The Mountain of Ice and Fire

The first line of defense for the Braavos city-state is the Titan of Braavos.

This is a miraculous structure that humans could not possibly complete. The giant's two feet are two natural islands. Architects used the two mountain peaks on the islands to shape the giant's two huge legs, adding bronze decorations. Using the principle of arch bridge technology, they used giant stones and bronze to cast the giant's massive, mountain-like body above the legs.

The giant wears a green bronze battle skirt around its waist, and its breastplate is also made entirely of bronze. It wears a crown-like helmet, and its flowing hair is made of huge, dyed-green hemp ropes, each weighing hundreds of pounds and over a hundred meters long.

The giant's eyes are two caves, with bonfires burning inside, lit by scout soldiers stationed for lookout. The bonfires become the giant's eyes, gazing into the distance. The giant's left hand rests on the ridge of the mountain peak on the left island, and a hundred-man team could be stationed on the fingernail of its bronze finger. The giant's right hand is raised high, gripping the hilt of a broken sword. The breastplate is designed with countless arrow slits, and the arms and shoulders are covered with mottled stains. Thousands of seabirds have made the arrow slits on the breastplate their natural nests. The inner thighs of the Titan are also dotted with countless arrow slits, and real military space is designed under the battle skirt, where hundreds of archers can be stationed, with the arrow slits aimed at the sea lanes below. In the event of war, the space under this battle skirt will be utilized as the first high-ground defense line for the Braavos archers.

The Titan of Braavos is like the Wall of Westeros. Logically speaking, it is simply impossible for human power to complete it. The Wall stretches for over a thousand miles, with nineteen military fortresses, over seven hundred feet high, and a base width of over two hundred meters. At the narrowest top of the Wall, twelve warhorses can gallop side by side.

It is precisely because people believe that this is an impossible structure to complete, that it is called a miracle.

Among the nine man-made wonders in the world widely circulated in Long Legs Lomax's 'Travelogue' book, are the Wall in the North of Westeros, the Hightower in Oldtown in the South, and the Titan of Braavos.

In times of war, whenever a ship approaches, the Titan will emit a huge roar, notifying the huge armory not far behind of the ship's arrival. Of course, the giant won't really roar, but a huge red copper bell hangs in its big mouth. Once the bell rings, people on the farthest of the hundreds of islands of Braavos can hear it clearly.

The assassination elder and the swordsmanship elder of the House of Black and White passed through the internal passage of the giant and arrived in the giant's eyes. The soldiers stationed in the giant's eyes were respectful, lined up, and filled with surprising piety towards the two suddenly arrived monks.

The faces of the two elders were hidden in their hoods. They never showed their true faces outside. All the soldiers could see was the darkness in the hoods.

Judging from the soldiers' reactions, they did not know that 'outsiders' lived on the top of the Titan. If there were dragons, these soldiers would of course know during the day. The two elders also asked the soldiers guarding the spiral staircase passage at the foot of the giant along the way, and none of them had 'seen a huge shadow in the dark, nor heard any abnormal sounds from the sky'.

The highest point of the internal passage of the Titan is the giant's two cave-like eyes. Here, the road is cut off, and there is no upward passage anymore. If the two elders want to go to the top of the giant's head, they have to climb up from the cliffs above the eyes.

The top of the giant's head is hung with huge, dyed-green hemp ropes, as thick as cables. Grabbing the hemp ropes can take you to the top, but the hemp ropes hang on the back of the giant's head. From the position of the eyes, it is farther and more dangerous to go around to the hemp ropes at the back.

The assassination elder and the swordsmanship elder decided to climb directly out from the eyes and then straight up.

Half an hour later, the two elders climbed to the top of the Titan's head. The sea breeze howled incessantly. The higher the place on the sea, the stronger the sea breeze because there is no shelter. In addition to seabird droppings and huge dragon claw footprints, someone had drawn an arrow on the smooth top of the giant's head.

The arrow pointed to the bushes on the edge, moss and a few soldier pines. The two elders followed the direction indicated by the arrow and came to a soldier pine. At a height of one person, a black jade box with reliefs was hanging.

This box looked very valuable at first glance. The relief carvings on the box were images of dragon crystal candles.

The two elders looked at each other, their hearts filled with surprise and uncertainty.

What does this mean?

The assassination elder stepped forward and took off the black jade box. The box felt cold and smooth to the touch. On the side of the box, a small white object was hanging on a thread, like a paper roll. But the two elders had never seen such a clean white paper roll.

The swordsmanship elder took off the paper roll, while the assassination elder opened the black jade box, and he was obviously stunned.

The swordsmanship teacher noticed the abnormality and leaned over to look, also stunned.

This is an exquisitely designed jade box. In the middle is a hollow device, and a black, reflective glass candle is burning. Although it is sheltered from the wind here, the sea breeze is still strong, but the flame of the dragon crystal candle, like a spark, does not go out no matter how it sways in the wind.

The assassination elder hurriedly blocked the oncoming sea breeze with his body.

"Dragon crystal candle?" The swordsmanship elder said in disbelief.

The candle is fixed on a hollow jade frame, about a few inches high, crystal clear and bright, with a bright red flame.

A gust of sea breeze poured in, and the two elders hurriedly shielded it with their bodies, as this sacred fire must not be extinguished.

The sacred object that the House of Black and White had conspired for six hundred years was here.

The shock and regret in the hearts of the two elders could not be described in words.

Beforehand, they had imagined many scenes, but none of them were this one.

The Mountain is not here, the dragon is not here, here is the dragon crystal candle that the House of Black and White has dreamed of.

Priceless treasure!

I don't know how long it took before the two elders finally returned to reality from their shock.

"Quick, look at the letter Lord Mountain left us." The assassination elder was originally a refined person, calm and composed in everything, but he could no longer be calm now. When he took off the black jade box, he naturally saw the white letter-like object hanging on the jade box. It's just that they are used to parchment scrolls, and it was the first time they saw a paper roll as white as jade, so they couldn't help but have some doubts.

But now is not the time to doubt. They found the dragon crystal candle here, which is the dream of faith passed down from generation to generation by dozens of generations of elders in the House of Black and White.

The swordsmanship elder opened the paper roll. The texture of the paper roll was light and thin, and the paper surface was clean white, which the two elders had never seen before.

"To the Seventh Elder of the House of Black and White: The Mountain has always admired the House of Black and White. The Thousand-Faced God, like the Seven Gods, is also my faith. Today, in the name of Westeros, I offer the magical relic of the Oldtown Citadel: the dragon crystal candle. To comfort the Seventh Elder and the devout wishes of the Faceless Men of the House of Black and White, the Mountain sincerely wishes to reconcile with the House of Black and White. Rosy, Rory, and Emma, the Mountain will return them one by one at the appropriate time. If there is any offense due to rash disturbance, please forgive me." The signature is Westeros - Gregor Clegane.

The swordsmanship elder and the assassination elder read this short letter over and over again, unable to believe it.

In the letter, the Mountain did not use the name of the king, but the name of Westeros. He sent such a precious thing without mentioning any conditions or agreements. The letter promised to return Rosy, Rory, and Emma, without making any requests.

Regarding the Faceless Men's theft of the Oldtown Citadel - which would have caused the House of Black and White to lose its glory if it had been discovered and made public - the Mountain did not mention a word.

The Mountain gave a great favor, but did not mention this favor in a single word or sentence.

The assassination elder and the swordsmanship elder read the letter back and forth several times, and the two looked at each other, at a loss.

"The Mountain has become the greatest benefactor of the House of Black and White," the assassination elder said softly. His heart was surging, and he slowly exhaled a long breath.

The swordsmanship elder said: "The Mountain is undoubtedly a Green Prophet. He discerned our assassination plan and established an irresistible alliance with us by sending out the dragon crystal candle."

"Yes, we cannot refuse him," the assassination elder murmured.

"But we signed an agreement with Brandon Stark in the Thousand-God Temple. The Iron Bank provided him with gold, and the Sealord guaranteed him," the swordsmanship elder felt his throat choked.

"We only have two ways to solve this problem," the assassination elder said.

"What way?"

The assassination elder slowly closed the black jade box. The dragon crystal candle will not go out in the black jade box. Obviously, this box was designed by the Citadel to hold the dragon crystal candle. Three dragon crystal candles, three black jade boxes.

"First, return the dragon crystal candle to the Mountain."

"Absolutely impossible!" The swordsmanship elder said decisively.

"The second way is to find Brandon Stark and ask him to change his name."

"He won't change his name."

"Then, we can only withdraw from this employment mission."

"Brandon Stark will not agree either."

"It doesn't matter whether Brynden Stark agrees or not. This is something that the Internal Affairs Elder and the Grand Elder should face and solve, and it has nothing to do with you and me," the assassination elder said slowly.

"That makes sense!" The swordsmanship elder obviously breathed a sigh of relief.

The benefit of shirking responsibility is obvious, that is, you don't have to worry about the dragon crystal candle and the assassination mission at all.

"There is no problem that the Internal Affairs Elder cannot solve," the assassination elder's tone also became relaxed.

"Brynden Stark is a Green Prophet, he may have foreseen today."

"He probably doesn't know. His Three-Eyed Raven cannot appear anywhere. In the House of Black and White, the Three-Eyed Raven cannot enter and exit casually."

"Sealord and the Iron Bank, do we need to communicate with them secretly beforehand?" The swordsmanship elder looked at the assassination elder and said.

When it comes to being black-bellied and shameless, the assassination elder is the first.

"That's all the Internal Affairs Elder's business. You and I, just focus on taking the dragon crystal candle back to the House of Black and White, and that will be a great achievement."

"The elder is right." A faint smile finally appeared on the corner of the swordsmanship elder's mouth.

The ecstasy brought by the dragon crystal candle has been suppressed by the two cunning elders, but no matter how suppressed, the joy is still flowing in their hearts, uncontrollable. Unintentionally, it was revealed from the corners of their mouths and eyebrows.

*

In a short period of time, the elder council hall of the Thousand-God Temple of the House of Black and White convened again.

Two seven-elder meetings in one day, this is the first time in a thousand years.

The morning meeting had just ended, and after lunch, another seven-elder meeting began in the Thousand-God Temple.

The monks, Faceless Men disciples, apprentices, and servants throughout the House of Black and White were all whispering. They all knew that something big had happened in the House of Black and White, but no one except the elders knew what it was, so serious that the elders needed to meet continuously.

In the past few years, the elders had only gathered together for a meeting once.

The disciples were all uneasy. This was the first time since the establishment of the House of Black and White - everyone in the entire House of Black and White, from monks to apprentices, revealed another kind of vigilance in their actions and words that was different from usual.

For the first time, an unsettling atmosphere appeared in this mysterious place of the House of Black and White.

It would be unbelievable for the whole world to hear that the air in the headquarters of the most top-notch and famous assassin organization was faintly filled with an atmosphere of unease.

But this is the truth.

The elders' frequent meetings within a day gave the disciples bad hints.

*

The elder council hall, as bright as day, was silent.

The seven elders were all sitting upright.

Their eyes were focused and absorbed.

In stark contrast to the unsettling atmosphere in the outer courtyards, the atmosphere in the elder council hall was wonderful, quiet, and harmonious.

The eyes of the seven elders were looking at the dragon crystal candle on the table, like flowing waves in the eyes of lovers.

There was no sound of their breathing at all.

But their eyebrows and mouths were rippling with wonderful comfort.

The dragon crystal candle brought them an unspeakable joy and satisfaction.

The hall, which was silent, seemed to be filled with invisible fairy music.

The most beautiful music flowed in the heart of every elder.

At this moment, time had disappeared. Except for the small dragon crystal candle, a few inches in size, standing on the jade frame of the black jade box in the center of the table, space also seemed to have disappeared.

I don't know how long it took before the assassination elder exhaled a breath.

This seemed to be a signal, and then, the other six elders also slowly exhaled one after another. As if they had all died just now, and now they were alive again.

The assassination elder opened his mouth, lightly, like a spring breeze and drizzle: "The dragon crystal candle was sent by the Mountain riding a giant dragon across thousands of miles, and it will never be returned. The statue of the Thousand-Faced God has been waiting for the illumination of the dragon crystal candle for too long."

"Of course it will not be returned to the Mountain," the fighting elder with a red copper face said with emphasis.

The swordsmanship elder, the stealth elder, the poison elder and others looked at the internal affairs elder together.

Their eyes had already explained everything: the dragon crystal candle must be lit in front of the statue of the Thousand-Faced God, as for the agreement to assassinate the Mountain, the internal affairs elder had to go to the Three-Eyed Raven to coordinate and resolve it.

Faced with the meaningful gaze of shirking responsibility from the five elders, the internal affairs elder looked calm: "Elders, please rest assured, when the assassination elder and the swordsmanship elder went to the top of the Titan, the fisherman sent another letter from the Mountain. The Mountain gave me an idea in the letter, and his suggestion solved your worries. We don't need to return the dragon crystal candle to the Mountain, and we don't need to face the employer Brynden Stark."