwillingness, or mutual agreement, these so-called gods have chosen to wage their war through intermediaries. For us mortals, our enemy isn’t the Great Other—it’s the White Walkers on the board before us."

The conversation left Aegor’s mind swirling. If Bran’s theory was correct, then all he’d accomplished as Lord Commander had only elevated him from a pawn on one board to a piece on another, larger board. The dream of becoming a player himself seemed as distant as ever.

For a fleeting moment, Aegor entertained a rebellious thought: if he abandoned the Wall and let the White Walkers invade Westeros, could he force R’hllor to intervene directly? But reason quickly dispelled the notion. Whatever Bran said, it was still just a theory. Aegor couldn’t gamble the fate of humanity on an unproven idea.

...