NOVEL NEXT Chapter 108: Chapter 108
In this counterinsurgency war, how many minor characters from the world of Ice and Fire had gathered here at this coalition base?
Countless.
Due to limited time and his low status, Aegor had neither the opportunity nor the means to visit and get to know these individuals one by one. Not to mention the two renowned warriors—Oberyn Martell, the Red Viper, and Brienne of Tarth, the Beauty—he had never even met them before.
The former was inaccessible due to his high status, while the latter was likely overlooked because her tent was too inconspicuous.
Now that they had encountered them, it was only natural not to let the opportunity slip away. Even if they couldn't get acquainted, at least recognizing each other the next time they crossed paths would be worthwhile. With Casey, who was visibly thrilled, Aegor squeezed his way toward the competition circle.
Hundreds of people had gathered, forming a tightly packed crowd around the competition circle. It took significant effort for him to push through to a spot where he could see the fight clearly.
"Beautiful!"
"Beauty, finish him off!"
Amid the cheers of the surrounding soldiers, Aegor saw the two warriors locked in battle. One of them, much taller, was fully clad in blue armor from head to toe, with even the eyes concealed. Opposite the armored figure stood a black-haired, black-eyed man holding a spear—Oberyn Martell, he guessed. Compared to his opponent, the Red Viper seemed almost unprotected. Aside from greaves, vambraces, throat armor, a war skirt, and a helmet without a faceguard, he wore only soft leather and smooth silk beneath his armor. The chainmail, layered with polished copper scales, barely covered a quarter of his body.
Aegor wasn't familiar with the sigil of House Tarth, but from the shouts of the crowd, he quickly confirmed that the Red Viper's opponent was indeed "the Beauty," Brienne. After a closer look at the "Blue Knight," he couldn't help but exclaim internally: Gods, this woman is tall!
Standing before Brienne—fully armored and wearing thick combat boots—Oberyn barely reached her chest. Yet, despite his clear disadvantage in both height and protection, the Red Viper tilted his head with a playful smile, his tone laced with provocation.
"Come on, girl. I'll admit you're the toughest woman I've ever faced. You're not going to run out of steam already, are you?"
…
Under the urging and cheers of the crowd, Brienne roared and charged forward again. The longsword in her hands gleamed with cold light as it slashed toward Oberyn with ruthless precision.
Aegor had served as a ranger for over a year and wasn't entirely ignorant of swordplay. With just one swing, he recognized that Brienne's skills lived up to her reputation. His old barracks companion at Castle Black, Gary, who'd wielded a sword for forty years might hold out for a few moves against her. But if Aegor himself tried conventional defensive maneuvers against that fierce, unrelenting attack, he'd be defeated in no time.
As the surrounding soldiers jeered, Oberyn nimbly sidestepped the strike with a graceful spin. Without even glancing back, he casually thrust the butt of his spear into Brienne's armored lower back, causing her to stumble forward and nearly crash into the onlookers.
Brienne doesn't stand a chance against him. Aegor quickly understood. If she shed the armor and relied on her strength and speed alone, she might have had a slim hope. But without protection, Oberyn's spear would still find its mark. In a life-and-death duel, the outcome wouldn't change.
"I... surrender!"
Before Aegor could think further, the tall knight threw down her sword and tore off her helmet with both hands. After announcing her surrender, she turned and pushed her way through the crowd without looking back, sending several men tumbling as they failed to stop her.
---
That's it? Aegor stood in stunned silence. Surrendering after just one exchange didn't seem like the behavior of a so-called "Beauty."
After a moment of confusion, the reason became clear. Brienne must have fought Oberyn for quite some time before Aegor arrived, enduring countless humiliating feints and provocations. Realizing she had no chance of victory and faced with the Red Viper's relentless teasing, she ultimately threw down her sword and left in anger.
The audience booed, but there was no real shame in surrendering to the Prince of Dorne, who was undeniably an exceptional warrior. Watching the "Beauty" leave, Oberyn Martell chuckled and called out loudly, "Dorne's spearmanship is the finest in the world. Does anyone dare challenge that?"
The crowd immediately quieted. Many people turned to one another, nudging and urging others to step forward. Yet, after much pushing and shoving, no one dared to enter the arena.
Aegor snorted in disdain. In this coalition camp, those capable of matching Oberyn Martell were either standing beside their lords or clad in white robes, guarding the king. For someone of Oberyn's stature to step forward and challenge the lesser knights here, it felt like he was taking advantage of them.
Having accomplished his goal of getting a glimpse of both the Red Viper and the Beauty, Aegor was about to leave and see if there were any other notable nobles worth observing. But just as he turned around, someone grabbed his sleeve.
"Wait! Isn't the 'White Walker Slayer' here? Let him go up against the prince! Let's see the Night's Watch in action!"
…
"White Walker Slayer! White Walker Slayer!"
The chant spread like wildfire. The crowd's noise surged, blending with cries of "Night's Watch!" and "Chief Logistics Officer!" Before Aegor could react, several soldiers pinned him down. He barely had time to resist before being shoved into the arena.
---
It was no exaggeration to say that Aegor had become something of a celebrity.
The Fantasy Adventures of the Night's Watch had been on the market for a few weeks now. Although its sales lagged behind the more... sensational publications released around the same time, there was a limit to how long people could spend reading bawdy stories. While many of the coalition soldiers were illiterate peasants, the combined forces of six kingdoms brought together a far higher literacy rate than most other places in Westeros or even the world. Here, perhaps one in ten people could read, if not more.
And, of course, even those who couldn't read could still enjoy the tale when literate comrades read it aloud.
As one of the first books available in camp, The Journey of Adventure stood out with its unusual protagonist, a member of the Night's Watch rather than a noble knight and its fresh, unconventional narrative. Word of mouth did the rest, spreading the tale far and wide.
Aegor had originally hoped the book would tell the world that he was a foreigner who'd been forced to join the Night's Watch due to a language barrier. He wanted to shed light on the black brothers' struggles against the Wildlings and White Walkers, hoping to improve the world's opinion of the Night's Watch.
But reality rarely aligns with one's intentions. For reasons he couldn't fathom, readers seemed to ignore the larger message entirely. Instead, the story's most popular detail became the passage about him defeating a White Walker in hand-to-hand combat in the Haunted Forest. This one section—largely true, ironically became the focal point of the book's popularity.
The result? Instead of improving the Night's Watch's reputation, the book inadvertently painted Aegor as a braggart. His so-called "legend" spread throughout the camp, with more than a few listeners adding an imaginary pair of quotation marks around the title White Walker Slayer.
A tale that was 99% fabricated left the single truthful detail in doubt. Aegor didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Back in the modern world, he might've considered this a textbook case of a public relations disaster and poor narrative control. Fortunately, the book never explicitly named him, and the cover even claimed it was purely fictional. The negative perception was irritating, but the notoriety and the profits still worked in his favor.
…
He'd tried to comfort himself with that logic. But now, shoved into the arena and facing one of the greatest warriors in the Seven Kingdoms, Aegor realized his so-called fame had become a liability.
***
Just completed one of the ffs I'm working on, and I want to pick another one.
Is there a fic you saw on MTL that was good but so horrible that you can't read it? Or maybe one you enjoyed reading that was dropped? Comment them (with the raw title or link); I'll check them out.
Please don't recommend brain rot, I'm already suffering enough with some of the fics I'm working on xD.