The Mountain of Ice and Fire

“Internal Affairs Elder, who will face the Green Prophet, the Three-Eyed Raven?” the Combat Elder said. “For thousands of years, the House of Black and White has accepted clients' commissions and has never violated a contract. Once a name is spoken, death descends—this is an iron rule. Anything can be changed, except death.”

Unconsciously, the Combat Elder's address for Bran Stark changed to the less respectful Three-Eyed Raven. Before the dragon glass candle was placed on the long table, the elders addressed Bran with respectful terms.

When above the Titan of Braavos, the Assassination Elder and Swordsmanship Elder were shocked by the dragon glass candle. When mentioning the Mountain, the two elders also unconsciously added the honorific suffix 'Lord'.

Change happens inadvertently, without form or shadow.

When the dragon glass candle was placed on the long table in the elders' council hall, the mindsets of the seven elders simultaneously underwent very subtle changes. The Mountain, infamous across the Narrow Sea, became a positive, benevolent, brave, and wise figure in their minds.

The highly self-regarded elders realized that they had severely underestimated the Mountain's great achievement of slaying the Night King and his absolute extraordinariness! The Mountain's ability to kill the Night King was not merely the martial prowess that people talked about. Undoubtedly, the Mountain also possessed extraordinary wisdom.

Faced with the Combat Elder's question, the Internal Affairs Elder slowly said, "The Mountain's letter suggests that we use his close friend, Arya Stark, the most outstanding disciple of the new generation of the House of Black and White, to face Bran Stark. This would avoid the House of Black and White's awkwardness in facing the client and the unbearable desecration of honor."

“Arya? She is a disciple who violated all our rules as soon as she left the House of Black and White,” the Assassination Elder said softly.

“Yes, but after careful consideration, only Arya is the most suitable. It would be absolutely inappropriate for any of us to represent the House of Black and White to negotiate with the Three-Eyed Raven,” the Internal Affairs Elder said bitterly.

Assassination, Combat, Poison, Swordsmanship, Stealth, Shapeshifting (the Great Elder who can change faces and bodies)—the six elders were all silent.

The skinny and short Great Elder slowly said, “Arya can no longer represent us in the outside world. From beginning to end, she has not forgotten that she comes from Westeros, nor has she forgotten her Stark family.”

“The Great Elder is right,” the other five elders echoed.

The elders all liked Arya and noticed her talent surpassed all the new generation disciples when teaching her skills. However, after Arya left the House of Black and White, she restored her mundane identity on the ship to Westeros, revealed a Faceless Man iron coin on the ship to obtain free food and lodging, and publicly told the mercenaries on the ship that she was going to King's Landing to assassinate Queen Cersei.

Faceless Men never reveal their true identities when acting, let alone publicly announce who they are going to assassinate. But Arya was an exception for thousands of years.

After the news spread back to Braavos, the elders of the House of Black and White collectively fell silent. They could not forgive Arya's 'outrageous' words and deeds, but the seven elders seemed to have a tacit understanding that they did not send Faceless Men disciples to bring Arya back to the House of Black and White for trial.

In addition to their preference for Arya, why were the tacit elders willing to remain silent with one eye open and one eye closed? In fact, silence is indulgence and acquiescence.

Was it that the elders couldn't bear to lock Arya up like that and ruin her life?

It is difficult for the House of Black and White to find a good seedling. There were a total of nine disciples who trained with Arya. Arya gave each of them nicknames, from Toad, Mantou, Goat, and Jingle to Bullhorn, Addo, Pony, and Little Enchantress. Arya herself also used many names, such as Little Cat by the Canal, Marcy, Beth, Moxi, etc.

Arya's character was also deeply loved by monks, fellow disciples, and servants in the House of Black and White. She was a quirky little elf in the House of Black and White who could make people smile when talking about her in private.

The elders turned a blind eye to Arya's actions in the outside world out of favoritism and selfishness, but if she dared to return to the House of Black and White, punishment would be inevitable.

“Where is Arya now?” the Swordsmanship Elder asked.

“She is here,” the Internal Affairs Elder said calmly.

“In the House of Black and White?” the Combat Elder said in a rough voice.

“In the Temple of the Many-Faced God, in the council hall,” the Internal Affairs Elder said.

The elders all looked towards the door of the council hall. If Arya was really there, she could only be behind the door of the council hall.

“Arya, come out,” the Great Elder said.

The elders looked at the door, but the door remained motionless.

A slight shadow floated from the shadows cast on the ground by the heavy triple curtains hanging from the high floor-to-ceiling windows. Arya appeared, not at the door, but in the layers of shadows of the curtains hanging in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows. Her appearance shocked the six elders except for the Internal Affairs Elder.

Arya's concealment had deceived all of them.

Even if the elders were obsessed with the joy of the dragon glass candle, it was absolutely impossible for a person to be in any corner of the hall without being discovered by them.

But there are exceptions.

Arya stood in front of the window, using the shadows elongated by the floor-to-ceiling curtains under the oblique illumination of the wall lights, and deceived everyone present except the Internal Affairs Elder. The Internal Affairs Elder knew of Arya's existence. The so-called secret letter from the Mountain delivered by the fisherman was not a real fisherman, but Arya disguised.

Arya and the Mountain came to Braavos together on a dragon. Arya is the Mountain's personal guard, the personal guard with the highest authority. She needs to eliminate the real threat to the Mountain's life, which is to have the House of Black and White lift the assassination order against the Mountain.

Once a name is spoken, death descends. For thousands of years, this sentence has proven that the Faceless Men have never failed.

Being targeted by the Faceless Men, no matter how strong you are, is not a wonderful thing. You may be able to see through it once or twice, but before your breath stops, the Faceless Men will be endless.

The Stealth Elder stood up. He was more surprised than the other elders. He was a master of stealth. Even in the dark, he could see enemies hiding underground, but in the brightly lit council hall, he could not find Arya in the shadows cast by the curtains.

This was something he couldn't believe and had never encountered.

“Arya, how did you hide from our eyes?” The Stealth Elder did not say how did you hide from my eyes, but pulled the other elders in: us!

In terms of stealth and tracking, the Stealth Elder is the top expert. The other elders failed to discover Arya, but he could not and did not discover her. However, in such an embarrassing situation, the Stealth Elder resolutely used 'us'.

It's not that he can't do it, it's that everyone can't do it.

Every elder, even if they specialize in a certain skill, they are all all-rounders.

In this sense, it doesn't seem inappropriate to use 'us'.

Arya came to the elders, paid her respects one by one according to the etiquette of a disciple, and then said, "The reappearance of dragons, the spontaneous combustion of dragon glass candles, and the recovery of magical power, my ability to hide in the shadows comes from the Red God."

The Red God, in Melisandre's faith, is the god of fire and shadows. As long as there is a shadow, Arya can hide, she is a shadow completely integrated into the shadows.

When Faceless Men kill anyone, they are offering life to the Red God. The Red God has multiple faces, one face is the God of Death, and one face is the Many-Faced God. Limited by different wizards' abilities and time, they either only practice the fire of the Red God, or only practice the shadow of the Red God, or only practice the Many-Faced or Death of the Red God.

In the House of Black and White, Arya studied two faces of the Red God: the Many-Faced and Death.

By the Mountain's side, she learned from Melisandre and also studied the fire and shadow of the Red God. Among them, Arya learned another layer of secrets about fire from the Archmaester at the Alchemists' Guild in the guise of the Mountain.

The Alchemists' Guild's understanding of fire is different from Melisandre's understanding of fire.

For thousands of years, the House of Black and White has only studied two faces of the Red God: the Many-Faced! Death! All men must die and all men must serve are talking about these two faces of the Red God. Serving corresponds to the Many-Faced.

One face of a god corresponds to his completely independent divinity, appearing as a face different from other faces. Expressed in relief, the Many-Faced God is one appearance of the Red God, and the God of Death is another appearance of the Red God.

Similarly, the Seven Gods worshiped on the continent of Westeros are actually seven faces of one god. Each face has its own image completely different from other faces, just like independent gods: the Warrior, the Maiden, the Father, the Crone, the Mother, the Smith, and the Stranger. The Stranger in the mouths of the people of Westeros is the God of Death in the mouths of the Faceless Men in the House of Black and White.

Arya's words surprised the elders.

Arya's ability to hide in the shadows of the curtains comes from the Red God.

The Stealth Elder's ability to hide also comes from the Red God, but not the shadow face of the Red God.

“Arya, I need you to stand in the shadows of the curtains again,” the Stealth Elder said.

“Yes, Elder.” Arya bowed and retreated, retreated, and retreated again. Her body stood in the shadows of the tall curtains. When her body entered the shadows, it spread out like water ripples, thinned, and dissipated like blue smoke. The elders watched Arya's face, hands, feet, and clothes slowly fade away, and finally, like shadows, swayed slightly and completely merged into the shadows of the curtains. The Stealth Elder concentrated and looked carefully before he could barely see a faint human outline in the shadows.

If the Stealth Elder had not been staring at Arya beforehand, he would not have been able to find Arya standing in the shadows of the curtains.

The Stealth Elder was shocked and speechless.

Arya is the fastest and best disciple to learn his stealth skills, with amazing talent. But the skills she is showing now are different from the elders' understanding.

“Arya, I can see you,” the Stealth Elder said lightly. He has a very competitive personality and must not let Arya know the shock in his heart.

“Yes.” Arya said respectfully. Later, she appeared. The shadow and fire abilities Arya learned from Melisandre are different from the abilities of the Faceless Men, and they are also beyond the Stealth Elder's comprehension. In order to give the Stealth Elder respect and not to affect the elders' confidence, Arya deliberately revealed a little trace. She is a person who can perfectly blend into the dark shadows without revealing any traces.

The other six elders could not even see Arya's outline. They were shocked and silent.

The House of Black and White has produced the most outstanding disciple in hundreds of years, and they should be happy. It's just that this disciple doesn't like to act according to the rules of the House of Black and White. The Many-Faced God has the rules of the Many-Faced God, but these rules are not actually set by the Many-Faced God, but the code of conduct set by the founder to regulate the behavior and piety of the disciples.

“Arya, did you receive the Red God's oracle in your dream, comprehend new magical powers, or were you guided by someone else?” the Great Elder said slowly.

“Great Elder, I am the Mountain's personal guard. The Mountain is the Red God's messenger of light. After he slew the Night King in Winterfell in the North, some very capable people gathered around him: Military Priestess Melisandre is the High Priestess of the Red God, Lady Daenerys Quentina is the Blood God Wizard of Claw Isle, Queen Janei Westerling is the only disciple of the most famous Blood God Witch of Lannisport in the West, Varamyr, the most powerful warg from the Land of Always Winter, is the Mountain's guard, the Archbishop of the Great Sept of Baelor, the Archmaester of the Alchemists' Guild, the Archmaester and Maester of the Citadel of Oldtown, have all become the most loyal and closest people to the Mountain. By the Mountain's side, I am with these amazing people. I am fascinated by their rare and unique skills, and I am doing my best to learn their skills using the Mountain's influence.”

“Arya, from your words just now, I hear that Faceless Men, Red God Priests, Blood God Priests, Archmaesters of the Alchemists' Guild, Archbishops of the Sept of Baelor, wargs from the Land of Always Winter, and Maesters of Oldtown are gathered around the Mountain,” the Great Elder said slowly.

“Yes, Great Elder. My skills in hiding in the shadows come from the teaching, training, and enlightenment of Lady Melisandre, the High Priestess of the Red God.”

“Oh!” the Great Elder said lightly.

The Great Elder understands that very few people can perfectly hide in the shadows with the guidance of the High Priestess of the Red God. This is not just talent, but also includes a trace of the Red God's will. In the dark, there must be divine acquiescence.

Arya violated the rules of the House of Black and White, but the House of Black and White did not send anyone to arrest her. This is also because the elders believe that Arya's existence also contains a trace of the Many-Faced God's acquiescent will. Arya restored her true identity and name as soon as she went out, which can only mean that she has never forgotten herself while learning skills in the House of Black and White. Even when Arya knelt in front of the Many-Faced God and swore, she was telling lies, and the all-knowing Many-Faced God certainly knew Arya's heart and soul. The Many-Faced God did not issue a divine decree or warn the elders in a dream. The Many-Faced God accepted Arya's offerings. This is God's acquiescence to Arya's exceptional existence.

It is precisely because of this that the seven elders turn a blind eye to Arya's words and deeds in the outside world, and it is rare to be confused.

But Arya has now returned, and for the sake of the House of Black and White's precepts and regulations, it is imperative to punish Arya.