Location: Meereen - The Great Pyramid (Lower Levels)
The night Annie Leonhart was unleashed upon Meereen became known as the "Night of the Silent Scream."
Annie didn't use her Titan form. She didn't need to.
In the narrow, twisting alleys of the city, she was a ghost. Utilizing her martial arts and the tactical gear Ren provided, she moved across rooftops, dropping onto patrols of the Sons of the Harpy like a apex predator.
Ren watched from the balcony of the Great Pyramid, but his mind was elsewhere. He needed to secure his base.
"Ren!"
The shout came from the main entrance of the throne room.
Ren turned.
Running up the marble steps were four figures. Dust-covered, tired, but alive.
Maggie Rhee. Andrea. Amy. Shizuka Marikawa.
They had marched from Yunkai with Daenerys's main force, protecting the rear guard.
Maggie reached him first. She didn't salute. She slammed into him, hugging him fiercely.
"You idiot," Maggie whispered into his chest. "We heard the ship went down. We heard you drowned."
Ren wrapped his arms around her. "It takes more than water to kill me, Maggie."
Andrea and Amy joined in. Amy was crying openly.
"We thought we were stranded," Amy sobbed.
"Stuck in this desert forever."
"I told you," Ren said, pulling back to look at them.
"I always come back."
He looked at Shizuka. The blonde nurse hung back, looking unsure.
She was wearing the Mercy Ring, which glowed faintly gold.
Ren walked over to her.
"And you," Ren smiled softly. "I heard stories from the soldiers.
The 'Golden Angel' who walks through arrow fire."
Shizuka blushed deep red. "I... I just didn't want anyone to die.
The Unsullied... they thank me. It feels weird."
"It's called respect," Ren said. He kissed her forehead. "You did good, Shizuka."
The War Room
Few hour later, the full team was assembled in the War Room.
Ren's Harem/Valkyrie Squad:
Ren (Leader)
Maggie (Sniper/Second-in-Command)
Saeko (Blade)
Saya (Tactician)
Andrea (Hawkeye)
Amy (Arcane Archer)
Hirano (Heavy Weapons)
Shizuka (Medic)
Annie (Special Ops/Titan)
Daenerys and her advisors (Barristan Selmy, Grey Worm, Missandei) sat on the other side of the table. They looked at Ren's team with a mix of awe and intimidation.
This wasn't just a mercenary group anymore; it was a pantheon.
"The situation is simple," Ren began, pointing to the map of Meereen.
"The Harpies are being purged as we speak. Annie is efficient. But the root cause remains."
"The Great Masters," Daenerys said, her voice hard.
"They fund the insurgency."
"We need to cut the head off the snake," Ren agreed. "But we also need to leave."
"Leave?" Barristan Selmy frowned.
"Your Grace, we cannot abandon Meereen. It will fall into chaos."
"We aren't abandoning it," Ren corrected.
"We are securing it. Then we move on to the real prize."
Ren slammed a dagger onto the map. Westeros.
"The Golden Company lands tomorrow," Ren revealed. "10,000 professional soldiers. Combined with the Unsullied and the Dothraki, we have the largest army in history."
"And the dragons," Daenerys added.
"And the dragons," Ren nodded. "But before we sail, we need to send a message to the rest of Slaver's Bay. A message that says 'Don't follow us'."
Ren looked at Amy and Hirano.
"Amy. Hirano. Tomorrow, you go to the Gates of Meereen. I want you to put on a show."
"What kind of show?" Amy asked, twirling a magical arrow.
"Fireworks," Ren grinned.
The next day, the entirety of Meereen gathered at the walls.
The Great Masters, terrified by the night's assassinations, stood watching.
Below the walls, in the desert, stood the approaching army of Yunkai—
slavers who had come to besiege the city, thinking Daenerys was weak.
Ren stood on the wall.
"Amy," Ren commanded.
"Clear the front line."
Amy stepped up. She activated her Arcane Archer skill. She didn't fire one arrow.
She fired a volley into the sky.
Flash.
The arrows multiplied. Hundreds of blue energy bolts rained down on the Yunkai vanguard.
BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.
The sand exploded. Men were thrown into the air. T
he Yunkai lines broke instantly.
"Hirano. The siege towers."
Hirano mounted his modified M2 Browning (which he had been building in the Pocket Dimension workshop).
He loaded Incendiary Rounds.
THUMP-THUMP-THUMP.
The heavy rounds tore through the wooden siege towers.
They ignited on impact. Within seconds, the towers were towering infernos.
"And now," Ren whispered. " The finale."
He signaled Annie, who was standing on the ground outside the gate.
Annie bit her hand.
KA-BOOM!
Yellow lightning struck the earth.
The Female Titan rose, 14 meters tall, skinless and terrifying.
She let out a roar and sprinted toward the fleeing Yunkai cavalry.
She moved faster than a horse.
She kicked a horse and rider fifty meters into the air. She spun, hardening her leg, and sheared through a phalanx of spears like they were wheat.
On the wall, the Great Masters of Meereen trembled.
"You see?" Ren told Hizdahr zo Loraq, who was shaking beside him.
"This is what happens when you fight us. Daenerys is merciful. I am not."
Ren leaned in close.
"Keep the peace, Hizdahr. Or next time, the Titan eats you."
The Night Before Departure
The victory was absolute. The Yunkai army routed. The Harpies were in hiding.
Meereen was pacified by pure terror.
That night, in the Great Pyramid, Ren held a private celebration for his squad.
They were in Daenerys's private solar, lounging on cushions, drinking Meereenese wine.
Ren sat in the center. Maggie leaned against his shoulder.
Shizuka was massaging his legs.
Saeko was cleaning her sword nearby, but smiling.
"We did it," Andrea toasted, raising her glass. "We actually conquered a city."
"We survived," Maggie corrected, taking a sip.
She looked at Ren. "So... Westeros. Are we ready for snow? I hate snow."
"We'll have dragons to keep us warm," Ren joked.
Daenerys entered the room. She was wearing red and black—Targaryen colors.
"The fleet is ready," Daenerys announced. "We sail at dawn."
She looked at the group. A strange family of killers, mages, and healers from other worlds.
"Thank you," Daenerys said softly. "For everything."
Ren stood up. He walked over to the balcony, looking west.
The Arbiter was gone. His team was upgraded. His army was massive.
But the System flashed a warning in his vision.
[Main Quest Updated: The Song of Ice and Fire.]
[Act 2: The War for the Dawn.]
[Warning: The Night King has sensed the dragons. The Dead are marching faster.]
Ren gripped the railing.
"Enjoy the wine tonight, ladies," Ren said, his voice serious. "Because where we're going... winter isn't coming. It's already there."