CHAPTER 29. THE LONG NIGHT
PART 1. THE NIGHT KING
A flock of Ravens fly across the snow laden landscape of the Land of always Winter. They fly north then turn east and fly to the coast. The Ravens rest and then fly west and finally south. When the Ravens reach the Frost Fangs the army of the dead is spotted walking slowly lead by Walkers on horseback. Then there is the Night King who looks at the flock of Ravens and scatters them with a glance. During his training with the Blood Raven Bran was marked by the Night King. This mark allowed the Night King to breech the magic that protected the cave of the Three Eyed Raven. Now Bran is below the wall and the same mark will allow the Night King to breech the wall.
From deep snows and ancient burial mounds of the North beyond the wall the Night King summoned the dead. He reanimated them with the power given to him by the children of the Forest long ago. The Children of the Forest created the Night King to be their champion against the Andels who cut their trees in the south and bought the faith of the seven to Westeros. Then the Children of the Forest lost control of their creation.
Eventually Azor Ahai and Brandon the Builder was able to defeat the Night King and imprison him. Now the Night King is free once more to bring on the Long Night and bury the lands below the wall in eternal winter.
EASTWATCH
JON
Jon flies over the castle on the back of Viserion. He circles the castle three times with Daenarys and lands outside the Castle. Jon and Dany are greeted by Cotter Pyke and Tormund Giant's Bane. New barracks had been built for the Free Folk; the Night's Watch and Free Folk alternated watches. The Brothers would stand guard for four hours then the Free Folk. There had only been five incidents, but nothing major to draw swords over or end the alliance.
On the other side of the Giants stand guard and warm themselves by burning huge piles of trees. Only the Free Folk approach them as there are few among them who can speak their language. Everyone is armed with Dragonglass weapons. Jon and Daenarys meet with Cotter Pyke, the Masters of Eastwatch, Tormund, and the Free Folk elders.
It is decided that Daenarys will patrol the castles and land between Eastwatch and Woodswatch by the Pool. Jon will patrol all the castles between Oakensheild and the Nightfort. When Tyrion arrives at Shadow Tower he will patrol the rest of the castles on the wall. After the meeting Jon pulls Gendry on the side since he came with them. As they traveled the two had become good friends. "Gendry…I have a favor to ask…"
"I'm listening…"
"I am asking you to head for Winterfell…If anything happened to you…Arya would be brokenhearted…"
He sighs, "I don't like running from a fight…"
Jon sighs, "I know…At least promise me you won't take any unnecessary risks…"
He nods, "I give you my word…" They interlock arms, then Jon walks away to prepare to leave. He meets privately with Daenarys, he hugs her and asks her to marry him.
"I love you, but you should know…I lost my first child and I was told I couldn't have anymore…"
Jon strokes her hair, "Who told you that?"
"The woman who betrayed me…"
"I don't think you should take the word of someone who betrayed you…She could have been lying you know…"
"Be careful and come back to me…"
"You be careful as well…" Jon kisses her before leaving, he mounts Viserion and flies for Castle Black. As Jon is flying over Sable Hall he spots the White Walkers on the other side of the wall. He commands Viserion to dive on them, "Dracarys!" He says having mastered the commands in old Vayrian. Trees are caught on fire and snow melts as the Whites are incinerated in Viserion's flames. After the third attack Jon commands Viserion to land. He unsheathes Longclaw and channels his power through the sword. A bright light fills the area destroying Whites and Walkers.
Soon he is joined by Daenarys who signals him to move on. He mounts Viserion and takes off. Jon has Viserion fly at the halfway point up the wall on the North side. When he reaches the area around Oakenshield Jon circles the area three times before moving on. When he reaches Castle Black Jon has Viserion rest and gives the Dragon a cow to pacify it.
Jon goes up to the top of the wall to Edd, "My Prince…"
Jon smiles, "You don't have to call me Prince ya know…Lord Commander…"
"I know I just like doing it…"
"I found White Walkers at Sable Hall…"
"We are spread out to thin…Too much wall to defend…"
"More troops will arrive from Shadow Tower…Right I am off…I'll be back as soon as possible…"
"Good luck…"
Jon flies off and when he reaches Deep Lake he finds White Walkers trying to breech the wall. Jon unsheathes Longclaw once again and fills it with his power. The light he channels into the sword incinerates the Whites at the base of the wall. Then he flies on towards the Nightfort and turns around. Upon arriving back at Castle Black Jon finds the North side of the wall under attack.
SHADOW TOWER
Tyrion flies ahead to Shadow Tower and it is a good thing he did, the Tower is under attack. The bridge over the gorge had been destroyed to slow the White Walkers down. It has little effect as a Walker stabs his ice staff into the ground and creates a bridge made of ice. Tyrion commands Rhaegal to dive on the bridge and destroys it with fire. As Rhaegal climbs up into the air spears, boulders, tree branches, and even Whites are hurled at Tyrion and his Dragon.
They fly to the roof of the Shadow Tower where archers are firing Dragonglass tipped javelins, spears, and arrows across the gorge. "Where is the Commander?"
"Here? Denys Mallister…Commander of the Shadow Tower…"
"How many men do you have…eight hundred brothers and a thousand Wildlings…"
"Any other way over the gorge?"
"There is a bridge further north…"
"My troops should unloading the ships now I will be back soon…" Tyrion mounts Rhaegal; it had taken him a while to master mounting and dismounting the Dragon without help, but eventually he got it. His confidence all the more greater because of the saddle he had built before leaving the Capitol. Tyrion flies to the ships and as he does he can see a group of White Walkers break off from the force attacking the Shadow Tower.
Tyrion has Rhaegal dive on them twice before joining his men. "What is happening My Lord?" Paxter asks after Tyrion lands.
"We must hurry the Shadow Tower is under attack…Send the Infantry now and then the archers…catapults will have to be set up on this side of the gorge when path is clear…"
"Be nice if we had heavy Calvary…"
"The snows are too thick…"
DAENARYS
When Daenarys returns to Eastwatch she finds it under attack. "Dracarys!" Drogon blasts a huge path into the White Walkers. As Drogon pulls up he is struck in the wing by an arrow from the enemy. The great black Dragon makes it to the top of the wall and rests. Daenarys works quickly to remove the arrow. Then she mounts Drogon and attacks again wrecking havoc among the White Walkers.
Drogon is strong, but even Dragons have their limits. She lands in the courtyard of Eastwatch. Cotter Pyke runs up to Daenarys stopping at a safe distance from the Dragon. "Your grace!"
"Yes…"
"The men atop the wall report that many White Walkers were destroyed, but more keep coming…I will lead half our forces through the tunnel and counter attack…"
"Isn't there ice that goes around the wall?"
"Yes you are right, but the ice is unstable…"
"Use my ships…In the tunnels you will be bottlenecked…"
"Right…" He says running off.
Ser Jorah brings food for Drogon, "My Queen…"
"Where is Gendry?"
"He is going with the troops to attack…"
"Send an honor guard with him…Make sure he comes back…"
THE NIGHT KING
While divisions of his army attack different sections of the wall to distract the Prince and the fire breathers the Night King stands near the wall by Deep Lake Castle. Using the power over the ice and snow he rips the ice off the wall that had been building over the last eight hundred plus years. "The Magic is weakened…Brandon the Builder…Brandon the fool…" The Night King says as he is joined by Walkers, Giant Whites, Whites, and Ice Spiders.
He points his hand at the wall and the crevasses in the stones start glowing. He shifts the ice used to seal the tunnels through the wall to the castle and they walk through to the other side. When the Night King walks through the wall he spots a Raven on the battlements watching them. A Walker comes up and hands the Night King an ice spear. The Raven flies off before the ice spear hits.
"The Boy is at the home of Brandon the Builder…Winterfell they call it…Bring me his head and that of all his Kin…I march on the city…" Slowly the army divides into two groups one heads to Winterfell and the other to White Harbor.
PART 2. BATTLE FOR THE NORTH
WINTERFELL
BRAN
As usual Bran is in the godswood; this time he is warging through a Raven watching as the Night King passes through the wall. His eyes return to normal and he looks at Podrick. "Bring me to my brother and sister…"
"What did you see?" Podrick asks as he takes him back to the main castle.
"He's coming…" Podrick leaves Bran in main hall then he runs off to find Sansa and Rickon.
"Is everything alright?" Sansa asks rushing into the main hall.
"The Night King is coming…His armies are through the wall…A large group is coming here and the other half is heading to White Harbor…We must warn them…"
"I'll have Maester Walken send the Ravens out immediately…" Sansa says and runs off to find Walken.
"I'll get our people ready…" Rickon says.
ARYA
To get back to the mainland Arya kills a fishing boat captain and takes his face. Then she orders the crew to set sail. The ship heads North and when they reach Stoney Shore Arya leaves the ship by row boat. She makes it to shore and walks down the beach to a village where she buys a horse. Her long bloody quest is over. Arya had avenged her Father, Mother, Brother Robb, and his wife, her brother Bran, and the North in general.
Her first night she made traps and set up a tent. After eating she lay in her tent wondering what her father would think of what she did. She knows what her mother would think, it was very unladylike, but Arya did what she did to survive and avenge her family. She isn't haunted by the people she killed as she hated all of them. They disserved to die.
Travel is slow as the snows are heavy. Arya had padded the hoofs of her horse so that he could walk on the snow; an old Northern trick people below the wall did. Sometimes the snow was too soft and she would have to lead the Horse. After two weeks Arya comes upon the Wolf's Wood. The snows are not as bad in the woods as they are in other places. She comes upon the river and on the other side fifteen miles away is Winterfell.
Arya cross the river via a stone bridge. After a mile the snow starts to fall and fog comes from out of nowhere. Arya can barely see as a rigid wind starts blowing. "Where in the world did this come from?" Arya wraps her mouth and head, then she puts on her helm for warmth. Then she pauses as a lone figure comes out of the fog walking slowly towards her. "Hello! Who are you?"
The figure keeps walking and does not respond, then Arya gasps as it is a walking corpse. Her horse rears and a spear kills it. Arya draws her sword Winter and destroys the walking corpse with one swing. Suddenly she is surrounded and Arya hears a spear flying through the air at her. She ducks beneath an ice spear thrown from a Walker with blue eyes. Arya doesn't attack them she allows the slow moving White Walkers to come to her.
With every swing they either shatter or fall and move no more. Then Arya hears a howl, a few minutes later hundreds of wolves attack the White Walkers tearing them to pieces. Arya decides to attack the blue eyed Walker. She runs across the snow and it draws an ice sword. The creature swings, but Arya dances to the side and strikes the Walker with her sword. It shatters and when it does the White Walkers fall the ground and stop moving.
Now the wolves turn their attention on Arya and her dead horse. Then she sees the largest Wolf in the pack. Its color is familiar to Arya, "Nymeria…" The Wolf stops growling then it licks Arya and goes to the dead horse. Arya watches as Nymeria eats her fill and then allows the other wolves to come forward and feast on the Horse. When they are done Nymeria heads east towards Winterfell. It pauses and looks back at Arya.
Arya salvages what she can from the saddlebags and follows Nymeria. When she needs to rest the wolves lay around Arya and she lays her head on Nymeria's side. "Well this is better than a tent…" Arya says to Nymeria. On they go and after another four days Arya reaches Winterfell. When they arrive the castle is under siege. The Wolves howl and charge the throng of Whites assaulting the castle.
Arya goes looking for the Walkers and spots one after six minutes. She fights her way through nine Whites and attacks the Walker. After and intense fight Arya manages to stab the Walker in the chest and destroy it. Then she sees another on the battlements. Arya runs toward a corner wall and leaps sticking out her foot. She pushes off the wall with her foot to the other wall and runs up it to the top.
When she reaches the top of the wall Arya throws her sword into the back of the Walker and kills it. She finds a Dragonglass head spear and fights her way to Winter. After recovering Winter Arya sees Brienne in the courtyard on her back fighting a Walker. She throws the spear into the Walker's back shattering it. With the death of the third Walker many Whites fall dead and the rest retreat.
"ARYA!" Sansa screams. She runs to Arya and hugs her.
"Look at you dressed all up like warrior …" Sansa is wearing light armor, a few daggers of Dragonglass and she is armed with a bow. "Can you use that?" Sansa smiles at her sister and quick as the wind fires an arrow at a door a hundred paces away.
"You've been practicing…"
"Yes…I may even be better than you little sister…"
"Ha!"
They hug again, "Where is Gendry?"
She sighs, "I reluctantly agreed that he should go with the army to the wall…Jon promised he would watch over him…"
"And Sandor?" Sansa sheepishly asks.
"He went to watch over Gendry…and he wanted to see if the White Walkers are real or not…" Arya looks around,
"Arya!" Rickon yells running across the yard.
Arya curtsies, "Your Grace…"
He waves her off, 'Stop it…" They hug.
"Where is Bran?"
"Come on…"
The dead are gathered and burned, the battle for Winterfell had been costly. Both men and women had taken up arms to defend Winterfell and the town. Bran is in his room with Meera and Podrick as guards. The door opens, "Bran!" Arya runs up to him and hugs him. His reaction is a little cold.
"Hello Arya…"
She stares at him, "It is good to see you…"
He nods, "And you…This is Meera…"
Arya looks at her, "Nice to meet you…and thank you for watching over our brother beyond the wall…"
"It was nothing…"
"Arya…Nymeria awaits you at the edge of the Wolf's Wood…"
"How did you know?"
"I see everything…"
"Right…" Arya leaves Winterfell and heads to the Wolf's Wood where Nymeria is waiting. "We are home girl…" The Wolf looks back at her pack. Arya sighs, "Right…" Arya hugs the Dire Wolf, "Thank you for saving my life…" She howls and runs off with other wolves following.
WHITE HARBOR
A storm rolls across the land towards the city. Rivers, ponds, and small bodies of water freeze over. The Night King stands on a hill looking at the city. He raises his hands to summon those buried in the grave yards of the city. The people of White Harbor are not completely unprepared, they had been warned by Raven what to expect. Fire traps had been set up both in and around the graves. Men are on duty carrying Dragonglass weapons and archers are in towers ready with flaming arrows. When the first corpses start to rise a man sounds the horn.
The bells start ringing and the city comes to life. No one panics as they had been preparing for weeks for this very moment. The children help the elderly to New castle or boats docked in the harbor while everyone over the age of fifteen gets ready to fight. Boys and girls, men and women. The Dragonglass weapons had been given to seasoned fighters soldiers, sell, swords, and free riders, while the volunteers are armed with fire arrows and flaming sticks for reserve and close quarter combat.
When the Night King hears the bells he sends the Giants, Ice Spiders and a large number of Whites to attack the city. The Giants hurl boulders at the gates and wall. Catapults fire flaming jars of pitch and Wild Fire bought from the Capitol. The countryside is lit up in magnificent waves of green fire. The White Walkers produce horrible screeches and the defenders cheer at their success. Their cheers quickly vanish as the Night King and his Walkers dispel the fires and resume their attacks on the city.
There is fighting in the city and on the outside. "Call up a battalion of reserve fighters…" Lord Manderly commands. In unison the volunteers march towards the wall as the White Walkers breech it.
"Remember people let them come to us…" Ser Burmon says leading the reserve battalion.
They use long flaming spears to set the White Walkers on fire and shoot flaming arrows at the walking dead. Hot Pie is among the volunteers firing arrows at the attackers. "We need reinforcements at the Grave yard!" A man rides through the city screaming. Daenarys had left five hundred Unsullied; in the city. Two hundred break away from the main force to attack the Whites coming from the graves yards.
When the Night King senses that his forces at Winterfell had been defeated he calls off the attack after collecting the dead in the city and leaves to head south. His targets are Gulltown, Lannisport, Old Town, Sunspear, and King's Landing.
