King's Landing, Western Outskirts Training Ground: The R'hllor Altar and Assembled Soldiers
The abandoned training ground in the western suburbs of King's Landing, once the drill site for the Golden Company during Cersei's reign, has been completely transformed—a circular R'hllor Altar, three zhang high, has been erected in the center.
The bronze base is carved with the lord of light's fire runes, and the R'hllor brazier at the top burns with the 'holy fire seeds' Melisandre brought from Braavos.
The orange-gold flames still flicker in the windless morning, warming the surrounding air.
Around the training ground, one thousand selected R'hllor Warriors have lined up in ten neat phalanxes.
They come from various factions of the alliance: Unsullied wearing bronze armor, Northern Soldiers wrapped in thick wool cloaks, Dothraki Riders having shed their usual scimitars, and even thirty former Golden Company soldiers—who once fought for Cersei, but now choose to fight against the cold god.
Each person holds a basic dragonglass spears, with blunted tips used only for training, and a small cloth pouch hanging from their waist, containing 'holy fire ash' distributed by Melisandre in advance, for initial sensing of the R'hllor energy.
Melisandre stood on a high platform on the west side of the R'hllor Altar, wearing a deep red priestly robe, its hem gently swaying with her movements, and the tip of her holy fire staff glowed with a soft golden light.
Her ten Red Priests were arrayed on either side of the platform, each responsible for the basic guidance of one phalanx.
The Red Priests's holy fire staffs uniformly pointed towards the R'hllor Altar, forming an invisible energy barrier, isolating the training ground from the outside clamor.
"R'hllor Warriors," Melisandre's voice, blessed by the lord of light, clearly reached every soldier's ear; even those at the end of the phalanx could feel the power contained within her voice, "you are gathered here today, not for power, not for territory, but to protect every commoner in Westeros, and to fight against the cold god that is about to devour this land."
She raised her hand, and two Red Priests carried the remains of a Wight onto the center of the training ground—this was a 'specimen' sent by the Night's Watch from the Wall.
Its skin was bluish-black, and its nails were long and sharp; even though it had long lost its activity, one could still feel a faint chill.
"This is the cold god's creation," Melisandre's holy fire staff gently pointed at the remains, and golden holy fire instantly enveloped it.
The remains melted at a visible speed, finally turning into a puddle of ice water.
"And the holy fire is their nemesis.
What you must learn is not only how to use dragonglass weapons, but also how to let the holy fire merge with your will, becoming the light against darkness."
The civilian spectators around the training ground gasped in admiration—Daenerys had deliberately opened the outer perimeter of the training ground to let the commoners of King's Landing witness the power of the holy fire and rally public support.
Among the crowd, an old woman (whose grandson had been healed by the holy fire previously) excitedly waved the cloth strip in her hand, shouting "R'hllor bless us!".
The surrounding commoners echoed her, their voices gradually converging into a unified cheer, interweaving with the soldiers' breathing, forming a surging morale.
The first hour of training focused on "R'hllor Perception"—Melisandre believed that only by truly understanding the essence of the holy fire could one skillfully control it, rather than simply relying on weapons.
The Red Priests walked to the front of their respective phalanxes, guiding the soldiers to take out the holy fire ash from their waists, scatter it on their palms, and simultaneously recite a short lord of light prayer: "Light is justice, fire is hope, dispel darkness, guard the light."
"Close your eyes and feel the warmth in your palm," Lena, the Red Priests in charge of the Unsullied phalanx, gently instructed.
She had practiced with Melisandre in Braavos and had a unique method for R'hllor Perception.
"The holy fire is not an external force, but an extension of the courage within you; it will respond to your belief, your determination."
Grey Claw (the Unsullied who previously explored the Western Isles with Arya) followed the instructions, scattering holy fire ash on his palm, closing his eyes, and silently reciting the prayer.
Initially, he only felt a warmth in his palm, no different from ordinary charcoal fire, but when he recalled his experience fighting fire lizards in the Western Isles, and the death brought by the cold god's ice mist, the warmth in his palm suddenly intensified, as if a small flame was flickering under his skin, and he could even feel energy slowly flowing up his arm towards his heart.
"Very good, Grey Claw," Lena noticed the faint golden halo appearing on his palm, "your will is very firm; the holy fire has initially resonated with you.
Try to guide this energy to your fingertips, and then transmit it to the dragonglass spears."
Grey Claw tried as instructed, and the golden light from his fingertips spread along the spear.
The originally glowing dragonglass spear tip was stained with a faint golden color; although weak, it was truly present.
The surrounding Unsullied soldiers cast surprised glances, and soldiers who were initially somewhat skeptical quickened their pace of perception.
A neat chorus of prayers gradually arose in the training ground, forming a wonderful resonance with the flickering flames of the R'hllor Altar.
Not all soldiers could perceive the holy fire smoothly.
Tod, a young Northern Soldiers from a collateral branch of the Karstark family, had never encountered the holy fire, and the ash in his palm always remained cold to the touch.
Cold sweat beaded on his forehead as he watched his companions succeed one after another, his eyes filled with anxiety, even wanting to give up.
Melisandre noticed his abnormality and slowly walked to Tod, her holy fire staff gently suspended over his head: "Child, what are you afraid of?
Are you afraid of the power of the holy fire, or of the war that is about to come?"
Tod suddenly looked up, his voice trembling: "I... I'm afraid I'm useless, afraid of dying under the claws of Wights, like my father."
His father, a Karstark warrior, had died fighting Wights at the Wall, and his body had yet to be recovered.
A hint of pity flashed in Melisandre's eyes.
She knelt down and held Tod's hand: "Fear is not a weakness; it's a signal to be braver.
Your father died protecting; his courage will become your strength.
Now, think about what he might have said to you before he died, think about the family you want to protect, and let that belief guide you to perceive the holy fire."
Tod closed his eyes, and the scene of his father before he left appeared in his mind—his father stroking his head and saying, "Protect your younger siblings."
The scene gradually overlapped with the children in the commoner district of King's Landing.
A warmth suddenly came from his palm, stronger than Grey Claw's, and golden light spread along his arm, even making his hair slightly flutter.
"I feel it!" Tod shouted excitedly, and the tip of his dragonglass spears erupted with dazzling golden light, making the surrounding soldiers look on in surprise.
Melisandre stood up and said to all the soldiers: "The holy fire responds not to strength, but to belief.
No matter where you come from or what you have experienced, as long as you have the determination to protect in your heart, you can become a master of the holy fire."
She raised her hand and looked at the sky; the morning sun had risen halfway.
"For the next two hours, we will conduct an 'Ordeal of Will'—the Red Priests will use the holy fire to create 'ice mist illusions'; you must remain clear-headed in the illusions and maintain your perception of the holy fire.
This is the first threshold to becoming a qualified R'hllor Warrior."
At noon, the flames of the R'hllor Altar in the training ground reached their peak, and golden light enveloped the entire training area.
After the Ordeal of Will, the remaining nine hundred and eighty soldiers (two soldiers withdrew due to inability to withstand the illusions) entered the second stage of training—"Compatibility of Holy Fire and Weapons," the core of which was to stably attach R'hllor energy to dragonglass weapons, forming "R'hllor dragonglass weapons" that possessed both penetrating and purifying power.
The Red Priests pushed specially made "R'hllor forges" to the front of the phalanxes.
Burning in the forges was not ordinary charcoal fire, but "enhanced holy fire" mixed with holy fire ash and weirwood fiber, with a temperature thirty percent higher than ordinary holy fire, specifically used for R'hllor enchantment of weapons.
Melisandre personally demonstrated, extending a dragonglass spears into the forge while chanting an advanced prayer.
The spear tip was instantly enveloped in golden flames.
When she pulled out the spear, the flames did not extinguish; instead, they formed a stable "fire blade" that would not dissipate due to air movement even when swung.
"The key lies in 'intent locking,'" Melisandre handed the spear to Grey Claw beside her, "When enchanting with holy fire, you must focus your attention on the 'core' of the weapon—the energy node of the dragonglass, resonating with it using holy fire, rather than simply enveloping it in flames.
You can start with short-duration enchantments, gradually extending the time until you can keep the holy fire burning in combat."
Grey Claw took the spear and, following the demonstration, extended it into the forge, silently chanting "lock dragonglass core" in his mind.
Initially, the holy fire dissipated as soon as it touched the spear; after three tries, he finally found the trick—guiding the R'hllor energy along the patterns of the dragonglass, rather than forcibly covering it.
This time, the spear tip burned steadily with golden flames; he could even control the size of the flames, adjusting from a slender fire blade to a broad fire shield, earning praise from the Red Priests.
Soldiers from different factions showed varying degrees of compatibility: the Unsullied, due to years of training and firm will, had the highest compatibility, with about eighty percent mastering basic enchantment within half an hour; Northern Soldiers, being familiar with dragonglass weapons, showed the next best progress; Dothraki Riders, although unfamiliar with the holy fire, had keen battle instincts and could quickly find the rhythm to resonate with the holy fire; former Golden Company soldiers, having fought against the Others, had a natural desire to "restrain ice-type creatures," and thus became one of the fastest-improving groups.
In the center of the training ground, a small "combat drill" was underway: Grey Claw (Unsullied), Tod (Northern Soldiers), Dothraki Rider Ago, and former Golden Company soldier Karen formed a temporary squad, using R'hllor dragonglass spears to fight against "ice mist puppets" (made from dry ice and wooden frames, simulating the movement of Wights) controlled by the Red Priests.
Grey Claw's fire blade precisely pierced the puppet's "heart" area, Tod's fire shield blocked the puppet's "ice spike" attack, Ago's spear swung out arcs of flame, and Karen drew defensive wildfire runes on the ground.
The four cooperated seamlessly, "destroying" ten puppets in just a short tea time.
"Excellent!" Melisandre stepped forward and said to the squad members, "You have initially mastered the integration of holy fire with weapons.
Next, you will learn the application of holy fire with different weapons—dragonglass dagger is suitable for close-range purification, dragonglass arrow needs quick empowerment before firing, and dragonglass spears are suitable for group combat.
This afternoon's training will divide you into groups by weapon type to specifically enhance your combat capabilities."
At this time, Tyrion and the dragonglass artisans from The Citadel arrived at the training ground, bringing newly forged "holy fire weapon accessories"—small holy fire slots installed on the handles of dragonglass weapons, which can be pre-filled with r'hllor powder.
During combat, only a small amount of energy needs to be injected to quickly activate the holy fire, solving the problem of "temporary empowerment taking too long."
"Maester Sam specifically asked us to deliver these," Tyrion said with a smile, handing the accessories to Melisandre.
"The Citadel is still researching 'holy fire long-lasting coating,' and future dragonglass weapons might come with holy fire effects, no longer relying on soldiers' empowerment."
Melisandre took the accessories, and after trying them, her eyes were full of pleasant surprise: "This will save a lot of training time, allowing R'hllor Warriors to form combat strength faster.
Lord Tyrion, please thank Maester Sam for me; the combination of The Citadel's wisdom and the power of holy fire will become an important bargaining chip against the cold god."
The afternoon training shifted to "combat simulation." Melisandre, based on the alliance's combat plan, set up three typical scenarios: the Wall defense battle, the ice field encounter, and the assault on The Cold God's Altar, focusing on training the R'hllor Warriors' coordination with other troop types.
Wall Defense Battle Simulation: A replica section of the Wall, five zhang high, was built on the east side of the training ground.
Its surface was covered with a thin layer of ice, simulating a state frozen by ice mist.
The R'hllor Warriors were divided into two groups: one group on the Wall used holy fire dragonglass arrow to shoot at the "Wights clusters" below (made of straw dummies, painted with blue pigment to simulate cold air), while the other group defended below the Wall with holy fire dragonglass spears against "climbing Wights."
They also coordinated with the Unsullied's "dragonglass fire oil spraying team" to ignite the fire oil with holy fire, forming a wall of fire to block subsequent enemies.
Northern Soldiers Tod was responsible for empowering arrows on the Wall.
His movements were already very skilled; each arrow only took two seconds to be empowered with holy fire before firing.
When the golden flame on the arrow tip hit a straw dummy, it not only pierced the dummy but also instantly made the blue pigment fade, simulating the effect of "purifying cold air."
"Unsullied, prepare the fire oil!" Tod shouted.
The Unsullied below the Wall immediately sprayed fire oil, and he accurately shot a holy fire arrow.
The fire oil instantly ignited, and an orange-golden wall of fire isolated the "Wights clusters," forming a double defense with the arrow rain from the Wall.
Ice Field Encounter Simulation: Dry ice was scattered in the open space in the center of the training ground, simulating the ice mist environment of the Arctic ice field.
R'hllor Warriors and Northern Rangers formed a "mixed squad" and needed to identify and eliminate "Wights vanguards" (played by Red Priests wearing ice mist special effects suits) in an environment with less than ten meters of visibility.
Dothraki Riders Ago led three R'hllor Warriors, relying on the rangers' tracking skills to find the "Wights" location.
Ago's holy fire dragonglass scimitar drew a fiery arc, instantly "killing" a "Wights," while other warriors used wildfire runes to mark positions on the ground, guiding subsequent troops to follow up.
"Be careful to maintain the holy fire barrier!" Ago shouted.
He found that the ice mist environment would weaken the holy fire's intensity, so he immediately had the warriors stand back-to-back in a circle, jointly releasing an energy barrier with their holy fire staff.
The golden light dispersed the surrounding dry ice mist, gaining enough visibility for the squad.
This "collaborative barrier" was a tactic Melisandre had just taught in the morning, and unexpectedly, it came in handy in the combat simulation, also making the soldiers realize that fighting alone cannot contend with the cold god; only cooperation can unleash the greatest power of holy fire.
The Cold God's Altar Assault Simulation: A small "The Cold God's Altar" model was built with black stone on the west side of the training ground, surrounded by "ice spike traps" (made of wooden spikes and blue cloth).
R'hllor Warriors needed to cooperate with dragonglass artisans to first destroy the traps with holy fire, then destroy the altar core with holy fire dragonglass weapons.
Former Golden Company soldier Kaelen led the squad's charge.
He accurately pierced the trigger mechanism of the "ice spike traps" with a holy fire staff, while having artisans place "holy fire explosives" (explosives mixed with r'hllor powder and dragonglass fragments) next to the traps.
When the explosives detonated, the golden flames not only destroyed the traps but also formed a temporary holy fire area on the ground, preventing "Wights reinforcements."
When Kaelen's holy fire staff pierced the altar core, the model suddenly made a "rumbling" sound, and the "ice core" (made of blue glass) at the top instantly shattered, causing the civilians around the training ground to cheer again.
Melisandre stepped forward and patted Kaelen's shoulder: "Excellent, you have understood the core of the assault—holy fire is not only a weapon but also a tool to destroy defenses and protect comrades.
In the future on the Arctic ice field, the altars you will face will be a hundred times more complex than this, but as long as you remember today's cooperation, you will find a way to break the deadlock."
At dusk, Daenerys descended upon the training ground riding Drogon.
The giant dragon's bronze figure was particularly striking in the sunset, and its roar, resonating with the holy fire, made the flames of the holy fire altars on the training ground leap more intensely.
Daenerys dismounted and walked to Melisandre's side, watching the soldiers still undergoing their final coordinated training, her eyes full of relief: "In just one day, they have made such great progress; they are truly the R'hllor Warriors you chose."
"It is their own faith that sustains their progress," Melisandre said with a smile, handing over a training report.
"Among the nine hundred eighty soldiers who completed training today, three hundred can skillfully control holy fire dragonglass spears, two hundred have mastered the quick empowerment of holy fire arrows, and the remaining soldiers can complete basic holy fire defense.
At this rate, after the ten-day training cycle ends, we will be able to assemble a fully combat-ready holy fire force."
Daenerys took the report and turned to the "Subsequent Deployment" page: "You plan to take the first batch of R'hllor Warriors to the Wall to support Jon.
This is a very correct decision.
The Wall is the first line of defense against the cold god, and the addition of R'hllor Warriors will greatly enhance the Night's Watch's defensive capabilities."
She paused, looking towards The Vale in the distance, "Drogon and Rhaegal's dragonflame are evolving.
Once Arya and Illyrio bring back the dragon evolution fluid, the dragonflame will gain holy fire properties.
At that time, the cooperation between dragonflame and R'hllor Warriors will become the strongest combination against the cold god."
Melisandre nodded and added: "I also plan to set up a 'Holy Fire Training Camp' on the Wall, allowing the Night's Watch to also learn basic holy fire application.
the cold god's ice mist will become increasingly dense, and the R'hllor Warriors we bring alone will be far from enough; more people need to master methods to contend with the cold god.
Additionally, if the 'holy fire long-lasting coating' mentioned by Maester Sam succeeds, future alliance armies will be able to equip holy fire dragonglass weapons, completely turning the tide of the battle against the cold god."
The soldiers on the training ground saw Daenerys and stopped their training, saluting in unison.
Daenerys stepped forward and said to them: "You are the light of Westeros, the hope of the common people.
In ten days, you will go north to the Wall, facing the cold god's ice mist and the Wights' minions, but I believe that as long as you are united, as long as holy fire and dragonglass are together, there is no enemy that cannot be defeated."
The soldiers cheered in unison, their voices shaking the sky, intertwined with Drogon's roar and the flickering flames of the holy fire altar, forming an uplifting force.
The afterglow of the sunset spilled over the training ground, casting long shadows of the soldiers and reflecting the light of the holy fire on everyone's faces, their eyes gleaming with firm belief.
Melisandre watched this scene, silently praying in her heart: "lord of light, please bless these brave warriors, please bless Westeros.
May the holy fire never extinguish, may darkness always be dispelled."
She knew that the training of the R'hllor Warriors was just the beginning, and more severe challenges awaited in the future, but at this moment, every light and every cheer on the training ground made her more certain—the alliance would eventually defeat the cold god and usher in true peace.
[The Training Ground Under the Night Sky and Unfinished Mission]
Night fell, and the holy fire altars on the training ground still burned.
Red Priests were organizing today's training records, and soldiers gathered in twos and threes, discussing their gains from the day.
Occasionally, someone picked up a dragonglass weapon and tried to empower it with holy fire again; the golden light was particularly conspicuous in the night.
Melisandre sat by the holy fire altar, planning tomorrow's training schedule with the Red Priests—focusing on enhancing the R'hllor Warriors' "sustained combat capability," simulating long-duration battles in ice mist environments, and adding "casualty treatment" training to teach soldiers how to treat cold-infected wounds with holy fire.
"We need to prepare more holy fire ash and weirwood fiber," Melisandre told the priests, "The Citadel's supplies will arrive tomorrow, and you must be ready to receive and distribute them, so as not to delay the training progress."
In the distance, King's Landing was already lit up, and faint singing came from the direction of the civilian area—children were singing the lord of light's nursery rhymes, with lyrics taught by the Red Priests during the day, simple yet full of power.
Melisandre stood up, looking towards King's Landing, her heart filled with hope: "The people's hearts are united, the warriors are ready.
Next, we just wait for the dragon evolution fluid to arrive, wait for the day we head north."