-Chapter 213-

-Chapter 213-

-POV Randyll Tarly-

"AAAAAAAAAAH," screamed an enemy soldier who had just managed to set foot on the wall, knocking one of mine off the other side.

I skillfully dodged his attack while driving my sword into his throat.

The man froze instantly, surprised, his confused expression frozen in place.

I then delivered a frontal kick to dislodge my sword deeply embedded and send him to join my soldier below.

In his fall, he swept away the attackers climbing the ladders, throwing them off balance and dragging them down with him.

I sighed, torn between the relief of having plugged this breach and the fatigue weighing on my body.

This day of relentless combat was beginning to take its toll.

'My arms are burning,' I thought, but I let nothing show. I had to set an example.

'First into battle,' I reminded myself silently, echoing the words of my house.

"Father!"

I turned my head upon hearing Samwell's cry and stepped back, leaving my men to hold the position on the wall.

I quickly located my son about ten meters away and moved toward him, signaling my knights to reinforce the sensitive areas that might be overwhelmed.

"What are you doing here?" I asked directly, as we had agreed that the Legion would only take over at nightfall.

'Or if we were unable to hold our positions,' I thought.

"We've devised a new strategy," Samwell said, making me frown.

Before I could object, he quickly added, not wanting to waste time:

"You need to make sure to lose the Wall."

"Excuse me?" I said, narrowing my eyes at this absurd request.

"We're going to ambush them in the city," he explained, pointing to a map held by one of the legionnaires at his side. Several zones were marked on it.

'Residential areas near the gates,' I understood, recognizing that this plan could limit the enemy’s numbers and catch them off guard.

"Your mission will be to lure them into the trap," Samwell continued, his firm tone leaving me little choice.

I suppressed a surge of pride.

This version of my son, resolute and determined, finally looked like the heir worthy of our house.

'A true man, fit to wield Heartsbane and ensure the future of House Tarly,' I thought, tightening my grip on the legendary sword.

"This means I’ll have to wait until the last minute to order the retreat, so they truly believe in our defeat, right?" I said, aware of the heavy losses this would entail.

Samwell hesitated briefly before nodding.

'Crush that softness within you and forge a harder heart. Sacrifice as many men as needed to ensure our house prospers,' I thought, watching him for a moment.

"This plan is extremely risky. We'll lose too many men," I said in a neutral tone, hiding my true thoughts.

"I know," Samwell replied, his gaze tinged with slight guilt, though his determination remained steadfast.

'He’ll learn in time,' I thought, satisfied nonetheless.

I signaled Dickon, who was observing the scene, slightly distracted.

"For the Empire, I’m willing to take the risk," I told Samwell before ordering Dickon:

"Go with your brother and do everything he tells you."

Dickon frowned, increasingly confused, but I turned away before he could protest.

'It’s up to me to clear the path for Samwell,' I thought, firmly gripping the hilt of Heartsbane.

'For House Tarly,' I added silently, issuing orders to my lieutenants to relay them to the captains on the ramparts.

---

-One hour later-

-POV Vynassa Vhassar-

"You have failed," said Qarro Volentin, his face scowling, his eyes blazing with rage at the catastrophic losses we suffered today.

'We’ve lost more men today than throughout this entire moon,' I thought, glancing slightly away from the piled-up bodies beneath the walls, which now served almost as human ladders.

"Have at least the courage to acknowledge your share of responsibility and the decency to face what you’ve done… This is your work!!!" he shouted, his tone loud, likely trying to rally the other commanders of this coalition army.

The Empire’s army, which I had imagined easily defeated, turned out to be far more resilient and tenacious than expected.

The opposing soldiers maintained their composure despite the relentless waves of men I sent.

Even our elite troops failed to breach their defenses effectively.

But the true strength of this army lay in its top-tier strategic command.

Whenever a small breach was about to be created, it was immediately sealed by experienced fighters or formations of infantry shielding crossbowmen or spearmen, who quickly eliminated our men before dismantling the ladders or pouring oil, petroleum, or even boiling piss onto them.

'They used every tactic to ensure they wouldn’t yield,' I thought, acknowledging their tenacity, though it annoyed me more than impressed me.

'I needed this victory, but I’ve failed. Now we’ll face rested legions ready to hold again.'

'By tomorrow, I’ll lose all influence and credit in this war. My cousin’s reputation will suffer, and his wrath will fall upon me.'

'We’ve thrown thousands at them, tens of thousands even. We’re creating more and more breaches, but if we could just manage to open one that wouldn’t close so quickly, then we could…'

"Attack," I said, barely believing the reckless plan forming in my mind.

"What?" he asked, bewildered, not believing his ears.

"Throw all your forces into the battle," I ordered, my tone sharper, irritated by his immediate doubt in my judgment while the battle was still raging.

"You can’t…" he began, but I cut him off coldly, my gaze fixed firmly on his, daring him to challenge me:

"Until the end of this day, I am the commander-in-chief of this army. All I need to do is open a gate, and I’ll do it personally if necessary. But there’s no way we’ve come this far in vain… EXECUTE!"

'There’s no way we lose this battle after all I’ve sacrificed. Either we win, or we lose everything,' I thought, spurring my horse toward the center of the ramparts, fully determined to take this city.

For now, regardless of the outcome, I was already a loser if this war dragged on.

---

-POV Randyll Tarly-

"Lord Marquis," said Ser Rudolph, drawing my attention.

"All enemy troops are advancing. They’re preparing for an all-out assault."

'Perfect,' I thought, watching the enemy forces push forward.

Their frenzy would be their undoing.

"Relay to all captains: follow my son’s orders and retreat zone by zone as assigned, no matter what happens," I commanded.

Ser Rudolph nodded, and I took a deep breath. The real battle was about to begin.

"SOLDIERS OF THE EMPIRE!" I shouted, my voice cutting through the chaos as my men fought valiantly to hold the attackers at bay.

"YOU MAKE THE EMPIRE PROUD, YOU HONOR THE EMPEROR, YOUR FAMILIES, MY NAME, AND EVERY NOBLE HOUSE YOU SWORE TO PROTECT!"

"UUUUUUUUUUUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" roared my soldiers, their morale electrified by these simple words.

I hadn’t said anything extraordinary, but I meant every word.

These men, who had never seen true battle but had endured the rigorous training I designed, had fought today with a courage that many wouldn’t muster in a lifetime.

'But how many have died, I wonder,' I thought, surveying the remnants of my troops, now perhaps a third or even less of the force I had at dawn.

Gradually, the number of ladders increased until they stood side by side, leaving no gaps.

'They’re throwing everything into this final assault,' I thought, delivering a frontal kick to an enemy scaling the wall. He screamed as he fell back to where he came from. I swiftly decapitated another attacker who lunged at me, his sword stuck in Ser Steffon’s helmet.

'Filthy dog,' I thought, delivering another kick to his severed head, sending it tumbling back alongside his body.

I struck another man across the face, forcing him to release the ladder and clutch his wound. A single stroke of my blade took his fingers, and he fell screaming.

This frenzy of killing continued for a good quarter of an hour before I noticed an unusual figure among the attackers.

An Unsullied.

'They’re deploying their elites now,' I thought.

The Unsullied lunged, aiming his spear at my chest.

I narrowly dodged, slashing his thigh in retaliation.

But he wasn’t alone.

Two more Unsullied climbed the ladders, joining him on the wall.

My men charged them, but it took almost no effort for the three Unsullied to dispatch them in under three blows each.

Seizing the opportunity, I struck the first Unsullied while his spear was still lodged in my soldier’s breastplate, severing his arm.

Yet instead of screaming in agony, he didn’t flinch, delivering a shield bash that sent me stumbling backward.

As I regained my footing, the second Unsullied moved to finish me off.

But I anticipated his move.

Catching his spear between my arm and flank, I drove my sword into his throat and followed with a clean counterstroke that decapitated the armless Unsullied.

"AAAARGH!" I roared as sudden pain erupted in my right leg.

The third Unsullied had driven his spear into my thigh.

By the time I looked up, the three Unsullied had multiplied into fifteen.

The wall was swarming.

I dropped to one knee, the pain in my leg preventing me from standing.

Around me, my men were retreating, overwhelmed by the enemy’s relentless surge.

Preparing for a final stand, I raised my guard, determined to sell my life dearly.

That’s when he appeared.

A man in gleaming golden armor.

The Unsullied parted instantly to let him through.

'Vynassa Vhassar,' I thought, recognizing the arrogant cousin of the Triarch of Volantis.

"Leave him to me. I want to kill him myself," he declared smugly.

"Vynassa Vhassar," I said aloud, struggling to remain standing.

"Marquis," he replied, his tone dripping with mockery and triumph.

He lifted his blade, tilting my chin upward, forcing me to look at my knights retreating methodically, following my son’s orders.

'Perfect. Keep it up,' I thought, catching Ser Rudolph’s gaze, sensing his reluctance to leave me behind.

'Don’t hesitate. This is the best way to lure them in,' I thought, my resolve firm.

Vynassa savored his supposed victory, but I didn’t give him the chance to relish it further.

Without a sound, I lunged, driving Heartsbane straight into his chest, piercing his heart.

Shock flickered across his face.

His sword pierced my throat, and spears impaled me from every direction.

I dropped to my knees, choking on my blood, surrounded by my enemies.

'Go, Samwell. Claim what is ours and make our ancestors proud,' I thought in my final moments.

My last thought was of Melessa.

'Forgive me, my love.'

The pain, the weight of responsibility—everything—faded in an instant as the darkness embraced me.