THE NIGHT'S WATCH

BENJEN

Benjen Stark had been chosen the 998th Lord Commander of the Night's Watch. He often regretted the position as it became a full time job keeping the peace between the Men of the Watch and the Free Folk. The Free Folk were always throwing insults and the men of the watch were always rising to the bate of their remarks. Benjen was grateful that no actual blood had been spilled. There were men of the Watch always reminding both sides of the true enemy and the coming threat.

With the help of the Free Folk and aid from Northern Lords Castle Black was ready for the coming war with the dead; twelve thousand men were stationed at Castle Black. The days were growing colder and the nights longer. A white raven arrived from the citadel marking the end of the long summer. The first snows had already fallen in the North both below and above the wall.

"My Lord..." A young boy named Olly yells running up with a message. "A Raven just arrived..." Benjen takes the note and reads. "Good news my Lord?"

"Yes...My nephew's army just landed at Eastwatch...Reinforcements are on the way now...Summon the council..." They all gather in the main hall. "My brothers and Free Folk...A Raven just arrived from Eastwatch...King Aegon's army just landed...We will be receiving more troops..." It was strange referring to Jon as Aegon, but if he can accept it then so can Benjen.

They all cheer, but their cheers are drowned by out by three long horn blasts. "White Walkers!"

"Get to your posts!" Benjen screams running out of the main hall with everyone else.

TORMUND

Tormund Giant's Bane is at the top of the wall with the Half Hand when the horn sounded. They watch from top of the wall as thousands upon thousands of Wights emerge from the forest. Astride rotten, skin falling off, and some nothing but bone horses are White Walkers armed with ice weapons. Some carry spears, others swords, and there are those who have maces.

"Nock your arrows!" Ser Alliser Thorne screams.

"NOCK!"

"And hold!"

One of the White Walkers ride forward on his dead stead. He raises his spear and whales a ghostly howl. The dead surge towards the wall.

"FIRE!" A hail of flaming arrows fly down from the wall. Some arrowheads are made of Dragonglass. The White Walker who gave the command to attack is struck and he shatters into a mist of ice.

"Catapults! Lets send the fuckers back to the seven hells!"

For a few seconds they hold them back from the wall with a constant barrage of flaming arrows and stones. Then the Night King appears. He bends down as an arrows shatter on his body. He touches the ground and a trail of ice leaves his hand and heads for the wall. The trail hits the wall and shakes it. "RUN!" Tormund screams as the wall starts to crack.

RIVER

River is on top of the wall as well and it was she who fired the arrow that killed the White Walker. She takes out the horn, "For the alliance we made with Bran the Builder..." She whispers before blowing the horn. The wall stops shaking when she blows the horn. Then she blows it again and all the Wights fall down and stop moving.

"What did you do?" Tormund asks walking up to her with Ser Alliser.

"The Horn of Winter...One blow will strengthen the wall and two will put the Wights to sleep...The magic will only hold up the wall for a short time...You must hurry and get down..." River walks pass them to the edge of the wall and places her hand on the ice. She reshapes the ice on the wall making steps so that men on the wall can get down faster.

"Look out!" Alliser screams as the Night King suddenly appears on top of the wall and stabs River through the back. Her eyes turn white and she speaks with Tormund's mind as she tosses the horn over the wall.

"Tormund Giant's Bane hear me...Retrieve the Horn...It can only be used by a Child of the Forest or by a descendant of Bran the Builder...Get it to someone with Stark blood...If the horn is blown a third time it will revive the children of the forest...We will be reborn into the world...But if the Night King uses it he can raise the dead all over the world..."

The Night King tosses her now lifeless body over the North side of the wall...

TORMUND

Tormund watches as Alliser rushes the Night King and strikes him in the back with his Dragonglass spear. The weapon shatters when it strikes the Night King. He turns and grabs Thorn by the throat lifting him off his feat. Then he takes his finger on his left hand and touches him on the forehead. Thorn's eyes turn blue and his skin turns white.

"RUN!" Tormund screams joining the men as they descend the steps River made. Because they rush the steps a few people fall to the ground below and die. As he runs down the steps Tormund spots the horn on the roof of castle Black. He leaps off the steps and catches the ropes for the lift. As he slides down he spots Alliser who is now a White Walker. He lands in front of the men descending the steps and starts killing people. He makes a horrible screech after being struck by a Dragonglass arrow fired by Benjen Stark.

A few feet from the ground Tormund leaps off into a role and runs toward Castle Black. "What's happening?" Benjen asks grabbing him.

He shoves Benjen, "No time I got to get that Horn..." He runs to castle and starts climbing. Just as he reaches the roof Tormund sees a Walker stalking towards the Horn. "No!" He screams, throwing his Dragonglass dagger. It strikes the Walker in the back. He screeches and shatters into an icy misty vapor. Tormund climbs up and recovers the Horn. Then he runs to Benjen Stark

"Here take it..."

"Why?"

"River is dead..." He says in between deep breaths, "...The Horn is magic. When she blew it the wall stopped shaking...When she blew it a second time the Wights stopped moving...She said that only her kind or someone with Stark blood can use it...Blow it again and her people will come back to life..."

Just as Benjen places the horn to his lips to blow he is struck by an ice spear from the Night King. The horn makes a weird sound as Benjen hits the snow. Tormund scoops up the Horn and runs.

THE NIGHT KING

Everything is chaos and soon the Night King will fulfill the promise he made to Cloud long ago when she freed him from the bonds the Children of the Forest placed on him. The humans would die and then his curse would be broken. He watches as the Wildling with the Horn of Winter runs off. He could easily catch him and take the Horn, but something is coming. Something made of fire. He can also sense the magic that put his children to sleep is weakening. The Night King sinks into the snow and reappears on the other side of the wall. He is joined by his White Walkers.

He raises his hands and the Wights start to move again. He also summons a fog to cover their retreat. Many hours would pass before the Horn's magic was weak and he could breech the wall. They slide down deep into the snow to wait for the time to strike.

DAENARYS

With Tyrion following on Viserion Daenarys has Drogon dive low. She stares in awe at the wall, she had heard tales of the wall from Aegon, but seeing with her own eyes was another thing. As they fly overhead the people below cheer their arrival. They land outside the castle as the courtyard is not big enough for both Dragons. As instructed two cows are waiting for the Dragons to eat so they won't go looking for food on their own.

"Who is in charge?"

"I am Ser Endrew of House Tarth...Lord..."

"Ser Endrew!" A man yells running up interrupting them. He bows to Daenaerys.

"What is it?"

"You better come quick..."

They all follow the man into the courtyard and are astounded by what they find. Benjen Stark is alive, but his eyes are black as tar; even where the Whites should be. "I saw you fall how are you still alive?"

He answers them, but his mouth does not move, ("I am not sure...") He responds with his mind, ("As I blew the horn I was struck by the Night King's Ice Spear...I think the horn's magic somehow protected me and bought me back to life...") He looks at Daenarys. ("The Night King and his army is still out there...They are waiting for the magic reinforcing the wall to weaken...We need to pull back away from Castle Black and the wall...")

"So why not go out there and face them..."

Benjen looks at Tyrion, ("The Night King and his minions are hiding in the snow...They use it like a fish uses water or a bird the air...They will appear when the Night King wills it...")

So the castle is abandoned in an orderly fashion. They gather all the food they can and retreat to Queen's Crown. Ravens are sent out to the other castle asking for reinforcements. As the Night's Watch sets up defenses to face the enemy in open combat the ground starts to shake and they can see the wall near Castle Black fall.