Prophecy

When he decided to come to the Godswood for the meeting, Garon had considered the Three-Eyed Crow's motives.

Either he had foreseen visions of the future, or he had learned some of Garon's secrets by listening through the Weirwood.

After all, Garon had been in this world for half a year. He couldn't have done nothing at Deepwood Motte.

But what Garon had never expected was that the Three-Eyed Crow had summoned him because of Glover blood.

King of the First Men?

A red-eyed Greenseer?

Children of the Forest blood?

A pact between the Glovers and the Old Gods?

Rumors that existed only in family stories had appeared before Garon's eyes as though they were real.

"King of the First Men!"

He couldn't help brushing his fingers over his red eyes, softly repeating the name the First Men's apparitions had cried out. His heart remained in turmoil for a long time.

Only when the Three-Eyed Crow came to stand beside him did he finally calm down.

Garon turned his head to gaze at the Three-Eyed Crow, his expression composed.

He knew that the Three-Eyed Crow before him, like the First Men in front of him, was only an apparition.

Brynden's true body was still north of the Wall, in a cave in the Haunted Forest, fused with a Weirwood.

So Garon wasn't worried that the Three-Eyed Crow might suddenly attack him.

And after breaking free of the illusion just moments ago, Garon had felt that—

if he wanted to, he could escape the illusion around him with ease.

After thinking it over for a moment, he studied the Three-Eyed Crow's apparition and calmly laid out all his questions.

"Who exactly are you?"

"What did you mean by the pact between the Glovers and the Old Gods?"

"Surely you didn't summon me just to show me all that and have a chat?"

The Three-Eyed Crow's apparition let out a harsh laugh.

"Of course not!"

After laughing, the Three-Eyed Crow tapped his staff and dispelled all the apparitions.

The space returned to its green meadow once more.

Garon focused his attention, knowing their conversation was getting to the point.

"I am a messenger of the Old Gods, the Greenseer of the Children of the Forest. My name has long since lost its meaning."

The Three-Eyed Crow fixed his gaze on Garon, his voice dry and hoarse.

"As for my purpose..."

A strange smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. "I only wanted to confirm whether you were the one in the prophecy!"

"The prophecy?"

Garon froze. The Three-Eyed Crow's answer had taken him by surprise, and he hurriedly asked, "What prophecy?"

"The prophecy of the savior!"

The Three-Eyed Crow spoke unhurriedly. "But it's too soon to discuss that."

Garon frowned in confusion. "Too soon?"

The Three-Eyed Crow gave a strange laugh, then explained.

"Although you have awakened the Greenseer bloodline of House Glover, it will take time for your talent to become power."

"As for your questions, you'll naturally get your answers when you become a Greenseer."

Garon stared at him, stunned.

He had never dreamed that he might become a Greenseer.

In an instant, the image of Bran, the wheelchair-bound king, flashed through his mind.

Did I take Bran's place?

No way. I'm not going to end up with broken legs too, then spend the rest of my life lying around as the wheelchair king, am I?

The thought left Garon feeling deeply uneasy, and he couldn't help asking again.

"A Greenseer?"

"How do you know I have the gift of a Greenseer?"

"Just because of my red eyes?"

The Three-Eyed Crow shook his head and explained plainly.

"If you didn't have the gift of a Greenseer, you wouldn't have been able to see anything that happened today—or what you're seeing now."

"Only those with Greensight can receive a response from the Old Gods..."

But before he could finish, the green wasteland around them began to tremble. Fine cracks appeared beneath their feet.

"What's this..."

Garon turned to see the cracks widening, realizing that the illusion before him couldn't be sustained much longer.

Sure enough.

The Three-Eyed Crow frowned and sighed. "It seems our meeting is coming to an end."

"Glover, if you want to learn more, come Beyond the Wall as soon as you can."

"I believe I can help you with what you've been working on these past six months."

As he spoke, the Three-Eyed Crow's human form, with his hand resting on his staff, suddenly became a black three-eyed crow.

It spread its wings and flew away, leaving Garon standing there, lost in thought.

In an instant, the space turned upside down.

Garon could faintly hear the Three-Eyed Crow's final words in his ears.

"The prophecy is at hand. The final performance of ice and fire is about to begin..."

As the voice gradually faded, darkness swallowed Garon's eyes.

Whoosh—

When Garon's eyes brightened again, his consciousness had returned to the Godswood.

"Why does this happen every time!"

Garon rubbed his dizzy head and cursed inwardly.

He staggered back and sat on the moss-covered stone behind him, gasping for breath.

After several breaths, he gradually recovered.

Garon looked up at the human face carved into the Weirwood, and his mood sank.

"What exactly is the prophecy of the savior?"

"Is it the Prince That Was Promised?"

"But what does that have to do with the pact between the Glovers and the Old Gods?"

"My family hasn't passed down a single scrap of information."

Tonight's meeting hadn't dispelled Garon's doubts. It had only left him with more questions.

He looked up and felt as though he were surrounded by shadows on every side.

"A Greenseer?"

"The Three-Eyed Crow wants me to go Beyond the Wall?"

Garon stood up and stroked his eyes with his right hand, wondering why the Three-Eyed Crow wanted him to go Beyond the Wall and why he claimed he could help with Garon's plans.

"Could it have something to do with the Children of the Forest and the Giants?"

There were too few clues. Garon turned the possibilities over and over in his mind, but all he found were more mysteries. He couldn't come up with an answer.

After a long while,

Garon, standing before the Weirwood, took a deep breath and pushed all his distracting thoughts aside.

"Whatever the prophecy is, and whether or not the Three-Eyed Crow is just trying to mislead me..."

"None of that matters!"

"My top priority has always been to propose to Sansa Stark."

With his goal clear, Garon took one last look at the face in the Weirwood.

He stepped back two paces, bowed slightly, then turned and left the Godswood.

After Garon had gone, the face in the Weirwood stared fixedly after him.

A cold wind blew past. The leaves rustled, as though answering a silent prayer.

The journey there had been quick; the return was even quicker.

In mere moments, Garon was back at the Godswood's iron gate.

He looked at the burning torches and let out a sigh of relief.

Perhaps because of the shock he'd just experienced, the moment he left the Godswood, Garon's eyes felt heavy and sleepiness washed over him.

He didn't linger. He followed the passage back to his temporary bedroom.

Garon shut the door and threw himself onto the bed.

A powerful wave of sleepiness swept over him.

He barely managed to take off his clothes before falling into a deep sleep.

After an unknown amount of time, a three-eyed crow appeared in Garon's dream.

It soared through the sky, leading Garon to an unknown place.

They crossed mountains, passed over the Wall, and entered the Land of Always Winter.

As Garon followed the Three-Eyed Crow through the snow, a vision appeared.

Countless twisted tree roots suddenly emerged from thin air and pierced straight through his body.

At the same time, two fearsome dragons burst through the sky.

One breathed fire, while the other unleashed frost. Attacking from both sides, they engulfed the roots piercing Garon's body in a storm of ice and fire.

The Three-Eyed Crow beat its wings and silently watched the scene unfold.

As if everything had been destined.