Chapter 699: Legend and Tales

Benjen collapsed to the ground, becoming one with the Army of the Dead. All around him were wights of various shapes and sizes.

Yet his loyal steed remained faithfully by his side, never leaving.

Time seemed to pass in a blur. The Army of the Dead began a slow retreat, heading further north. The icy blue flame continued to burn fiercely, seemingly everlasting.

They scaled a towering mountain, pressing forward into the seemingly endless North. Only when they were far from the icy blue flame did Benjen finally snap out of his trance.

"What... What happened to me?"

Suddenly, clarity struck him, followed by a bone-chilling realization.

From the moment he laid eyes on that icy blue flame, he'd been ensnared, moving and acting without conscious thought. He had become a puppet, just like the others around him, obeying some unknown force.

By the time he regained his senses, he found himself deep within the vast army of the dead.

His skeletal horse 'Red-yellow', which had been with him for years, remained by his side. Even in death, the horse retained memories of its life and stayed with its master. Even when Benjen was lost in a daze, it never strayed.

"Thank you, old friend."

Benjen gently stroked the skeletal mane of the horse. The horse turned its head to gaze at him, its once gentle face now a horrifying visage, half its cheek decayed, revealing bone beneath.

The entire Army of the Dead marched in silence. They crossed the towering mountain range and continued their trek into the mysterious North.

Benjen had no idea where they were heading. But based on the Ice Dragon star he saw each night, they were still moving North.

Strangely, it felt to Benjen as if the Ice Dragon star was getting closer. The moon overhead also seemed to turn a shade darker, its size nearly three times what he remembered from his living days.

"The days grow shorter, and the nights longer."

"Are we walking to the moon?"

Such thoughts danced in Benjen's mind as he looked at the enlarging Ice Dragon star and the moon.

Even in this age, the limits of Westeros's North were beyond imagination. Was there a possibility that it led to the heavens? Could Westeros be as vast as Essos, separated only by the 'Bone Mountains', which might just be an endless icy plain?

Having been educated as the youngest son of Rickard Stark, Lord of Winterfell, Benjen knew the world was much larger than they imagined. Now, stepping into lands unknown to man, his imagination ran wild.

He even felt a touch of anticipation, wondering what marvelous sights awaited them.

His mind wandered to stories old Nan used to tell about the Ice Dragon.

"Ice Dragons are much larger than Targaryen dragons. They roam beyond the endless icy plains, sometimes appearing over the Shivering Sea."

"Their bodies are made of snow, their eyes are pale blue crystals. With semi-transparent wings, they breathe cold, enough to freeze an entire ship."

"Legends say there's a place in the Shivering Sea, called Cannibal Bay. Ships that go there never return, allegedly frozen by the roving Ice Dragons."

"They freeze the ships with their icy breath and devour all the humans aboard."

As a child, every tale from old Nan sent shivers down Benjen's spine. But as he grew older, he realized most were just folk tales, meant to scare children into obedience.

"Could we truly encounter the Ice Dragons of old Nan's tales?"

The thought flickered briefly before he shook his head, dismissing such wild imaginings.

He couldn't believe that beyond the known world there'd be dragons larger than Balerion.

Having seen the Black Dread in King's Landing, its immense size and searing heat left an indelible mark on Benjen.

He didn't believe there was anything in this world that could overpower a dragon. If there was, it'd be the domain of gods, perhaps the reason they punished Valyria.

That's why he had urged his brother to surrender, to think of his sister-in-law and their children. The Targaryen conquest of the Seven Kingdoms was inevitable; they had to pay for past mistakes.

Benjen, leading his horse Red-yellow, trudged on with the army, lost in thoughts.

His main goal now was to find his sister, Lyanna Stark. With so many wights and White Walkers, he assumed she must be among them. But he was surrounded by a sea of undead, with no way to search for her.

Any unusual move might draw unwanted attention. While the White Walkers and wights seemed oblivious to his occasional aberrations, Benjen felt it was best not to stand out.

Otherwise, it'd be like "inviting trouble to one's doorstep."

Benjen's mind meandered as they moved, unaware of the passage of time.

In the world of men, day and night had cycled many times, but here, it was eternal night.

Suddenly, the relentless march of the Army of the Dead halted. Benjen, lost in his reverie, was jolted back to reality.

But then, a deafening dragon's roar echoed, shaking the vast icy plains with its fury.