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Brandon and his army pursued the Blackwood King with relentless determination, but it was not easy. The Blackwood King ran fast and slipped away into the thick forests vanishing into them before scampering up the trees or losing their pursuers in the forest. His army, scattered, had the advantage of knowing the land and being small in numbers whilst spread out, and as Brandon's forces pressed on, they found themselves lost. The Blackwood men were adept at disappearing into the dense undergrowth, slipping through hidden paths, and using the cover of the towering trees to evade capture.
But as the pursuit dragged on, the men began to chat in camp. The men who had fought hardest during the heat of the last battle told of something unusual that had happened to them during the chaos. They described a sudden, intense feeling and an overwhelming connection to creatures of the wild. These men claimed to have felt their minds open as if they were no longer just men.
Brandon and Halvar sought out these men, as it was only after days passed did the men start to feel the connection again after regaining their strength. Many of them described vivid, almost dreamlike experiences where they felt their consciousness stretch beyond themselves, reaching out to the wild beasts near the battlefield. Some spoke of direwolves whose thoughts they could touch, while others mentioned bears, eagles, and even ghouls and one Werewolf. These men were now Wargs.
As the days passed, Brandon caught many men talking about it, and to Brandon's astonishment, it wasn't just a few isolated cases. More and more of his soldiers began to exhibit signs of being Wargs. Their connection to the animals of the North grew stronger, and soon many beasts began to follow the army and even start to roam around the camp as more of the men started to feel confident in their change of state.
Eventually, Brandon abandoned the pursuit of the Blackwood King as the ruler disappeared back into his forest. Instead, Brandon had to turn his attention south, where the scattered remnants of the Ironborn warband had started wreaking havoc on his lands rather than moving back home.
Once reaching the Southlands and splitting the army with Jarl Amber leading one and Brandon the other, they started to track the Ironborn. But now, with the Wargs among their ranks, it was easier than ever. The Wargs connected to wolves and birds of prey, acted as scouts and trackers, helping to locate the remaining warband raiders who had taken refuge in the wilds. Their newfound abilities made it nearly impossible for the warbands to escape.
Brandon's army swept through the southern lands with renewed vigour, tracking down and defeating the remnants of the warband with ease. The raiders were small in numbers and scattered and were sept up easily.
As Brandon and his army passed through villages, he started to get reports of Warg-like abilities began to emerge. Villagers spoke of children who had started to dream of wolves and hunters who claimed they could now see through the eyes of eagles. The number of Wargs was increasing throughout the North. This greatly angered the Celtic people.
When news of the battle between Brandon Stark and the Blackwood King spread across the North, it sent ripples through people. The North had heard of the ritual the Blackwood King performed on the battlefield and his human sacrifices to the Celtic gods. They spoke of how the gods had answered their prayers giving the Blackwood men incredible will and strength to defeat Brandon Stark. How they had nearly defeated Brandon's forces only to be saved by their putrid Gods.
The followers of the old god saw this as a great sign. To the Celtic believers, it was a challenge. The clash between their gods and the old gods had unfolded on the battlefield, and though the Blackwood King's forces had been 'only pushed back', the fact that their gods had responded with the strength of people and winds to show them watching had inflamed their zealotry. The fanatics among the Celtic people started to inflame the rest of their people and became more determined than ever to show the Gods their belief.
Across the North, chaos erupted. In villages with both Celtic and Old Gods followers, tensions that had simmered for years between the everyday people finally boiled over. Celtic believers, that had been riled up, took up arms and began attacking their neighbours, convinced that their gods demanded blood. In remote villages and wildlands, scenes played out as innocent villagers were butchered, their homes set aflame. The fighting happened between the levies and the Celtics. Entire families were massacred as the starved Celtic fanatics, wild-eyed and broken, sought to ask their Gods for their blessing and to look upon them as well.
While Brandon was still in the south, dealing with the remnants of the Warband raiders, news quickly reached him. A raven from Winterfell came, and a once peaceful group of Celtic believers had snapped. For years, they had lived among the villagers, but the harsh winter, the shunning of them, and a particularly charismatic Celtic fanatic had set them off. In the dead of night, they attacked, slaughtering those who were loyal to the old gods. The peaceful streets of Winterfell became a bloodied battleground, as homes were burned, and screams echoed through the night.
Brandon was stricken with fury and fear upon hearing the news. He left Jarl Amber to deal with the south as he ordered his forces to prepare for a rapid march north. Time was of the essence.
As Brandon made his way north, Jon sent word, saying they were trying to quell the attacks with the King's Guard and some mercenaries they had hired but it looked like Celtics from other parts of the Kingdom were migrating here. It seemed the one who had stirred up the people in Winterfell was quite the speaker.
The cold winds howled as he and his men raced back to Winterfell.