Chapter 45: Face your Neighbors
They look ominous with blue skin and white long hair that flutters in the wind. As they approach, the cold wind picked up and the snow flew in all directions.
Everyone is scared, seeing the dead leisurely approaching their place of residence as if they are in no hurry while each and everyone of them wants to turn around and run, some got angry and ran forward. Probably knowing if they stood still any longer, they will piss their pants in terror.
None of them even noticed an extra person has joined them. Olivia can see fresh corpses in the small army which means they died from the conflict she and the kids were feeling earlier. This is annoying because she was almost done putting runes on the dragon armor made from the flexible wood. She can not risk them fighting without it, call it a mothers fear.
She is standing at the back so she went forward and stood near Mance who looked to the side with a solemn expression.
"You're here. Why?" Olivia would usually say something witty like 'I invited myself' but she also needs to adjust. Swallowing, she looked at Mance with a new found appreciation. He still looks the same even at the face of such and opponent.
"I brought you something." She dropped a heavy bag in front of the men.
"Pick your poison." She smiled when they opened and exclaimed at the many weapons inside.
Weapons made with dragon glass. "This can kill them." She said but they have already seen the first people who ran forward with the usual weapons getting butchered by the skeletons.
"What about you? That won't work on them." Mance dropped his sword and went to look inside the bag picking up a weapon similar to the one he just dropped.
"Handouts? Do you think we can be bought?" Mance said looking at his people who had lost all hope before she came. Now they hold dragon glass weapons and seem more ready for battle.
"Is that what you call it? I call it burrowing. I am merely lending my things to you because you are so poor." Olivia said with a pitying expression. He ignored her and turned to the people behind him.
"Everyone armed?" He asked. When a king talks it really is not the same, they are wildlings but you can feel the respect and fear they have for him. Everyone stopped and listen to what he says on reflex.
"Yeah!" Everyone raised their weapons in the air and shouted.
"This is the price of being free. Fight to live!" Olivia saw the little speech for what it is, a reminder they are called free folks and they shouldn't be swayed by her hand outs.
"Fight to live!" The speech is short but everyone is riddled up. They all ran towards the walkers with renewed spirits knowing they are now carrying the thing that can kill them.
"See if you can keep up." Mance said to Olivia after seeing her two long blades with fire red gems on the handle. She didn't answer but ran forward disappearing into the crowd of dead humans.
Mance went for the one commander while the other one walked towards where Olivia has already started killing off the dead bears and wolves tearing into the wildlings defense. Mance is no small fry when it comes to handling weapons, he raised his sword for a head strike but the walker blocked it with that ice spear and a low screech sounded as their weapons clash.
The impact is harsh and powerful, his arm became numb from the collusion, the walker is superior in strength while Mance is quick to adjust with his relatively nimble movements. They exchanged moves the walker has a clear intention to take his life while Mance is trying to find an opening.
Mance is surprised the thing in his hand didn't break from impact. The walker used the back of the spear to smack him on the chest throwing him a distance away. But this distracted it long enough for Olivia's blade to stab right in the back making it explode in small icicles. Olivia is not a god fighter, but killing takes less effort than fighting and overwhelming your enemies with skill.
The battlefield had a momentary pause, then several other skeletons died for good this time. A little over half the enemies remain. She ran to the other commander while Mance stood up following her. The others saw what happened, the stronger ones can also be killed.
"Can you handle it this time?" She pointed at the remaining scary ice commander.
He looked at her and said "No" Olivia was trained, more like beaten by the children of the forest in how to use her fire as a weapon but ever since the last breakthrough her flames have become stronger. In a setting where she is fighting amongst uncoordinated folks like the wildlings, she might melt their bones off their skin. Its best to use her blades in a setting like this.
"Then, together?" She asked.
The commander turned and made large strides walking their way. Olivia had been dodging it by running away after she saw the thing doesn't run. She had been distancing herself at the time when she saw an opening and stabbed the other commander. But now she has to deal with this thing so she used her strength to try and get past the long spear on the thing's hand and got a shoulder stab attack which is luckily defended by the light wooden clothes has under the leather.
Even with the dull expression, Olivia saw a reaction in finding an obstacle strong enough to defend against it ice spear. The stance is not close enough for her immediate counter attack so she jumped back before this thing decides to stab her face instead.
"That was close." Mance said glancing at her shoulder.
"Too close." She shook the numbness from the impact. If she didn't refine dragon blood that violent stab would have shattered her shoulder blades. 'Fuch that thing is strong' She thought while going back in.
She jumped attacking it with one blade while deflecting it's attacks with the other blade. Olivia is just as strong, while fighting her, it can not afford to be distracted. Their roles have now reversed, she is the main force because of her ability to withstand its powerful blows and Mance is supposed to look for an opening.
He attacked Mance while deflecting Olivia's attacks at the same time. The pace is fast, while the blazing storm is disturbing the sight on the humans side. There is no room for mistakes especially for Olivia because it has now established her as the main fighting force.
Olivia is no longer simple human but she is annoyed by the wind blowing snow in her eyes every now and then. In her annoyance, she decided to throw something of its face as well.
She condensed a small fire and threw it into its face momentarily obscuring the creature's eyes and Mance stabbed it right in the back of it's chest making it explode in ice then all the other dead companion died as well.
the sound of heavy breathing can be heard all around the battlefield then a loud celebratory sound bursts out of the remaining people's throats. Even Olivia raised her blades and shouted with them. She faced the demon and fought it head on at the time where she could have ran away. This is something to celebrate. She is just sorry her first battle was not with her own people but it couldn't be helped.
The gates opened from behind them. People came out running to check if their loved ones are still alive. Olivia looked for injured people and found only a few who are on the verge on death. She squatted down near an old woman crying bitterly as a young man tried to wipe her tears.
Olivia covered him in her white flame. The shock from seeing fire so close to his body made the young man jump to his feet but then he touched his stomach feeling it completely healed. He looked to Olivia only to find her healing the others.
She has expanded efforts fighting that thing and it is obvious when she thought her meager skill was top notch in this world, she was mistaken. Those things are quality level swordsmen. Shaking her head, she turned about to leave this place but she bumped into a tall chest. Then a large hand fell on her shoulder.
"You helped us today. Thank you." Mance said just as she is about to berate him for standing in her way, and making her sink into the snow with his weight on her shoulder. He said something else "You were good out there."
"Thanks." In her mind she is thinking, 'not good enough' what if she has to fight many of those things next time?
"You might have saved my life." He looks around them "You definitely saved a lot of lives today."
"I had to see it for myself, if it was as dreadful as they said." She shivers remembering their icy stare.
"And?"
"Give them skin and they are a scarier version of men. It's the storm that annoyed me." She blinked.
"Those things..they are the reason why you want to go south?" Olivia asked incredulously.
"We don't have the numbers or the weapons to kill them." He sighed.
"I see. Well, good fortunes." She sounded like she is saying good bye.
"I like your knife fancy fire lady." A tall man with red hair, blue eyes and a red beard spoke to her on the side. Three others looked at her with new found respect after seeing her face a monster like that with a firm stance.
"To pick your teeth with it?" She asked looking at his giant body. His eyes went stupid for a second and then he released a laugh with others joining in.
"Would you like some tea?" An old woman asked, she is usually responsible for patching up the injured but today most of the harder part of her work which is helping the dying to be as comfortable as possible was not needed since they were healed in time.
"Does it tastes better than the last tea you gave me?" She asked the old lady receiving a chuckle from Mance.
"Only if you promise not to poison anyone." The old lady said off handedly.
The dead are burned and mourned in a great fire. Olivia is sipping on herbal tea again. This time more old people are surrounding her.
"Can I see it?" One said. Olivia felt awkward but showed them anyways. Bright white flames burst out of her hand and the old people marveled.
"We have a proposal for you." Another one said.
"It can't be boxed up and sold." Olivia explained before they ask her to share her flame with them.
"No, you join us and fight to go south." An elder said with a somewhat aggression temper. Mance laughed after hearing them. They must have now heard she can heal people from the brink of death and now they think they can force her.
Olivia frowned at the man. "I don't appreciate your tone, bone man." The old man is covered in bones seeming to come from the tribe that wears bone armor. Her eyes looked at him like he can die any moment now.
"Why don't you tell them who you are?" Mance challenged. These people are always annoying him about asking the 'girl' to join them because they saw she has a city and they could use the shelter even if they fail to go south.
"I am Olivia Snow, bastard of Winterfell." She said calmly, some seemed to have known while others are surprised by the information.
"You ran from the south?" An elder asked.
"In a way. I did run, but It is still my home." There is a tone of undeniable finality as she spoke.
"You have no intention of fighting the south with us." The bone man said in a matter of fact.
"I have no reason to."
"She thinks she can fight the dead and claim the True North as her own." Mance said to the elders, they regarded her seriously after hearing the words but they ended up shaking their heads mummering 'what a shame' but Olivia doesn't fault them for thinking about running. Not anymore, fighting those things was very hard she can only imagine the terror brought on by the actual night king.
"You know what's out there, yet you hope to beat it? How arrogant!" One elder said with eyes showing some sort of intense emotion.
"This is my home." Olivia thanked them and went out of the tent only to find some people listening in on their conversation. Taking a good look around, she knew this place will fall from the night king sooner rather than later.
"Are you really hoping to fight those things? Even when you have an option to leave?" The large man from before came back and asked her. Olivia is distracted by a passing by giant. It turns out there are a lot of giants nearby. Looking back at the man she responded to his question.
"When I built my city I wasn't aware there existed such a terrifying creature in these lands. If I learned it beforehand perhaps I would have simply moved but didn't now here we are. I am not going. I am staying." She said it calmly but for some reason her words touched them deeply.
"You're crazy." He said with a smile.
"I hope so." She left them standing there after listening to her.
Olivia checked on Rogo, took out the materials for the dragon armor to protect her dragons. She can shape wood so all she needs is to use some magic so the armor will not be visible while it covers them completely except the eyes and mouth.
It will shrink and enlarge with their size. After this she can take them to battle without worry, she is worried about exposing them to the world. The two dragons are more vulnerable when they are in their small size but with the invisible armor they will be fine. After going out to fight the walkers the humans will all know she has dragons and such news will reach the rest of the seven kingdoms.
She also made the armor with runes for her commanders to subtly thank them for their loyalty. It is very magical because it can cover the entire body up to the neck and then becoming invisible after being equipped.
There are 33 of these made when she is done. Morph and Aeryn do not like the feel of the armor on their scales but wore it to put her worries to rest.
Exhausted, she fell asleep for and entire night and one day before the big trip. This sleep was not completely peaceful as she sees the actions of one Daenerys Storm born across the seas. When she comes to Yunkai, Olivia saw her successfully take the city but in the process a young boy whose family is part of the masters dies during the attack.
Olivia doesn't know why the boy is important to her but it is the same pattern, whenever someone she cares about dies she sees it in her dragon dreams. After waking up she is told there is only two days left before their planned trip outside.
Olivia is too tired to float on her own so she flies on top of Morph's back. They make great speed since her dragon's specialty is fast speed. When she got to the city of Yunkai she saw that Daenerys's army is still a few days ride away before she arrives. The city has been put under strict 'no entry' rule. It is not too hard for her to sneak in under the invisibility spell.
When she followed the path in her dragon's dream, a large family with 7 matured daughters and three young men came to view. Listening to them speak, she can hear they are scared mostly for their girls if they will survive the turmoil.
There are way too many slaves in the city for their family to all make it out alive especially their father who is a known master.
Finding the boy in his room, Olivia got a small idea why he is important after seeing his research. The boy is studying something peculiar and he will not make it out of this city in time. Olivia had half a mind to steal him away but the entire city is under lock down and there are children from here.
She finished watching the family and retuned home. Daenerys will take at least a week to arrive outside the city. She should be done with her tasks by then, but just in case Olivia put the a small protection on the boy.
"So annoying." She rode her dragon back arriving the day they are to leave for the hunt.
"Mistress." She is greeted by her 8 guards who were supposed to have reached 12 by now but apparently the test is too hard. "Gather the others." She commands.
An hour later she saw the two thousand she had requested waiting for her wearing the new soft wooden armor under their clothes. They didn't even bother with the metal armor since its not half as good as the magic tree wooden armor.
"Did they tell you what you will be fighting?" She asked and they all shouted 'yes'
"Good. We leave this instance." Because this is an exercise she left Morpheus resting and took Aeryn who remained in camouflage. There will come a time to reveal her power.
Everyone has chosen their horses, weapons and all have the new light armor including the commanders magic armor.
They stood in front of her wearing black, dark blue, dark purple training uninforms that are mostly made for flexible movement and the crazy part is the hooded outer coats with strings to tie below the chin. It is made with the wooden armor.
The soft wood can protect against impact but if the power is from an absolute monster they will feel some of it like hoe Olivia almost lost her shoulder blades to a powerful stab impact from a white Walker commander.
"Like you heard from your leaders, there is a powerful enemy in these lands and we must chip away at his power today. This is not their actual head quarters but there is a considerable number here. Use dragon glass or if you have valerian steel use that. This is the fight for living, we are fighting to live." Just as she finished, a group of nights ran towards them making ghastly screeches and the soldiers froze.
"They look ugly but they can be killed." To show them, Olivia ran in a straight line and killed many in her way using a sword made from dragon glass. Seeing her cut through the scary things like that, they reminded themselves that they are soldiers and have been warned about this. Olivia lifted up her sword and released a battle cry.
They all ran to fight with their leader. The initially stunned guardians ran in her direction and surrounded her while allowing her enough space to fight. The fighting took a few hours then Olivia told them to run back to the horses.
The dead followed them every time they retreated but they are ready by the time they meet. This tug of war happened over the span of two days.
They eat meal capsules with their horses. On the third day three commanders from the opposing force joined the party. Olivia warned her men to only send the ones who can work together well against one of those.
She approached one of them with confident strides. Having given up on her long blades for the more familiar sword she felt more confident when facing the creature.
It attacked her with a fierceness of an enraged general but Olivia is calm. She deflected and hacked her sword on the thing having it take several steps backs.
The skills she was taught by the children became useful when she has enough space. The area around her heated up and the blade in her hand lit up in flames. The area is no longer to the advantage of the ass hole but she has became the host enemy.
The magic under her skin became agitated, the purple in her eyes became two purple orbs of flames. She released her killing Intent and then she felt it, that feeling she always tries burying deep in the pit of her stomach. "Kill!"
Her magic is not just fire, it is whatever she wills it to be. Is what the children taught her. She groaned in pleasure as her magic rand all over her body and her speed doubled, the strength increases and she let out a roar hacking at the walker.
The enemy's eyes constricted when the spear melted on impact failing to stop the attack from reaching the chest exploding him into pieces. Looking around she saw her people struggle, so she raised her hands and white flames filled the battlefield. Some who had fallen with broken bones here and there un able to defend themselves quickly got up to fight again.
"Mother, you can use your flame to kill every white in your vicinity. Chant the high level purifying spell." Aeryn told her in her head.
Olivia looked around, the physical injuries are healed but mental health needs rest to be restored. She is about to increase the area of effect to at least cover half of their battlefield when a spear is thrown straight to her head.
Amon caught it. Olivia didn't waste time and cast the spell. Every white in the white flame area melted in the flames which reduced the numbers some more.
The soldiers don't have time to be in awe as Olivia sped to the one without a spear hacking his head. The son of a bitch dodged every attack. Olivia showed her palm and red flames bursts from her hand burning it down to size. More dead soldiers died from its death. She went to the next white, the fight is fast, she didn't let down her guard and doubled her efforts.
The ice spear came for her chest once more, seeing on opening, she welcomed it and threw the pointy end of her sword to below the arm in a slashing move.
With her power, she could cut it in half if it was flesh but it is all ice so she shattered it. Because of the proximity to the attack, she took the full force of the ice spear and she broke several parts of her chest bone.
She spit out a bile of blood in response to the internal organs being shaken to that extent.
This battle took longer than the rest and as soon as her people defeated the other one she realized she lost at least five people in this battle alone. The low nu.ber is because they are superior to normal humans in both speed and strength plus she would occasionally heal them during battle.
In the end she didn't show her dragon because things could still be handled by the humans and the whole point of this trip was to train.
These whites were far more powerful than the rest of the whites they have fought before. "To the Haunted city. Take the dead!" She can not allow her powerful men to work for the enemy.
They ran away and a day later, they realized the whites didn't follow them. Sighing, she remembered her people fighting hard and killing a lot of whites. It should slow down or accelerate the night king's plans.
That was almost a success. Entering the forest and making it to the city, Olivia helped burn the bodies in a respectable way and a funeral is held in their honor.
The next morning she held a meeting with the city council. "How is the work on the gift coming along?"
She looked at Arkar and her construction expert. They were put in charge of the project for a reason. The kingdom being constructed on the other side of the world has taken almost all the good teams from the city who are well versed in construction.
"There are several problems but we managed to deal with many of them. The first was man power but we employed many people from the south and this problem was temporarily solved.
The next is the materials that go into this construction are too precious which necessitates strict supervision and most of our builders are away so we took many guards from the city without your permission because it was an emergency.
"The wall is almost complete with the only remaining part being the several towers but it shouldn't take too long."
"The last problem is the supplies we are supposed to send to the nights watch have doubled because of their war with the wildlings. Medicine especially, it is taking a toll on the green castle."
"The Starks didn't intervene when a foundation of a massive wall was dug up in the south?" Olivia asked.
"Not yet."
"Give the nights watch what we agreed upon, the medicine may be increased but not doubled. Also, no weapons or tools of any kind. If they want something they must trade for it like others." Olivia said.
"They have requested armor, horses and horse feed. Which is not included on the agreement." Faith reported.
Olivia sighed in exasperation. "Give them the value of all the items they receive every time you give them supplies. This will make it easier for them to trade them back for some of the things they want like armor or horses."
Haunted city is now involved in expansion and can not afford to be generous. Olivia never stopped buying food from the Reach even when her city could produce because she understands the place she calls home very well. It is harsh and unforgiving.
"I will soon produce more rune discs to insert at the lands of the gift. I am working on a way to make it work against the approaching walkers which is why it should be completed quickly before the night king catches on what I am doing. He will realize as soon as I activate the runes." Olivia cautioned. With this wall, she is planning to close the south off from her home. For good.
However, this will trap her with the night king. She intends to make her lands the last place this menace will terrorize before he disappears from the world.
...