As the eerie horn blast spread swiftly across Whispering Bay, the clear skies above Oldtown seemed to darken with it. Black clouds appeared out of nowhere, rolling farther and farther across the sky like ink spreading over a canvas.
The normally tranquil, azure waters of Whispering Bay slowly darkened as well, accompanied by the roar of surging waves. Yet the wind nearby had not noticeably strengthened. The sea churned as though a pair of invisible hands were deliberately stirring it.
Since the Long Night and winter had ended, Oldtown had remained as warm as midsummer. Now the temperature plunged, soon becoming almost as cold as winter. The residents moving into the underground spaces could not help shivering.
Moreover, some terrifying power seemed to be slowly awakening in the dim underground spaces. The Oldtown residents who entered them felt not only bitterly cold, but also unusually exhausted.
It was as though their life force was draining away along with their body heat.
Meanwhile, Amoros and the other Great Dragons sleeping beneath the weirwood at the Hightower woke immediately upon hearing the horn.
"Aaaang!"
"Screee!"
The hot-tempered Big-Headed Red Dragon Himolos and the bronze behemoth Aposos immediately let out furious roars. Without a moment's hesitation, they took flight toward the source of the horn blast, with the Purple Copper Great Dragon Antheros close behind.
Only Amoros lowered his head to look at the five Dragon Eggs beneath him, ultimately resisting the urge to follow.
At the same time, as the eerie horn blast spread, enormous dark shadows swept swiftly past the Iron Islands fleet and charged toward the two Lookout Towers.
The members of Oldtown's defense force had just driven back the charging Ironborn with wildfire and breathed a sigh of relief when, to their horror, dozens of enormous octopus tentacles appeared