《Game of Thrones: The Dragonborn!》 Chapter 1 - Welcome to Westeros [Chapter Size: 2108Words.] Jon Snow POV Somewhere on North. ... ... The brightness of the space around me gradually faded, leaving me enveloped only by silence and the endless snow of the sky. Before me stretched majestic mountains, gentle hills, slender trees, and some dense forests, but there was no sign of civilization in the vicinity. I hadn''t breathed this familiar air for years, and the atmosphere stirred long-buried memories of my childhood in Winterfell. However, I had never left the confines of Winterfell, so I found myself disoriented as to which part of the North I was in at this moment. As I assessed my own condition, I realized I was shirtless, wearing only pants and unarmed. Upon returning to this world, I was compelled to abandon all my possessions in Skyrim; at least the Daedric Princes had the decency not to leave me completely naked when sent here. I fixed my gaze on the highest point and decided to make my way there, seeking guidance from the altitude. It was a small 300-meter cliff, and not knowing exactly how to start the climb, I improvised using the nearby rocks. I wondered about the impression I would make on any observer in Westeros encountering a shirtless man climbing rocks in the heart of the northern cold. My resistance to the cold was about 50% as a Nord and a Stark¡ªnot that all Westerosi Nords were like that, but I gained this ability as soon as I entered Skyrim. Despite this resistance, I invoked a skin spell to mitigate the impact of the frigid environment, which left me quite comfortable. The climb took about 20 minutes, but I felt no fatigue. In fact, I experienced an unusual excitement; it was good to be back in a place you haven''t set foot in for over a decade, although I knew that nothing would be as it once was. My enemies, whether my uncle, his ally on the throne, or all those who participated in the plot that led to my father''s death and consequently my mother''s, as well as the horrible death of my half-siblings, would have something to say, and I would collect from them with interest. Their fate would be sealed once I set foot on this soil again. Revenge was a debt that I, at least, should honor on behalf of those who lost their lives to others'' ambitions, no matter the chaos I would create on this continent. Upon reaching the summit, I was engulfed by a scene that took my breath away. Before me stretched mountain ranges reaching kilometric heights, lush forests, winding rivers, and an endless expanse of snow covering all horizons. Amazed, I couldn''t help but reflect on how far I was from my point of origin. "At least I''m still in the north," I murmured to myself. My vision, enhanced by experiences in Skyrim, far surpassed that of an ordinary human. I sought to discern details in the vastness around me, observing the wildlife blending into the landscape. However, what caught my attention was a faint smoke rising among the trees; someone or a group was camping. Without hesitation, I charted a course to the location, about 4 kilometers away, eager for my first encounter after my return. As I walked, I summoned four spectral wolves to scour the area. I was a conjuration and alteration expert, a powerful archmage feared not only in Skyrim but throughout Tamriel for my mastery of these schools, among my other specialties. For an hour, I leisurely traversed the semi-nude ice, barely feeling the temperature thanks to the spell I had cast. My natural and spell-enhanced resistance to the cold, coupled with my fiery temperament, made the walk more comfortable. At that moment, I allowed myself a brief reflection on my own memories of who I used to be and who I am now. Recalling the time when I was a shy and quiet child, I realized that over a decade of adventures had shaped my personality. Today, I considered myself an arrogant person, constantly seeking battles and challenges, whether against humans, monsters, dragons, demons, or even gods. Adapting to the blood-boiling fights over the years elevated my instincts to a new level. I now walked without excessive concerns for my surroundings, my wolves patrolling the area, and my body naturally alert to any surprises that might launch against me. After another twenty minutes of walking into the forest, I came across a group of people gathered around a campfire. From their attire and appearance, I identified them as wildlings beyond the Wall, the savage people and raiders I had heard so much about in Winterfell during my childhood. Memories of old Nan''s dark tales crossed my mind, and a smile formed on my lips. I asked myself: What would that woman say if she saw what I witnessed during the twelve years I spent in Skyrim? I entered the field of view of my future "friends" without hesitation, walking as if such an encounter were the most natural thing in the world. It didn''t take long for the first person to notice me, their surprised expression alerting the other thirteen wild companions present. The group quickly brandished their weapons, keeping a safe distance. I stopped walking and crossed my arms, a slight smile adorning my face as I looked at each of them. It was evident how cautious they were, understandably surprised to encounter a shirtless, barefoot, unarmed man dressed only in pants in the midst of that inhospitable landscape. However, my presence did not convey the typical image of a "beggar" in the snow. Besides appearing comfortable in that icy climate, I stood out with my two meters of height, athletic definition, bright purple eyes, and a face that would make any woman want to spend a night with me in her bed. I maintained confidence, facing the threat posed by more than a dozen people as if it were a passing breeze. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. "Hello," I simply pronounced, accompanying the greeting with a friendly smile. "Who are you, stranger?" One of them, gathering courage, growled the question. "Me? I''m just a man lost in this frozen land; can you tell me where I am?" I inquired curiously, seeking information. "Don''t lie to me, southerner. You don''t look like one of the Free Folk! You must be a crow!" Another grunted, expressing distrust. I was surprised at how quickly hostility manifested, even considering the stories that had circulated for over a decade. "What mood is this? I''m just asking a question; is your people so fanatical?" I raised my eyebrows, questioning the intensity of the reaction. "We shouldn''t answer any questions from a crow! Take him, let''s flay him alive and deliver his head to Mance." The first, consumed by anger, expressed the desire to kill me immediately. ''I just asked a question,'' I reflected. "What a grumpy bunch..." I muttered. Two individuals advanced towards me, armed and with ropes in hand to restrain me. In these circumstances, I couldn''t help but wish I had mastery over destruction magic. Not because I needed it, but because I imagined the shock it would cause if I conjured fireballs and lightning¡ªa fun thought that permeated my mind. However, as a true son of Skyrim from the North, I grew indifferent to the arcane arts and always preferred an axe or sword. Although I became an archmage in the schools of alteration and conjuration out of necessity many years later, my Thu''um, a destructive force, was my primary skill in destruction, even though I didn''t consider it literal arcane magic. I had used this ability to defeat many magic practitioners, including the detestable Thalmor, who considered themselves superior to all other races. I massacred them like ants during my travels across the continent, and it was no surprise that I was their most hated being, prompting them to send assassins after me for years. It was fun facing the brave ones who wanted to kill the fearsome Dragonborn. As the two approached, my patience wore thin in the face of their confidence to restrain and kill me, merely because they outnumbered me? What irritated me more was the arrogance some people displayed in my presence. "More arrogant than I am?" I smiled as I pondered that thought. Without hesitation, I delivered a punch to the neck of the nearest man with my left hand. The sound of the impact, breaking his neck, echoed throughout the small wild camp, and he fell immediately to the ground, his death swift. The other wildling nearby froze momentarily, as did the rest of the group, all shocked by what had just occurred. However, this state of shock lasted only a few seconds. The man rose to his feet from beside his dead friend and brandished his axe with the intention to kill me. Unfortunately for him, when he swung the blow, the result was not what he expected. I grabbed his arm with my free hand, delivered a precise kick to the groin, forcing him to kneel with the sound of breaking eggs. His hand released the axe, and in the next moment, his skull was crushed by the weapon after another move. Their companions were too far away to offer immediate help, but by killing the first one, another sixteen wildlings were already charging towards me, determined to annihilate me. If any of them were archers, anger obscured any thought of attacking from a distance, and they all ran frantically into melee confrontation. The crowd advanced towards me with ferocity. As the group surged toward me, I took a few steps back, skillfully dodging and repelling the relentless attacks. Though I did my best, wielding a single small axe against all the wildlings was a fun challenge, even for the Dragonborn. The speed of the fight eluded my control, and in this situation, I resorted to an action I never imagined executing on my first day since returning to this world. I stepped back, keeping a cautious distance from my enemies who persisted in their pursuit, shouting and cursing at me. In that moment, I managed to take down three more amid the chaos of clashing weapons, but such an achievement only further inflamed the small crowd as they realized they had failed to annihilate me. Taking a deep breath and raising my voice to the maximum, I declared: "[- FUS RO DAH!!]" The thunder of my voice resonated throughout the forest, blue energy emanating from my words. I witnessed nine bodies being thrown like dolls, along with nearby trees and the inert bodies I had eliminated earlier. The force of the shockwave sent them airborne, some colliding with tree branches, others crashing against trunks, pieces of wood, and rocks, while some crawled across the ground, raising dust and snow in the process. The grandeur of the impact echoed in nature, a demonstration of the power that I, the Dragonborn, possessed. Some managed to escape the attack area, but with a whistle, the last four in shock were swiftly taken by surprise as spectral wolves clamped onto their necks after emerging from the forest, waiting for my command. I didn''t need to check to confirm that most of the wildlings had perished under the overwhelming impact of my shout. As the dust settled, two minutes later, I walked the path carved in the middle of the white Northern snow, ignoring the men dying from the wolves. Amidst groans and the sound of someone spitting blood, I realized that only four still breathed. However, two of them were beyond saving. I picked up a bronze sword from the ground and, with the intention of easing their suffering, put an end to the agony of those two. I approached the two survivors, whose broken bones bore witness to the brutality of the conflict. Arrogance and anger were replaced by fear and horror when I altered the landscape of the small area with just three words spoken in a language unknown to them¡ªthe language of dragons. The men trembled before the imminent threat, an understandable reaction, as they knew their lives were about to end. However, I sought to extract as much information as possible before concluding this situation. "I heard you mention someone named Mance. Where can I find him?" I inquired, smiling, as I watched them with piercing eyes. The fear stamped on their faces was palpable, and I was determined to gather all necessary information before bringing this episode to a close. Chapter 2 - Is This Woman Honest? [Chapter Size: 2108 Words.] Jon Snow POV Somewhere on North. ... ... I advanced calmly through the snow-covered landscape once again, crossing the forest where only a few wild animals shared my journey. My new "wild friends," or what was left of them before I ended their suffering, had provided me with some intriguing information about Mance, the self-proclaimed new king beyond the Wall. He had gathered a formidable army of over 100,000 warriors, preparing to launch an attack on the Wall and the south. The prospect piqued my interest, fueling the idea that perhaps I could entertain myself a bit with these wildlings. At this stage, I dressed like one of them, adopting the wild style after stealing some clothes from those wildlings. Although my resistance to the cold was remarkable, I didn''t want to always appear as a weirdo without clothes, wanting to have a more casual conversation with the next human encounter, so I thought about blending in better with these people. I proceeded eastward for about five hours, deciding to stop and set up camp with the wildlings'' gear before sunset. I used a bow to hunt two rabbits, then lit a fire to prepare my meal and provide a good dinner while getting ready to rest. I summoned some wolves to patrol the area while I closed my eyes. It was during the deep sleep that the silence of the night was shattered; I heard the growls of my spectral wolves with a subtle sound of footsteps some tens of meters away. I opened an eye slowly, awaiting the approach of the intruder who dared to invade my territory while being threatened by my wolves, but this intruder didn''t seem very intimidated as they advanced. I identified three silhouettes moving slowly in the darkness from a distance in front of the wolves, on the opposite side of where I rested, without a torch to light their way and, at the same time, without any intention of hiding their presence. Amid guttural murmurs emitted by these humanoid figures, I understood that they were not humans here. I rose with a sigh, incredulous at the existence of such creatures in Westeros, as I did not imagine finding these things here. "- A draugr?" I exclaimed silently and thoughtfully, questioning the presence of these entities as I watched the dancing shadows in the darkness. The creatures continued to approach, and I observed their bright blue eyes. My wolves advanced and attacked them, biting their skin and shaking their heads to remove parts of them. I looked at it calmly, experiencing no fear; I had already faced and eliminated hundreds, if not thousands, of these creatures while exploring ancient dungeons or facing a powerful necromancer. I wielded the axe I possessed and threw it towards the nearest draugr as a wolf ripped off its arm. The direct impact to the creature''s chest made it fall backward, but it didn''t seem to harm it, nor did it show any sign of pain. "Looks like bronze doesn''t work on them, huh?" I commented to myself, observing the metal''s ineffectiveness against these supernatural threats. "I should try something else..." Jon murmured and with a gesture, he dismissed all the summonings, making them vanish like smoke; now the creatures had nothing to stop them from advancing toward me. "And this?" I murmured, noticing that, instead of continuing to walk, the creatures started running towards me now without the wolves. Without hesitation, I shouted: "[- YOL.]" A different force emanated from my voice, contrasting with the previous energy that propelled everything around. This one had a reddish tone, and its manifestation resulted in burning flames, illuminating that corner of the forest for several kilometers on this night. When the fire hit them, the creatures burned like oil, emitting cries of pain and clearly showing that fire harmed them. A few seconds later, the bodies engulfed in flames fell to the ground, motionless, as they turned into ashes. I picked up what remained of one head, making sure they wouldn''t reanimate, and set it on fire. After a sweep with other summoned wolves that ran around the area to ensure none of these creatures remained, I returned to my resting place, determined not to let some undead creatures disturb a night of sleep. I lay down as if nothing had happened, leaving the macabre events behind as I surrendered once again to sleep. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. The next morning, after savoring the rest of the rabbits, I continued with my journey. At noon, I encountered another group of wildlings in the same forest. I approached them as last time, but now I didn''t look like a beggar at least. "Hello," I murmured when I was already among them, going unnoticed after having trained for a few years in the thieves'' guild in the city where I stayed. With that, I witnessed the second scene of a people beyond the Wall waking up frightened when they found me in their camp. Despite now being dressed in their furs, I realized that the change of attire was not enough to calm their fears. "Who are you?" Inquired a dark-haired girl with blue eyes, whose beauty surprised me in this land. "I''m Jon Snow. I''m looking for Mance and the direction to the Wall," I asked, observing the growing suspicion in the group''s gaze. "Do you want to join Mance''s people? You don''t look like someone from beyond the Wall... What tribe do you belong to?" She asked, fixing me with a penetrating gaze. "I''m not from here, ended up in this place by chance, but I''m interested in this army of wildlings," I replied, unaware that I had offended them by using the term "wildlings." The group reacted with growls of discontent. "Kill him! He''s a southerner!" Exclaimed the first one to run towards me, raising the sword for the attack. I sighed, thinking: ''Is there no one I can talk to in this hell?'' Repeating the same move as the night before, I threw my axe, embedding it in the wildling''s skull who screamed before his sudden death. He fell lifeless to the ground while the others fled. Here they were about ten, but now I had two bronze swords looted from the last group, so I took both weapons from my waist, dispelling the need to annihilate the whole group with just one shout. I initiated a skillful counter-attack against their swords, axes, and arrows. In thirty seconds, I had already eliminated five of them, generating a sense of caution in the rest. I didn''t care; my intent was to virtually wipe out everyone there because, by attacking me, there was no reason to keep more than one prisoner. Two of the last to charge in close combat ran towards me. I delivered a precise strike with one sword, cutting the chest of one of them, and with the other, I intercepted an arrow fired by one of the three archers. The beautiful girl who had spoken to me earlier tried to hit me with an axe, but I skillfully dodged it with my body, then kicked her in the chest, leaving her breathless on the ground. Finally, I decapitated the last man, who fell dead to the ground. Three archers remained paralyzed by the carnage, witnessing seven members of their group being cut down by just one man in a matter of 1 minute. One of them unleashed a desperate run towards the forest, fleeing the fight, but before he could gain distance, I threw one of the swords in his direction like an assassin throwing a knife. In a matter of seconds, he fell dead on the ground, the blade piercing his back through to his chest. One of the archers, moved by desperation, shot an arrow at point-blank range. But to his disbelief, I caught the arrow with my free hand. The wildling, recognizing the futility of his resistance, dropped the bow in a sign of surrender. I threw my second sword, hitting the man who still held the bow directly in the skull, before approaching the archer who surrendered. He tried to articulate words, but I interrupted his attempt with a swift death, breaking his neck. Although I loathed extinguishing the lives of individuals devoid of a fighting spirit, I harbored an even greater aversion to cowards. I had always maintained the philosophy that one who attempts to take the life of another must be prepared to lose their own. "Looks like we can finally talk," I inquired of a woman trembling on the ground, not foolish enough to overlook that I had defeated the entire group of 11 people alone. "Are you going to kill me?" she asked, fear evident in her voice. "Depends. Do you want to be honest? I met some of yours a day ago, asked some questions, and only got vague answers, so I killed them, seeing how persistent your people are," I said. Jon didn''t know, but the wildling woman shuddered at his tone. He naturally expressed the idea of killing with a coldness that made even the most barbaric and cannibalistic tribes of the true north seem like children in comparison. This left the impression on the woman that Jon was a monster, but Jon carried with him hundreds of thousands of deaths and had grown accustomed to taking lives long ago. There was a time he regretted sparing those who didn''t deserve it, and it caused many problems, so he wouldn''t hesitate to kill this woman if she deserved it. "I''ll be honest," she said, choking. "You don''t seem as fierce as I imagined," I commented, observing the woman in front of me. She resembled many others I had encountered here, but they all showed an unwavering willingness to die before renouncing the pride of their people. "If it still allows me to take care of my little brother, then I submit," she said honestly. I accepted this revelation with approval; I appreciate those willing to sacrifice for family, something that reminds me of the friends or lovers I made in Skyrim. Although I have grown accustomed to taking lives over the years, I am not a psychopath who enjoys killing. I reserve my violence for those with whom I cannot establish rational dialogue or who deserve to meet their end with a sharp axe. ---------------------------------------------------------- Author''s note: * Without many thoughts, I hope you like it. * Thank you in advance, I hope you have a good read. Chapter 3 - A Childs Illusions [Chapter Size: 2108 Words.] Jon Snow POV Somewhere on North. ... ... "You should burn the bodies," said the wildling as I prepared to leave. "Why?" I asked, not understanding why she made such a firm suggestion. "You really don''t know, do you?" she asked incredulously. "What should I know?" I said, already losing patience with her. "You''re really new here; anything that dies here, you have to kill twice if you don''t burn them. They''ll rise as the walking dead," she finally explained. "Understood. Is that how these draugr are created? Who is the powerful necromancer creating the undead in an area with a constant spell? Are the stories from Old Nan really true? She mentioned White Walkers and an army of the dead when I was young..." I wondered, scratching my chin, but saying it out loud. "I don''t know anything about draugr; here, we call them wights. They say there are still other ice demons, but I''ve never seen them. Most people take it as a myth," she commented upon hearing me. I said nothing. I''ll find out more later, but for now, I need to burn these bodies. I looked at the woman, wondering if I should use telekinesis magic in front of her to raise the bodies, but decided to hold back for now. I might have an advantage if she tries to betray me. I grumbled unhappily about having to do the work, but still began to gather the bodies, stacking them on top of each other. "L¨²cia," the woman''s voice sounded behind me; she was at least helping me. "What?" I asked, confused. "My name! You said earlier that your name was Jon something," she told me, and I raised an eyebrow. "Ohh, it seems the wildlings can be polite after all," I said ironically. "We''re called wildlings by the people of the south, but among ourselves, we call each other the Free Folk!" she said angrily and unsatisfied with it. "Alright, whatever," I said indifferent, not in the mood to argue terms between two peoples, I''ll try to respect their origin, at least I''ll try... Once we gathered all the bodies, I placed a torch on them, and they burned easily. I''ll have to investigate this powerful necromancer later, as it''s affecting the entire area, and it intrigues me. Then, we began to walk with the woman leading the way to where this wildling army is. 2 days later. "You grew up in a castle?!" She was surprised when I shared a bit about myself. "Well, until I was 8, yes, but it wasn''t a very happy childhood, I admit," I spoke. "My people say you kneel in your castles getting fat and having many wives," she told me cautiously. "I grew up in Winterfell, and despite being one of the largest castles in Westeros, I didn''t see any of that there," I said, laughing, remembering my cold room and the fish-like woman jealous of another dead woman. "Winterfell? The one that is the Stark''s castle?" She said incredulously. "Yes, until you''re well-informed on this side of the wall," I commented, laughing. "Our people know the King in the North; we''ve been at war with them for thousands of years. They are our worst enemies!" "My uncle is the lord of Winterfell, but he''s not a king. Your people are outdated because the Starks have had a king above them for almost 300 years. Nowadays, they answer to Robert Baratheon if he''s not dead," I said with a hint of anger at the end; she even flinched at the anger in my voice. My voice exuded power when I let the anger out. "You seem to have anger towards them," she asked. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. "Yes, and I intend to kill them," I said, earning an incredulous look from the woman. We were descending the hill towards the forest. At the beginning of our journey, I just wanted her to guide me to Mance. On the first day, she was quiet and cautious with me, saying nothing but walking and guiding me. But she always looked at me as if I were a predator who would kill her at any moment. I don''t blame her; I''ll kill her without hesitation if she betrays or deceives me. She didn''t even sleep at night because she thought I would try to do something, but I didn''t pay much attention to her. When I sleep with a woman, I prefer us to be united with mutual pleasure, and I killed all the rapists I found in Tamriel. The last two days were quiet with nothing but animals and snow along the way. Today, I was surprised by her in the midst of the silence when she started to open up. I think she got tired of the silence of the last two days. I just enjoyed the conversation; I''m a talkative guy. In Skyrim, I spent my adventures talking and laughing all the time with my companions; I even sang in taverns with bards. Many considered my voice the best in Skyrim, even my lover Elisif was in love with my songs. Our conversation ended as soon as I noticed something while we were in the middle of the forest. "Stop," I ordered her. "What is it?" She asked me on alert, thinking that I suspected she had deceived me. "I know you''re here; you can come out of the trees 20 meters away," I said in a neutral voice. Eight shadows revealed themselves in front of us. All the men wore dark clothes and coats. "Crows!" Lucis growled at them. "Look, folks, a wildling couple!" The man who seemed to be the group leader mocked. "I must admit they''re good because they discovered our ambush, but we''re still 8 against 2, despite this man being big, he''s just a wildling," the same man continued talking. "We should kill them, Kuel, you know how the savages spend day and night fucking each other. We don''t want more of these scums in the world," said a second man, laughing. Lucis growled at the comment once again. "Yes, you''re right, Zonri, but we can''t let such a beautiful savage die. She looks as beautiful as a noblewoman. We should have some fun with her before we return to the Wall! We can even take her with us and get rid of her in the end. Our nights will be better that way!" said the leader again with a wicked smile. Lucis raised the axe, not liking what she heard; she was nervous now. I, on the other hand, kept my face neutral, silently enjoying watching men who would die soon being so arrogant. "Hey, can any of you tell me what year it is?" Suddenly, I asked, not caring that there were eight men trying to kill me in front of me. "Why would a savage want to know that? Shitty scum!" The man called Zonri spat on the ground, and everyone else nodded. I was wearing furs; it''s normal for him to mistake me for one of them. I could only look up at the sky. "Why do I always have to kill everyone I meet in this place? First savages, undead, and now Night''s Watch guards? Is there anyone in this place who doesn''t want to kill me just because I''m here?" I lamented aloud, but with a smile. Everyone looked at me strangely; even Lucis shared that look. I lowered my head and looked at the men who were ready to attack. "Before we start killing each other, let me tell you a little story," I said, my voice exuding power and a hint of anger. I wanted information, but I''ll get it eventually, so I''ll kill them. ''I don''t care about this scum anymore. Screw the Night''s Watch; they''ll die here and now like animals.'' I thought, still having a neutral face, but this group wouldn''t give me reliable information, and they were trash, so I decided to kill them. My voice exuded so much power that they stopped cautiously as they took the first step into battle. "Did you know that in my childhood, I had the worst phase of my life? Imagine this; I was raised by my uncle with my cousins. However, I was treated like the worst trash in their castle. My uncle held a grudge against me just because of my biological parents. My stepmother tormented my life because I''m a bastard, and she was afraid that my supposed dead mother would destroy her marriage. My cousins treated me poorly with the support of their two parents. I always wondered why I was born into this world until one day my uncle called me into his office and talked about the fantastic Night''s Watch. I had hope there because he said it was a place where honorable warriors protected the realms from all evil beyond the Wall, where even a bastard could grow to make his own name on the Wall. With that, I would find a place in this world and wouldn''t be just a stain on my honorable uncle''s marriage..." I said calmly, gaining the attention of everyone around me. "But fate can be unpredictable sometimes, as I was sent to a land called Skyrim in a mysterious storm on a winter night thanks to some entities. For 12 years, I stayed in this land, where I learned not to be naive, learned to see things more clearly, learned to see the hatred and lies of people. Today, I know how my uncle, the man who claimed to be my own father, hated my existence and took pleasure in seeing me suffer at the hands of his wife. And what I discovered today, that the honorable Night''s Watch is made up of thieves, murderers, and rapists, makes me wonder if there''s any difference with the savages on this side of the Wall..." I made a gesture as if unraveling a mystery at the end. Lucis became interested in my story, but she stared at me angrily in the last part when I referred to her people as savages, just like all the crows; none of them liked that I compared one people to the other. "Kill him!" shouted the leader, who was the first to run towards me, and his companions soon followed. When I saw this, I sighed. All my logic of holding back in front of Lucis was thrown out when I was angry. I always thought I''m more like Uncle Brandon according to the stories after I changed over the years, as I''m more emotional, and anger is the feeling that makes me more impulsive, and that can be quite destructive most of the time. I breathed in the cold air of the surroundings and shouted. "[- FUS RO DAH!!]" ---------------------------------------------------------- Author''s note: * Without many thoughts, I hope you like it. * Thank you in advance, I hope you have a good read. Chapter 4 - Free Folks Camp [Chapter Size: 2627 Words.] Jon Snow POV Somewhere on North. ... ... I was once again stacking bodies, but now with a telekinesis spell. Lucis didn''t help me this time; she was rooted to the ground with a pale face. I suppose for someone who, despite seeing the undead on this side of the world, would be frightened by the presence of someone who could roar like a dragon and levitate bodies with some supernatural force. "Don''t be too surprised; we have to continue our journey. It''s better if we keep moving." I told her once I finished stacking the bodies and burned them all with a small flame spell, which was the only destruction magic I knew. All those crows that were once arrogant became motionless bodies the moment I unleashed my impulsive shout. Some died moments later, but most seemed to have hit their heads on some hard surface. Lucis didn''t say anything; she just got up to continue her path and accompany me. She didn''t speak any more, and it was a week after we encountered the first patrol groups from Mance''s camp; after all, Lucis didn''t lie. "You! I know you; you were in Karsi''s reconnaissance group. Where are the others?" A group stopped us from advancing to the camp, and he addressed Lucis. "I was the only one who survived..." She said, making everyone look at her strangely, especially at me. "Crows?" a woman asked. "No... it was..." She didn''t finish; she was nervous about the next words and didn''t answer, but she gave the answer by looking at me. Everyone understood. "Damn, he looks like a southerner, and he''s prettier than my daughter!" One of them shouted, ready to attack me. "Wait, he stole me!" She shouted, and everyone stopped, creating a silence among us. "I stole?" I asked confused. "Just shut up!" She grumbled. "Got it." I said, knowing she was doing this to avoid fights. I just don''t know if she''s doing it to protect me or to protect her kin. "For someone who hasn''t said a word in the past few days, hearing you say we''re screwing now is a surprise to me." I said with a playful smile. She shot me an angry look, but she continued speaking on my behalf. "He''s a survivor of a tribe exterminated by the wights. He found us, and we attacked him, thinking he was a crow. He killed all of us and stole me; now he intends to join Mance''s army." She finished, and everyone started analyzing me. There were 20 people wondering how I could kill a group of Lucis, which was so large, with almost a dozen people. But everyone had some respect in their eyes, which I found strange because killing one''s own people usually resulted in revenge and more death. Not that I care much about that. "Mance is not in the camp now, but the camp is 4 kilometers in that direction; you can pass." Said the group''s leader. "We found 8 crows a few days ago," Lucis suddenly said. "Crows?! Did they follow you?" The leader asked, spitting on the ground. "My new husband here knows how to kill and didn''t waste any time; the crows turned to ashes as soon as we burned the bodies," she said cautiously, hiding the fact of what I did in front of her with the crows. "What? Why didn''t you say so earlier? Our friend killed 8 young crows!" He said, laughing. And if there was any respect in the look, now there was a hint of pride too. After that, we continued on the path in the indicated direction. We walked for another two hours before being able to see the camp on top of a hill; it was really enormous, there must be about 140,000 people here. So, we continued on the path and entered the midst of it; since we arrived at the camp, people looked at me as we walked. I was a 2-meter-tall man; that grabs people''s attention who only follow strength in this part of the world. I was even more surprised when a giant passed by me and Lucis with a stake in hand; it was different from the giants I knew, these wore more clothes and were much more robust. I would say that they would defeat the ones from Skyrim. We continued until Lucis took me to a large tent, but before we entered, she stopped me, speaking for the second time in days. "Look, Jon Snow, if you don''t want to die, you''ll be the husband who stole me. You belonged to a tribe in the mountains to the west, which was decimated by wights. You are one of the freefolks north of the wall, and never call us savages again, unless you want to be surrounded by more than 100,000 people trying to kill you. I don''t know what you are and how you did these sorceries, but if you want to live, you''ll follow my advice. Got it?" "Ohh, now you behave like a true wife." I smiled at her, and she huffed. "Okay, okay, understood, but I have my pride, and I won''t tolerate disrespect, especially from people who want to kill me. Don''t blame me if I kill someone here and there." I finally agreed with her. We entered the tent after the guards let us pass, after Lucis exchanged a few words with them. When we entered, I heard people arguing; I heard Mance''s name mentioned in a few voices. Inside, there was a woman similar to Lucis; she argued with a man with graying hair, not more than 50 namedays. Obviously, both were leaders of the tribes unified by Mance. And as they said Mance wouldn''t be here because of those scouts, I didn''t even bother to look for him. They didn''t even notice our presence; Lucis didn''t bother announcing us. We stood in a corner waiting for their conversation to finish along with other people inside the tent. "Varamyr, you''re a fool if you think I''ll send more of my people north after other tribes or as scouts," the woman growled. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. "We need someone watching north, Karsi!" The man shouted, and I finally saw wolves that I hadn''t noticed before at his feet; they growled at the wild woman, and Lucis at my side held her weapon. It seems this woman is related to my "wife" in some way. "So let''s wait for Mance to return from the South to decide anything," she said, growling at him without caring about the wolves. I liked her ferocity. "Whatever," he grumbled and turned to leave, but not without looking at us in the corner, or rather, looking at me. "I know a member of the Free Folk, and I know you are not one," he said, and his wolves began to growl. While everyone analyzed me, ignoring his words, I crouched down in the midst of his wolves and looked into their eyes. "Beautiful little dogs you have there," I commented, but my voice emitted a trace of power that made all the wolves shrink and whimper in fear. Needless to say, everyone was surprised by the animals'' reaction. Even Varamyr himself began to look at me cautiously. I stared at him while he did the same. These people only know and follow strength, so I must build my position while I''m here. It was 10 seconds later that he averted his gaze, shrugged, and left the tent. Karsi looked at me fascinated, wondering what kind of exotic animal I was or where I came from. Her gaze shifted to the girl by my side. "Lucis, why are you here alone with this unknown man?" "We''ve been patrolling the west for weeks, our group of 30 was reduced to less than 11 by the wight. And one day we found him wandering alone... we thought he was a disguised crow, so we attacked..." "He killed all of you?" she asked, and her voice showed clear surprise. "Yes, aunt, he only spared me and stole me." She said with shame. ''Aunt? So, they''re relatives?'' I wondered. "I see, and is he a crow?" She asked me to look deeply into my eyes. "On the way here, we encountered 8 crows; I saw him kill all of them without hesitation. Clearly, he is not one of them." She said confidently. "Is that true?! What tribe are you from?" She asked me. "I was born south of the wall, just ended up in this land by accident. Since then, I''ve been killing everyone who tried their luck with me." I shrugged, not caring about the disbelieving look Lucis was giving me at that moment. I can''t do anything about it; after all, I am an honest person. But the expected reaction didn''t come. "HAHAHAHAHA, you finally found a man to steal you, Lucis, congratulations! This one has balls from what I see, very good indeed. Now you can go make nieces as strong as their father." Lucis blushed with shame at her aunt''s comment. "But first, go to my tent; your brother is with my little girls." She finished her words to the surprise of many. Clearly, she is thinking that I am now her niece''s husband, connected to their tribe. I may be a southerner to them, but as she heard that I killed both her people and their crows, I became a strong point in her opinion and would give good children, as she thinks. Not to mention that my demonstration with that Varamyr helped in that judgment. Of course, this didn''t mean she would trust me; I''ll probably have many Free Folk behind me in the next few days spying on me. ''And now? Should I wait for Mance to return before deciding to go to the Wall?'' I asked myself when we finally left her aunt''s tent. "I''m trying to save you, what the hell was that?" She said to me frustrated. "I can''t do anything about it; I''m just being honest," I simply said. She looked at me and spoke. "I''m going to see my brother and cousins now, what are you going to do?" She asked cautiously, wondering if I can cause any trouble. Of course, I can. "I''m interested in giants; in Skyrim, I killed many of them. I want to see what these are like." I said with a calm but excited tone, thinking about a fight against the big men. Lucis looked at me as if I were talking some fantasy. "Ah, whatever! If you need to know where my tent is, come back here, and my aunt or her guards will tell you." She said and began to turn to leave. I nodded and headed towards where I saw the last giant. Lucis went to the other side while occasionally watching me. She must be wondering what kind of trouble I''m going to get into by the end of the day. The vast wild camp stretched for miles, a nomadic city erected in the arctic lands beyond the Wall. Housing an impressive population of 140,000 people, of which 100,000 were skilled warriors, the place pulsed with tribal and wild energy. Tents and makeshift cabins dotted the landscape, sewing a disorderly tapestry in the midst of the snow-covered scenery. Flaming banners with tribal symbols fluttered in the icy wind, marking the presence of different clans within the camp. The sound of drums resonated through the air, echoing the rhythms of the wild. Warriors, clad in fur and makeshift armor, performed training and preparation rituals, while the smell of campfires mingled with the biting northern cold. Diverse peoples, united by the common pursuit of freedom and led by Mance Rayder, created an atmosphere of fervor and determination as Jon walked. ''If this place manages to pass the Wall, the damage will be great for the common people, but I doubt they will survive against the armies of the realms.'' Jon pondered. People were still watching me, having bright purple eyes and my height, I stood out from the crowd, questions about who I was or where I came from were heard here and there. Ignoring the people around me, I walked towards where I crossed paths with the giant, finally spotting mammoths in the distance, and it was in that direction that I headed. "These mammoths are almost like the ones in Skyrim," I thought with fascination. One of the giants noticed me beside the mammoths and came to me. She spoke some words that I didn''t understand at all. Now, I was looking at him wondering how I would communicate with him. Until I heard a voice approaching, I drew too much attention going to the giant so casually, and the giant seemed to be getting angry and raising its voice. "You! What do you want with the giants?" asked a big red-haired man approaching from the rest of the tents. "Do you speak their language?" I asked when I saw this man approaching. "You''re almost as tall as I am and quite handsome for a free folk. Who are you? And yes, I speak the Old Tongue," he spoke while the giant continued to stare at me, wanting to know what I wanted here. I noticed that the redhead must be about 10 cm taller than me, an experienced warrior with those piercing eyes. "It''s not polite to ask for a name without introducing yourself first," I looked at him as I said these words. He was surprised by my arrogance and laughed loudly. "I like you, boy, despite being prettier than all my daughters, you have courage. Call me Tormund Giantsbane. I''m so tall, and I earned that name because once I drank milk from a giantess when she mistook me for her son," he told me cheerfully. I''m starting to find these people very bipolar now; there are people here who want to kill, and at the same time, there are people who want to make friends. "I am Jon Snow, wanted to talk to the giants, but I don''t know the Old Tongue. Can you say a few words to him?" I asked. He nodded, seeing that he liked me. "Tell them that I''m here to challenge them to a fight with their best champion!" I said with a smile. Tormund choked, looking at me as if a second head had grown on my shoulders. "Are you blind, look at the giant! Do you want to face him?" He said incredulously. "Come on, man! Just say it." I crossed my arms and insisted. He looked for 10 seconds before addressing the giant; the big man was also surprised. Thinking that these beings were like the giants of Skyrim, he would speak to their leader to accept my challenge. And it happened as I predicted; the giant took steps toward where there were other giants. Tormund couldn''t help but be silent after that. A few minutes later, he spoke again. "Do you really want to die, don''t you?" Tormund asked anxiously. "I like challenges, and by the way, it won''t be the first giant I face," I said, and he raised his eyebrows. He couldn''t comment further because four giants walked toward us; they said something to us that I didn''t understand, but Tormund relayed their responses to me cautiously. "This is Mag the Mighty, the leader of the giants. He said he liked your eyes and accepted your challenge," he passed on to me. I smiled, happy to exchange punches with someone comparable to my strength. ---------------------------------------------------------- Author''s note: * Without many thoughts, I hope you like it. * Thank you in advance, I hope you have a good read. Chapter 5 - Making friends [Chapter Size: 2208 Words.] Jon Snow POV Somewhere on North. ... ... "What a good feeling," I thought as the energy of the battle pulsed through me, a frenzy of intense emotions. However, this satisfaction was abruptly interrupted by a colossal impact that shook my worldview. I received a punch, a powerful force that made my body recoil several meters. I didn''t allow myself to faint, fall, or give up; instead, a defiant smile remained on my face. My opponent, an imposing giant, stood at 5 meters tall, towering as the largest among all the colossi in the area. His name echoed in harmony with his feared reputation in this inhospitable land. His skin looked crumpled, and both of us were marked by blood, a visible trail from our fierce confrontation. In a moment that escaped my consciousness, I realized I was shirtless, a victim of the heat generated by the fight in the freezing cold. Adrenaline rushed through my veins, momentarily banishing the sensation of pain. The giant''s blows, which would have decapitated an ordinary man, seemed more like slaps to me. I had absorbed numerous dragon souls, strengthening my body with each devouring, and a skin spell added for extra protection against the giant. I spat blood on the ground, a tribute to the intensity of the battle, and stared at Mag, the mighty one, with a challenging smile, ready for more. I immersed myself in the frenzy of battles in Skyrim, where the imminence of danger, the accelerated pulse of adrenaline, and the expectation of confronting an opponent determined to kill provided an experience that, paradoxically, filled me with a unique sensation despite being fully alive. My smile, filled with expectations, lit up my face during this peculiar fight, devoid of weapons, where I exchanged punches with a giant of fists. It was a peculiar amusement, a challenging test of brute strength, where I faced powerful blows with the same intensity. I faced my opponent with this smile, ignoring his previous punch. The giant returned my gaze, and I could discern the wild gleam of battle in his eyes, a mix of respect and enthusiasm. We were in the giants'' camp, where hundreds of them cheered for our fight. The sight of a human facing a giant on equal terms surprised and thrilled them, turning the event into a feast of emotions. Tormund, though present, was stunned, his mouth open and eyes wide, betraying his inability to fully absorb the moment. The intense atmosphere drew half of Mance''s camp, with the giants roaring, shouting, and laughing, turning an ordinary day in this frozen place into something extraordinary. Among the giants, I observed several humans sharing Tormund''s stunned look, most belonging to the Thenns, whose tents surrounded the area, consolidating them as the group closest to the giants. Momentarily disconnecting from my thoughts, I fixed my gaze on my opponent with enthusiasm. We stared at each other in mutual silence, completely ignoring everything around us. After a few seconds of anticipation, we started running towards each other. With every step I took, my heart throbbed intensely, and the world seemed to slow down. The sound of my feet hitting the ground, lifting ice and snow, echoed like a peculiar soundtrack. Perhaps not as effective as my opponent, but that didn''t intimidate me; I kept running, without losing pace. As we approached, he prepared to throw a punch, leaning his arm back. Before getting too close, I leaped to match heights. Aware of the disadvantage of his long arms'' reach, I accelerated my movement to surprise him. I leaped with speed, and even with his eyes revealing surprise, the giant maintained his posture to hit me. I leaned and directed my punch to his left cheek. I felt my fist embedding itself in his face, a tough and heavy sensation, but at the same time, I was struck by another impact on the left side of my head. Both of us collided, tossed like puppets to his side. The giant flew about 5 meters before hitting the ground, while I was thrown a greater distance of approximately 10 meters, colliding with one of the nearby tables and breaking it. A tense silence enveloped the environment, marked by an unmoving body amid the broken wood and another, belonging to the largest of the giants, fallen on the ground, also motionless, with traces of blood on both faces. No one dared to break the silence; thousands of spectators, after witnessing 10 minutes of punches and commotion in the camp, now wondered if either of the combatants had succumbed to the intense exchange of blows. Then, a sound cut through the air. "- Hahahaha, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA," began with a weak laugh but evolved into a prolonged laughter on one side. "- Hohohoho, HOHOHOHOHOHOHO," however, it wasn''t just my voice; a deep, booming voice from the giant, which initially sounded weak, erupted in laughter. The human and the giant, who moments before were engaged in mortal combat, began to laugh as if they were longtime friends. I slowly rose, removing a piece of wood that had embedded itself in me. Blood flowed, coloring the snow on the ground. It seemed I had broken my nose and jaw with the last punch. Silence persisted among the spectators; no sound dared disturb the moment. I observed my opponent rising too, a smile on his face. His nose was bleeding, and a black eye revealed the damage he had caused before our final attack. I limped toward him, a satisfied smile on my face. The impact of the fight reverberated in my back; only a good night''s sleep would alleviate the pain. I resorted to a small healing spell to mitigate the discomfort when it manifested. My colossal friend, standing before me, stopped. We remained there, staring at each other for about 10 seconds, until he raised his arm, displaying his fist. I understood the gesture and reciprocated, raising my arm to fist-bump, indicating that the fight had been satisfactory and enjoyable. In a sudden motion, he grabbed my arm, lifted it, and shouted. Stolen story; please report. "SNOW!" The voices of the crowd echoed in response, like a chorus of unrestrained enthusiasm. Some chanted "Snow," others simply shouted and toasted, while the giants, in unison, reverberated my name. "SNOW! SNOW! SNOW!" "Seems like I made a good impression here today," I thought, satisfied. "You''re a fearless madman, you know that?" Tormund chuckled after these words. "Maybe I am..." I replied, smiling as I tried to adjust my nose. "I''ve seen a lot of madness in my life, but a man exchanging punches with a giant. By the gods, where did you come from?" He expressed respect and admiration in his words. I looked around as the crowd celebrated the outcome of the fight, Tormund''s gaze reflected the admiration shared by thousands of wildlings. Women cast lustful glances at me; I remained shirtless, showcasing defined muscles, albeit marked by bruises the size of giant fists scattered across my chest and belly. It was evident that if I let my guard down, I would be the target of their desires tonight. The adrenaline subsided, and the pains of battle and the northern cold began to manifest. I put on my coats again, realizing that it was already getting dark. Mag invited me to join the festivities tonight. With Tormund as my interpreter, I accepted. I drank with Tormund and other members of his tribe, exchanged ideas with some giants. The drink was terrible, but still, I consumed it like any Skyrim resident. I was surprised by the quality of the alcohol they produced in that frozen desert. When the party began, I settled next to the giant leader, Tormund by my side to mediate linguistically since I didn''t understand their language. Surprisingly, Tormund shared much of my humor, and Mag also joined in our joy. I was amazed to feel so comfortable in this place. I had always heard of wildlings as relentless invaders, but I must admit, they had a sharp sense of humor. It was refreshing when people didn''t want to kill you. I shared that I was raised in Winterfell and went to a land across the sea, not to mention another world, which caused great surprise among them. I told part of my story, omitting many of the feats I accomplished in Skyrim beyond becoming a warrior in those lands. Hours of laughter, jokes, and a moon already illuminating half the sky marked the peak of the night when I finally retired, limping, after befriending dozens of giants and members of Tormund''s tribe. "I''ll need to find someone to teach me the old language," I reflected while, somewhat drunk and limping, headed to Karsi''s tent. I noticed that even though it was late at night, people noticed my presence and began to whisper about me. Many adults, elderly, and even children who were still awake pointed fingers at me and stepped aside to let me pass. "I guess I''ve gained some fame around here," I murmured to myself, amused by the attention. As I approached the tent, I saw the guards I had seen when I arrived. I looked at them and spoke, visibly drunk: "Don''t you guys ever rest, huh? Is Karsi in there? I need to find my wife Lucis''s tent!" I exclaimed, disinterested and drunk. They were surprised by my presence there and, ignoring my question, one of them analyzed me: "Is it true what they''re saying? Are you the stranger who fought a giant?" "Maybe I landed a punch, but I need to know where my wife is!" I mumbled, just wanting my bed at that moment. I was noticeably intoxicated, as, in addition to the punch competition with Mag, we had also tied in alcohol. "Okay, okay, I don''t want to upset someone who can punch a giant. Karsi isn''t here, but I''ll get a boy to take you there," said the guard, calling a boy. I sighed at the curious stars in the child''s eyes directed at me, aware that it would be a long walk filled with questions, as I often experienced in Skyrim. Being a Dragonborn attracts the attention of younger generations, especially those who saw me kill a dragon outside the city walls. A few moments later, the boy, clearly excited, broke the silence: "Is it true, the rumors about you?" "What rumors, kid?" I replied with a tone that made it clear I wasn''t in the mood for conversation, but the boy didn''t notice. "They say your mother is an ancient goddess, that you fell from the sky straight into the True North and took one of our people as your wife," he said enthusiastically. "I wouldn''t pay much attention to that," I responded curtly, thinking about how foolish someone must be to believe that. "But they say you''re immortal, that you can''t be killed. Many are saying you fought a giant with empty hands and killed 50 crows before coming here," he exclaimed. "If that were true, then I wouldn''t need a shield when going to war..." I grumbled. Finally, we arrived at Lucis''s tent. The boy made the announcement but didn''t leave before the last comment. "Mag, the giant they say you faced is the biggest man I''ve ever seen. I would never face him!" he said, fearful at the mere mention of the name. "That''s why your name will never be remembered," I said seriously, as if all the alcohol in my body had evaporated. He looked at me, reflecting on my words. I put my hand on top of his head and shook it, messing up his hair. "[Author here: let''s see who gets the reference]." "Now go back, boy. Thanks for the walk and for showing me this tent. Good night," I declared before entering the tent. Upon entering, I found a boy sleeping in one corner and Lucis on another fur bed. I tried to look for a third bed. "Where''s my bed in this place? Lucis, you don''t expect me to sleep on the floor, do you?" I thought indignantly, retrieving my state of drunkenness. "You know what? Screw it," I muttered to myself before throwing myself next to Lucis. She woke up when I hugged her. "What the hell are you doing?" she demanded. "Where''s my bed? I don''t see one, so I''ll sleep with my current wife. You should feel honored; many women wanted to marry me, but I''ve never been a man who tied his heart to anyone. I believe you''re the first one I call a wife, even if not for real," I said, laughing. "Oh, you''re a virgin, aren''t you?" I asked when I saw her shift uncomfortably in my embrace. "That''s none of your business!" She replied embarrassed. "I''m not like those crows. I like to make women have as much pleasure as I do, but I like you better this way. Now, I''m going to sleep. Goodbye," I said before closing my eyes and dozing off. "What are you..." She couldn''t finish the sentence as I started to snore softly. She could only nestle in my arms, trying to find comfort to sleep. ---------------------------------------------------------- Author''s note: * Thank you in advance, I hope you have a good read. Chapter 6 - Threats [Chapter Size: 2662 Words.] Jon Snow POV. Somewhere on North. ... ... As soon as I slept beside Lucis this night, I plunged into a rather peculiar dream, unlike the usual ones where I would typically encounter war, monsters, vampires, werewolves, dragons, demons, and gods. The world seemed to have grown larger, and I was extraordinarily small. I realized I was inside a white-furred wolf cub, surrounded by four-legged siblings in some confined space, like a barn or pen. It was already morning when I noticed the sun streaming through the window of the place. The wolf cub made soft noises, attempting to whimper, emitting sounds of an animal trying to get the attention of its siblings. However, the animal was mute, and it could only try its best. This lasted until the door opened suddenly, and a group of people, adults, and some children entered, taking away all the other cubs, leaving me alone. The figures that appeared were indistinct, obscured by an enigmatic mist. Yet, even in the confusion, a sense of loneliness and sadness seized me for that animal. I felt the helpless wolf pup emitting inaudible whimpers, begging for a call from its absent owner, fearing that he wouldn''t come to me as he did with its siblings. Even without control over the creature, I intensely experienced its frustration and fear. Finally, awakening came, leaving me slightly fatigued, but my body quickly rose in Lucis''s tent. Upon realizing the loneliness around me the next morning, I got up and went in search of food, as the tent was empty. Observing the movement of people around me, I noticed a group of children near Lucis''s tent. As soon as I stepped out and they saw me, one of them approached, giving me a suspicious look. "You woke up, you''re the stranger who stole my sister!" the boy inquired, maintaining his suspicion. "What did your sister say about me?" I replied, smiling, trying to forget the strange dream and focus on other things. "She said you''re a very strong warrior and agreed to be stolen by you," said the 10-year-old boy in his childish voice. "You guys are strange, do you really need to kill a whole group just to win a woman?" I muttered to myself, unheard by the boy. I shook the boy''s head and headed towards the campfire where a stew was bubbling. A man in fur clothes saw me and offered a mug to serve from the wooden pot on the fire. It wasn''t the fanciest meal, but neither was it the worst. The persistent boy separated from the other children and followed me all the time, eager to ask me endless questions. "Is it true that you killed crows?" he asked, fascinated. "I killed some evildoers," I replied. "When I grow up, I''ll be known as the greatest crow hunter in the world!" he exclaimed excitedly. "You can bet on it," I agreed, feeling strangely touched by the boy. "Not just them, I''ll be the tribe leader like Aunt Karsi, I''ll kill the Starks and rule their lands!" the boy declared, leaving me speechless and opened his mouth again. "You killed crows, can you teach me how to fight?" he asked hopefully. "I can teach you a thing or two while I''m here, but it depends on you enduring hard training," I replied, thinking it wouldn''t hurt to put a child through some training. "I will!" he affirmed, interrupting his questions when his sister approached, busy with something to add to the stew. "You still haven''t told me your name, squirt," I asked, taking a sip of the stew with some dead rabbit. "I''m Lafy!" He replied with some pride. "Well, Lafy, I''m Jon Snow," I said to the boy, and before I could continue our conversation, a voice reached us, and a young woman was coming towards me with some fury. "YOU! What the hell were you trying to do fighting a giant?" she exclaimed, furious. "Oh, you heard about that?" I raised my eyebrows ironically. "Just like the whole camp, everyone is talking about you. Do you have any idea how you managed to get so much attention?" she indignantly asked. "It was just a brawl, at least I got along with your people. Why not call them wildlings now? I must say I like those who didn''t try to kill me; maybe I''m becoming one now too?" I mused to myself; I''m an open-minded person after seeing everything I''ve seen in my life, I think it''s normal. "You mean, survived against a giant! Who fought against one and survived?" she exclaimed, unaware of how her brother was now looking at me as if I were his hero at the moment. "Is it true? Can you train me to fight giants too?" he asked excitedly; he knew I faced crows and wildlings, giants are a novelty for him. I looked at him, raising my eyebrows, and ignored him. My gaze returned to Lucis, but instead of saying something, I shrugged, leaving her annoyed with my indifference. "You''ve attracted the attention of all the leaders, Jon Snow. Many won''t like a stranger gaining prominence and fame for courage and strength. Much less one who won''t even stay here..." She muttered the last part, making it almost inaudible to others, but my ears caught every word with precision. "I thought your people respected strength..." I mocked but continued with a challenging tone: "If they have a problem with me, I can face them right here." "If you want to die so badly? Then die! Die when half the camp wants to kill you!" She replied, frustrated, before walking away to some corner with heavy steps. Suspicious, I just looked to the side, where her brother shook his head. "Women..." I commented, trying to understand the complexity of their emotions. "She never changes; my sister acts like a frustrated child sometimes..." He shared, and I looked at him with a strange expression, as if a third eye had been born on his forehead, wondering how a child had such thoughts. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. "But she seems to like you, Jon, or else she wouldn''t act like that." I smiled at him, messing up his hair with my hand before getting up. "Go play with the other kids; I''m going for a walk now." I announced and walked away. "And my training?!" He protested. "Later. I''m not going anywhere." I replied with a smile, and he accepted the decision reluctantly. As I walked through the camp, I greeted some people who were watching me. I was used to being the center of attention, so I didn''t let any discomfort show as I was seen by 140,000 pairs of eyes at this moment. I lost track of time as I walked, only realizing when I reached a high point, a kind of cliff that offered a panoramic view of the camp. Taking advantage of the landscape and being alone here, I sat on a rock after clearing the snow on top of it and began to reflect. After talking yesterday and today with my silver tongue, I found out Mance was uniting all the tribes north of the Wall to attack the south, motivated by survival in the face of the threat of the White Walkers, terrifying creatures that use necromancy and ice magic and, according to the stories, almost destroyed the world thousands of years ago; apparently, they have returned. Reflecting on my situation, I began to suspect that the Daedric princes who made the deal with me hid the true reason for sending me to this world. They told me about my origins in a very concealed way, but I suspect they were waiting for a moment to do so and have now sent me to this world again under a threat on a global level, much like Alduin, although these may not be as powerful as the dragon, having an army of the dead is problematic. Frustration took hold of me as I considered that those manipulative gods might have concealed the truth about my purpose here until I discovered the threat. They always hated beings from other planes dominating worlds; they hated Alduin, and they might not like this... Night King, if I still remember correctly. This realm seemed to have minimal connection to Oblivion, and I questioned whether I should have come here since it seems that even the princes have no power here and only managed to send me. As I breathed the air of this world more and more, memories from over a decade returned, reminding me of Old Nan''s stories about the White Walkers, creatures made of ice that control death. Back then, I feared this potential enemy, now I don''t care as much, despite being aware of what they might represent. But despite the frustration, I am still grateful to be here; I will avenge my dead family, and if I have to deal with an army of the dead to do it, I will eliminate them. It would also be frustrating for them to be killed by the dead and not by me after those gods showed me the end of my half-brothers by Lannister soldiers. My thoughts were interrupted when I heard a familiar voice behind me with the sound of approaching steps, destroying my solitary moment on this hill. "You''re here, the great giant killer!" He spoke with humor, and I responded with a smile, recognizing Tormund as my favorite wildling in the camp. "Seems like I can''t hide here," I said. "HAHAHAHAHA, when you''re famous, everyone knows where you are, just ask around..." He said amiably and came to my side to look at the camp. "It''s a giant camp, isn''t it? Maybe the biggest force in millennia beyond the Wall. Let''s crush the crows and bring down the damn wall!" He was ecstatic with anticipation, his eyes shining with passion for the imminent battle. "140,000 people, with 100,000 men and women ready to fight. I''m sure it will surprise the people from the south." I said smiling, sharing a bit of the enthusiasm, but as a general of an army, I knew their strength wouldn''t last long against the armies of the south; these people are too undisciplined for large-scale war. "100,000, Tormund Giant Bones and The Giant Slayer ready to fight against the kneelers." He laughed, appreciating his self-appointed title. "You said drunk yesterday that Mance is south of the Wall. I was thinking about it just now, but you didn''t give me the reason why the hell he''s going to Winterfell." I said, raising my eyebrows. He choked. "I think I drank too much and said things I shouldn''t have..." He grumbled, trying to dodge the subject, but in the end, he continued talking. "We heard from some crows that the king of the kneelers is heading to that Stark castle," he spoke calmly. "Interesting..." I thought aloud, intrigued by the revelation, eager to see the king. "Is your people confident they''ll survive beyond the Wall?" I asked, shifting the focus of the conversation. "Look at us, Snow, we are a desperate people. We''ll die if we stay here... So, either we pass the Wall or die trying." The man spoke earnestly, revealing the harsh reality. "True, even a rat will attack you if you''re cornered, just as a commoner can point a sword at a king if he has no choice." I said, reflecting on the nature of survival. Tormund laughed at my comment, and we got up to return to the camp, exchanging conversation. The man was simple but had a lot of humor in his jokes and positivity. "Tormund! Look who became friends with the giant killer!" Our conversation was interrupted when a man appeared as we entered the tribe. "The lad here earned my respect; you can test the rumors with your sword if you want." My new friend suggested, always ending with a laugh. "Any news from our patrols?" Tormund changed the subject, asking a man present. "A scout from the east came, Ygritte and the others joined Val''s group." "Val left Dalla without Mance here? How is that possible?" He seemed surprised by the information; Val wouldn''t normally leave her pregnant sister''s side, but Jon wasn''t aware of these things. "She shouldn''t, I know. But it seemed urgent for her to go east." The man explained, leaving us intrigued. After the news exchange between the two, we returned to celebrating, eating and drinking in a corner of the camp, in Tormund''s tribe. I had fun with them for the rest of the day, and later, Tormund and I faced off in front of the whole tribe after getting drunk; he challenged me, and I accepted. "Come on, giant killer!" He exclaimed enthusiastically, wielding his axe against my bronze sword in a vigorous clash. "Show your strength, Tormund, giant''s milk drinker!" I exclaimed with a smile, wrapped in the friendly competition. Two minutes later, I had my sword pointed at his neck, and he just laughed. "Oh, giant slayer!" He exclaimed as the tribe went into a frenzy, applauding and shouting at the end of our fight. "Do you need to celebrate so much for a fight?" I asked confused, surprised by the intensity of the reaction. "The Free Folk follow the strongest, and I, as their leader, was defeated. You''ve earned respect here. Don''t you want to be the tribe''s leader?" He suggested, surprising me with the proposal. "No, no, I pass." I replied with a dismissive hand gesture. I wasn''t interested in taking on responsibilities at that moment. I was there to understand the people and find out what happened in the South during the 12 years I was absent. I am Jon Snow, the Dragonborn, and I do what I want. I preferred to enjoy my stay there than deal with the internal problems of a group. "Many single launchwives are thinking of stealing you now, look at them over there," Tormund said, pulling me out of my thoughts. "I''ve already stolen a woman, Tormund, I don''t want to deal with what I have anymore," I said simply, indicating that I didn''t have time to deal with romantic matters at the moment. "It''s not me you have to convince..." He said, leaving me intrigued before walking away. Other challengers came, and I faced each of them, defeating them one by one. The women, warned by Tormund, tried to seduce me in a strange competition, but I triumphed over all of them, frustrating their attempts. Luckily, Lucis is the most charming woman I''ve encountered up to this point. Later, I returned to Karsi''s camp and spotted Lucis walking in front of the tent. "What''s this?" I questioned when she stared at me with frustration. "Karsi wanted to talk to you, but no one found him," she explained. "I was with new friends," I replied, shrugging. "Let''s see what she wants now," she suggested. "No," I simply said. "What?" She asked, incredulous. "I''ll train your brother, as promised. Tomorrow, I''ll talk to her." I declared, going in search of her brother. I could hear Lucis''s impatient steps on the ice, expressing her frustration. "This woman is a bit controlling," I thought. I ignored her complaints for the rest of the day as she trained an enthusiastic boy to wield a sword ¨C her brother, so she didn''t insist much on me seeing her aunt. "I see you still don''t have a separate bed for me here," I joked, embracing a frustrated Lucis in the middle of the night while her brother laughed at the situation. "Shut up and sleep," she ordered. "No arguments," I replied, trying to end any discussion. Even though it seemed like she wanted to prolong the conversation. Another night passed, and I was dreaming of being a white-furred wolf cub again... ---------------------------------------------------------- Author''s note: * Thank you in advance, I hope you have a good read. Chapter 7 - Val. [Chapter Size: 2358 Words.] Jon Snow POV. Somewhere on North. ... ... Val POV Finally, we''re back. Half of our group fell to the Wights in the east during a nighttime attack. We lost 200 free folk to save 500 from a tribe and bring them back to the camp. "It''s about time we got here," a frustrated voice next to me said. "Come on, Ygritte. You still have to introduce yourself to Tormund, and I want to see Dalla. If she might be pregnant, I''ll confirm it today," I told my fiery-haired archer friend. "Okay, we split up here. I''ll say that if Dalla is pregnant, I congratulated a new warrior of the free folk who will be born," the archer said. I nodded, and we went our separate ways. I noticed everyone was talking more than usual as I entered the camp with my people. Despite many recognizing and greeting me, they seemed to shift their attention to talking about someone new in the camp. Normally, people noticed me as one of the leaders, but I was being ignored along with my group. I didn''t pay much attention because Dalla and her well-being were the only things on my mind now; I didn''t even want to go east, but there was an emergency. I continued until I found Mance''s tent in the center of the camp. I noticed a meeting was underway because there were men from all the leaderships outside. They didn''t stop me, and I entered the tent quickly. I saw all the leaders discussing, but the most heated argument at the moment was between Karsi and the Lord of Bones, the latter being unfriendly. I saw Dalla beside them, but I frowned when I saw her hands resting on her stomach. I got angry and interrupted their discussion, which they hadn''t noticed until then. "DALLA! What are you doing here? You''re pregnant, and you should be resting!" Everyone looked at me after my angry words. "Val! Good to see you. Yes, I found out a few days ago, but I''m only one moon pregnant. I won''t die just because I''m at the meeting when neither you nor Mance should attend," she said firmly. I cringed at my older sister''s words; after all, I am a very concerned sister. "Val, can you save your conversations for later?" Varamyr "Sixskins" spoke angrily at my interruption. I nodded, feeling a bit ashamed of my behavior, and went to Dalla to hear the discussion. "And what are you all arguing about?" I asked. "There''s no one else north of here. Karsi refuses to send more men there," the Lord of Bones growled. "Do you want me to send my people to death while yours stay here drinking mammoth milk?" she snapped. "There''s no one else in the northern zone?" I asked incredulously, and Dalla nodded. "All dead, and I agree with the Lord of Bones," Varamyr commented. "We need someone there, but I can''t agree to send only Karsi''s tribe. Lord of Bones and Varamyr, send your people!" I said firmly. "My people are already planning to invade the South to distract the kneelers when we attack the Wall, and I don''t take orders from a woman," the Lord of Bones spat on the ground. "Then don''t expect anything when Mance is away," Della said beside me. The man was angered by my sister''s comment but restrained himself. "Why don''t you send that new southerner from your tribe, Karsi? I heard he fights well. He might be useful," Varamyr said, and I noticed a glint in his eyes. ''New southern member? What the hell is this,'' I thought. "True, we have that kneeler here; he''s definitely a disguised crow, and Karsi took him in a week ago," Lord of Bones growled. "You can try to kill him, but you''re likely to die," Tormund, who had been quiet all this time, said. The Lord of Bones stared at the red-haired giant. "Just because he beat you and a few others doesn''t mean he''s strong or that we accept him like you. It just means you''re weak," the man with the bone mask said. "And he fought a giant..." Dalla commented, and Karsi started laughing. ''I''m away for a week, and a stranger shows up in the camp. He fought a giant? What man would survive that?'' I reflected on this nonsense. "HAHAHHAHAHA, by the way, Tormund, I know you guys are always drinking together; I hope you don''t want to steal my niece''s husband for your tribe." Karsi said with a critical smile. Tormund snorted. "I tried, I admit, asked him if he wanted to be our leader when he defeated me in front of the tribe, he didn''t even think twice before refusing," Tormund declared, and almost everyone widened their eyes at that. "You would make a southerner our leader?" Harma growled. "Mance is a southerner..." Tormund raised his eyebrows before continuing. "But that doesn''t stop you from following him; he may have been here for a week, but he''s as free as any of us, not even wanting to be a leader or the women trying to steal him stop him; he''s just carefree about everything, only wanting to know about fighting and partying. Maybe that''s why I like him," Tormund declared. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. "You''re shameless, Tormund," Karsi snorted, and Tormund just laughed. "I heard he''s looking for someone to teach him the old tongue," Dalla declared. "How do you know?" Karsi frowned. "Tell me something he does in this camp that everyone doesn''t talk about for the rest of the day? He''s practically the most famous person here nowadays, whether saying good things or bad things." My sister declared, and I could see how some leaders who didn''t like this mysterious man frowned. "But don''t worry, I taught these things to Val; now my sister here will take care of teaching Jon Snow, the giant killer." Dalla continued and winked at me as I frowned. "What is my sister planning with this?" I wondered what kind of man had earned that nickname. I couldn''t help but be curious about him, though. A few moments later, the meeting ended with everyone returning to their camp area. "What are you thinking?" I asked indignantly. "I''m thinking about you and my future nephews, Val," my sister said with a smile. "Why do you think I would get along with a man I''ve never seen, and I don''t even know if he has the strength to steal me?!" I said angrily. "I''ve seen him before; Karsi''s niece is his wife, but she can''t control him. Maybe he needs someone fiercer," my sister said, and I just shook my head, finding it absurd. "Believe me, you''ll like him. He''s more handsome than most women here." I scoffed at her comment. "You need a husband and children, Val; it''s time to find a lover." She told me. "And didn''t I say I would do that once we get through the Wall? I need to fight in these times, and I don''t want to carry a child with great danger behind us; my nephew is already enough." I said angrily, but I quickly changed the subject to avoid talking more about a stranger and asked about her pregnancy and my future nephew. My sister brought back the conversation about the stranger that night, and she forced me to go see him the next day, so I reluctantly agreed. The next day, I went to Karsi''s camp to talk to this Jon Snow. From what I heard, many suspect that he''s a disguised kneeler here to spy on us, but I also heard that he killed an entire group of crows alone. Val couldn''t deny being curious about a man with that kind of story. When I arrived, I was invited to Karsi''s camp. I saw a crowd gathered in a circle that morning, passed through them to see what was happening, and saw a tall, muscular, and handsome man training a boy. "Keep the shield up!" he exclaimed to the child. "But it''s heavy!" the boy groaned, holding a shield, one of the few in the camp, as this weapon is hard to come by on this side of the world from what I know. "It''s because it''s heavy that it can prevent a sword from piercing it," the man explained, his voice expressing power and authority. This man took the bronze sword and struck the child''s shield with a force that knocked him down; the boy was tired. We never had time or privilege to train our children or people. This sight was rare to see in the camp, even surrounded by 140 thousand people. The man also showed that he knew how to handle and teach people, proving that he was from south of the Wall, but people respected him when they looked at him. He also didn''t have that disdainful look that everyone says southerners have for us. "Come here, you fought well. Time to rest a bit," he said, taking the boy''s hand and lifting him off the ground. Karsi''s niece approached; they exchanged some words, and I noticed how Lucis became frustrated with the unfolding conversation. She looked at me for a moment and commented with him. He turned to me, studying me, his eyes were beautiful like I had never seen before, purple eyes that seemed to shine and a strong gaze of a great warrior. I must say that few among all here have this look. It mesmerized me. ''Maybe my sister is right that it''s time for me to choose a father for my children...'' a voice sounded in my head. "You must be Val," said a firm voice, snapping me out of my thoughts, and I looked at the man in front of me. He was already so close without me realizing that I choked a bit. "It''s me, you must be Jon Snow, the giant killer as people say," I said, recovering. "Great, Karsi said you would help me with the old tongue; no one in her tribe knows it. I''m interested in that if you can teach me. Tormund isn''t exactly a teacher, so..." Jon Snow spoke with a relaxed smile. "Yes, he isn''t, and I''m here to teach you," I said confidently after my surprise passed. I returned to my normal self and gave him a mischievous smile, speaking again. "However, there''s a condition," I said, smiling at him, raising an eyebrow. He wasn''t even that surprised by my beauty. "You have to defeat me, prove that you deserve my attention, and I''ll do it for you. If you beat me, I''ll teach you the old tongue, but you must teach me to fight as well," I said. "Great, get your weapon," he told me, and I pulled out the sword that I always carry from my waist. Holding the sword he trained with the child, he walked to the center of the circle, while I walked behind him. The crowd turned their attention to the circle again, and many whispers about my fight against him began. He turned to me and took a combat stance; Jon had a completely warrior-like posture, unlike anything I''ve seen around here. His fur clothes were even too small for the weather, but there was no sign that he cared about it. I took the first step, and he countered my first cut; I launched an attack, he countered, attacked from the left, he countered without taking a step, I cut from the right, and he just effortlessly moved his arm to deflect it. There was boredom in his gaze; I was being treated like a novice fighter here and now. It hurt my pride as a spearwife. I fought fiercely for minutes, but to my frustration, the result remained the same without him even getting tired. That was until he started attacking and taking his first steps. I could only walk backward trying to keep him at bay, but his attacks were steady, strong, and fast until he kicked my feet, and I fell to the ground with his sword pointed at my neck. "I guess I won," he said with a smile. I saw how distracted he was, as if I were a child to him. It infuriated me, so I didn''t waste time. I kicked his leg in frustration, catching him off guard for a moment. He must have been so confident that he lowered his guard and didn''t realize the situation until his body began to fall. I didn''t waste time and mounted him, taking my bone knife from my waist and went straight for his neck. However, before I could react, he grabbed my hand and disarmed me in a swift motion as he fell on top of me. When I realized it, he already had the same knife at my own neck. "Now, do you surrender?" He said playfully with his words. He started laughing loudly, and I had to nod carelessly. "Damn, how did you do that?" I said softly while he was still on top of me, met with only his smiles as a response. People started laughing around us and applauding, talking about how the mighty giant killer was brought down by Val, even though he won the fight in the end. I noticed that even the boy he was training had wide eyes at this, and Lucis had a sadistic smile on her face, much like mine. She wanted to see that arrogant face surprised by his near defeat at some point. "Well, now you can get off me..." I said a bit embarrassed. He got up, and I quickly stood up with a flushed face. "Well... looks like I''m going to learn the old tongue." He was scratching his head as he commented with a smile. "I''ll teach you, but I want to learn to fight like you," I said, still with a red face, and I could hear some people laughing. "We have a deal," he concluded. ---------------------------------------------------------- Author''s note: * Help me to reach 10 reviews! * Thank you in advance, I hope you have a good read. Chapter 8 - Relationships. [Chapter Size: 1878 Words.] Third Person POV. Somewhere on North. ... ... The next morning, Val walked back to the camp, the defeat at the hands of Jon Snow, the mysterious giant slayer, still echoing in her mind. Despite her frustration being evident, a new determination sparked in her eyes. She was about to embark on a journey of teachings and challenges, where the ancient language would become a exchange for her to become a stronger spearwife. Her brother laughed at her when he heard about the incident but was happy for his younger sister to be on good terms with the powerful stranger. The following morning brought an atmosphere laden with expectations. Val headed to Karsi''s camp, where Jon Snow was focused on training young Lafy once again, sharing his combat skills and tactical knowledge. The respect the southerner had earned was palpable, and Val, observing from a distance, couldn''t help but recognize the presence of a true leader. Jon Snow knew how to teach, communicate, seamlessly integrate into the group, and lead, despite not being in charge. But he had something even more important; everyone seemed to accept and respect him, something incredible for a man who had arrived in this place just a week ago. He had a story, but most knew it was a fabrication. How could a man come from a tribe exterminated by wights? He was everything but a Free Folk. Upon being introduced to Jon, Val felt momentarily disarmed by the intensity of his purple eyes again, which seemed to capture the essence of her soul. "I see you''ve arrived," he smiled. "Yes, let''s find a better place," she said. "Lafy, do the exercise sequence I showed you; I''ll be going. Because I have a teacher waiting for me," he told the boy and nudged his horse to move away. Val followed him to his cabin, where she began to teach him. The cabin was immersed in the twilight of the afternoon, shadows dancing on the wooden walls as Val and Jon Snow sat in a corner, focused on the task that brought them together. A rudimentary table, illuminated by a single flickering torch, was the center of their joint attention. Val, with her serious expression and determined eyes, perused an ancient scroll that had belonged to her late mother. Her agile and precise hands traced the intricate lines of the ancient language. Jon watched attentively, absorbing every movement, every elegant curve of the runes composing that ancestral language. "This word here," said Val, pointing to a sequence of characters, "means ''courage'' in the ancient tongue. It''s a quality valued among the Free Folk beyond the Wall." Jon nodded, his eyes fixed on the word drawn on the paper. He repeated the pronunciation suggested by Val, his strange, perhaps southern, accent emphasizing the unique sound of the language. Val smiled, appreciating his dedication to learning, and he did it quickly, much faster than she had when she was in his place. As the lesson progressed, the atmosphere in the cabin became more intimate. The candle cast a soft light, highlighting the striking features on Jon''s face and Val''s silver hair. Between the words and phrases she taught, brief silences emerged, filled only by the crackling of the flame and the calm breathing of both. Val couldn''t deny the curiosity taking hold of her. Jon Snow, the mysterious stranger from the south, was proving to be a dedicated student. He absorbed not only the words but also the cultural nuances that permeated the ancient language. In return, Jon found himself fascinated not only by the language but also by the strong and determined woman before him. As the night progressed, the conversation shifted to more personal topics. Soon, the lessons were set aside for Val to share stories of her tribe, her experiences beyond the Wall, while Jon revealed details of his life in the South during childhood, immersed in intrigues and challenges of its own. Amid shared laughter and moments of contemplation, a shy atmosphere formed between them with each passing moment. Jon smiled at the blonde in front of him, remembering some women he had met in Skyrim, Val with her specific 19 namedays, resembling his old friend and hunting lover, Aela, and Lucis with her 17 namedays, resembling Lydia despite being quite shy, past lovers he wasn''t sure he would return to. Putting aside these useless thoughts, Jon knew he should think about it at another time; now he was here. The proximity necessary for the ancient language lessons brought with it an underlying tension, an exchange of glances that revealed more than words could express. The candles that still illuminated the space cast dancing shadows on their faces, adding an atmosphere of intimacy around the small table in the cabin. Val, with her typically firm expression, found herself captured by Jon''s penetrating gaze. His purple eyes, laden with a history she longed to know, reflected a sincerity that intrigued her. Jon, in turn, felt the magnetic force of Val''s presence, despite being much behind him, her undeniable confidence and skill only accentuating the attraction that was beginning to arise in the beautiful blonde. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. In the silence charged with possibilities, Val moved closer, their hands naturally finding their way to each other. The touch, initially casual, became a subtle exploration, a dance of fingers that conveyed more than words could express. Their breaths synchronized, as if sharing the same rhythm. Intense gazes gave way to complicit smiles, and desire manifested as an electric current between them. Val felt the pulse of the moment, a man she met yesterday but who attracted her like no other in her life, an inexplicable call drawing Jon closer. Hearts beat in unison, fueling a palpable tension that permeated the air; Jon wouldn''t deny this blonde, letting his carnal desire take over for the first time since he came to this world. However, before desire could transform into something deeper, the curtain at the cabin''s entrance abruptly opened. Lucis entered unceremoniously, interrupting the charged atmosphere hanging in the air. Her shrewd eyes instantly captured the scene, and her eyes showed surprise. Lucis''s presence in the cabin was marked by a shy demeanor and a look that, despite being curious, conveyed insecurity. She entered the space with a reserved air, her inquisitive eyes capturing the scene between Val and Jon before she could look away, slightly flushed. "Sorry for interrupting," murmured Lucis, her hands nervously twisting before the unexpected encounter. She maintained a withdrawn posture, as if fearing to be intrusive. Val, still recovering from embarrassment, shot Lucis a cutting look, though she could perceive the shyness surrounding Jon''s wife. Jon, in turn, tried to conceal his own discomfort, shifting his gaze to the parchment before him. "Don''t worry, Lucis. We were just having an ancient language lesson," explained Val, trying to ease the tension in the room. "Nothing more." Lucis nodded, her eyes avoiding direct contact. Her shyness was evident, and insecurity hung over her like a shadow. However, despite her reserved nature, Lucis seemed determined not to let her own insecurity overshadow Jon''s experience. "If you need help with anything, I''ll be outside," she murmured, heading towards the cabin''s exit. "No need, we''re done here. I''ll be leaving; my sister needs me right now, so I''m going. Jon, until the next time we can have more lessons," Val interrupted Lucis''s departure, grabbing her belongings, bidding farewell, and leaving. With Val out of the cabin and the atmosphere more tranquil, Jon noticed the subtle tension between him and Lucis. He observed her for a moment before speaking, choosing his words carefully. "You know, Lucis, I understand this situation might be a bit peculiar for all of us. I''m here only temporarily, helping and contributing to the tribe as I can, but I want to ensure you feel comfortable, considering all you''ve done for me," Jon said calmly. Lucis glanced away for a moment, her hands intertwined with nervousness. "I know, Jon. You''re being very kind. And I appreciate that." Jon gave a friendly smile, trying to dissipate any awkwardness. "Lucis, what''s with that shame on your face? Where''s that woman who tries to control me all day?" "T-This has nothing to do with it, Jon. I don''t know what you''re talking about..." She said flustered, trying to look away again. Jon saw this and stood up from the chair he was in. "I hope my wife isn''t jealous of her husband, is she?" Jon walked towards her, closely observing her expression. "Of course not, in our culture, men can have many spearwives, as many as they are strong enough to have," she said, trying to maintain a firm posture, but shyness still leaked into her voice. "Oh? You know, if you want, we can act like man and woman here," Jon spoke, smiling, getting even closer, his eyes fixed on hers. The atmosphere in the cabin was charged with palpable tension, and Jon''s smile indicated a bold invitation. "But you''re leaving, as you said yourself..." She murmured timidly, her eyes now meeting Jon''s. Lucis was torn between curiosity and insecurity, her heart pounding unevenly at the provocative proposal. "Maybe I''ll take you with me. I''m not a man who''s tied to one woman, but I''m also not one who abandons one, knowing that your life wouldn''t be easy after presenting a husband who fled to the south." Jon wasn''t foolish enough to ignore the possible consequences for Lucis if he simply left. He faced Lucis with a sincerity that, for a moment, made her consider the possibility. "Jon..." Lucis murmured, looking at Jon in the eyes for the first time, the Dragonborn fixing his gaze on her crystal blue eyes. Time seemed to freeze as tension and proximity between them increased, and an electric current ran through the cabin. Lucis''s eyes, for a brief moment, revealed an unexpected fascination with Jon''s proximity. Her heart raced, and she found herself enveloped in a subtle desire she hadn''t recognized until now. However, before she could fully comprehend this new wave of emotions, panic and shame invaded her. "Jon..." she murmured, her voice trembling, as her eyes turned to the floor. The sudden closeness, the intensity of Jon''s gaze, and the suggestion of a more intimate connection left her stunned. Jon smiled at the shy girl in front of him and said, "Lucis, it''s okay. I want you to be mine in this moment." Lucis, being pressed like this, began to flee with her turmoil of emotions. "I... I need to go. I must find my brother; it''s already late." She quickly fled from the cabin, leaving Jon smiling amusedly. "Hahahahaha. Silly girl." He laughed cheerfully, returning to studying some runes he had marked on the leather of an animal. ---------------------------------------------------------- Author''s note: * I know that emotional involvement is happening quickly, but I don''t see a reason to prolong it. Jon is an alpha male amidst many single women, and it''s natural for them to feel attracted to him. However, it doesn''t mean that things will unfold so quickly; I''ll try to extend it as much as I can. * Help me to reach 10 reviews! * Thank you in advance, I hope you have a good read. Chapter 9 - Warg. [Chapter Size: 2131 Words.] Third Person POV. Somewhere on North. ... ... The setting sun tinted the vast horizon beyond the Wall with shades of orange and red as Jon Snow led Val to a secluded area away from the camp, surrounded by trees and bushes. The distant roar of a mammoth echoed, but the serene scene contrasted with the intensity of the lesson about to unfold. "Val, I know you''re a skilled warrior with the spear, but today, I''m going to teach you something new. We''re going to work with swords," Jon remarked with a smile, wielding his distinctive sword instead of the usual spear, signaling the shift in focus. "Let''s see how you fare," he challenged, as Val accepted the challenge, gracefully wielding a sword, though a hint of uncertainty crossed her gaze. The tension in the air was palpable as the two prepared for the duel, each movement calculated and muscles tense. The first strike came from Jon, fast and precise, aiming to test Val''s defense. She skillfully blocked it, but the exchange of blows revealed the difference between Jon''s experience and Val''s sword skills. Jon was agile and strategic, exploiting openings in Val''s defense, while she struggled to keep up. The concentration on their faces indicated the seriousness of the training, each move calculated amidst the dance of sharp metal. Jon sought to teach, demonstrating techniques and correcting postures, while Val absorbed the lessons with evident determination. The exchange of blows continued, a choreography of swords cutting through the air. Jon, always a step ahead, offered guidance and corrections, helping Val adapt her spear skills to the new weapon. After an intense sequence of movements, Jon paused. "You''re making progress, Val. The sword requires a different approach, but you''re adapting well." Val, breathing somewhat heavily, nodded gratefully. "It''s a challenge, Snow, but I''m willing to learn." Thus, under the setting sun, Jon continued to instruct Val in the nuances of the sword, sharing his knowledge and experience to strengthen the warrior beyond the Wall. With Val resting after the training, Jon turned his attention to Lucis and Lafy, to share his knowledge and enhance the skills of the two warriors. "Let''s start with some basic defense and attack techniques," Jon suggested, picking up two swords and additional shields nearby. Lucis and Lafy positioned themselves in front of him, ready to absorb the lessons. Just like with Val, he wouldn''t deny teaching them, even if he didn''t receive anything in return, as he did with the blonde beauty. Jon began with Lucis, observing her posture and initial movements. "Keep your feet firm and balanced. The sword and shield are extensions of your body, not just weapons," he instructed, guiding her through the initial movements of attack and defense. Lucis absorbed the guidance with focused attention, her eyes fixed on Jon as she tried to internalize each movement. Shyness still marked her expression, but there was evident determination to learn. Lafy, on the other hand, displayed a more evident confidence. His movements were agile and precise, revealing previous experience with the sword and shield. Jon adapted his instructions to further challenge his skills, encouraging him to explore different combat strategies. The training continued with a series of exercises, each designed to enhance specific aspects of the combat skills of the two warriors. Jon demonstrated the moves with fluidity, encouraging Lucis and Lafy to apply them in response. The sun had already completely set when Jon decided to take a break. "Both of you are doing very well. Lucis, your fundamentals are improving. Lafy, your dexterity is remarkable. Now, try a more direct confrontation, applying what you''ve learned." Lucis and Lafy faced off, their swords and shields colliding in a controlled dance of attacks and blocks. Jon watched attentively, occasionally interrupting to offer additional guidance. The exchange between the two warriors was intense, a demonstration of their newly acquired skills. Jon felt satisfaction in seeing their progress and knew that the training would continue to strengthen not only their combat abilities but also the bonds among the members of the tribe beyond the Wall. As the sun set on the horizon, Jon felt the need to change the training routine. He decided to dedicate that day exclusively to the development of the combat skills of the trio: Val, Lucis, and Lafy. The atmosphere in the clearing where they trained was charged with energy, and the metallic sounds of bronze blades clashing echoed among the trees. In contrast to previous days, when they focused on learning the ancient language, on that specific day, swords and spears became the teachers. Jon was determined to strengthen not only linguistic knowledge here but also improve the trio''s ability to defend themselves in the challenging lands beyond the Wall. Val, with her spear prowess, was an eager learner, absorbing every move from Jon with a concentrated expression. Her eyes reflected a passion for the art of war, and Jon could sense the constant progression in her movements. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Lucis, still shy, tried to overcome her reserved nature in thrusts and blocks. Jon, with patience, guided her through the movements, observing with satisfaction the gradual improvement in her posture and technique. Lafy, Lucis''s younger brother, showed a natural ability with the sword and shield. His movements were fluid and precise for his age, and Jon could perceive the latent potential waiting to be explored. As the day came to an end, Jon interrupted the training, taking a step back. "Today was dedicated to improving your combat skills. The three of you are progressing very well. Tomorrow, I will learn the ancient language with Val, but remember to continue all the exercises you''ve practiced; endurance is crucial on the path of a warrior, strengthen yours." The trio, panting and sweaty, exchanged looks of gratitude and determination. Jon led them back to the camp, passing by some sentinels in the forest, a sight becoming quite common in the past few days. It has been a week since Val began teaching him the ancient language, and he was progressing at an alarming rate in the blonde''s opinion. However, Jon, being a polyglot and a scholar proficient in the arcane arts of two complex schools, as well as a runic master and somewhat skilled in healing magic, found learning not difficult, and he was unafraid to showcase his progress. The learning cycle had shifted to a scheme where, on one day, Jon dedicated himself to teaching with Val in a closed tent, and on the next day, practice extended outdoors, including Lucis and her brother Lafy, as Jon felt a protective responsibility for the young girl. Now, as Jon led the way back to the camp, he sensed a disturbance in his keen perception. His senses alerted him, causing him to quickly turn in the direction of a suspicious movement in the treetops. Jon''s abrupt gesture caught the attention of the girls, who immediately went on high alert. "Snow?" Val inquired, while Lucis and Lafy also looked at Jon for an explanation. Tense silence hung for a moment until Lafy, following Jon''s gaze, identified the source of the disturbance. "A crow?" he suggested, noticing the small bird perched on a branch above. The crow rested quietly on a branch, its black feathers gleaming in the soft light penetrating through the tree leaves. Its piercing gaze seemed to carry a peculiar sagacity, as if it were aware of the tension its presence had generated. The sharp claws gripped the branch firmly without moving, while its eyes were on the group, but especially on Jon. The crow''s presence in the tree, observing Jon with keen eyes, fueled a flame of irritation in the dragonborn''s chest. The atmosphere around became tense, as if nature itself awaited the crow''s response to Jon''s impetuous demand. His narrowed gaze didn''t waver, reflecting not only suspicion but a growing anger at the situation. The crow remained impassive, a silent spectator challenging Jon''s patience. Jon, in a firm and authoritative tone, finally broke the silence: "Who are you? And why are you spying on me!" Jon''s voice resounded like thunder, laden with authority and a fury that made everyone behind him instinctively step back. The air around seemed to weigh with the intensity of his demand, and the group waited in silence, anticipating the intruder''s response. "Jon... is that?" Lucis was a little frightened. "That''s a warg..." Val commented, understanding the situation as she observed the crow. The crow, sensing the threat, began flapping its wings frantically in an attempt to escape, but Jon reacted immediately. With a quick and precise gesture, he raised his right hand and invoked telekinesis. Ethereal energy enveloped the crow''s body, suspending it abruptly in the air, causing surprise and agitation. As it struggled in the air, Jon skillfully controlled the invisible force that kept it suspended, showcasing his mastery over magic. "That, how does he do that?!" Val exclaimed, admiring and surprising herself with Jon''s ability to control telekinesis. "Is he a wizard, sister?" Lafy asked, fascinated by Jon''s demonstration. Ignoring the reactions around him, Jon observed the suspended crow, analyzing it carefully. The creature struggled, unable to escape the invisible force holding it. Jon, dissatisfied with the sensation the bird conveyed, decided to end the situation decisively. With a closing and determined motion, he broke the crow''s neck, emitting a dry sound that echoed through the clearing. *Crack!* The creature''s now lifeless body gently fell to the ground. "It seems easy to deal with these spying creatures, but I doubt others have this ease..." Jon reflected, his thoughts immersed in the peculiarity of his ability. "I heard about being a warg, but I hadn''t been interested until I saw this crow. It seems to be a useful skill..." Jon commented, pondering the implications of his newly discovered capability. His strange dreams involving a white wolf no longer seemed mere fantasies; he was aware that he was experiencing something real, not just dreaming. "It looks like I''m a warg too..." Jon noted, finding it curious that he had never felt this ability in Skyrim. It seemed to have manifested only in this world, awakening a new facet of his abilities. Curious and determined to explore these newly discovered skills more deeply, Jon was determined to understand the extent of his gift. Jon stood before the dead crow, his eyes fixed on the creature as he contemplated the possibilities his new warg abilities could offer. Delving into his thoughts, he considered different ways to use this unique connection with the animal realm. Firstly, he recognized the potential for espionage. The ability to see through the eyes of a crow could prove to be a valuable tool for gathering information about what was happening beyond the Wall. This could be particularly useful in situations where direct contact was risky or impractical. Furthermore, Jon pondered the possibility of communicating with wild creatures. If he could establish a deeper connection, perhaps he could influence or even command certain animals. However, he also understood that these abilities did not come without challenges. The thin line between man and animal could be dangerous, and he wondered about the ethical limits of exploring this connection. "Val," Jon called, interrupting the trio from their stupor since they saw him manipulating the crow in the air like a wizard from legends and, just as impressively, ending the creature''s life with a simple hand gesture. "Y-yes," Val responded, a slight tremor in her voice. Lucis, though still impacted, was somewhat calmer, having witnessed some of Jon''s exceptional abilities. "I want to deepen my knowledge about being a warg because I believe I have this ability. Do you know anyone who can guide me in this?" Jon inquired, his gaze still fixed on the lifeless crow. "You''re a warg? Well, Visemyr is the most powerful warg in the camp, although he doesn''t seem to appreciate you much. I can try to find someone, maybe with my sister." Val replied, recovering from the initial shock caused by Jon''s demonstration. "That would be helpful, especially since neither Karsi nor Tormund seem to have a warg in their tribes." Jon pondered, resuming his walk. He had realized that there was still much to learn since he arrived in this new world. ---------------------------------------------------------- Author''s note: * Thank you in advance, I hope you have a good read. Chapter 10 - Ilyana. [Chapter Size: 2053 Words.] Third Person POV. Somewhere on North. ... ... Jon delved deeper into the culture of the Free Folk, seeking to understand not only their warrior skills and traditions but also the more subtle and everyday aspects that shaped life beyond the Wall. During the day, he participated in tribal meetings, where he listened to ancestral stories told by the elders. Seated around crackling campfires, Jon absorbed legends that spoke of the tribe''s ancient enemies, hunting traditions, and the nuances of the ancient language that Val was so dedicated to teaching. In the quieter hours when he wasn''t training the art of combat for his young students or learning the ancient language with Val, Jon found himself immersed in daily activities, from food preparation to crafting characteristic clothing of the Free Folk. He learned about the importance of community and cooperation, fundamental values that permeated life in the tribe. As night fell, Jon gathered with tribe members around campfires, where everyone shared songs and tales celebrating their victories in historical struggles. This immersion in the Free Folk''s culture not only enriched Jon''s understanding of his companions but also strengthened his position within the tribe. He was being recognized, always understanding and respecting the traditions that shaped the identity of the Free Folk. Thus, Jon Snow became not only a skilled warrior but also a respected member of the community beyond the Wall. He might be a member who probably wouldn''t stay there much longer, but still, he made a point to learn from them and teach everything he could. Jon was going through one of his routines on this day beyond the Wall, advancing with the calm and routine cadence of everyday activities. Jon Snow, with a serious expression, dedicated himself to chopping wood, his robust silhouette moving with strength and precision with each stroke of the bronze axe. The regular sound of metal against wood echoed in the clearing, creating a rhythmic symphony that blended with the murmur of nature around. After finishing the task of chopping wood, Jon meticulously organized the pieces, his eyes observing the result of the work that, though efficient, didn''t make him break a sweat but was effective for heating some campfires when he returned. After fulfilling his duties, Jon actively participated in the tribe''s activities. He assisted in building tents, shared responsibilities in food preparation, and interacted with members of Karsi''s tribe. His presence, though reserved, conveyed a sense of commitment to the tribe''s well-being while he was there, learning a lot from these people. It was during this moment of constant activity that Val appeared, bringing with her an imposing figure: Ilyana, an experienced warg. Val approached Jon with a smile, introducing the warg and the mission she brought with her. "Jon, you''re here. I''ve found someone to help you," Val said. She was still very surprised by what Jon did yesterday¡ªholding a bird in mid-air without touching it, using some kind of magic to grasp it. That scene was etched in her mind all the time. Still, she helped Jon find a warg who could teach him; her sister recommended the forest witch from their own tribe, so Val went to fetch Jon. "That''s good; I don''t have anything else here. Let''s go," Jon smiled and asked Val to lead the way. Leaving Karsi''s tribe area, Jon and Val entered the heart of the camp, with Jon always drawing attention, as by now, he was quite famous here, even though he hadn''t fought giants like on the first day. They arrived at a cabin surrounded by many trees, a sacred place with a heart tree that the Free Folk used for prayer. Upon entering, Jon saw a woman surrounded by several other women from the tribes, helping her settle in. "They take religious priests seriously even in this part of the world," Jon thought, observing the scene. "Val, I see you found a man. Not bad at all," the woman said, flashing a smile with some missing teeth. "Ilyana, it''s not like that. This man is helping me in combat, and I''m helping him with the ancient language," Val spoke, somewhat embarrassed. "Nonsense! I see a woman looking at your man. Has he stolen her heart?" She laughed at that. Val didn''t respond, and Ilyana turned her attention back to Jon next to Val. Jon didn''t seem bothered by the old woman''s teasing; he didn''t seem to care, just studying the woman in front of him. Seeing this, Val quickly introduced us. "Snow, this is Ilyana. She''s a woman with more than 12 winters, respected and known throughout the camp. She is the spiritual guide for many who seek the old gods." "I am, along with a bunch of other old ladies. Don''t forget, I''m not the only forest witch in this camp, little Val," she said, laughing. ''And an old woman with a bold personality,'' Jon thought, looking at the laughing lady. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. "Well, this is Jon, a newcomer from the decimated tribes of the West. A warrior better than anyone in this camp," Val spoke confidently. "Too handsome to be from this side of the Wall... My girls are all blushing here. Val, you better grab this man quickly; we''ll have a war of single women soon," she said sarcastically. "Anyway, you seem to be more than that, Snow. What''s your full name?" She asked. "Jon Snow." "I don''t know the meaning of that name, but clearly, it''s not from north of the Wall..." She spoke in a dangerous tone, creating a tense atmosphere in the tent. Jon remained calm but raised an eyebrow. "Bfffur! Hahahahahahaha! No need to be so tense; I see a free man in you," she laughed after the silence, breaking it with those words. "Val, you should have seen your tense face." She chuckled, teasing the blonde. Val sighed, unsurprised; she had already gotten used to the jokes of this forest witch. "Come here, lad, I want to see you up close. I''ve heard you''re a warg, a powerful one," she said, calling Jon over. Jon nodded and walked over, finishing his analysis of this lady. Ilyana was an elderly warg and forest witch. Her gray hair cascaded down to her shoulders, marking the years of experience and wisdom she had accumulated, with some missing teeth. Jon couldn''t help but emphasize her incredible sense of humor; she seemed like a lady who enjoyed teasing people. She also analyzed him as an exotic animal, difficult to comprehend, and spoke with genuine surprise, dropping the playful tone. "Jon Snow, a newcomer but also a remarkable warrior among us. Val has spoken highly of you and your skills, but everyone in this place has heard of you. They say you have the spirit of a wolf within you, but I can see even deeper things," she said with a playful laugh. Jon smiled, the corners of his lips lifting in a friendly manner. As he approached, he nodded in greeting, impressed by Ilyana''s presence, reminiscent of priests of the Nine Divines in Skyrim. "It''s a pleasure to meet you, Ilyana. Val has been a dedicated teacher in the ancient language, and now I look forward to learning more about the traditions and the path of wargs if you''re willing to teach me," expressed Jon, his voice laden with respect and genuine interest. Ilyana''s deep and penetrating eyes studied Jon for a moment, as if reading something beyond the words he had spoken. She then spoke with a mixture of wisdom and fascination, abandoning her usual teasing: "I see a young man with the soul of a wolf and an even more powerful and unknown creature. There is a strong connection between you and the wild spirits that dwell beyond the Wall and those that burn with fire in a land tamed by volcanoes!" Ilyana''s expression was one of admiration, as if contemplating something extraordinary and rare. Beside them, Val and the other girls couldn''t help but feel a twinge of intrigue as they listened to the conversation. She remained silent, observing Jon and Ilyana, aware that something significant was unfolding before them, something that went beyond lessons in the ancient language and the dragonborn''s abilities. Jon, though not fully understanding all the implications of her words, felt a certain respect for Ilyana''s presence. It was as if she could read something within him that went beyond common knowledge; still, he couldn''t say she was wrong. "If you''re willing, Jon Snow, I can guide you along the path of the wargs, exploring the abilities that may manifest in you," offered Ilyana, her expression serious but full of respect for the journey Jon was about to undertake. "That would be good. I haven''t ventured down this path alone because I don''t know the limits of this field. It would be helpful to have a conversation with someone experienced," Jon expressed his thoughts with a brief smile. Val, realizing that the conversation between Jon and Ilyana would be of a more intimate nature, decided to withdraw. "I''ll leave you to talk; my sister must need me," she said before stepping away, respecting the privacy of the two. As soon as she bid farewell, Ilyana returned to the girls still inside the tent. "You all stay here; I''m going to the heart tree with this young man, and I won''t need help with such a strong man," she said, opening a smile. Thus, Jon and Ilyana made their way to the heart tree outside the tent, a place that seemed fitting for sharing experiences and knowledge at this moment, as the lady had enough authority to dismiss everyone present in a unique way. Beneath the tree, the atmosphere became calmer, with Jon sitting in front of the forest witch as she looked at him and listened to his thoughts about Warg abilities. "So, you already dream of being a white wolf pup? That''s interesting," commented Ilyana, revealing a small smile as she observed Jon. Jon, in turn, shared his own concern: "But I also feel like he''s far, out of my reach; I believe he''s south of the Wall..." Ilyana pondered Jon''s words before responding, "I understand... It seems like this animal was born to make a connection with you, and it''s terrible for such an animal to be so far from its master; it leaves them incomplete. Do you feel his loneliness?" She questioned, seeking to understand the complexity of this unique connection between Jon and the wolf in his dreams. "Yes, I feel a lot of loneliness when I''m in him; it''s kind of disturbing," Jon admitted, revealing the depth of his experiences and feelings regarding this mysterious connection. "Hehehe. It''s like that; you have to be with that animal as soon as possible. If you say he''s a pup, it''s the highest connection. For now, since you''re away from him, you should try connecting with another; find an animal in the forest and take it as yours, preferably a pup, and spend as much time with it to build that bond; your abilities will start manifesting from there," advised Ilyana, sharing her wisdom on the bond between wargs and their masters. Jon nodded, absorbing the instructions. Later, as the day was coming to an end, while they talked and Ilyana teased here and there, some of those women led the woman back to her tent, and Jon left. But instead of going to his tent with Lucis, he decided to look for an animal in the nearby forest. It didn''t take long for him to find a nest with a crow''s chick. Although it was reckless to take a wild animal, Jon was determined to care for it as a son. Following Ilyana''s advice, he took one of the chicks from the nest and went to his tent in Karsi''s camp. Lucis, who was preparing some things, came across Jon bringing the chick in his hand. "What''s this, Jon?" She immediately saw the animal and frowned. "Our first child, take good care of him, alright?" Jon smiled, caressing the small animal. "What nonsense is this now!" She huffed. Jon just smiled, enjoying teasing the blue-eyed girl who nominally is his wife here. ---------------------------------------------------------- Author''s note: * Thank you in advance, I hope you have a good read. Chapter 11 - Raid to North 01. [Chapter Size: 1979 Words.] Third Person POV. Somewhere on North. ... ... The bonfire crackled on the morning of the next day, its flames dancing amidst the icy mist that hung over the sky. Jon stood with some members of the tribe, sharing stories of Skyrim around the comforting warmth of the bonfire. The atmosphere was permeated with a sense of camaraderie, but an imminent shadow loomed, waiting for the right moment to reveal itself. It was in this setting that Lucis, with a serious expression, approached Jon for a private conversation. "Jon," Lucis called as she approached, interrupting Jon''s conversation with the others. "Hello, wife? How are you?" Jon said with a smile. "Jon, we need to go to Aunt Karsi''s tent; she has a meeting with the tribe''s leaders and wants you there!" "Hm, alright, I''m done here, let''s go." Jon got up to follow Lucis to his aunt''s tent. "I''m surprised your aunt called me; I''ve been ignoring her for a long time." Jon smiled at this. "I can''t say she''s happy about it, but now it''s quite serious, so she asked me to bring you tied up if necessary," she commented. "I''d love to see that shy girl grabbing me to tie me up." As soon as he said that, Lucis blushed, taking heavy steps as she distanced herself from the Dragonborn. "HAHAHAHA. My dear wife, in a bad mood?" Jon laughed. "Just walk and shut up!" She grumbled and continued walking. It didn''t take long for us to reach Karsi''s main tent, and the place was busier than usual. Without encountering resistance, the men allowed Lucis and me to enter, and we immediately began to hear noises and grumbles from inside. "This is madness, Karsi! Do you want to send us to our deaths?" growled one of them, expressing the indignation in the air. "I don''t want that any more than you do!" Karsi responded with a growl, tension permeating the atmosphere in the tent. Other tribe members joined the chorus of protests, expressing their concerns and displeasures at the impending decision. "It''s a cursed place, Karsi! No one comes back alive from there!" another warrior protested, echoing the group''s apprehensions. "Why risk our lives for a land that sucks away hope?" questioned a female voice, highlighting the widespread anxiety among those present. Despite the opposition, Karsi held her ground. "We can''t ignore the signs. Something is happening in the north, something that could threaten our entire tribe. We can''t stand idly by and wait for tragedy to strike!" The murmurs persisted, mixed with words of discontent and uncertainty. Lucis and I watched the scene, realizing the gravity of the situation. Karsi looked at all of them and noticed a new pair entering the tent, her niece with the mysterious man who abducted her two weeks ago. "Lucis and Jon Snow, it''s good to have you here, especially you, Snow, always running away from me," she said sarcastically. "Well, I can''t deny that." Jon didn''t lie. "But can I know what''s so urgent? I heard something about the north." Jon spoke. "Yes, some scouts have seen signs of wights in that region, but no one comes back alive after investigating inside the forest." "Let me guess, the leaders want to form a group, but I don''t think you''re alone in this, considering you''ve always protested about it, right?" Jon spoke calmly, despite some disdainful glances from the group; most respected him as one of their own after living with the strange and powerful warrior with amethyst eyes. "Yes, everyone is sending 20 warriors to see what''s happening there." "That makes sense, as the north is becoming a vulnerable region. A surprise attack from those creatures I''ve heard of and encountered is dangerous." Jon murmured. "You''ve fought against them?" Someone mocked. "Not against the cold shadows you talk about, or White Walkers. But these undead, they burn easily, but they can be quite troublesome if they''re in a large group." Jon explained. "Well spoken, Snow. That''s why I''d like to see you in the group. I''m sure you''ll be quite useful with the skills everyone in the camp talks about." Karsi spoke with a knowing look. "Well, I can''t deny that I would ask to join anyway; I''m bored here." Jon spoke calmly, earning an elbow nudge from Lucis for being so nonchalant. Jon didn''t even feel her touch with the difference in strength. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. "Snow, you''ve always had a peculiar way of getting involved in tribe matters, but this time, your experience can be valuable," she acknowledged. Jon nodded, recognizing the weight of Karsi''s words. "If I can help prevent a greater threat, I''m willing to do whatever is necessary." Someone in the crowd muttered something about Jon having his own motivations. Lucis, noting the comment, responded firmly, "Jon is here because he cares, just like all of us. There''s no time for mistrust now." Karsi agreed and turned her attention back to the matter at hand. "We''ll need every brave warrior who can volunteer. The situation is serious, and we can''t ignore a potential danger approaching while Mance is away." As they discussed strategies for forming the exploration group, Jon addressed Karsi again. "Karsi, I''ll help, but don''t expect me to follow idiotic orders from anyone you put in charge of this group. I prefer to act independently." He warned. "I will lead this group, and you will follow me!" declared a man, one who always had a dark look for Jon here. "He is the brother of one of the men I killed in Lucis''s group. Like a few dozen fathers, brothers, mothers, and even children, he hates me in this camp for killing some of his relatives. But no one acts against me because I killed them with an axe; no one can complain in a people who follow the strongest." Jon thought. "Great, grab your weapon and prove that you can lead me." Jon scoffed, issuing the challenge openly. He didn''t want to be led by these people; they might know the terrain better than him, but Jon is a veteran in thousands of fights. No one is fit to lead him in Tamriel, let alone in Westeros. "Tsk." He growled but remained silent, like everyone else. Of course, many tried to avenge their relatives with deadly duels, but Jon easily defeated them all. He only killed two because they said things about Lucis, so he had no mercy for those people. "I''ll let you act independently, but Lucis will always be with you," Karsi spoke. She couldn''t let him lead the tribe; no one trusted Snow for that, despite the respect he had gained here. However, Karsi knew that her niece''s husband wouldn''t follow anyone either. "We have a deal, and you stay close to me." Jon nodded and teased Lucis right after, earning a scowl from his wife. With the meeting concluded, Jon and Lucis returned to their space, preparing for the journey that would begin the next day. When that day arrived, they were getting ready to depart. Jon checked his sword, a polished bronze blade that shimmered in the torchlight he himself had crafted in the camp, while Lucis inspected her spear, a reliable extension of her body containing another sword given by Jon¡ªone that he had marked with magical symbols from Skyrim as a master enchanter. Both wore carefully sewn clothes designed to withstand the cold and adversity of the northern region. Supplies were packed into leather backpacks, each containing carefully packed food and essential survival items. The weight of the backpacks was a constant reminder of the impending challenge. They said their goodbyes to Lafy and went to meet Karsi''s group with members from other tribes. Karsi stood in front of the personnel exchanging words of encouragement. The tribe members also prepared dogs for tracking tasks¡ªloyal companions trained for hunting and defense. The sound of animals sniffing and growling mixed with the crackling of torches and the murmur of people, creating a symphony of preparation for the expedition northward. The gathering place was outside the camp to the north, with at least 10 groups from different tribes totaling 200 people¡ªa small number for a camp with 140,000 inhabitants but perfect for the exploration task. Jon stood by Lucis, but was surprised to see Tormund coming to find him. "Look who it is, the giant killer is venturing north!" He shouted, as boisterous as ever. "And you decided to stay?" Jon laughed at his friend. "My tribe needs me here, otherwise, I''d be going too, but I have a trusted person to lead the group." He replied. After exchanging a few more words with him, Jon turned his attention back to the groups and saw Val among them, leading her own group. After a while, one of the tribes took the lead, and the groups began to move north. The surroundings were vast and imposing, with the forest beyond the Wall stretching out before them like a carpet of ancient and impenetrable trees. The night sky, dotted with stars, cast a faint light over the landscape, creating a mysterious and imposing atmosphere. "Listen, dear wife, don''t leave my side for anything." "I''ll do that without you telling me or not. Someone needs to keep an eye on you." She scoffed. "That''s good. If we encounter wights, use the sword. I couldn''t enchant your spear because the metal is too small for the combination, but that sword works against wights," Jon cautioned. "Wait, are those strange symbols magical? Did you enchant my weapon?" She said alarmed, as Jon had not explained anything before, just handed her the already made sword with no words. "Yes, they are magical. I did it to ensure our safety. This sword can repel wights by burning them, but the magic has a limit. I charged it with my own power, so if you need to replenish the enchantment, you''ll have to come to me," Jon explained, maintaining seriousness in his tone. Lucis frowned, trying to assimilate all the information. "It''s hard to believe, Jon. Your abilities and what I''ve seen you do, magic, our enemies like cold shadows and wights... We''re dealing with things we only heard about in stories before." Jon placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "I know it''s hard to accept, Lucis, but we''re living in a world where magic is real, and the dangers are much beyond what we imagined. We need to adapt to survive; I''ll make sure we come out alive from everything we might encounter." She nodded slowly, still processing the magnitude of what was to come. "I''ll trust you, Jon, but I hope, in the end, all of this is worth it." Jon smiled, grateful for her understanding. "It will be worth it, Lucis. We''ll face these challenges together, after all, we''re husband and wife, aren''t we? Hahaha." Jon laughed, and Lucis scoffed at the Dragonborn''s jokes. With this exchange, Jon and Lucis returned to the group, now more aligned facing the unknown that awaited beyond the Wall. The group headed north, with Jon among the 200 people on a reconnaissance mission. The soft morning light bathed the landscape as they left the camp behind. Steps in the snow, now illuminated by the light of the rising sun, created a serene soundtrack for the journey. Jon looked back, seeing the central campfire still smoldering. The opportunity to unravel the mysteries of powerful necromancers and the threat of wights lay before him. The unknown stretched out like a puzzle to be solved, and Jon was determined to discover the truth with his own eyes and face these things, which he feels is one of the reasons the Dradrics sent him to this world at this moment. ---------------------------------------------------------- Author''s note: * Thank you in advance, I hope you have a good read. Chapter 12 - Raid to North 02. [Chapter Size: 2058 Words.] Third Person POV. Somewhere on North. ... ... In the days that followed, the expedition advanced northward, with the mission of reconnaissance before fortifying that region. The morning brought with it the promise of a challenging journey, and as the group moved through the icy forest, Jon carefully observed the landscape around him. The forest was a tangle of twisted trees, whose branches seemed to whisper ancient stories as snow fell on their leaves. Warriors forged a path, their steps marked by the crunch of snow beneath their boots. Lucis, beside Jon, remained vigilant, gripping his spear firmly. As they progressed, they reached vast, windy plains where the biting wind challenged them at every step. The group, now more united than ever, faced adversity with determination. Tracking dogs ran ahead, leaving footprints in the snow as far as the eye could see. Days unfolded, leading them to a frozen river. The crossing, though challenging, became a test of the group''s courage. With axes in hand, they cut blocks of ice to create a safe passage. On the other side, they stood before majestic mountains whose peaks disappeared into the clouds. On a starlit night, the groups gathered around crackling bonfires. Jon shared stories with other warriors beside Lucis, evoking the legend of an ancient explorer who dared to face the unknown. The fire cast dancing shadows on their faces, creating a camaraderie in the face of adversity. The journey continued through the desolate tundra, an open expanse testing the group''s resilience. At each step, Jon felt the responsibility on his shoulders. The expedition was not just a quest for knowledge but an attempt to protect the northern tribes from the growing threat. As the group advanced, uncertainty hung in the air, an uneasy shadow following the marked footsteps in the snow. Jon, with his magical sword resting in its sheath, felt the palpable tension around him. Lucis walked by his side, and together, they knew that the truth awaited beyond the next curve of the frozen path. "As we venture deeper into the forest, I notice that wildlife is becoming scarcer," Jon commented, his eyes scanning the snowy landscape. Lucis, observing the shadows between the trees, added, "Our scouts have been avoiding this area lately." "So, it seems like action is about to begin," Jon said, his tone revealing a mix of anticipation and readiness. "You always act recklessly. You may have seen you take down a dozen men, but that doesn''t mean you can face the cold shadows," Lucis huffed, expressing genuine concern. Jon, responding with a confident smile, retorted, "You need to have faith in your husband, dear wife." He laughed, showing indifference to the woman''s underestimation. "Just don''t get yourself killed," she huffed, expressing genuine concern. "Don''t worry about that. I''m more intrigued by the raven that has been following us since yesterday," Jon changed the subject, his eyes watching the sky. "Raven?" She responded, surprise reflected in her expression. "Yes, Val told us about the Wargs and how they could die if the animal whose skin they were changing into died," Jon explained and continued, "Ilyana told me the same thing, but it didn''t work against this Warg." "No one noticed a Warg dying in the camp, so you''re right," she commented, cautious in her words. "Anyway, I searched for that Warg, but found nothing. I discovered that its location isn''t in the camp after using a spell," Jon spoke in a serious tone. "What? How can a Warg be spying on the camp? And you... you told that crazy story about coming from another world," Lucis said in a low voice but with evident concern. "I don''t know; no one should know about me here, but this being is watching me closely. He''s been observing me since yesterday, but I intend to find out why." Jon maintained his tone. "How are you going to figure out where he is?" Lucis said suspiciously. "Watch." Jon said, and his hand glowed with a clairvoyance spell, a misty line began to travel to the northwest from where they were, Jon canceled the spell before anyone else saw it, only he and Lucis had the vision a little away from the others. "That? What is that light?" She asked, curious and quite enchanted. "It''s a magic that leads to your objectives. I''m the best tracker in the world with it, despite being underestimated where I come from. It can save your life and keep you from ever getting lost if you know how to use it," Jon said. Clairvoyance may be a novice spell, but for those who know how to wield it, it becomes indispensable for trackers and travelers. Jon is the person who developed it to a level that no one else on the continent has achieved. "You''ve always kept secret the place where you learned to be a wizard," she commented. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. "Well, let''s leave that for another time; now let''s continue." As they walked through the forest, Jon decided to explore a bit more about Lucis''s knowledge, especially about the giant wolves used by her ancestors. "Lucis, what do you know about giant wolves? Have you had any experience with these creatures?" Jon asked, curious to know if the young wife shared any knowledge about the imposing animals that inhabited these regions. Lucis thought for a moment before responding, adjusting the grip on the spear she carried. "Well, I grew up hearing stories about them, tales that the northerners share. They say they are majestic creatures, but untamable. Besides the Starks, no one has ever tamed them. But they are wild beasts, aren''t they?" Jon nodded, "Yes, you''re right. They are majestic and fierce. In the north, my ancestors learned to coexist with them, to understand their behaviors. I''ve heard stories of them being silent sentinels and valuable allies when needed. However, for some reason, the Starks no longer have their wolves..." Lucis seemed intrigued by the description, her blue eyes fixed on Jon. "Because I think you''re going to do something stupid?" "Maybe I''ll find some on this journey. I''m thinking of doing something my ancestors haven''t done in hundreds of years, maybe thousands, I don''t know," Jon explained. "Great, you''re going to commit suicide," she scoffed. "Have faith in your husband," Jon laughed as he watched her walk away. Throughout the remainder of the journey, the atmosphere remained serene. Two more days passed as they headed north. Jon interacted mainly with Val and members of Karsi''s tribe, and despite some still harboring resentment for him being a stranger who had taken the lives of acquaintances, they maintained a certain respect. It was during this time that Val appeared, after days without exchanging a word since her departure from the camp. While Jon had a solitary meal, she approached. "How are you, Snow?" Val asked, breaking the silence. "The weather is quite pleasant," Jon replied, smiling at the woman. "You''re always an oddity. You wear fewer clothes than everyone else and seem comfortable in this cold. People are already talking about a man blessed by the old gods," she said, smiling. "I can''t say you''re the first person to call me an oddity. Wherever I go, I always attract attention," Jon replied, shrugging. "I heard that you don''t follow your group''s orders," she changed the subject, seeking more information about Jon''s choices. "Yes, I have the freedom to do what I think is best, as long as I have Lucis by my side," Jon commented, relaxing in his posture. "Be careful. Some tribes here don''t like you, especially the Tens. They tried to give you orders," she warned. "Then fewer of them will return to the camp if they try," Jon shrugged, showing his nonchalance. "Unconcerned as always, but I don''t doubt that you''ll do that," she sighed. "Val, how are things in the tribe? It seems like there''s a lot of unrest lately in the front groups." Val sighed, looking away at the snowy landscape. "There are tensions, Jon. The news about not finding any survivors and fewer animals each time has brought unease. Some resist the idea of exploring these lands." "I can feel the apprehension in the air. But sometimes, facing danger is necessary to ensure the safety of your people," Jon pondered. Val gave him a sharp look. "You always have a unique perspective, Snow. I believe you''re the only one capable of guiding us through moments of danger." "I doubt your tribe or anyone else would accept that, but I''ll help if needed..." Jon spoke calmly. "That''s good. We''re approaching a lookout camp, or what''s left of it. We need to reinforce that camp to establish some defense there, to assess the situation in the region. It''s very likely they''re dead, and we''ll encounter the creatures. So, be careful," she said, her tone taking on the necessary seriousness for the situation. "Yes, but if something happens and you need my help, look for me," Jon replied, showing his willingness to collaborate, even with tensions hanging over him. "Tsk, I''m a spear wife, Jon Snow; I can take care of myself. But I appreciate your concern. Oh, and be careful with the woman from Tormund''s tribe; she''ll try to steal you," she laughed, as if it wasn''t the first time. "Thanks for the warning, Val. I''ll be careful." At this moment, Lucis appeared with water she had fetched from the river with her tribe. "Hello, Lucis. Well, I''m going now; my tribe needs me. It''s good to see them again. Don''t forget to prepare yourselves for reaching our goal," Val bid farewell, and Jon went to help Lucis with the chores. As the group of 200 people led by Val and other leaders approached what had once been a camp of the Free Folk, the desolate scene unfolded before them. The cold wind cut through the air, carrying with it the heavy silence that hung over the site. The first groups examined the camp, now reduced to ruins, with torn tents and destroyed poles. Claw and weapon marks on the surrounding trees testified to the intensity of the conflict that had occurred there. The snow, stained with small patches that still remained red here and there, was the only mute witness to past battles. The somber atmosphere was compounded by the absence of life. There was no sound of birds singing, and the icy landscape was devoid of any sign of movement. The group cautiously advanced through the remnants of a place that had once housed guardians of the north, now surrendered to silence and abandonment. Jon, Lucis, among the late-arriving members of the group, carefully examined the surroundings. The uneven terrain and confused footprints in the snow told the story of a chaotic fight. The group leader, Guren, who was responsible for guiding Karsi''s tribe, remained vigilant, his eyes alert to any sign of imminent danger. "That''s disturbing," Lucis murmured as her blue eyes scanned the abandoned battlefield, filled with apprehension. "There are no bodies to be found, as if everyone just... disappeared." The tension in the air was palpable, enveloping the group in an atmosphere charged with mystery and unease. They continued to advance cautiously through the remnants of what had once been a vigilant camp, now given over to desolation. "You said they turn into those things, so it''s highly likely they''re already wights," Jon said, gently touching the young woman''s shoulder, seeking to comfort her in the face of the grim scene. "Don''t worry; I''ll make sure nothing happens to you," Jon spoke with a calm and tender tone, conveying to Lucis the confidence that he would take care of her in this frightening environment. "Yes..." She nodded in agreement with Jon''s words, absorbing the seriousness of the situation. "Everyone, let''s set up our camp now. Our job is to reestablish here and conduct a reconnaissance of the area. Stay alert, especially at night!" Guren addressed the tribe, and everyone began choosing a spot to set up their camps as evening approached. "Now, let''s set up the camp. We need to choose a better place for us," Jon announced, and Lucis promptly followed him, prepared to face the challenges that awaited them at nightfall. ---------------------------------------------------------- Author''s note: * Thank you in advance, I hope you have a good read. Chapter 13 - Raid to North 03. [Chapter Size: 1800 Words.] Third Person POV. Somewhere on North. ... ... Jon was dedicated to sharpening the iron blade acquired from the Night''s Watch. Although the metal was not of the best quality, it certainly surpassed bronze. Adorning it with magical runes on the blade, Jon envisioned the possibility of transforming this simple weapon into something truly powerful against the undead creatures, which were weak against fire. As a master of enchantment, he could do this without even having an enchanting table, but it required a lot of time and concentration, something he had only now managed to achieve. As his finger glowed red and he traced strange symbols across the metal, Jon couldn''t help but comment. "I wish I had my entire arsenal here. It''s a shame I can''t access my dimensional space with my things in this dimension, since I could only do so in Skyrim," Jon lamented softly, missing his precious weapons and items that would help him face the challenges that lay ahead on his journey in these lands. However, with not much to do about it, he merely lamented silently. He had already opened a new dimensional space in this world, everything Jon had collected from the Night''s Watch and the men he had faced ¨C clothes, bronze, iron, bows, and arrows ¨C was stored in a separate space created by alteration magic. It was the first thing he did as soon as he arrived in this world, as it was one of the most useful things he could have. And to avoid raising suspicions, he carried only his weapon at his waist. Lucis was the only one who knew the truth, having witnessed Jon putting most of the weapons in the space. She provided a convincing explanation to Karsi, the tribe leader, when she inquired about the crow''s weapons. As Jon manipulated the blade, nostalgic thoughts appeared in his mind. He remembered the times in Skyrim, where he lived his remarkable adventures with challenges every day in the icy lands of Skyrim. He felt a longing for those who shared all the moments, knowing he would never see them again, making the dragonborn feel a bit sentimental as he marked the blade with the tip of his glowing finger. Dozens of minutes had passed, and Jon freed himself from those thoughts, focusing on the weapon in front of him. "I can improve this iron with a transmutation spell... but that takes even more time... time that I don''t have right now..." Jon looked at his work ready at that moment, the iron blade had been carved with bright red symbols, giving it a quite magical aspect. "1 hour to create this with hands..." Jon commented, looking at the blade from various angles. "The workmanship of the blade isn''t very good, but effective for Lucis to protect herself from anything that appears." He finished before feeling someone approaching him. "Jon, here," Lucis appeared by his side, offering a piece of roasted rabbit meat as she sat next to the DragonBorn. "Thank you," Jon expressed, taking the food. It was night, and the camp was mostly silent, which was why Jon had taken this time to create the runes without anyone bothering him. "What do you think of this place?" Lucis started a conversation, looking at the old army post of Mance. Jon looked at the tents housing 200 people who came to this raid; he looked beyond them and surveyed every corner of the forest. "I can''t deny it''s strategically advantageous with the elevated terrain, but we could reinforce the defenses with some improvements. However, improvising in a forest has its limitations, and the forest is a problem in itself, we could easily be surrounded, they should have chosen a place outside the forest as the main camp... We could suffer an attack and not even see the enemy coming," Jon commented, analyzing the camp and the shadows intertwining among the trees. "Do you think we''re going to be attacked?" She hesitated with some concern. "No group has survived staying here, so I have no doubt about that." Jon spoke calmly. "..." Lucis nodded, agreeing with Jon''s logic, but it did nothing to alleviate the growing tension in the girl. Jon looked at her with a slight smile. "Don''t worry, it won''t be tonight. I''m sure those creatures don''t have a large enough group to attack us just after we''ve arrived. If they plan to do so, it might take some time to gather undead soldiers before launching such an attack," Jon spoke, looking into the darkness of the forests. Lucis couldn''t see, but Jon had red eyes at that moment, using two silent shouts, he could see living and dead creatures, he could see all the nearby animals and even some dead wandering through the forest, but nothing like an attack from them, so he was calm. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. "I understand... But you say we''re going to be attacked anyway, and you seem so calm..." Lucis trusted Jon''s analysis, but couldn''t help looking at him with some caution. "It''s true, I''m more confident that I can get out of here alive, and that includes you, my spear-wife, so don''t be so worried." "..." She said nothing. "Well, take this." Jon handed her the sword in a sheath. "An iron weapon?" She looked at the blade, surprised, iron was quite valuable in this place. "Yes, but you can take the sword out of the sheath and you''ll be even more surprised." He instructed her, and she removed the blade as the bright symbols began to appear. "What is this?!" She said, looking in awe. "It has become a magical weapon. I didn''t have soul stones to create it, so I used my own energy," Jon spoke, after all, he is a vessel with numerous souls of dragons he killed, so he had the privilege of creating his enchanted weapons with some parts of the souls within him. "It is a dangerous blade now, everything it touches bursts into flames, use it against the wights if I''m not around, understand?" Jon said. Although Lucis didn''t understand what he meant by soul stone, she trusted Jon when he said something was magical and could burn the wights. "Yes, I will do that," she said. "Anyway, I''m going to take my turn, it''s time. You go back to our tent and sleep well," Jon said and said goodbye to Lucis, after spending some more time with her and having his meal. Jon moved away from the tent and went to the place where he would spend the next few hours as a sentinel in the camp of Karsi''s tribe. The watch was quite calm, Jon with his eyes and powers, could monitor everything that happened in the forest, he noticed that no wight approached the camp, despite their presence wandering through the forest, so he remained quiet, calmly sharpening his weapons and enchanting other swords during this time. He had finished another weapon when he saw some members of other tribes approaching him at that moment, it seemed he had been marked by others and they saw a chance to encounter him. "Look, if it isn''t the kneeler trying to be a free folk man," Jon heard the man''s mocking voice as he approached. He was already used to this, Jon may have created a reputation in Mance''s army, he was not just disrespected here at this place, many despised him in all the camps, but usually, they were contained with a good beating and even death, when Jon didn''t like them much. Jon looked at the three men wearing coats with bones; they were Thenns. "Hm? What an intriguing visit, what can I do for men who dress in their own dogs'' bones..." Jon asked with an amused tone. "Shut up, southerner, you may fool many of the free folk, but we know you''re a kneeling spy. Now that we''ve finally found you here and alone, we can deal with you," one of them growled. "Great, I''m right here, what are you waiting for..." Jon said, not even getting up from his spot and just showing his iron sword that he had not yet used runes on, waiting for the men to try to attack him. For a moment, they hesitated with Jon getting up, feeling a bad premonition about this, but it was dismissed right after; he was just one man to them, rumors of his deeds were always met with mockery by their groups, now they could deal with him and claim ignorance the following morning. "Let''s get him!" one of them said and took the initiative to attack him. Jon didn''t move, and with his left hand, he created a small noise that these men didn''t notice, and a barrier was created around him using his alteration to create this silent space. He didn''t kill everyone, but he didn''t like these men, so he decided not to spare them. With his right hand, Jon created a purple glow and conjured 5 wolves on top of them as they approached with bronze weapons. The 5 spectral wolves emerged from a portal of purple energy, surprising the men by appearing out of nowhere. They stopped their attack, frightened, trying to escape from those magical wolves, but before they could react, Jon''s wolves took the initiative and launched themselves at the 3 men, who only tried to protect themselves from the teeth of the ethereal wolves as they fell to the ground. They screamed in despair and pain, begging for help in the next seconds, but no one in the camp could hear the sound of their deaths. Jon just watched the men being killed by the bites without any reaction; he had seen worse things, so it didn''t affect him much. "This spell has always been useful, a creation of mine for silently entering enemy camps or even sneaking up on a woman," Jon commented while petting the spectral wolf that came asking for affection as the others circled the dead bodies. This silence spell was his own creation; Jon never delved deeply into alteration magic, but by studying a bit of illusion, he managed to develop and create spells that no one had, proving he was a genius in that area. "You, take these bodies to the forest and devour them," Jon ordered, and his summons began to pick up the bodies with their mouths and take them into the forest. Jon had planned this as soon as he summoned the wolves, so no one would suspect him, and they would say the animals devoured them the next morning with the tooth marks. After watching the bodies being dragged away, Jon cast another spell to clean all traces that indicated those men had been there. Jon returned to his blade with new runes; he intended to make one for Val as well. Thus, he spent the rest of the night in silence, with no one knowing until the next morning that the camp had been reduced. ¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô ?? Raccoon here: ?? I deeply appreciate your support since the beginning of this exciting journey! I hope each chapter has provided incredible moments. If you like my work and would like to support the continuation of this fanfic, consider becoming a patron with plans starting at $2!. As a token of gratitude, I offer access to more than 165 extra chapters with 8 active fanfics at the same time, along with other exclusive benefits on my profile, such as images and significant decisions for the stories. Even if you are not a patron, I am making chapters available a few hours earlier here, so become a free member on the platform! ?? RaccoonLeague | Patreon?? 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I hope you continue to enjoy the story and that it brings even more joy to your life! Visit our Patreon for more!! ¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô Chapter 14 - Raid to North 04. [Chapter Size: 2100 Words.] Third Person POV. Somewhere on North. ... ... The following day, Jo?o carried on with his day calmly at the camp. Lucis had emerged from her tent and greeted him while Jon handed her some meat he had just roasted. "Good morning... Thank you," she said, taking the meat. Jon simply nodded as she sat beside him. The day at the camp was peaceful, then came the rumors of news that some of the ''Bone Lords'' had been found devoured by wolves in the woods, which greatly outraged the tribe, even casting suspicious glances at the Dragonborn, since some must know they had come to visit the "Southerner" the previous night. But John paid no mind to this, after all, who could incriminate him. "Lucis, tell your man we need water, can he fetch it for us?" The man responsible for the camp, Guren, said. "Lucis, tell this guy, if he isn''t man enough to ask for things directly from me without being a coward, I won''t do anything for him," Jon commented on the side, as this Guren had never ceased to demonstrate his disdain for the dragonborn. People around the tribe looked at this with curiosity, Guren, not liking being called a coward, looked at Jon with fury. "You dare call me a coward?!" He said, almost grabbing his axe. "And aren''t you one? Pull that axe from your waist, and you''ll have only 30 seconds to live, so think carefully," Jon commented calmly, looking into the man''s eyes, who was somewhat intimidated by Jon''s gaze, after all, he had taken thousands of lives, and his eyes could very well convey that. "We need water, you have to do something for the camp!" The man growled, but in the end, he couldn''t face Jon. Jon would laugh, saying that''s not how you ask for something from someone, much less someone he can''t order around, but Lucis commented beside him. "Jon, please... Don''t make things worse, we need water, it''s not worth fighting over pride," she practically begged, and Jon sighed. "I''m doing this for you, otherwise, I''d already be making this man swallow a gallon of water until he drowns," Jon commented and ended up standing up. Jon went to the wax bucket where they got water and took two of them, while a man could only carry one full, but Jon didn''t care and went out to the nearby stream. After descending the camp and passing through the forest with some foliage, he entered the forest walking calmly until he reached the river, about 500 meters from the camp. He approached and noticed the presence of some people nearby. ''They are hunting...'' Jon commented, looking at the footprints on the ground. And when he began to fill the clay pots with water, he felt the presence of someone approaching him, it was a girl with red hair as they call here, kissed by fire and eyes clear as a blue sky. If Jon wasn''t mistaken, this was the girl that Tormund asked him to take care of strangely, she approached him with curiosity while Jon just analyzed her. "So you are the giant slayer?" she came close and asked with curiosity. Jon looked for a moment and, before responding, "I haven''t managed to kill any giants yet." He shrugged, as it was true. "But everyone says you can fight against one. Maybe even defeat a few," he said with a smile, and walked to the river by his side. "I made friends with some... We fought, I guess I have the knack for it," he said with a small smile. "You''re not from the north, are you? I''ve never seen any man like you, not one without any facial hair..." She comments curiously looking at him intensely. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. "I was born in the south," he spoke, already accustomed to answering this kind of question. "So you are really a southerner?" She said intrigued. "Yes, I came from Winterfell," Jon commented since there was no reason to hide that. "The castle of the Starks?" "My mother was a Stark, my father was even further south. I was raised by my uncle for a few years until I left there. I was 8 years old at the time," he commented. She sat next to him, storing her bow, and continued to ask wanting to know more about him and his life in the south. "Really? And where did you go after that?" "I went to a place far away, much further south or north than you could imagine," Jon referred to another world, what else could he say. "I don''t understand," she asked in a way that made Jon just smile. "It''s hard to understand, but tell me about you, are you a hunter?" he asked, looking at her bow but without any carcass of an animal on her. "Yes, I am very good with the bow. Do you know Tormund? I belong to his tribe," she said. "But I still don''t know your name, since you haven''t told me yet." He smiled, making her blush a bit. "It''s Ygritte." She commented, a bit embarrassed. "Jon Snow, you can call me Jon or Snow, doesn''t matter much to me." He comments. "Understood, I''ll call you Jon." She said, now a bit more comfortable. He got up from the edge of the lake, stretching his muscles a bit before picking up the water pots, "The hunt hasn''t been very good, has it?" He commented, seeing that she hadn''t been successful. "Not really, I''m a good hunter, but the area is quite deserted. We''ve been hunting for over half an hour and haven''t found anything," she said, frustrated. "Let me see that," he asked for her bow, and despite a bit of hesitation, she ended up giving the bow to him. He examined the bow from all angles before pulling the string slightly, it was made of simple wood and a strong but not very durable string. He noticed that a normal arrow wouldn''t even reach 60 meters, not without breaking the bow. He asked for two arrows from Ygritte, and she ended up giving them to him to see what he would do. Jon looked around the place with few trees, with his eye for detecting life, he quickly started walking to a specific spot and Ygritte found it strange but followed him anyway. Jon placed one of the arrows on the bow and aimed it at a tree among many others. He pulled the bow and launched the arrow at the tree, Ygritte saw the arrow hit the trunk wondering what he was doing, but then a rabbit came out of the small hole in the trunk leaving her stunned and she hadn''t even seen when Jon had already placed another arrow on the bow and aimed at the animal, a second later she saw the rabbit being shot even as it tried to flee the place at high speed, and that was a white rabbit running through the snow. "How...?!" She simply asked as the blood of the rabbit painted the white snow with a single shot. Jon just smiled. "With practice, now you have something to bring back to your tribe." He said, handing the bow back to her. "Can you teach me?" she asked, looking at him as if he was the best archer she had ever seen in her life. "I could hardly teach that..." He said, picking up the water pots in each of his arms and beginning to withdraw. Ygritte stayed there watching him leave as if he hadn''t done anything incredible as she witnessed, it wasn''t just his skill, but how he saw that hidden rabbit was a big mystery for the girl. Jon could have killed the rabbit by piercing the trunk if he used magic, but that would have been even more conspicuous, so he did it the traditional way, without imagining the impact it had on the girl even with that. He returned to the camp and went to Karsi''s tribe, Guren looked at him still with anger, but said nothing while Jon placed the water pots in place. The routine in the camp was like this: in the morning they searched for supplies, in the afternoon they tried to rebuild the camp and at night they watched the place. Jon decided to look for his spear-wife and saw Lucis training alone behind their tent. He approached quickly and leaned against a tree, crossing his arms and smiling at her. She noticed, but still didn''t pay much attention to him, still trying to cut the air with her movements. He watched for a while until breaking the silence: "Are you trying to imitate me? Do what I taught you." he said, smiling. She looked at him for a while and just said, "Maybe. I like your moves, I''m trying to reapply them." "But you still have to do what I taught you, you need to fix your stance, you''ll never be good without good footwork." he said. "Since you can easily lose your balance and your enemy will take advantage of that. You have to be careful with the firmness of your body. It''s no use landing hits if you''re as fragile as a twig," he said, laughing. She complained, "I''m not that fragile, I''m trying." He found it amusing and ended up grabbing a sword as well and said, "Let''s train a bit, it''s been a while since we''ve practiced." She looked for a while and then positioned herself. "Let''s do this with real combat." They squared off against each other; Lucy raised her bronze sword, while Jon held his bronze sword lowered, not caring much to act. In the end, he was faster than anyone there. Lucy made the first move, slashing from top to bottom. He parried the sword, making a metallic click in the air. She was a bit frustrated with how easily he stopped her attack as always. He looked at her and said, "Stay firm. Your posture is still too weak." She pulled back the sword and tried a side slash, but Jon, just by moving his arm, quickly stopped the blow, making her back off due to his strength. She took a few steps back, took a deep breath, and attacked him again. She tried a frontal attack, but Jon just raised his sword and moved the slash to the side, making her retreat and stumble a bit. Before she could fall, he caught her by the arm, saying, "Be careful, your posture! Remember that." She took a deep breath and returned to her position. She tried to strike again, trying in any way to breach Jon''s defense, but he easily managed to handle any attack from the girl. He kept repeating, "Lucy, you''ve been at this for a long time. You need to learn." "I know, I''m trying," she complained before returning to fight. "Well, then practice more." He retorted. "Have you always been such a bad teacher?" she teased. "Well, if it''s going to keep you alive, yes, I will be," he commented seriously. During the day, they continued to train. At night, it wasn''t Jon''s turn to watch, and he ended up sleeping with Lucy. The days began to pass. As a routine in the morning, it was to gather supplies, in the afternoon to build, which Jon always helped with when he wasn''t training Lucis, and at night he kept watch. Jon noticed the movements of the Wights at night in the forest, beginning to see more and more undead gathering little by little in the forest. ''What are they doing...'' Jon wondered, since none of the undead had attacked the camp yet or tried to take anyone outside of it. Then, one day, while on watch, he felt the temperature drop a bit, while he saw some other members of Karsi''s tribe who were on watch, feeling quite cold as their breaths turned icy. It didn''t take long for his gaze to go to the forest and with eyes that could detect non-living beings, he saw a large crowd of the undead approaching the camp. He finally realized that the wights had been gathering in the past few days and forming a more powerful force to confront them. "It looks like I have to act..." He commented calmly, as he stood up and went to the edge of the camp, which was about to be infested with the undead. Chapter 15 - Raid to North 05. [Chapter Size: 2100 Words.] Third Person POV. Somewhere on North. ... ... Jon stood up and drew an iron sword with runes from his dimensional space, quickly walking to the front of the camp, feeling the dead approaching while no one else seemed to notice them beyond the strange drop in temperature. When they attacked the camp, it would be a massacre in this way. Some noticed Jon''s presence approaching another area, especially the bone lords who tried to block his path. "What are you doing here, southerner, this area does not belong to you, so go back to your traitorous whore who spreads her legs for kneelers." The man dressed in bones snarled close to his face. Jon, without time, just grabbed him by the arm he kept on his weapon and removed it. "What are you...AHHHHHHHH!!!!" The sound of bones breaking was heard by Jon and his new friend. The new friend cried out in pain, causing some people to immediately come out of their tents. "What''s going on here!?" One of them demanded, seeing his companion holding his dangling arm at that moment. But Jon shrugged and moved forward. "You! You better stop or I''ll put an arrow in your back." He growled, seeing Jon walking with his companion on the ground crying. "You can try, but it will be the last thing you do in life." Jon simply says, continuing to walk. The man had let anger take over his actions and immediately next to his tent, grabbed a bow and put an arrow in it while everyone looked on, as this commotion had drawn attention to that small area. However, before he could aim the arrow at Jon, a sword flew in his direction and immediately embedded itself in his brain, startling everyone nearby. Jon had drawn a bronze sword from his storage and threw it with his own hand. This made everyone around look frightened at the southerner, but no one else was able to act against him as he continued to walk to the edge of the camp. He reviewed all the dead; they were spreading out to capture the camp from almost all sides. There were at least about 300 undead. He sighed and looked at the people who still looked at him with caution and anger, Jon decided to act while drawing his iron sword with runes. "Listen up, everyone!" His voice emerged like thunder in the middle of the night and quickly woke up the entire camp with that. Before anyone could react, he continued. "We are being surrounded by Wights, if you don''t want to die, you better get ready, you need to create bonfires throughout the camp, you can only stop them with fire, so move your asses and start making the bonfires!" He said, still sounding like thunder to everyone, which left them all quite scared wondering what kind of being the dragonborn was. The camp fell silent after these words, wondering if it was some kind of joke, however, hearing that tone they knew should not be humanly possible, they began to act immediately, at least most, and bonfires began to be made. Jon looked satisfied that they had started building the fire piles and continued with his sword raised waiting for the next batch of undead, his voice also affected the wights, they became more aggressive, perhaps because their plans had been discovered? Jon couldn''t say, but he prepared for the first attack. People still looked at him, staring into the darkness of the forest on the lower terrain, fear had already taken over the camp after Jon''s words and everyone was preparing their bonfires, some skeptics despite having heard the thunderous voice of the dragonborn were alarmed when they saw the first wights coming out of the forest heading towards them, they looked like a group of snarling dogs while Jon prepared to stop them there. "Remember, only fire can kill them, make sure to set your weapons on fire!" Jon shouted again without turning around and the first wight tried to attack him with an old sword. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. John, with his magic sword, waited until the undead was approaching, struck it swiftly before it could have a chance, cutting off its head and making the body incinerate the next moment. "Did you hear what I said? Light the bonfires. More and more of them are coming, at least hundreds. And if you don''t want to die, you better do what I''m asking," John spoke seriously to make sure they were doing it and also to pull them out of the state of fear, since this time he used the northern shout, a skill that encourages his allies. "Let''s kill these fuckers!" shouted a man from the free folk invigorated after Jon used the northern shout. "YES!!!" Others responded, grabbing bows and approaching the bonfire. "I need some time for them to get ready..." Jon commented and drew a second runic sword, one he meant to give to Val, but he hadn''t had the time to hand it to the girl. Jon already had more than dozens of wights running towards him while the last one was still dying burning while screaming in agony, so he let the sea of the dead engulf him and with swift movements using both swords, he began to slash and slice them as they burst into flames. Many people seemed scared, even fleeing in the camp when they saw the dead in a large group surrounding Jon, while he reaped them. There was screaming from people scared echoing all over the place, but the majority held firm and seeing the southerner there killing all those dead and making them burn with his sword gave them some inspiration, recognizing that Jon was there to give them time, but soon it wouldn''t be enough to stop them, not when more and more dead began to emerge from the forests and some getting past Jon. One of the wights that got past Jon, busy with the first ones, ran towards the camp, it began to receive arrows, but that didn''t stop it, soon its head was filled by a flaming arrow. "Didn''t you hear?! Only arrows with flames! Don''t waste ammunition if it''s not going to kill them!" shouted the man from the free folk who assumed leadership, having the effect of Jon on him. Soon a row of archers near the first bonfires was formed, and they began to shoot at the undead coming out of the darkness of the forest. Jon looked pleased at this and continued fighting against the dead while retreating a bit due to the number of corpses combusting in front of him. ''This will be a long night...'' He thought and began to cut from right to left the undead, until they began to circle around the fire that his companions had formed on the ground, he retreated a bit still killing them and blocking their progress. His action did not go unnoticed, everyone saw how a strange man, alone in front of everyone, was fighting those creatures with a simple sword, capable of making them burn as soon as he touched them, leaving everyone very surprised. He had burned more than 30 of them, leaving the morale of the camp elevated, there was someone delaying the Undead. He felt the arrows fly for the first time behind him and that was his cue to retreat for now, he ran back and ordered them to shoot "Archers, shoot, even at me, I can handle it, but slow their ranks!" Jon gave the order and they started to launch arrows in his direction, using his sword, he hit all the arrows flying towards him easily, while the rest of the arrows hit the vanguard of the dead. Jon jumped over the row while climbing on a broken trunk, surprising the archers and continued. "Keep shooting, don''t stop until you''ve eliminated as many as you can!" He shouted and the men obeyed since they had no choice, nobody else questioned, doing exactly what he was asking. He managed to hold until the camp formed a good basic defense and nodded before running into the middle of the camp, to see how Lucis was. He found her in the middle of the place looking at him worried, while many looked at him preparing to fight. "I heard your voice! Are you okay?" She asked. "Yes, I managed to hold them off a bit and we have some defense to the north, but it''s not enough, I want you to grab your sword and be ready to cut anything rotten that moves and growls like a dog, understood?" He said seriously and she nodded. "You, the wights didn''t just attack from the north, you must prepare a line on this side!" Jon pointed east. Guren looked at him for a while but nodded, and quickly commanded his men to form a line of archers. Jon turned to another tribe on the other side, which turned out to be Tormund''s, "we need a line with you here too!" He said to the tribe with red hair. "You heard him, we need a line!" Ygritte took the initiative and spoke for Jon, and her tribe began to do exactly that, despite the girl not being the leader there. After that, he returned to the front, since that place needed a commander. Some were already giving orders, but as soon as he approached, everyone fell silent while the line of archers continued to shoot arrows. "Keep the formation, shoot! Keep shooting and killing as many as you can. Understood?" he shouted and drew his two runic swords again. It didn''t take long for the crowd of dead to start increasing. The archers were shooting, but it was no longer efficient. Jon looked at all the free folk who were losing morale, scared as they watched the crowd of undead increasing and approaching. He wished, at least, to have a shield line where he could protect himself from this attack and delay the enemy. "Those who can, set your weapons on fire," he said, and some who could did so. "Now come with me, let''s delay them," Jon spoke and stood in front of the camp with courage, feeling the crowd of undead running towards him while arrows flew by his side and above him. The free folk who weren''t with bows took courage and stood by his side while their weapons were wrapped in flames with oil. "Attack!" Jon shouted once more with the northern shout to improve the determination of these men and launched himself against the wave of undead that the archers could no longer handle. As soon as they arrived, he began to cut them. With each cut, they ignited and burned while screaming in pain. But he didn''t stop, he cut the first, then the second, the third, the fourth, in an instant he was on the 22nd, 23rd, and didn''t stop, attacking and killing each one of them. Many men of the free folk were falling dead because of the number of wights, but Jon continued cutting as many as he could and many of them passed and went to the camp. "Keep the formation," Jon shouted to the archers, who still continued to shoot. Around the camp, this was repeated, the undead came out little by little and became crowds coming out of the forest. Lucis, in the middle of the camp, on guard, drew her sword and, as soon as the first Undead passed through the line of men trying to hold them and the archers, she cut it sideways, making it scream in pain as its body immediately caught fire. Surprised by that, but without time to understand how Jon had made that kind of weapon, she continued cutting every wight that advanced to the place. Things were getting increasingly difficult, even thinking it might be the end for Lucis, as she saw more and more undead killing the free folk and advancing. However, a flash came from the north, and a huge explosion of fire roared like a dragon, not that she knew it, but surely her ears hurt as did everyone''s in the camp while the flames entered the forest making them immediately burn with that fire. Chapter 16 - Raid to North 06. [Chapter Size: 2000 Words.] Third Person POV. Somewhere on North. ... ... Just before the explosion of fire seen throughout the camp, the battle continued. Jon was watching his comrades fall more and more with each passing moment as they tried to delay the advance of the dead so they wouldn''t reach the camp and the line of archers. But it was becoming increasingly difficult; the dead were already entering the area, and he saw that it couldn''t continue like this. "I''m going to have to do something..." He finally decided to unleash himself against the dead. Taking a deep breath, he released his minor Shout into the crowd of wights, "FUS!" A wave of force from his Dovah word like a small thunder, dragging the undead to the opposite side. All the Free Folk men with Jon, who were still alive, looked at him with eyes in a mix of fear and shock. Jon quickly saw a space to breathe and returned to the men. "Back off! Return to the camp!" Jon ordered, to make more room for what he planned to do. Hearing this, the men quickly obeyed and began to retreat, still looking at Jon, who stood in place waiting for the dead to start running at him again, while he tried to stand up from the force that had thrown them back. Jon waited until the men were far enough away and prepared to launch another Shout. He was calm in front of the approaching sea of dead before taking another deep breath for the next attack, the most powerful one he would release since arriving in this world. Under the gaze of the archers and the men he had asked to retreat, Jon shouted, "YOL TOOR SHUL!" He released the words for fire, inferno, and sun in the dragon''s tongue, causing his words to explode immediately, sending a huge wave of fire forward and flooding the sea of dead with fire. The creatures were soon engulfed in flames, hundreds of them disappearing immediately, while the dark sky was lit with their flames. The entire camp heard his words like thunder, and the explosion in the north made everyone look immediately towards the firelight, while the undead were consumed by the flames on that side of the camp. Jon didn''t stop there; while burning the entire forest in front of him, he knew this wasn''t enough. "I must reach the other parts of the camp." He quickly moved to another area of the camp, as both the eastern and western parts were under attack. He first ran to the eastern side of the camp, entering the part near the forest while cutting through the sea of dead with his dual-wielding, and as soon as he found an opening, he released another Shout in that forest. "YOL TOOR SHUL!" Once again, everyone saw the second explosion of fire emerging as the undead were consumed and the forest was set ablaze. "Now only one side is left." By setting the forest on fire, he could stop the advance of the dead, so he ran through the camp while everyone let him pass with fear and went to where the archers of Tormund''s tribe along with Ygritte were trying to stop the advance of the dead. "Retreat!" Jon shouted as he entered the vanguard on that side. "FUS!" He used his Shout once again to push back the dead, and the Free Folk men ran as he had asked, in fear. With more space, he released his breath of fire once more, and the entire forest along with more than 100 dead were burned alive as the flames destroyed everything in their path. His work there was to leave the entire forest in flames, except for the southern part, which seemed to work. The undead were burning within the forest, and their movements had finally stopped, with some still managing to come out, but the archers could deal with them, at least those who were not looking at Jon. The entire camp was looking at him strangely since this man had used a power never before seen by them, and he generated explosions of fire while releasing those thunders in an incomprehensible tongue.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. Jon didn''t care much about that as he retreated to the center of the camp, pleased that the situation was more under control. But something happened at that moment; the flames from the north seemed to diminish, and this was felt by everyone, as everything was illuminated by the fire. Jon heard people screaming on that side and narrowed his eyes but was surprised to see the archers who had been holding the line running towards the center of the camp with a look of desperation. "Why are you running?" Jon asked, frowning. "He''s here! They''ve arrived!" The man shouted at Jon. "Who?!" Jon asked. "The cold shadows!!! The ice gods are here to kill us!" A man spoke as he looked at him in fear. "Tsk. What''s going on..." He murmured before heading to that side, as the dead were invading the camp at that moment. "Hold formation, eliminate all their advance!" Jon shouted to the Free Folk to keep morale and continued advancing north, while cutting down a dead here and there that ran towards him. It didn''t take him long to reach that side after reaping many dead, and he finally saw why the men seemed so scared. Among the flames, there was a being. The flames receded in its presence as the undead passed through that opening; it was as pale as snow, with bright blue eyes and a tall, thin body. Jon noticed how it looked at the camp with evil eyes, "So this is what a White Walker is..." Jon murmured, seeing one for the first time in his life, admitting it was different from anything he had seen before. The White Walker looked at the camp surrounded by flames until its gaze fell on Jon standing and watching. Their eyes met, and the Dragonborn could feel the disdain for him. "So you''re the necromancer?" Jon asked, and even in that chaos, his voice carried some power. The creature did not respond, just looked at him, seemingly mocking his existence. "Be that as it may," Jon said, seeing he would get no answers. Tightening the grip on his weapons, he began to cut down more of the dead approaching him, and he advanced toward the creature. The White Walker looked at him curiously as his weapons touched the wights, causing them to burn the next moment. It let the Dragonborn approach and merely snorted with disdain, and Jon didn''t care as he tried to cut the creature, which made him raise an eyebrow when the White Walker dodged his cut with just its body. ''So they are faster than humans... as fast as vampires...'' Jon thought, but soon smiled, ''However, I am an expert at killing vampires, except for Serena, since she was a great lover.'' With that, Jon began to increase the strength of his attack. The creature began to struggle to dodge the attacks of this human, and at one moment, it found itself hit by Jon''s sword. Its luck that although it was a magical sword, it wasn''t magical metal, which caused the sword to shatter like glass as soon as it hit the skin of the creature. ''Is he immune to metal?'' Jon asked curiously, strangely calm for the situation, while the White Walker looked at him with a bit of anger, as if questioning how that human dared to touch him. It quickly pulled out a spear and tried to hit Jon, who moved to the side, avoiding the cold blade, stepping back a few steps. Jon spun his body with the only sword and clashed with the next attack of the White Walker, but again his sword exploded into fragments. ''Again, even your blade has this effect?'' The creature looked at him with a tone of victory, Jon maintained a serene look even without a weapon, even the dead had stopped attacking him, seeming like the White Walker was commanding to kill him personally without interference. As it attacked Jon, the Dragonborn quickly launched a silent shout, "Su Grah!" making himself faster and dodging the blade, leaving the enemy a bit surprised. He tried to stab Jon again while turning his body quite calmly. "What''s the matter, are you having a hard time there?" Jon asked with an arrogant smile. The creature frowned and tried to hit him with intensity, but Jon, seeing he couldn''t last much longer since, by this moment, the camp was infested with wights, knew he had to end this. After dodging another attack, Jon spun his body, took a deep breath, and turned his face towards the White Walker as he launched another Shout. "RUS FO!" The force wave took the White Walker by surprise, making it get thrown back against a tree while catching fire, which was extinguished just by its presence. The pale man fell to the ground at that moment, and Jon saw its spear on the ground. "Let''s see this..." Jon said as he approached and fearlessly picked up the weapon, which had no negative effect on his hand as soon as he grasped the cold weapon. "This looks like Stalhrim... how strange..." He shielded the tip as he spun the weapon to feel its weight and closely examine the metal. The creature began to rise from where it had fallen, but the White Walker no longer had a look of disdain; there was surprise, curiosity, and even fear directed at Jon as it saw him assessing its weapon. "Don''t look at me like that." Jon just smiled and decided to finally end this to deal with the wights in the camp. The creature looked at him, and the dead, who had until then ignored Jon as they ran towards the camp, suddenly changed the direction of their run and saw the Dragonborn as their target at that moment. Jon looked at this with amusement, seeing that the creature was trying to protect itself, especially with the number of undead standing between Jon and the White Walker at this moment. Jon didn''t think much, he just spun the blade once more and leaned his body to the side, while his arm was poised with the spear behind him, preparing to throw it. He quickly propelled his body, throwing the spear with such force that he didn''t even care about the dead in front of him, as the spear went at a speed breaking all the skeletons in that place while penetrating deeper into the crowd until it found its true target, who didn''t even have time to react when it saw the last of the dead breaking and its own spear piercing its chest, taking it by surprise. The creature threw its body back before balancing itself again, looking down to see that it was the weapon it used to kill its enemies, today it was being killed by it. Its body quickly started to crack, expand, and break, the next moment it exploded into pieces with a stone of ice. The creatures around began to fall to the ground, making Jon see that the death of the necromancer also ended its magic. Everyone in the camp was surprised when they saw the dead that were surrounding them, falling to the ground motionless. Jon nodded in satisfaction, there were a few wights that hadn''t fallen, but they were the vast minority and were quickly dealt with by fire. Jon walked over to the blade in the broken body of the White Walker and picked up that spear, liking the idea of using it for now. Now he had to return to the camp to see if Lucis was okay. Chapter 17 - Raid to North 07. [Chapter Size: 2100 Words.] Third Person POV. Somewhere on North. ... ... Lucis was slaughtering everything that attacked her, the dead had returned to the camp as soon as Jon had performed his sorcery, which she still didn''t understand, but knew that thanks to them, they were safe for the moment. That was until a horde of the dead emerged from the north and invaded the camp, people fought to survive, while some simply ran south in fear, others were paralyzed, falling to the ground with wights on top of them. She tried to stand firm, cutting down all the wights growling and approaching, feeling her hand burnt from contact with the fire she made them burn with Jon''s sword, yet she didn''t give up fighting, thinking only of staying alive, at least for her brother. Explosions were happening in the north at that moment, knowing Jon was using his power there, she worried about him, even knowing his strength and sorcery, since everyone knew a white walker had appeared and it was because of it that the camp was attacked again. However, while she was pressed against the dead and watched her companions dying beside her with despair rising in her heart, the dead simply collapsed on the ground. One by one, the dead began to fall, as if they had finally rested, some were still attacking them, but in much fewer numbers and were quickly taken care of by archers with fire arrows. Everything went silent as the last growls were consumed by the flames, everyone looked cautiously at the sea of dead spread across the place, kicking their bodies to see if they would move again, but they remained like immobile bodies. "By the Gods... What happened...?" An old man spoke beside her. She saw many people questioning what had happened and why the dead had stopped attacking, since they had never heard of this before. "Who cares what happened! We won!!!" A man with red hair shouted and many others joined him at that moment. The entire camp was roaring in victory, Lucis moved away from the flames generated by her sword while they still consumed the bodies and went to look for something to alleviate her pain from the burns, she dropped the sword and began to rub snow on her arms. "Lucis... Are you okay...?" Guren approached and Lucis saw that he was the man had several scratches on his body and his rib had been pierced. "I am..." She spoke. "Where is the man?" He asked, and Lucis was a bit surprised by his attitude, since his hostility towards Jon was clearly known to everyone. "He went to the north, I''m sure it was him who did something to stop the dead." She said while still rubbing her hand in the snow. "We lost so much, Karsi won''t like this..." He spoke, after all, they were one of the few who had survived from this side, the camp that had 200 before, was reduced to 50 people shouting for victory after the fight. "If we don''t count those who fled, I think only 5 of us are left." She spoke and looked at the few who remained. "Cowards!" Guren growled in pain, referring to the people who ran away instead of fighting. "They will be expelled..." She was speaking, but someone interrupted her. "It''s him! He''s bringing the weapon of the cold shadow!!" Someone pointed towards the north side of the camp and Lucis saw Jon approaching the place, holding an ice spear. "He killed a cold shadow!!!" Someone exclaimed again. "That''s why the dead stopped..." Guren murmured, looking at Jon with a certain fear now. Jon walked stepping on the dead bodies of the place as he approached the camp of the Karsi tribe, while holding his new weapon, this made everyone stop celebrating and look at him as if he was not just a southerner, but some kind of messiah, the free folk moved away with each step he approached, looking at him cautiously, after all, they had never seen someone kill a cold shadow, moreover, they had never seen a man spit fire from his mouth and everyone recognized what Jon did there, it was thanks to this stranger that they were all alive.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Jon approached Lucis, trying to ease her burns. "Jon..." she said, quite dazed, looking at the cold weapon. Jon crouched beside her and looked at her hands, while everyone still watched him. "Your hands, let me take care of them," he said and placed his hand over hers, emitting a small glow. He was not an expert in the school of restoration, but knew the basics like every Nord from Skyrim. "This will alleviate your pain for now. Later, I will make a potion for you to heal completely," he said, since alchemy was his best area for healing. Jon stood up and looked at Guren, who still regarded him quite cautiously. "You''re not in a condition to lead, I will take your place," he said, and the man just nodded. Jon turned to the camp, while everyone awaited his speech. Jon was glad that Val was alive, despite looking quite tired in a corner, and Ygritte seemed to be doing better on another side. "We must burn all the dead, we need to make a pile," he said. Initially, it was just for the Karsi tribe with the other 2 who survived, but the whole camp started to move, after all, who wouldn''t put him as leader after everything that happened. "Is it true that you killed a cold shadow?" A man asked him, gathering courage. "If you mean a white walker, yes," he said. "But how, no one has ever done that!" another said. "Indeed, my weapons broke like ice, but then I used its own weapon against it. I just had to be quicker and smarter, while the creature seemed to underestimate me," Jon said, and the men seemed to accept his story, even earning Jon a look of respect and admiration from them. After all, who could have thought of using the ice creature''s own weapon against white walkers? The rest of the night was spent with people throwing bodies into the wildfires happening outside the camp. Jon had been wrong when he said there were hundreds of dead; there were at least a thousand of them. "This isn''t right..." Jon murmured internally, looking at the camp. "Why would they use so many dead to take down a group of 200... they spent days gathering for this attack before tonight..." Jon murmured, after all, if he hadn''t been there, 100 undead could have wiped out the entire camp catching them by surprise, but sending this amount just for one group, monster or not, wasn''t smart. "The only thing that ended them was my presence... And if I was the target of this attack? The white walker didn''t seem to know about me... but if someone drew them here?" He quickly looked at some trees outside the fire and saw a crow looking at the camp from hundreds of meters away, not caring about the fire. "So it was you..." Jon murmured and went to Ygritte who had approached him in the last few minutes trying to talk to him. "Give me your bow," he said, and the girl quickly handed it over. He quickly took an arrow and turned his bow towards the tree where the crow was. The animal or whatever was behind its mind didn''t even have time to react, as it just saw the arrow embedding in its body from that distance. "Sorry about that," Jon commented, looking at the broken bow in his hand. It was a simple bow, and the force he used to reach that distance broke the weapon. "It''s okay..." Ygritte said, still trying to understand why Jon had done that, but she didn''t ask much. The rest of the night was spent organizing the camp, and Jon ended up becoming the leader of all those present, commanding the place to clean up and prepare for a new attack before they left the place. He returned to his tent, which remained intact after the attack, and saw Lucis in bed. He approached with a pot containing a paste made from herbs he had gathered and sat beside the bed. "This will help improve your burns," Jon said as he took her hands and applied the paste. "Thank you..." she said with a blush on her face, being touched and cared for in that way. "It''s nothing. There''s something I must warn you about," Jon spoke, now in a serious tone, causing Lucis to look at him with a questioning gaze. "I''m leaving," he commented. "Are you going back to the south?" she asked, more worried than she intended. "No, I''m heading north. This attack... That warg is trying to kill me," Jon spoke with a firm tone. "But who is he, no warg in the camp can do what he does..." Lucis commented, after all, Jon had been after this warg for many days, but without success. "It''s true, but you saw my clairvoyance spell, I''ll follow the line until I find him, he won''t stop until I kill him," Jon said in the same tone. "Can I go with you?" she asked, leaving Jon a bit surprised by that. "No, it will be dangerous. You think this attack will be the only one? I must go alone," Jon said with no room for discussion, it was better for him to go alone, Lucis would be safer returning to the camp. "I understand..." she murmured a bit frustrated, already knowing she would be more of a nuisance than a help to Jon. "Don''t worry, I''ll be back soon," Jon said. "Just be safe..." she spoke softly. After that, Jon returned to commanding the camp, Val approached him at that moment. "So we''re going back... I hope to find those cowards who fled before I kill them myself," Val growled, not accepting the cowards who ran instead of fighting that night. "It''s no longer safe here, I''ve passed some instructions to Lucis on where to set up camp at a higher location we passed, you''ll have more success watching the north from there," Jon said aside, and Val looked at him strangely. "You talk as if you''re not coming with us, Snow," she joked. "Because it''s true, I''m heading north, I have something to settle there," Jon spoke. "Then I''m coming with you," she declared. "No, this group needs a leader, you''re the best option for them to return alive," Jon wanted to pass the command to Val. "You... Forget it. If you say you''re going to do this, who can stop you," Val still wanted to go with him, but Jon didn''t seem to accept her help and asked her to command. If someone was to venture north with all the danger at this time, Jon was the only bet for survival, so she nodded in the end. "Just stay alive," she commented. "Of course, I''ll return," Jon spoke, and he returned to Lucis, organizing his last things. The temporary camp soon began to dismantle, having to abandon many things, since 75% of the people had died or fled. Thus, everyone prepared, Jon no longer needed to carry anything, placing his equipment and supplies in his dimensional space. "The cold shadow slayer isn''t coming with us?!" the Free Folk exclaimed with some apprehension, Jon was their current safe haven after what happened during the night. "Something sent those dead to us and it''s in the north, so I''m going to hunt it," Jon declared, and no one could disagree with his words. Jon continued. "Val will take command to return, I''ll come back to the camp as soon as I settle the situation," Jon said to everyone. Then they began the march to the camp, Lucis approached him. "Jon, stay safe," she took the initiative to kiss him for the first time, after all, she had been in love with him for a long time, but remained shy. Jon nodded after the kiss and kissed her forehead. "I will return soon, take care and use your weapon against anything that threatens you." "Yes, when we see each other again, I will be an even better warrior," she declared, and Jon smiled. After Lucis went on the march, Jon was left alone in the camp while many looked back to see him, he sighed and turned to the north region. "Now let''s start the hunt," he declared, beginning to take his first steps. Chapter 18 - Hunting The Three-eyed Raven 01. [Chapter Size: 2100 Words.] Third Person POV. Somewhere on North. ... ... The sun was still announcing the beginning of the day as Jon calmly walked through the forest. He had strayed a few kilometers from the camp while heading west with his trail of light. He continued through the forest, cutting through dense thickets, crossing some rivers, and even climbing some elevations to follow the quickest path according to the best shortcuts revealed by his clairvoyance magic. As the sun reached its midday position, Jon decided to stop for a meal before continuing. He conjured a spell and summoned 4 spectral wolves, which appeared in front of him, howling softly. "Go after tracks, leave the rest of the work to me," Jon ordered, and the spectral wolves, obeying their master, quickly began to sniff the ground in search of the scent of any animal, the bigger, the better. It didn''t take long, as they quickly found a trail of a fox and followed in that direction. Jon nodded and followed them, after all, there was no living animal nearby for him to use his detect life spell on. They continued until the wolves signaled that the animal was close. He began to dissipate his summonings and started to follow the path on his own, as he didn''t want to hunt an animal with his conjuration, something inappropriate for many gods in Skyrim. He didn''t have a bow, so he decided to do it the old-fashioned way by drawing a sword from his storage space, holding it in his hands, ready to launch his attack as soon as he was ready. He proceeded until he found a clearing with small, almost imperceptible marks on the ground before using his detect life magic, seeing the exact position of his target, which was eating some small prey it had caught in the forest. He raised his sword and prepared to enter the site, which quickly noticed the human appearing. Before it could react, Jon threw the sword with his hand, hitting a critical point directly on the fox, which fell dead the next moment, dying without suffering. Jon approached and began to pull out his embedded sword while leaving the site with the carcass, creating a small fire while cleaning its skin. He kept his conjurations up again to monitor the area, "Just don''t attack it, ignore it," Jon gave his last order before the wolves entered the forest. He continued cleaning the animal until it was good in his view and placed it on the spit while the sword was used as a skewer. A while later, when it was ready, Jon looked to one side of the forest and couldn''t help but smile. "Are you going to keep following me all the time hidden? Or will you come out?" He said, and a woman emerged from the forest. "You knew I was following you the whole time, didn''t you?" She asked as she approached. "Not for long, just a few hours. There wouldn''t have been any way for me to tell you to return to the group going back to Mance''s camp, Ygritte," Jon said to the red-haired girl. "I''m a good hunter, I caught your trail since you left and waited a bit to not be too obvious. After all, I saw strange creatures that I could see the other side of, as if it was invisible, and their footprints are here too. I thought they were some kind of cold shadow or creature of theirs, but they''re circling around you, meaning they''re yours... What are those things?" She asked, still remembering the shock when she saw the spectral wolves, their bodies ethereal and their eyes the only strong color, so Ygritte had quite a scare when she saw them. "They''re my summonings with magic, but that doesn''t matter now. Are you going to tell me what you''re doing here?" Jon asked in a more serious tone. "I came to follow you. I wanted to know what the man who can spit fire from his mouth came to do on this side," Elsa said without any shame. "You don''t know how dangerous that can be," Jon said. "We all saw you fight, you can handle anything. You don''t fight like a man, are you some kind of God?" She asked curiously, studying him. "Haha. No, I''m a mortal, special with a dragon''s soul, but you can''t classify me as a deity," Jon said amusingly, finding it hilarious that people compared him to the divine, even though he had had to kill a god here and there. "Dragon? What''s that?" she asked curiously, having never heard the word before. "A quite legendary creature, but they no longer exist in this world, or at least that''s what everyone believes," Jon spoke, though he could feel something in the southeast and north direction, he still claimed they were extinct. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. "I don''t really understand what you mean," she admitted. "It''s hard to explain," he said, since the concept of a dragon was hard to explain and he didn''t master illusion to generate an appropriate image. "Good thing we have plenty of time! After all, there''s no way I can go back now, is there?" she said with a sly smile. "You really like putting yourself in danger, don''t you?" he said sarcastically. "Don''t worry, I can take care of myself," she said. "You saw what we faced yesterday. We might encounter something worse," Jon warned. "You can protect me like yesterday," she stubbornly retorted. "Fine, just stay close to me and don''t disobey me," Jon said in the end, tired of the girl and her insistence, but he could do nothing but have her accompany him, it was better than wandering around alone. "That''s great!" she exclaimed happily, and Ygritte looked at the food roasting in Jon''s hand holding the sword. "Here," Jon said, cutting off a piece of meat with another blade. "Thank you," she said in the end and began to eat with her hands, where Jon did the same as they ate in silence. As soon as they finished devouring a large part of the fox, Jon began to organize things to leave, but effortlessly since he had many supplies inside his dimensional space. They started walking again with Jon leading, it was not as quiet as before because... "You really aren''t a god?" Ygritte asked. "No..." Jon replied. "Are you sure?" she insisted. "I am," he responded. "But men can''t do those things, whatever it has to do with that dragon you mentioned," she commented. "Just understand that I can do things no one else can," he said. "Can you teach me?" she asked with interest. "I doubt it," Jon said, knowing it was impossible. "Those wolves, are they circling us?" Ygritte asked. "Yes," Jon said directly. "How do you call them?" she said, looking around trying to find a spectral wolf. "Like this," Jon said, imagining how it might be difficult to explain the concept behind the wolf, and a dark purple energy appeared in his hand before he released it, creating a ball of the same color in a nearby corner, and a fire woman emerged from it. "WHAT IS THAT!?" Ygritte screamed as she fell backward at the sight of this summoning. "This is an atronach..." Jon said as the fire woman approached him and began to spin in the air. "SHE ISN''T TOUCHING THE GROUND AND STILL RELEASES FIRE ONTO THE EARTH?!" Ygritte couldn''t believe her eyes, this creature was flying some distance off the ground and created a line of fire below her. "That''s how I summon my wolves, with my magic. This atronach is a very special summoning, once I ended up entering a tribe of giants after falling from a dragon I had just killed, the giants were not very pleased with me and the dead dragon destroying their homes on the fall, I had to fight them and summoned 15 atronachs to deal with 50 giants, this event was quite amazing and thrilling," Jon spoke with some pleasure of one of his major adventures in Skyrim. Ygritte looked at him as if he had a second head, wondering if what he said was really real, but the fire woman in front of her clearly was, so she decided not to dwell on it. Jon sent the atronach back to Oblivion and told Ygritte to continue the journey through a forest of dry pines. "You..." Ygritte was going to speak, but Jon raised his hand to stop her. "Silence... there''s something wrong," he said and looked in some direction. Suddenly, he heard his wolf howling and growling in the distance, opening his spell he saw movements in the forest heading towards them. He returned his gaze to a confused Ygritte. "You, climb that tree," he ordered, and after hesitating a bit, she did just that. Jon grabbed his White Walker spear and prepared for what was to come. The silence of the forest was soon broken by the sound of footsteps approaching their direction. He simply readied himself in his combat stance while Ygritte looked on bewildered at what was happening. The area was somewhat open, so they could see the first animals coming. It was 2 bears and a dozen wolves, running towards them. She used her conjuration magic and summoned an ice atronach, a giant frozen rock appeared next to Jon, and he readied himself for the crowd of animals that was approaching. The wolves were the first to reach him, as he quickly cut down the first ones while they yelped in pain and fell dead on the ground, but these were not the only wolves. Many of them were already on Jon, while some were crushed by the ice atronach. Ygritte wasted no time in shooting arrows at them too. Jon went into the mode he did when facing the dead the previous night, he simply shut his mind off while starting to slash everything, dodging the animals. A wolf jumped from behind him, baring its fangs, Jon quickly spun his body and made a perfect cut in its neck. The bears finally arrived as well, Jon dodged two swipes while Ygritte buried arrows in them, but they kept attacking, uncaring of the blood flowing from their wounds. Jon, tired of this, prepared his shout. "Raan Mir Tah!" he shouted, echoing like thunder through the pine forest. The animals, all of them, suddenly stopped, becoming non-aggressive. With his shout, he could turn all wildlife into his ally, and he hadn''t used it before because he didn''t know it would work and wanted to know what was happening, but there was no way for him to find out now. "How did you?" Ygritte asked, stunned, looking at all the animals now standing in place, making no move. "Don''t shoot them anymore, they will no longer be our enemies," Jon said. Ygritte jumped down from her tree and approached, looking cautiously at all the animals. "They''re not dead... why were they attacking us?" she asked worriedly. "That''s true... They were being controlled, it''s that Warg... He knows we''re here and heading to his location, isn''t it the first time he''s tried to kill me and it certainly won''t be the last, so be very alert on this journey. I managed to end his control over these animals, but he can still summon the dead and White Walkers like he did last night," Jon said. "Was it him who brought those cold shadows?" Ygritte asked, concerned. "It''s hard to explain, but yes. His target is me. It seems he doesn''t want me to exist in this world, so I''m going to kill him." Jon was sure that the number of the dead that appeared the previous night was not normal, so it was certain that being was behind these animals, and this attack just confirmed it. "Prepare to continue the journey," Jon said as he was surrounded by wolves, bears, shadowcats, foxes, all standing still waiting for his command, while there was also the ice atronach now standing still, not attacking anyone. Chapter 19 - Hunting The Three-eyed Raven 02. [Chapter Size: 2200 Words.] Third Person POV. Somewhere on North. ... ... Jon looked around at the animals, some still wounded with arrows or damages inflicted by the atronach. He began to execute each one with a clean death, as they wouldn''t have survived much longer anyway. He also went to all the bodies and started to absorb them into his dimensional space, since they would serve as his sustenance in the coming days, and now he had a sizable stockpile. He glanced at a crow at some distance again. "That damned thing is still spying..." Jon murmured as Ygritte looked on curiously. This time, Jon didn''t take Ygritte''s bow; instead, he conjured his conjuration magic, and a spectral bow appeared in Jon''s hand. He aimed at the crow from a distance and released the arrow. The crow had started to fly away as it saw him aim, but Jon, an experienced man for whom a crow was nothing, calculated its trajectory and launched his arrow, hitting it in mid-air as it tried to escape. The spectral arrow pierced through the crow, causing it to fall lifelessly to the ground. "Wait, you can create a bow? You broke mine yesterday." She said, unsatisfied, as if everything Jon had done until now was normal and she was upset for having lost her last bow and having to get another from the tribe. "Don''t complain. I didn''t want to show these skills in front of so many people. Now we need to find a place to rest." Jon said and looked at the animals waiting for his order. "Scour the area. Any crow that appears, or animal controlled, attack them." Jon commanded, his control would not wane until he used another Shout, so he could keep them as his guards for the night. She saw all the animals disperse into the forest to encircle them. His attention now returned to the girl with red hair. "Let''s go, we need to find a place." He said, and she nodded. It didn''t take long for them to find a place later on, at a higher elevation, where Jon placed his items in the dimensional space. "You do such incredible things... it''s no wonder you''re screwing Lucis and Val at the same time." Ygritte spoke without any shame in her words, after all, she was direct. Jon could deny it, but said nothing, after all, why would he waste his time on something trivial like trying to deny something like that, he was more focused on preparing dinner. "Do you want to eat another fox?" Jon asked as he took another carcass from his space and set it up for cooking. While Ygritte nodded, assisting him in some things to help him as she cleaned some of the carcasses while he prepared the fire. He prepared the meal, and the sun began to set on the horizon as the campfire started to be their only illumination that night. During the night, there was another animal attack, but their own animals fought their enemies around them, leaving none alive while the sounds of the animals ran all night long. Jon began to summon atronachs to patrol around the camp. "Will we be safe?" Ygritte asked with some fear in her voice, after all, it''s not every day that a group of murderous animals tries to attack them while they sleep. "It''s going to be a long night, but we''ll be fine. Try to ignore the animal screams and try to sleep." Jon advised. He entered the tent some time later, and Ygritte followed him. Jon lay down in his bed on the ground that he had prepared, while Ygritte did the same with the bed beside him. He lay down calmly, while she still cast some glances at him. Of course, he knew it, but he ended up ignoring it, as it might not hold up, and there wasn''t an atmosphere for it, while animals kept screaming to death outside, through the forest. So, he found it kind of a turn-off. The night continued while animals continued to kill each other. It seemed that the warg that had summoned them was persistent and wanted to kill Jon at all costs, and the night began to pass, giving way to dawn.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. As the first rays of sunlight appeared, Jon opened his eyes, stretched, and began to get up. Ygritte also woke up with him; after all, she hadn''t slept well that night. He ended up opening the tent entrance and stepping outside, noticing there were some animals that had gotten through their defenses and were killed by the flaming atronachs, still patrolling the area. They were still summoned, fed by his magic that was wearing thin, but Jon, as an archmage, had plenty of magic, so maintaining all the atronachs summoned all night wasn''t a difficult task. Thus, seeing that everything was fine and there seemed to be no more animals attacking them, he began to prepare the first meal of the morning, while Ygritte also came out of the tent. She looked, surprised, at the chaotic scene and asked him, "Were all those animals killed?" She raised this question since seeing the bodies of enemy animals here only meant one thing. "I haven''t checked, but probably yes. It seems the warg made an effort tonight, but in the end, it failed," Jon said and prepared something for them to eat. Jon and Ygritte were eating, until Jon noticed something again and conjured another bow, shooting at a crow that appeared again to spy on them. "This thing is persistent..." Ygritte said with a tone of dissatisfaction. Jon didn''t comment much on Ygritte''s remark and his gaze returned to the dead animals. "We should burn more animals, but we don''t have time for that," Jon said, as the place was littered with animal bodies and he didn''t want to spend the entire day gathering them for cremation. "We can''t burn them, but I can do something, at least." He said and looked at the atronachs dancing through the camp, "Search all the carcasses in the area and burn them all." The creatures nodded as they spun in the air, and began to run throughout the area creating lines of fire across the ground and snow. "How far are we going on this journey?" Ygritte asked, curious. Jon sighed and looked at his line of light with clairvoyance. "I don''t know yet. After all, we''re just following a trail, but it shouldn''t be too far. After all, it seems that the powers of this warg are increasing the closer we get," Jon concluded, after all, he was never attacked by animals at Mance''s camp, just being spied on. After breakfast, he began to pack his things and put them in the dimensional space again before continuing their journey. The other summons had done their job and disappeared, returning to Oblivion. "Let''s go," Jon said, and they started heading west again. The rest of the day was peaceful, and Ygritte always asking questions about things she could imagine in her limited experience, she wanted to know more about the place he claimed to be from before coming to the true north, which she later learned was Skyrim. "So you were a father there? I doubt there weren''t women who didn''t want you to steal them." She said passing a fallen tree. "We don''t use that term there..." Jon laughed at that. "But yes, I had many lovers, but never had anything more serious. Although many wanted to marry, I couldn''t do that at that time, my life was always too hectic and dangerous in those lands." Jon admitted, Alduin, gods, demons, monsters, animals, wars, bandits, werewolves, vampires, Thalmor, dungeons, natural hazards, and even another Dragonborn were his constant dangers, but in the end, he triumphed over them all. "So you''re not a father...?" She asked, running alongside him to keep up as she faced him with that question. "No, I''m not a father," John said as he walked beside her without looking at the girl. "But I adopted 2 little girls some time ago. I left them with trusted friends, hoping they would have a happy life." Jon said sincerely as he looked up at the sky, after all, Skyrim was no longer his home. "I see. But do you think about being a father one day?" she asked again. "Of course. I think every man thinks about it. Everyone wants to leave their genetics, their legacy," John spoke, before continuing. "Although, many years ago, I never wanted that. But I changed my mind after seeing what the world is really like," he concluded. "I see," she said as they arrived at a fissure in the ground, which was much larger than 3 meters. "Can we get across this?" Ygritte asked, looking bewildered at the huge hole she couldn''t see the bottom of as she tried to peer into it on tiptoe. Her feet slipped with the sudden crumbling of the edge, while Jon quickly caught her before she fell down. With a scream, she found herself back on solid ground. "Be careful." He said with a smile as she looked at him bewildered. "Thank you..." Was all she said. "Now we''ll get across, just hold on tight," Jon spoke as he approached her again and took her by the waist, surprising her once more with his actions. "What are you doin¡ª" she didn''t have time to finish, as Jon jumped from one side to the other, not seeming like a normal maneuver, leaping more than 3 meters, which no human could do. "Done. Let''s continue," Jon said, and she still felt stunned but followed him. They continued, and Jon couldn''t help but look at that fissure circling the area with interest. "There are some tectonic plate fissures in this area..." He murmured. "Tec, what?" Ygritte asked, curious about this new word. "Forget it, nobody in this place knows what I''m talking about." Jon said, knowing that Westeros wasn''t the most developed place to know about these things. She didn''t persist on this topic and returned to talking about this Skyrim where Jon was. "Tell me more about this place where you were," she asked still with curiosity. Jon began to speak. "My life was quite hectic in Skyrim, you could say that," he spoke. "It was basically kill, kill, and kill. Hardly having time for myself or a peaceful life," he said. Ygritte said nothing, waiting for him to continue. "You know, when I thought my life would finally calm down in that place," Jon paused and continued, "something happened, and I came here, to this very place, because I was told some very interesting information. Seeing that my life was just a lie here, so I came seeking vengeance," Jon spoke sincerely. He wasn''t a good Samaritan, the Dragonborn, and was never an altruistic person. He''s just a normal person, with ambitions and varied feelings for each thing. He intended to avenge himself and give rest to the soul of his mother, something he always wanted to know in his childhood. And he knew that, if he wanted to move forward, he would have to do that. "And what do you plan to do now?" she asked. He took a deep breath and looked at her. "Kill, kill, and kill. That''s what I''m going to continue doing," Jon was not dishonest. He really was going to avenge all his enemies. They continued on their way until suddenly they found something interesting. He saw an area with geysers. It seemed his theory was right about having some earth fissures, and surely there was lava underground. Jon, knowing this, quickly tried to look for a lake or something; after all, he needed to take a good bath. "What are you doing?" she asked, curious. "I''m looking for a place to take a bath," he said while looking around, but only stopped looking when he found a fissure and a type of boulder. He saw smoke coming out from the hole and nodded satisfied. "Come with me," he said, and the girl followed. Approaching the spot, he raised his hand and tried to open the fissure, but without success. Seeing the small hole with the smoke coming out and the sound of water inside, he knew that place was perfect. Then, he raised his hand before turning back to the girl. "Stay back." She nodded and stepped away as Jon was about to punch the rock. *Boom!* His punch made a rocky sound as fissures began to spread, surprising Ygritte, seeing the rock react that way to his fists. Jon continued punching, and more and more fissures began to spread, starting to break the spot, it didn''t take long to finally open a large passage while the rocks fell to the ground and Jon smiled at that. "Let''s go. I''d like to relax a bit," Jon said, realizing he would, for the first time, take a decent bath in this world. And Ygritte followed. Then they entered the cave. Chapter 20 - Hunting The Three-eyed Raven 03. (SMUT) [Chapter Size: 1700 Words.] Third Person POV. Somewhere on North. ... ... Jon and Ygritte entered the cave as darkness began to envelop everything around them. Seeing this, Jon clenched and unclenched his hand, creating a "lightmage". The spell quickly glowed, hovering in the air above Jon''s head, illuminating the entire place. Now with the place lit and visible, Ygritte couldn''t help but exclaim, "This is amazing!", surprised, she looked up at the ceiling filled with stalactite rocks, dripping in place, and the sound of running water ahead, but still invisible to them. "It looks like we''ve found a hidden grotto," Jon said satisfied, before starting to move forward and try to find where the water flow was coming from. The place was filled with steam vapor. "What is this? I''ve never seen this before. It''s warm..." Ygritte said, surprised by the steam, and Jon continued forward until they found a large lake with a small waterfall coming out from the bottom of the boulder cracks, circling the entire place. "It seems we''ve finally found a great spot," Jon said calmly, with satisfaction in his tone, as he stretched. "I''m going to take a bath. I hope you don''t mind," he said as he began to remove his clothes, unconcerned with Ygritte watching him, especially his muscles and scars he had gained in his own battles. Without wasting time, he jumped into the water smoothly and resurfaced, shaking his head with a satisfied smile. "I needed that," he commented, and looked surprised as Ygritte approached the small lake naked, entering the water as well, since she also wanted to enjoy the spot. She entered the water gently, unlike him, who was more aggressive, enjoying the warmth. "This is so nice. I''ve never experienced such warm water before," she commented, looking at Jon with a smile. Jon just gave a half-smile with his lips closed, while also looking at her. It didn''t take long for the two to get closer to each other, looking at each other and moving a lip towards the other to kiss. After all, a naked single man and woman in such a place could only lead to one thing, as Jon was aware of her interest in him, and he was not averse to her either. They began to kiss, with Jon grabbing her butt under the water, moving his lips to her neck as Ygritte moaned. Ygritte began to kiss his face and looked at him with a small smile of desire. "Take me as yours, Jon Snow," she said, before going back to kissing him. And Jon did not hold back as he began to run his hand all over her slim body, as she melted, feeling all his muscles. Jon, feeling nothing less than eager as he felt his penis erect, began to take her to a corner of the lake where there were some rocks and started kissing her there. The atmosphere began to heat up, and Jon picked her up and placed her on a rock, surprising her, while he still remained in the water, but went back to kissing her, not limiting himself to her neck and lips, kissing her body, going down bit by bit, passing by her breasts, her belly, and lifting her legs to see her private parts. "What are you doin..." she couldn''t finish before she began to moan, as Jon performed oral on her, something Ygritte had never felt before. She moaned, feeling his tongue, caressing each of her parts. Ygritte seemed to be lost in pleasure, as she couldn''t even handle what she was feeling at that moment.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Jon did not stop, bringing the girl to her climax in the next 3 minutes. She let out a scream in the cave, while her sound echoed throughout the place. "What was that?" she asked, moaning, a bit scared by that, and looked at Jon, in the middle of her legs, who was just smiling at her. "You got there faster than I imagined," he said, keeping his smile. He kissed her again, moving up, passing over her belly, breasts, neck, and back to her lips, as she kissed him back passionately and wildly. Ygritte, still taken by pleasure, wasted no time while he stood and took hold of his penis with one hand, stroking it and drawing him closer, wrapping her legs around his buttocks and pulling him between them. Jon was a bit surprised when she did this and even more so when she held his penis and guided it to the entrance of her vagina, which was already wet and lubricated after what had happened. "Ahhh..." She moaned as he entered her, and Jon helped as he slid in easily, and she moaned, feeling that member inside her, large and warm. Jon just smiled, grabbing her buttock with one hand, while she still remained on the rock and he, outside of it. He wanted to feel the girl forcefully, after all, it had been a long time since he had had such an experience, and began to move inside her slowly, as the girl began to moan, increasing the intensity every moment since he liked a wilder pleasure, and the girl seemed to not hate it as she moaned louder and scratched his body while digging her nails into him. He continued for another 10 minutes non-stop, as the girl reached her climax again, taking a bit longer because she had just been there a moment before. "I''m coming!" she screamed, and Jon felt his member enveloped by her liquid, as he did not stop, making it harder and she screamed even louder with the stimulus. He felt himself getting there too, as she, for the second time, clung to his neck and began to scratch his back with such feeling. And when he finally stopped ejaculating in her, she looked at Jon with a half-closed look of desire and tiredness. "Are you tired yet?" Jon asked, giving her a kiss on her lips. She looked at him before moving away a bit and said in a playful tone, "Of course, you know nothing, Jon Snow," as she started to push him into the water and went down too, turning her body backwards. "Make me yours, from this side," she said lifting her buttocks to him while placing her elbow on the rock, and John, willingly, complied. He penetrated her easily and began to move as he hit her buttocks hard, making her scream, not out of pain, but with pleasure. After all, it was just the two of them, so she didn''t mind letting go there. Jon continued for more than 15 minutes, feeling that he wanted to get there, and that''s what he did, finishing inside her without care, as she moaned, feeling him inside. He turned her around and began to kiss her again, while she did not reject. She touched his penis in the water, noticing it had softened a bit after his climax, and looked at him before asking, mischievously, "Are you tired?" Jon just smiled as he came out of their kiss and went to the shore, sitting on the rock from before. He asked her to come closer and took his penis with one hand and the girl''s neck with the other, bringing her close to his member. She was a bit surprised by this, as Jon made her open her mouth and introduced his member into her. "What are you doing?!" She asked, surprised as she took his penis out of her mouth, quite surprised by this, since she had never heard of such a thing. "Put it back, just suck on it and don''t use your teeth as a hammer." Jon instructed her, and Ygritte did so, placing it back in her mouth. Jon instructed her to move as she performed oral on him and felt something growing inside her. She began to adjust and perform the oral very well, as Jon felt himself getting harder. After a while, he felt ready again. He lifted her from under her armpits out of the water, placing her on top of him. "Now, let''s change positions, I want you jumping on me." As he guided her, and she, adjusting his penis inside her vagina, sat on top and quickly started to move with pleasure. She began to move her buttocks, swirling and feeling more pleasure, letting herself be taken over by her actions, Ygritte started to jump on top of Jon for the next 5 minutes as she felt her limit at every moment. "I''m going to come!!" She declared as she felt her body tremble. Jon felt her climax on top of his penis, as she finally had stopped screaming and writhing, she leaned down while settling on top of him, with her breasts against his chest, trying to rest a bit. "I''m so tired," she said, revealing her fatigue in her tone. "You still haven''t satisfied my friend down there; I think you should help me out too," Jon said, still not satisfied being hard without being able to climax. She looked at him and didn''t want to leave him like that. "Alright, fuck me in a position where I don''t have to move." She spoke. John understood and laid her on her side while he stayed on his back, he took his hard penis and placed it between her buttocks, entering her as both were still lying on the rock, starting to move again, finding his satisfaction some time later. "Are you satisfied, Jon Snow?" she asked after feeling him climax inside her. Jon just smiled. "I am, but I think you won''t be able to continue this journey for a while. Let''s rest here today and leave tomorrow. I doubt that Warg knows we''re here. After all, I was sure that this place had no animals nearby. However, I will freeze the entrance to make sure," Jon spoke, letting her rest while he went back to the entrance and prepared the place for them to spend the night safely. Chapter 21 - Hunting The Three-eyed Raven 04. [Chapter Size: 2000 Words.] Third Person POV. Somewhere on North. ... ... After spending another night in the cave, they finally decided to continue their journey. Ygritte was still a bit tired since they had made love several times during the night; after all, she had enjoyed the experience a lot and took the initiative to continue, even though her body was still screaming for some rest. "Let''s go." Jon said, packing everything into his dimensional space and started to leave the place, while he shattered the ice he had created at the entrance with a punch. "You know you''ve stolen me now, right?" he told her as they exited through the cave opening. "Do you accept this even knowing I might be with two other women?" He asked her as he looked against the morning light. "A strong man always has more than one wife." She retorted. Jon just nodded, seeing that things in this world were different. Even though he had seen many things in his young life, it was still a bit surprising how people in the north dealt with marriage in such a wild manner, almost like the Forsworn, groups of wildlings that Jon had to kill many of. "For us, in the north of the wall, women always seek men who can provide strong children, so women accept sharing a strong man." She said, even placing a hand on her belly. "And I want to have a child," she said without any shame. "I wouldn''t like that, not here," Jon looked at her with a raised eyebrow, after all, he didn''t want to have a child north of the wall. "Our child will be strong, so don''t worry about him," she still rebutted stubbornly. "I will take you south of the wall before that happens." He said, starting to enter the forest, passing through more fissures in the ground. "Are you going to take me to the south?" She said surprised, "Like to those stone houses where the kneelers live?" She said with some expectation. "Yes, but not now. Besides, forget about it for now, let''s continue our journey and stay alert for any animals that appear, especially the crows." He said before once again releasing his summoning magic with the specters to scout the area for any creature or even the crow. They continued until they left the Pine forest and the ground fissures behind, passing through some more holes, and finally emerged into an open space before the rest of the forest, which was a large frozen lake, circling the place and heading West, before entering that side of the forest. "We''re getting close, since it is still persistent." Jon said as he looked around, where he and Ygritte were surrounded by the carcasses of at least 16 dead animals. Once again, they had been attacked while Jon devastated all of them along with his conjurations without letting them get close to Ygritte. "How can he control so many animals? We''ve never heard of a Warg like this..." Ygritte kept repeating this phrase throughout the journey, after all, if there was such a powerful warg, who among the free folk wouldn''t know him, Sixskins was famous, but compared to what they''re facing, his power is mediocre. "If you didn''t know someone like this, it means that this person is plotting something, after all, they want to remain hidden and targeted me for some reason, which turned out to be their death sentence, for I will kill them as soon as I find them." Jon said as he started to burn the bodies, taking something that he didn''t kill with magic. Jon only ate the game his blade cut and refused to take anything his magic or summons killed, as he had said before, this was against the beliefs of many gods in Tamriel. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. "It doesn''t matter now, we must continue. This being is dangerous, and I have to eliminate it," Jon said, heading into the forest. As they entered, night fell, Jon had already set up a camp for them to sleep. Their animals alerted them to an attack coming for them, and this night was no different... Except that what they faced were not animals, but a group of Wights following the light of their fire, or so it seemed. The dead were first fought by their wolves as they howled to alert their master. They managed to kill some before being killed by the small horde. "I''ll take care of them, just stay back with arrows ready by the fire and take this." Jon said, handing a runic sword to her. He opened his dimensional space and took out the spear he had won from the White Walker. The first wights emerged from the forest and advanced against Jon as they reached the camp space, with Jon cutting down the first ones. The ice weapon had an even better effect against these creatures than fire, because it only took piercing them for them to fall to the ground inert. There was no White Walker in this horde of 40-60 wights, so he quickly began to deal with them as more and more came out of the forest. Ygritte helped in the rear with fire arrows, killing some that approached her from the flanks, but she set them ablaze with the sword, while Jon took care of most of them. It took no more than half an hour for the last to fall and the place to take on a night silence again, only with the flames burning the bodies on the ground from Ygritte''s arrows and her sword. Jon released some atronachs to burn the bodies and kill any that appeared again, after all, he was just having fun that night, which is why he fought on his own. The next day, after resting for a few more hours while their creatures patrolled the area, they continued on their way until they found traces of people in the place and it didn''t take long to see an abandoned village, devastated some time ago. "This was just a few moons ago..." Jon said, analyzing the place. There were cremated bones, but it was not difficult to see that most of this place was dead or worse... "They didn''t even manage to escape, did they?" Ygritte commented, looking at the blood staining some tents, with holes that had been made by wights when they launched their attack. "You''re right." Jon spoke those words only. They weren''t his people, after all, Jon couldn''t care much for the inhabitants of this world, he was a stranger here, but he knew the situation was quite sad. He recognized that the Free Folk had many bad people among them, even entire tribes that should be killed, in his opinion. But many tribes among all the people who live beyond the wall were still people who just wanted to live their lives in peace. However, the White Walkers began to return, and peace in the north became a fight for survival, having no choice but to form a force to launch an attack over the wall. "Most of the northern people are already dead, and if we don''t cross the wall, no one will survive..." Ygritte commented, looking at the broken and burned tents while the snow almost completely covered them. "Let''s continue, we have nothing here," Jon spoke, and Ygritte nodded as they left the village, continuing their way through the dark forest woods. The rest of the day was quiet, without any interference from the warg. They continued on their way, going deeper into the forest until they found a high peak and saw a quite attractive view. They could see the forest stretching below them with a large frozen lake in the middle of the place. It was a unique sight. "How beautiful..." Ygritte murmured. "Let''s keep going." Jon spoke again, not wanting to waste his time here. They continued down the peak, following along the line of the spell that Jon was casting. As soon as they entered the forest, new attacks began again from animals; they found themselves facing animals and the undead. "How persistent..." Ygritte complained, but already accustomed to the density of the pressure they were under, because she was with Jon, after all, no one but him could survive that. "It seems we''ve arrived..." Jon commented, stopping some time after eliminating a group of bears. Along the way, there was a large tree with red flowers, even Jon didn''t know a weirwood could get so big. "I''ve never seen such a large sacred tree..." Ygritte murmured. "He''s there, I can feel it," Jon said, sensing a magical presence in that place, much more powerful than anything he had felt in this world, yet still weak compared to the greater powers he had felt in Tamriel. They continued toward the tree, until reaching a spot with more open space and a snow dune covering the sand, Jon stopped Ygritte. "Wait... Something''s coming," he said, seeing a large group of animals emerging from the dune. "He knew we were coming and prepared a large army to stop us," Jon spoke, looking at various animals that began to appear in the area, there were wolves, crows, bears, shadow cats, foxes, and various small animals, and even 2 mammoths as they made the snow crack. "This guy... he really is cautious and prepared," Jon murmured calmly. "Let''s see if he hasn''t learned the last lesson." He said, and took a deep breath before launching his Shout. "RAAN MIR TAH" His thu''um echoed like thunder while Ygritte covered her ears from it, making even the trees shake, however, it didn''t have the effect Jon imagined, because he couldn''t tame them. The animals still stared at him with fierce teeth, ready to kill him. "It seems that being so close to him, I can''t control the animals?" Jon wondered while scratching his chin, but opened a small smile murmuring. "Interesting." "Jon, what are we going to do? Can we handle this? There are at least hundreds of them," Ygritte, worried, asked quite scared, seeing that crowd of animals, very different from what they had faced until now. "Yeah, I think there must be about 500 there," Jon spoke calmly, while analyzing the whole situation. The situation wasn''t good for him, but still, he was trained and had the experience of many similar situations, he didn''t easily shake. He sighed and turned to Ygritte. "Whatever is going to happen here, it''s better you''re not close. I''ll deal with them, but you have to hide, understand? This place won''t be safe even if I try to protect you," he said. "No, I can''t leave you alone here with all of them," she said fiercely. "Sorry, Ygritte, but you won''t be able to help much. Leave this to me," Jon spoke seriously. Ygritte, a bit reluctantly, nodded in the end. After all, who was she compared to this man whom everyone considered a God? As she began to move back, Jon quickly started to summon various creatures from Oblivion. He summoned two storm atronachs, while placing 4 fire atronachs to protect Ygritte at a distance. He summoned wolves, bears, saber-toothed tigers in spectral forms to fight against the army in front of him. The Warg''s animals, didn''t waste any more time: both Jon with his group, and the enemy animals started running towards each other, as the Warg''s animals roared, the spectrals were not far behind. Chapter 22 - Hunting The Three-eyed Raven 05. [Chapter Size: 1900 Words.] Third Person POV. Somewhere on North. ... ... Among the snow scattered across the ground, she began to rise as a sound started to be heard, spreading in slow motion as the thousands of footprints hit the ground. There was a group of 500 animals running towards a man wearing the attire of the free people, who by his side, had at least 30 summons. But, even with such a small number, the man did not seem to be afraid as he ran towards the horde of hundreds of enemies. Around him, lightning and fireballs began to be thrown at the animals from a distance, as the fire and lightning atronachs used their powers from afar and the 4 ice atronachs ran alongside their master. Jon kept looking at the horde of animals coming towards him, analyzing what would be the best strategy to take care of all of them and come out victorious. After thinking for a bit, he, like an experienced commander, began to devise a plan. The first thing he did was use a specific Thu''um, taking a deep breath while running with his spear in one hand and the runic sword in the other, he released his voice. "FAAS RU MAAR!" He shouted in the language of the dragon riders, making a thunder appear in the middle of the day once more. The effect of these words created something among the enemy animals. Because, even with the control of the warg and not being able to be controlled by Jon, the effect of this shout, brought fear. Jon saw the animals reacting to the sound of his words, because at least 100 animals, mainly the smaller ones, began to disperse, escaping the site as they ran in fear to the opposite side and were often trampled by their companions as they hindered his advance. Jon had taken care of the first part of them, but this was not enough to ensure victory. Then, he saw the mammoths coming after the bears in the middle part, and he approached until he was a few meters from them while leading his attack, many animals had already fallen due to the constant attack of fire and lightning, leaving a few dozen bodies along the way as they screamed in agony from electric shocks and agonizing as the fire consumed them. Jon, approaching the center where the larger animals were, he used a skin spell, the most powerful in his arsenal to protect himself like armor and took a deep breath before launching a new Thu''um, Dragonskin. "FUS RO DAH!!" He shouted with another thundering sound and a powerful force of impact came out in front of him, digging the earth at his feet while everything was thrown back and into the enemy field, as bears were thrown in his direction and even the mammoths fell to the side, Jon continued to advance stepping on the destroyed terrain, as he made a breach in the enemy group and advanced with his summons behind him. He advanced, beginning to slash with everything he could, while burning with his runic sword and easily piercing them with his ice blade. The battle had turned into chaos after that, as spectral animals and normal animals fought against each other, while other creatures launched their powers over the enemy force still at a distance. Jon closed his mind at that moment, surrounded by enemies, blood spurted as they cut them, lightning and flames flew everywhere while animals growled and screamed in agony the whole time. Ygritte watched from afar, a bit frightened, the screams of agony coming from all sides, while Jon was in the middle of all that chaos. Animals ran, fled; some bled and fell dead. "Jon, be well," she murmured, as she picked up her bow and began to shoot arrows at the animals, after climbing on top of a rock and observing the battle from a distance, not knowing what Jon''s situation was, but knowing that he was surrounded in that chaos. Jon was really in a difficult situation. The animals were persistent and began to surround him. He felt teeth sinking into his arm, but quickly moved his body and pierced a wolf that had sunk its teeth there. This did not bother him, since he had cast a protection magic like dragonskin on himself, to protect himself from any bites and claws. As he moved his sword and spear at high speed, cutting down everything that appeared from all sides, he had to be very quick. His animals could slow down the enemy a bit, but the creatures'' only target was him, the summoner, and the warg was behind the minds of all the animals; he knew this very well as he launched his attacks on Jon without caring about the other creatures. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Jon kept cutting, and his armor became more and more damaged by the force of the animals. After all, the damage was constant, and with him in the middle of the battle, there was no way he wouldn''t get hurt. So, without wasting time, he needed better protection. ''I never expected to use this so soon after entering this world, but I have no other choice...'' He thought as he breathed in and felt the power accumulating in his throat. "MUL QAH DIIV!!" He shouted these words, and quickly, a change occurred. From his body, energy exploded and enveloped him in the middle of the battlefield, throwing all the animals that were on top of him away. Even Ygritte was surprised by this, making the whole place tremble, as she wondered what Jon had done and after the light dimmed, even she from afar opened her mouth in astonishment. For Jon reappeared in the middle of all that chaos, but with distinct forces this time. An energy began to cover his body; his hands seemed to have ethereal spiky gauntlets with colors at their tips, while his chest was protected with an ethereal dragon scale armor with red, blue, yellow, and many other colors, extending from his horns to the small tail behind him. This was the form of one of the most powerful shouts: The Dragon Aspect, an armor that not only made him almost impenetrable but also strengthened him in such a way that he reached his peak at this moment. This shout is so powerful that it should only be used once a day, and Jon did not waste it. Feeling the strength exploding in his body along with his increased speed, he began to attack all the animals that were still recovering from the ground. He cut through wolves, shadow cats, bears, and other animals so quickly that they had a clean death, the mammoths were already recovering while an ice atronach fought against one of their charges. Jon saw the second mammoth coming towards him. He prepared himself, jumping on top of the creature''s head, while it could not react as that human jumped more than 5 meters shining with his armor, Jon plunged his ice spear into the head of the animal, which died the next moment. But Jon didn''t stop there; he jumped off the animal, grabbed its trunk while falling, putting his weapons in the dimensional arsenal while holding the trunk with both hands, and with the strength acquired at that moment, began to move the inert creature, making it lift off the ground and hitting all the animals around, gaining a bit of space. Ygritte almost choked on Jon lifting a mammoth as if it were a child, Jon quickly grabbed his spear and sword, appearing in his hands again and continued attacking. After he cut down a few more bears, he took advantage of the space he created with the mammoth and took a step back, took a deep breath, and launched another shout. "FO KRAH DIN!!" This Thu''um was a blast of ice, which quickly swept in front of him with a straight white light, freezing everything in its path and turning the animals into ice sculptures. The lightning atronachs shattered them all, launching bolts. His attack had not stopped, after all, he had only eliminated half of the enemies since he started, and almost all his summons were destroyed. He saw the few summons that surrounded him preventing the animals from approaching, while some others shot from a distance, without wasting time, he began to conjure more spells, forming several purple orbs on the site, summoning new creatures from Oblivion. He was surrounded by 8 ice atronachs, which served as a filter protection limiting the number of animals that faced him, allowing him to easily deal with all that passed through the barrier of the ice creatures. Some animals went towards Ygritte at a distance after they saw Jon winning the battle, but she, as she was being protected by fire atronachs, began to be attacked while she herself shot arrows to protect herself as well. And Jon continued fighting and fighting. Perhaps the warg never imagined he could be so powerful, because it didn''t take long for the last animals to start falling. A rain of lightning struck the last mammoth, as it was surrounded by ice giants who began to beat it to death, while Jon finished off the last bears and wolves, since the smaller animals had all fled with his initial attack. He grabbed a bear while his spectral armor still covered his hands and began to twist it, breaking its neck without using weapons, just with his brute strength, bringing down the last animal. Jon sighed a bit while still all his powers were around him creating a constant sound of energy, he looked around, and there were animals agonizing as they died all over the place, he went back to the atronachs and instructed them to end their suffering, more than 400 animals were all dead, and as soon as his summons began to disappear, Jon sighed and felt Ygritte approaching him passing through various fallen animals and staining her legs with their blood. "Jon..." She looked at him with a bit of fear. "Do you fear me?" Jon asked calmly, after all, he used a lot in this battle while fighting alone. "No... but it only reinforces the idea that you are some kind of God." She admitted and Jon wanted to hit his head. "I am not one, I already said." He reinforced and turned his attention to the tree still some distance away. "Can you keep that thing on you?" She asked looking at the Dragon Aspect that had not yet been removed. "I can use this for 10 minutes once a day, it will stay a few more minutes before leaving. Now let''s continue." He said to Ygritte and turned to the atronachs that were protecting Ygritte, "You, burn all the bodies here and can return to your realm." Jon said and started walking towards the great Weirwood with Ygritte following him. Chapter 23 - Hunting The Three-eyed Raven 06. [Chapter Size: 2300 Words.] Third Person POV. Somewhere on North. ... ... As the carcasses from the battle burned throughout the area, his incantations doing their work, silence had finally taken hold of the battleground, his cloak still enveloped with ethereal energies coursing through his body. He stood there at that moment, at peace as his summons disappeared until not a single one remained... Looking over the area for a while and then turning to Ygritte, who was approaching. "So... shall we move on? What will happen after we enter there?" She asked cautiously. "I don''t know, but I want you to stay alert. We don''t know what we''re going to find, and you won''t be safe staying here," he warned as he turned his attention to the tree in the distance. She just nodded, a bit fearful, but still, she was already here, having seen things that have shaken her entire world view. She wasn''t going to be weak now. "Let''s continue..." Jon said as he walked towards the site with Ygritte following closely behind. Jon, for several hundred meters more, saw no animals and continued until he came upon the large tree in front of them. There, a large space revealed itself to be a frozen lake. He used his magic, and his eyes glowed; among the roots below the tree, Jon saw, at least half a dozen beings inside the tree and then used the form to detect the dead to see that the frozen lake was infested with the undead there. He assessed the situation and looked at Ygritte, since there were enemies all around. "Stay close to me and use this," he requested, handing her a rune-etched sword to use, as it would now be a close combat, and it wouldn''t be safe to keep her at a distance. He started walking, stepping on the edge of the side and walked with Ygritte by his side, his hand on the ice spear, waiting for the first dead to emerge, as they continued crossing the lake on alert and being in the middle of it, the ground broke and the dead surged running towards them. Jon braced himself, as more explosions from the ground occurred and he was getting ready to face all five of the undead running towards them at that moment. "Those two on the right, take care of them, and I''ll fight the 3 on the left." He advised her as he prepared his spear while Ygritte raised the sword waiting for her opponents to approach. Jon quickly moved his spear and began to pierce the first skeleton that appeared, making it fall inert to the ground upon contact. As soon as he slashed, spinning once more, he cut down the second and pierced the third coming right behind. Meanwhile, Ygritte parried the sword of the first and passed her blade with a cut on the arm as it heated up and started to burn while screaming in pain. She stepped back a bit and almost got hit by the second, which caused her to lose balance and fall to the ground, as the Wight advanced towards her. However, before it could reach, the blade of ice pierced its rib in the air. Where Jon pulled the blade out of the dead body, went over to her, and helped her up. "Be careful," He said. "Thank you..." She murmured, getting up. Jon didn''t even get to respond because on the other side of the lake, there was another explosion, where at least ten more undead emerged, shattering the ice with skeletons without flesh, screaming at them. Seeing that with that number of enemies, Ygritte could get hurt, he summoned 2 flaming Atronachs, which appeared beside them in portals and began to cast fire directly at the creatures. Jon stood in front waiting for those not hit by the fire to end up on his spear, as the fire advanced against the creatures being hit, some managed to get close. He quickly began to cut all of them while using his abilities with the spear as he spun, slicing, and piercing the wights. After eliminating these first attacks, twenty explosions occurred around the lake. Wights were coming from all sides, he also summoned spectral wolves, to distract the enemies while the atronachs did their work, they began to attack with all they might as some fell due to the number of undead overwhelming them. This gave them an opportunity to eliminate many at once, as they were all grouped together, the atronachs managed to hit more than 2 with their flame shots. The fight continued in the middle of the frozen lake, while the place had fire all over as the bodies were easily carbonized, Ygritte eliminated 3 wights that were left and advancing against her. It didn''t take long for another explosion to occur, with 30 undead emerging, forming the largest horde yet, forcing Jon to expend more magic, despite needing to conserve it, but with no choice as more summons appeared. The fight continued with the same intensity as before, and as he fought, Jon finished off the last enemy after some time. As soon as everything seemed calm, Ygritte breathed a sigh of relief, though she was somewhat tired. She had fought well, despite not being good with a sword, she managed to survive, to get by.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. "The dead are gone, but we still have enemies," Jon said, looking towards one of the roots where there was an entrance to the tree. There was a strange creature in this place, small and green, it stared at them while surrounded by creatures burning on the ground, and suddenly, it picked up a stone below it and aimed at them, before throwing. Jon saw the object flying towards them and knew there was magic in it, he took a sword from his arsenal, one that was practically useless to him, and with one hand, threw it directly at the stone in the air. As soon as the stone was touched by the sword with Jon''s good aim, an explosion of flames occurred, making him raise an eyebrow. "What is this?!" Ygritte hadn''t noticed the creature, only saw Jon grabbing a sword and throwing it at the flying stone towards them, seeing the explosion with wide eyes. "A kind of bomb stone, then? Interesting," he commented, surprised by it. Three more creatures appeared at the entrance, joining their companion. Ygritte saw this and got scared. "Are these the children of the forest?!" She exclaimed, seeing their features. Jon didn''t react, he was surprised to see a creature he heard about when he was a child in Winterfell, after all, he thought they were extinct or never existed. He was waiting for them to throw stones, which they ended up doing as they picked up stones and began to throw them at him, he looked with a look of disdain. It seemed primitive, despite using magic. He simply raised his hand and the three stones stopped in the air. The children seemed stunned by this, after all, Jon kept the stones in the air and decided to send them back to their attacker, launching them at the creatures. The children of the forest were a bit shocked by what they saw. They began to run while trying to protect themselves. BOOOM! BOOOM! BOOOM! 3 explosions happened in the roots of the tree, Jon looked at it shaking his head and looked at his two atronachs that were still there, as all his summons returned to Oblivion. He pointed to the creatures hiding behind stones and roots, as the atronachs advanced against them. Once again, the creatures found themselves in a difficult situation. As much as they had heard from the three-eyed raven about the enemy, they never imagined seeing a fire creature moving and attacking them. Jon saw the small creatures trying to fight the atronachs, two of them managed to bring one down, as they prepared to run, seeing the enemy was too strong and could throw their stones at them, they felt their body seize up, Jon lifted them even from a distance, as they began to levitate in the air. "Do you like to throw things at others and run away...?" Jon commented as with a movement of his hand, they were thrown against the wall, knocking the two out. The third saw this and was scared, but was being bombarded by the last atronach throwing fire at her. He saw a flame hit the creature, making her fall unconscious, Jon commanded the atronach to stop attacking and saw it approaching him, leaving the creature aside. After the atronach disappeared, he picked up the last creature flying towards him, seeing it up close while it was suspended in the air. "What are these things? Are they really children of the forest as I''ve heard?" Ygritte asked, dazed, seeing everything happen so quickly. "Aren''t they sacred creatures? Wouldn''t attacking them be against our gods?" She asked cautiously. "Children of the forest, despite everything I''ve lived, I still thought they were just legends," Jon murmured, and decided to answer his companion. "Maybe for you, but one thing is for sure: they are our enemies, and I know very well how to deal with enemies trying to kill me," Jon spoke in a dark manner and began to walk, taking the creature to the others. One of the two fallen at a distance, got up and began to run into the place, but Jon didn''t stop her, while he picked up the fallen and the one wounded by fire, confining them in an alteration spell with roots that he took from the tree. ''Well, they won''t be able to get out of there until I finish what I came to do...'' Jon thought with satisfaction. The second one on the ground started to regain consciousness at this moment while finding herself trapped and looking at the man using magic even more powerful than theirs with a frightened gaze. "What do we have here?" John spoke with interest, looking at the creature. "Who are you, demon?" the girl said with some difficulty, while still having fear in her eyes. After all, she had never seen, even in her thousands of years, someone like Jon, not with his abilities. "You''re with that Warg. Where can I find him? He''s in there, isn''t he?" Jon asked, with a half-smile, as the creature tried to maintain her posture to face this man, even though she was scared inside. "Why do you want to kill the three-eyed raven?" the girl said. "I decided to kill him as soon as he marked me, spied on me, and tried to kill me, nothing more fair, is it?" Jon spoke calmly, and the creature quickly responded. "You can''t kill him. He is the only hope of this world, only he can stop the white walkers," the girl practically pleaded this time. "You mean those creatures that use this spear?" Jon said, pointing to the weapon beside him, which made the child of the forest look dazedly at the spear. "I don''t care if this man can be the hope of this world. Something like that is foolish and stupid, and I''ve heard it too many times, from many people claiming to be some kind of messiah while saying they would be unique and did all sorts of horrendous acts to achieve their goals..." Jon spoke calmly and continued. "But in the end, even without them in the world, nothing bad happened. Usually, such people think they are the center of the universe, but in the end, they are not in the world''s fate." Jon spoke while Ygritte stayed silent by his side, paying attention to everything he said. "What are you going to do with her?" she asked, concerned, while even the same waited for an answer to her fate, seeing she couldn''t convince this man, she and her unconscious sister were caught by his magic. Jon thought for a bit and didn''t see the creature as something evil. It seemed more like someone deluded by someone. Ygritte seemed worried, after all, children of the forest were sacred to those who followed the old ways. He then simply dropped her to the ground, making her now faint with the impact. "For now, let''s move on. She will be out for a good while," Jon said as he placed the creatures on top of each other in a corner. They were already close to the entrance, Jon used his life detection magic and saw even more creatures there. He placed two spectral wolves in front of them as they entered first, to clear the way of any traps and child of the forest trying to attack him. As he entered and looked around, he noticed that the children within these roots seemed to maintain a distance and let the path clear. Then, he continued moving forward. He went until finally entering a room where he already saw his wolves looking at a specific place, he and Ygritte entered the room calmly, and Jon saw a man entangled in roots. While the man also looked at him, keeping a neutral face, the wolves moved away from the entrance to let him pass as he kept his gaze directly on the root man. "So, you''re the three-eyed raven?" He said, looking with interest at the man he tried to kill several times in the past days. Chapter 24 - Hunting The Three-eyed Raven 07. [Chapter Size: 1600 Words.] Third Person POV. Somewhere on North. ... ... An eerie silence took over the atmosphere. Jon didn''t fail to analyze every detail of the man, roots entwined around his body, some embedded within his skin. The man appeared to be around 70 years old, but must have been older, since the tree itself was preserving him. However, for Jon, it wasn''t hard to notice that he was dying. Ygritte stood a bit away from Jon, holding her sword ready to fight anything on alert, while she looked surprised at the man in the roots, wondering how there was someone living like this all this time in these lands with the children of the forest. Jon, in the end, had been right all along when he came here, and to think there was a warg who controlled as many animals as she saw when Jon had to fight against them. Jon''s spectral wolves stayed alert, for any movement especially to protect the woman as their master ordered as soon as he summoned them, being the most vulnerable there. Jon decided to break the silence while the man studied him all along, he didn''t respond to Jon''s question when he asked if he was the three-eyed raven, although the answer was quite obvious. "You live through these roots, which makes me wonder what happened to you...?" Jon asked and the man didn''t question. "Are you mute?" Jon had to ask, and continued. "Besides, your attempts to kill haven''t worked out so well, John." Jon mocked. "Who are you?" The man finally spoke, with an old and tired voice. "So you''re not mute then. I guess you''ve spied on me enough, haven''t you? Haven''t figured it out yet?" Jon smiled once more as he continued. "Let me ask now, who are you?" he asked. The three-eyed raven looked for a while, until he sighed before addressing Jon. "I used to be Brynden Rivers, and now I am the three-eyed raven," he spoke, in a neutral tone. "Brynden Rivers... I''ve heard that name before... you''re the bastard son of Aegon, the Unworthy..." Jon commented, accessing his old memories in Winterfell, he studied a bit of the history of House Targaryen and read this point as one of the main points. ''We are related somehow... but that doesn''t matter.'' Jon thought and returned to the man. "And why the insistence on killing me?" Jon asked, interested in the man''s answer, since he seems quite obstinate to it. "As I said, I would like to know who you are? After all, you appeared out of nowhere," he spoke, since Jon''s presence in this world affected the entire future the moment he appeared, like a ghost, as if he had appeared from another world. "Moreover, no one should have these powers, there was never anyone with this strength, are you really from this world?" He asked him, looking at him. Ygritte even held her breath with this question, after all, she was beginning to believe that Jon was a god, but there were so many other strange things happening here, could Jon be a being from another world? Brynden really wanted to know who this man was and his origins, he had never seen anything like it in the green vision, he used all his greatest powers, threw a living walker with an exercise on top of him attracting them to the camp, but nothing stopped this man, he was a risk to the future, a risk to him and his plans. "If you really want to know, I''ll tell you a bit about myself," Jon said, cracking a half-smile. "You are Brynden Rivers, a Targaryen bastard, or at least you were, according to what you''ve said. I don''t know what you are now." Jon spoke and began to introduce himself.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. "My name, my true name, is Aegon Targaryen, the sixth of my name, son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark of House Stark." Jon spoke calmly. Ygritte, standing beside him, was surprised, not quite understanding what Jon meant by that, but certainly surprised to learn his name was something other than Jon Snow, as she had always known him. The three-eyed raven looked a bit surprised. After all, Aegon, or Jon Snow, was supposed to be used for his plans in the future, and the boy had vanished 8 years ago, slightly altering destiny, but still under his control over the fate of this world. Now this man was him; he seemed older than he should be. "Don''t be so surprised, where I was, time passed differently, around 50% faster." Jon said, already aware of his thoughts. "What happened to you?" The three-eyed raven became interested, after all, he had held this mystery in his hands for 8 years, since the boy disappeared from Winterfell without a trace. How did he vanish and return, becoming someone so powerful? Someone who could even change the future of this world, a future over which he had no control, making Jon''s existence dangerous. "Well, answering your earlier question, yes, I was not in this world," Jon said calmly, since there was no reason to hide it now. "I was in another place, and in that place, I was doing what I was born to do, what was my destiny," Jon spoke firmly, as memories of chaotic scenarios flashed through his mind, fighting against men and gods alike. "And why did you come back? What do you plan to do?" the raven asked, not denying the existence of other worlds. After all, Jon and his powers were living proof, having disappeared from this world, where he could have eyes in nearly every place. "I came here after negotiating with some entities you might call gods," Jon said, causing Ygritte to almost exclaim, asking how he could negotiate with gods, and the Three-Eyed Raven raised an eyebrow. Jon continued, "In exchange for a few things, they showed me my past, my parents, and how I was born. How my life was a lie, so I decided to leave everything in that world and come here. But of course, nothing is free, and I have some things to do, which is to eliminate the White Walkers from this world." Jon said, waiting to see the man''s reaction. ''After all, the Daedric Princes didn''t want this world lost to those creatures, that''s why they sent me here. And I already knew this, although I only came convinced with the possibility of getting revenge.'' Jon thought calmly. "What I want to do in this world, what I came here to do, is to settle a debt many people in the south owe to my family," Jon concluded, with a somber tone. "You can''t," Brynden immediately said, in a tone darker than usual. Jon raised an eyebrow, amused. "And why do you think I can''t?" he asked, in a challenging tone. "This world is in great danger, you cannot stop the threat, and your interference will kill everyone," the man spoke with a more severe tone. "My interference? I think not," Jon said, since he would have to deal with the White Walkers anyway. So, he wasn''t too worried, but looked at the man with a slight smile. "Let me guess, there''s a Savior in this world, and that would be you?" He left the question hanging. Brynden didn''t respond immediately, but then said, "Only I can control the future for humanity''s victory," he spoke without any doubt in his tone. "I don''t think you''ll be of much help, seeing as you''re stuck in roots," Jon mocked. "This is temporary. Soon, I will find a new vessel. I must control the future, the future where humanity still survives," he continued, repeating these words. As soon as he said these words, the atmosphere tensed up, Ygritte swallowed hard while gripping her sword''s handle, the spectral wolves were a step away from starting to growl, and Jon even felt the other beings in these root-filled caves of the tree beginning to stir. Jon cracked a smile, breaking the tension as he started to laugh. "Hahahahahahahahahaha" He laughed as his voice echoed all around, leaving Ygritte confused while the man in the tree just narrowed his eyes. "Hahahaha..." Jon slowly stopped his laughter and looked the man in the eyes with a gleam coming from his own as they turned even more purple. "And I don''t think that''s possible," Jon spoke without a smile as the man in the trees felt a shiver run down his spine at that moment. But he quickly recovered and spoke with confidence amongst the roots "Of course it''s possible, and I will do it," The three-eyed raven said with confidence, as if there was no other option. "You forgot you tried to kill me several times, and that was your mistake," Jon spoke again with the same gleam as before, while the environment became a hostile sphere. The man exploded at that moment, yelling at Jon. "I did it for the future. You are a threat. You could destroy everything," he said, while Jon raised an eyebrow to this change. "In this future, it seems you were unable to see, and do you know why?" Jon replied in contrast to his previous outburst and answered before the man could speak. "...Because you will not exist in this future. After all, I came here to kill you, and that''s what I will do right now." Jon said, flashing a smile, as his ice spear appeared in his hand from the dimensional space, preparing to eliminate this enemy. Chapter 25 - Hunting The Three-eyed Raven 08. [Chapter Size: 2200 Words.] Third Person POV. Somewhere on North. ... ... As soon as those words were said, the man looked on calmly. "I cannot let that happen," he spoke as if he could slip from Jon''s grasp. "You''re not in any position to do that, don''t think you can escape from me," Jon said arrogantly. And, at that moment, something happened. An explosion occurred right then, catching Jon and Brynden. "Jon!!" Ygritte shouted as the thick smoke enveloped them. Jon wasn''t too worried, not sensing any danger, seeing it was just smoke. He saw through his eyes, the living auras of the children of the forest approaching, trying to attack Jon, his wolves, and Ygritte. First, it was his wolves while in that limited vision, the wolves began to growl as they fought, letting out sounds of pain and sorrow as they disappeared. Jon felt an aura approaching him, attempting to attack him with a dragon glass dagger. Jon, seeing this, simply spun his spear and slashed the creature''s neck, which fell dead to the ground the next moment. ''You made your choice...'' Jon thought as the creature fell dead. He used some of his powers, and the smoke around quickly dissipated, showing the man still standing, looking closely at what happened. "Jon," Ygritte murmured behind him, as his gaze went back, and there was a child of the forest putting a strange sword at Ygritte''s neck. "You cannot kill the three-eyed raven," the child of the forest said, threatening to cut Ygritte''s neck. "Get out of here, now," she spoke, but her demands didn''t make much sense. Brynden just looked at Jon, who kept a closer watch than before, having eliminated a child of the forest. They were agile and powerful creatures; even without their magic, they greatly troubled the first men when they went to war, but fell easily with one move from Jon. Jon sighed, and before the child of the forest could react, he raised his hand towards her, making her freeze. Seeing that there was no more movement from her body, she looked surprised but couldn''t even question as she was covered with telekinesis. "Well, enough of this nonsense. Let''s end this," Jon said, making the child fly as he pulled her sword from her hand and brought it to him, looking at the sword closely. "If you are Brynden Rivers, then this is Dark Sister, the sword you lost on this side of the Wall, according to the history books I read in Winterfell." He said, looking at the sword as it spun in the air, "It''s a beautiful sword," Jon couldn''t help but comment, looking at the metal and feeling its magic in it. His gaze moved from the sword to the child as he threw her against the wall, making her fall unconscious like the other before entering the cave. After that, he turned his attention to the man in the roots, who now looked with a certain fear. After all, he couldn''t die there. "Well, let''s finish you off," Jon said, as he dropped the sword, making it fall to the ground, still holding his spear. He picked it up from the ground. "No, you can''t destroy me. I am the salvation of this world. You can''t just end me. You will condemn the entire world. You will bring destruction to all this world," the man spoke in a still gloomy tone. "Big words for a dead man," Jon simply said, preparing to launch the spear at the man in the roots. Some children of the forest ran from the corridors trying to prevent Jon from continuing his attack. Seeing that his plan had failed, he exclaimed like a madman. "No, I will be king. I will rule the world, you will not stop me!" the three-eyed raven spoke, not wanting to believe it would be his end there. But before he could finish, the ice spear pierced his heart at that moment as he opened his eyes in surprise, looking at Jon and then at the weapon in his chest, trying to understand if that was really real. "!!!!" The children of the forest screamed, seeing the man they were supposed to protect, was about to die at that moment. Something started to happen at that moment, from his chest, as if the spear had some effect against the man in the roots, and he began to freeze from that point, spreading throughout his body, as he began to crack with a still incredulous look, as he broke apart. Ygritte sighed finally, seeing that the man died while only the children stared in surprise at what remained of the three-eyed raven. "It''s not over yet." Jon suddenly spoke. A three-eyed crow suddenly emerged from behind the roots and started to fly away, trying to escape from Jon. After all, it couldn''t hide with Jon around, its only chance was to flee. It needed to go see its new vessel in Winterfell to take over its body, although it couldn''t gain all the powers that way, it would survive. But as it was flying away, it was caught by a force, with Jon holding it with telekinesis. The children, seeing this, ran to confront Jon. He looked at those creatures and took a deep breath.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. "FUS RO DAH!" He used a Thu''um despite being tired, and the whole area exploded at that moment, throwing everything back and breaking all the roots, and the ground opened up, throwing the children, with some even being crushed by the force. Ygritte tried to protect herself, covering her eyes with fright, as the whole tree trembled with the force. "You think you''ll escape like that?" Jon asked as the crow tried to free itself from the grip. Jon tightened his hand and saw the crow break apart, dying instantly. His hand started to glow with a blue energy, and Jon began to absorb the crow''s soul. "You can switch from animal to animal, so let''s imprison it for now. It''s a pity I don''t have a soul stone, but I''ll keep your soul for a while," Jon spoke, looking at the floating soul in his hand. He placed the soul in a separate space where it was frozen for a while, as Jon would deal with this soul later, destroying it. Ygritte was paralyzed the whole time, unable to react to everything that was happening, wondering what she could have done. After all, who was she compared to these beings? Jon dealt with everything so easily that it seemed like he was dealing with children. ''How strong is he?!'' She thought, after all, even knowing almost nothing about Jon and the place he was in, she was sure that he could do much more than what he showed there. Meanwhile, Jon saw the dust settling, with bodies of the children of the forest scattered around, some dead, others severely injured. He turned to Ygritte, looking at her from a distance with frightened eyes, not caring. "It''s finally over, let''s go outside." He said as she came out of her daze and nodded awkwardly as she walked ahead of Jon. He picked up the children of the forest with telekinesis and stored the ice spear along with Dark Sister, after all, only a fool would discard a Valyrian steel sword. He exited with at least 8 bodies floating behind him. Ygritte remained silent and exited first, Jon followed soon after, "What have you done!" the child of the forest he had captured before shouted at him, now awake next to another still injured with fire. "I did what I came to do, you shouldn''t be so surprised. Besides, your sisters tried to kill me, I ended up killing some, you should have been smarter," Jon spoke as the bodies floated behind him, at least half of them lifeless. "No..." The child of the forest cried. "What will happen to us?" She spoke in defeat, with tears in her eyes, seeing that this being was impossible for them to deal with, never facing anything like this in their thousands of years. Jon didn''t answer her, picking her up in the air too and returned to Ygritte. "Let''s just settle in while we wait for these children to wake up," he said, as he arranged the bodies in a space to prepare a fire with the tree''s own roots. He made a small camp under the roots, and they stayed there. Jon took a carcass from the dimensional space and prepared it to eat. Ygritte remained silent as the children of the forest continued to wake up one by one and cry for their sisters. "Jon... don''t you fear the gods?" Ygritte suddenly spoke, looking at the bodies that the children of the forest were seeing and lamenting. "They''re not my gods. And even if they were, I''d kill anyone who tries to do this to me, against the will of the gods or not, I find that very fair," Jon spoke, eating something after roasting it on the fire. It was after a while that the child who had taken Ygritte hostage with Dark Sister woke up and looked at Jon cautiously. "What do you plan with us, you''ve already killed the three-eyed raven... this world is doomed. But why keep us alive?" She asked. "What''s your name?" Jon asked calmly. "Leaf." She said. Jon realized she was the leader. "I see... Leaf, maybe I won''t kill all of you. And don''t be so frightened," Jon said, "If I wanted to kill you, you''d already be dead." He saw how she was looking as if trying to distance herself from him as if he was a demon. "You killed the three-eyed raven, why keep us alive!" she exclaimed again. "Yes, I killed him. And yet the world hasn''t ceased to exist," Jon said mockingly. "But it will disappear, you don''t understand what you''ve done!" She continued. "If you''re worried about the White Walkers... I''ll destroy them myself, don''t worry about that." Jon assured, a bit tired of dealing with creatures after that brainwashing they got from that crow. "He was the salvation of this world!" Another awakened child exclaimed, and Jon already wanted to throw them all against the wall to shut them up. "Salvation of this world? Because he could do something, or because you believed in that?" Jon replied still as he raised an eyebrow. "..." The child didn''t know what to say. Jon sighed and looked at Leaf. "Anyway, I can let you live, and if you want, you can even see me destroy the White Walkers in the future." Jon began; he saw no reason to kill these forest children without a dialogue first. "I want you to take this woman to the Free Folk''s camp safely," Jon said. The children looked at Ygritte, who was surprised by this. "Wait?! What do you mean by that?" She asked. "I''m going north, there''s something there calling me," Jon said, feeling the connection coming from the north, stronger than those from the south. "What do you plan to do there?" Ygritte couldn''t help but ask. "I don''t know, but it will be much more dangerous than when we faced the crow. If the children take you back, it''ll be better, you saw how things can get dangerous," Jon said, and Ygritte had to lower her head, after all, she was just a burden during the journey. "What do you think? I''ll spare all your sisters, and if you want to see me kill the White Walkers, you should wait for me at the camp while I return from the north," Jon said fearlessly, turning to the 6 forest children still alive while 4 others were dead. Leaf looked at Jon and then at her sisters, looking at her with fear. "Okay, we''ll do it," she said in the end. What could she do? They were the last of their kind and didn''t expect to die like this, even if it meant making a request from that demon in favor of their lives. "Great," Jon said and threw his food away as he got up and approached her. "What are you doing?" Leaf asked a bit scared, seeing that Jon wasn''t just there to remove the seals that imprisoned her. "I''m ensuring you don''t betray me, after all, you tried to kill me, and I killed many of you," Jon spoke rationally as his fingertip glowed and he began to write runes on Leaf''s forehead. She felt no pain, but could see that her mind began to become limited, this demon was making her unable to have any thoughts of betraying him, something she had never experienced in her life, also scared by this. When Jon finished, he looked satisfied. "Don''t be so scared, I''m just taking care of our contract," Jon said. "This isn''t permanent, it will last about two weeks, but if you come to betray me after that, or your sisters. I won''t hesitate to eliminate all of you, so either live your life going away or stay with me, but don''t betray me," Jon continued, "And you know, I''m not afraid to offend the gods with this." He concluded. With that, the children began to get loose as they started to tend to their wounds from the impact of his Thu''um in the cave or burns from his atronachs, but nodded, not being hostile towards Jon, as he began to prepare to head north. Chapter 26 - The Call of the North. [Chapter Size: 2200 Words.] Third Person POV. Somewhere on North. ... ... On the hill of the great Weirwood, the group had split into two as Jon continued his solitary journey northward, seeking more unanswered mysteries since he arrived in this world, and a strange calling pulling him in that direction, moving forward without looking back. The same couldn''t be said for the other group, as Ygritte turned her gaze to the north, watching the man she had joined within that forest, seeing him perform unreal and inexplicable acts, now becoming just a distant point amidst the snow. "He will certainly live, human," a child of the forest spoke, noticing Ygritte''s cautious eyes. As she pulled her gaze from Jon to look at the mystical creature, she frowned. "Don''t look at me like that. I don''t like him, and I still think he may have doomed humanity by killing the three-eyed raven. After all, he was our best hope for what is to come. But we have no choice, and what I mean is, after everything we''ve seen him do, he certainly won''t fall so easily..." the child of the forest responded. "I suppose you''re right... and will you keep your word?" Ygritte asked with a wary look, as she was alone with them after all. "He bound me in some sort of contract... I can''t do anything, and neither should we..." Leaf replied, having no choice since she did not want the wrath of that being upon them. And so, they headed south, with Ygritte returning since Jon had said that from now on, things would only get harder, and the children of the forest leaving the roots of the great Weirwood for the first time in centuries or perhaps even millennia, as they had cared for each three-eyed raven. Both groups vanished from each other''s sight in that moment. Time passed, and since Jon had parted from Ygritte and the children of the forest, he traveled north for a week, encountering less and less wildlife as he progressed. He knew he was risking coming across an entire army of the dead by being there, accompanied only by a few animals in that frozen wasteland. But that didn''t matter now, for he felt a calling from the north, something he did not yet understand, and perhaps this was the only chance he would have to find out what it was. Jon began to see undead more frequently; most of them he could spot walking in the distance, but none attempted their luck against him¡ªat least until yesterday, when he was passing through a place that had experienced a recent storm. He calmly saw them buried in the snow, perhaps waiting for him or any other living being that might walk by. As soon as they tried to ambush him, they were quickly sliced by his runic bronze sword, flames engulfing them as they screamed. "This world keeps getting stranger than the one I knew..." Jon murmured to himself. "First, seeing undead wandering about, White Walkers actually existing instead of being mere legends. Then, there''s a man trapped in a tree, believed to be some kind of Messiah, but with no chance, and likely his soul won''t end well after making an enemy of me, as I had intended to use it to forge something powerful. Being an ancient soul, it would have been quite useful. And now... now I can feel even things that were thought extinct... All of this would be expected in Skyrim, but not in this world." He muttered to himself, lost in his thoughts as he continued traveling. He finally decided to stop walking when he saw the day nearing its end, with the sun beginning to disappear behind the frozen mountains to the west. He continued through the deserted forest and found a cave near a rocky outcrop. Entering it, he came face to face with a zombie bear; the creature, missing a leg, half of its mouth, and with glowing blue eyes, charged at Jon. He found the sight unsettling but quickly took control of the situation, killing the bear before it could react by throwing his sword and lodging it in its body. Afterward, he settled in the cave for the night. This was a common sight in recent days; he could see more and more dead to the north, and more zombie animals around trying to attack him, yet strangely still in their nests, waiting for the command of whoever was behind their creation. He lit a small fire, taking some things out of his dimensional space, and ate while extinguishing the fire to sleep, no longer needing the light. Once again, he surrendered to his dreams, his mind being pulled south, and once again, he felt the animal''s fear. Jon found himself small again, inside a closed space. It seemed like a barn or something similar, and outside, he could feel a great commotion. It was essentially a party. There, he felt the loneliness of the animal; even its siblings were no longer there, taken by their owners to the lively place. ''They''re having fun, wherever that place is, and here I am, in the northernmost part of the world, alone, facing mystical creatures that would make anyone from the Seven Kingdoms soil themselves upon seeing them...'' Jon, ignoring the animal''s sad feeling, couldn''t help but be ironic about his current situation. The white wolf kept growling lamentably, wondering when they would come for him¡ªnot just anyone from the party, but when Jon himself would come for him, his warg, his master.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. His dream was interrupted as he awoke, his spectral wolves beginning to disappear into the forest, indicating the movement of the undead¡ªdozens at the very least, enough to kill his wolves. With a sigh, he got up, passed by the burned bear''s body, and took the Dark Sister sword from his dimensional space, stepping out of the cave. "It''s time to test this sword..." he said. He didn''t even release a Magelight, as he used his night vision, wanting to test the magical metal''s edge of this world on the creatures nearby to see if it had any effect, so he wouldn''t use magic and would fight in the darkness of the night. There were at least three hundred undead in the forest, along with a White Walker. Its glow was stronger than the others, visible to Jon through his undead detection magic. And so, Jon moved toward the undead as they finally noticed him, walking toward the first one, which rushed to attack him. Jon sliced it, the creature letting out a roar of pain, splitting in half before falling silent. The dead one fell to the ground with nothing more binding it to this world. Jon looked at the blade, satisfied to see that this magical metal worked and was clearly better than his runic swords or even the ice sword. It wasn''t long before he heard the growls in that dark forest, able to see as all the undead ran toward him. That night would be quite interesting for the Dragonborn, as he slashed zombie after zombie, eliminating them with just his sword. Some tried to surround him, but he didn''t care. In the end, they only needed one cut¡ªdespite their large numbers, they were easy to deal with. When he needed space among them, Jon used his magic. Hours of fighting passed, Jon letting his blood flow through his veins, enjoying himself, while his sword clashed against an ice blade. The White Walker had been cornered, with less than a third of its creatures remaining when Jon reached it, cutting through the crowd. "You don''t look so strong now, do you?" Jon taunted the creature, which looked at him cautiously. Unlike the first encounter he had with a White Walker, this one easily saw that Jon wasn''t an easy prey, and he was openly mocking it. Quickly, a battle between their blades began, and Jon was having fun against the White Walker''s spear, passionately pushing away all the undead that approached them. The White Walker looked at him as if asking how a human could fight like that¡ªeven with his magic, he could cut down hundreds of wights without tiring. The White Walker saw Jon roaring in a strange language that exuded power, throwing a group of undead backward, and tried to attack him at that moment, but only saw the Dragonborn moving like lightning, cutting off his arm before he could reach Jon with his blade. The ice on his body began to crack, and in the next moment, as the creature looked on in fear, its head was removed with a swift motion from Jon, causing it to shatter into shards of ice and crumble entirely. The other creatures around began to fall, with only a few Thu''ums echoing across the mountains after his shouts reached some distance, but he was alone again in the forest. He knew this fight would have drawn the attention of other things in the region, but they wouldn''t arrive for some time, making him yawn as he left all the bodies behind, since there was an hour before dawn and he wanted to sleep a bit more to keep his energy full. Returning to the cave where he had his belongings, he casually thought about the little wolf, whom he would have to pick up soon. These dreams were somewhat unsettling, but he would leave that for when he returned south, for now, he had a goal in the north. Waking up a few hours later, he packed his things and began advancing north again, now carrying two ice spears as war trophies, though still preferring his new sword. The number of creatures was increasing more and more on that side, and Jon already knew he was in the far north. Snowstorms were constant there, and even with the warm clothes of the Free Folk, it might not be enough to protect him. He had a certain resistance against the cold and could also use layers of magic to protect himself from the storms and keep moving even within them, using his clairvoyance to follow the call. Not that clairvoyance led him automatically, but it gave him some direction, as the call pulling Jon was something internal, something to do even with his Thu''um soul. And so, he continued for another week, facing even larger groups and fighting undead every day. Certainly, this was not a place where Ygritte should have come, and Jon was satisfied that the girl had agreed to return south. Jon kept having dreams about the wolf. It seemed that the place was always in celebration every night, but the wolf remained alone while his siblings were with their owners, who appeared to be a large family. He began to notice that even when the animal was with his siblings during some parts of the day, it still sought Jon himself. The wolf wanted to connect as that family did¡ªconnected with each of the wolves. Though Jon already knew where he would find it and who the other wolves'' owners were. But it wasn''t just that. Jon dreamed of his little bird that was growing in Lucis''s tent. He even spied on the girl with her brother, complaining about how worried she was about Jon after so many days without news. Even the boy seemed a bit hesitant, as there were no new updates. Jon had simply headed north, shocking everyone, and the rumors about what he had done at the northern camp were now clearly known by all. If some had seen him as just a mere outsider before, now they saw him differently¡ªsome with fear, others with admiration. Rumors said that all who challenged him were dead and that he was ruthless when necessary, yet a savior in times of need, displaying powers beyond human capacity, like a deity. The raven chick also felt this growing connection with Jon. It seemed to be starting to grow, though still very young. It continued trying to learn more about these Warg abilities since it spoke with that forest witch. Jon was an open-minded person. He had never had time to study destruction or restoration magic in depth in Skyrim, but he certainly now had an opportunity to learn a new kind of magic, like the druids or even creatures like Spriggans, who had magic to control wildlife. And so it was, between dreams, traveling north day after day and killing zombies, but without encountering any more White Walkers, that he finally reached his goal: a mountain five kilometers away, with ice pillars that looked like a human construction. As soon as he activated his undead detection eyes, he was surprised. There was an entire line of undead, thousands of them in one place, surrounding the mountain. This made Jon wonder if that was where the army of the dead truly gathered. He also saw some brighter auras, indicating the presence of White Walkers. Certainly, this was a number that even he could not face all at once in his current state. "Well, I''m not giving up now. I just have to get through all these dead..." he decided without fear, taking a step forward, heading toward the mountain. ------ Raccoon Here: I''m a bit rusty with this fanfic. If I''m writing something wrong, could you correct me? I''m asking this because it had been months since I last wrote a chapter of this fanfic. Chapter 27 - Situation of Mances Camp. [Chapter Size: 1900 Words.] Third Person POV. Somewhere on North. ... ... "Val!" Her sister called her. "Can you stop being so restless, pacing back and forth?" Della was already growing impatient with her sister''s behavior over the past few weeks. "I''m not restless," Val muttered. "Of course you are." Della spoke while Val looked at her unsatisfied, her older sister just shook her head at the blonde. "When I said I had found a man who could steal you, I didn''t imagine your reaction." She murmured, with Val behaving this way since she had returned from the raid in the north to the outpost. "And if he''s gone...?" Val commented quietly. "I don''t know. Maybe." Della responded, not denying the possibility, after all, that Jon Snow had spent only a short time with them, while Val was not satisfied with that answer. Della continued. "But it doesn''t matter... if he said he had something to do in the north, he needed to do just that. I don''t think he would leave without saying so." Della said. "I know... but it''s been so long." Val crossed her arms; even she couldn''t believe she cared this much about the stranger who taught her the old tongue just a few weeks ago. "Just like your husband, the father of the child you''re carrying, has been gone for nearly two moons in the south, risking himself. And am I, every day, desperate?" Della said with an ironic tone, raising an eyebrow at her younger sister. "While I''m here, often calming the tribal leaders, especially now that a foreigner has appeared, causing some to worship him and others to fear what his presence means..." Della spoke about Jon with a slightly dissatisfied tone. After all, the things they heard about Jon were really hard to believe. Everyone in the northern raid claimed they saw him spit fire from his mouth, kill a White Walker, steal its weapon, face entire groups of undead without fear, and come out alive, that he wasn''t even a man. Most believed he was some kind of envoy of the Old Gods, while others said he was one of the Old Gods himself who had come to the north to help them cross the Wall. But there were always those who looked at him with suspicion, thinking he was a southerner trying to destroy them. Jon had given no reason for them to believe that, but still, thousands of people thought differently, which was common among the Free Folk. "He said he was going to kill an unknown Warg that was spying on him, right? If he said that, have patience with your man, Val. He''ll come back, and you''d better steal him before someone else does..." Della said, smiling. "He''s not my man... yet..." Val added in the last part. "Alright then. Now forget about this for now, let''s wait for the meeting to start." Della decided, after all, all the leaders were ready to gather shortly in this tent. The absence of Mance brought some uncertainty to everyone, even though they all knew the camp was secure and that they had a new outpost in the north, closer to the main camp, to stay ready for any attack coming from the north. And so, in a short time, with Val calming down, the first leaders began to appear. It didn''t take long for the others to follow, entering one by one until they were all there. None of them had been at the northern outpost, but sending their men was a duty of all the tribes, and each of the Free Folk tribes had done so. Many did not return. The Lord of Bones was probably the most unfortunate, as all of his people had died, and everyone knew this was predictable after seeing how he showed his enmity toward Jon Snow''s brother, the hero of this fight. Certainly, now there was a glimmer of regret and even fear after what he heard, but Della put that aside as she looked at each of them. "Well, we can begin. I know Mance will still take some time to come, but we still have a camp to manage," Della murmured with an authoritative tone, and the meeting began with light matters, then moved on to important topics, the most discussed point of the past weeks, and started a discussion as always. "We have enough supplies to last for years until food runs out, but it is still concerning. When will we advance against the Wall?" one of the leaders asked.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. "Certainly, the Wall will take time, and even if we set out now, it won''t be easy. So we should take advantage of the moment and wait for Mance to give the command," another said. "Alright, whatever. In any case, people are restless in the camp. How should we deal with that outsider... especially when people are trusting him more than Mance? And recently, openly talking about removing Mance from leadership..." A dissatisfied voice started the unpleasant topic among the leaders. And, as usual, Jon Snow''s name came up again in the meeting, with no one having any idea where he had gone, using his absence to stir discord. "Don''t forget that this guy saved the entire outpost from death, whether you like it or not, Rattleshirt. Don''t be an idiot by contradicting someone who can kill a White Walker. Or, if you really think you can do that as you always do in these meetings, grab a sword and face a group of undead until you reach their leader, a feat accomplished by the man you criticize and even fear now..." Karsi commented, making the man growl at her. "That''s easy when you have those strange swords your niece got from him or even the sword Della''s sister has!" the Thenns'' Magnar exclaimed. "You should be even more concerned that someone could make those things before trying to justify yourself, you idiot... A man who can spit fire... that I''d like to see. But a man who can kill a White Walker is someone we need. I''m sure not everyone has that enmity with that stranger. Only Sixskins and the Thenn fool are foolish enough to try to make him their enemy," Harma Dogshead said, staring at Styr, Magnar of Thenn. "Tormund... do you have any news of your friend? He also has one of your girls with him, from what I''ve heard," someone commented, while Val shifted a bit, uncomfortable with that. After all, everyone knew that Ygritte had discreetly slipped away and followed Jon Snow to the north. "I don''t know. Just heard the same as you¡ªthat he was heading north because of a Warg, but we haven''t received any news from the scouts since then," Tormund commented. "This story again, about a Warg spying on him? Nonsense! Since when has anyone north of the Wall been as powerful as me?" Sixskins immediately boasted. "You contradict the word of a man who killed a White Walker? You fool! I''m sure he has more information than you do. And don''t forget that guy is also a Warg. From what the forest witch Ilyana said, he''s training with the potential to be one too, so don''t think you''re unique in that title. You can''t compete with that man," Harma retorted, ready to contradict Sixskins, who growled. "But it''s still strange... where did he come from? Why is he here? What is his goal? That''s what we need to know, and we can''t wait for Mance to give orders. That could take months," Rattleshirt spoke again. "Well, then I wish you good luck trying to catch him to torture him as you like, you sadist. Just don''t cry if you end up burning yourself in the process," Tormund mocked. Dalla just sighed as the meeting continued. Since the tribal groups had returned from the north, barbs had been exchanged between the leaders, and usually, the subject was Jon Snow and his strange powers, which went beyond any comprehension. Even the forest witches couldn''t explain what they were hearing. After all, had there ever been a man who could do all that before? The people in the camp, who weren''t talking to each other, were still wondering about what they had heard regarding where Jon was and how he had done all that they spoke of. Such questions were frequent, and there was no Jon Snow for them to seek answers from at the moment. Even some prayed for his return, saying that he would be the light to pull them out of this darkness, perhaps even lead them south. Between Mance, who had gathered them to flee, and the stranger, an entity that could destroy a White Walker and face them without fear, the Free Folk would naturally follow the stronger one. This was a problem for Dalla, as the camp had begun to form a pro-Jon Snow faction, naturally claiming that he should be the leader, despite being a stranger who had come out of nowhere. Still, he was a stranger who had killed a White Walker. On another side of the camp, Lucis was lost, without news of Jon, while he was somewhere north hunting that Warg, wondering when he would return. She had no news while looking at the baby bird that strangely stared at her at times. "I hope he comes back soon!" Lucis''s brother broke her thoughts beside her. "Yes..." Lucis murmured, hoping to hear news of Jon soon, seemingly already completely taken by the Dragonborn, as the man who had stolen her heart. Even though they hadn''t shared a night together, Lucis had certainly developed a passion for him, with them living and fighting together, while he had saved her several times. Her brother treated the baby crow and went to train, quite impressed by the stories he had heard of Jon, trying to grow stronger with everything the Dragonborn had taught him. Lucis just stayed in the tent, thinking about whether Jon was alright and when he would return. Meanwhile, on the edge of the camp, some free men were walking cautiously, watching those they had escorted there. Ygritte had finally returned, but she wasn''t alone. Those nearby, standing as sentries in the forest surrounding the camp, could see that the Children of the Forest were accompanying her. She was approached, and she said she had returned from her journey with Jon Snow because he had sent her back with the Children of the Forest they had found, which surprised everyone there, seeing the legendary creatures whose existence they didn''t even know of. Upon hearing about Jon Snow, they quickly nodded in respect and led her to the camp, asking about the whereabouts of the man who could kill their enemies. "He went north... said he had to do something there, that was all he said before leaving..." Ygritte spoke as the camp appeared in front of her, drawing the attention of those on the outskirts. It didn''t take long for the arrival of the Children of the Forest to shock everyone, as they were mythical creatures. The shock grew even more when they heard Ygritte''s account of Jon Snow¡ªor now, Daemon Targaryen, as they had heard¡ªkilling an ancient being before heading north, toward the coldest part, where no man would survive, and where the entire army of the dead was concentrated. Chapter 28 - Army of the Dead. [Chapter Size: 2000 Words.] Third Person POV. Somewhere on North. ... ... To the north of the continent of Westeros, Jon continued approaching the mountain while the mist spread across the entire region in an open area up to that place. There were undead everywhere, strangely circling the mountain, as if they were waiting to enter it or guarding something there. As he approached through the frozen wilderness, he thought about how he could possibly pass the undead without being noticed. He had to stop at one point, realizing he couldn''t continue like this, with all the undead scattered ahead of him. He raised his hand and began to cast a spell created in his palm, while purple energy gathered before launching it to open a portal to Oblivion, summoning a creature that took form as the portal closed. The next moment, the atmosphere grew darker and even colder, as a dremora general emerged from the portal, with evil eyes and horns on his head. He looked at Jon as his summoner, awaiting orders. "Dra''gash voran ulmir talak!" Jon began speaking in an unknown language to the creature. The dremora general inclined his head. "Khorath naldur voshar. Valan thrak." The creature replied in the same tone. It looked ahead, analyzing the situation, quite curious about what it was seeing, and then turned back to Jon, speaking a few more words in that language. "Nok valash! Ildoroth krath mal''kun." Jon nodded in agreement. "Vorash, tul makhar. Drethul volkar," he said finally with a sigh. "I have no choice, do I?" he murmured in the end, resigned. After all, he couldn''t remain in human form for what he was about to do. Jon then began to take off his fur coat, storing it in a dimensional pouch, while remaining bare-chested, feeling the icy cold of that place more than ever before, even with his increased resistance to cold. He sighed before feeling the change beginning to occur in his body as he transformed. His face began to elongate, and he quickly grew as fur appeared all over his body. Before that, Jon stomped against the ground with his boot tearing apart as he now had paws with claws instead of a human foot, assuming the form of a quadrupedal, muscular creature with white fur and sharp claws. Jon had just become his white werewolf form, with red eyes. A creature that could blend in among the undead but still had its own aura, something that would be dealt with by the dremora he had summoned. As he finished the transformation, he felt himself being enveloped by the aura of the summoned creature, forming a purple layer around his body. Once his transformation was complete, he now stood 3 meters tall, with a much more muscular body¡ªan alpha werewolf¡ªwhile having the layer of death energy to help him camouflage. His transformation wasn''t a grotesque change involving bones breaking and reshaping; it happened almost instantly, and within seconds, Jon was already a werewolf. He also didn''t need a full moon to transform. His adventures in Dawnguard had provided him with such power, and he used this ability only when necessary. Although his human form with Thu''um was far more powerful, being a werewolf also had its benefits in certain situations. "Morvak uldor vek''kal," the dremora creature began to say more things, while Jon looked at it strangely, after all, translated into the common tongue, it was something like, "Bring chaos and destruction," something normal for them. Jon simply thanked it, his voice now much deeper and more guttural. The dremora just nodded, and the portal enveloped it once again, making it disappear. He was alone again, still covered by the death magic. In his non-human form, he would have to see if the plan would work; otherwise, he would have to deal with thousands of undead alone. And so, he began taking his steps, advancing through the snow. Before, Jon could only see the magical glows indicating the number of undead there. Now, they began to become more visible to the naked eye as he approached higher ground, where the mist provided a better view. Thus, Jon reached a field in front of the mountain, full of undead standing in organized positions. To Jon, there were also White Walker knights standing ahead throughout the place; in every few rows of undead, they stood, and there were numerous of them, both as you got closer to the mountain and on the sides, each one positioned to command a number of soldiers. All were organized, which surprised Jon even more. One of the White Walkers was standing in the front rows, looking ahead, but suddenly turned its head, roaring like ice cracking with the movement, and looked toward the hill where Jon was. It saw nothing there, with Jon already out of its sight.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ''I will have to act more blatantly, but this will give me an advantage to reach the mountain or part of it. After all, I''ll have to use a lot of energy in this gamble...'' Jon thought as he began to swell his chest. Everything seemed ordinary in front of the army of the dead, with only the sound of the wind and the rising mist, but an explosive sound emerged, rising into the sky, drawing the attention of all the White Walkers looking at it. Suddenly, an enormous snowstorm arose, covering the entire mountain and its surroundings in the next moment. The White Walkers didn''t care much about it, despite its strangeness, nor did their wights, despite the strange explosion and descending snow. With the snow spreading, Jon then moved through the front rows. He would have limited time and began to walk among the armies of the dead, bumping into some bodies. However, the undead didn''t care about his presence as he managed to camouflage himself. Some White Walkers, seeing him pass by, only looked at the silhouette walking silently amidst the falling snow. Jon kept his feet under magic to make no sound, but he also couldn''t run. All the White Walkers saw was a figure passing by, without noticing anything unusual, as they couldn''t sense Jon''s presence among the dead. And so, Jon advanced. His expression furrowed as he reached a certain part of the path, for the storm he had summoned with his Thu''um was beginning to weaken, a sign that time was running out. Jon hurried, quickening his pace. He still had a long distance to cover to the mountain, at least a kilometer, while the undead army circled the entire area. Now, with his footsteps making noise as he ran, the White Walkers began to notice something strange, searching for who might be the source of that sound among them, since no command had been given to the undead to move that way. They also couldn''t sense Jon''s presence, which confused them. Jon then began to run at his maximum speed, noticing the movements around him. He knew he couldn''t waste time, and so he ran much faster than any human. His storm began to dissipate, and the daylight began to reemerge. He stood out in his white werewolf form to everyone as he began to be seen, moving through the undead army. All the White Walkers looked at him, and even Jon paused for a moment, curious, to observe the scene. The White Walkers looked at it, confused, seeing a giant quadrupedal creature resembling a three-meter-tall wolf. However, there were no blue eyes as they expected. The creature was clearly alive, but, for some reason, they couldn''t sense its presence. They quickly glanced at each other as if communicating and promptly raised their spears, letting out an inhuman sound like the roar of a malevolent creature, commanding their armies to kill the intruder. And so it was: all the undead, who had been standing and looking ahead, suddenly began to turn their heads from all sides, with Jon becoming the center of their attention. "Well, this certainly is something I''ve never been through before." Jon couldn''t help but comment in an almost amused tone, as it truly was a new situation for him, something that made him feel almost entertained. It was at that moment that, suddenly, all the creatures began running toward him. Jon sighed before leaning his knees forward and starting to run toward the mountain. He was already there, and he wasn''t about to give up now. The creatures quickly ran at him, and Jon faced them, striking with his claws those who tried to stop him, tearing them apart easily in his current form. But soon the undead started to become numerous, completely blocking his path, causing Jon to leap over them before falling back in the middle of them. Many tried to grab him, bite him, or even pierce him with swords, with his tough skin protecting him from many of those attacks. Still, he knew he couldn''t hold on for long. Jon began moving at his maximum speed. The more he fought, the more dead rose, with endless numbers there, others joining in, grabbing him, making his movements increasingly slower. Until suddenly, all the creatures jumped on him, creating a pile over his body at a point, hoping to kill him. In the next moment, an explosion emerged, sending all the undead flying away as Jon used the Thu''um. The situation was more complicated than he had anticipated, and he quickly returned to his maximum and even greater speed. Using a speed Thu''um, he disappeared, advancing like a ghost, much faster than before. The undead tried to catch him, but Jon was far too swift, focusing on one point, then turning to the other side, circumventing enemies with his current speed. He drew closer and closer to the mountain, even dodging ice spears thrown at him at that moment, some of them coming so close that they managed to cut him slightly, his skin clearly turning red with his blood. He kept running, while thousands of creatures pursued him. "Well, I''ve certainly never been through this before," Jon murmured, looking back. He was lucky to be in that form, as the speed it provided was something his human form could never achieve¡ªnot even a fifth of what he was doing now. "I''m getting there," he murmured, drawing closer. He passed through pillars in front of the mountain and fell onto lower ground, where there was a huge door ahead of him, surprising him. The creatures behind him passed through the pillars, like an uncontrolled wave, falling onto the ground, still desperately trying to reach him. Jon didn''t think twice; he ran to the gate, the only entrance into the mountain. It was strange, for that gate had clearly been made by human hands, but there was no time to think about it. He simply rushed forward, with the undead trying to grab him, some even managing to get hold of him. However, as soon as Jon passed through the gate, the undead began to fall apart, losing all their necromancy magic. Many of them, who were behind, couldn''t stop in time and, upon crossing the gate''s threshold, began to collapse, turning into inanimate corpses on the ground, without any screams of pain as they used to, as if they simply ceased to exist, as if their magic was canceled from that point. Jon sighed, still with some wounds from the spears that had cut his skin, and his fur was stained red. He just sighed as the transformation was canceled, shrinking back to his 1.90 m height. He was wearing torn shorts, barefoot and shirtless, his gaze turning toward the gate where the undead stood, not crossing it, just staring at him with fixed eyes. "Damn, sometimes you guys really do know how to be creepy," Jon murmured, forgetting the tension for a moment, now that he was safe. However, the calling persisted. He turned to face whatever had brought him there. Chapter 29 - A Creature and a Weapon. [Chapter Size: 1900 Words.] Third Person POV. Somewhere on North. ... ... Jon''s footsteps echoed through that giant, icy tunnel inside the mountain as he sought to see what had drawn him there. He couldn''t yet see what it was, as only a corridor led deeper into the mountain, and he continued forward, his presence echoing through the place. Everything seemed calm, with only a few drips from above. He analyzed that immense corridor, clearly constructed by someone long ago, though he had no idea who had built it or why... The dead had been left behind, and the corridor began to slope downward until Jon started to see what looked like a frozen crystal ahead, or at least its tip in an even lower area. He continued to the end of the corridor, where a new entrance to that area was revealed. There was no path forward, only a staircase beside him to descend. Pausing at that point, he raised an eyebrow upon seeing something inside the crystal, which was embedded in the wall. "Why is this here?" Jon wondered aloud, becoming more fascinated with the things he found in this world, things that could be said to be unlike anything he had encountered in Skyrim. Taking the stairs beside him, he didn''t hesitate to descend slowly to get a closer look, his eyes fixed on the crystal. It was during his descent that something caught his attention for the second time. He had a better view of one side of the crystal and saw a metallic gleam, and it was clear that magic was involved. "Don''t tell me that thing is being held up because of this... What kind of weapon is that?" Jon muttered as he observed and analyzed. As soon as he touched down on that level, he moved toward the crystal, heading to the side where a metal axe was embedded in the ice crystal. There was nothing else in this area besides the ice crystal and the axe. No other exits. It seemed like this place had been made just to support the crystal and the weapon. Walking until he was a few meters away from the weapon, his eyes grew increasingly puzzled by it. He began to approach with cautious steps, studying the weapon intently. "This... is like nothing I''ve ever seen. What kind of metal is this? It seems so powerful... It reminds me of a divine weapon... Dawnbreaker..." Jon let these words slip from his lips as he touched the metal, running his finger along the engravings. The touch made his finger start to freeze, spreading from where he had touched, but he withdrew his finger and examined the frost. "Magic... cold magic..." he murmured, noticing the magical power that generated a freezing effect on everything it touched, from the axe to the crystal. Jon then looked at the creature inside, trapped in a static form. "And you... how long have you been in there?" he said, looking at the white creature with a certain fascination in his gaze. It didn''t remind him of the fierce looks he''d seen in dragons as he fought them across Skyrim, shooting them from the sky. This creature seemed calmer, more solemn, even with a touch of gentleness in its gaze. The dragons of Westeros were not like those of Skyrim; the Valyrian dragons weren''t as powerful, but they also didn''t carry the arrogance of Skyrim''s dragons, who considered themselves above all other species. They even allowed themselves to be ridden by humans and commanded by those who shared the blood of their family. "But I''ve never heard of a frozen dragon... a white dragon with red eyes, like the one I see here... How did you end up in this place...?" He thought aloud, his gaze shifting between the dragon and the weapon. It was obvious that the dragon was trapped because of that axe. This raised more questions, but that didn''t matter for now. Jon took a few steps back, looking at the trapped crystal. "Well, I was called here for some reason. Did you call me?" he asked, looking at the frozen dragon, but silence was his only answer. He broke the silence again. "Well, so be it." He shrugged. He was already there, after all; he had just made it past an army of living monsters. Why should he simply turn his back now? He would take his chances and see what happened. Approaching the axe once more, he went for its handle. As his hand neared it, he felt the biting cold of a harsh winter, even with almost no contact with the weapon. "This weapon... it must be tamed..." Jon murmured. It wasn''t the first time he had looked at a weapon that wouldn''t let just anyone touch it or that he had to prove himself worthy to wield.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. He had always found these kinds of weapons interesting, as they accepted only one master and wouldn''t let just anyone handle them. So, he closed his hand around the handle, and a great chill invaded him, starting to freeze his skin from his hand, spreading to his forearm, while the axe began to glow, trying to reject his touch. "You''re rebellious, but I like that." Jon said with a smirk, viewing this as an enjoyable challenge as the axe tried to push him away. He held firm, determined, trying to overcome the axe''s resistance as it refused to move. Not satisfied, he brought his other hand to the axe, freezing it equally as the challenge continued. The axe tried to remain firm as Jon endured the magical cold as if standing naked in a blizzard, and information began to flow into his mind. "Leviathan Axe..." he murmured, looking excitedly at the weapon as he tried to force it. It was the weapon of a god, as he had suspected, much like Dawnbreaker, a weapon given by Meridia, a Daedric Prince¡ªsomeone he wished would come to this world, as she despised the undead and similar creatures... "Haha!" Jon, used to such situations, began to laugh, always thrilled, as he started to gain control more quickly. "You will be mine." He murmured. Jon was not a big fan of spears, though he kept the White Walkers'' spears for use when necessary. His official combat weapons were swords like Dark Sister, and now, this axe would be a new addition to his free hand. Then, for the first time, a crack began to form in the ice at the point where the axe was as Jon forced it to move, and a fissure began to spread across the entire crystal, shattering like fragile glass as he pulled on the axe. Until, with a thunderous sound echoing through the entire cavern, he yanked the axe free, and in the next moment, the entire crystal exploded, with the dragon finally being set free, its body intact but beginning to fall limply to the ground, almost as if it were dead from being trapped for so long. Jon paid no attention to that as his hands stopped freezing at that moment, causing the ice to shatter and disappear. The axe had finally been tamed by him. He looked at the axe, satisfied, spinning it swiftly like the weapon it was, flexible with these movements, beginning to understand how it worked. He tightened the wooden handle, making a movement, and the blade suddenly grew, creating a larger ice blade with a piercing sound, lifting it and gazing at it in satisfaction. "Well, this is quite interesting," he murmured. The control over the weapon was unlike anything he had experienced before. Jon was fascinated by what he held in his hands; he had acquired something truly remarkable. He took the axe, already knowing how it worked by now, and threw it directly at the wall. The weapon flew at high speed, striking and embedding itself easily into the surface, getting stuck there. But it didn''t end there¡ªbecause as soon as he raised his hand, the blade began to tremble before flying back to his grasp, which he caught effortlessly. He looked at it with even more fascination. "I''ve never had a weapon like this... you are truly unique..." Jon murmured. Jon was an avowed lover of weapons; he kept many of them in his personal arsenal, his collection being something he took great pride in having. But his thoughts about the axe had to be set aside when a huge shadow fell over him with the sound of breaking ice, as the quadrupedal dragon began trying to rise, placing its paws on the shattered crystal ice, looking at Jon with some caution. "Do you speak?" Jon asked, but the creature only looked at him, showing it didn''t understand his language. "I should have expected that..." he murmured, a bit disappointed. Used to the dragons of Skyrim, Jon knew that the dragons of Westeros didn''t speak, and they had to speak Valyrian¡ªsomething Jon hadn''t learned yet. "Well, now... what should I do with you?" Jon murmured, looking at the dragon that certainly didn''t seem dangerous. It kept its gaze on him, slipping among the ice as it tried to regain motor control of its limbs after what it had gone through. Clearly, it wasn''t an easy situation. It was strange; Jon didn''t feel an urge to fight this dragon, despite the possibility being there. Used to killing them, his first thought had been how he could finish it off and absorb its soul. However, deep inside, he felt a connection with the dragon¡ªsomething that had emerged since he stepped into this world. They connected the moment he returned here, something unexpected. "Can you understand me?" Jon then spoke in the old tongue, which he had learned from Val. The dragon seemed to turn its head toward him, still slipping but staying as steady as it could. Jon stored the axe in his dimensional pocket as the dragon seemed to grow nervous, sensing how dangerous this human was and even trying to distance itself, an expression of fear on its face. The dragon was female, as Jon noticed, and for the first time in his life, he saw such a creature that made him look with pity. He sighed before filling his lungs. "Kaan Drem." He used this Thu''um with two words, causing the dragon to start calming down, emitting a bluish aura¡ªan effect of this shout. "Calm down, girl... I''m not going to hurt you..." Jon said, approaching the dragon. She was at least twenty meters long; it was as if these corridors were made for her to pass through. Perhaps she had been worshipped by the free folk who lived in these lands thousands of years ago¡ªJon didn''t know. As he studied the white female dragon, his gaze suddenly shifted to the entrance of the place, sensing something. "This is bad... this place will lose its magical protection... probably also created by the axe," he murmured, his expression cautious before looking at the dragon, who would easily be killed in this place in her current state. "Listen, girl... we need to get you out of here, and you''ll have to make an effort..." Jon murmured to her, knowing that soon, the whole place would be filled with thousands of undead. --------- I thought about adding the weapons from Skyrim... but I ended up creating a new arsenal... The Leviathan Axe was something I always wanted to add to a medieval fanfic, and I found the opportunity here. Chapter 30 - To the South. [Chapter Size: 1800 Words.] Third Person POV. Somewhere on North. ... ... The entrance to the mountain was infested with undead all over the place, from the structure of the entrance to the open fields, due to the sheer number of them. They were gathered together like a giant anthill, with all their blue eyes focused on the entrance. The undead were merely waiting for orders from their masters, keeping their gazes fixed on where the intruder had entered. And not far from there, something emerged within a snowstorm, more powerful than the one created by Jon. Its leader was walking towards the mountain in front of the storm. He was far more dangerous than any other White Walker there. As he approached the area, an army of such size appeared with him, coming from the north along with the storm that was calming. It was filled with giants and other creatures, their blue eyes shining brighter than any others, representing the sheer malevolence of that monster. This was the king of the army of the dead: the Night King. With his cold gaze, he observed the mass of wights at a distance, covering the area while keeping his eyes fixed on the cave¡ªsomething there that he wanted for ages but had never had the chance to obtain... His gaze suddenly shone brighter, as if sensing something coming from inside the mountain, and then he gave an order to his slaves at that very moment. The undead began moving slightly, but only one stepped forward toward the gate where Jon had entered and advanced towards the entrance, only to explode and fall dead the moment it crossed the line, leaving nothing but a corpse on the ground. But this did not stop the advance, as a second wight also moved forward, crossing the entrance before collapsing to the ground like the first. The third stepped forward and did the same. They began to move one by one, crossing the gate, while their bodies fell to the ground, losing their magic but testing how long the gate would continue emitting its protection. Jon had noticed this and knew he had no time to waste. While speaking to the dragon, touching it calmly, he knew there was a problem, as the dragon, frozen in ice for so long, wouldn''t be in any condition to fly out, but he had no choice now. "Let''s go..." He touched the dragon. He quickly started climbing up the dragon to its back beneath the neck, uttering another Thu''um to control and force it, as it was predictable that this female would panic, which would be bad for the escape. So he had to force her. "Come on, girl, we need to get out of here quickly," he said again, touching her white scales as she began to adjust herself. He tried to control her body with his Thu''um, forcing her to move toward the exit. The undead kept passing through the gate as Jon watched the dragon make a great effort, leaning forward with her wings spread pointing towards the corridor from which he had come, until, with a great impulse, she started flapping her wings, taking off from that floor toward the next corridor above them, the one they had come from, but with great difficulty. She let out a groan of pain, probably having cramps, but still continued making the effort. She managed to reach a certain height until she began to fall, clinging to the entrance of the corridor only with her claws, almost falling back to the floor below, her claws scratching the ground, making a great effort to pull herself up, putting considerable strength into her front limbs, until she finally succeeded, and Jon sighed. "Good girl. Now we just need to get past the entrance and through the other wights..." He spoke, patting her back as they proceeded through the corridor, the weight of the massive dragon making a heavy noise. Jon hoped to get out of there flying, but things were not in his favor. At that moment, one of the undead jumped into the gate, falling to the ground. Suddenly, it raised its head, indicating that the protection had been destroyed, which meant the barrier had ended. All the undead seemed to have realized this, beginning to advance and fall through the gate in the next moment like ants.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. "This is bad," Jon murmured, already understanding what was happening. "Come on, girl, let''s go, we need to be quick!!" He slapped her back to hurry the dragon, which began to push forward, limping slightly but advancing down the corridor despite the immense pain. It didn''t take long for the first undead to appear, running towards them. Jon moved quickly, leaning his body to the side, holding onto the dragon. He took a deep breath before releasing a Thu''um shout, which instantly threw the giant zombies away, stunning them as the dragon moved past. But it wasn''t enough; after all, all the undead were pouring through the entrance at that moment, like a true swarm of insects piling on top of one another. Again, he let out a Thu''um shout to drive away all the zombies that tried to block their path again, causing some to begin retreating towards the entrance. The way was finally visible to Jon, but the wave of zombies kept accumulating, forcing him to think of another tactic. "Yol Toor Shul!" he exclaimed, and the tone shone with the light of flames escaping from his mouth, sending forth a massive wave of fire, burning all the zombies ahead with animalistic screams. Due to using many shouts, the effect he had over the female dragon began to fade, causing her to become frightened, slowing down as she saw thousands of zombies, some of them burning and piling up at the entrance, with many running toward her. "Come on, girl, we''re almost there! We need to get out of here urgently, or we won''t survive!" Jon tried to speak to her in the ancient language. "We have no choice, it''s forward or death! Come on, girl, let''s go!" Jon tried to encourage her, and she began to regain her resolve, starting to run again as she saw the opening to the sky. As he encouraged her, he unleashed another Thu''um at the zombies that were beginning to gather at the entrance, trying to block their path. Several undead began to grab at the dragon as they passed through the crowd, starting to beat her wings near the entrance, gaining altitude and finally advancing through the exit that Jon had created. The white dragon burst forth, flying into the sky, roaring in pain as she was bitten in multiple parts of her body, with zombies clinging on, trying to bite and stab her with the weapons they held. Jon quickly began to free the dragon from all the wights using telekinesis as they ascended above the army of the dead. Some zombies were shooting rusted arrows at them, but they managed to escape, moving away from the mountain entrance, while Jon let out a sigh with a small smile forming on his lips. "Good girl." He finished pulling off all the zombies clinging to her skin, leaving behind a few wounds. ROORRR The female let out a low groan of pain, and Jon touched her skin, trying to soothe her as they left the army of the dead behind, continuing on as she kept flapping her wings to stay airborne, though with great difficulty, roaring in pain all the while, from both her numbed muscles and the injuries. "I''ll tend to your wounds later. Just keep going, we need to get out of here and head back south," Jon said as the dragon continued flapping her wings to remain in the air, despite the pain. Jon was relieved to leave the dead behind, but then his gaze shifted to the side, where he saw another group just as large as the one they had just passed. It wasn''t the undead that caught his attention, but something leading them. Among them was a White Walker unlike any he had seen before, with a more powerful aura, wearing a kind of crown on his head. "Who is that? Is he the leader of all the White Walkers?" Jon murmured, watching as the figure took an ice spear from another White Walker who had brought it to him, beginning to position himself to throw it at the dragon. Jon raised an eyebrow, sensing the danger of the moment. "This is bad... Come on, girl, to the right, quickly!" Jon exclaimed in the ancient language, while the dragon began to change its position. Since they had their backs to that other White Walker preparing the spear, it would be difficult for Jon to defend them, so they started moving to the west. When the White Walker finally finished positioning himself, he hurled the ice spear, which flew at high speed toward them. Jon didn''t think twice before taking his new weapon out of his dimensional pocket, waiting for the spear to come precisely where they were, aimed at the white dragon''s heart. "Now." He said, and threw the Leviathan Axe towards the oncoming spear at high speed. The axe quickly intercepted the spear, clashing with a crack in the air, as both neutralized each other and fell from the sky. Jon raised his hand, making the axe pause in the air for a moment before it began to spin back towards his hand. "What an incredible weapon..." Jon murmured, satisfied. "Well, we made it. Now we just need to get out of his range, to the south." Jon commented as the dragon still struggled to get away, finally leaving the armies of the dead behind. The White Walker¡ªor rather, the Night King¡ªlooked on with a neutral expression, though a certain fury could be seen in his eyes as he watched the dragon move farther away. Even though he hadn''t expected to capture it, with the protection that repelled them at the entrance, he still hadn''t anticipated someone from the world of the living showing up here and taking the dragon right under his nose. But now, with them fleeing, he might even send a group to pursue them, though he doubted it would succeed. Still, having the dragon would help greatly in his goal of destroying this world. In any case, the shine of the Three-Eyed Raven had ceased to exist. He had finally rid himself of his greatest enemy, though he didn''t know how it had happened, and his plans to move south could be quickly accelerated to invade the realms of men. Meanwhile, Jon finally managed to relax, enjoying the cold northern wind, heading south at last, looking for a place to land before continuing. After all, the dragon was badly hurt and needed help after exerting itself so much. Chapter 31 - The Dead Are Here Again. [Chapter Size: 2100 Words.] Third Person POV. Somewhere on North. ... ... The dragon continued flying south, and Jon noticed that she wouldn''t last much longer, with her wingbeats growing weaker, and her altitude beginning to drop. "We''re far enough to be attacked here... We should descend to rest..." Jon spoke in the old tongue as the dragon continued to emit tired and painful sounds, starting to lower. She began to fall, passing over a hill and heading toward the dry forest below. "You can''t land?!" Jon was surprised by the dragon''s freefall, unable to do anything but hold on tight as the dragon seemed to give up. The next moment, impact came as the dragon hit the ground hard, lifting all the snow while her body dug into the earth with her enormous mass. Jon gritted his teeth as he felt the impact, holding on tightly to avoid falling, hearing the dragon groaning in front of him. She continued making her way forward, knocking down trees and displacing any rocks in her path, while leaving a trench behind them. She finally stopped, while everything around them turned into a haze of dust. Jon held firm until the dragon came to a halt, and he let out a sigh, still hearing the pained groan after the path of destruction the creature had caused with her massive body. "It''s over, girl, but we''re not out of danger. We need to get you out of here soon..." Jon assessed, looking at the scene. They were only about 30 kilometers from that place if he had to guess... And the undead wouldn''t stop pursuing them so easily, and as soon as they saw that the dragon had fallen, they would consider her easy prey. Jon couldn''t imagine what an undead dragon could do. He had faced some already, and even without him present, Skyrim had means to defend against them, while the rest of the people in this world would probably be annihilated by something like that if he weren''t there as well. He quickly jumped off the dragon, waiting for the dust to settle. He saw that the animal was covered in wounds and kept her head low. Jon walked up to her, seeing the pained look the creature gave, letting out small whimpers. Her breathing was also quite irregular. He touched her head, trying to calm her. "We''ll get you out of here, girl. Just wait a moment," he said, never imagining he would treat a dragon this way, but this was his current reality. Jon quickly stepped away and began to invoke some conjuration spells, casting them ahead of him. A wooden creature with green light radiating throughout its body appeared before him. It was a spriggan, a summon he had developed outside the conjuration school after reaching a master level to create new contracts with creatures directly from Oblivion. The creature stepped on the ground with its branch-like legs, looking at the dragon. "Heal her." Jon issued the order, pointing at the dragon. The spriggan began touching the animal, glowing a green hue. Jon was relieved to see the wounds starting to heal, but he frowned a moment later. "This will take too long," he murmured, quickly summoning more spriggans until he reached six, the maximum he could conjure at once with this contract. The healing was working, but he realized that even with the six spriggans around, it would probably take two days for the dragon to be fully healed. With no other choice, Jon decided to stay there. Although they were only a few kilometers away from the undead-infested land, they still had a few hours before they were found if the creatures were still pursuing them. The dragon remained crouched, without strength, as her body slowly eased from the pain but was still unable to move. Her entire muscles were exhausted, and her wings obviously could no longer lift. Jon ended up staying beside her, studying her better at that moment. "You''re not a dovah dragon nor a Valyrian dragon... How did you come to be here?" he murmured, having a hunch that this dragon had some connection to Valyria. The only response he received was a look, as the dragon could not speak. Jon let it go and decided to start releasing several spectral wolves, which ran toward the forest to watch the northern area. The situation was complicated. They remained there while the spriggans continued healing the dragon. The day passed as night approached, and Jon did not leave the creature''s side, staying awake while she fell asleep, exhausted. His mind wandered to the next steps, mainly wanting to cross the Wall and go to Winterfell, but first, he needed to get the dragon out of there, and it wasn''t bad at all to have a dragon by his side. "What would the bards of Skyrim say about this? It would certainly make a good song¡ªof a Targaryen coming to his land and freeing a dragon from its prison, kept for thousands of years," Jon commented, there with only the sound of the wind and the energy of the spriggans generating the healing, since there was nothing else to do.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. The dragon was still asleep, and he remained silent until, after a few hours, Jon looked to the north, as his spectral wolves began to be killed there. "Looks like they''ve finally arrived," Jon murmured, removing his new axe and the Dark Sister from the dimensional space. The sound of small growls began to come with the wind from the north, a snowstorm approaching. His wolves were disappearing one by one, leaving nothing between them and the undead, while his side remained with the fallen dragon surrounded by spriggans still healing it. Seeing the approaching storm, like a blizzard, Jon quickly began summoning more creatures. Two dremora generals appeared with their sinister tones as they spoke their language, greeting the Dragonborn. Jon didn''t stop with his summoning, as several lines of Oblivion portals began to appear, and he had to catch his breath a bit after bringing forth thirty flame atronachs around him¡ªfar more than was typically allowed, but he couldn''t afford to summon fewer here. It was at that very moment that the cold wind reached them, further obstructing visibility in the darkness of the night as the undead began to emerge, passing through the trees and the trench created by the dragon, rushing towards them. "Well, looks like they''ve reached us. Prepare!!" Jon exclaimed in a harsh tone, as, by his side, the atronachs began quickly launching flames, advancing like a rain of fire unaffected by the blizzard, striking the creatures and exploding them into flames with each hit. Thus it went, with one side of the ground filled with burning undead, and the other with Jon, the dragon, and his summons, beginning to spit and launch fire from their hands, lighting up the dark area. The dremora did not attack, as Jon had instructed them to perform a ritual, and they began to chant in unison. The dragon woke up startled at this point, trying to raise her head and move due to the situation and the danger she felt. "Try to get up, we need to leave! I''ll try to hold them back," Jon shouted in the old tongue to the dragon. Quickly, Jon ran forward, shouting, "Yol Toor Shul," unleashing his flame Thu''um that emitted a sound, blinding everything on the ground before all shone and advanced through the midst of the undead, burning them in a straight line, accompanied by the cries and growls of the dying wights. Meanwhile, the wights were advancing from the other sides. The summoned dremora generals had finally completed their ritual enchantments while Jon faced the undead, advancing against the first that emerged and killing them here and there with his weapons, while the atronachs continued burning as many as they could. As soon as the final word left the dremora general''s mouth, a line of fire rose around the area like a massive circle, halting all advances and leaving only a few dozen undead already within. "This is good..." Jon nodded with satisfaction and went for the wights inside, eliminating them with swift cuts, while the flames grew stronger with a powerful fire spell, the dead trying to circle around, but unable to advance. "We can hold them for a while," Jon murmured. "But everyone stay alert!" he said to the dremora generals as he repositioned himself. It didn''t take long, as all the malicious blue eyes looked at them, for the undead to simply start throwing themselves into the flames to try to extinguish them or make a bridge for others to cross. "Pretty smart," Jon murmured, as he watched the dead quickly burn. Others tried to pass over, but they were burned as well, after all, it was a spell from a dremora general, and more and more began to fall into the flames, burning, until they finally managed to create a space to pass before the flames rose again. However, they couldn''t go very far with the atronachs beginning to hurl fire at them. The situation was getting a bit more difficult, as the undead tried to cross from all sides, with the atronachs having to cast fire in every direction, attempting to hold back the advance. Jon pointed to one side before unleashing another Thu''um, spinning through the flames and burning an entire crowd of undead. He could have ended most of them with just one shout, as they were vulnerable there, but just as he was about to release a third shout to the other side, he felt something flying towards him from the north¡ªthe target was the dragon struggling to stand. "Those bastards..." Jon murmured, before throwing his axe into the air again, intercepting the ice spear with a crack as both weapons fell. As he retrieved the axe, another spear began to form. Before he could think, he struck it again. Jon felt that his telekinesis wasn''t working on the spear, likely because it was magical. Quickly, he advanced, striking the third spear with the Dark Sister, which made a loud crack when repelled, but stopped the moment after, as Jon retreated again, looking into the darkness of the surrounding storm. The dragon was trying to stand with all her strength, still being healed by the spriggans, who did their best to keep the spell active. The dremoras continued to hurl flames to try to hold back the advance, also casting other spells while mocking the undead. This went on for a while, as Jon frowned. The number of spears thrown from the darkness increased, revealing that more and more undead and their generals were arriving, and he could confirm this with his magical eyes. The dragon finally began to rise, struggling to stand, but still trembling. Jon knew he couldn''t stay there any longer. Quickly, he used a Thu''um to encourage the dragon, as he had done in the cave, while advancing toward her, climbing up the scales on the ground and jumping onto her back. "Come on, girl, we have to get out of here quickly, now!" he said, deflecting another spear with his axe. The dragon began to flex her wings backward, preparing for takeoff. "Leave this place immediately!!" Jon commanded, and the wings moved, lifting dust and snow from the ground as the wind clashed against the blizzard, while the undead continued to surround the area, trying to enter the circle of fire. Once again, the white dragon began to gain altitude. Jon deflected another spear with his axe, while sheathing the Dark Sister. He quickly unleashed another Thu''um against a second spear, which was coming too fast to avoid. The roar of the Thu''um collided with it, sending the spear flying back, but a third spear came, advancing at high speed and striking the dragon''s hind leg in the air, causing her to cry out in pain as red blood began to flow and the dragon almost started to fall. Jon looked at it, seeing how bad it was, while below them, the undead finally broke through the circle of fire, advancing against the summons, which were quickly overwhelmed by the sheer number of enemies. "We need to get out of here!" he shouted once more to the dragon with a tone of authority. The female made a great effort, beginning to beat her wings and move into the air in the direction they had escaped last time, dodging another spear that flew through the air, managing to get out of its reach and leaving that place behind¡ªbut she was even more wounded than the first time they had left the north, as the dragon emerged from the snowstorm, leaving the undead behind. Raccoon Here: Attention, everyone: I won''t be posting anything during the week from the 25th to the 1st, as I''ll be taking some personal time off. Chapter 32 - Free Folks Camp Again. [Chapter Size: 2100 Words.] Third Person POV. Somewhere on North. ... ... The Sun began to appear on the horizon at this moment, while the dragon continued flying, leaving a trail of blood in the air with one of its four legs injured by the weapon still lodged in its scales. It was flying much farther than it could previously, yesterday, as its muscles were finally starting to adjust after the first flight, allowing it to reach a much greater distance. "I believe we managed to get them off our trail at last. Now we can head to a safe place, you just have to hold on a bit longer, and we''ll take care of the rest of your wounds..." Jon commented. It was clear that the dragon was making a great effort, feeling enormous pain, but thanks to the adrenaline surging through its body to survive, along with Jon''s Thu''um, it managed to stay airborne. And so, they continued on for the next few hours. Jon even spotted the great Weirwood where he had taken the soul of the self-proclaimed three-eyed crow, while realizing the dragon wasn''t going to hold on much longer. "Let''s descend, I''ll finish healing you now," Jon said, as the dragon began its descent, landing in one of the forests. She landed much better than before but quickly fell to the ground after placing her feet in the snow due to the immense pain, moving her neck immediately and trying to remove the spear with her mouth, but unable to reach her hind leg. "Let me handle this, girl," Jon commented, approaching the dragon''s leg, passing by her giant mouth. She didn''t attack but looked at him with some caution and suspicion. Jon reached the spear and removed it quickly in the next moment, with the dragon giving a small whimper of pain. "This won''t bother you anymore, but we need to stop the bleeding... Hang on a bit longer, I''ll heal you over the next few hours," he said. He then summoned the six spriggans again, who began circling the dragon, who looked at them still with some suspicion but was already feeling relief as her entire body began to glow with the magic being cast. "This will take some time," Jon said, going to set up a camp to stay here for a day, quickly doing everything while ensuring the area was secure by casting summons all around. He knew the Free Folk no longer lived here, but he might encounter some of them patrolling or searching for food and survivors. However, he wasn''t worried about that, as he had just escaped an army of frozen undead from the north. And so he dreamed again, being a small creature, while walking around a castle, able to see the great structures somewhat blurred in the distance. The small animal was silent as it moved through the place, avoiding any feet that passed without noticing it. It seemed lost while arriving at a place with a lot of noise because, in front of it, there was a crowd of people, but it couldn''t clearly see any of them. They were dressed in red, and others mixed among them were in black, seemingly guards from two different houses. Jon saw that he was in an open part of the castle, like a training yard, hearing many people exclaiming, but he couldn''t understand what was happening there. The ground was cold but not as freezing as the North, and as Jon knew, he was south of the Wall. "Hey, where are you going, Nymeria!? We''re watching the fight between the Kingslayer and the master-at-arms, Ser Rodrik!" Jon heard a voice clearer than the others, from a girl, while small steps approached him, just as small as he was. Another little wolf approached, looking curiously at him, and he instantly knew it was his littermate, who must have noticed him. The girl followed right behind, still seeing her in a blurry manner. "Nymeria, you can''t just run like that..." She didn''t even finish her sentence when she saw the white wolf there, recognizing it immediately. "What, the mute one! You''re out of the stable?! You shouldn''t be wandering around here!" the girl scolded the wolf, and Jon, who was in the wolf''s form, was lifted into the air and carried back to the stable, being placed inside with the doors shut. "Ahh, you made me miss the beginning of the fight!" she complained as she quickly shut the door and ran off with her wolf in her arms. Jon found himself trapped again in the place where he always found himself inside the wolf, with the window being the only source of light there. The wolf had run away, and Jon just stayed there for a while, feeling how the wolf still missed something¡ªhim. That was why the wolf had started running away, trying to get to Jon. Darkness took over him again, and he slept for many hours, until he felt a great movement by his side. He opened his eyes, seeing what was causing the commotion at that moment, in the middle of the night under the starry sky. It was nighttime, probably early morning, and the dragon was beginning to rise, with the spriggans complaining, trying to maintain the healing spell. But the dragon no longer cared, starting to shake off the spriggans. She seemed to have already decided to leave. Though still slightly injured, but in much better condition, she simply turned her head toward Jon before opening her mouth.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ROAAAAAAAARRRRR The dragon simply roared at him, lifted her wings, and began flying away, with Jon feeling the wind from her wings as she departed, leaving him and the spriggans behind. "After everything I''ve done for you, you''re just going to leave? Not even a thank you?" Jon used an ironic tone in his voice, but he wasn''t angry. He was used to dealing with dragons all his life, hunting them for the past years; it wasn''t now that he''d befriend one, besides Paarthurnax, who stayed on the Greybeards'' mountain. He let the dragon go, looking up at the sky, thinking he''d slept for several hours... which was no surprise, considering how much power he had used in the last fight. His body ended up exhausted. Even he had his limits and couldn''t fight for long in that state, maintaining dozens of summons with him and using his Thu''ums constantly during the battle. Jon didn''t care anymore, going back to sleep after dismissing his summons. The only thing he wished was that the dragon wouldn''t fall into the hands of the undead. Otherwise, all his work to keep her alive would have been in vain. Thus, he slept, fully recovering a little before dawn, beginning to clean up the camp and head south. There was nothing left for him there, and he would return to the Free Folk''s camp before finally heading to the other side of the Wall. It was time to see his family again and settle a few things with his uncle. He departed, traveling south over the next few days, looking back a few times with a raised eyebrow. Arriving at an area he knew well now, he found a camp ahead with some members of the Free Folk standing around, talking and eating something by an open fire in the middle of the forest. They were sentinels, and as soon as they heard Jon''s footsteps, they quickly turned, standing and drawing their weapons, pointing them at him. He approached wearing the same clothes as theirs, but they still didn''t recognize him as part of the group. "Who are you?" they asked, but a group quickly recognized him immediately. "It''s him! Jon Snow, the outsider, the one who went alone beyond the North before asking those children of the forest to come to the camp," one of them pointed out nervously. "It really is him!" They looked, seeing a man with a serious face staring at them, with amethyst eyes¡ªa color that no one else had. "Well, I see you''ve recognized me. Can I return to the camp? After all, I need to talk to some people," Jon said, while they looked at each other, with no reason to refuse. "Alright, follow me, I''ll take you..." one of them said to Jon, nodding to his companions, while Jon nodded in response. "Then I''ll be heading back. If you see something big approaching, don''t attack¡ªit''s with me," Jon simply said, leaving them confused as he followed the guide. Jon advanced towards the camp, and after a few hours of silence, the area with a large number of tents finally came into view. They descended while the man leading him kept glancing back the entire time, but he didn''t seem to express his thoughts. Jon, on the other hand, walked calmly, keeping his own thoughts, as he had some matters to settle. But he decided to break the silence at that moment, seeing the camp in the distance. "Did the children of the forest arrive here safely?" he asked. "Yes, they came over a week ago. They said you sent them, and we''ve been waiting for your return... No one dared to contradict them. The forest witches have been bothering them constantly, asking for their blessings," he spoke cautiously. "I see," Jon murmured as they continued. The camp was getting closer, and they passed by more sentinels who looked at him cautiously, some even with a certain reverence, but he kept moving forward. They descended the slope, and finally, they were emerging into the camp. Jon paused for a moment, looking at the camp, lost in thought. This caught the man''s attention. "Tell me, what are they saying about me at the moment?" Jon asked suddenly. The man seemed uncertain but spoke. "They''re saying many things... Some say you saved the northern forward camp, and within that story, there are many others... that you can spit fire and kill White Walkers. Things got even more chaotic when they saw the children of the forest arrive, with her claiming that you killed the most powerful warg in the north, who hid in a sacred tree and could control dozens of animals. You fought him and defeated him before his creatures and himself." He hadn''t finished while trying to meet Jon''s gaze. "Even the children of the forest fear you, saying you''re not even human..." He spoke, seeming afraid of Jon''s reaction. After all, everyone spoke of Jon Snow and his oddities, and Jon wanted to laugh at it all, but he let it go, finding this type of reaction normal. "Well, I certainly don''t want to get involved with a crowd after all these rumors, so I''ll go on alone from here. Goodbye," Jon said to the man, who raised his eyebrow, confused. But in the next moment, as he heard Jon disappear, he was shocked and stepped back, trying to look for him, only to see nothing there. "Relax, I''m still here, I''m just invisible. You understand why I don''t want to draw attention, right? I''m going on alone." Those were Jon''s last words before he advanced into the camp using invisibility. He wasn''t a specialist in the illusion arts, so he used one of his summons to make him invisible, his footsteps still pressing the mist as he walked toward the camp. Lucis was returning to her tent at that moment with clothes after washing them, while people stared at her the entire time. People had been looking at her strangely in recent days, all because of her relationship with Jon. They were even afraid of her now. She found it uncomfortable, but her brother thought it was amazing, even saying he was a student of the fearsome Jon Snow and wanted to kill White Walkers like him in the future, which Lucis found absurd, but she only sighed, unable to do anything about it. Even the women looked at her with a certain envy, knowing Jon would certainly be sought after now. Lucis continued folding the clothes, and there were some of Jon''s, ones she had made herself in the past days as a gift for him saving her in the north. As she stored them in a corner of the tent, she felt a touch on her shoulder, making her turn immediately, startled. She saw the man with purple eyes staring at her with a smile. "You look scared. Is everything alright? I just arrived," Jon said calmly, smiling at the blue-eyed woman. He had finally returned. -------- Raccoon Here: Attention, everyone: I won''t be posting anything during the week from the 25th to the 1st, as I''ll be taking some personal time off. Anyway, I''d like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas in advance. Chapter 33 - Stealing Lucis. ----------------- [Chapter Size: 1900 Words.] Third Person POV. Somewhere on North. ... ... "Tell me everything that happened!! What did you do after you killed a cold shadow in front of everyone? Wait, how did you do that?! How can I kill one too?!" the boy said in an excited tone, looking at Jon with an admiring gaze. Lucis listened to everything as she entered the tent with hot water for a broth that she went to get for Jon right after he surprised her. She ended up telling her brother as soon as she stepped outside, and the boy let out a cheerful sound as he ran to the tent, leaving his sword training behind to come see Jon. Lucis just sighed, but she couldn''t help but hope for an answer from Jon. After all, they had only seen that he had killed a powerful Warg in hiding before leaving Ygritte and the children of the forest to head further north. Jon stood in front of the excited teenager, a small smile appearing on his face. The boy reminded him of his early years in Skyrim. At first, Jon had been scared of the new world, so different from what he was used to, as Skyrim was far more fantastical with its magic, monsters, and all kinds of things that made even Westeros seem like a peaceful and less cruel world. Over the years, he transitioned from fear to an excitement to know the world and grow strong enough to explore all of Tamriel. ''I want to be strong... to survive and make my own name.'' A much younger Jon had shouted in a very old memory as Jon thought back almost ten years. That Jon was a mirror of Lucis''s brother. The man, who had heard the demands of the boy before him, holding a wooden sword in his hand, smiled. ''You certainly will, but you can''t become that strong overnight. It takes years of training, but there''s no doubt you''ll make your own name. After all, I''ve always seen potential in you since I took you out of that orphanage, Snow.'' The older man spoke with a laugh at the end; Jon''s last name always made him laugh, wondering who would give themselves such a simple name, even if Jon insisted it was because he was a bastard and that was simply how names worked where he came from. ''This reminds me so much of the relationship I had with the man who adopted me, who I considered my father...'' Jon murmured to himself before opening a smile and ruffling the boy''s hair. "I''ve been busy, as you can see. If I told you I went to the army of the dead in the north and tried to sneak past them until they discovered me, so I had to run..." Jon commented with a teasing smile. "Army of the dead?! How did you get out of there? Wait!! There''s an army of the dead?!" The boy was shocked at the thought of an army of the dead. "Jon... can you stop teasing Lafy!" Lucis said in a slightly dissatisfied tone, with Jon mentioning something that even gave her goosebumps. She refused to believe that such a thing could exist in the north. Jon understood their feelings well. As long as that army didn''t march south, they would be fine. But if they had to face them, everyone there would be easily wiped out, making him think that the dead didn''t want to draw the attention of those training in the south yet, as if they were waiting for something... After all, they could just show up and destroy them... Maybe no longer since he destroyed the three-eyed raven, so he had to think of a way to get them out of there. The Free Folk, in Jon''s opinion, had changed him. He began calling them wildlings openly, but they weren''t quite what he had been taught. There were rotten apples among them, and Jon had dealt with many of those, but they weren''t a bad people overall. They simply wanted to live their lives, and now they were gathering for their survival. Jon couldn''t help but think, when he saw the army of the dead, of the people there, imagining the whole camp turned into the dead with blue eyes. Lucis, Lafy, Val, Ygritte, Karsi, Tormund¡ªall of them marching among the other dead as they moved south, while he remembered the Night''s Watch oath: the realm of men. It was obvious that the Night''s Watch and the Wall had been made for this thousands of years ago. It was a pity that its true meaning had ended up forgotten. "Lafy." Jon called him while the boy was a little displeased with his sister stopping Jon from continuing to talk about the army of the dead. The boy turned back to the Dragonborn.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. "Can you let me speak with your sister in private? Also, I''d like you not to tell the camp that I''m here. After all, I want a little rest for the next few hours." Jon spoke. He knew this would be temporary before people started seeking him out, but he still wanted some time there. "Yes..." the boy murmured in a slightly low tone before nodding to Jon, leaving Jon with Lucis. She paused for a moment until she remembered she had brought the hot water with broth for him. "Here... I brought this for you." She said, handing him the pot. "Thank you..." Jon accepted it, looking at her. "Sit with me." He asked, and she sat down beside him. "How are you...? You were gone for weeks... some said you were dead, though most didn''t believe it after hearing what you did at the northern camp..." She commented before speaking in a slightly weak tone in her next words. "About the army of the dead you mentioned... you were just joking with my brother, weren''t you?" She looked into his eyes. Jon sighed before answering her. "I''m fine... I got a few scratches, but nothing serious." Jon said, as the cuts made by ice spears in the middle of the army of the dead had been healed by his spriggans. "I found some interesting things up north... a weapon and a creature that should be wandering the camp right now while I''m here... about the army of the dead..." Jon then looked at her with a serious glint in his purple eyes, meeting her blue eyes. "I wasn''t lying... there are tens, no, hundreds of thousands of dead up north... and I may not have seen them all." Jon commented. "You can''t be serious..." she said, her voice failing. She was clearly frightened at the thought that they could all be wiped out. "I know I''m being quite blunt in saying this, but I don''t like to lie. But don''t worry... I won''t let you or your brother die here." Jon said, holding her arm to calm her. "..." Lucis looked at him, a bit lost, but nodded at his words, trusting Jon after everything they had been through. "Thank you..." she murmured in the end. "You don''t need to thank me, I''m the man who stole you, right?" Jon said with a smile as Lucis nodded to him before looking at his arm on hers, the only one free since the other was holding the broth. She moved her arm, touching Jon''s with her fingers, a tender touch, before looking at him with a more serious gaze¡ªafter all, she had begun to see him as her safe harbor in the midst of this chaos. Jon slowly moved his free arm away from her fingers and slid it to her waist, amidst the heavy clothes of the Free Folk, before pulling her to him, while her leg let their lips meet with a wet touch. Lucis simply closed her eyes as she began to touch his face while kissing him, gradually becoming more aggressive to the point of sitting on him. She had no experience with this kind of thing, but she felt her body heat up, and it all came naturally. Jon saw the woman on top of him and let it happen naturally, setting the soup aside next to them, leaving the food and the conversation for later. He took her leg and positioned it perfectly in his lap, both of them kissing more intensely as he guided her through her first kisses. And so they continued, exchanging their tongues until he pulled away from her face, looking into her eyes with a smile. Lucis wore a slightly nervous expression, but she didn''t seem to reject him¡ªquite the opposite, she appeared to desire him, her body yearning for it. Jon kissed her again, both pressing their faces against each other as Jon began removing her clothes, and she just felt her body grow more excited. Jon ensured that no one would enter the tent or that she wouldn''t feel cold as her body became increasingly visible, his mouth moving down her bare neck and onto her small breasts, eliciting moans from a woman who had never felt pleasure before. Jon just smiled and led her to the bed; the conversation and food could wait, while Lucis kept her eyes on Jon the entire time, surrendering herself completely to him. And thus, Jon had her in that tent, Lucis moaning with him as they made love. He healed her after her hymen broke, continuing to make the experience more pleasurable than painful for her first time. It was only after a few hours that Jon opened his eyes, wrapped in cloth used as a blanket with a naked Lucis sleeping beside him, deciding that it was time to leave since he had other matters to attend to. He dressed himself and went to the broth set aside, warming it up with a small flame before starting to eat it. "Jon...?" Lucis woke at that moment, seeing the empty bed, and found Jon beside it, eating. "How are you...?" He smiled with some tenderness. "Good..." she murmured, looking at him with some shyness. "That''s good. Anyway, I can now say that you are mine." Jon said. "Yes..." She didn''t deny it, before looking at him, now having something more than just a lie for him to enter the camp. "I heard rumors you have another name..." She commented. "Daemon... the name my mother gave me." He said, sounding more like he was reflecting on something than answering her. "Should I call you that? Daemon?" she asked curiously. "No... I''m Jon, at least for now." Jon said. "And now?" she asked curiously, still in bed, covering her naked body with the cloth. "Now, let''s talk, because I have something to do." Jon began as Lucis waited for him to continue. "I''m going to talk to Karsi after this, but my plan is to head south alone." Jon said, making Lucis raise an eyebrow. "What do you mean?" she asked, somewhat surprised. "There''s something I need to do in Winterfell. Who knows, maybe I''ll even meet the so-called Mance, the King-beyond-the-Wall." Jon smiled, as his next destination was clear¡ªWinterfell. __________________ Raccoon Here: I changed Jon''s name in this fanfic because "Aegon" is already being used in another story. I thought "Daemon" suited this Jon better, as he has similarities with the Rogue Prince. Though they are quite different, there are still some resemblances. Chapter 34 - Root Paste. First of all, happy 2025 to everyone! I hope you''re all doing well. Today I''am to posting regularly again. [Chapter Size: 1900 Words.] Third Person POV. Somewhere on North. ... ... "Are you heading south?" Karsi looked at Jon carefully after hearing his words. He nodded. "It''s time for me to see my old family. It''s been 12 years since I last saw them..." Jon commented as if he were anyone else, not someone who missed his family, and Karsi noticed that very well. "I had many doubts about you when I found out you''re a relative of the Stark kings..." She began, but Jon interrupted her. "The Starks haven''t been kings for almost 300 years, but yes, we share the same blood. My late mother is the sister of the current Lord of Winterfell," Jon commented. "Alright... But you don''t seem to be very attached to them. Do you hate them?" Karsi murmured, seeing how Jon felt about the Starks, which was strange and even more mysterious to her. "You''re right... I don''t hold my relatives in Winterfell in the highest regard, but I wouldn''t say I hate them, I just despise them. And it''s time for them to pay for some of their actions," Jon spoke firmly. "..." Lucis was beside him but remained silent. When they entered Karsi''s tent, Jon wore a cloak to conceal his appearance and eyes, not wanting to be stopped along the way by people wanting to speak with him. "I see... Well, if you''ve decided to go there, no one can stop you." She commented, but with some displeasure that Jon was leaving again, after all, he was very good for her tribe now that he had returned. "And how do you plan to get past the Wall? I heard Mance crossed with a boat... Della knows more details if you''re interested. Ask your sister, Val." She spoke as Jon nodded. "That sounds too easy. I have my own way of doing it, so I''m not worried about the Wall," Jon said, cutting the subject short. "I understand... Anyway... you killed a warg in the north... the Children of the Forest say you made a mistake. But I''m curious about what you did afterward since you went even further north, which is a mystery to all of us," she commented. "The Children of the Forest are a bit disappointed that the one who was deceiving them is no longer here... anyway, what I found in the north..." Jon said, looking at Karsi with more serious eyes, while the only other person in the tent was Lucis herself, who looked at Jon with some caution, remembering the feeling she had when she learned what was in the north. Karsi remained silent as Jon continued. "...What''s in the north... is the army of the dead." He spoke, leaving a brief, grim silence in the tent, with Karsi furrowing her brow. "How many...?" She murmured awkwardly. "Three times the size of this camp... maybe more," Jon said. "If that''s true... we''re going to die if we don''t cross the Wall..." She said with a tone showing fear for the first time with Jon, after all, she was thinking about her daughters. "I know... we need to get them out of here as soon as possible..." Jon commented as if it were the most obvious thing. "We need to bring this up at the meeting. Can you attend?" She said, as this was urgent. "Of course, but not now. I want to settle a few more things first," Jon replied. "Alright... but come with me tomorrow. I''ll talk to Della about your return and any possible news you might share." She said as Jon nodded. "Let''s go... I want to speak with the Children of the Forest. Can you accompany me?" Jon turned to Lucis, who nodded. He pulled up his hood before starting to leave Karsi''s tent. Karsi just watched them disappear through her door while she seemed to weaken and tremble¡ªmore than 300,000 dead to the north... it was suffocating, terrifying, and dreadful. Jon stepped outside before a group of men appeared. "Hey, Karsi''s people, there''s a rumor that Jon Snow is in the camp!" They spoke to the two, seeking information. "Yes, I am." Jon responded, raising his head, catching the men by surprise with his purple eyes. "..." They just stared at him, looking undecided, not saying anything. It was obvious they were only after gossip and news, not seeking to actually talk to the Dragonborn.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. "Let''s go." Jon said to Lucis, who nodded, starting to leave with him towards the sanctuaries of the forest witches'' children. Ilyana had been blessed by the visit of the Children of the Forest to her tree. After all, with Jon teaching her about Warging, the children had chosen this tree in the camp. "He''s here..." One of the children said while Ilyana was surrounded by her assistants. Everyone was surprised by the children''s words, as a couple entered the door. It was strictly forbidden to come here now¡ªeveryone wanted to see the Children of the Forest, but they were also sacred among the free folk. Even the most radical tribes dared not think of touching any of them. Jon stopped, pulling down his hood as he looked around at everyone gathered around the tree, particularly at the children and the one called Leaf, the apparent leader of them. "It''s been a while... I hope you''re all doing well. And you, Ilyana, I''m getting better at Warging." Jon said since before speaking to Lucis'' sister, he had checked on his crow, growing in its cage. "Oh, the one who''s been performing miracles lately..." Ilyana murmured, looking at Jon, wondering if he was the same man who had come seeking knowledge of the magic of the First Men weeks ago. "Don''t look at me like that. I may not know how to fully use these Warging abilities yet, but that doesn''t mean I didn''t already have my own tricks," Jon responded calmly as his gaze fell on Leaf, waiting for her to answer his question. "We are adapting here..." She answered on behalf of all her sisters. "That''s good. I know you''re not too fond of me, but this people needs to survive what''s coming." Jon started, making everyone give him their full attention. "What''s coming...?" Leaf looked at him, confused. "To the north, at a distance that would take weeks, maybe even a full moon, the entire force of the White Walkers is gathered... and let''s just say I provoked them a little." Jon spoke, after all, he had stolen a dragon right from under their noses. "What?!" Leaf was shocked, along with the others. "I encountered a White Walker different from the others. He wore a crown and could throw an ice spear much stronger than any other I''ve seen." Jon commented, making Leaf widen her eyes. "The Night King..." She murmured as Jon raised an eyebrow, noting the name. "Well... I''m not too surprised by that obvious name." Jon mocked, then continued. "I''ll be heading south. I need you to try to assist and calm them down." Jon began. It was obvious what he was commanding¡ªit could cause panic throughout the camp, but it would also prepare them, hoping that the Children could help soothe them. "Yes... did you go north in search of the army of the dead?" She asked. "Not exactly, but I did get this weapon and found a rather exotic animal." Jon said, revealing the Leviathan axe from his dimensional space, surprising everyone as he twirled the axe effortlessly. "Anyway, I''m counting on you." Jon said, beginning to turn around, having nothing more to discuss there, and storing the axe at that moment. "Wait!" Leaf called him. "Hm?" Jon turned back to her. "Ilyana said you started Warging training with her... we can help unlock even more of your potential," she said, as Jon raised an eyebrow. "You want to help me?" He asked, amused. "We have no other choice. You killed the Three-Eyed Raven, so I hope you''ll fulfill exactly what you promised us after killing him," she said. "Alright, how can you help me?" Jon asked, curious. "We prepared a paste made from roots over the last few weeks for when you returned. If you allow yourself to take it, it will help you unlock your Warg powers more effectively," she said, offering him a bowl. "Jon... I don''t think this is..." Lucis spoke beside Jon, seeing that there was some tension between Jon and the Children, which made her think they might be trying to poison him. "It''s alright... she''s telling the truth," Jon replied, knowing they were being sincere. "This will make you absent for hours... so be aware of that," Leaf said, and Jon noticed it was still the middle of the afternoon. "Very well... I''ll take it." Jon decided in the end, while Leaf nodded. "Please, approach the tree, sit between the roots, and rest your head near the knot on the trunk, keeping contact with the sacred tree," she requested, and Jon nodded, despite Lucis'' worried gaze. Walking up to the tree, even the forest witch and her assistants watched carefully to see what would happen as Jon passed by the children. He sat as Leaf had instructed, and she approached with his bowl. "Drink this and consume it all..." she requested, and Jon, trusting that she was not deceiving him, decided not to waste time, knowing this would be useful for him in the south. He brought the bowl to his mouth, tasting the bitter flavor of raw wood, but he drank the entire liquid quickly, feeling it slide down his throat with the same bitter taste, not caring much. Everything seemed calm as he waited for any change, staring at the ceiling of the place. Then, suddenly, his vision began to blur, and he realized he was starting to lose consciousness, sinking into total darkness, before awakening again as the small wolf. The wolf he often dreamed of looked north, as if their connection was strengthening to the point where they both now knew where they were. The wolf''s vision was no longer as blurred, and Jon could see clearly where he was¡ªno surprise¡ªat Winterfell. He could see the towers through the window of that barn. The vision shifted to the crow inside Lucis'' tent, where his brother was there with none other than Val, who seemed to be waiting for him. The news of his arrival at the camp had quickly spread, and the blonde had come to see him while they were there. After that, his vision changed, not to a specific animal, but to a sequence of images flashing before him. He began to see blood, swords clashing against each other, screams, fire, and war. All kinds of wars. He saw young lions killing a fat stag and an old wolf, while only lions of various sizes laughed at their deaths. Other wolves were being cornered in different places, while yet another young wolf was killed by arrows before a weapon pierced its heart. The North bled at that moment. There were other visions of a war against the Wall, where a dragon-wolf led the charge, slaughtering the crows who defended it. He was declared the king beyond the Wall at that moment, reigning in victory over the crows. In another vision, this same dragon-wolf was advancing against the North itself, conquering his mother''s lands. The vision shifted again, showing this dragon-wolf killing many people in the south: strong men, stags, flowers, eagles, serpents, fish, and dragons... There were countless deaths as he moved through all the corpses. The Iron Throne was within his reach. But he didn''t know what the outcome of that was. However, his vision changed to one final glimpse of him fighting thousands of blue-eyed dead, the vision ending in the next moment. Chapter 35 - Meeting. [Chapter Size: 2200 Words.] Third Person POV. Somewhere on North. ... ... "Ah, you''re back! This camp becomes interesting again! Give me a hug, my friend!" Tormund''s voice exclaimed as he approached Jon, hugging him while laughing, lifting him slightly off the ground as Jon felt a bit lost with the gesture. Everyone around them watched, curious about the interaction. It was night when Jon had woken up, a few hours after his experience with the root paste. He felt a bit strange since seeing all the visions, wondering if that was his future in this world. Lucis had reported how his eyes turned milky white while he was connected to the tree, and the children of the forest merely observed, saying he was still in the process of awakening more of his powers. She was worried because, after the first hour, Jon had shown no change, still lying on the ground. Even though Leaf assured them he was fine, just needing time. Two, three, four hours passed, and only in the fifth hour did he finally wake up, his eyes returning to normal as he blinked, slightly dazed, while Lucis immediately approached him. "How are you?" she asked, relieved. "I''m fine, except it feels like a stone fell on me..." Jon murmured, standing up but not sharing anything more with her. "How was it?" Leaf asked. "I saw some things, but I think it worked," he replied, without sharing the details with anyone. After getting up, he returned to the tent after saying goodbye to Ilyana, her assistants, and the children. When he arrived, he found Val still in front of the tent, waiting for some time. Coincidentally, Ygritte also appeared at that moment. Jon had a brief conversation with the three women, who seemed to exchange tense glances, especially Val, who quickly realized that both of them had already been with Jon, or at least that''s what the looks indicated. One seemed visibly embarrassed, and the other, very bold. In the end, Jon decided not to spend the night cooking, as he had brought good supplies from the north, including some deer he had hunted in the past few weeks and stored in his space. He had the idea to make a feast for the people near the tent. He began preparing the food, while his group, which initially included only Lucis, Ygritte, Val, and Lafy, began to grow as more people approached. One of these people was Guren, who came to talk to Jon. He was a bit cautious, as he had never really liked Jon when he led the group north to fight the dead, but he had to acknowledge Jon''s extraordinary skills and that he had saved the camp. Guren even apologized, looking at Jon with both fear and respect. Jon, however, didn''t care much about it, simply accepting the apology while continuing to prepare the meat. Karsi also joined them with her daughters. As the group grew, Jon ended up putting two more deer on the spit, preparing a bigger feast. He asked the others to help him, as he wouldn''t be able to do everything alone. Tormund then arrived last, and once everyone began eating and drinking, the big red-haired man laughed and spoke in his usual exaggerated manner. Jon liked the man and joined him in conversation, as usual, considering him a good friend and someone fun, much like his old companions in Skyrim. Despite Tormund constantly asking about what Jon had faced, Jon shared a few things, mentioning that he saw many dead to the north and was searching for an ancient weapon, but without going into detail. He didn''t mention the army of the dead in front of everyone, saving that information for the leaders. They would decide what to do next starting tomorrow. Thus, the night went on. Jon avoided answering most of the questions about himself, about how he could do such things, or whether he was human, as many wondered if he was a god or something like that. Some even said he had been sent by the old gods, but Jon only replied that he was an ordinary mortal. In the end, Jon went to Lucis''s tent, under the watchful eyes of Val and Ygritte, though they eventually returned to their tribes. Jon slept with Lucis in a much more intimate way than he used to, as before he only played with her, but now he treated her as someone closer, and the girl sought the warmth of the Dragonborn. Lafy noticed the way the two behaved, raising an eyebrow just before going to sleep, seeing how her sister had changed with Jon, but said nothing and went to bed while the boy waited for the next day''s training. Jon got up, putting on his clothes, leaving Lucis behind. "You''re already awake...?" Jon said to the boy, who was also waking up. "Yes, I want your training again!" He asked, but Jon refused. "Not now... I''ll have to leave. Tell your sister, when she wakes up, that I went to the leaders'' meeting. They''re already here to call me..." Jon spoke calmly, before petting his small crow that was climbing the cage. He left it there and walked out, moments later meeting Karsi as she approached with her men from her nephews'' tent.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. "Well, good to see you''re awake..." Karsi began. "Will you accompany me to the meeting?" She asked, and Jon nodded. "Why not, that''s what I''m here for..." Jon smiled at the woman as he followed her, letting her lead the way. They walked towards the main tent of the camp, still receiving many glances from all the tribes they passed, Jon''s purple eyes standing out easily, a sign of recognition based on the rumors. But he remained calm, and Karsi said nothing either. They continued to the meeting place, quickly being allowed in by the guards. Inside, they found the leaders gathered, with a few exceptions for those who couldn''t attend. Val was there, along with her sister, watching Jon''s arrival. It wasn''t just her; everyone in the room was doing the same. "Well, you''re here, Jon Snow..." Della spoke as Jon ignored the stares. "You called me, so here I am," he replied simply, unfazed by the reactions around him. "Cassio said you had something important about the North after your expedition..." Della commented. "Yes, I found some interesting things and others that are quite concerning," Jon said. "The question is: are you ready to hear what I have to say?" He looked firmly at everyone, knowing he would be direct and not waste time explaining how they were easy prey for the monsters to the north. "Speak already!!" Sixskins growled from one side. "Maybe if you asked more politely..." Jon replied calmly, but tired of this man trying to contradict them every chance he could. "Speak already, southern outsider!" Sixskins repeated, while others wondered if he was a fool, acting out of envy and fear. Before the warg could say anything else, his neck was suddenly squeezed. Under everyone''s gaze, he began to rise, suspended in the air with nothing holding him but an invisible grip on his neck, causing all the leaders to take a step back, frightened by the scene. Jon had his hand raised, as if from his position he was holding the man by the neck, while Sixskins looked at him with pure terror in his eyes. "By the gods!" The leaders murmured, scared, witnessing Jon''s abilities for the first time, confirming the rumors about impossible feats. "I don''t demand much, but it''s best to keep respect with me from now on. If you don''t like me, keep it to yourself. Now, if you think you can stand above me in front of me, come, and I''ll prove you wrong." Jon said. His words echoed through the tent, while Sixskins turned more and more purple, his blood stalling, and he began to lose consciousness, still with terror reflected in his eyes, fixed on Jon. "Jon, you can''t kill him..." Karsi murmured beside him, as surprised as the others. He heard her, and Jon sighed, then simply let go of the man, who rolled across the tent floor until he hit a cloth in a corner. "Well, now we can have a civilized conversation, or do I need to prove that I''m not someone you can mess with again? I won''t allow anyone to speak to me like that anymore." Jon declared firmly, though maintaining a calm tone, knowing he needed to move forward. "Well, the idiot provoked you, even after the rumors. He should''ve known something like this could happen," Tormund commented among the leaders, starting to laugh. The others looked at him, wondering if he was sane for laughing at something so surreal. "Please, continue. I''m sure no one else will say anything against you..." Della replied, still stunned, while looking at Val, who kept a calmer expression than everyone else, already used to these oddities. After all, everyone was wondering how he grabbed a man by the neck from that distance... it was dangerous, and they could all end up like Sixskins. "Well, what I found in the North... was a..." Jon began recounting what he had already repeated to some in the camp, while the leaders had various expressions, but without exception, all bore a somber look. "Are you saying there are thousands of cold shadows and their armies of the dead in the North, and they could easily wipe us out?" one of the leaders exclaimed, incredulous at what he was hearing. "I know it''s a lot, but yes. And it''s best that, as soon as Mance returns, you start preparing to move south..." Jon gave his advice, ending the conversation. "..." No one could say anything more after that, and the place fell into total silence, except for Sixskins, who lay unconscious in a corner. "I heard you''re planning to head south..." Then someone broke the silence, changing the subject, and cautiously asked Jon, while most of them were still thinking about what they''d just heard regarding the dead. "Yes, I have something to take care of there, but it''s not like I''m leaving permanently. I''ve seen what''s in the North, and I''ve decided to help, whether by talking to the southern people or fighting alongside you." Jon spoke. After all, despite being a selfish person, his sense of duty was now focused on helping these people, who were at a disadvantage and could die without a chance to flee, while they would have to fight against their own people in the south and the Wall to avoid being killed by the dead. "I''ve heard you''re a Stark..." Styr commented, giving Jon a hard look, though he didn''t speak like Sixskins, while the others frowned, bothered by the fact that the Starks were their enemies. "I have Stark blood, but I''m not as close to them as you might think. And I''m not from the south, whether you believe it or not. In the end, does it even matter?" Jon said, looking at everyone, making it clear they wouldn''t stop him from doing what he wanted. Besides, Jon had proven he could kill a White Walker, something no one else had done. Most of them thought he was trustworthy or their best chance. "Fine, let''s forget about that. If there''s an army of wights to the north, we must prepare. But, you can make your decision," Della concluded. "Half of the camp will follow Mance, but what about the rest? They''re saying that the outsider should be the King Beyond the Wall," Rattleshirt, the Lord of Bones, murmured with another dark look at Jon. "I didn''t know I was that popular," Jon simply responded. "Anyway, I''ll be going. I have things to do, and I will return," Jon said, ignoring the final comment. "There''s one more thing before we finish," Harma Dogshead said, drawing the attention of those who weren''t in despair from knowing about the army of the dead to the north, and continued, "Some sentinels are saying they saw a giant creature flying over its area, white as snow. It''s scaring everyone." "A giant creature?" someone scoffed. "Yes, that''s what they all say. Even the wargs have been seeing it since last night. Should we be concerned and send a group to check?" Harma asked. "Don''t worry about the creature," Jon suddenly spoke. "I encountered it to the north, and it''s been following me ever since we got separated a bit after arriving at the camp..." He still remembered that, although the creature¡ªthe dragon¡ªhad snarled at him and flown away, days later, it had started following him, staying on his trail but not getting too close. He still didn''t fully understand what it meant, but he wouldn''t let anyone harm it. "You can''t be serious. What kind of creature is this?" someone asked. "Well, if you''re lucky, you''ll see it soon enough," Jon said. And it seemed he was right, for at that moment, a gigantic roar erupted from one of the corners of the camp, heard by more than 100,000 people, as their eyes turned in that direction and the leaders stared at the tent entrance, stunned. "Speaking of which, it seems she''s already here," Jon said simply before walking out of the tent to see what the dragon wanted. After all, it was here for him. Chapter 36 - White Dragon. [Chapter Size: 2100 Words.] Third Person POV. Somewhere on North. ... ... ROOOOOOOOAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRR!!! The explosive sound of the roar made everyone instantly look up, startled, as the people outside the tents pointed at the winged creature approaching the camp, while those inside rushed outside in fear. Giants, despite being hundreds of them in a corner of the camp, pointed to the sky like any human, while the mammoths, confined to a corner, began to grow agitated in the presence of a powerful predator that, according to their instincts, could even kill them. "What is that?!" Lafy exclaimed in surprise, while Lucis stood beside him with a fearful expression as the creature neared the camp. Its enormous wings seemed to lift the tents at the edge of the camp, even from many meters in the air, as the creature passed overhead, its eyes searching for something. It circled the camp halfway before turning back, advancing toward one of the elevated ridges where sentinels were stationed, catching them off guard as they ran, the winged creature landing with a thud that echoed throughout the area. "What is that?!" "Gods..." No one knew what a dragon was, as it stepped onto the ridge, keeping its gaze fixed on the camp. It had some injuries on its body, not fully healed, and it seemed to be searching for someone. The entire camp was terrified of the creature, even the giants were cautious, grabbing their giant bows in case the creature attacked them. Jon emerged from his tent at that moment, along with the other leaders, all of them staring cautiously at the creature from a distance, while it continued emitting a low growl, watching the camp. "It seems she has arrived. What does this dragon want from me now..." Jon muttered as he began walking toward it. "Jon!" Val called after him as he glanced back at her, half his face visible while he ran toward the dragon. "It''s okay. She''s here for me," Jon said as he continued passing through the camp, people shouting various questions about the creature and why it was there. Jon ignored the questions and kept walking for a few minutes until he finally reached the edge of that side of the camp, where a crowd had gathered. "Excuse me, I''m coming through," Jon said simply, as he began carving a path through the crowd, people looking at him indignantly before realizing who he was, quickly changing their expressions and making way for him. He continued cutting through the group with confident eyes, finally emerging on the other side. The dragon quickly spotted him the moment he came into view and did not take its eyes off him as he continued walking toward the winged beast, separating himself from the group. Val followed closely behind, standing at the front of the group, watching Jon approach the creature. ''Was this the animal he mentioned finding in the North? What is that thing?!'' She couldn''t believe what she was seeing¡ªa beast at least five times the size of an adult mammoth, with wings. Jon kept walking, as people began asking what he was doing, following Val, and suddenly, the creature took the initiative, starting to descend the ridge, moving toward Jon with curious eyes. "What is this... what do you want with me?" Jon asked in the old tongue, staring intently at the creature. It only emitted a soft sound as it got closer to him, stopping a few meters away, studying him with its red eyes. ''If my companions from Skyrim saw this scene, they might be coughing up blood.'' Jon couldn''t help but think, after all, he was the man who killed Alduin, the World-Eater, and now here he was, in the middle of a connection with this dragon. Jon then raised his hand, expecting the dragon to make contact, imagining it was here for that reason, leaving his hand suspended in the air. In that moment, the dragon touched his palm with its nose, closing and opening its eyes at Jon, while the creature''s cold breath washed over him. Jon gave a small smile as he looked at the creature, experiencing something he had never felt before, while Dragonborn and Dragon seemed to be forming a solid bond. The scene was witnessed by everyone in the camp, and no one could say exactly what was happening, waiting for Jon to deal with the creature.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. The leaders also arrived, expressing disbelief, fear, and jealousy among themselves, ensuring that neither Jon nor the creature would pose any harm to the camp. As Jon still held his palm out, the creature finally began to pull back, taking a few steps away. Roar... It let out a low growl, turning from Jon to the side before spreading its wings. Jon felt the wind hitting him directly as one of the wings passed over him. He watched as the creature took off, gaining height and moving away, and he let out a sigh. "I still can''t understand you..." he murmured, watching it disappear into the distance. Jon simply accepted it, having nothing more to do, and turned back toward the camp. As he walked, he noticed the crowd of Free Folk staring at him once again, as if he were something entirely other than human. It was true that he was different, but he still found it somewhat offensive. He just shook his head and started walking back into the crowd, wanting to return to his group, while everyone held their breath a little, still processing what they had just witnessed. "Are you okay? What was that? What was that thing?" Val stepped forward when she saw Jon approaching, her voice full of astonishment. She was the only one here, as Della couldn''t come due to the child in her belly, though Val had come for Jon. The leaders had also gathered around to see what was going on. "I''m fine. I found her up north after going through some trouble. Well, we survived together since we were surrounded by the dead, but I still don''t know what that dragon''s deal is. By the way, it''s a dragon, a creature that the southern kings used to dominate all of the Seven Kingdoms," Jon said, continuing to walk forward. Val didn''t know what to say as he passed by her, and the crowd quickly made way for him, staring in astonishment and fear. Even the leaders were shocked. Jon wondered if he could be even more shocking to them. But he ignored everyone and made his way through the crowd, heading toward Lucis'' tent, wanting to continue with his tasks. "Jon!" Lucis appeared in the middle of the path with her brother, a worried look on her face. She knew Jon had gone to that place, hearing the comments of the people around, and had seen the creature flying away, though she hadn''t witnessed Jon touching it. "That was a dragon. Don''t worry, she''s with me," Jon assured her, stopping as he remembered something crucial at that moment. Everyone around was still watching him, and whispers started circulating. People began murmuring quietly, pointing and staring at him. "Listen to me, all of you!" he suddenly exclaimed, making the people pay attention to his words. "That dragon is with me, and I am its warg. If anyone touches that dragon, there will be consequences, and I don''t care which tribe you''re from or if you''re a leader or not." Jon spoke firmly, ensuring his message reached even the leaders. He didn''t know if he had fully established a warg connection with the dragon, but he imagined it could happen given his mixed blood. He said it because it was a common term to describe a familiar, and the people just nodded, his words spreading throughout the camp to where his voice hadn''t yet reached. Shrugging, he moved closer to Lucis, having nothing more to do. His meeting had ended with his message about what he saw in the north and his plan to head south. Personally, he was surprised that the dragon had followed him here, though the nature of his relationship with the creature remained a mystery. But Jon knew the dragon would return soon in the coming days. "Lafy, let''s train," Jon said as he returned to the boy near Lucis, since there was nothing else to do for the rest of the day. He would train as usual, as if nothing had happened. Lafy just nodded without saying anything and followed Jon back to his tent. Lucis also followed, watching Jon''s back but remaining silent. The fact that the creature was called a dragon and Jon''s words quickly spread throughout the camp, and before long, even the Children of the Forest came to him, curious, unable to believe he had encountered an adult dragon. If Leaf and the others asked how, Jon shrugged, saying it was just a coincidence, although he felt that the call wasn''t because of the axe he had taken, but rather because of the dragon itself. Perhaps his Targaryen blood had something to do with it. Since this wasn''t a dovah dragon, the same could be said about another weak call from the south¡ªthe connection was weaker but still present. Jon didn''t know how to deal with it right now, so he just shrugged. His goal now was to head to Winterfell, reunite with his uncle, and then deal with these people. He had decided to take them beyond the Wall, even if it made him an enemy of the North. It wouldn''t be the first time Jon had made a principled choice that set him against others. "More power in your attack!" Jon shouted to the boy who had fallen to the ground, watching his labored breathing. The boy stood up. "Stronger," Jon repeated. "Alright..." the boy murmured. "Stronger!" A voice echoed in his mind, but it was only a memory of when Jon had been in Lafy''s place. The boy attacked again, this time with a heavier, more aggressive strike¡ªsomething natural for this people. "I said stronger, not for you to completely throw away your stance!" Jon said, giving a light strike to the boy''s leg, causing him to fall face-first into the snow. With a stern look, Jon continued. "Fighting like that, too aggressively, you leave yourself open too easily. As soon as your opponent dodges, with your stance wide open, you''re dead. Remember that. Always stay calm. You may not like it, but that''s how the South fights, and that''s how you should fight," Jon affirmed. "But I don''t want to fight like a Southerner!" the boy complained, kneeling. "Either you learn to fight like them, or you die by them. The choice is yours," Jon said in a severe tone. "How do you know they''re stronger than us?" the boy asked angrily. "Because I fight like them. And I could easily defeat a dozen of you at the same time without any effort," Jon replied, making the boy fall silent. As he stood up, other groups of teenage boys and girls began to approach them. Jon was well aware of their presence. He wouldn''t deny some training to the children, but they started asking questions about various things, and he just shook his head. "If you''re here to train, focus on training. I''m not important here, other than being your teacher and giving you some tips today... so make the most of it," Jon said, organizing them to train with swords and shields. And so the day passed. At the end, Ygritte appeared in the tent asking questions, and Jon simply gave basic comments without revealing much. The next morning, most people were awakened by a loud roar as the white dragon once again flew over the camp, a small whale caught in its jaws. Blood dripped as the dragon flew by, indicating that the prey had been recently hunted. The dragon landed on the ridge again, beginning to devour its small prey while watching the camp, searching for Jon once more. Chapter 37 - Stealing Val. [Chapter Size: 1900 Words.] Third Person POV. Somewhere on North. ... ... "Are you going to take it?" A female voice was heard beside him. "I can take it, but what about you?" Jon asked, raising an eyebrow. "I''m not good at archery!" She complained. "You were the one who invited me to this hunt; you at least have to do something with this excuse to drag me out of the camp..." Jon spoke calmly, looking at the deer in front of them. "I don''t know what you''re talking about..." The woman murmured timidly. "You''re embarrassed, what happened to the feared Val?" Jon raised an eyebrow. "Shut up." She simply murmured, picking up the bow and starting to aim at the deer as Jon had requested, not wanting to talk anymore. "...," Jon just remained silent, watching with a small smile. She narrowed her eyes as the arrow pointed at the deer 40 meters away, while they were at least 3 kilometers from the camp, alone in the forest. Val was concentrating as she prepared to release the arrow from her hand, despite not being used to this weapon since she normally wielded a sword. However, at that moment, a sudden gust of wind came as large wings flapped in the sky, alerting the deer immediately. In a desperate attempt, Val released the arrow but only hit a tree trunk while the animal fled in fear, more scared by the approaching creature than Val''s attempt, as she even missed where the deer had been. "Damn... Jon, your creature scares everything in the forest!" Val complained, trying to blame her failure on the dragon, while Jon sighed, watching the white mass pass over them, causing another gust of wind as it flew ahead, making the dragonborn raise an eyebrow. "Is she...?" Jon murmured before seeing the enormous creature descend and catch the poor animal 300 meters away after it ran as fast as it could, only to be crushed by the dragon. "Did it pay for the deer? Is it competing with you or something? Or did you use your Warg powers?" Val asked, astonished, as the sound of trees breaking under the weight of the dragon landing in the middle of the forest echoed loudly. "No... I didn''t control her for that; I have no idea what she''s doing..." Jon commented, somewhat lost, as the enormous dragon grabbed the deer in its mouth from a distance, making Jon wonder if it was really trying to compete with him. The dragon then lifted off, flying again as its wings flapped, moving toward them before flying over Jon, who stared fixedly into its crimson eyes, wondering what it was up to. The dragon, still holding the dead animal in its mouth, then released it, letting it fall in Jon''s direction, with the carcass hitting the ground near them. "...," Jon. "...," Val. Both of them stared at the animal, now riddled with enormous holes in its body after being clamped between the dragon''s teeth. While Jon scratched his head, Val couldn''t hold back. "HAHAHAHAHA!" She burst into laughter. "What was that? Is your dragon trying to please you or something?" She asked in an amused tone. "I don''t know..." Jon murmured as he watched the dragon circle the air near him but never leave, following Jon since he had left the camp. "Either way... I''m not sure we can use the deer, but let''s take its body." Jon said, approaching the carcass and storing it inside his dimensional space. "Shall we go?" She asked, looking at him. "Yes... but let''s find a river or something." He said as she nodded, and they headed toward a small stream Val knew. Jon filled his canteen while Val waited by his side, but he could also feel the intense gaze of the woman on him, sighing as he turned back to her with a smile. "You''re not thinking about taking a bath, are you?" He asked calmly.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. "It''s not that..." she murmured. "Then tell me, Lady Val... Why that look?" he asked, teasing her. "I''m not a lady, Jon Snow." She muttered with an unsatisfied look. "But I could turn you into one..." Jon said, getting closer to her. It was obvious why she had called him out for a hunt outside the camp this morning, so Jon decided to take the initiative to finish what they had started. "..." Val didn''t respond, seeming not to deny Jon''s words as he approached her, with her keeping her gaze on him. Jon also said nothing more as he grabbed her by the waist and brought her face close to his, their lips meeting. For many weeks, Jon had wanted this, as he had already stolen two of the women he was involved with. Val felt her body being grabbed by Jon as he pressed her against a tree nearby, her body heating up as she looked at Jon with excitement, nervousness, anticipation, and a bit of fear. This mix of emotions made her give in to him completely as he moved from her lips to her neck, making the blonde moan. They stayed there, their lips crushing against each other''s for a while as their tongues intertwined, before Jon set her down, beginning to lower her pants. The blonde didn''t seem bothered by this at all, but looked at Jon nervously, even as her body seemed to crave it. He pressed her against the tree, her butt now exposed to him, and Val began to feel his touch, making her moan, surprised by sensations she had never felt before. After all, no one had ever stolen her before, which made her happy, because she couldn''t imagine being with anyone but Jon at that moment, as the Dragonborn prepared her for what was to follow. He pulled out his dick and began to align it with her rear after arching her butt slightly, entering easily and being gentle so she wouldn''t feel too much pain or discomfort from her hymen breaking. And so, Jon began to move as Val moaned, looking at Jon from the side with a certain desire. The Dragonborn had now stolen his third woman among the Free Folk. For the next dozen minutes, they stayed there, having sex in the middle of the snow, with Val pressed against that tree, only moaning as Jon moved against her pussy, while the dragon continued to circle the area. It was only after an hour that they started heading back to the camp, after Jon made sure Val wouldn''t have too much trouble. She was now able to walk normally, though intense feelings were still present, her gaze shining as she looked at Jon, happy internally for being stolen and for Jon showing such emotions. "When are you leaving?" She asked cautiously. "Tomorrow," Jon replied. "Can I come with you?" She asked, but Jon shook his head. "No... I''ll have to do this alone, so it''ll be faster. I''ll be back soon," Jon said as they walked back to the camp. "Will you really fight for us, Jon Snow?" She asked, looking at him intensely. The last thing she wanted right now was for Jon to be her enemy. Jon seemed to read her thoughts as he smiled without looking at her, his focus ahead. "You''re right... it seems this fight will need someone to make a difference," Jon said, believing that the Free Folk didn''t really have the capacity to defeat the Night''s Watch. "I''ll trust your words..." she murmured. "Do you think I''d throw you away after stealing you?" Jon asked, teasing her. "I hope not, Jon Snow..." she said, looking at him intensely. "But would you follow me? Even if it meant leaving this world? Even if it meant leaving your sister?" He asked, still uncertain of the future that awaited them. He didn''t know whether he would stay here or return to Tamriel, if that were even possible... "I... I''ll go with you... no matter where you go." It wasn''t an easy choice, but now her life was tied to the Dragonborn''s, and she would be wherever he went. She wanted to go south with him, but if he said she couldn''t, she would obey, waiting for his return. "Just come back soon..." she murmured at the end. "Of course," Jon said as they headed back to the camp. "I think I need some sleep..." she said once they reached the camp and stood in front of Della''s tent, speaking to Jon as they were about to part ways. "Besides... you need to get yourself a tent... You''ve stolen three wives... and I think Lucis'' brother can stay alone." She said. "I think you''re right, but that will have to wait until I return..." he said, and she nodded. Jon raised his hand at that moment, and the space distorted. "One more thing, I think you can take this." He said as the dragon-bitten carcass fell to the ground. "Alright..." she said, looking at the deer. She wouldn''t refuse meat, especially since it was becoming rare. "Goodbye, Val. Meet me later, as I''ll be leaving soon." That was all Jon said before she nodded, watching him leave and asking some men from her tribe to take care of the dead animal. Jon returned to Lucis'' tent, finding her sewing some clothes. "Damn... you just reminded me of a few things..." Jon grabbed her attention with his words, making her blue eyes look at him in surprise. "I need to change my clothes... I can''t go south dressed like a wildling or in Night''s Watch attire," he said, knowing he''d have to steal from some commoners along the way. "You''re back... I hope the hunt was fruitful..." she said in a soft tone, as she was the shyest of the three women he was involved with. "You could say so, and before you ask, yes... Val and I..." Jon spoke, knowing what she had already suspected. From the beginning, there had been an attraction between him and Val, not that Lucis could stop anything. "Alright..." she murmured. "Anyway... your brother is with some companions on the other side of the camp. Why don''t we enjoy ourselves a bit?" Jon said, approaching with an intense look at her, and quickly she started to open up to his touch, as if her body was automatically responding, craving his touch again. Jon lay with her for the next few minutes as they had sex until they finally relaxed, lying against each other under the animal skin they used as a blanket, with Jon keeping her body warm. It was only a few minutes later that he started hearing people shouting outside, exclaiming the word "Dragon" after the camp had learned what it meant now, and a moment later, something giant passed over them. Jon sighed at that, realizing she had returned and was probably landing on the nearby hill. "I''ll go see her," Jon said to Lucis, who looked a little tired but nodded. Leaving her in bed, he dressed and went out to find the dragon. ------ Raccoon Here: Now that his relationships were established, we can head south. Chapter 38 - Leaving the Camp and Heading South! [Chapter Size: 1900 Words.] Third Person POV. Somewhere on North. ... ... The people had already gotten used to the dragon taking that hill in the camp as its own "nest." Although when they first saw its icy breath, creating a bed of crystal shards around it before lying down, they couldn''t help but be stunned to realize there was a creature that could breathe ice. Even Jon, who had already killed ice dragons, couldn''t help but be surprised by this one. After all, the dragons of Westeros or Valyria were all of fire, but this one was the opposite¡ªa kind never recorded in the history books of this world. The ice dragon, besides being deadly, able to freeze anything that came into contact with its ice, could also create ice shapes, like the small nest Jon was approaching at that moment. There was a side full of carcasses of meat, with only bones and blood scattered nearby, while the dragon made a point of bringing its prey there to eat. The Free Folk had to get used to it after watching him every day since he settled there, while Jon also remained around. Whenever Jon left, the dragon followed him, just like yesterday when Jon left with Val. Its crimson eyes watched Jon at this moment as he approached but did nothing other than watch him for a moment and then placed its head back on the ice as if it wanted to sleep. Jon sighed and walked closer, not bothered by the cold of the nest he was entering, stopping in front of the dragon. The dragon still kept its head down, but with one eye open, analyzing him. It was a strange relationship between them, but there was a connection, that was certain. That morning, while he slept a little later, Jon began to have glimpses of flying in the sky, while a huge shadow appeared below with the morning sun, indicating that he was beginning to enter the dragon''s mind as it made its first meal of the day. "Well, girl, I came to let you know I''m heading south. The question is: will you come with me?" Jon spoke in the Old Tongue, analyzing the dragon''s reaction, as it only kept its gaze fixed on Jon. "I believe you will. It would even be good to have your help, but I don''t want you to be seen by anyone there. I want you to avoid following me wherever I go, especially in the cities and castles I would approach, staying at a safe, hidden distance, out of sight. That would certainly cause chaos if you were seen..." Jon spoke calmly, while the dragon maintained its usual reaction. The only thing the dragon did was blow a gust of freezing mist in front of it. "I guess I''ll take that as a yes..." Jon murmured, looking at the dragon curiously. Jon stepped back with a smile, as he saw Val approaching them at that moment, but she still kept a certain distance. The dragon lifted its head toward her with an unpleasant look, clearly not liking her presence. The dragon didn''t like anyone in the camp, only allowing Jon to get close. Some clearly expressed their discontent at having such a creature so close to the camp, sometimes even making a mess by bringing prey and leaving a trail of blood across them. But this was a minority. The dragon had never attacked anyone there, only hunting for food in the sea or the forest. Jon also made sure no one attacked it, especially since he had the support of half the leaders. The other half, though they didn''t look favorably at the creature and him, feared them. "Val... calm down, girl." Jon said at last to the dragon, while giving a few light pats on its neck before starting to walk away, knowing that today he would leave the camp and begin his journey to Winterfell. Jon walked toward Val, who was staring at him. They had already met earlier today when Jon went to her tent to consummate with his new spear wife. "Jon, my sister wants to talk to you..." She asked, and Jon nodded, leaving the dragon that still kept its eyes on Val, warning her not to get too close. "Is he jealous?" she asked, a little lost, noticing the dragon apparently didn''t like her.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. "It''s a she. This dragon is female," Jon corrected her. "And I think she doesn''t like anyone... even with me, she had some reservations." Jon added. Val simply nodded as they made their way back to the camp, entering Della''s tent, the main one. Jon followed Val inside, where Della was sitting by the fire, eating a hot stew, probably from the meat they had hunted yesterday¡ªor rather, that Jon''s dragon had caught and given to him. She looked at them with calm eyes. "I heard Val took you hunting. But she mentioned that your dragon did that for you both." Della began. "You could say that. After all, your sister isn''t very good with a bow and arrow," Jon said, smiling, while Val shot him a displeased look. "I imagine so. Val is more of a warrior than a hunter..." Della commented before standing up, her belly growing more swollen by the day. "Tell me, I called you here for a serious conversation... after all, I don''t want my child to grow up without a father... Jon Snow, can you guarantee that if you go south, the father of my child will be safe?" she asked, looking at him more intensely than usual, perhaps afraid Jon might somehow get Mance captured or something, even though Jon didn''t know Mance yet. Della was worried Jon might cause some harm to her husband, despite Val firmly stating that he wouldn''t, and even though Della herself favored Jon among the leaders who didn''t like him much, she couldn''t help but have this doubt. "There''s no reason for that. I''ve already said I''ll be back before you even notice I''m gone..." Jon responded, as Della nodded. "Alright, then I''ll trust your words, Jon Snow," she murmured in the end, only wanting to hear it from his own mouth. "Well, I''ll be off now," Jon said, as Val nodded and looked at her sister. "I''ll accompany him," Val said, while Della just shook her head, and then Jon and Val left the tent, now heading toward Karsi''s camp. The first thing Jon did was go to the leader''s tent. She welcomed him as soon as she heard he was there. "So, you''re heading south. Well, I can''t say I''m happy about it, but no one here can stop you..." Karsi said. After all, Jon''s presence had been favorable for her and her tribe, and he kept the camp from becoming too dull, since strange things always seemed to happen with him around. "Yes, but before you know it, I''ll be back. So don''t worry about it," Jon said confidently, and she nodded. Leaving her tent, he headed to Lucis'' tent. She met him at the entrance. "I''ve prepared some things for you..." she said, looking at him carefully. "You know I don''t need much, but if you''ve prepared something, I''ll gladly accept it," Jon said as he entered. He found a leather backpack filled with dried meat, fruits, and clothes for him, which he picked up and placed in his dimensional space. After all, he didn''t need to carry bags or anything like that, having many things already stored. "Everything''s ready." Jon returned outside with the two women and said, as they made their way to another meeting point Jon wanted to visit, where there was a sacred tree and some acquaintances. "You''re leaving?" Lafy murmured, blocking Jon''s path as he passed through the tribe. "Yes, for now." Jon smiled at the boy. "But that doesn''t mean you should stop training and practicing everything I''ve taught you." Jon said with a stern look, while the boy, though dissatisfied, nodded. After all, he admired Jon more than anything now, and at that moment, his greatest desire was to be like the Dragonborn. Continuing down the path, Jon went to the sacred area occupied by Ilyana, the forest witch, who had helped him and was sheltering the children of the forest. He entered, having a brief conversation about the things he would do and his eventual return. "Well, it seems you''re going to fetch your animal. Good luck, man who can control that giant creature... I foresee that the gods will soon grant me a vision of you subduing the crows of the Wall and bringing us salvation, riding that dragon." Ilyana spoke with a tone of respect for Jon, as he nodded. It wasn''t as if he didn''t receive some advice from her regarding her Warg powers while spending his last days at the camp, training with Lafy and spending time with his lovers. In the end, Jon said his goodbyes, leaving the place and finding Tormund and some members of his tribe. "So you''re going beyond the Wall? Are you sure you don''t want me to come with you? We can show those southerners what a man of the North is made of!" Tormund said, approaching to give Jon a hug, while the Dragonborn accepted the embrace but shook his head. "Tormund, I like you and consider you a friend, but you''re too loud. Winterfell would know we''re coming the moment we got close to the Wall..." Jon teased, while the man began to laugh. "That''s exactly how I am! They need to know I''m coming, so they tremble at my presence!!" Tormund replied, while Jon just shook his head, leaving his friend behind. Further ahead, he spotted the red-haired girl waiting for him. "Come back soon. I''ll be waiting for you, Jon Snow." She said with an intense and stubborn look, not wanting Jon to leave. "You''d better not follow me this time, this is something I need to do alone." Jon said, while she only scoffed at his comment. "Don''t worry. Soon enough, we''ll be in another cave enjoying a nice hot bath... or maybe even a castle, who knows... I''m sure you''re missing something like that?" Jon said, smiling at the girl, speaking in a more private tone. "You know nothing, Jon Snow." She murmured, while he smiled before turning to everyone. "Well, I''m off now. Just try to stay alive until I get back." He said, giving a friendly smile to everyone there and heading out of the camp, while the people watched him leave, disappearing into the forest heading south. The dragon, upon seeing this, quickly began to rise, flapping its wings and advancing toward where Jon was headed, leaving behind the Free Folk''s camp. Chapter 39 - Journey to the Wall 01. [Chapter Size: 1900 Words.] Third Person POV. Somewhere on North. ... ... The days passed as the snows beyond the wall, with the desolate scenery of snow, rocks, and scattered trees across the horizon, brought a melancholic feeling. A young man, none other than the Dragonborn, sat in the middle of a forest with a campfire in front of him, a bored look on his face, as his only pastime was cooking food, like he was doing by using telekinesis on a piece of steak he had cut from one of his carcasses over the flames. "If I still had a book... I could be reading something to pass the time," Jon remarked. He hadn''t been awake for long after settling in that spot, not yet resuming his journey due to the hunger he felt, and had set a few things to cook. A cold breeze blew a short distance from him as he glanced to the side, where the giant dragon lay behind him, having slept with him at the campsite. "What is it...? You mean to say your presence relieves my boredom? You only know how to sleep... you smelly dragon," Jon teased. Hrrr She didn''t seem too pleased with the comment, looking at him with dissatisfaction. But Jon didn''t care as he pulled the roasted steak back to him, eating his first meal. After a moment of feeling satisfied, he began to leave the camp, the dragon automatically standing as well, stirring up a small cloud of dust and causing her wings to brush against the trees, for she was too large for that place. "You''re going to eat, then... just head to the coast and don''t draw any attention. If any man in black sees you, we''ll be in some trouble..." Jon remarked, watching as she merely looked at him after his words, then took off and disappeared between the trees from his point of view. "I hope she at least does that..." Jon muttered, not wanting the South to be alerted of a dragon flying near the wall. Though he was heading there, he wanted her to remain discreet, so much so that he would avoid all cities to prevent the dragon from following him to Winterfell. Jon then continued on his path, getting closer to the wall, although he couldn''t see it on the horizon yet. He had thought about catching a ride with the dragon, but she didn''t seem comfortable with him riding on her back, and Jon hadn''t insisted on it either. He continued alone, barely encountering anyone after passing through the patrols and sentinels of Mance''s camp, where there were more people from all sides, as he had to be cautious of the Night''s Watch patrols searching for them. He even spotted some free folk in the area, seeing them from afar, but didn''t approach as he passed by the remnants of camps, both from the free folk and the Night''s Watch. The only sound for a while was the crunch of his footsteps through the layer of snow beneath him, until something caught his attention. As he noticed movement in the forest, following it with his eyes detecting life, he found himself surrounded by wolves¡ªbut not ordinary wolves. "Direwolves... a pack..." Jon said with some admiration as he saw them, though they seemed to view him as prey. He didn''t care much as he continued through the forest that hadn''t ended yet, even after more than five hours since he had left his previous camp. The sound of their paws running through the snow around him grew louder and louder. "They''re not going to show up?" Jon raised an eyebrow, waiting to see the creatures in front of him. And as if granting his wish, several wolves quickly began running around the trees where he was, appearing from all sides. "Clever..." Jon murmured, seeing more than 14 direwolves surrounding him at this moment, in a variety of colors¡ªred, black, gray¡ªwith the latter being the most dominant. "You''re here... so you want me to be your meal?" Jon said, smiling as he looked directly at the gray wolf, who seemed to be the leader, glaring at Jon with fierce eyes. Jon found this quite amusing and a welcome distraction from his current boredom. The wolf didn''t understand his words, but the smile and the confident look made the wolf doubt whether this was truly prey. They had gone days without eating, so finding a lone target was a welcome sight, even if it was the kind they usually avoided¡ªhumans. Jon didn''t wait for them to attack, and he quickly opened his mouth toward the leader, as a sound like thunder echoed while Jon used a Thu''um.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. "JOOR ZAH FRUL!" The shout, called Dragonrend, is meant to bind dragons and force them to the ground, but Jon had learned a few variations of this Thu''um, one of which was to imprison other beings, weaker than dragons. The giant wolf found itself bound by spectral chains, paralyzed, and fell to the ground, completely immobilized as the energy passed through it, cast by that human. This quickly alerted all the wolves surrounding Jon, and they charged at him in fury. Jon didn''t care and looked down before releasing another Thu''um. "FUS RO DAH!" The ground exploded the next moment from where he stood, sending everything flying as the other giant wolves could only let out mournful cries. Jon stood in the middle of it all as the dust began to settle, raising the bound wolf with telekinesis. "I''ve decided... I''m going to make you my familiar as well," Jon said, as he aimed to dominate the entire wolf pack by subjugating their alpha. His interest in Warg powers was growing. The wolf only looked at him with fear in its eyes, while the others, who had been thrown far, began to return, finding Jon with their leader in the pit created by the Dragonborn''s shout. "They''re certainly loyal," Jon remarked as he kept his eyes locked on the giant wolf''s, preparing to initiate the connection. But at that moment, something appeared in the sky, forcing Jon to shift his gaze from the wolf, raising an eyebrow at the now enraged dragon. ROOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAARRRRRR The dragon roared with such force that even the distant trees began to tremble, shedding the snow accumulated on their branches. The wolves sensed this and quickly began to flee from the creature approaching them, their survival instincts warning them that they were about to die as soon as the dragon saw Jon being surrounded. "You''d better leave," Jon muttered, releasing the alpha wolf. There was no point in keeping it any longer, as the dragon clearly intended to kill them all. Like a meteor, the dragon landed near the pit Jon had created, toppling trees with its massive body. Unlike the last time, when it had crashed down injured, the pack scattered in all directions, their leader joining them in their retreat. ROOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAARRRRRR It roared once more at the fleeing wolves as only Jon remained, noticing the blue energy accumulating around the dragon. "Hey, you can''t do that..." Jon murmured, knowing that all the wolves would die in the next moment. As the dragon unleashed its icy flames, a force compelled it to turn its head to the side, missing the spot where the wolves were running. The freezing blast swept through the forest on that side, bathing it in white light, as everything turned into a layer of ice with jagged spikes, freezing trees, rocks, and the very ground, creating a crystalline sculpture. The dragon stopped and quickly looked at Jon in anger, who stood with his hand raised after using telekinesis to move its enormous head, preventing it from killing the direwolves. ROOOOAAAARRRRR It growled at Jon in fury. Jon only sighed, unfazed. "I''m really glad you care about me... but I can''t let you kill them. I was handling the situation on my own," he said in a calm tone, looking at the dragon with some respect. "..." The dragon still emitted a sound of anger toward him before turning its face and starting to walk away, clearly not pleased. "Sorry about that..." Jon said with a certain sincerity, before starting to walk, leaving the dragon behind and moving forward, though she kept her gaze on him even from a distance. The commotion with the wolves had certainly been heard far away, and it caught the attention of some people. A group began walking toward that area about an hour later. "Damn... should we really be doing this? We were already heading back to the Wall!" A man dressed in black complained, clearly unhappy with the situation. "You heard that roar; it''s definitely some monster from the north!" another man said. "Would you all shut up? We heard something strange from this direction, and now we''re here to investigate once and for all," the man who appeared to be their leader spoke angrily to the others. "This should''ve been handled by the First Ranger, but now he''s living in the warm halls of Winterfell, probably screwing some whore in Wintertown," someone grumbled. "Benjen Stark isn''t that kind of person. He went to report the patrol situation to the king," the leader replied. "It doesn''t matter now, should we have come here? That roar was from a monster, we''re going to die here. Will said he saw White Walkers, and what if they come back again?!" The man expressing his fear kept rambling, trembling, but with no choice other than to follow the group toward the source of the roars, which had sounded like thunder in the distance. "Will deserted the Watch after his group was killed by wildlings... he just made up that story to run south as a deserter," the leader said, dissatisfied. "Relax, it was probably just thunder or something like that. If we have to face any monsters, remember we''ve got the famous Qhorin Halfhand. Any wildling or whatever we come across will run off with their tails between their legs, hahaha," another man laughed, mocking the patrolman''s fear. "Shut up..." Qhorin himself, the leader of the group, said, clearly displeased as they continued toward the source of the noise. They had been at Craster''s Keep when they heard the sound, and Qhorin had decided to investigate personally with the group. After all, they were patrolling and looking for wildlings, especially since they had been acting much stranger in the past few moons, and they wanted to know if Craster had any information. "Don''t be such a downer, Qhorin, we can¡ª" the man started to speak again but was cut off. "Quiet!" Qhorin said, turning his head to listen more closely ahead. "Someone''s coming toward us," he said, immediately drawing his sword, and the others, surprised, did the same automatically, pulling their weapons in front of them. They soon heard footsteps between the trees, and a man emerged, walking toward them with a certain calmness, dressed as a wildling, though his eyes were quite unusual and striking. "Look what we have here... the Night''s Watch again..." Jon said, smiling as he spoke, pleased to have encountered a group that could provide him with some of the information he needed before heading south. "Who are you?!" Qhorin asked, looking at him with caution, while the man seemed comfortable despite being alone against six members of the Night''s Watch. "..." Jon didn''t respond, simply smiling and maintaining an amused expression. Chapter 40 - Journey to the Wall 02. [Chapter Size: 2000 Words.] Third Person POV. Somewhere on North. ... ... The group of Night''s Watchmen and the Dragonborn stared at each other for a few seconds without any of them uttering a single word. The atmosphere between them grew tense, especially on the part of the Wall''s group. "A wildling," one of them commented, gripping his sword. The other companion saw the tense atmosphere as the wildling stood there, smiling at them, despite being more handsome than any other they had ever seen. But he was here wearing wildling clothes, which made him one of them. "Damn, what are we doing just staring at him¡­ he''s just one, let''s take him down already," he said to the others as if lighting the idea in all their minds, stepping forward. "Wait!" Qhorin didn''t like this. He had survived many things, and even though he was standing before just one man, his instincts told him to flee. It was strange how nervous he felt, as if this were a wildling ambush, but his words came too late as the patrolmen advanced toward Jon with blades drawn to cut him down. "..." Jon remained silent, waiting for the man to approach while he lifted snow with his steps. "Die, you damned wildling!" the man shouted. He moved his sword to stab Jon, who waited until the last second to sidestep, creating an opening by the man''s side. He didn''t even have time to react as he received a punch directly to the face, knocking him aside, teeth and blood flying into the air. The wildling had thrown a punch that seemed to have shattered his jaw along with his teeth, judging by the cracking sound that echoed among them. "What?!" All the Night''s Watchmen instinctively stepped back as they saw the scene, swallowing hard. "Well¡­ seems like we''re down one... how easy it is to bring you down... let''s do it this way, I won''t use any weapons, how about that?" Jon said with a smile. "He can''t be serious...?" The most fearful among the Watchmen spoke, but his tone betrayed his growing fear. "Who are you?" Qhorin asked once more, but Jon didn''t bother to respond. "That doesn''t matter. Anyway, I encountered one of your patrols a while back, there were eight of you... I killed them all," Jon commented, leaving all the crows stunned for a second. How could they forget the news about the group led by Kuel, who had gone missing during the time Jon mentioned? He seemed cruel, but he didn''t care, after all, that group of Night''s Watchmen were scum. "So, you killed them..." Qhorin said in a dark tone. "Bastard!!" Someone couldn''t take it any longer and ran directly at Jon. Jon dodged his strike, punching him down to the ground, and the others charged right after, no longer able to hold back, driven by revenge. Jon saw them, dominated by a sense of vengeance, even with a glint of fear as he took down two more of them using only his hands. A fight broke out, and Jon seemed to be dancing among them, finding their movements slow as he kicked one so hard that the man rolled meters away, while he punched another''s arm, breaking it with a quick strike. "AHHHHHH!!!!" the man screamed, dropping his weapon in terror, while the remaining ones, only the fearful patrolman and Qhorin, became more cautious. The man who had been kicked got up painfully and started to walk back to help. "Just three¡­ and one screamer here," Jon said as the man next to him collapsed, clutching his suspended arm, at which point Jon kicked him in the face, knocking him out. "I''m feeling generous today. I haven''t killed any of you," Jon commented, still smiling. The Watchmen were increasingly bewildered by this. Qhorin had never met anyone like this beyond the Wall. No wildling could fight like this. Jon was clearly trained and didn''t use the aggressive style they were used to. Moreover... his strength shouldn''t be human, nor should his reaction speed, making Qhorin wonder internally if they had encountered a monster. "We should flee..." the trembling patrolman beside Qhorin murmured, his sword shaking in his hand. "If you don''t come, I''ll have to go myself," Jon said as he advanced on his own. The two men stepped back, but Jon was already in front of the younger one, landing a punch to his stomach¡ªnot as strong as the others, but enough to make the boy fall backward with a groan of pain.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! A blade tried to strike Jon from the side, forcing him to take a few steps back to dodge, while Qhorin continued attacking. Jon avoided the strikes, but this man was different from the others¡ªno openings were created. Qhorin was highly experienced, and when he saw his sword hitting Jon, it seemed as if Jon stood still. But then Jon''s arm moved, and suddenly, a common sword appeared in his hand, clashing against Qhorin''s blade. Their swords clashed once, twice, and on the third strike, Qhorin stepped back, looking at Jon with some fear. ''Where did that sword come from?!'' He couldn''t believe the stranger had produced a sword out of nowhere. "You made me use a sword, so you''re much better than the others. Let''s see what you''re capable of..." Jon commented, pulling out a common sword from his storage. It was one of the Night''s Watch blades, taken from the patrol he killed more than a moon ago, and he hadn''t used any runes on it. Qhorin readied himself as Jon advanced, feeling the force of his blows¡ªone after another¡ªwith Qhorin only able to stay on the defensive, as if his opponent was toying with him. "You''re not a wildling... who are you...?" Qhorin recognized well when someone had skill with a blade, and this kind of technique was never learned beyond the Wall. "Well, it doesn''t matter much to you now... but you''ll answer my questions." Jon commented as he locked swords with Qhorin, forcing it aside, easily disarming him before delivering a kick to his leg. Qhorin''s muscle quickly registered the impact, and he collapsed to the ground, stunned, looking at Jon in fear. "Well..." Jon began to speak when he felt something to his side. It was the patrolman he had left aside, now holding a bow and arrow taken from a fallen companion. The patrolman shot an arrow at Jon while he was fighting Qhorin. Qhorin only saw the stranger shift his body to the side, raising his free hand, palm forward, as the arrow stopped in midair before him. The man''s mouth fell open in shock, the pain in his leg momentarily forgotten. Jon held the arrow in place with telekinesis, looking at the trembling archer who was witnessing something impossible. Jon''s palm moved as if pushing the air, and both the arrow and the archer were hurled backward, crashing into a tree with a thud, breaking several ribs as the man fell unconscious into the snow. Silence fell. Qhorin was paralyzed, and the young patrolman, also trembling, dragged himself backward. It wasn''t the snow that caused his shaking. Jon glanced at Qhorin and raised his hand toward him. Qhorin found himself lifted into the air by an unseen force, and Jon guided him, suspended, until he was right in front of him. "Can you answer some of my questions now?" Jon looked at him, raising an eyebrow, while Qhorin, trapped and more terrified than ever, realized that encountering this creature was the worst thing he''d ever experienced. "I want to know all the information from the south: who is king, how is House Stark." Jon already knew these things from hearing about them from the Free Folk, but he wanted to hear it from someone who had direct contact with the news from the south. "..." Qhorin remained paralyzed, silent, staring at Jon with the same defiant gaze. He didn''t want to share such things with this sorcerer, even though fear gripped him. Jon recognized the look, earning the patrolman a small measure of respect from the Dragonborn. "Come on, I''m not asking for much. It''s just common knowledge, something any peasant should know," Jon said, but Qhorin remained silent. "Alright then," Jon said as he threw him forcefully to the ground, making Qhorin hit it hard and roll a few meters away, disarmed from where Jon had tossed him. "Boy, I haven''t killed anyone yet. And honestly, I don''t have any reason to kill you, unlike those eight I mentioned before... Those men were scum, and I didn''t care about killing them in the horrible way I did." Jon spoke while the 16-year-old boy still trembled, looking at him. "Sorcerer..." was the only thing the boy could respond, and Jon sighed, beginning to cast a calming spell. The boy didn''t even see the Spriggan appearing behind him as Jon cast a spell to calm him down; after all, Jon still needed to talk to one of them. "Hm?" The boy felt his body coming back under control as he still stared at Jon, not understanding what was happening. "You''re calmer now. Can you answer my questions...?" Jon asked again. The boy thought for a moment but, out of fear of dying, nodded his head. "Who is the king of the Seven Kingdoms?" Jon asked. "Robert Baratheon, my lord sorcerer," the boy murmured at the end. "Is his wife still Cersei Lannister?" Jon asked again. "Yes," the boy replied. "How many children does he have to inherit the throne?" "Three, my lord sorcerer." "I see... He had brothers... are both of them alive, and how many children do they have?" "Stannis Baratheon has a daughter, but she''s afflicted with greyscale..." the boy answered and continued. "Renly Baratheon has no children; he hasn''t married yet." "Now, let''s talk about the Starks... You seem to know a lot..." Jon was surprised. After all, even though it should be common knowledge, the boy in front of him had some details that Jon doubted many peasants would know. "My father was a scribe for a lord in the Riverlands... He caught the lord''s heir raping my mother and beat him badly, leaving permanent marks on the boy. In the end, my parents were killed, and I was sent to the Wall on a charge of theft. That was four years ago... but I learned to read and write while helping the maester at Castle Black," he explained. "I see. That''s really cruel, sending a twelve-year-old to the Wall after his parents were killed... No wonder you''re the most fearful, you''ve certainly got your traumas," Jon commented, as the boy lowered his head, ashamed by Jon''s words. "Anyway, can you tell me about House Stark?" Jon asked, and the boy nodded, beginning to share common knowledge while Jon listened attentively. "It seems my uncle had more children... We''ll see him soon..." Jon remarked, remembering that when he left Winterfell, Bran was about to be born. "Thank you, boy. You can now take care of your companions, and if it''s any consolation, when I find the noble you mentioned... I''ll deal with them for you, if you''re telling the truth." Jon said as he left the area, the boy only able to watch him depart, unable to do anything else. Now Jon had nothing else to do. Besides the information about the Starks, he also tried to learn about the Targaryens, but the boy didn''t know. Jon wanted to know more things but refrained from asking, to make it clear he was heading for the Wall. Though soon, rumors of a sorcerer in the North seeking information about the Baratheons, Starks, and Targaryens would spread, and everyone would conclude he might be heading south. -------------- Raccoon Here: I swear I didn''t intend to make an entire chapter focused solely on a fight, but I ended up getting immersed in the writing, and before I knew it, I had already written 2k words. Chapter 41 - Journey to the Wall 03. [Chapter Size: 2100 Words.] Third Person POV. Somewhere on North. ... ... Jon''s walk continued south for more than four hours, moving away from the defeated group he had left behind after so many injured. But they would survive; after all, he had broken some arms and ribs but no legs, so they would have to make their way back to the Wall. He saw smoke in the distance and knew that the area should be within the range of the Night''s Watch, so he found it strange and supposed it could be another patrol group. He began to approach to investigate. Jon didn''t even need to go all the way to the location before encountering some men in that direction, who seemed to be checking something in the forest. They weren''t from the Night''s Watch and wore grayer clothing, distinguishing them from the wildlings. Jon then approached them without being noticed. "Damn, Craster always asks us to check this side of the forest..." one of them complained. "At least we don''t have to go up north where those crows went. Do you still remember that roar? There''s no animal we know that can make a sound like that..." the man said. And before he could hear his companion''s response, the man only saw his friend falling backward the next moment. Without words to describe what had just happened, he, too, felt his body being pressed before he could do anything. ''What is this?!'' he thought, terrified. Jon walked to the scene calmly, his fingers pointing at the man with a faint glow. He was overusing his telekinesis, but it was what he had now. "Well, what do we have here?" he said, finding something interesting in the clothing of those men. Although common and gray, slightly unusual, they still didn''t seem like wildlings or crows; it was more like something worn south of the Wall. Jon had just found something to help him. "It might be a little tight for my size, but it''ll be useful until I can get something better," Jon murmured, examining which of the men was the largest to take his clothes. "Who are you?" the man trapped in his telekinesis looked at him as if Jon were some kind of monster, trying to reach for his sword but was paralyzed. "Well, I just want some information. Tell me, and I''ll be on my way..." Jon said calmly, and the man didn''t resist, spilling everything he knew to this guy who could kill him right there, unable to do anything. "Thanks for the information. Now, take off your clothes," Jon said. "What?!" He fell to the ground, now freed, staring at the stranger with a frown. "Your clothes, I want them. You can use these," Jon said, pulling out some wildling clothes from his space and throwing them at the man so he wouldn''t freeze. "I don''t need your undergarments, just the pants, shirt, and coat." He spoke, and the man nodded, terrified. In the end, Jon let him go, as he was no longer useful, and continued on his way, pondering what he had heard after storing the man''s clothes. There seemed to be some kind of fort ahead, led by a wildling named Craster, who apparently made a deal with the Night''s Watch. Jon had asked what they were doing there, and their lord had ordered them to check the forest as he always did from time to time. However, something was strange. Jon recognized one thing: there was a malevolent energy left there. Jon knew that magical signature very well, which made him wonder. "What are the White Walkers doing here? They don''t attack this Craster... and he seems to know that. But what is his connection to those icy beasts?" Jon murmured, looking around, but found nothing except some footprints. In any case, there was nothing more to be done now. His priority was to the south, and so he continued. Two days later, the ice line finally began to appear in the distance on the horizon. The dragon was still following him but kept a bit of distance. She still seemed upset with Jon as he pressed on. ''I should avoid Castle Black. There''s a path by the bay near Bear Island, but I don''t think it''s ideal to pass through there...'' Jon thought. ''So, I''ll do exactly what Val had told me.'' He grabbed some iron hooks. Val had said that the free folk sometimes climbed the Wall, which he found impressive. They used those hooks for it. She had given the hooks to Jon, who felt it was a challenge and wanted to do it, after all, who could say they had climbed the Wall? Opening the map given to him by Ygritte as a gift, it was poorly drawn, but there was some sense of what that region was like. A map was rare among the free folk, so Ygritte had given him something very valuable. Identifying where Castle Black was, since the entire Night''s Watch was concentrated there, he still headed to the westernmost region of the Wall, avoiding alerting the Night''s Watch.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. "And to think my uncle wanted me to join the Watch at any cost," Jon murmured, thinking about the current state of the order, remembering how his uncle had tried to convince him with the idea of honor in following the path of a night''s watchman. Not that he disrespected it, since some were there because of their oath, but they were still the minority. Most were made up of bandits and condemned men who opted to wear the black instead of having a part of their body mutilated. So Jon concluded that the Watch had become something very different from what it was created to be. To begin with, they didn''t even know about the real enemy north of the Wall. Another day passed on that side. Jon camped in an uninhabited cave and finally, by mid-afternoon, he arrived at the Wall, looking up at its 210-meter height or, as they said, 700 feet. His eyes quickly scanned the entire area for any signs of life, but it was completely empty, showing that the Night''s Watch was no longer what it once was or what he had heard in stories as a child. "Well, let''s get to it," Jon murmured, taking his first step. But then a shadow appeared behind him. He saw the dragon land next to him with a thud, the ground cracking. It seemed less upset than in the last few days, as Jon saw it looking at him without anger. "Hm? You''re back to following me?" Jon commented while the dragon, with red eyes, just stared at him before snorting and pointing its head toward his back, making Jon raise an eyebrow. "You want to take me to the other side of the Wall?" It seemed like the dragon wanted to rebuild the bond they had, like a woman seeking her husband after a fight, but Jon shook his head. "Well, I appreciate the offer." He smiled at the dragon. "But, even so, I want to do this on my own," Jon said, determined to continue, as he had declared that climbing the Wall would be a challenge for him. The dragon merely snorted, seeming to understand his words but looked at him as if he were an idiot. Jon didn''t mind and began walking toward the Wall, calmly stepping over the ice. Reaching its edge a moment later, with the dragon standing on the ice, watching, Jon pulled the hooks from his dimensional space and began attaching them to the ice. One by one, he started lifting his body, quickly climbing a few meters. He continued for the next several minutes calmly, keeping a steady pace, breaking the ice with his hooks and climbing, as if he wasn''t getting tired at all. He firmly lodged each hook into the ice of the Wall, chipping away at it as he went. And so it went, as the sun began to set, giving way to darkness. Jon was almost at the top of the Wall when he felt a crack in front of him and saw blocks of ice starting to fall due to his constant strikes and cracks against the ice. He simply moved his hand, calmly making the ice shift away from him. Shrugging, he continued, finding it simple enough, and reached the top a moment later without any difficulty. "Well, that wasn''t much of a challenge," Jon muttered, now standing atop the Wall, already looking toward the next task, even though it was dark. ''Let''s make this more interesting,'' he thought, and instead of looking for a ladder on the edge, he simply threw himself off the south side of the Wall. His body began to fall, but he quickly grabbed a hook and drove it into the ice, slowing his descent by using his strength to hold his body as he broke through the ice with the hook. Jon descended about 30 meters below the Wall''s edge in just a few seconds before finally stopping. Once again, he released the hook and began to fall once more. He repeated this process until he finally reached the ground, leaving a groove along that side of the Wall and landing after a final 4-meter drop. It had taken him 2 hours to climb the Wall on the other side, but only three minutes to descend on this side. He was lucky that his body had been strengthened; after all, no shoulder or joint could withstand the impact he had taken doing these superhuman feats. "Well, let''s find a place to camp..." he murmured as he looked ahead, beginning to walk. The terrain was completely flat, but this moment was perfect, as it was nighttime, and any scouts, whether from the Watch or any noble house to the south, would hardly spot him. He continued until he entered one of the most fertile lands in the North, but at the same time, the most uninhabitable, due to the Night''s Watch not being able to cultivate this area with the number of people the order housed. There were forests and fields, which, in Jon''s opinion, were a waste caused by a queen over 200 years ago, known as the good queen and wife of Jaehaerys, considered the best king of Westeros before Viserys, who later caused the Dance of the Dragons. Even so, despite them being his ancestors... he still criticized them openly, as an example of this was how the queen brought a foolish fate to the North if he thought like a king. In any case, Jon found a place to camp, and the white dragon appeared shortly after, landing near him. He chose a spot to sleep, while the creature snorted, creating ice, as these lands no longer had snow like north of the Wall. It seemed displeased with the warmer climate to the south. "You''ll have to get used to it if you want to stay with me..." Jon commented, while the dragon just snorted as usual. Jon shook his head and went to sleep after putting out the fire. The next morning, he dressed in the clothes he had taken from one of Craster''s soldiers. "This will make things easier. At least I won''t be branded a wildling the moment someone lays eyes on me," Jon said. He glanced at the dragon, also waking up. "Now we have a pretty long walk to Winterfell," Jon murmured, as he had only covered a part of the journey, but still needed to cross half of the North. However, the dragon appeared at the sound of this, coming to his side and again pointing to its back with its snout. "A ride... that''s not bad," Jon had to admit as he looked at the dragon with a smile. "Alright then, I''ll accept your ride. And with this, we''ll save a lot of time," he said, stepping forward to climb onto the creature''s back. "You''ll have to follow my instructions, even if you don''t like them. Otherwise, we''ll never reach our destination," Jon warned, though the dragon didn''t respond. He knew the creature understood his words. In the end, the dragon flapped its wings and soared into the sky, while Jon tried to remember the old maps from his memories more than 12 years ago, trying to navigate toward the heart of the North¡ªWinterfell. The dragon gained altitude to avoid being seen, moving through the clouds toward the south. Chapter 42 - The Winterfell Banquet 01. [Chapter Size: 2100 Words.] Third Person POV. Somewhere on North. ... ... Winterfell had been quite busy in the last moons, ever since the king had arrived, the Starks had welcomed the entire royal family with open arms. They had also gathered many southern nobles, as they came to try and join the king''s entourage, as his stay had been quite long. A girl was running through the castle that early afternoon, with a small she-wolf chasing after her. She passed by Winterfell men of her own house, soldiers from other northern houses, and southern houses, mostly Lannisters and Baratheons. Lastly, there were knights from all the realms, who had come to Winterfell hoping to stand out before the king, though there was no tournament here. Arya Stark, the youngest daughter of the house, kept running through the courtyard until there were fewer people around her, as she slipped into the more hidden corners of Winterfell. "Bran!! You''re climbing the tower again!!" Arya stopped walking and looked up, seeing the boy hanging there, her younger brother. "And you should be with Septa Mordane!" Bran retorted from above. "That''s true..." Arya grinned mischievously. "Come on, get down from there, and let''s play! Things have been kind of boring lately," she complained as Bran began climbing down at his sister''s shout. "You left Summer alone again," she accused, seeing the wolf pup, now growing larger, waiting on the ground for his owner to descend from his climb. "He always waits for me," Bran grumbled and looked over at the other wolf, Nymeria, standing by Arya''s side. "Anyway, let''s go to the godswood," she said as he nodded, and they slipped away before anyone could catch them and scold or punish them. "I can''t stand being around the queen, her daughter, Sansa, and the others. The talk is so boring!" Arya muttered. "Yes, but there''s a feast tonight..." Bran commented. "Yes, like three times a week. The king always asks for a party, and father is forced to host it, though he doesn''t seem to like it much," Arya said with a smile. "Did you hear about the king yesterday? He was asking about him," Bran said with a curious look. "Yes... I still can''t believe we had a brother... I barely remember him... I had just turned two when he disappeared from Winterfell, and you weren''t even born yet," Arya murmured as they walked through the godswood, nearing the small lake by the heart tree. "Father never liked him. Mother says he was bad and would have destroyed our house... I still don''t understand..." Bran muttered. "She says it''s because he was a bastard, that he would be bad, but I don''t really believe that. However, father really doesn''t like talking about him," Arya murmured. "That''s why we have to ask the king!" Bran said, sharing his idea. "He might not know him... but I think you''re right. After all, if he asks father to talk about him, no one can deny a king''s request!" Arya understood Bran''s plan. They had grown up knowing they had a half-brother as old as Robb, and that he disappeared over eight years ago. Lord Stark considered him dead, despite searching for him at first, but soon gave up after a year with no sightings or news of him anywhere. They hadn''t even made a tomb for him. Robb had mentioned a few things about him, but they were vague. The only person who could really talk about him was their father. Their mother hated their brother for some reason, which they believed was because he was a bastard and that bastards were evil by nature. She always told them to avoid the subject, forbidding it strictly, but Bran and Arya were always curious. The king had asked about Ned''s bastard at the last feast. Despite Lord Stark being a bit nervous, he managed to avoid the subject, and the king soon forgot, distracted by a pretty servant from Winterfell. "Let''s see if we can ask about this brother that Uncle Benjen is the only one who talks about," Bran murmured. After all, Benjen was the only one who didn''t mind speaking about Jon Snow. "Did I hear my name?!" A voice suddenly called out, making the children look to the side, where their Uncle Benjen stood, smiling at them as his cloak swayed with his approach. Benjen always wore black. "Uncle Benjen!!" Both of them exclaimed happily. "You''re hiding here, aren''t you?" he said as he came up to them. "Yes... but don''t tell father!" Arya, who had just turned 10 namedays, exclaimed. "Alright... I''ll let you off today... since I''m leaving soon," he said.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. "But already?!" Bran muttered with a sad tone. "I''ve been here for more than a moon... I can''t leave my duties behind. Besides... the king will be leaving in the next few weeks... your father has accepted to be his Hand in King''s Landing," he said, gently tousling both his nephews'' hair. "He accepted!? So we''re going to King''s Landing?" Arya exclaimed, finding the idea exciting, eager to finally travel with her father from Winterfell and head to the capital of the Seven Kingdoms as if on an adventure. "Yes... but that''s something you''ll have to ask him about," Benjen said. "Uncle Benjen, I want to be a knight of the Kingsguard! I''ll work hard to become one!" Bran declared. "That''s good, I''m sure you''ll be one of the fiercest," Benjen said. "Can you tell us more stories about the wildlings? Father''s not here to stop you!" Arya said, knowing Benjen was always asked to tell stories about his battles as the First Ranger, but Ned had always been quite strict, saying those stories weren''t for children. "Of course, since I''m leaving soon, we can make an exception," he said, sitting down beside his nephews to start telling them about some of his adventures. And so, Benjen continued telling them tales of his battles in the godswood, while back at the castle, Lord Stark was in his solar, speaking with some northern lords. "So, you''ve accepted to be the Hand of the King? I''m surprised," Wylis Manderly remarked, as his large frame barely fit into the chair in front of Ned, while they discussed matters concerning White Harbor. "Yes... I''ll be leaving in two weeks," Ned replied, and Wylis nodded. "It seems your son will be in command of Winterfell then. It''s about time he took charge. One of my daughters could be the future Lady of Winterfell if you''d allow a union between our houses," he said, hinting that he hoped Ned would accept a possible betrothal between the Manderlys and the Starks. "I''m not sure, my lord. You''ll have to forgive me, after all, Robb is still very young. But we can discuss this in the coming years," Ned responded diplomatically, not rejecting the idea but not agreeing either, knowing how important it was for Robb to have a northern wife, which would unite the North behind him. "That''s a fair response, Lord Stark," Lord Manderly nodded. "And are you planning to leave today, Lord Manderly?" Ned continued, "I would like you to stay for tonight''s feast," he said, hoping his vassal would also enjoy the gathering. Though thinking about the feasts often brought a sigh to his lips, as resources had been steadily depleting over the past few weeks to please the king. His wife had encouraged this at first, as it promoted the marriage between Sansa and the crown prince, with their engagement sealed in the early weeks of the visit. But now, the resources were running thin, and it would be quite detrimental for House Stark to have their coffers nearly empty, with months of northern tax revenue vanishing. "Very well, Lord Stark, I''ll stay for tonight''s feast," Lord Manderly agreed as he began to rise, preparing to take his leave and allow the Lord of Winterfell to be alone once more. Ned Stark remained alone in his solar, the silence allowing him to think over many things, one of which was how his life was heading in a direction he had never imagined, as he was about to become the Hand of the King and serve in King''s Landing. Initially, he had refused, but he needed to uncover some suspicious circumstances surrounding Jon Arryn''s death. According to Catelyn''s trusted informant, Jon Arryn had been poisoned, which worried him. Why would someone do such a thing? As the adopted son of the former Lord of the Vale, he wanted to bring justice. Ned thought about the past for a moment, recalling his youth in the Vale with Robb, the war after hearing the news of his sister''s abduction, his elder brother and father killed, and other things that followed. But soon, he pushed those thoughts aside. After all, there was nothing to be done about what had already happened. Catelyn was with Sansa, their eldest daughter, working on her stitching with her direwolf, whom she named Lady, lying at her feet. This displeased Catelyn, but the queen was beside her now, along with Princess Myrcella. Sansa spoke in a dreamy tone to the queen, asking about her duties and other subjects, as she would one day assume that role. Meanwhile, outside that room, Robb was training alongside the Kingsguard under the watchful eyes of Ser Rodrik Cassel, while the king applauded, seated in a special chair set for him in the courtyard. The king drank constantly, surrounded by a few prostitutes, a sight that didn''t please everyone, though he didn''t care. Barristan Selmy stood beside the king, always ready to act should his king be in danger. "Come on, Robb! Are you going to lose that easily?" Theon Greyjoy taunted from the side, laughing at his friend, who was struggling against the Kingsguard member the king had requested to train with them. Prince Joffrey watched from a distance but never participated in the fights, only casting mocking glances. Both Robb and Theon noticed this, but they couldn''t say anything. "Come on, Ned''s boy! You can do better than that!" King Robert shouted, expecting the boy to fight as well as his father, a warrior who had faced and defeated the Sword of the Morning in a duel, albeit with only one witness. And so, they continued their training, while elsewhere in the castle, a small boy ran with his wolf. "Come here, Shaggydog," he murmured, as he followed the giant wolf to the stable, where they found another wolf, the sixth pup of the litter, a white wolf with red eyes that stayed alone most of the time and couldn''t even make a sound, due to some issue. The wolf had no owner, and their father had wanted to sacrifice it initially, but they decided to let it live in the stable, perhaps becoming a good guardian. The youngest Stark, Rickon, had grown fond of the pup, spending time with him and his own wolf, as Shaggydog always seemed intent on coming here to keep his brother company. "You left the castle alone again?" Septa Mordane appeared at that moment in the stable''s doorway, casting a disdainful look at both Rickon''s wolf and the white wolf. "Come along, your mother will be furious if she finds out you''ve been sneaking out again," she said sternly, while Rickon could do nothing but be led away, leaving the white wolf behind as his own wolf followed him inside. At Winterfell''s entrance, two figures approached the gates, or rather, one and a half. "Everything''s ready for tonight''s feast. I can''t wait to get drunk and perhaps visit a brothel after the party..." The famous dwarf, Tyrion Lannister, said after a pause. He chuckled, while his brother Jaime looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Don''t look at me like that. It''s not my fault there are banquets all the time, and I''ve grown to enjoy them," Tyrion continued with an ironic tone. "You enjoy all the banquets," Jaime murmured mockingly. Tyrion merely smiled at his older brother. "And who could deny a banquet?" he said, drawing a smile from Jaime this time, as they walked off together. "I can''t say the same about the Starks, though. I don''t like that family," he added at the end as they entered the castle. Far from there, out of sight from everyone, a white mass descended over the Wolfswood. Jon and the dragon, after an entire day of travel, finally arrived in the middle of the afternoon. He landed in a hidden spot, waiting for his dragon to remain there while he prepared to finally visit his old home. Chapter 43 - The Winterfell Banquet 02. [Chapter Size: 2000 Words.] Third Person POV. Somewhere on North. ... ... The explosion of the dragon falling in the middle of Wolf''s Forest startled many nearby animals. Wolves, squirrels, and other rodents, along with birds, fled as the white dragon landed. Jon looked satisfied with the landing as he climbed off its back, jumping a few meters onto the ground, which wasn''t as freezing as beyond the Wall. It took a few hours, but they had finally arrived near Winterfell, at least close enough that no one would see a dragon. Jon ensured that no one was hunting nearby with his magical eyes. "Well¡­ we''ll have to part ways here¡­" Jon turned back to the dragon, and she looked at him as if displeased. "You can''t follow me¡­ not this time. After all, they''ll try to kill you, and that wouldn''t be good for either of us, because I would have to interfere¡­" Jon spoke calmly. The dragon''s only response was a snort, while Jon shrugged. "Now I have to head to Winterfell. It''s a shame I don''t have a spectral horse, so I''ll have to go on foot. I hope to arrive by the middle of the night..." he murmured, turning back to the dragon a second time with a much firmer tone. "Remember, don''t follow me this time. That was my last warning. Wait for me here. I''ll be back in less than a week. Besides Winterfell, hunt for food in the forest or along the coast, but don''t go near any towns, especially Wintertown, which is nearby." Jon tried to warn her once more, making sure the dragon would remain obedient. The dragon seemed to growl at him, showing her teeth, appearing displeased with Jon''s tone, but she eventually turned her back on him and lay down right there. Jon saw this and said nothing more, turning as he began walking toward Winterfell. Hours passed as Jon continued his solitary walk through the Wolf''s Forest. Winterfell was preparing for another feast, as the Stark family once again hired all the bards and entertainers they could to entertain the king at the castle. Once again, the place was filling up in preparation for the celebration. "Mance¡­ how long should we wait¡­? We''ve already been here with the southerners for several moons¡­ At this rate, by the time we return beyond the Wall, everyone will be walking corpses from the cold shadows!" A man, dressed like a commoner, with a disheveled appearance, returned to Mance, who was in a corner of Winterfell while the King-Beyond-the-Wall was tuning his lute. "I know I''ve already looked at the king enough... as I wanted, and I''ve already made my decision that we can''t count on the understanding of the south. But I wanted to take one more look. However, it seems there''s nothing more to do here¡­ we''ll leave soon¡­" Mance said, focused on tuning his strings to play another night for the king, southern nobles, and those from south of the Neck. "For me, we can stay as long as Mance wants. The southerners really know how to make delicious food and good beer. I''ve never eaten like this before¡­" A third man from the group of six spoke up. "Stop being foolish¡­ we don''t belong to this land. The southerners would kill us if they knew who we are¡­" the first man spoke again. "At least not until we''ve crossed the Wall with the entire tribe." "Speak more quietly, Jarl! We can''t let anyone hear that kind of talk!" Mance immediately complained as he looked at the men passing by them. "Sorry¡­ I just want to leave. The southern king is weak, and the Starks aren''t the fierce wolves we thought they''d be. We can defeat them! I want to get everyone across the Wall soon," Jarl commented. "I understand¡­ we''ll have to wait one more day," Mance said in the end. "All right¡­ you know, Mance¡­ you''re aware of my interest in Della''s sister. I plan to steal her as soon as we cross the Wall¡­" he said. "I knew he would say that sooner or later; I just didn''t know it would be so random. Hahaha!" Some of the wildlings laughed at the comment. "You can try to steal her, but know that Val is a fierce woman," Mance remarked. "I know¡­ it''s because I think she would bear good children!" he said, thinking he could have the blonde with blue eyes, unaware that she was already someone''s lance-wife at that moment. "Hey, you there!!" At that moment, a man from Winterfell, none other than Ser Rodrik, approached them. "I''m going to have to ask you all to leave. An important lord will be arriving soon, so I''d appreciate it if you cleared the courtyard," he said.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. "All right, Ser. We''re leaving," Mance said in a submissive tone as all the disguised wildlings began to leave the area. Ser Rodrik nodded as he went to ask other people to clear the area while preparing the courtyard for the arrival of the visitors. "Are they arriving, Ser Rodrik?" The lord of Winterfell approached, leaving the main entrance. "Yes, my lord, in a few minutes, they''ll be here, according to our scouts," he replied, and Ned nodded. "Now I need my children here¡­" he murmured, and it didn''t take long for each of his children to arrive at the location, or at least almost all of them. "Father." The red-haired sixteen-year-old and heir to Winterfell approached him. "Rob. Come, my son. You''re going to meet an old friend of your father," Ned commented as Bran, Arya, and Catelyn, followed by young Rickon, gathered around them. "Where is Sansa?" Ned asked, frowning at the absence of his eldest daughter. "I don''t know¡­ I called her, Ned," Catelyn murmured. "She didn''t want to come, said staying with the prince was more important!" Arya exclaimed, while Ned looked quite displeased at his wife. "I''ll speak to her later, Ned," Catelyn murmured. "I hope so. What will the northern lords think if our children can''t receive them?" he said with distaste, and at that moment, people stopped entering through the gate, blocked by guards as a new group appeared. The green lizard-lion banner was carried by knights, and a small group emerged with the same symbol on their armor. Leading them was Howland Reed, the Lord of Greywater Watch, an old friend of Ned who had never visited Winterfell before. He quickly walked within a reasonable distance of the family as his guards took their positions. He emerged with a limp, accompanied by a couple of young people as they approached the Starks. The man had a serious problem with his leg, causing him to walk with a noticeable limp, but Ned didn''t mind; after all, he owed his life to this man. "Lord Stark!" Howland greeted. "Lord Reed, it''s an honor to see you here," Ned responded. "Indeed, it''s good to see you as well, Lady Stark. And these must be your children¡­" He saw Lady Stark greeting him and looked at all the children, pointing to the boy and girl who accompanied him. "This is my eldest daughter, Meera Reed. And this is my son and heir, Jojen Reed," he introduced them. "It''s an honor to meet you. They certainly look like strong children," Ned commented as they continued exchanging pleasantries. Ned then asked Robb and Bran to accompany Howland''s children around the castle and show them the sights, while he went with Howland to his solar, and Catelyn took a reluctant Arya away to prepare for the banquet. "You know¡­ I was quite surprised by the news of your arrival this afternoon," Ned commented. "I''m also surprised, Lord Stark, but I came here to meet someone," he said. "Please, call me Ned," Ned insisted. "Meet someone? The king?" Lord Stark was taken aback and asked. "No¡­ he''s not in the castle. In any case, I hope my presence isn''t a burden, Ned," Howland said. "You never need to be so formal, Howland. Stay at Winterfell as long as you need," Ned said in a friendly tone. "Thank you¡­ So, it''s true¡­ you''re going south?" Howland asked. "So, you know¡­ word has already spread beyond Winterfell?" Ned asked, surprised, as he hadn''t yet informed the northern lords. "My son found out about it," he said with a smile. "Your son?" "It''s a bit complicated, but in any case, it''s good to see you. How are you?" Howland asked sincerely. "Yes¡­ we were fighting in a bloody war almost 20 years ago¡­ now we live in a time of peace, although we carry some scars from that time," he said, carefully looking at Howland''s knees. "I''m fine with it, if that''s what you want to know¡­ years make you get used to being half-crippled. Anyway, we must now take care of our children, and speaking of that, I felt the absence of one upon my arrival," he said. "Sorry about that. Sansa has been a bit rebellious since she found out she would be queen, but I asked Catelyn to take care of her," he explained. "I wasn''t talking about Sansa, though congratulations are in order for her being the future queen of Westeros. I was talking about the other one," he commented carefully, noticing Lord Stark''s face grow darker. "He died a long time ago, Howland¡­ there''s nothing more to be done," Ned spoke with an equally dark tone, as if referring to an old wound from his past, which was also tied to his sister. "But you promised Lyanna, and from what I know, you didn''t really keep your promise¡­" Howland was treading on delicate ground, but there were things he needed to discuss with Ned based on what he had learned from those times. Ned had treated the boy in a way Lyanna would never have wanted, despite his promise. "IT WASN''T MY FAULT!" Ned erupted, slamming his fist on the table with a loud shout that caused the door to open, with his guard checking if everything was all right. Howland wasn''t startled by the Lord of Winterfell''s outburst, keeping his eyes fixed on him, without even blinking. Ned stared back before sighing and turning to his guard. "It''s all right, Jory. You can leave us," he said in a calmer tone. "Sorry about that, my lord¡­ it''s just that this matter is quite delicate. I know you didn''t like how I treated Lya''s son¡­ but I did everything to protect him¡­ in the end, he vanished without any warning. It''s been 8 years now¡­ no one knows where he went, and to me, he''s dead," Ned finished. "¡­" Howland only looked at him without saying a word, but his lips quivered as if he wanted to speak, but in the end, he remained silent. "In any case¡­ I think I''m a bit tired and would like to be alone for a while. You can leave now; accommodations have been arranged for you, your family, and your men, and Jory Cassel can take you to our castellan. I hope to see you at tonight''s feast," Ned said. "All right. I''m going," Howland replied, saying nothing more as he nodded and left, leaving Ned alone with his thoughts of old wounds. "So these are your direwolves!" Jojen was surprised as they walked through the castle with Bran and Robb. Theon joined them shortly after, seeing Meera, while maintaining a constant smile in her direction, which she ignored. "They are! We all have one," Robb commented, holding his grey wind. "And that white one?" Meera asked, noticing a small white wolf among them. "Well¡­ he doesn''t belong to anyone, but he came with the litter. My father said he doesn''t have the time to keep a wolf, so he''s always left aside," Bran explained. "He already has a bond, actually," Jojen said with an intense look at the red-eyed wolf, as if trying to see through its red eyes. "Really?" Bran asked curiously, turning to Robb, who didn''t know what to say. Chapter 44 - The Winterfell Banquet 03. [Chapter Size: 2000 Words.] Third Person POV. Winterfell. ... ... Finally, night had fallen over Winterfell, and the castle stood out even more against the backdrop of the evening, with all of Winter Town able to witness the semblance of yet another banquet being held within the Stark halls, something that had been happening frequently in recent weeks. The torches were burning at full strength throughout the place, and for anyone looking toward the castle, it appeared as a beacon of noise, with the sound of people laughing and music echoing outside. Not everyone could attend the grand event, where only the Starks, the king, and other nobles were the main guests, but there were also people from the castle itself and acquaintances who could be present, in addition to the performers and people hired by the Stark family. From a distance, even from Winter Town, one could see the commotion in the castle, and beyond the city, near the forest. At that very moment, a man emerged from the trees, observing the bright lights standing out against the darkness. He looked for a moment and quickly continued onward, approaching the town. "Well, it seems I''ve finally arrived..." Jon commented calmly as he kept his steady pace, for he had arrived exactly as he had planned: in the middle of the banquet. He pulled his hood up to hide his face as he advanced through the town. The people were much more active than he had expected, standing at the doors of their houses, talking, and even drinking, celebrating as well. There was a certain movement in the town, and Jon could hear many interesting things; apart from the people, there were also many southern guards around. But none of them really stopped him, being more interested in trying to impress a prostitute than paying attention to the movement. It didn''t take long for him to reach the edge of town near Winterfell, and just as he began to prepare for the castle, his luck ran out. A man in red soldier''s attire approached him. "Hey, you! State your name and your purpose for looking at the castle," he spoke in a direct and harsh tone. "Can''t I be curious about the Winterfell feast?" Jon asked. "You''re too suspicious for that. You''d better answer my question, or I''ll throw you in a cell," he said with a threatening tone. Jon raised an eyebrow at this. "You''re not from the North. Why do you think you can speak like that here?" Jon asked, curious. The man didn''t seem to like that very much and quickly reached for his sword, raising it. "Listen here, smartass. It doesn''t matter if I''m from the North or not. I serve the King and Queen, and I can kick anyone I want in these Seven Kingdoms, especially you northern savages, as I''ve been doing these past days," he spoke angrily. Jon looked at him and gave a slight smile. "Oh, really? Well, let''s see how you handle this," he simply said. Without further words, he lifted the man, who was taken by surprise, but before he could realize what was happening, his body was thrown against one of the walls in an alley nearby. After ensuring there was no one else around, Jon calmly continued on his way. Thus, he made his way out of town, but as the road to the castle appeared, he could be seen, and he didn''t want to be questioned with dozens of guards patrolling the castle walls. Clearly, with the king''s presence, the security had to be very tight. So, before leaving the town, Jon used an invisibility spell to cross it without problems, passing by some guards at the gates without them noticing a ghost passing through. He finally entered the castle after twelve years of not being there, as his invisibility faded away, and he was once again in the entrance courtyard of Winterfell, observing the place, feeling several memories surfacing in his mind at that moment of what his childhood was like in that place. Ignoring the past, Jon looked towards the main hall, where a great sound of music echoed as men went in and out continuously, even guards drinking or their acquaintances bringing them drinks. Jon observed it all for a moment and then turned his attention to a faint sound in the distance. "Well, let''s see him for the first time, then I''ll head to the hall..." Jon murmured, moving towards one of the more distant corners of Winterfell, to the area known as the stables and kennels, still remembering the way there.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. He had been drawn by a low sound. It seemed like a little puppy whining, but without barking; this time, he cried not because he was alone, but because he wanted to see his master for the first time as soon as he sensed him when Jon entered Winterfell. He quickly reached the place without any guards on the walls noticing him. Jon opened the door and looked at the small white wolf with red eyes, who stared back while letting out whimpering puppy sounds, sitting on the ground and cautiously watching him. "So, it''s you I''ve been dreaming about for the past few weeks... Come here." Jon said, stepping into the place and crouching down as the animal ran swiftly towards him in the next moment. Jon picked him up, lifting him into his arms. "You''re not much of a talker, are you?" Jon murmured, seeing that the animal could only make small unconscious crying sounds but didn''t bark. He seemed very happy with Jon, who held him firmly as he squirmed excitedly in his arms. Jon smiled as he watched the pup behave like a joyful dog. "Don''t worry, buddy. You came to me as soon as I entered this world, so you''re with me now, and I''ll take care of you." Jon said with a smile. He stayed there for a while until he felt someone approaching. "Hey, you!" Suddenly, a voice called from beside him as someone drew near. Jon kept the animal in his arms and looked at the guard approaching him. "Who are you? Why are you near the kennel?" the man asked in a serious tone, glancing at both Jon and the little wolf with a hint of surprise. "I got a bit lost... I came as a bard to perform tonight and couldn''t find the entrance. In the meantime, I heard this little animal and came to check..." Jon spoke, flashing a friendly smile. "You''re a bard too? I see... There are plenty of them here today." the man muttered, observing Jon as he petted the wolf. "That wolf belongs to the Starks; you can''t just pick him up like that," he said. "Really? But he was so lonely... Look at him." Jon replied, still stroking the animal that reacted like a little dog. "Yeah, it seems like he really likes you. He doesn''t have an owner, as all the other wolves belong to Lord Stark''s children, but this one was left alone. They say these are direwolves, can you believe that?" the guard remarked, adding, "But I don''t know... They haven''t grown big enough for me to believe that tale." Obviously, he didn''t believe the rumors. "Is that so? Well, they''re still too small to tell if they''re direwolves or not. Maybe we''ll find out in the next few years..." Jon commented, feigning ignorance, before smiling again at the man. "Anyway, my name is..." He paused for a moment before replying. "...Dovahkiin. I''m a traveling bard who came up North as soon as I heard about the King''s stay." he said. "Dovahkiin?" the man murmured. "Strange name... Not from Westeros, huh?" he remarked, and Jon nodded. "Yes, I come from a very distant place. By the way, what''s your name?" Jon asked. "Ebarke." the man replied. "I''ve been here in Winterfell as a guard for over 8 years." he also introduced himself. "Eight years... that''s a good while, Ebarke..." Jon smiled before starting to converse more with the man, easily befriending him using his charisma, honed over the years in Skyrim. After all, Jon could both lead thousands of men in war and seduce a widowed queen to lie with him. Jon continued chatting and managed to persuade the man to personally escort him to the main hall. He had to leave the animal behind, who continued to whine; Jon hoped he understood his final words, that he would come for him as soon as he left the castle again. "So, about your question regarding the boy who disappeared... I heard about him. It was quite a commotion eight years ago. When I arrived here, it had been three months since the boy went missing. Lord Stark was trying to search for him all over the North," the guard said. "Really? He did that?" Jon commented, surprised. Despite his sudden interest in the story, it was obvious he looked like a man of twenty, which didn''t match the story of a lost boy who should be sixteen today. So, he didn''t hesitate to ask directly. "Yes, but it didn''t last long. It was three more months. I heard that Lord Stark''s wife convinced him to stop; she never liked the boy and was even grateful when he didn''t return," the guard continued. "She convinced him to stop, or he wasn''t too keen on finding the boy?" Jon raised an eyebrow. "Well, I don''t know... But be careful with what you say, it could be offensive to others," the guard warned, suspicious of the boldness in the question. "Sorry about that. Where I come from, people are much more direct. I''m not saying you all here lack a sense of honesty, but there we speak more with harsh truths..." Jon explained. "Could you tell me more about this place?" the guard asked curiously. It was obvious he had taken a liking to Jon''s presence and was finding the conversation enjoyable. He hadn''t even realized how their chat near the kennel had led them to discuss information from eight years ago, but here they were. "Of course, I''ll tell you more about it. But how about we enter the hall first?" Jon suggested, and the man nodded as they passed through the entrance guards without being questioned. This was due to Jon being accompanied by another Winterfell guard, though the Lannister soldiers kept staring at them the whole time. "Those guys are such slackers..." Ebarke muttered beside Jon. "Yeah, I noticed. They''re always in a bad mood..." Jon said, eyeing the guards. His eyes were easily noticeable, as they were very rare in these parts and almost everywhere else, after all, there weren''t many people with purple eyes, especially ones that glowed with the power within him. "What do you think of them?" Jon asked the guard. "They think they''re superior since they''re the Queen''s guards. They believe they can do whatever they want and go wherever they please. Sometimes, it''s hard not to punch them in the face," the northern guard admitted, and Jon wanted to laugh. "I can understand that," Jon replied with a smile. "Anyway, let''s go." They finally entered the hall of Winterfell. Chapter 45 - The Winterfell Banquet 04. [Chapter Size: 1800 Words.] Third Person POV. Winterfell. ... ... The hall of Winterfell was bustling with festivities. The people, already accustomed to this type of event over the past weeks, having been here multiple times, didn''t seem bored; quite the opposite, they always seemed to be laughing as they drank and ate everything available to them. Bards continued to play their instruments while singing, enchanting many single women who listened to their songs about knights from the south. Although Lord Stark didn''t particularly enjoy this sort of thing, there was a reason for it: many of the artists here were southerners who came with the king''s convoy, and the hall was now infested with men seeking coins and nobles looking for favors from the monarch and his family. Ned could do nothing about it, especially when his wife seemed to appreciate it, and his daughter Sansa adored these songs, though the other northerners didn''t sympathize with them much, even if they didn''t despise them either. As the music continued playing, filling the crowded hall with sound, the main table was the most prominent, with the king himself sitting at its center, laughing and drinking. A serving girl was filling his wine goblet at that moment, until he surprised her by grabbing her, pulling her openly onto his lap, and caressing her. Perhaps that was why the queen wasn''t by his side. In fact, she had chosen to sit next to Catelyn Stark, who watched the king''s behavior with a certain anger and disappointment. "Your Majesty, this behavior is not very appropriate. Your family is here, watching¡­" Ned Stark commented beside him. "Don''t be such a bore, Ned! I''m the king, and I want to have some fun, come on!" he exclaimed, making the serving girl laugh as he held her inappropriately. Ned sighed, unable to do anything about it. Catelyn looked at the queen beside her, trying to force a smile, while the queen kept her eyes hard and unyielding. It was a sad sight. Catelyn left her and looked at Sansa, who, when she wasn''t watching the prince at the table, was chatting with her friends¡ªuntil a meatball flew in her direction, hitting her on the head. Catelyn''s eyes widened immediately, seeing Arya do this to her own sister, even in front of her future husband. "Robb!" she raised her voice, calling her eldest son, who was conversing with Theon and some other northern nobles. Robb didn''t seem very comfortable with the southern nobles, which made Catelyn slightly uneasy, as she wished he would draw closer to them. Deep down, she dreamed that Robb might marry a southerner from a great house like the Tyrells, believing the union could strengthen the ties between the north and the south, something her husband disagreed with. Robb heard the call and broke off his conversation when he saw his mother''s look, who was pointing at Arya, laughing while Sansa pleaded for someone to make her sister stop. Robb sighed, rose from the table, left his friends, and went to Arya, who was already preparing another meatball to throw at her sister. He surprised her. "Hey, don''t do that!!" Arya exclaimed as Robb quickly grabbed her in mid-air, pulling her away from the spoon she was using to throw food at Sansa. "Come with me," Robb said in a serious tone. "Wait, Nymeria!" Arya exclaimed, pointing at the wolf pup she had insisted on placing on the table. Robb then also picked up Nymeria, Arya''s wolf, while carrying his sister and the wolf away to a corner. "Arya, you need to behave. You can''t humiliate your sister in front of everyone. She will be the future queen¡­" Robb said in a serious tone. "You don''t even like the prince¡­" she murmured, and Robb couldn''t disagree; after all, the boy was very arrogant. "Even so¡­" Robb commented. "But she''s so stupid! She deserves it!" Arya exclaimed, grabbing Nymeria from Robb''s hands, while Robb''s own wolf, Grey Wind, was now at his feet as he lifted him into his arms. Robb just sighed as he turned back to his sister. "Arya, your sister is leaving. And you will go to King''s Landing along with her and father. Please, behave yourself at least today. This is a farewell party," he said, trying to instill some sense into his sister, who sighed and nodded carefully at her brother.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Deep down, Arya knew she wouldn''t see some family members like Rickon and Robb, and her mother, for a long time, as they would all stay in Winterfell, while she, Sansa, Bran, and her father would head south. In the end, Arya promised she would behave, and Robb nodded, returning to the table with his friends, where Theon Greyjoy, Benfred Tallhart, and other young men from northern families were seated. "Took care of your little sister, did you?" Theon mocked. "Yes, she''ll be fine..." Robb replied, not giving it much thought, but noticing Arya talking to some guards who were familiar with her fiery temperament and laughing along with her. Theon continued to tease. "Well, anyway, I noticed one of the girls from House Manderly watching you the whole time. Could it be that our Robb will soon be a committed man?" he said, drawing laughter from the young men around the table. "What?" Robb looked at his friend in surprise. "There she is," Theon pointed, and Robb looked toward the Manderly family table with the two sisters. One of them, Wylla Manderly, was glancing at him, occasionally looking away and then back when he looked her way, practically staring at him with a hint of shyness. Perhaps it was Lord Manderly who had encouraged this, after all. It wasn''t surprising to Robb, as the Manderlys had already proposed a marriage a few times. Recently, he had brought it up again, but Robb''s father always said they should wait. "Anyway, let''s get back to the subject," Robb tried to end the topic, blushing slightly. After all, he was inexperienced in these matters, and unlike Theon, he wasn''t libertine, visiting Winterfell''s brothels or sleeping with one of the castle maids. "We''re talking again about the king, leaving his own queen alone while she sits there by herself, like some maiden..." a northern nobleman muttered quietly, also changing the subject. "True! The queen isn''t bad at all¡­ actually, she''s quite the beauty. I''d love to challenge her tonight," Theon said with a mischievous smile. "You''re insane, Theon! If anyone hears you say that, they''ll cut your tongue out," Robb warned him seriously. "It''s just between us, anyway. Maybe I''m not as interested in the queen as I was before," he continued, "after all, there''s someone quite intriguing here." Theon said, pointing to Lord Reed''s eldest daughter, sitting with her family in a corner of the hall. Robb''s father had asked him to befriend them, as Howland was a trusted and loyal friend who had saved his life. However, his heir was a bit strange, often speaking in cryptic terms. Nevertheless, Robb planned to invite him over for a conversation later. "You''re such an idiot, Theon. The Reeds aren''t known for allowing that kind of thing," Bran commented, irritated. Bran was at Robb''s table after his brother brought him over. He glanced discreetly at the Reed family''s table, set in an isolated corner, keeping to themselves, as expected. The Reeds had a reputation in the south for being reserved and rarely leaving their territory. Still, they seemed attentive to the movements in the hall, as if looking for someone. "Look at that, our Bran is interested in Lady Reed! Do you think your father will arrange a marriage?" Theon teased, noticing how Bran seemed eager to defend the girl he, too, was interested in. "That''s not true!" Bran exclaimed, as shy as he could be, his face turning redder than Robb''s. "Theon, stop teasing him," Robb immediately defended his brother, while some other nobles chuckled quietly. Theon just shrugged and dropped the subject. The banquet continued, while Rickon, the youngest Stark, was held by a maid. She brought him over to Catelyn, as he insisted on staying a bit longer before being put to bed. It was at that moment that Lord Stark''s brother, Benjen, entered the hall, dressed in black, as always, to enjoy a bit of the evening. Lord Stark noticed his presence and stood up, leaving his friend, the king¡ªwho continued flirting with all the maids he could¡ªresigned, as Robert always behaved like this at any feast in his hall. As he left the table and stepped down into the hall, Ned''s gaze passed over Jaime Lannister, who stood guarding the royal family at the table, arms crossed, showing none of the composure a Kingsguard should have. Ned continued forward, ignoring him, although Jaime looked at him with a disdainful glare. Ned might be the Lord of Winterfell, and the rift between them might be significant, but he had his brother to see right now and didn''t want to waste time on Jaime. Benjen approached Ned, greeting him, and the two began chatting about trivial matters, as they had already discussed the more serious topics during Benjen''s previous nights in Winterfell. The banquet carried on as the bards constantly rotated on stage to meet the king''s demands, who kept asking for more music and drink while caressing the Winterfell serving girls. "Your friend is drinking too much, as always, huh?" Benjen remarked, observing Robert''s behavior. Ned sighed. "Yes, I''d better go over there and try to calm him down before he drains all the alcohol we have for tonight," Ned said, smiling faintly, resigned to Robert''s ways, no longer the man he had once known in the past. Then, he left Benjen, who glanced around at some of the nobles, noticing the mysterious Reeds seated at one of the tables for the first time. He decided to approach them to chat, as they had greatly assisted his brother during the war, and it was rare to see them in Winterfell. He had also been a close friend of Lyanna¡ªit might even have been the first time they''d come north since all the turmoil in the south sixteen years ago. At that moment, Benjen passed by one of the side entrances to the hall¡ªnot the main door, as this was one of the entrances commonly used by those who weren''t nobles. He noticed a Stark guard entering with a young man, which made Benjen narrow his eyes as he looked back, observing them from behind as they entered the hall. He wondered who that man was, feeling something strange about him. But he simply ignored the feeling and continued, until he spotted Lord Reed in the direction he was heading, also keeping his gaze fixed on the same man that Benjen had just observed. --- Raccoon Here: Apologies if I made this entire introductory chapter for the feast, but I wanted to set the scene properly, as I plan to make around four chapters within this feast. Chapter 46 - The Winterfell Banquet 05. [Chapter Size: 1800 Words.] Third Person POV. Winterfell. ... ... Near the entrance at the back, Jon finally stepped into the hall, passing by several people without noticing his blood uncle who walked right past him. His thoughts were preoccupied with finally being back in those halls as he took in all the excitement, something he had never witnessed before. Not that he had participated in the grand feasts at Winterfell during his childhood. Celebrations like the Harvest Feast were events he was excluded from, as Lady Stark always kept him away from the main hall. She didn''t want the northern nobles to compare him to Robb Stark, as Jon bore a much stronger resemblance to the Stark coloring than Robb. He only took part in smaller gatherings, usually when one or two nobles visited Winterfell. However, on those occasions, he was always placed among the servants, in a corner where no one would notice him, while the Stark family hosted their guests at the main table as usual. As a child, he remembered how much that saddened him, but now he thought it was silly, even if it was natural for a child in his circumstances to feel that way. Now, he found himself at a feast unlike anything he had experienced before in these halls. Not that he hadn''t attended grand events ¨C the celebrations in Skyrim or other regions of Tamriel were larger and more extravagant than this. Not to mention the feast in the Hall of Heroes, a place from another world for the Nords of Skyrim, Sovngarde, where there was endless food and drink for the great warriors of the past, who celebrated and battled for eternity, living solely for pleasure. He had been there without dying, to speak with ancient Dragonborns who helped him defeat Alduin, the World-Eater ¨C but that was a story for another time. For now, he focused on what he was seeing. Jon looked ahead and observed his former family after so many years. He stopped in the middle of the hall, indifferent to everything else, just to look at them. He began by gazing at the main table, where he noticed the King of Westeros seated. It was a fat man, leering at some serving girls while drinking, eating, and laughing at everything. "What a disappointment." Those were the first words to leave his mouth as he looked at the man he had wanted to kill when he came to this world. Was this what the king had become? Jon felt so embarrassed that he even lost the desire to kill him in a duel. It would be a disgrace to himself; dueling a drunken, fat man was certainly beneath him. Next to him was the queen, and beside her sat someone Jon immediately recognized the moment he laid eyes on her. He could see Catelyn Stark. The woman had aged eight years since the last time he had seen her. There were some differences, but not many, and the same stern expression remained as she tried to converse with the queen, who appeared quite arrogant. There was also a child with her ¨C the child looked about two years old, which made Jon raise an eyebrow. It seemed Lady Stark was still giving children to his uncle. His gaze moved across the other tables, and he saw Robb near the high table, easily recognizable by his red hair and easy smile as he talked. Robb was speaking with Theon Greyjoy, someone who had arrived at Winterfell shortly before Jon left. Theon looked the same as ever. It seemed that being among wolves hadn''t stopped him from behaving like a squid, as Jon remembered. He also spotted Sansa at another table, surrounded by friends, chatting and sneaking glances toward the high table where the prince was seated. From what Jon could tell, the boy resembled the queen quite a bit, though he bore no resemblance to the king, and he dressed in a way befitting the status Jon assumed he held. There were two younger siblings with him, but the prince seemed the most arrogant, just as Jon had heard. It appeared the royal family brought by Robert included only his wife and these three children, and none of the king''s brothers were present. His gaze also fell upon the royal guards. He recognized one of them as Jaime Lannister, famed for his swordsmanship. Jaime kept a firm gaze and held his sword as if constantly searching for any threat. He didn''t notice Jon watching him. On the other side of the table, in a similar position, stood Barristan Selmy, the legendary warrior who had fought in countless battles and was currently the greatest living knight in Westeros. He appeared far more imposing and skilled than anyone Westeros could typically produce.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Jon''s analytical gaze seemed to awaken some sense in Barristan, who noticed him from across the hall. The knight''s eyes met Jon''s, and for a few moments, Jon held the stare, keeping his expression neutral. Barristan seemed to be trying to figure out who this stranger was, but from the distance, he couldn''t discern many details of Jon''s features. After a moment, Jon averted his gaze. There was no reason to keep staring at Barristan. There were other people and situations to observe. Then, his eyes fell upon a girl in a corner, who looked entirely Stark. She was being restrained by a few men after apparently being punished. It was Arya Stark, who had been only three years old when Jon left. Perhaps she wouldn''t even remember him. After all, who remembers someone after eight years? Returning his attention to the table where Robb sat, Jon noticed other young northern nobles nearby. Bran was also there, and he must have been around a year old when Jon disappeared. Back then, Jon remembered seeing Bran in Lady Stark''s arms. Now, it felt strange to see him grown, just like all the other children of Ned who were present there. Jon wasn''t sure if there were more children, but he doubted it, as no other young person seemed to wear Stark colors or have the Stark-Tully appearance. As he observed, he noticed a figure moving toward the main table. His gaze followed the movement and landed on his beloved uncle, who was walking to the king''s side, exchanging a few words with him. Jon analyzed the man''s features. He didn''t seem to have aged much more, but the weariness was evident. Dealing with the king appeared to be exhausting. The disappointment in Lord Stark''s eyes was plain to see, almost making Jon laugh. However, he restrained himself, choosing to keep watching instead. The moment to approach and speak with his uncle would come, but not now. Suddenly, his uncle lifted his head and locked eyes with him across the hall, near the door. Jon held the stare without looking away, analyzing the man who now kept his own gaze fixed on him. From the distance, his uncle might not be able to see him clearly. Naturally, Jon allowed a smile to escape, but it wasn''t one of joy or longing. It seemed more like bitter irony than a happy reunion. "Hey, what are you looking at? Smiling at the queen, are you? You''re a fool if you''re doing that." The voice came from his side, as the guard who had escorted him there called out again. The man had been walking when he noticed Jon standing in the middle of the hall and had returned to fetch him. Jon turned, still smiling, and replied calmly, "Sorry about that. But the queen is certainly a beauty." The man''s eyes widened. "Man, don''t say that out loud! If one of the Lannisters hears you, you''ll definitely have problems." Jon found the warning amusing but simply nodded. "All right. Looks like I''ve wasted enough time here. Let''s move on." The guard nodded in agreement and led him toward a table where some men were seated. Jon followed while still glancing around the hall, analyzing the figures around him. There were many other nobles, both from the North and the South, as far as he could tell, most of them unknown to him. Jon paid them little attention and simply followed the man to a more isolated table. "Hey! You''re here, finally, you fool! You almost missed all the drink. Gobbi''s about to finish it all! I thought you''d lost a leg, you took so long!" one of the men exclaimed, mocking the guard who had accompanied Jon. "Not at all. I found this guy outside. He''s a bard or something like that. Seems interesting. You all should talk to him," the man who had brought Jon said. The man moved to the table, sitting in an empty chair, and gestured for Jon to take another seat beside him. Jon complied, sitting under the curious stares of everyone at the table as they turned their attention to him. "Who are you? A bard? You don''t look like one," one of the men asked, frowning. Jon looked far too muscular to be an artist. "Appearances can be deceiving, my friend. Yes, I am a bard, and my name is Dovahkiin," Jon said, leaving everyone surprised as they turned to the guard who had brought him. The guard grinned at his companions. "I know, his name''s strange, but he''s not from around here. He comes from a place far away. Claims it''s farther than the known world, lands beyond where Essos could reach... During his journey, he arrived in the North just over two moons ago," the man explained, leaving everyone even more astonished. "You could say that," Jon said, smiling. "And, from what I can see, you all look like Northerners." "The same could be said of you, stranger. You seem very familiar, but your purple eyes say otherwise. How old are you?" one of them asked, curious and slightly tipsy, his voice rising slightly. "I''m 20 years old," Jon replied. "Still a boy. Tell me, have you ever killed anyone?" another one asked, bursting into laughter. "Yes, far more than I''d like," Jon answered calmly. "But yes, I''ve killed." "Well, then, the boy''s a man! Take this, drink!" they said, handing him a cup of drink. Jon accepted it, holding the cup and drinking, savoring the taste of the Northern brew. It was certainly much better than what he had drunk beyond the Wall, which was essentially a disgusting fermented milk that Tormund always offered. But out there, they had no other option¡ªotherwise, it was frozen water. Here, however, he could finally enjoy himself. As he drank, everyone laughed and quickly started including him in their camaraderie. Jon raised his tankard and slammed it against the table with force. "Well, looks like the night''s going to be lively. This is going to be a lot of fun," Jon said with a grin, as everyone around him laughed and seemed excited. He wanted to stir up the night and enjoy the banquet for the first time in this world since he had returned, ironically, in his former home. Chapter 47 - The Winterfell Banquet 06. [Chapter Size: 2000 Words.] Third Person POV. Winterfell. ... ... Jon raised his mug, slamming it forcefully on the table, drawing everyone''s attention once again. "Listen to what I say," Jon began, flashing a grin at everyone. "Never sleep with a woman after you''ve broken things off with her. Trust me, tell her you don''t want anything to do with her and leave. Because if she tries to seduce you saying it''s the last time, you might find yourself in the middle of the night with a knife at your throat!" he said to everyone. "Hahaha!" "Why didn''t you go straight to a prostitute?" "Let me guess, you didn''t die?" The northern men who worked as guards for House Stark and had taken the night off to enjoy the feast alongside the servants laughed at the tales of the stranger called Dovahkiin. Jon continued sharing his experiences¡ªespecially the funny ones¡ªentertaining them with stories from his love life. "I didn''t die, luckily," Jon went on, lifting his mug again, mimicking the motion of wielding a sword. "She didn''t just have a dagger; she pulled out a sword, my lords! And she wasn''t aiming for my neck or my heart. Her words were¡­" He raised his mug dramatically, imitating a slash. "''If you won''t stay with me, you won''t stay with anyone!'' So, she aimed directly at my dick!" he exclaimed, making everyone burst into laughter. "Hahahaha! I hope you weren''t castrated; that''s worse than the Wall!" "Hahaha! Tell us the rest, please." Jon grinned. "Of course not! I was quick enough to draw my weapon and stop that crazy woman from castrating me. I tell this story with a smile now, but I swear, few things scare me, and that night I found one of them," he said, laughing and drinking. The outburst of laughter and comments from that table quickly became a highlight of the room, drawing the attention of everyone nearby. People turned to look at the men of Winterfell laughing and seeing Jon, for the first time, as the life of the party. "Who is that?" people murmured, whispering at their tables. Other guards, servants, bards, and performers, whose attention had been drawn to the lively table, watched Jon drinking, laughing, and making witty remarks. "Where did you find him, Ebarke? He might talk more than a northerner, but he''s definitely more fun than any southerner!" The men laughed, drinking and making comments. They recognized Jon as a true northerner, despite his unusually talkative nature. "Look at his eyes¡­" a few servant women murmured, noting how Jon was quickly becoming the most handsome man in the room. While he didn''t possess the prestige of someone like Jaime Lannister¡ªwhose status could make any maiden swoon¡ªthey had to admit that Jon''s bright purple eyes and charming smile made him even more captivating. "These southern guys¡­ they talk too much," muttered someone at another table. Mance, sitting with other Free Folk disguised as performers, also noticed the commotion at Jon''s table, which had become livelier than even those near the king. "Leave them be; it''s none of our concern," Mance said, though his companions seemed more focused on drinking southern ale than anything else. However, Mance took a moment to glance at the table, observing the younger man laughing and talking animatedly. Then, Mance noticed something that unsettled him. The stranger with the exotic appearance turned his gaze toward them, scrutinizing each of them before locking eyes with Mance himself. It was as if he was silently toying with them, his expression gleaming with amusement. ''He knows!'' Mance couldn''t help but feel a pang of panic as the stranger returned his attention to his table, making more comments that elicited laughter from the crowd. ''Am I losing my mind?'' Mance wondered briefly, dismissing the idea that a random stranger who had just arrived could possibly know who he was. Shaking his head, he tried to push the thought away, though his wary gaze lingered on the man at the other table, unnoticed by his companions. The impact reverberated once again as Jon slammed his beer mug against the table, and the chatter at the table gave way to laughter and curious murmurs. Even the southern mercenaries, drawn by the commotion, subtly joined the growing crowd around the table as Jon spoke and drank with the men. "Listen well, companions!" Jon exclaimed, his deep voice resonating so strongly it carried a commanding tone across the room. "Tonight isn''t just for the lords and kings of this hall but also for us¡ªthe men who keep this world standing while they drink wine and maintain their dull conversations full of ''my lords,'' ''your majesties,'' and the like!" he declared.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. The guards and mercenaries erupted in cheers and laughter, banging their own mugs against the table. Jon was treading on dangerous ground by mocking the nobility, but he was among the lower social ranks here, and no one minded poking fun at the aristocracy. "Don''t forget ''My Lady!''" another man mocked, sending the crowd into fits of laughter. "Hahaha! ''My lord, please honor me with your enormous dick!''" a mercenary began to act out, drawing roaring laughter from everyone. "Hey, you!!!" someone shouted, grabbing their attention as they turned toward the source of the interruption. Jon stood at the center of the commotion with his cup freshly refilled by someone at the table. The room fell silent as a man with the emblem of some southern house¡ªone Jon didn''t recognize¡ªstood, clearly displeased. "I''ve been hearing your filthy talk," the man said, trying to sound eloquent. "If you keep speaking of noblewomen in such a manner, you''ll face my sword!" "Look!" Jon''s voice cut through the silence, drawing the attention back to himself as he began walking toward the man, who appeared to be a knight. "We have a defender of ladies!" Jon''s voice boomed, echoing across that part of the hall as everyone remained quiet for a moment. "Why isn''t anyone clapping for the defender of ladies? Come on, clap!" Jon demanded, his tone almost commanding, and the crowd obeyed, clapping mockingly in front of the knight. "Now, shout with me: ''Defender of ladies!''" Jon ordered. "Defender of ladies!" the crowd roared in unison. "Are you mocking me?!" the knight quickly realized he was being ridiculed by this strange man, with everyone laughing and shouting. "Yes, I am. And what are you going to do about it? Come at me with your sword¡ªI dare you. It might just be the last thing you do in your life," Jon said, stepping closer until he was face-to-face with the knight, fearless, as everyone watched the interaction. The crowd was surprised at how boldly this bard challenged a knight of the Seven Kingdoms. "You!!!" The knight was ready to punch him but paused when he looked into Jon''s eyes. It wasn''t just their unusual color but the burning determination and challenge they radiated. The knight faltered, questioning whether he was imagining things as a sense of fear crept over him. "..." Jon simply stared at him, the tension growing as the room held its breath, waiting to see if a fight was about to break out. "..." The knight hesitated, torn. He was afraid but unwilling to back down, knowing it would forever tarnish his reputation¡ªa knight''s honor often meant more than his life. "Let''s get out of here, Lifel," someone said, placing a hand on the knight''s shoulder. The voice belonged to a man in a Lannister uniform who shook his head at the situation. Meanwhile, Jon continued to stare at the knight with an amused expression. The knight, identified as Lifel, nodded reluctantly, glaring at Jon with pure hatred. "You''ll pay for this!" he spat. Jon merely regarded the threat as hollow, watching the two walk away. The knight''s fear was so evident that Jon could practically see the sweat dripping from his face. Jon turned back to the crowd, now staring at him in silence, the room filled only with the faint hum of other conversations and the bards'' music in the background. He smiled and raised his mug high. "Looks like the defender of ladies has left! Now we can continue!" he exclaimed, flashing a charismatic grin. "OHHHH!!!!" Everyone shouted, bursting into laughter, finding the whole thing wildly entertaining. "Man, you''re really strange, Dovahkiin. You made that knight crap his pants! How did you do that?" one of the Stark guards exclaimed, amazed at how Jon had practically chased the knight away after he dared to disrupt their fun. "Keep your gaze locked on them, as if you''re about to drive a sword through their heart. Works every time," Jon remarked casually, taking another sip of his drink. "Hahaha, I''ve never heard of that one!" a mercenary said, laughing crudely. "Hello, sir¡­ would you like more beer?" a serving girl approached timidly, her eyes fixed on Jon''s, clearly nervous as she addressed him. "Hm? Oh, thank you," Jon replied, accepting her offer without paying much attention to her. "Someone''s taking a woman to bed tonight!" the mercenaries began shouting, teasing Jon about how much attention he was drawing from the women in the room. The serving girl turned bright red and scurried off, though Jon didn''t seem particularly interested. He just laughed along with the men. "What''s going on over there?" Queen Cersei''s voice cut through the hall. She had noticed the commotion after Jon''s altercation with the knight, the uproar loud enough to draw the entire hall''s attention for the first time. "Who knows, woman? Let the men shout and drink¡ªit''s a feast, after all!" Robert Baratheon responded dryly, his voice impatient as he continued smacking the backside of a serving girl passing near his table. "..." Cersei glared at him in anger but said nothing further, while Catelyn Stark focused on tending to her child. "Things seem lively over there. Perhaps I should join them¡­" Tyrion Lannister murmured at his table, eyeing the crowd gathering at the back of the hall. He was seated with a few companions, including Sandor "The Hound" Clegane, who was eating and drinking quietly, as stoic as ever. "They do seem to be having fun over there. Shame it''s just a bunch of men¡­" Theon Greyjoy commented from the table of young nobles, glancing toward the rowdy corner. Robb Stark and the others didn''t seem particularly interested, but Mance Rayder couldn''t help but let his cautious gaze drift back to the stranger who was now creating more of a stir than anyone else in the hall. More and more people were gathering around Jon''s table as he stirred up the crowd even further. "He certainly knows how to make a southerner tuck his tail," one of the Free Folk muttered with a hint of respect, having watched Jon face down the knight and send him running. Meanwhile, Jon continued riling up the crowd, aware of the many eyes now on him. Among them was his uncle, who had turned his attention to the uproar, wondering what was happening back there. "Hey, Dovahkiin! How about a drinking contest? Think you can beat a northerner?!" someone shouted. "Of course. Hey, miss, bring more beer over here," Jon called to another serving girl, who blushed shyly before hurrying off to fetch more from the stockroom. It didn''t take long for her and a few others to return, carrying armfuls of drinks to the table and spreading them out. "Damn, with this handsome guy here, we won''t be running out of beer anytime soon! Hahaha!" a mercenary laughed, noticing how eager the serving girls were to please Jon, despite Lord Stark''s order to ration the flow of drinks. "Let''s go then! Don''t lose too badly," Jon said to his challenger as the competition began, the two of them quickly downing mug after mug. "Go! Go!" "Go! Go!" "Go! Go!" "Go! Go!" "Go! Go!" "Go! Go!" "Go! Go!" The crowd chanted in unison, their cheers so loud they drowned out the bard''s music. Once again, the entire hall turned its attention to the back table, now overrun with rowdy men shouting and drinking. Chapter 48 - The Winterfell Banquet 07. [Chapter Size: 2700 Words.] Third Person POV. Winterfell. ... ... "Go! Go!" "Go! Go!" "Go! Go!" "Go! Go!" "Go! Go!" "Go! Go!" "Go! Go!" The chorus quickly caught the attention of most of the hall as they continued shouting, watching both contestants try to win the drinking competition. Jon remained calm as he gulped down the beer made in these lands¡ªsomething, to be honest, he had never tried before. After all, he had only been a child when he last lived here, unable to taste such things, and now he tried to behave properly in front of the Starks. Even so, it seemed like weak alcohol compared to much stronger ones he''d had before. This made him drink calmly until his body consumed the last drop. When he finished, he smiled at the chorus cheering him on while watching the man from the North still struggling to finish his mug. "Come on, give me another one!" he demanded as the men quickly handed him another drink. "Come on, Dovahkiin!" they exclaimed as Jon moved on to his second mug, his challenger still trying to finish the first. When Jon finished the second mug, he was already halfway through the third while the people laughed at the Northerner, who was visibly losing. Nevertheless, another mug was passed to him. "Ricked, looks like someone drinks more than you! Are you going to give up already?!" his friend teased, placing another mug in his hands. Ricked quickly grabbed it and raised it to his lips, trying to keep up with the Dragonborn. Jon kept drinking until he finished, then opened a smile as he looked at the man struggling with his second mug. "Come on, you challenged me, and now you''re drinking like a girl," Jon taunted with a grin, eliciting some laughs from the men around them. Jon drank his third mug while the man barely managed half of his second before starting to cough and choke, having rushed too much after Jon''s mocking. "Looks like the Dovahkiin won," a friend commented, clapping the Northerner on the shoulder as he was still trying to recover amidst the crowd celebrating Jon''s victory. "Looks like it... How can you drink so much?!" Ricked, still coughing, looked at Jon, who simply shrugged. "No one can beat me at this game," Jon said. "I doubt you could beat the Greatjon. I guarantee he drinks more than an ox," a Northerner soldier from House Umber commented from nearby. There were many soldiers from various Northern houses present. Jon shrugged. "Bring him, or anyone else for that matter. Let them come and try to beat me." He issued the challenge. "Let me try!" said a man who didn''t seem to belong to any house¡ªa southern mercenary. "I''m great with drinks. I can beat you without choking like this Northerner here. After all, they barely drink anything," the man openly mocked. His fellow mercenaries laughed and cheered for him, while the Northerners at the table began to boo, clearly displeased with the man''s comment. "Then prove it. Give him a drink, and bring me another one," Jon challenged as he watched the maids place more drinks on the table, their gazes intense upon him. "Alright, let''s do this!" the mercenary exclaimed, and both began drinking rapidly. They continued drinking, the mercenary proving to have a stronger stomach than the last opponent. Both drank evenly while Jon maintained his pace, savoring the alcohol. They moved on to the second, third, and fourth mugs and were already on the fifth. "Hey, what''s going on over there?" someone at the Umber table, also visiting Winterfell, commented, noticing the commotion drawing more attention than anything else in the hall. "Lord Umber, two outsiders are having a drinking competition," the guard who had spoken with Jon earlier returned to his lord''s table, answering his question and informing him of the situation. "Both are mocking the Northerners'' ability to drink. One is from the South, and the other from beyond Westeros. Though the latter is good enough to win most of the matches, the mercenary won''t last much longer against him." "What?! They dare mock the North when it comes to drinking?!" Greatjon immediately stood up. "What are you going to do, Father?" his daughter asked. "I''m going to teach these Southerners and whoever else comes from outside a lesson," Jon Umber said in a firm voice, beginning to stride toward the back of the hall, several men quickly following in his wake. "Why are these people so loud..." Jeyne Poole commented beside Sansa Stark, glancing at the table in the back with some dissatisfaction. "Yes... how can they allow this kind of lowly crowd in the presence of royalty? I feel uncomfortable with it," Sansa added, her expression equally displeased as her friend''s. "These people disgust me. They''re savages! How can anyone let them be here, in my presence?" Prince Joffrey was also not at all pleased, his gaze falling upon his personal guard, while his siblings beside him merely shrugged. "Hound, make them stop!" he said angrily, though he didn''t yell. Sandor nodded, rising from the high table and heading toward the back. "How can there be barbarians here..." the queen''s lips murmured softly as she let those words slip. "..." Catelyn overheard and frowned, her gaze meeting her husband''s across the table. He nodded, understanding what she meant. "Look at that table..." Robert''s voice rumbled as he ate and drank some more, a grin spreading across his face as his eyes lingered on the scene. "I apologize for this, Your Majesty. Many Northerners are gathered there. I''ll ask them to settle down," Ned said, already signaling to a Stark guard to deliver the warning. "No, don''t do that, Ned. And I''ve told you to call me just Robert. Besides, that table reminds me of the days when we were just boys in the Vale. I mean, you were the shy one, but it was always a party when we met up with the others," Robert began to laugh. "But, Robert, your family doesn''t seem to enjoy it much," Ned tried to persist.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. "Don''t be foolish, Ned. Can''t you see the men are just having fun? It''s so lively over there, I''m tempted to leave this table," Robert replied. He glanced to the side and muttered, "Here, all I see is a sour-faced woman. At least over there, the talk is of men¡ªthey''re enjoying themselves, drinking, probably reminiscing about battles. Ah, I miss those days." He lamented slightly about his current state but still laughed, while Ned frowned. Catelyn Stark observed the scene, while the queen maintained her rigid expression. Catelyn''s gaze shifted back to her husband, silently urging him to do something about that table. Ned nodded, knowing that while Robert might appreciate the revelry, it wouldn''t be long before someone there caused trouble in his hall. He feared the men might get out of control. Meanwhile, Greatjon arrived at the table just as the mercenary, who had given up on the fifth mug, began vomiting on the floor. Cheers and exclamations erupted, laughter echoing through the space. Jon finished his fifth mug, slamming it on the table with a smile. "Is there no one here who can challenge me?" he asked confidently, the crowd continuing to chatter and drink. Even the mercenaries, though disappointed by their comrade''s defeat, admired Jon''s audacity, and the Northerners couldn''t help but laugh as well. "I am here to challenge you, stranger!" a deep voice boomed. Jon turned to see a massive man, nearly two meters tall and a few centimeters taller than himself, bearded and middle-aged, approaching with a steady gait. The man''s piercing eyes locked onto him. "And whose presence do I have the honor of being in?" Jon asked with interest, though he didn''t recognize the man beyond seeing him earlier at the table with House Umber guards. "Jon Umber, Lord of Last Hearth," the man replied. "You can call me Lord Umber. Or Greatjon, if I like you," he added calmly. "Very well, Lord Umber. Let''s see if you can beat me," Jon replied with a challenging tone. "These outsiders think they can outdrink a Northerner? Don''t get cocky. I''ll see you vomiting soon," Greatjon mocked. The Northerners quickly raised their mugs, cheering with excitement. Despite Jon''s impressive victories over his previous opponents, he had already downed more than eight mugs of ale. Who could possibly endure more? Jon said nothing, simply waiting for someone to place the filled mug in front of him. Lord Umber also received his, staring intensely at the stranger with a serious expression, while Jon maintained a smile, locking eyes with him. "Let''s begin," Greatjon said simply. Both picked up their mugs and started drinking, pouring the liquid down their throats. "Go! Go! Go!" the crowd chanted once again as they emptied their first mugs and moved on to the second, third, fourth, and eventually the fifth. The first four mugs went down easily, as though they were travelers drinking after days in the desert. But as they continued, the hall grew even more animated, and everyone watched the two men closely. They had already surpassed a staggering number of mugs for any normal drinker. Everyone was astonished to see Jon continuing steadily, drinking without faltering, while Greatjon began to struggle on his sixth mug. He seemed to realize that Jon was no easy opponent, contrary to his initial assumption after downing so much himself. The contest went on as the shouting escalated. By the ninth and tenth mugs, Greatjon finally faltered, swaying slightly as he placed his mug on the table, trying not to vomit. Jon, still finishing his ninth mug, was prepared for the tenth but stopped upon seeing his opponent concede. "You''re one hell of a drinker!" the large man slurred, visibly drunk, pointing at Jon. "And you''re one hell of a loser," Jon retorted with a grin, somewhat drunk himself. After all, his stomach wasn''t made of steel, and he still relished the slight intoxication¡ªa man had to enjoy his drink, after all. "I can''t beat you... Tell me your name!" Greatjon muttered, his words slurred, as the surrounding crowd laughed. "I''m the Dovahkiin, Lord Jon," Jon replied. "No, no... no more ''Lord Jon.'' Call me Greatjon from now on, because you''ve earned my respect, Dovahkiin!" Greatjon exclaimed, prompting everyone to raise their mugs and cheer all at once. "Come, my lord, I think it''s best if you leave now," one of the men from House Umber murmured to his lord, who nodded, still swaying. "Dovahkiin, come to my table next time. I''ll beat you then!" Greatjon called out, laughing as he stumbled away, the hall erupting into laughter with him. Jon swirled his mug in his hand until his eyes landed on a man standing nearby. He had already noticed him earlier: a man with half his face burned, covered in scars. Jon stared at him, noting how the room fell silent. Everyone recognized the man¡ªthe loyal sword of the royal family, the Hound, Sandor Clegane. "What do we have here?" Jon commented curiously, finally meeting the man''s intense and intimidating gaze. "Can I ask you all to stop this damned shouting? Some people are getting bothered by it," Sandor said bluntly. "And who might you be?" Jon asked calmly. "I''m Sandor Clegane." "I see, Sandor Clegane. But if you ask like that, I''m not sure I can comply," Jon replied with the same smile. "I don''t give a damn what you think. Stop this shit now, or you won''t like what happens next, you little shit," Clegane retorted directly, knowing Jon had been the center of attention during the competition. The atmosphere grew tense after Sandor''s words. Those nearby watched anxiously, expecting a fight to break out at any moment. After all, Jon had already intimidated a Southern knight earlier, but this man seemed different¡ªmore dangerous. He was the personal guard of the prince and future king of Westeros. "Well, Sandor Clegane, what can I say to you?" Jon began, looking directly into Sandor''s eyes as though trying to uncover his secrets. He saw something intriguing there and smiled. "I feel like you''re afraid of something. Something that terrifies you... perhaps the reason behind that scar on your face. You fear my fire, don''t you?" the Dragonborn asked bluntly. For the first time, Sandor was taken aback. Jon''s remark unsettled his sharp, defiant expression, causing him to hesitate. "Look at my hands, Sandor. Tell me what you see," Jon said, raising his hand in front of him. A flame suddenly flickered to life between his fingers. While no one behind them could see, a few people nearby noticed. Sandor stared, not understanding what Jon meant until he saw the flames clearly appear out of nowhere. Sandor''s eyes widened as Jon cast a simple fire spell, extinguishing it moments later to avoid drawing too much attention. Sandor took a step back, stunned. "Of all the people you might face in your life, Sandor, I am the worst of them," Jon said calmly, his soft tone carrying the weight of his warning. His words suggested that he was something Sandor couldn''t contend with, and the Hound furrowed his brow. This time, Sandor didn''t look confident¡ªthere was a hint of fear in his gaze. Jon had infused a bit of the power of the Thu''um into his words, as he had taken a dislike to Sandor and wanted to end the exchange without resorting to violence or causing a scandal so early in the evening. "Screw this," Sandor muttered before turning and walking away. Everyone around them was stunned, watching the Dovahkiin intimidate yet another knight. Sandor didn''t even return to the prince; instead, he exited through the back door without informing anyone. "Well, where were we?" Jon asked with a smile, leaning back in his seat. The crowd around him began to cheer again, the atmosphere returning to its earlier excitement. At that moment, Winterfell''s castellan, Vayon Poole, appeared, his expression serious as he approached. "Gentlemen, please, I must ask you to stop all this noise. It''s disrupting the feast and could reflect poorly on you in the presence of the royal family..." he said openly, addressing no one in particular. "You heard him, everyone? We''ll have to calm down a bit," Jon said to the group, supporting the castellan''s words. He wasn''t keen on remaining at the table anymore. He had done exactly what Sandor had demanded, but Vayon Poole''s polite request made him more willing to comply. At that moment, Jon''s gaze fell on the castellan, who also looked at him in surprise. Poole frowned, sensing a familiarity in the stranger before him. To Poole, the man resembled the boy who had fled Winterfell so many years ago. Yet, he now saw not a boy Robb Stark''s age, but a fully grown man. Deciding to say nothing, Poole dismissed the thought, as the ages didn''t seem to match. The men began to settle down, and the commotion at the table dissipated. The hall returned to a relatively calm state, with people chatting without causing much disturbance, while the bards continued their performance. Even so, Jon didn''t remain at the Northerners'' table. Instead, he moved to another nearby, where Mance Rayder and his Free Folk were seated, waiting patiently for their turn on the stage. The wildlings were visibly surprised when the stranger who had caused such a stir in the hall approached and sat beside them. All eyes turned toward him immediately, wary and clearly displeased with his presence. Mance stared at Jon attentively, a bit uneasy. He began to suspect that this man might know more about his identity than he let on. Jon kept the same curious gaze as before and finally addressed them. "Hey, hey, don''t look at me like that," Jon said with a slightly drunken grin. "I''m just curious..." He paused for a moment. "...Curious to see wildlings in the middle of Winterfell''s hall, in the presence of the king on this side of the Wall... I must say, it''s quite an unusual sight." Jon maintained his smile as he observed each person at the table. Mance''s men, along with the King Beyond the Wall himself, were speechless, unsettled by Jon''s boldness. ... ... Fallow me on Patre/on! Visit our for more: RaccoonLeague Chapter 49 - The Winterfell Banquet 08. [Chapter Size: 2100 Words.] Third Person POV. Winterfell. ... ... The atmosphere at the table immediately grew tense as Jon maintained his calm gaze on them. Clearly, he noticed the men touching their waists, where they kept the knives they had used to eat that evening. "I wouldn''t do that if I were you. You''d attract too much attention and be captured or killed before even attempting to leave the hall, especially here in Winterfell," Jon said, keeping a friendly smile that didn''t match his words at all. "..." Everyone at the table kept their intense gaze fixed on Jon after his words. Those who had been gripping the hilts of their knives began to withdraw their hands, realizing his words made sense, but still uneasy about what this stranger wanted with them. After all, no one here should know who they were. Mance was deeply concerned now, but he decided to keep his composure as he looked at Jon. "What do you want...?" he asked cautiously. "Don''t worry. If you''re afraid I''ll report you, I''m not interested in that. I just find this amusing. Two kings in the same hall¡ªone posing as a drunkard and the other hiding as a bard. Where else could I witness such a scene?" Jon said, his tone laced with amusement, his gaze fixed on Mance, who still felt lost regarding this stranger''s unknown intentions. "How did you find us?" one of Mance''s men asked cautiously, glancing around to ensure no one overheard their conversation. "It''s not hard. Your behavior gives you away. I''m not saying you don''t know how to blend in¡ªafter all, you''re here without anyone noticing¡ªbut the details betray you." Jon spoke calmly. They ate with their hands or didn''t know how to use utensils properly, drank awkwardly, and always looked around suspiciously. No one else noticed, but to the dragonborn, it was obvious¡ªeven without the information he had received from Della and the others when Jon was at Mance''s camp. "You said you wouldn''t report us, but you still haven''t answered why," Mance said, choosing his words carefully. "Let''s just say I also came from beyond the Wall," Jon began, a smile spreading across his face. They raised their eyebrows skeptically¡ªJon clearly wasn''t part of the Free Folk. "What do you mean?" Mance asked again. "I was at your camp. I must say, it''s impressive¡ªover 140,000 people." Jon revealed small details occasionally, just to gauge the reactions of the men before him. "He saw it?! Is he a southern spy?!" one of the men growled, rising to draw a blade, but Mance himself stopped him. "Stop it! Do you want to get us killed?!" Mance snarled, also standing as he grabbed the man''s chest before he could lunge at Jon, removing the knife from his grip. "But Mance...?!" the man protested. "We have no choice but to listen to what he has to say here. Sit down and stop drawing attention!" Mance growled, noticing the surprised looks from the surrounding tables, while Jon remained seated, calm as ever beside another man at the table. "..." The man, with no other choice, reluctantly sat down, glaring at Jon with anger and suspicion¡ªa sentiment shared by Mance and the others. "What were you doing there? A journey from there to here would take nearly a moon," Mance questioned again. "A moon? I left a week ago. And before you ask, I have my methods. Anyway, I met your pregnant wife, Della. She was the one who told me you were here," Jon said, and Mance raised an eyebrow in astonishment. The stranger didn''t seem to suggest he''d done anything to his wife¡ªhis tone remained friendly¡ªbut it was still disconcerting to hear that she herself had revealed his current whereabouts. "Why would she do that?" Mance asked carefully. "I helped deal with a camp to the north when those undead invaded. We fought a hard battle, but we managed to handle it. I even killed one of those White Walkers for the first time¡ªarrogant little creatures," Jon said, leaving the table in silence as the men tried to absorb everything they had just heard from the stranger. "He must be lying, right?" one of them said. "..." Mance looked at him without saying anything, still unsure how to deal with this stranger and the flood of information that seemed utterly absurd. Jon sighed, placed his hand in the middle of the table, and suddenly pulled an ice spear from his inventory, slamming it against the table. The act startled everyone, eliciting cries of shock from the men. Jon quickly stashed the spear away again, ensuring it wouldn''t draw more attention than the few people who had glimpsed it appearing out of nowhere. He didn''t bother with the small number of witnesses.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. "What was that?!" the group exclaimed, their startled voices drawing stares from others, still focused on the spot where the spear had just been. "Can you stop screaming like girls?" Jon said, his tone dripping with disdain. The men, who had been glaring at him with anger and distrust moments ago, now looked at him with disbelief and fear in their eyes. No one could explain what had just happened. He continued, "Anyway, that spear I showed you was from one of the White Walkers I killed. I''ll admit, you can''t defeat them without Valyrian steel, as far as I''ve seen, or dragonglass, according to what the Children of the Forest told me. But I managed to deal with one of them myself. What I''m saying is¡ªI''m not your enemy." Jon paused for a moment before adding, "However, the first person to draw a weapon against me here better be ready to die." His tone turned deadly serious as his eyes scanned each of the men present, who were still reeling from the icy trace left on the table by the spear''s touch. Jon casually resumed drinking from his tankard, observing the silent men for the next ten seconds. Finally, Mance broke the silence. "And why are you here?" Mance asked. He had to know the man''s purpose. "Well, I think I can explain that now. I believe we can reach an understanding this way. Look at the main table, Mance," Jon began, his tone calm. "I see it..." Mance replied, reluctantly using his name aloud, fearing someone might overhear and place his life on the edge of a sword. Still, he looked at the table. "The brooding Lord Stark is my beloved uncle. The fat man beside him, as you know, is the king," Jon said, also glancing at the table. Mance frowned slightly at the way Jon casually insulted both men, but his brow rose in surprise at Jon''s next words. "You said uncle... Are you related to Lord Stark?" Mance asked, surprised. "Yes, my name is Jon Snow, the bastard of Winterfell," Jon said calmly, his eyes fixed on the main table. "..." Mance didn''t respond immediately, stunned by this revelation. He had heard rumors during his time near the Wall but didn''t know the details. "I heard he brought back a baby from the war, but you don''t seem to match¡ªbecause that was 16 years ago," Mance said. "Yes... but that doesn''t matter. What matters is that I am that child, and I''ve just returned to Westeros. I''ve met your people beyond the Wall¡ªTormund, Karsi, Della, Vall, and some other camp leaders who were decent enough. But there were also some bastards I had to think twice about before killing," Jon replied, surprising the men, as all those names were well-known among them. "Are you here for them?" Mance asked, breaking the silence again. "Let''s just say they owe me a debt... not just them, but others south of this kingdom as well. And I intend to make everyone pay." Jon spoke calmly, unbothered by revealing his goals to these people. After all, they were in a situation not so different from his. It was his way of telling them they didn''t need to see him as an enemy. "So, Mance, King Beyond the Wall, I''m not your enemy. In fact, you could even consider me a wildling like you." Jon finished with a smile. Everyone else remained silent, waiting for Mance to respond. After all, no one really knew how to handle something so random. "You... you really killed a Cold Shadow?" one of them finally asked. "Yes... I believe I''m the only one who''s managed to do so. There are only two ways to kill them since fire doesn''t work against them. One is Valyrian steel¡ªsomething you can''t find beyond the Wall¡ªbut the Children of the Forest told us there are some dragonglass weapons buried in parts of the North. They even provided information on where to find them, and Della has already sent some men to retrieve them," Jon explained. "..." Once again, they fell silent, digesting what they had just heard, until another broke the silence. "You''ve mentioned the Children of the Forest twice now. What do you mean by that?" Mance was the one to ask. "Exactly what it sounds like, Mance. There are Children of the Forest in the camp where the rest of the Free Folk are. I found them further north, and after some negotiations, they moved to the camp. Anyway, it''s a long story, and it''s better for you to see them in person than for me to try convincing you here, south of the Wall," Jon said. "That is, if you don''t turn us in first, right?" Mance spoke again, the distrust still evident on his face. "I''ve already shared things I shouldn''t have told anyone here. I''m not here to do that, and I have no intention of it. I''ll even return to the camp. After all... let''s just say I''ve earned myself a few spearwives." Jon smiled as Mance raised an eyebrow. He continued, "But I also don''t believe your people deserve to die like animals at the hands of the undead and their masters. So, count on me to help get them to this side of the Wall," Jon said. Mance took a few moments to absorb his words before nodding. He didn''t have much choice, and the ice still visible on the table helped convince him. "Very well, Jon Snow..." he finally said. "Dovahkiin. Call me Dovahkiin. After all, no one should know who I really am," Jon replied with a friendly smile. "Abel. Call me Abel here," Mance said, and Jon nodded. "Alright," Jon said at last. Just as things were finally settling down at the table, someone approached them. "It''s your turn to play," the person said to Mance¡ªor rather, Abel. "Of course, I''m on my way," Abel replied in a more submissive tone as he stood up to head to the stage and play some songs. Jon was left with two Free Folk while the others accompanied Abel to the stage. The two remaining men seemed too cautious to speak much to Jon, though they occasionally asked questions about what had happened, to which Jon responded calmly with things that sounded absurd. Jon wasn''t paying much attention to them or to the stage. Instead, he observed the movements around the hall, particularly watching his mother''s family as they went about their usual routines. He debated whether to approach them as a stranger that night or not. It was at that moment that Mance returned from the stage with some coins he''d earned from the Stark men after entertaining the hall. But Mance didn''t get a chance to talk to Jon again after sitting down, as the same Stark man approached their table once more, this time looking directly at Jon. "We''re running out of bards, as most of them are drunk. You''re up next¡ªI heard you''re a bard too," the man said. "Come on, Dovahkiin! Play us a song! If you can talk like you drink, you''ll entertain us all tonight!" shouted someone from the table Jon had sat at earlier when he first entered the hall and had his drinking contest. "Well, gentlemen, it seems my turn has come. Abel, could I borrow your lute?" Jon asked with a smile, while the King Beyond the Wall seemed to ponder for a moment before finally handing his instrument to Jon. "Well, let''s entertain this party," Jon said calmly, making his way to the stage with the lute in hand. ... ... Fallow me on Patre/on! Visit our for more: RaccoonLeague