Arya: Three-Minute Window of Life and Death at the End of the Secret Passage
The stone wall at the end of the secret passage was damp and cold.
Arya held the torch extremely low, its flame trembling slightly in the wind, illuminating the blurry outlines of first men runes on the stone wall.
Bran said these runes could weaken dark magic, but at this moment, she could clearly hear the footsteps of the guards changing shifts from behind the wall, the clang of metal armor like a heavy hammer against her heartbeat.
"Thirty seconds left," Talon's voice was barely audible.
His dragonglass dagger was pressed against a crack in the stone wall, his knuckles white from the effort.
The Unsullied squad members fanned out, each holding an oil jar soaked in weirwood powder, the hemp rope at the mouth of the jar already lit, waiting to be thrown the moment the stone wall broke open.
Arya stared at the hands of her pocket watch—Illyrio had given it to her before she left.
The markings on the dial flickered in the firelight.
The last second had just passed, the footsteps of the changing guards gradually receded, and the east side of the Black Cells fell into a brief silence.
"Now!" she whispered.
Talon's dragonglass dagger plunged into the crack in the stone wall, and the Unsullied simultaneously exerted their strength.
The stone wall gave a crisp "crack," opening a gap just wide enough for one person to pass.
Arya was the first to squeeze through the gap, her valyrian steel dagger instantly drawn.
On the stone platform in the Black Cells, fifty wildfire jars were neatly arranged, black metal pipes connected to their mouths snaking along the walls.
A bronze device on the central stone platform gleamed coldly; it was precisely what Bran had called the "blood curse trigger mechanism."
As two remaining guards turned, Arya's dagger had already slashed across their throats.
Dark blood splattered onto the wildfire jars, producing a "sizzling" corrosive sound.
"Quick! Burn the runes!" Arya pointed to the blood curse runes carved around the device.
The Unsullied immediately threw their oil jars at the runes.
The weirwood fire oil instantly ignited into orange-red flames upon contact with fire, and the runes emitted a harsh "crackle," their golden patterns gradually fading in the flames.
Talon, meanwhile, tried to pry open the trigger mechanism with his dragonglass dagger, but found a layer of black chains wrapped around the base of the mechanism—Qyburn's backup trap.
"Death curse runes" were carved on the chains; if forcibly destroyed, it would immediately detonate three nearby wildfire jars.
"The chains can only be unlocked with Cersei's blood!" Arya remembered Bran's warning, and her heart sank instantly.
Just then, heavy footsteps echoed from the entrance of the Black Cells, and the Mountain's figure appeared in the firelight.
His giant axe was stained with the blood of the Unsullied, and the runes on his armor glowed with an eerie green light in the darkness—Cersei had discovered the raid and sent the Mountain to guard the trigger device.
Yara: Battle for the ice core fragment in the Waterfront District
The cold wind in the waterfront district carried a salty stench.
Yara's "Wavebreaker" had already smashed through the chains of Euron's remaining warships.
Iron Islands warriors, wielding battle axes, swarmed onto the deck of the Iron Claw like a tide.
Euron's crew were mostly temporarily recruited pirates, and facing the well-trained Iron Islands warriors, they quickly disintegrated, their bodies sliding down the ship's side into the sea, staining the waters of Blackwater Bay red.
"Where is Euron?" Yara grabbed a pirate by the collar, her battle axe pressed against his throat.
The pirate trembled in fear, pointing his finger towards the depths of the ship's cabin: "He's... he's down there! He has a blue fragment, saying he wants to... to enhance the wildfire!"
Yara released the pirate and turned to rush into the cabin—it was filled with a pungent smell of oil.
Euron was kneeling on the ground, placing a pale blue ice core fragment into a bronze container, where the wildfire glowed with an eerie blue light.
"You want to take all of King's Landing with you?" Yara's battle axe swung towards Euron, but he blocked it with his great axe, the clash of metal deafening.
"Take them with me? No, I want Westeros to become my hunting ground!" Euron's eyes were filled with madness.
He grabbed the ice core fragment, about to throw it into a wildfire jar.
"That woman Cersei wants to monopolize the world; I'll make her and Daenerys both fuel for the wildfire!"
Yara dodged Euron's axe strike, then swept her battle axe, striking Euron's arm.
Blood splattered onto the ice core fragment—the fragment instantly emitted a dazzling blue light, and Euron's wound began to freeze.
He let out a painful roar, but still clutched the fragment tightly.
Iron Islands warriors rushed in, surrounding Euron.
Yara seized the opportunity, leaping up and bringing her battle axe down on Euron's wrist.
The fragment dropped to the ground with a "clang."
"Destroy it!" Yara shouted.
A warrior immediately threw an oil jar at the fragment.
Orange-red flames ignited, and the fragment emitted a "sizzling" corrosive sound, gradually turning into a puddle of icy water.
Euron watched the fragment being destroyed, his eyes filled with despair.
He suddenly grabbed a handful of wildfire jars, about to detonate them, but Yara's battle axe pierced his heart first: "Your madness ends here."
The battle in the waterfront district gradually subsided.
Yara stood on the deck of the Iron Claw, looking at the dragonflame rising from the direction of Red Keep in the distance—that was Drogon's signal, the frontal assault had begun.
She ordered the Iron Islands warriors to clear the battlefield, while she, with a few elites, headed towards the Red Keep.
She wanted to ensure that Cersei could no longer use any means to harm civilians.
Cersei: Desperate Counterattack in the Black Cells
In the council chamber of Red Keep, Cersei violently smashed the wine goblet in her hand, shards splattering onto Qyburn's robe.
"A bunch of incompetents! You can't even guard the Black Cells!" Her voice was hysterical, and the blood curse ring on her ring finger glowed with a black light—she had just sensed the blood curse runes being burned and the trigger device being attacked.
"Your Majesty, the Mountain has already gone to the Black Cells; he will guard the trigger device," Qyburn's voice trembled.
He held a black crystal ball, which reflected the scene in the Black Cells—Arya was prying at the trigger mechanism's chains with a dragonglass dagger, and the Unsullied were fighting with the guards.
"Guard it?" Cersei sneered, drawing a short sword from her waist.
"I will go to the Black Cells myself; even if I die, I will drag those traitors with me!" She strode quickly towards the Black Cells, the Mountain's footsteps coming from ahead.
He was covered in blood, and the runes on his armor had dimmed considerably, clearly injured in the fight with the assault team.
"Your Majesty, they are too strong, that girl... she uses valyrian steel," the Mountain's voice was hoarse, his great axe hanging at his side, its blade stained with the black blood of the Unsullied.
Cersei ignored him, walking directly into the Black Cells—half of the wildfire jars on the stone platform were already ignited by oil, the runes gradually disappearing in the flames.
Arya stood before the trigger device, her valyrian steel dagger pressed against the mechanism.
"Put down the dagger!" Cersei's short sword pointed at Arya.
"Otherwise, I will detonate the remaining wildfire jars and make all of King's Landing perish with me!"
Arya did not turn back; instead, her dagger pressed harder against the mechanism: "You no longer have a chance.
The runes are destroyed, the chains are almost unlocked, and your wildfire can no longer threaten anyone."
A flicker of madness flashed in Cersei's eyes.
She suddenly rushed towards the nearest wildfire jar, about to pierce its mouth with her short sword.
Seeing this, the Mountain immediately blocked her, but Arya seized the opportunity, her dagger slashing across the Mountain's throat—the valyrian steel blade easily cut through his armor, black blood splattering onto Cersei's face.
The Mountain crashed to the ground, his body gradually turning into ice shards (the backlash after Qyburn's dark magic failed).
Cersei looked at the Mountain's corpse, falling into complete despair.
She collapsed to the ground, the blood curse ring slipping from her finger and rolling to Arya's feet.
Arya bent down, picked up the ring, and threw it into the burning rune fire.
The ring exploded with a "crackle," completely turning to ash.
"Your reign is over," Arya's dagger was at Cersei's throat, her voice cold.
Illyrio: Breaking the Stalemate at the Red Keep Gate
On the battlefield outside the Red Keep gate, the Golden Company soldiers were fighting the Unsullied, bronze armor and red uniforms interweaving on the snowy ground, the eerie glow of dragonglass spears clashing with the cold light of longswords, creating sparks.
Illyrio stood on the mast of the "Seafury," observing the battle through a telescope—the Golden Company's formation had begun to loosen, and many soldiers had laid down their weapons, clearly having received the signal to defect.
"Grey Worm, order a halt to the attack!" Illyrio shouted.
The Unsullied immediately stopped, raised their dragonglass spears, and formed a defensive formation.
The Golden Company soldiers looked at each other, and a captain suddenly stepped out of formation, throwing down his longsword: "We surrender! We refuse to fight for that madwoman any longer!"
With the surrender of this captain, more Golden Company soldiers laid down their weapons, some even turning to charge at the Red Keep guards, helping the Unsullied open the city gates. Lord Illyrio, seeing this, immediately ordered an attack — the Unsullied surged into the Red Keep gates like a tide, and the Golden Company's defection accelerated the Red Keep's fall. The guards dropped their weapons and knelt in surrender.
Lord Illyrio walked into the Red Keep's courtyard, looking at the bodies strewn across the ground and the burning banners. He felt no joy of victory, only the weariness of war. He thought of the battle in Winterfell, the fleet standoff in Blackwater Bay, and those who sacrificed themselves to protect their homes. His resolve to establish a council and end the war grew even stronger.
"Lord Illyrio! Miss Arya has sent word that the Black Cells' trigger mechanism has been destroyed and Cersei has been captured!" A scout rushed over, holding a secret letter from Arya. Lord Illyrio took the letter and breathed a sigh of relief — this long-lasting war had finally seen the dawn of victory. He ordered the Unsullied to clear the battlefield and comfort the civilians, while also sending people to inform Daenerys and Tyrion that the Red Keep had fallen and Cersei was captured.
Daenerys: King's Landing Reborn on Dragonback
Drogon's wings swept over the Red Keep. Daenerys lay on his neck, looking down at the battlefield — the Golden Company soldiers had laid down their weapons, the Unsullied were clearing bodies, and civilians were emerging from their homes, waving towards Drogon with eyes full of joy and hope. Rhaegal followed behind Drogon, his dragonflame sweeping over the Red Keep's arrow towers, forcing the remaining guards to surrender.
"Queen Daenerys! The Red Keep has fallen, and Cersei has been captured!" Lord Illyrio's voice came from the ground. He stood in the Red Keep's courtyard, holding the alliance's banner. Daenerys patted Drogon's neck, and the giant dragon slowly descended, landing in the open space of the courtyard. Civilians gathered around, some offering flowers, others kneeling and kowtowing, shouting, "Long live the Queen!"
Daenerys dismounted and walked among the civilians, helping an old man who was kneeling on the ground: "I am not your monarch, I am your protector. From now on, King's Landing will have no more war, no more wildfire. We will establish a council, giving everyone a voice, allowing everyone to live in peace and prosperity."
Tyrion, leaning on his cane, walked to Daenerys's side, his eyes full of relief: "You did it, Daenerys. You ended Cersei's rule and gave King's Landing a new beginning." Daenerys nodded, her gaze turning towards the Black Cells — Arya was bringing Cersei out, her hands chained, her face full of despair and unwillingness.
"Imprison her and await the council's judgment," Daenerys ordered. The Unsullied immediately stepped forward and escorted Cersei to the Red Keep's dungeon. Daenerys watched Cersei's retreating figure, feeling no pleasure of revenge, only a longing for peace. She knew that ending the war was just the first step; building a fair and just Westeros would require even more effort.
Drogon and Rhaegal let out low dragon roars, their voices echoing over King's Landing, as if cheering for the reborn city. Daenerys stood in the Red Keep's courtyard, looking at the smiles of the civilians, her mission becoming even firmer — she wanted Westeros to have no more war, no more suffering, so that everyone could live a happy and peaceful life on this land.
Tyrion: Family Reflection on the Ruins of the Red Keep
In the Red Keep's council chamber, Tyrion stood before a portrait of his father, Tywin. In the portrait, Tywin wore Lannister Family's red robes, his eyes authoritative, a stark contrast to Cersei, who was now imprisoned in the dungeon. He recalled his father's strictness towards him in childhood, his sister's coldness, and his brother Jaime's protection, his heart filled with complex emotions.
"Lord Tyrion, Queen Daenerys asks you to attend the council preparatory meeting." A handmaiden entered the council chamber, her voice soft. Tyrion nodded and turned to leave the chamber — in the courtyard, Lord Illyrio, Arya, Yara, Grey Worm, and others were gathered, discussing the composition of the council.
"I believe the council should be composed of both nobles and commoners. Each territory will elect two representatives, with nobles and commoners each accounting for half," Lord Illyrio's voice was firm, holding a draft of the council charter. "Queen Daenerys, as the leader of the alliance, will serve as the council's chairperson, but final decisions will require a council vote."
Tyrion walked over to them, took the draft charter, and read it carefully: "I agree with this plan, but we also need to add provisions for judgment. For example, Cersei's crimes need to be judged collectively by the council, not by an individual. Additionally, the Maesters of The Citadel should also join the council to provide knowledge and advice, helping us formulate better policies."
Arya nodded and pulled out a list from her embrace: "These are the representatives chosen by the commoners of King's Landing. They are the ones who suffered the most under Cersei's rule and understand the needs of the common people best." Yara also pulled out a list: "These are the representatives from the Iron Islands and the Riverlands. They all agree with the council's plan and are willing to contribute to the peace of Westeros."
Tyrion looked at the list in his hand, his eyes full of hope. He remembered his father once saying that Lannister Family would rule Westeros, but now he understood that true rule was not based on force and fear, but on fairness and justice, on the trust and support of the people. "We will build a new Westeros, a Westeros without war, without suffering." Tyrion's voice was firm, his gaze directed towards the distance — there, the sun was shining through the clouds, casting a golden glow on the walls of King's Landing, gilding this reborn city.
Arya: The Mission Continues After the Black Cells
The cleanup work in the Black Cells continued. Arya stood on the stone platform, watching the Unsullied carry out the remaining wildfire jars to be completely destroyed with dragonglass fire oil. The runes on the stone walls had completely disappeared, and the trigger mechanism was also thoroughly destroyed, posing no further threat. She touched the valyrian steel dagger at her waist; the bloodstains on its blade had been wiped clean, yet she could still feel the intensity of the recent battle.
"Miss Arya, Queen Daenerys asks you to attend the council preparatory meeting." An Unsullied soldier approached, his voice respectful. Arya nodded and walked out of the Black Cells — in the courtyard, civilians were celebrating victory, some clearing the battlefield, some setting up temporary medical tents, some distributing food and water. All of King's Landing was filled with vitality and hope.
She walked towards the Godswood, where Bran sat in his wheelchair, Lyra by his side. Bran smiled when he saw Arya: "You did it. You destroyed the trigger mechanism and ended Cersei's rule." Arya sat beside him and pulled out a weirwood shard from her embrace — this was what Bran had given her before, which had blocked Cersei's dagger during the battle in the Black Cells.
"This is yours. I'm returning it to you," Arya said, handing the shard to Bran. "Without your intelligence, we wouldn't have succeeded." Bran took the shard and placed it in his palm: "This is what I should do. The Greenseer's mission is to protect this land and its people." He paused, his gaze turning towards the northern sky, "However, there are still ice core fragments of the Night King remaining. the cold god has not been completely defeated. We still have much to do."
Arya nodded, her eyes full of determination: "Whatever dangers the future holds, I will face them with you. I will continue to protect the commoners, protect Westeros, until the cold god is completely defeated and true peace arrives." She stood up and looked towards the direction of the council — there, Daenerys, Lord Illyrio, Tyrion, and others were discussing future plans, the sunlight shining on them like a ray of hope, illuminating the future of Westeros.
The shadows of the Black Cells gradually dispersed, and the rebirth of King's Landing had begun. Arya knew that the victory of this war was just the beginning; more challenges awaited them in the future. But she was no longer afraid — because she had family, friends, an alliance, and countless people willing to fight for peace. These people were her strength to move forward, and the hope for Westeros's rebirth.