On the third day of wavebreaker ii's journey along the Westeros wind route, the weather at sea suddenly changed drastically. The sky, clear in the morning, was enveloped by an impenetrable ice mist before noon. The temperature on the deck plummeted, and the once warm sea breeze became bone-chilling, even the bronze rivets on the ship's side were covered with a thin layer of frost—this was no ordinary sea fog, but "ice mist remnants" carrying the aura of the cold god. The dragon-seeking mirror in Arya's palm glowed continuously with blue light, occasionally flashing light green patterns on its surface, reacting identically to the ice mist beyond the Wall.
"Something's wrong, this fog is too sinister." Old Ge stood by the helm, leaning on his oar, his dark hand repeatedly wiping the compass, trying to dispel the condensed frost. "Thirty years of sailing the Western Sea, I've never seen such cold mist. Even the seawater is almost freezing." He pointed outside the ship's side; the once azure seawater now had a faint greenish-gray hue, and huge shadows were vaguely moving beneath the surface, their speed unlike that of ordinary sea monsters.
Illyrio stood at the bow, holding a dragonglass dagger, its eerie glow particularly prominent in the mist. He could clearly feel the chill in the air—this aura was from the same source as the cold god's energy he had sensed in the Arctic ice fields, only less concentrated. Clearly, "ice mist fragments" of the cold god had been carried to the Western Sea by ocean currents, infecting nearby marine life. "Everyone, be on guard!" Illyrio's voice penetrated the thick mist. "These are the cold god's ice mist remnants. The shadows underwater might be infected sea monsters. Bane, prepare your bows and arrows; Grey Claw, take two Unsullied to guard the cabin and protect the dragon evolution fluid samples; Arya, you and I will patrol the deck. The dragon-seeking mirror can give us an early warning."
Arya nodded, tightening her grip on the valyrian steel dagger at her waist, and raising the dragon-seeking mirror to her eyes with her other hand. The blue light from the mirror grew brighter and brighter. Suddenly, a strong blue-green pattern flashed, pointing towards the stern. "Watch the stern!" she shouted, turning around, only to see an "Ice Fog Sea Monster" the size of a warhorse leaping from the water. Its skin was bluish-black, its tentacles covered in ice crystals, and the suckers at their tips still had broken ice attached, as it lunged towards the crew on the deck.
Bane reacted swiftly, drawing his bow and notching an arrow. The dragonglass arrow precisely struck the sea monster's tentacle. The eerie glow of the arrowhead collided with the ice crystals, emitting a "sizzling" corrosive sound. The sea monster let out a sharp shriek, falling back into the water, and the splashes it created instantly froze into ice on the deck. But more shadows emerged from the mist; at least five or six Ice Fog Sea Monsters surrounded wavebreaker ii. Their tentacles slapped the hull, and the ship's planks groaned under the impact, as if they would break at any moment.
"They're trying to capsize the ship!" Old Ge struggled to control the helm, trying to steer the ship out of the misty area. "There's something in this mist guiding them; it's not an ordinary sea monster attack!" Illyrio followed Old Ge's gaze, vaguely discerning several figures in the mist—they were "Wights sailors" infected by the cold god. They stood on a floating iceberg, holding ice spears, manipulating the sea monsters with eerie gestures. A broken black flag was also planted on the iceberg, identical in style to the banner of The Cold God's Altar.
The Ice Fog Sea Monsters' attacks grew fiercer. One monster's tentacle wrapped around the ship's mast, and ice crystals rapidly spread along the mast. The once sturdy oak mast began to freeze and crack. Grey Claw rushed forward with the Unsullied, using dragonglass spears to cut off the tentacle, but the ice crystals spread along the spear to his arm. The Unsullied's bronze armor instantly turned icy cold. He shivered, quickly wiping his arm with holy fire ash to stop the spread of the cold.
"Use r'hllor oil!" Illyrio shouted, unhooking a r'hllor oil can from his waist and throwing it towards the tentacles wrapped around the ship. Arya immediately lit a tinder; the oil ignited instantly into orange-red flames upon contact with fire. The flames spread along the tentacles, and the sea monster let out a piercing shriek, struggling to retreat into the water. Its tentacles rapidly melted in the flames, leaving behind a puddle of water with a lingering chill.
But the Wights sailors' attacks came one after another. They hurled ice spears from the iceberg, the spears carrying a bone-chilling cold, piercing through the thick mist and shooting towards the crew on the deck. One Unsullied was too slow to dodge and was impaled through the shoulder by an ice spear. The wound instantly froze. He grunted and fell to the ground, his face rapidly turning pale. "Save him!" Arya rushed over, using her valyrian steel dagger to cut off the ice spear, then sprinkled holy fire ash on the wound. The warmth of the holy fire slowly dispelled the cold, and the Unsullied's face gradually regained its color.
Illyrio, meanwhile, charged towards the Wights sailors' iceberg. He stepped on the ship's ropes, using the power of the westerly wind to leap, his dragonglass dagger cutting a cold light through the mist as he lunged towards the nearest Wights sailor. The Wights sailor brandished an ice spear to block; the ice spear and dragonglass dagger collided, sending ice shards flying. Cold spread along the dagger to Illyrio's arm, his sleeve instantly covered in a thin layer of frost, but he did not retreat. Instead, he increased his force, and the dagger pierced through the Wights sailor's chest. The Wight's body disintegrated into ice shards under the effect of the dragonglass, dissipating into the mist.
"There are three more!" Arya's voice came from behind him. She too had rushed over, stepping on the ropes. Her valyrian steel dagger precisely slit the throat of one Wights sailor; ice-blue blood splattered onto the iceberg, instantly freezing into ice crystals. Seeing this, the remaining two Wights sailors suddenly raised their ice spears and hurled them towards the cabin—their target was not the crew, but the dragon evolution fluid samples stored in the cabin!
"Oh no!" Illyrio's pupils contracted. It was too late to turn and intercept. Arya unhesitatingly lunged towards the ice spears. Although her valyrian steel dagger cut one, it failed to block the other. The ice spear flew towards the wooden door of the cabin, about to pierce the door and contaminate the evolution fluid inside. Just then, Illyrio suddenly rushed forward, blocking the cabin door. The ice spear cruelly pierced his left shoulder. Ice crystals instantly spread from the wound. He grunted, but held onto the ice spear tightly, not letting it advance another inch.
"Illyrio!" Arya rushed over like a madwoman, using her dagger to cut off the ice spear. She then mixed holy fire ash and weirwood fiber and applied it to Illyrio's wound. The warmth of the holy fire combined with the energy of the weirwood finally stopped the spread of the cold, but Illyrio's face remained pale. The blood oozing from his left shoulder wound had already begun to coagulate, with a faint bluish tint—the cold had already invaded his body.
The remaining Wights sailors, seeing their sneak attack failed, tried to control the sea monsters to attack again, but were shot through the head by Bane's dragonglass arrow, their bodies turning into ice shards. The uncontrolled sea monsters crashed around in the mist for a while, then gradually disappeared into the depths of the thick fog. Old Ge seized the opportunity to steer wavebreaker ii out of the misty area. When the ship finally broke through the thick fog and sunlight once again bathed the deck, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, collapsing onto the deck, looking at their wounds and frost, their hearts filled with lingering fear.
Arya helped Illyrio into the cabin, carefully unbuttoning his blood-stained linen robe to reveal the wound on his left shoulder—the skin around the wound was bluish-white, and the hole caused by the ice spear was still seeping cold. Even with holy fire ash applied, a faint coolness could be felt. She took dragonglass powder, weirwood fiber, and anti-cold medicine from the medical kit she brought from The Citadel, and following the "Cold Infection Treatment Manual" left by Sam, she treated Illyrio's wound step by step.
"Bear with it, it might hurt a little." Arya's voice trembled slightly. She gently scraped away the ice crystals around the wound with a dragonglass dagger. The eerie glow of the dagger collided with the cold of the wound, emitting a faint sound. Illyrio said nothing, only watched her focused profile—sunlight streamed through the small cabin window, falling on her hair, giving it a faint golden glow. Her brows were slightly furrowed, and her fingertips were pale from tension, clearly worried about his injury.
"I'm fine, it's just a minor injury." Illyrio said softly, trying to raise his hand to comfort her, but gasped in pain as he moved his wound. Arya immediately pressed his hand, her tone firm and undeniable: "Don't move! The cold has already invaded your body. If it's not treated properly, you'll be infected like a Wight." She poured the anti-cold medicine into a ceramic bowl, mixed it with holy fire ash, and applied it to the wound with a cotton swab. "Sam said this medicine can neutralize the cold, and with holy fire ash, it will heal in three days."
Illyrio watched her busy figure, a warm current flowing through his heart. From leaving King's Landing to explore the Western Isles, to discovering the Dragon's Nest, extracting dragon evolution fluid, and then to the recent battle, Arya had always been calm and brave, like a light illuminating this journey full of unknowns. He remembered his days in King's Landing, remembering the first time he saw Arya, she was still a little girl with a wooden sword, wanting to become a "water dancer." Now, she had grown into a capable warrior, even in the battle just now, unhesitatingly protecting him and the dragon evolution fluid.
"Why did you lunge forward just now?" Illyrio suddenly asked, his gaze falling on Arya's arm—there was a fresh scratch, caused by ice shards when she intercepted the ice spear. "The ice spear's target was the evolution fluid; you didn't need to risk it."
Arya paused, not looking up, and continued to bandage his wound: "The dragon evolution fluid is important, and you are also important. If something happened to you, how could I explain it to Daenerys and Jon? How could I complete the mission to fight the cold god?"
Her voice was very soft, but carried a hint of imperceptible panic, as if she was trying to hide something.
Illyrio looked at her reddened ear tips and a sudden realization dawned on him.
He gently took her hand, the warmth of his palm transferring through her fingertips, making Arya's movements freeze instantly.
"Arya," Illyrio's voice was low and serious, "I know you're not doing this for an explanation, nor for a mission.
You're worried about me, aren't you?"
Arya suddenly looked up, meeting his gaze—his eyes were full of tenderness, and a hint of determination she had never seen before, making it impossible for her to avoid him.
She wanted to deny it, to find an excuse, but found all words stuck in her throat, so she could only look into his eyes and nod gently, her voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz: "Yes.
I don't want anything to happen to you, I don't want to... lose you."
In the evening, the wavebreaker ii sailed on a calm sea, the thick ice mist had long since dissipated, and the afterglow of the sunset spilled onto the deck, turning the seawater golden.
Illyrio's injuries were much better, and with Arya's support, he walked onto the deck for some fresh air.
Old Ge and Bane tactfully kept their distance, leaving the two alone at the stern, with only the sound of waves hitting the hull quietly flowing through the air.
"Does the wound still hurt?" Arya asked, her gaze falling on the bandage on his shoulder—the bandage had been changed once, and the holy fire ash on it still carried a faint warmth.
"It doesn't hurt anymore," Illyrio said with a smile, "Your medical skills are even better than the Maesters of The Citadel."
He paused, looking at the distant horizon, and whispered, "Actually, when we were preparing to depart from King's Landing, I worried about how I would protect you if we encountered danger in the Western Isles.
You are always so brave, always wanting to shoulder everything yourself, but I hope you know that you don't have to be strong all the time.
I can protect you and face danger with you."
Arya's heart suddenly quickened.
She looked at Illyrio's profile in the sunset; his features were outlined by the golden light, making him appear exceptionally gentle, completely different from the calm, wise tactical advisor she usually knew.
She recalled their time in the Dragon Sleep Valley on Dragonstone Isle, where he stayed up late studying first men ancient texts to refine the dragon evolution fluid; she remembered the stone house laboratory, where he patiently guided her on how to detect energy fluctuations; she thought of the recent battle, where he unhesitatingly shielded her, not retreating even when injured.
These images intertwined in her mind, finally giving her the courage to speak the words hidden in her heart: "Illyrio, I... I think I like you.
Not the liking between comrades, but... the kind of liking where I want to fight the cold god with you, and see peace come together."
Illyrio turned sharply, his eyes full of surprise.
He gently held her shoulders, confirming: "Are you serious? Not because of the recent battle, not a momentary impulse?"
"It's not an impulse." Arya shook her head, her gaze firm, "Ever since we found the Dragon's Nest together and refined the evolution fluid together, I've realized that when I'm with you, I don't have to pretend, I don't have to think about revenge, I just have to be myself.
I want to be with you, win this war, and then... see what Westeros looks like after peace."
Illyrio's eyes glowed with tenderness.
He gently pulled her into his embrace, his movements cautious, afraid of disturbing his wound.
"Me too, Arya." His voice, slightly trembling, resonated in her ear, "I've liked you for a long time, ever since I saw you training the Stealth Squad in King's Landing, your resilience attracted me.
I want to be with you, to protect this land, to protect the people we care about, and to welcome peace together."
The afterglow of the sunset fell upon them, casting long shadows that overlapped with the Direwolf and dragon-emblazoned banner at the stern.
Arya leaned into Illyrio's embrace, clearly feeling his heartbeat and the faint scent of holy fire ash on his shoulder, her heart filled with an unprecedented sense of security.
She knew that the path to fighting the cold god was still long, and many dangers awaited in the future, but as long as Illyrio was by her side, she would no longer be afraid, because they would fight side by side and walk towards victory together.
[Aftermath of the Battle: Warnings from Wight Remnants and Firmness of the Mission]
The next morning, the crew of the wavebreaker ii noticed a change in the atmosphere between Arya and Illyrio—they were no longer just comrades fighting side by side; their eyes met with faint smiles, and they instinctively moved closer when directing battles.
Even Old Ge couldn't help but tease: "I knew something was up with you two for a long time, and now the cat's finally out of the bag.
Now you'll have someone to look out for each other on the path against the cold god."
But the relaxed atmosphere didn't last long.
While clearing the battlefield, Bane discovered fragments of dragonglass spears left by the Wight sailors, etched with tiny wildfire runes, consistent with the wildfire runes on The Cold God's Altar seen in Bran's Greensight.
Tommen's research concluded: "These wildfire runes are 'ice mist summoning runes,' indicating that the cold god has begun to expand its influence into the Western Sea, and not just the Arctic ice fields.
Infected creatures could appear in the surrounding seas of the entire Westeros."
This discovery made everyone realize that the war against the cold god was far more severe than imagined.
Illyrio gathered the squad members for an emergency meeting on the deck: "We must accelerate our return to King's Landing to bring this news and the dragon evolution fluid back as soon as possible.
the cold god's power is expanding; if we don't prepare quickly, the lords of the Western Isles could suffer, and the allied forces' sea supply lines will also be threatened."
Arya nodded, adding: "We also need to record the ice mist areas we encounter during our return journey and mark the activity range of the Wight remnants, to be given to The Citadel for drawing a 'Cold God Diffusion Map,' so that all territories can prepare their defenses in advance."
She looked at Illyrio, her eyes full of determination, "Our mission is not only to bring back the dragon evolution fluid, but also to provide the alliance with intelligence on the cold god's spread, which is equally important."
The squad members all agreed.
Old Ge adjusted the course, choosing the faster "Coastal Wind Channel," which, although it might encounter more reefs, would allow them to arrive at King's Landing two days earlier.
Grey Claw and the Unsullied strengthened the ship's defenses, moving the dragon evolution fluid samples to a safer secret room, protected by both wildfire runes and weirwood fiber; Bane intensified lookout, ensuring timely detection of potential dangers; Tommen organized his research notes on the Wight wildfire runes, preparing to take them back to The Citadel to provide more clues for fighting the cold god.
Illyrio stood at the bow, and Arya walked to his side, both looking out at the horizon ahead.
"When we return to King's Landing, Daenerys and Jon will surely be very happy," Arya said, with a tone of anticipation, "The dragon evolution fluid can make Drogon and Rhaegal evolve, and the information on the Wight remnants can allow the alliance to prepare defenses in advance.
Our exploration this time can be considered a complete success."
"Not yet complete." Illyrio took her hand, his eyes full of determination, "Only by defeating the cold god and bringing true peace to Westeros will it be complete.
Then, we can go see the Godswood in the North, go see the seas of the Iron Islands, go see all the places we protected."
Arya smiled and nodded, her heart full of anticipation.
She knew that the road ahead was still long, but as long as she was with Illyrio and with her allies, there would be no difficulties they couldn't overcome.
The wavebreaker ii, propelled by the sea breeze, accelerated towards King's Landing.
On the horizon at the stern, the sunset rose again, like a spark of hope, illuminating their return journey and the future of Westeros's fight against the cold god.
As the wavebreaker ii sailed into Blackwater Bay, the city walls of King's Landing were visible in the distance.
Drogon's roar came from the direction of The Vale, as if welcoming their return.
Arya stood at the bow, looking at the approaching King's Landing, her heart full of excitement—they had not only brought back the dragon evolution fluid that could change the tide of war, but had also confirmed their feelings for each other, and gained crucial intelligence on the cold god's spread.
Illyrio walked to her side and gently took her hand: "We did it."
"We did it together," Arya corrected, her eyes full of smiles.
When the ship docked, Daenerys and Tyrion were already waiting at the pier.
Daenerys, seeing their safe return, showed a relieved smile, her gaze falling on their clasped hands, a hint of understanding flashing in her eyes.
Tyrion was more concerned about the dragon evolution fluid: "How are the samples? Can they make Drogon and Rhaegal evolve?"
"Don't worry, the purity is very high, it will definitely work," Illyrio said with a smile, signaling Grey Claw to carry the samples off the ship, "Also, we encountered the cold god's Wight remnants in the Western Sea, and found evidence of their spread, so we need to call a council meeting immediately to discuss countermeasures."
Daenerys nodded, leading everyone towards the Red Keep.
Sunlight spilled onto the streets of King's Landing, and the common people, seeing them, cheered, celebrating their safe return.
Arya looked at Illyrio beside her, then at Daenerys and Tyrion ahead, her heart filled with a sense of peace—she knew that she had not only found a lover to fight alongside, but also found her own mission.