Lizard-Lions of the Neck

It was the height of summer.

Yet before they had even reached Moat Cailin, the gateway to The North, the king's party had already gotten an early taste of northern cold.

Though no frost had formed on the vegetation or water, one breath of the icy night air was enough to jolt a person awake to the depths of their mind and soul.

The king began cursing loudly again.

"Seven Hells!"

"Damn it! That fucking Pentoshi merchant deserves to die! Why haven't the Gods taken these two Dragon Spawn yet?!"

Lord Varys had delivered news of the exiled Targaryen bloodline at the "fastest possible speed."

Pentoshi Magister Illyrio Mopatis had brazenly sheltered the Dragon Spawn, hiding the Targaryen siblings behind his walls and assigning a group of pointy-hatted eunuchs to guard them.

Separated by the vast Narrow Sea, King Robert's fury clearly could not directly kill two living people.

That only made the king even angrier.

Joffrey had little interest in this long-outdated news.

He only wanted to know how his attendant Elin was doing. If all had gone smoothly, Elin should have been starting to plan how to end his journey in Pentos around now.

But for the moment, he could only wait patiently.

Awoo~

Rainwater let out an impatient cry.

Joffrey soothingly stroked its head, fully understanding its irritation.

After all, they were struggling through the muddy, freezing Neck.

Though they rode in carriages along the Kingsroad, spared from intimate contact with the foul-smelling pools and rotting mud, and kept away from the venomous snakes and lizard-lions lurking in the swampy quicksand.

The damp, clinging stench in the air would not go away. Fungal growths clinging to the trees lining the road hung densely over their heads, while the scenery around them was monotonous, dreary, and dark.

Watching the seemingly endless winding causeway ahead, Joffrey chose to redirect his negative emotions toward the group beside him.

"Continue!"

"You idiots, practice! Keep going until I'm satisfied!"

The musicians and bards did not dare slack off.

No matter how aggrieved or exhausted they felt, they could only say, "As you command, Your Highness."

Along the way from the Riverlands to the Neck, Joffrey had used equal parts coercion and temptation to gather every "music worker" he encountered, nearly a hundred people in all.

They had only one task: perform a new piece according to the Crown Prince's instructions.

Joffrey had the complete, vivid "King's Landing" in his mind, but unfortunately, he had never studied music. He could listen, but he could not play.

That made things simple.

He had gathered these musicians and let them endlessly experiment. Using his own ears, he first identified the instruments with the most accurate tones, then corrected details such as the musicians' rhythm and melody.

More than ten days had passed, and "King's Landing" already sounded excellent. Everyone agreed that it was a piece destined to endure through the ages.

But Joffrey had decided that it had to be perfected. It would not be finished until it reached its most flawless state.

As encouragement, each of them would receive an additional Golden Dragon upon completion.

The musicians suffered and rejoiced in equal measure.

Dozens of cellos sounded at once, and the first movement of "King's Landing" echoed across the Neck...

As the stirring music played, Joffrey's emotions gradually settled.

He began reviewing what he had gained from the Runes over the past few days.

Including the Blood Rune from Harrenhal and the six new Runes acquired from the Glass Candle, he now possessed thirteen types of Runes.

Recovery Rune:

Restores material structure and heals injuries.

Mirror Image Rune:

Creates mirror images of other Runes, while the original possesses control over each mirror image.

Fire Rune:

Generates heat and blocks flame damage.

Solid Rune:

Maintains material structure and strengthens physical defense.

Growth Rune:

Breaks through the normal limits of biological growth and lifespan.

Contract Rune:

Forms contracts between living beings.

Blood Rune:

Absorbs blood to release misfortune/curses (uncertain).

Mind Rune:

Guides and protects the user's Mental Power from overflowing. Through this, it acquires various information beyond the user's field of vision and influences, attacks, or occupies the mental thoughts of other living beings.

Location Rune:

Obtains location information on a place, object, or person through a medium.

Information Rune:

According to the user's will, transmits specific information to a known place, object, or person in forms such as meditation, thoughts, or dreams.

Note: The owner of the Runes can directly transmit and receive all kinds of information without a medium.

Scout Rune:

By inputting location information, obtains various information about nearby areas.

Light Rune:

Creates specific light and shadow according to the input information.

Sound Rune:

Creates specific sounds according to the input information.

The amount of Rune Energy required for these Runes to form varied. The general rule seemed to be that simpler, more fundamental Runes required more Rune Energy, while highly functional ones consumed less.

Joffrey finally understood how the Glass Candle worked.

The reason Valyrian Wizards could exchange messages through Glass Candles was that, after exchanging mediums, they could use the Location Rune to obtain each other's locations, then use the Information Rune to transmit or receive information, and finally rely on the Light Rune and Sound Rune to display that information.

The reason they could enter other people's dreams and show illusions was that the Mind Rune broke down the other person's mental defenses, allowing the Information Rune to successfully transmit information.

The reason they could see distant scenes followed a principle similar to communication between wizards: find a medium and locate it, use the Scout Rune to obtain information, then display it with the Light Rune and Sound Rune.

This was undoubtedly a mature system of Rune combinations.

What was more, the Valyrians possessed such wondrous abilities merely by relying on the Runes inscribed upon tools.

His Runes were entirely his own.

Without needing the Light Rune or Sound Rune, he himself could receive that mysterious, distant information more easily and accurately.

Using this method as a reference, and relying on the power of the Mirror Image Rune, he could establish an even larger communications network and create a more united, powerful system.

As for now.

He saw another possible combination among the thirteen Runes he already possessed.

The Contract Rune, Mind Rune, Location Rune, Scout Rune, and Information Rune could be used for control and communication. The Solid Rune, Fire Rune, Growth Rune, and Recovery Rune could be used to enhance strength.

A powerful, obedient magical beast would be born.

The king would die because of it.

Joffrey looked around. The Neck was gray-black and lifeless, but his mind "saw" a lizard-lion.

To him, the lizard-lion half-floating in the water resembled a crocodile. Its body blended into the rotten black swamp, like a piece of dark wood with eyes and teeth.

Songs claimed that the ancient Marsh King had ridden a lizard-lion.

They were famous beasts of Westeros.

But they were not large enough—one could not swallow a person whole. They were not treacherous enough—they should be hunting with their entire bodies hidden beneath the water. And they were not mysterious enough—their numbers were too great, and they had no deeds that shook the world.

Joffrey would make them more famous, more legendary.

He had decided to create another magical beast.

Lizard-lion, will the glory of killing the king belong to you, or to it?