The Game of Thrones

BRAN I

"Melisandre, may I talk to you for a moment?" Bran asked as he watched Sansa and Grey Worm carry the unconscious Daenerys Targaryen inside.

"What can I do for you, young raven?" Melisandre asked curiously.

Bran sighed. "People from Essos have talked about the legendary hero Azor Ahai," he began as he shifted his deep eyes to the Red Woman. "What you make of it?"

Melisandre gave a sly smile. "Many ancient books, young raven, describe the legend of Azor Ahai. It is said that a darkness laid over the world and a hero was chosen to fight against it by the Lord of Light. In order to fight this, the champion, Azor Ahai, needed to forge a hero's sword. He worked for thirty days and thirty nights until it was done. However, when he went to test its strength in water, the sword shattered," she began.

Bran stared at her, waiting for her to continue.

Melisandre took a breath. "While discouraged, Azor Ahai was not about to give up easy. This next time he took fifty days and fifty nights to make the sword. To try it again, he captured a lion and drove the sword into its heart, but once more, the steel shattered," she explained. After a momentary pause, she continued, "However, during his third attempt at forging the sword, he knew what he needed to do with a heavy heart. After working for a hundred days and nights, he called what he loved the most in this world to see him: his wife, Nissa Nissa. He asked her to bare her breast, and when she did, he drove his sword into her living heart. This sacrifice allowed her soul to combine with the steel of the sword to create Lightbringer, the Red Sword of Heroes."

Bran looked at the Red Woman curiously. "And this sword defeated the darkness?" Maybe this is how the White Walkers were defeated before.

"Yes, that is what legend says."

He moved his eyes to an arbitrary point on the grass as his mind was racing. "But that is not all. There is a prophecy."

Melisandre nodded. "Yes, there is a prophecy. It is said Azor Ahai will be reborn again as the Champion of Light to defeat the darkness again. In order to do this, he must forge Lightbringer."

Without moving his eyes, he asked, "And what do you believe?"

"I try not to live my life by prophecies anymore," Melisandre said as she shook her head. But then, she stared deeply into Bran's eyes. "But I do believe the Azor Ahai has been reborn in either Jon Snow or Daenerys Targaryen. For which one it is, I do not know. I only know what the flames tell me."

Bran nodded. "Thank you," he said as he looked up. "I need to be taken to the Godswood." I need to see Azor Ahai forging this sword.

Melisandre smiled. "Very well, young raven."

And with that, she began pushing him to his destination.

Upon reaching the weirwood tree, his eyes went white as he was transported back in time. When he opened his eyes, Bran found himself standing in an old workshop. In the corner, a strange man in ancient armor was forging a sword by the fire. He watched as the man lifted the glowing white-hot sword from the flames and placed it on the old wooden table.

The armored man turned back to stare into the flames intensely as he asked, "R'hllor, what shall I do to test this weapon?"

Bran watched in curiosity to see if the flames answered him. What was happening?

However, the man just simply nodded his head as he stood up. He looked around sadly as he focused his eyes on the sword in front of him.

"Nissa Nissa?" he called out.