TORMUND

The noise boomed fiercely in his ears, the blue flame burned hot as fire yet had the colour of ice. Slicing through the wall and castle both, ancient magical spells bore no contest to the breath of a dragon.

Tormund Giantsbane, the black brothers and wildlings, fled for their lives when the piercing screech of the winged beast threatened their ears. Fast and fierce the mount had cut through the ice and stone, paving the entrance for the dead into the Seven Kingdoms.

For thousands of years, the Wall stood as a symbol of protection against the perils from beyond the wall, now it was breached. Tormund Giantsbane opened his eyes, realising he was still whole, sitting up he locked eye with Beric Dondarrion gathering himself opposite him.

The two men helped each other to their feet as sections of the wall continued to crack and break away. The castle of Eastwatch was now no more, leading to the east the sea was covered with chunks of blue and white ice bobbing and colliding amongst the white waves before being submerged beneath the shivering sea.

"That was close", Tormund said, staring into the white mist. "A bit too close", the one eye of Beric Dondarrion scanning the depths below. "Our worst fears have come true, nothing will stop them now,'' the weary lord put a hand on the hilt of his sword.

We certainly can't stop them, Tormund thought to himself. "What do we do now?" The voice echoed from behind the men, turning towards the sound, Tormund Giantsbane saw that there were more survivors. The source of the voice was a black brother by the name, Dareon. A young boy of average height, hair the colour of straw matted across his forehead.

Looking beyond him, Tormund saw the familiar garb of the Free Folk, four men came into view, At least we're not alone, Tormund had brought some of the strongest fighters among the Free Folk to Eastwatch, it had been Jon Snow to ask the wildings to become the watchers on the wall. He recognised the men as Gorne of the Hornfoots, Bael of the Nighrunners, Gendel of the Frozen Shore and Varamyr of the Ice-River clans.

"Tormund, what the fuck do we do now?" Gorne said, the slight trace of desperation in his voice. "We have to get down from here as quickly as we can, the dead will be moving south now, we have to try to get ahead of them." Tormund explained. Gendel spoke up, gesturing to the ground around them "How are we going to get down, the castle's gone, we're stuck up here".

At that, Tormund noticed the eyes of the black brother light up, "We're not stuck, we can walk across the top of the wall until we reach the next castle. It's...not exactly safe or secure but...I don't think there's another way down, at least not here."

"Well that settles it then. Let's move, we've got a long walk ahead of us." Beric interjected taking a step forward. "What about Castle Black, we have to warn them. The dead could be coming for them" the young crow said. "We don't have time to get to Castle Black, our only hope is to get to Winterfell.

If Jon Snow has come back, that's where he'll be." Tormund replied. "We can't just leave them, they'll be slaughtered!" Dareon began to raise his voice, his demeanour turning hostile. Beric Dondarrion stepped towards the lad, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"I understand friend, you don't want to abandon your brothers. But we can't help them, if we tried to warn them we'd likely suffer the same fate as them." The words struck the young man hard forcing him to relent, "How far is it to the next castle lad?" Tormund enquired.

He brought his eyes to face Tormund before turning to look down the white walkway. "About fifteen miles give or take, I think." Fifteen miles, we can make that. Although food and supplies won't be the issue. Beric turned back to him, "We haven't a moment to waste then, let's move." Casting his eye on the Free Folk men, "And keep an eye in the sky, if that thing makes another appearance, we'll have to move...fast." "That won't be a problem," added Dareon, glancing at the pale grey sky. "Watch each other's backs, stay alert and we'll make it to Winterfell."

The cool calm voice of Beric made their situation seem less dire, not that it worried Tormund. I don't need this Lord or that Lord to show me the path, I can get where I want to go myself. But seeing that dragon did send a chill down the spine of Tormund Giantsbane and that did worry him.

They came upon a sheet of white reaching fifteen, perhaps twenty feet into the air. "Seven Hells" uttered Dareon, staring almost in awe of the mass of ice in front of them.

"How are we going to get around that?" said Beric, turning his eyes toward Tormund.

"Wait! Over here".

The young black brother had made his way to the edge of the wall to the south. Peering over the edge and around to the other side, he glanced back at the others,

"There's a small path here, it's a bit shaky but I don't think there's another way. Tormund turned to Beric who nodded in return. One by one the men shuffled along the narrow path, the edge seeming ever closer and the wind ever stronger.

Exhaling a sigh of relief when they were all over they swiftly carried onward. They seem to be walking for an age. The Wall did not have an entirely flat surface, certain edges rose high in the air, revealing a drop into a white abyss.

Sticking to the centre as much as they could all the while keeping a watchful eye on the grey sky, listening for the broken roar of the Night Kings mount. Tormund felt Beric Dondarrion appear at his side

"How much further?"

"Not far, only another mile or so".

Trudging through the snow, it was deeper in some parts than others, areas that had not been cleared for some time. There were uncharted parts of the Wall in between the castles where the Nights Watch did not venture. It slowed them down significantly, trudging through the layers of white that broke away like glass when disturbed. The cold was less of an issue, the black brothers and the Free Folk were well used to the freezing temperatures but at this height it brought an extra icy sting along with it.

Lord Beric was not of the North but he had a fire inside him that burned fiercer than any brazier. I wish we had some of that fire right about now. "You know I've been wondering, what's it like, dying?" Tormund watched as the one eye of Beric Dondarrion stared into his own before turning to the sky.

"It's cold and empty, a pit of darkness where nothing stirs. Every time my light was extinguished, I never saw anything, never felt anything. But when my eyes reopened into this world, I always knew it was for a reason. The Lord of Light has a plan and I'm to be a part of it."

"And so, what is this plan?"

"I don't know".

"Then how do you know what this Lord of Light fucker wants?" Tormund saw a small smile catch his face.

"I don't. The only thing I do know is I'm here for a reason. All of us, we're here for a reason. The Lord of Light has a plan for us all and it appears Jon Snow is shaping to be the centrepiece."

"Why Jon Snow?"

"I don't know. But Jon Snow is the only other man I know of that has returned from the darkness, with all the thousands of people that die in this world every day. I have to believe it's for a reason."

"Well you better tell this Lord of Light to hurry up and tell him the reason before we all have blue eyes."

By the time they reached Greenguard, dusk was settling. The sun was going down to the west, rays of blood orange sprawling across the white plains lighting them on fire.

The wind hadn't let up an inch the entire walk, Tormund could feel the small particles of snow weaving into his beard and hair. The ache of hunger began to make his belly rumble.

Before long the castle of Greenguard came into view, or what was left of it. The remnants of defence fortifications lay dormant, frozen in position like statues.

Many were iced over and covered in snow, some had collapsed in on themselves, the pieces of frayed wood stuck out of the snow like beacons surrounded by a sea of white.

Looking around, Tormund saw Dareon walk up a small set of steps to a structure on the south side. Beric followed him in suit,

"Can we get down from here?" Tormund heard him ask.

"We should be able to." The brother replied.

"It seems to be stable enough, good news is we won't have to go the whole way down, there are steps just over halfway down. We can walk from there." Moving towards the cage, it seemed as if it wouldn't be able to hold a single man, never mind six. "You sure this thing will hold"? Tormund said, voicing his concern.

"In truth...no, but there's no other way down. Unless we walk to the next castle but that's even further west and the path is even more treacherous."

The Free Folk men casted a glance at Tormund before turning back to the young night's watchmen, one by one they nervously piled into the rickety cage, taking each step with an ounce of trepidation.

"I'm not so sure about this". Observing the cage, it was certainly not structurally sound. Tormund could see holes in the wood, the beams were faded and slightly pulled apart from each other, others were frozen and appeared fragile as if they would snap and break if disturbed.

"It doesn't appear we have a choice." Beric added as he took his place in the cage. Ah fuck it, this will be a sad end if this thing gives way. Taking a step into the cage, Tormund could feel the wood bending and creaking, almost as if it was screaming in pain under the weight. Reluctantly taking another step, he slotted in beside Beric and Bael of the Nightrunners.

The cage sat there almost hanging by a thread. The Free Folk began to become restless as nothing was happening.

"Well...what's going on? Why aren't we moving?" Tormund asked aloud. "Relax a moment" Beric stepped forward to Dareon, "What's wrong lad?

Why aren't we moving?"

"Seven Hells!"the lad scorned.

"What is it, what's the matter?" Beric continued. "I'm sorry Ser, I've never gone without someone being at the bottom, if there's no one down there the cage can only be operated by someone up here. Which means-"

"Someone needs to stay up here and man the lever" the knight finished. A silence began to gather in the cage. Whoever stays isn't going to get down from here, Tormund pondered. After a while Beric spoke up, "It's alright lad, I'll take care of it. Come on, get in." Stepping forward Beric patted the lad on the back…

"No, it's alright...get back in. I'll do it."

"Stay in the cage lad, it's alright. I'll do it."

"No! I said I'll do it.

"You've got nothing to prove to us lad, you'll die if you stay up here." The black brother stepped out of the cage turning back towards the group of men, "So will any of you if you stay, I'm a brother of the Nights Watch. My job is to guard the realms of men, to guard you. I can't leave any of you to die up here while I get to go south. I'm bound by oath to stay here and protect the wall. Things might have changed but my oath hasn't. I'm going to stay here and lower you down as gently as I can". Dareon moved from the edge circling around towards the lever of the mechanism for the cage.

Tormund came up beside Beric, "He's going to die isn't he." Tormund said flatly. "He is". Beric replied in the same tone. "Someone would have to stay anyway, otherwise none of us would get down from here alive."

"I know."

Tormund turned around to move back into the cage, followed by Beric a few moments later after closing the cage door.

The young black brother returned to secure the door the best he could once it was closed, avoiding eye contact with everyone before Beric spoke up, "What are you going to do once we're down?"

"I don't know, try and get to the next castle maybe."

"You think you'll make it, you said yourself it's even further to the next castle from here and it's getting dark." "Well, I'm not going to make it either way so...I may as well try." He finished up and began to make his way back towards the lever. Beric called to him, "Thank you lad, we owe you our lives."

A look of anguish and contentment crossed the lad's face, Tormund could see his mood shift from his eyes through his matted hair.

"You owe me nothing Ser, this is what I'm here for." Tormund felt the cage rattle and shake as the bearings and joints groaned and ached as they started to descend.

Tormund saw the dark eyes of the crow pushing the lever of the mechanism before he disappeared out of view, probably for the last time. When his death comes, I hope it's quick. The cage continued its descent, creaking and screeching all the while.

Tormund could see the Free Folk still anxiously looking around the edges and sides of the cage, almost waiting for the inevitable snap of one of the beams or planks. It'll hold, it'll hold. Tormund kept telling himself.

"How much further?" bellowed Bael clutching his axe with such a grip Tormund could see his fingers beginning to bulge and swell with redness.

"He said the stairs were just over halfway down." replied Beric. It seemed like an eternity, the cage almost moving at the pace of a snail.

Tormund looked out around the cage, the ground becoming ever more visible as they descended further. The Wall stood as a sheet of white and blue with various ripples and waves cascading down it like a frozen waterfall. Tormund gently moved to the side and peered over the edge, not too far now, those steps can't come soon enough.

Finally, the cage stopped with a groan and a screech. Gazing upwards towards the top of the Wall, they were only just over half way down. Tormund looked at Beric who moved to open the door of the cage, "This must be where we get out, the steps start there, look." He pointed westwards out of the cage. Tormund could see the steps carved into the side of the Wall gradually leading down towards the castle.

"Alright, let's get moving then". Tormund gestured to the Free Folk men. "Come on." The steps protruded from the Wall like horns, some longer and wider than others. Tormund took the lead and took care to stay on the most secure path as they moved downwards.

The initial steps were smaller and narrower, some were iced over completely, wrapped in white blankets of snow untouched only for a few particles sliding across the surface before being whisked up into the evening air.

Tormund could feel the more unstable steps beneath his feet, a slight crack or break made him reconsider his path. The steps became wider and longer the further down they got, the castle ever more appearing into view.

Descending the final few steps, the men gathered themselves together before entering the castle.

"We should stay here for the night, it's too dark to carry on now." said Beric, "What about food?" retorted Tormund My stomach is fucking aching. Beric studied the castle with a keen eye, "This castle is like all the others on the wall, they must have a kitchens or a larder of some type." Tormund turned to him with a quizzical look,

"This place looks like it has been abandoned for years, you really think there'd still be food here?" Beric turned to meet his gaze, "It's worth a look at least, we can't go looking for food out there now. If there isn't food here, we'll have to wait till morning, it's not safe out there, not now that we know what's out there" Tormund heard Gendel step forward past him, into the view of Lord Beric.

"We've not seen them for hours now, they're probably far away from here." "We don't even know where they are,"added Gorne.
Beric met Tormund's eye once again. "It's a risk." Beric said coldly.

"We don't fear the dark like you southerners, we do most of our hunting at night. We could carry on you know. We all could do with a bit of food in our bellies, we can't afford to wait till the sun rises. If the kitchens are empty, we can't stay here, not even for the night." Tormund could see his words take hold on the face of Beric Dondarrion before he finally relented.

"All right, we'll sweep the kitchens and the larders. If they're empty we'll leave and make our way south." Tormund nodded in response. Approaching the castle, it looked more like a ruin.

Abandoned for years it had grown decrepit and weary. The men entered the castle through the east gate, the wood releasing a deep bellow as it was shifted to the side.

The entire structure was covered in blankets of white, sometimes hiding the true damage and withered state of the buildings. No one's been through here for years, we're not going to find anything here but dust and bones. No one had guarded the castle for years, now it seemed only shadows and ghosts lurked throughout the ageing fortress.

Tormund glanced around the various buildings and structures recognising a similar layout to Castle Black.

"This way." He said gesturing towards one of the larger buildings. The men made their way inside, weaving in and out of old furniture scattered in various positions across the floor.

A deep silence filled the air, save for the night wind howling through the corridors and halls casting an icy chill across the face of Tormund Giantsbane.

The walls seem to speak in different tongues when the wind whipped through the cracks and crevices nestled within them. Finally, they reached the kitchens, dust and cobwebs draped over the beams across the ceiling. Rats crawled along the edges of the shelves and surfaces. The walls were riddled with holes, pockets of mould and moss scattered throughout.

We'll be lucky if we find anything.

Scouring the cupboards and drawers, Tormund found more things dead than alive. Like this whole castle, he thought to himself. Many of the handles snapped off or simply disintegrated when touched or moved. After a few minutes of searching, Beric gestured to one of the doors coated with a layer of dust, "The larders could be back there, might be something hidden away.

"I doubt it." replied Gorne.

Moving towards the door, Beric grasped the handle turning it in his glove. The door released but instantly started to drop to the floor, Tormund noticed the hinges the colour of rust with pieces breaking off the more the door was disturbed.

Beric brought his other hand round to catch the inside and push the door aside to the wall. Tormund and the other men gathered round the opening. Peering in, Tormund could only see thin streaks of light that overlapped showing a significant hole in the floor. Stairs led down into the larder that was blocked with debris, piles of stone and earth moulded together over time.

"Well, doesn't look like we're getting through there." said Beric

"Fuck, could have been something down there." retorted Bael

"Guess we won't know now." added Gendel

Retreating back into the kitchens, Tormund looked at Beric, "Doesn't seem like there's anything here, now we have to move on." "We'll be able to find something if we head further south." said Gendel. "I did think it would be a miracle if we found something." Beric said "Very well. Let's move on."

Making their way outside, the men made their way back towards the east gate. Tormund noticed the night turned ever darker. The sky now a dull black with shades of blue leaning towards the horizon.

"You sure we shouldn't stay here, just till dawn"? Enquired Beric as he looked across the flat plain towards the treeline. "We both know what's out there, we have to get to Winterfell as fast as we can. It's the only place we'll be safe." replied Tormund

"It's getting darker by the second, not to mention the cold. How far are we going to go?" asked Beric "We'll go as far as the treeline, make camp somewhere and hopefully find some food." Beric nodded in response. Tormund turned back to the Free Folk,

"We're going to head for the treeline, once we're deep enough, we'll make camp and hunt for some food, we move again as soon as the sun comes up." The men conversed in agreement, gathering themselves together.

"Remember though, whatever you do, do it quietly. We don't know where these icy fuckers are. We only know that they're not here and we need to keep it that way."

The men began to walk down from the castle across the ground, the moon shining brightly casting shadows behind the group. Tormund glanced towards the treeline expecting to see pairs of blue eyes piercing through the darkness. All he saw though was the brown outlines of the trees surrounded by the black of the night.