Leaving King's Landing and traveling west along the Gold Road, Karl's army had been marching for nearly ten days.
For a force of this size, speed was never realistic.
Karl was not forcing the march, nor was he recklessly driving men and horses to exhaustion. Supplies moved with the column, wagons rolled steadily behind them, and scouts secured the road ahead. More importantly, Karl had spent months preparing for his takeover of the Westerlands, ensuring that when he arrived, he would not be seen as an invader but as a ruler ready to govern.
Because of that, progress had been slow but stable.
After ten days, they had only recently crossed the Blackwater Rush and reached the outer mountain ranges marking the eastern edges of the Westerlands.
The Westerlands were among the most impressive regions in all the Seven Kingdoms.
Though not the largest territory, it was one of the most naturally protected.
Rolling hills, deep valleys, steep mountain ridges, and narrow passes dominated the land. To invade from the east, armies had to move through difficult terrain guarded by fortresses such as Golden Tooth. To the south, roads were limited and forests could become traps. Only parts of the western coast were more vulnerable, but even there, cliffs and rocky shores created obstacles.
Its lands included famous locations such as Casterly Rock, Lannisport, Castamere, Fair Isle, Crakehall, Cornfield, Deep Den, and many others.
But geography alone was not what made the Westerlands legendary.
It was wealth.
The mountains were rich with veins of gold and silver. Mines across Casterly Rock, Golden Tooth, Castamere, and surrounding regions had enriched House Lannister for generations. Even beyond mining, the western coast supported fishing and trade, while the mild climate allowed fertile farmland to thrive.
Protected by mountains to the east and south, with the open Sunset Sea to the west, the Westerlands enjoyed both security and prosperity.
All of it had once belonged to the House Lannister.
Now, in name and power, it belonged to Karl El.
Riding at the head of the column, Karl narrowed his eyes as he stared toward the distant mountains.
Then he inhaled deeply.
"The smell is getting stronger," he murmured.
Beside him, Tyrion Lannister, who had gone many days without proper wine, looked miserable.
"What smell?" Tyrion asked dryly. "Horse dung?"
Karl ignored him completely.
Drunkards deprived of wine were naturally irritable.
What Karl meant had nothing to do with mud, horses, or treasure.
He was sensing something else entirely.
The air felt different.
Subtle.
Alive.
Invisible currents moved through the world—something only a person with magical sensitivity might notice. Though Karl barely understood magic in a scholarly sense, he could still feel it.
The energy in the air was increasing.
Slowly.
Steadily.
Like a tide returning to shore.
Karl's lips curved into a smile.
By his estimate, the time was near.
The Red Comet would soon rise.
In the original timeline of A Song of Ice and Fire, the first major events took place in 298 AC.
Jon Arryn's death brought King Robert north to seek the aid of Eddard Stark. Prince Joffrey was betrothed to Sansa Stark. Then Robert died during a hunt, Eddard exposed the royal children as illegitimate, and the kingdom collapsed into war.
The later volumes—especially A Clash of Kings and much of A Storm of Swords—largely occurred during 299 AC.
That meant the return of magic, symbolized by the Red Comet, happened within less than a year of chaos.
But now everything had changed.
Karl's arrival had altered alliances, disrupted wars, and broken the expected flow of history.
The war between Baratheon, Stark, and Lannister forces had ended early.
The martial tournament in King's Landing had consumed additional time.
Even so…
If his calculations were right—
It was still almost time.
"The timing is perfect," Karl muttered while glancing at the sky.
Tyrion noticed Karl's increasingly mysterious behavior.
Since leaving King's Landing, the man had seemed distracted, almost secretive.
He exchanged a glance with Jon Snow.
Jon shrugged.
Neither understood what Karl was planning.
Then Karl suddenly gave an order.
"We camp here."
Rain had fallen for ten straight days. The road had become thick with mud, slowing the baggage train and making progress miserable.
Still, the chosen location was ideal—open ground beside a small lake, with enough room for thousands of soldiers.
Camp was quickly established.
Tents rose.
Fires were lit.
Wagons circled into defensive lines.
Men finally rested.
Jon dismounted stiffly, wincing.
After days in the saddle, he felt as though his entire lower body no longer belonged to him.
He awkwardly approached Tyrion.
"My lord, when do we reach the next real town?"
Tyrion rubbed his aching legs and sighed.
"The nearest decent settlement ahead is Deep Den."
Jon brightened.
"That sounds good."
Tyrion smirked.
"It's still very far away."
Jon's face fell.
Tyrion continued mercilessly.
"The good news is that once we reach Deep Den, Casterly Rock is only about one-third of the journey remaining."
Jon stared blankly.
He mentally calculated.
Then frowned.
"So… we still have around twenty days left?"
"If nothing goes wrong," Tyrion said cheerfully, "yes."
Jon groaned.
He looked at Tyrion's short, twisted legs and finally voiced a thought he had been holding back for days.
"Why don't you ride in a carriage?"
Tyrion slowly turned his head.
"You should have suggested that in King's Landing."
Jon blinked.
"Why?"
"Because then I might have purchased one."
He gestured dramatically toward the supply wagons.
"Now my choices are grain sacks, fish barrels, or sleeping beside dried salted cod that even Flea Bottom wouldn't buy."
Jon laughed despite himself.
Then asked another question.
"So why didn't you buy one before we left?"
Tyrion glared.
"Because after you refused command of the City Watch, I believed I would remain in King's Landing."
He folded his arms.
"Your lord spent days trying to make me commander of the Gold Cloaks. Have you ever heard of a dwarf commanding an army?"
Jon opened his mouth, then closed it.
That was… fair.
At that exact moment, Karl appeared behind them.
"If you're not worried about being shot while relieving yourself one day," Karl said casually, "I can always send you back."
Tyrion snorted.
"Who would bother ambushing a dwarf in a privy?"
Karl stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"Plenty of people hate Lannisters. Some might simply enjoy the opportunity."
Tyrion pointed a finger.
"I thought your name and Eddard Stark's name would protect me."
Karl grinned.
"My name might."
Then he shrugged.
"Ned Stark's name couldn't even protect Ned Stark."
Jon nearly choked.
Tyrion burst out laughing.
"You should tell him that to his face."
Karl nodded.
"After I marry Sansa, perhaps I will."
Tyrion immediately raised a rude finger in response.
After the usual bickering, Karl's mood improved considerably.
Then his smile faded.
He clapped once.
"I'm leaving for a while."
Both Tyrion and Jon straightened immediately.
"We'll meet again tomorrow morning," Karl continued. "Do not ask where I'm going. Do not tell anyone I'm gone."
The seriousness in his tone erased any chance of joking.
Jon and Tyrion exchanged wary looks.
Karl continued issuing orders.
"If anything happens, Tyrion handles administration. Jon commands troop deployment."
"I've already informed Kesi, Hall, Shaga, and the others. They'll obey."
Without another word, he turned and walked toward the forest.
Jon and Tyrion watched him disappear between the trees.
Only after several moments did Tyrion speak.
"What do you think he's doing?"
Jon frowned.
"No idea."
Then he guessed.
"Maybe meeting a woman?"
Tyrion barked a laugh.
"In these mountains? The best he'll find is a female lizard."
Meanwhile, Karl moved through the trees until no one could see him.
Ahead stood a narrow cave he had noticed earlier.
He entered the darkness.
The moment shadows swallowed him—
He vanished.
Without sound.
Without trace.
When Karl opened his eyes again, he stood inside his personal game world—a strange realm he had not visited in months.
Then he froze.
The entire world looked different.
Menus had changed.
Structures shimmered.
New icons floated in the air.
Karl stared in disbelief.
"What is this?"
He looked around wildly.
"Can offline games get version updates?"
He blinked several times.
"Why did nobody mention this in my previous life?"
Then realization struck him.
He slapped his thigh.
"Forget the update!"
His eyes widened with panic.
"I need to check whether my wife has already given birth to dragon hatchlings!"
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)