Chapter 11 - Raid to North 01.
[Chapter Size: 1979 Words.]
Third Person POV.
Somewhere on North.
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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.
"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—one 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—loyal 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—a 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.
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