Chapter 214

“Why are they setting the forest on fire?”

“What else is fire for?” Aegor replied through gritted teeth. “To burn, to illuminate. One, it can incinerate the dead; two, it can signal others. They might be using the blaze to block the wights or to send a signal to the wall climbers. Combining these possibilities, it’s clear—Mance Rayder intends to use the flames as both a signal to launch his full-scale assault and a barrier to ensure that, during the attack on the Wall, they won’t have to worry about the wights behind them.”

Just my luck, Aegor thought bitterly. Why did I have to arrive right now?

Had it not taken him weeks to escort Jaime Lannister from the Westerlands, he could have reached Castle Black earlier and begun preparing for the wildling threat. Conversely, if he hadn’t rushed so tirelessly northward after meeting Arya Stark’s relatives, he might have arrived a day or two later—just in time to miss the first wave of the assault.

Either way, coming earlier or later would have spared him from facing this deadly battle head-on. But instead, he had arrived at the exact worst moment, with no time to prepare, forced to meet this challenge headlong.

Was it sheer coincidence? Or had the wildlings timed their attack just to spite him?
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“Full-scale assault? What do we do?”

After a year at the Wall, Jon Snow was no longer the indecisive boy he had once been. However, standing beside someone he perceived as more experienced and level-headed, he instinctively sought Aegor’s advice.

“What else? Defend the Wall! Keep an eye on everything beyond it!” Aegor shouted to the Night’s Watch sentries atop the Wall. “We’re heading down to organize the defenses. If you see anything moving toward the Wall, don’t hesitate—blow the horn twice!”

“Understood! You can count on us!”

“Let’s go,” Aegor said, motioning Jon to follow.

As a sworn brother of the Night’s Watch and an officer at that, Aegor couldn’t shirk from the fight despite his fear of death. Arriving at this critical moment left him no choice but to steel himself for the coming battle.

The two descended in the iron cage, signaling the watchmen below to lower them. The grinding sound of the winch filled the air, and within minutes, they were back on the ground.

“Sam! Go summon the First Steward and the head craftsman. Empty the armory and distribute every weapon and piece of armor—give them to everyone, even the stewards and craftsmen!” Jon shouted as soon as they exited the cage. “Edd! Ride to Mole’s Town immediately and bring the villagers back to Castle Black. If the wildlings attack, that village will be the first to fall!”

Watching Jon bark orders with confidence, Aegor felt a rare flicker of satisfaction. The boy had grown into a capable leader.

Without the Great Ranging, Jon had never infiltrated the wildlings and thus hadn’t escaped in time to warn Castle Black of Mance’s plans. As a result, both Mole’s Town and Castle Black were woefully unprepared for the assault. But there were upsides to Aegor’s presence: the armory was well-stocked, and Jaime Lannister had brought fifty elite soldiers to reinforce their ranks.

In the original timeline, Castle Black had withstood Mance’s first assault with barely over a hundred defenders until Stannis arrived. Now, with over three hundred men, their chances were far better. Aegor’s priority was simple: survive, and ensure things didn’t go worse because of his transmigration.

“Have Maester Aemon send out ravens to alert the realm! And fetch Ser Jaime Lannister—make sure his men remain armed and ready for battle!” Aegor ordered one of his subordinates. “Bring the two jars of wildfire I brought from Crown’s Rest to the top of the Wall. Handle them carefully!”

The courtyard of Castle Black descended into organized chaos. Night’s Watch brothers rushed out of the towers, collecting weapons and assembling in the courtyard. In the absence of rangers, the main defense force now consisted of craftsmen, stewards, newly arrived recruits, and mercenaries from Jaime’s retinue.
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As dusk fell, the stewards emptied the armory, hauling out double-edged axes, sharp daggers, longswords, spiked maces, studded leather, and chainmail. Tywin Lannister could never have imagined the equipment he’d donated would see immediate use. Now, even the stewards, clad in black armor, bore the appearance of seasoned warriors.

Men whispered nervously among themselves as the flames in the Haunted Forest grew brighter, casting an eerie glow across the night sky. The fire lit up the woods so intensely that even from the courtyard, one could see the blaze clearly.

“Are you certain the wildlings will attack tonight, Aegor?” Bowen Marsh asked. “Perhaps they’re just clearing space for a new camp.”

“I wasn’t sure before,” Aegor replied, narrowing his eyes at the flames. “But now, I am.”

Just as he spoke, the sound of galloping hooves echoed. Edd returned from Mole’s Town, shouting from a distance, “Wildlings! They’re attacking Mole’s Town! We have to help them!”

Panic spread instantly. Mole’s Town supplied Castle Black with vegetables and housed many of the brothers’ “companions.” The news of the attack sparked outrage.

“How many are there?”

“I didn’t dare get close, but I saw at least a hundred!”

“Who cares how many? They’re just wildlings!”

“Let’s go deal with them!”

“Stay calm!” Jon shouted, silencing the men. “Our duty is to defend the Wall. We cannot abandon Castle Black!”

“They’re slaughtering our friends, and we’re supposed to cower here like turtles?”

“Our duty is to defend the Wall!” Jon repeated firmly.

“You’re just the Lord Commander’s steward, Snow. Stop acting like you’re in charge!” a craftsman yelled. “Mormont isn’t dead yet, and even if he were, you wouldn’t be the next commander! If we can’t even protect the village beneath our noses, how can we claim to defend the Wall?”

Jon clenched his fists, then raised his voice. “You’re right—I’m just a steward. But you’re just a craftsman. Why don’t we hear what the First Steward, the Chief Builder, and the Chief Logistician have to say?” He turned to Aegor.

“We cannot abandon Castle Black,” Aegor said coldly, silently praising Jon’s composure. “But we can saddle the remaining horses and send out patrols. If any villagers escape, we’ll provide them refuge. Bowen, Othell—do you have any objections?”

“None.”

“Defending the Wall comes first.”

With no dissent from the senior officers, Aegor’s orders became the de facto strategy.
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Two blasts from the horn echoed through the keep, cutting off further debate.

“Let’s move,” Aegor barked. “I’ll take one group to the Wall. The rest will stay here to defend the gate. Remember—let them take the towers, the kitchens, the stables—whatever they want. All we need to hold is the gate!”
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Mance Rayder’s strategy of a two-pronged assault became clear as night fell. From the Wall’s height, Aegor could see the massive fire in the Haunted Forest. The blaze illuminated the treetops, creating a stark contrast that left the edge of the forest in shadow—a perfect cover for the wildlings massing below.

The cleared strip of land between the Wall and the forest proved invaluable. Without trees for cover, the wildlings’ advance was laid bare. Clad in mismatched furs and armor, they poured from the forest, shouting war cries as they charged across the snow.

The horn blasts from the wildlings’ ranks echoed chaotically, joined by discordant drumbeats and flutes. The cacophony of sound was both terrifying and invigorating.

Among the chaos, towering figures emerged—giants, striding alongside mammoths. From atop the Wall, they were unmistakable, standing out like leaders in a horde of raiders. As the giants broke into a run, the Siege of Castle Black began.