"Hyah!"
Euron lashed his horse again and again, trying to outrun the sounds of battle and screams behind him.
Riding at full speed, he stared at the towering silhouette of Pyke rising from the cliffs ahead, his mind burning with urgency.
'There are still two hundred n in the castle. With the servants, I still have a chance.'
'As long as I make it inside, that bastard Galon won't be able to take the castle with his forces.'
'If I send word for reinforcents, I can wipe them out!'
'And I still have... the eyepatch... magic...'
One defeat after another had crushed any thought of facing Galon in open battle.
Now, his mind churned with sches and desperation. All he wanted was to kill Galon by any ans necessary.
He whipped his horse harder. The beast cried out in pain and surged forward again.
But just as he neared Pyke, a sharp whistling sound cut through the air behind him.
He turned his head.
Galon was already in pursuit, bow drawn, arrows flying one after another.
"That northern bastard!"
Euron cursed under his breath, ducking low and urging his horse onward.
Galon's eyes were cold as he continued the relentless chase.
The road grew steeper and more treacherous.
On one side was a jagged rocky slope. On the other, a dizzying cliff that plunged into the sea.
The wind howled, carrying the salty scent of the ocean and the tension of the hunt.
"Galon, be careful!"
Asha called out from beside him. "The road ahead only gets worse!"
But Galon ignored her.
If Euron reached the castle, everything would be lost.
"Faster!"
"Aim for their horses!"
Galon shouted, spurring his mount forward again.
He fired another arrow. It struck true—but glanced harmlessly off Euron's Valyrian steel scale armor.
Unhard.
Behind him, Galon's guards—skilled riders and hunters—shifted their aim.
They targeted the mounts instead.
Arrows flew.
Screams followed.
One by one, Euron's guards were thrown from their saddles, crushed beneath their own horses.
"Faster! Faster!"
Euron didn't dare look back.
He whipped his horse in a final desperate push.
But Galon closed in like a hunter who would not relent.
At last, just under a hundred yards from Pyke's closed gates, on a stretch of relatively flat ground near the cliff—
Galon drew his bow again.
Twanged.
A piercing scream split the air.
Euron's horse collapsed, throwing him violently to the ground.
He crashed hard onto the grass.
For a mont, his vision swam.
He coughed up blood and leaned against the corpse of his horse, gasping.
His Valyrian armor had saved him from serious injury.
But his luck ended there. Before he could fully rise, Galon and his riders surrounded him.
Hooves thundered. The alarm bells of Pyke began to ring.
Chaos erupted within the castle.
"Take n and block the reinforcents!"
Galon ordered Asha without taking his eyes off Euron. "Try to convince them to surrender."
"Leave Euron to ."
Asha hesitated for a fraction of a second, then nodded and led Galon's guards toward the gate.
When they were gone, Galon dismounted.
Sword in hand, he walked toward the isolated Euron.
"Crow's Eye," Galon said coldly, "your voyage ends here."
Euron laughed, madness burning in his eye. "You bastard... you think you can kill with that toy?"
"My Valyrian armor can withstand dragonfire. What can your sword do?"
Galon didn't answer.
He lunged forward.
His blade struck Euron's chest—
Clang.
The sword slid off without leaving even a mark.
Euron countered instantly, his curved blade slashing toward Galon's neck.
Galon twisted aside.
The blade grazed his armor, slicing a few strands of hair.
Galon stepped back, tightening his grip.
He quickly understood that his weapon could not pierce that armor. Then he changed tactics.
Instead of stabbing, he attacked with raw force.
His greatsword crashed down again and again—on Euron's arms, his helt, his body.
Clang. Clang. Clang.
The blows rang out like hamr strikes.
Euron's skill and armor kept him alive—But he was completely suppressed. Each impact rattled his bones, numbed his arms, shook his insides.
'Monster... this man is a monster...'
Euron struggled, unable to land a single clean hit. The armor protected him—but not from the crushing force.
'No... I have to remove the eyepatch...'
He stepped back, raising his hand toward it.
But Galon was faster.
With a powerful slash, he struck Euron's arm.
Crack.
Bone snapped.
Euron scread as his arm fell limp.
"Now."
Galon stepped in and smashed the side of Euron's helt with his blade.
Bang.
Euron staggered, then collapsed.
Unconscious.
Galon struck him once more to be sure.
Only when Euron lay completely still did he turn toward the castle gates. He bent down, grabbed Euron by the arm, and dragged him forward.
At the gate, Asha was confronting the defenders.
Galon tossed Euron's body to the ground and raised his voice.
"Euron murdered his own brother and seized the throne — an unforgivable cri!"
"Now Euron has been defeated and captured, while Lady Asha, the sole heir of King Balon, has returned to Pyke!"
"If you do not open the gates to welco her now, then when will you!"
The ironborn soldiers standing behind the portcullis gripped their weapons and exchanged uneasy glances.
Even after seeing the unconscious Euron, they still did not dare open the gates and surrender.
At that mont, a thunderous rumble of marching troops sounded from behind Galon and the others.
Galon turned his head and imdiately spotted the silver fist banner on a field of blood fluttering above Pyke Island. A wave of relief washed over him.
Then he turned back and shouted sharply:
"The army has arrived! Open the gates and welco Lady Asha into the city at once!"
At the sa ti, Asha spoke coldly:
"In the na of Greyjoy, I swear this: all past acts of loyalty to the kinslayer will be forgiven!"
The ironborn guarding the city looked toward the approaching army.
Seeing that the outco had already been decided, and hearing Asha's promise, they finally hurried to raise the portcullis.
"We swear our loyalty unto death to House Greyjoy!"
Once the gates were opened, they rushed before Asha and dropped to one knee one after another, pledging their allegiance.
Galon could not be bothered to spare another glance at this pack of opportunists.
He ordered his n to secure the gate, then shifted his gaze toward the unconscious Euron once more.
Raising his greatsword, he aid at the exposed neck not covered by Euron's helm, preparing to kill him once and for all to prevent any future trouble.
"Wait!"
Asha's voice rang out suddenly.
She strode forward and stopped in front of Galon, while the ironborn who had just sworn loyalty to her moved in unison to block his path as well.
Galon's expression darkened instantly.
"What are you trying to do?"
But Asha's eyes were locked tightly onto the unconscious Euron, her chest rising and falling with emotion. She did not even notice the change in Galon's mood.
"We can't just kill him like this. That would be letting a kinslayer off too easily!"
She lifted her head and looked at Galon, her gaze firm and resolute.
"I want to gather all the captains of the Iron Islands at Pyke, before the Drowned God's temple, and put him on public trial!"
"Let everyone witness the fate of a usurper!"
Galon fell silent for a mont.
'So, after claiming victory, Asha is already eager to declare her authority.'
'It seems I should make my next move as well.'
'Before she starts thinking of breaking away from , I need to crush that idea entirely.'
With that thought, a faint glint flashed through Galon's eyes, and he nodded.
"Very well. As you wish."
"n, tie him up."
"Let him give his final performance before the eyes of everyone."
With a wave of Galon's hand, two mbers of his guard imdiately stepped past the ironborn and bound Euron securely.
A short while later, Ron, Mihawk, and Sparta arrived at the city gates leading the army.
"Enter the city!"
Galon swept his hand forward, and the Northern army marched into Pyke in orderly formation, swiftly bringing the entire castle under their control.
__________
Upto 20 chapters ahead on patreon :-
patreon/Xorath
User Comments
0 comments from readers