Handsome Man sifted through the sounds and reports, searching for his companions!
Handsome Man, Gendry, and the others covered the wolf emblems on their chests and calmly picked out the sounds around them. Fortunately, Myr was full of sellswords and adventurers. They were just another ship on the sea, drawing no attention. The Arrow Maker calmly wrapped up his longbow. It was far too distinctly Westerosi and could easily arouse suspicion.
Things have already gone badly wrong! Handsome Man thought. The problem was not the Fireweed itself. Their enemies had already brought Cassor down before the shipment reached Myr. They had assessed his wealth and struck a killing blow before he could reap the profits from this batch of Fireweed. But what of Greybeard? Handsome Man feared that Greybeard, who had been charged with protecting Cassor, had probably met the same fate.
"Kill them!" "Kill them!" The shouting cracked like thunder as a dozen blood-covered men spurred their horses toward Myr's gate.
Most of the men from the Wolf Pack Company were wounded. Who knew how much strength it had taken them to fight their way here? Judging by their route, they must have come from the inner city.
Myr City Watch, the magisters' private guards, and sellswords pursued close behind with crossbows in hand, but the Myrmen dared not get too close. Northmen were second to none in a bloody fight, and northern blood ran through the Wolf Pack.
Whoosh! Dick unwrapped his bow. His arrow flew as smoothly as though gliding over fine silk and struck down a pursuer without fail.
"Kill them! The Wolf Pack is here!" The men of the Wolf Pack Company shouted too, deliberately making as much noise as possible. Gendry led one group, Handsome Man another!
The Arrow Maker began drawing and shooting with flawless accuracy. Every arrow found its mark. Compared with crossbows, longbows had a slower rate of fire but a far greater range. And the Arrow Maker was the finest archer in Westeros.
"The Wolf Pack is here!" Gendry put on his iron mask and swept forward like a storm. Mace in hand, he led several men to rescue their comrades.
Chapter 29: The Stag and the Unsullied (Please keep reading)
Fighting had broken out in more than a dozen places across Myr. Their enemies were busy wiping out the supporters Magister Cassor had left behind. Blood and fire engulfed Meereen.
Gendry tightened his grip on his mace and watched the men pursuing the Wolf Pack Company. Myr City Watch, sellswords hired by the Myrmen, and the magisters' private guards were all mixed together.
There were slender, olive-skinned Myrmen; Tyroshi with purple, red, or blue hair and beards; fair-skinned Lyseni with blond hair and blue eyes; and men from Meereen. Gendry saw sellswords from most of the known world. The enemy outnumbered them several times over, at the very least.
The surviving members of the Wolf Pack joined their reinforcements and re-formed into a wedge, charging toward the gate of Myr's outer city. Handsome Man, Long Spear, and Gendry brought their men into the formation.
"Give me some cover!" the Arrow Maker said. The men of the Wolf Pack Company raised their shields to conceal him. His longbow never missed. He shot through several mounted enemies in succession, briefly preventing the encirclement from tightening.
"You came!" The leader of the surviving men covered his cheek, tears running down his bloodstained face. He was a middle-aged man wearing a pair of spiked iron gauntlets, already smeared with blood.
"Where's the commander, Steel Fist?" Handsome Man asked. The ending was already clear, but he still hoped for a miracle.
"Magister Joey of the Fireweed Guild betrayed us!" Steel Fist said. "Magister Cassor wanted to seek help, but he and his family were poisoned at the banquet. The commander couldn't talk him out of going. Magister Joey and those enemies from the Navigators' Guild sent in Unsullied and Meereenese pit fighters. The commander and four or five of our brothers died. We broke out of the estate and escaped." Pain showed on Steel Fist's face.
"Magister Joey? He's a member of the Fireweed Guild too!" Handsome Man was stunned. Those shipping magisters were clearly capable men. They had even won over one of Cassor's former close friends and supporters.
"Nothing is impossible! After Cassor died, the remaining seat went to the man Magister Joey and the pirates had chosen: Joey's brother-in-law, who is also a pirate. The candidate the Navigators' Guild originally nominated was just a feint. Behind the scenes, they had already won Joey over."
"How could this happen?" Handsome Man sighed. Myr's political landscape had shifted in an instant. Their patron, Magister Cassor, had met a violent death, dragging their commander Greybeard down with him.
"Captain, the commander left this for you! After him, you're the head of the Wolf Pack Company." Steel Fist produced a ring bearing the head of a proud, solitary wolf. Made of black iron and bronze, it was engraved with the ancient runes of the First Men. This was the symbol of the Wolf Pack Company!
"Move!" Handsome Man had no time to say anything more. For now, they had no choice but to withdraw from Myr.
"Charge the outer city's east gate! Its defenses are weak!" Steel Fist said.
"It's too late!" Handsome Man said quietly. "Myr will be crawling with danger today. We have a new route-an underground passage!"
"First pretend to attack the east gate, then double back to the hidden passage!"
"Right!"
Boom! Boom! The Myrmen's ranks slowly parted, revealing small catapults pushed forward by Myrish slaves. Having discovered how deadly the Arrow Maker's longbow was, the Myrmen were reluctant to advance, so they let the catapults attack first.
"Shields! Shields!" Dick the Bowmaker covered his comrades with precise longbow shots. For now, he only needed to suppress the enemy riders. The catapult crews were well protected, so he could only shoot the cavalry at the front first.
The Arrow Maker fought back with all his strength, and the Wolf Pack Company's other longbowmen returned fire as well. The Myrmen could not match their range, leaving them in a difficult position. They could only watch the surviving men of the Wolf Pack advance in a tight group.
Suddenly, a horn sounded.
Thud! Thud! Thud! A group of men as unyielding as iron appeared ahead of Gendry. They wore spiked helmets and black leather armor, carrying shortswords, shields, or spears. Thirty Unsullied advanced toward them in an immaculate formation.
"The Unsullied!"
"The Unsullied are here!" Jubilant cheers erupted from the Myrmen's ranks. The Unsullied had always been regarded as the Free Cities' trump card, the heaven-sent soldiers who had saved Qohor. The Free Cities feared the Dothraki above all others, and that victory had made the Unsullied famous.
The arrival of the Unsullied instantly restored the Myrmen's morale. Ignoring the threat of the longbowmen, they began surging forward with cheers.
"Those damned Myrmen really are willing to spend!" Handsome Man said.
"The Unsullied don't ride! We'll beat them back once, then withdraw to the rear!" Handsome Man gave the order. He, Steel Fist, Gendry, and Long Spear angled out together to meet the Unsullied.
The Unsullied wore expressionless faces. They had always been renowned for obedience and resolve, and their price had remained high for years. At Qohor, the Dothraki had charged eighteen times, only to break against those shields and spears like waves against rock.
The Unsullied marched in perfect step. There was only the sound of their advance, not a single unnecessary noise. They were ruthless, swift killing machines.
Clang! Gendry's hammer collided with an Unsullied soldier's spear. They were just as the rumors claimed: agile and honed through relentless training. It was not only their brutal training, but also the wine of courage they had drunk since childhood.
Long Spear attacked with a grave expression, his spear flicking out like a viper's tongue. But the Unsullied's defense was seamless, difficult to bite through.
"Don't get bogged down! The Unsullied have drunk the wine of courage since childhood. They can endure pain better than we can!"
Gendry raised his mace and struck in an instant, seizing the best opening to smash the Unsullied soldier's head. The man raised his bronze shield to withstand the blow, then thrust his spear. Gendry reached behind him for his Arakh. Then he twisted, redirecting his mace toward the man's heart. The Unsullied gave a muffled grunt and fell.
Leather armor! That's my only chance! Gendry ducked beneath an Unsullied spear and snatched up the dead man's shield! Myr's climate was mild, and the Unsullied were not accustomed to wearing heavy armor. Otherwise, heavily armored Unsullied would have been even harder to deal with.
"Kill!" Gendry felt the immense strength within his body. His enemies' movements seemed wasteful and slow before him. He only needed to overwhelm them with force. He only needed to swing his warhammer faster and more steadily, missing no opportunity.
Gendry's attacks flowed without pause, his warhammer raising a black storm of death. The hammer struck harder, and the Unsullied wore only leather armor. Amid the danger, those were his opportunities.
Gendry fought with mounting fervor, his mace striking left and right. He held up his shield while swinging his warhammer fiercely. The warhammer delivered steadier, heavier, more concentrated blows. In a strongman's hands, it was invincible.
Gendry roared like a bellowing stag, several Unsullied corpses lying beneath him.
"Move!" Handsome Man grabbed him. They had to find an opening and retrace their steps to the hidden passage.
Chapter 30: Commander of the Wolf Pack Company (Please keep reading)
Not far from Myr's eastern gate, cries of battle had long been ringing out. The clash of steel and the shouts of fighting rose and fell.
The gray-and-white banner of the running wolf still flew. Gendry stood before the Unsullied corpses, a cold, merciless gleam flashing across his crude iron mask. Sweat soaked his short, coal-black hair. Blood dripped from his black mace. The Unsullied might be brave and fearless, but their bodies were not made of steel.
"Strike the Unsullied in the head or heart! Try to kill them with one blow. They won't feel pain if you hit anywhere else, and you won't kill them!" Two Unsullied corpses lay at Gendry's feet, their blood running in streams.
Four Unsullied followed close behind, attacking Gendry with shields, spears, and shortswords. Most had only one iron spike on their helmets, and their expressionless faces seemed cast from bronze as well. The Unsullied did not fear the deaths of their comrades.
Gendry raised his oak shield and stepped back, lifting his warhammer in his other hand. Ordinary men lacked his strength and agility. His nimble footwork resembled a Shadowcat's as he began conserving his strength and waiting for them to come.
Four spears thrust toward him, the Unsullied moving in unison. Once they realized how great a threat Gendry posed, they resolved to deal with him first.
Clang! A spear struck Gendry's Black Scale Plate Armor. Fierce though the Unsullied were, they did not poison their weapons. Compared with the Myrmen, they were warriors who fought their enemies face-to-face.
Although the spear failed to pierce his black scales, the force of the thrust was still deeply unpleasant. The Unsullied were well-trained light infantry, and their strength was considerable.
Gendry could even see the determination in their eyes. "Hah!" His mace smashed savagely into an Unsullied soldier's faceplate, crushing his cheek. The man fell at once.
The remaining three Unsullied withdrew their spears, then thrust upward at Gendry's throat.
Gendry darted backward with astonishing speed. He moved like a wild deer bounding through the woods, nimbly avoiding branches. The burning pain in his chest made his strength surge even more fiercely.
Whoosh! A long arrow from Dick the Bowmaker arrived, piercing an Unsullied soldier's eye socket to aid Gendry.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Gendry seized the chance to hammer down blow after blow until an Unsullied soldier's shield began to splinter. Such force cut both ways, and Gendry's arm ached too. His savage warhammer shattered the shield, then smashed the man's faceplate and face.
"Move!" Handsome Man shouted as he led the company. But his shout drew an attack. A Myrish sellsword fired his crossbow at him twice in succession. Handsome Man dodged the first bolt, but the second still pierced his left arm.
Dick the Arrow Maker's yew longbow promptly delivered a cold greeting, shooting the Myrish sellsword dead. The Arrow Maker wasted no words, but his bow never missed.
"Thank you so much, Dick!" Handsome Man's face grew paler.
"Save your strength! Looks like these old bones will have to stay alive and see you safely through first." Dick smiled.
"Your wound!" Dick saw blood dripping from Handsome Man's injury.
"It's nothing! Get out of Myr first!" Handsome Man said with effort.
Gendry put away his hammer and abandoned his idea of capturing some Unsullied. They made the finest guards, but the situation was too chaotic. There was simply no time to take prisoners.
The Wolf Pack Company's arrowhead formation changed direction. Even if they completely destroyed the iron wall formed by the Unsullied in Myr's outer city, it would still slow them down. Their best option was to return to the smugglers' passage and escape Myr.
"Move!" The Wolf Pack Company pulled out of the Unsullied's reach and instead headed toward the Myrish sellswords.
Though the Myrish force on the other side was large, it was certainly no iron wall like the Unsullied. It was a mixed force of sellswords, guards, and gladiators.
Brimming with murderous intent, the Wolf Pack Company raced back toward the smugglers' passage under Handsome Man's leadership.
"Kill them!" The Wolf Pack Company's knights swept forward like a raging storm. Older veterans and those with grave wounds volunteered to guard the outer edges, protecting their commander and comrades. Northern blood still ran through the Wolf Pack Company, after all. They would sacrifice themselves for friends and kin.
The North had a long-standing tradition: when the first snow fell, the elderly, younger sons, the unmarried, the childless, the homeless, and others who could not be supported would leave home, giving their kin a better chance of seeing the next spring. Though the Wolf Pack Company had come to Myr, they still upheld that tradition.
At the mouths of Myr's alleys, many of the Wolf Pack's old sellswords fell. Horses that had lost their riders or were riddled with arrows whinnied in pain.
Handsome Man led the survivors through the deep, dark passage. Before the second dawn arrived, they finally boarded the ship of the Lyseni pirate king.
A band of sellswords covered in blood, sweat, and anger, with Greybeard nowhere among them-the men aboard already knew what had happened.
"Old friend, I thought you weren't coming back!" said Sara, the old pirate from Lys. "Still, I'm glad to see you!"
"Thank you for your kindness, Sara!"
"You look a little battered, but safe, old friend. It seems Myr no longer welcomes you! Are you ready, old friend?" Sallahan said. "Come back to Lys with me. I badly need skilled men like you! Whether the shipping business is legitimate or not, it needs good warriors. I admire you men!"
"We need to think it over!" Handsome Man said. "Could I borrow your cabin, old friend? I've taken a small arrow wound to the arm."
Master Qyburn approached, noticing Handsome Man's arm. He removed Handsome Man's armor and examined the arm struck by the bolt. The blood in the wound had begun turning purplish black.
Qyburn hurriedly took Handsome Man into the cabin and treated the wound with a sharp blade. A while later, he came out and called in the remaining men of the Wolf Pack Company: Long Spear, the Arrow Maker, Steel Fist, and Gendry.
Handsome Man signaled for Qyburn to make an announcement.
"I'm very sorry!" Qyburn sighed, the wrinkles gathering on his face. "The Myrmen poisoned their bolts. I did everything I could for Handsome Man's arm. The arm has been saved, but it will lose most of its sensation. He will no longer be able to wield a weapon with it!"
"The commander is gone! He passed the lead wolf's ring to me!" Handsome Man continued. The men of the Wolf Pack did not weep. Only anger remained.
"The Wolf Pack never forgets."
"The Wolf Pack never forgets."
"There's one more thing I want to announce!" Handsome Man continued.
"This ring... let Gendry have this ring!" Handsome Man slipped the wolf-head ring from his finger and handed it to Gendry.
"The lead wolf needs his hands. I don't want people calling me the Wolf Pack's cripple. This position is yours now, lad. If you want to leave the Wolf Pack Company, I won't hold it against you!"
"This is too great an appointment!" Gendry shook his head.
"Listen to me, lad! We're all warriors of spirit. When men come together, sincerity and friendship are what matter. Our Wolf Pack Company has no liking for the Myrmen's sham elections. For our lead wolf, we need the bravest, cleverest wolf!" Handsome Man explained.
"A post in the Wolf Pack Company is no easy prize for you! You're too young, yet you'll have to shoulder responsibilities twice your age. But I've seen strength in you-strength and wisdom. The Disputed Lands are a chaotic place. You cannot get by without those two weapons!" Dick the Bowmaker stepped forward as well.
Gendry studied the ring closely. It was a wolf-head ring made of black iron and bronze, the wolf seeming poised to soar.
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