Hobart was highly efficient. In less than an hour, he had gathered all the knights and soldiers in the Hightower. He spent another few quarters of an hour equipping them with fine armor and weapons, then led them charging out of the tower.
But outside, the Hightower had already become a scene straight out of hell. Charred corpses almost completely covered the road before it.
The thick smoke and acrid stench of burned flesh sent many of the younger knights and soldiers stumbling aside to dry-heave.
Five Great Dragons tirelessly breathed dragonfire over the rioters, each blast claiming at least a hundred lives. The pink hatchling was especially cunning, melting every possible escape route into lava with her flames.
Even those rioters who had come to their senses had nowhere left to flee. Amid the flames and smoke, they let out agonized screams!
The anguished cries of over ten thousand people rang out across almost half of Oldtown. Children, household dogs, and strays joined in the wailing. With bandits seizing the opportunity to smash, burn, and loot throughout the city, Oldtown truly resembled hell on earth.
When those screams reached the Hightower, they echoed endlessly through its soaring interior, becoming all the more terrifying.
All the women of House Hightower had accompanied Lady Hightower to the Septon's Hall to pray that the Seven would manifest their divine power and swiftly put an end to the horrific tragedy unfolding before them.
Some of the more timid girls had already been frightened to tears and could not stop quietly sobbing even inside the Septon's Hall.
Through his window, Earl Hightower saw fires burning throughout Oldtown, and his heart sank. His plump body trembled with both fear and anger.
"Damn it! What in the world is going on?"
At that moment, Earl Hightower