Interlude: Part 2: Unintended Consequences

A/N: This is the second half of the Interlude then. Now, I can't get too overboard with scary **** because of Chyoa rules stating that bloody scenes must serve a purpose for the overall story. As a result, know that I am aiming for that, even if in some cases the pay-off won't be clear until a future chapter I hope you like it!

EDIT from November 8th, 2020: I added an additional scene/exchange near the end of the chapter with the captain of the ship now that I have developed her section of the outlines further. For those that already read the chapter, feel free to check out that update.

After the majority of the warriors ambushed the group of wights, the wizards under Maenag Stane were ready to make their move. Rushing around the corner to engage them from the flank, he noticed that the sudden attack had caught the attention of the White Walker leading the scouting party.

While his back was turned to them on his way to butcher the approaching men with his ice magic sword, the Enforcer removed his glove, steeled his mind, and summoned a fireball with his magic around his palm, quickly striking the frost monster with it on the back of his head. He stumbled momentarily, then turned around to stare at his opponent.

For a moment, they stared at each other while their forces meet in battle. The ice demon had a look of utter indifference or glacial contempt, Maenag wasn't sure which but he took it as the time to unsheath the Valyrian Steel blade he had been allowed to borrow for their Order's vault for the mission ahead.

He pointed Lamentation at him and gave him the most infuriatingly arrogant smile he could muster. The walker narrowed its eyes so slightly he almost didn't notice but soon, the icy abomination ran towards him with his unholy weapon in hand.

Which was exactly what Maenag had wanted.

When the icy devil jumped with inhuman agility and tried to cut him down, the physically robust wizard held his ground with his Valyrian Steel in a defensive position. But at that moment, the ice demon was hit by a large boulder, almost as tall as him.

The rock partially shattered on impact but it actually managed to daze the monster and made him fall to one knee. Still, he would have recovered quickly, if it wasn't for the fact that the snow below him suddenly turned to water, making the ambushed White Walker slip and fall on his back, his magical weapon stumbling out of his hands. The Skinchanger Firemage barely had time to give a nod of thanks to Zhu and Nadria before he raised Lamentation above his head and brought it down with all his might.

The half-skagosi couldn't help but feel satisfaction swell within him as he saw surprise enter the White Walker's face for the first time, right before it crumbled into broken ice.

For a long, pregnant moment the wasteland was as silent as a grave, the implications of what he had just done starting to sink in. Then his victorious smile got even wider when he looked around and saw that the dragonglass weapons had made short work of the ambushed dead. The operation was a complete success and the men couldn't stop themselves from shouting in a celebratory tune.

It was a few seconds later when their cheers were cut short by a bloodcurdling, shrieking wail that Maenag realized what a grave error that was.

He looked around frantically for the source of the sound, the companions around him doing the same. Then...they heard the loud, thumping sound of frenzied marching, and the Warging Firemage froze when he looked at the mountain pass to his right.

"RUN!" He ordered at the top of his lungs. "Back to the ship! Everyone, back to the ship!"

That snapped the Skagosi warriors out of their paralyzing dread and they started to hurry back the way they came, **** to outrun the dead. Only when he was sure his fellow mages were on the run as well, did the current Enforcer of the Order of the Emerald Weirwood gave himself permission to flee for his life.

The hunt was on after that point. The ship was only about a mile away but the horde of wights was at least several hundred strong at that point and single-minded in their pursuit: the brutal slaughter of their group.

Two warriors had already fallen before the expedition could run a hundred steps, their forms consumed as the dead trampled all over them. And the horrifying sight was a grotesque but effective motivator to move as fast as humanly possible.

But it wasn't to last. The terrain was rough and frozen and the men had just fought an intense, if brief, skirmish against a foe from their most terrifying legends. They hadn't been prepared for such a sudden, fast-paced retreat and with fear gripping their hearts, many were bound to stumble or commit other mistakes.

Four men were ripped apart after they stumbled and fell on the snow, the restless corpses descending upon them before they could rise again. About halfway to the bay, a group of seven warriors near the back actually tried to make a stand, no doubt hoping the newfound effectiveness of their dragonglass weapons would give them an edge and or perhaps scare them off for long enough. The wights didn't even slow down in their attempts to slaughter them, although the soldiers did manage to quickly dispatch twice their number before being overwhelmed.

By the time the dead were done with them, that short and bloody scene proved to be a terrible but ultimately useful distraction, for the remaining 10 members of the expedition were finally close to the ship. Maenag raised his hands and yelled at them as loudly as he could for the crew of Captain Snowaters to prepare to set sail, his shouts echoing across the landscape. The men within the carrack seemed to get the message, for he could spot a frenzy of activity to try to get the ship ready and they lowered the ramp.

But then, just as it was looking like they may arrive in time, a long, icy spear flew at lightning speed and impaled Zhu right in the back. Nadria screamed in shock and horror, and the Skinchanger Firemage turned back so fast he ended up hurting his neck.

And then, his blood chilled when he saw the one responsible, as he climbed down from his very dead horse.

The Enforcer paled at the sight and he knew immediately that this was no mere walker as he noticed the icy spikes that resembled a crown atop its head.

The Night King had chosen to personally enter the field. And as much as a part of him would have loved to cut its head off with his Valyrian Steel blade for killing his mage friend, he knew he would never be able to get close enough. Which meant there was only one thing to do.

"BACK TO THE SHIP!" He roared at the paralyzed group. "Run like if your very souls depend on it because they just might!"

They didn't need any more encouragement. Maenag could hear Nadria curse as she left Zhu's corpse behind, wiping a tear from her face as she hurried. The Warging Firemage gave the Night King one last glare before doing the same.

A couple of minutes, later, the ramp was closed and the crew rushed to turn the ship around. The Rhoynish woman actually managed to help with that by using her magic to move the currents in their favor, stringing the ship along. But as Maenag turned back he frowned when he realized the dead had stopped following even before they could leave the shore and the Night King wasn't focusing on sinking the ship with another powerful spear.

Instead, he was looking at the fallen Yi Tian. And then, he raised his arms in concentration.

The Enforcer knew, with sudden dread, what was about to happen but even then, he was dismayed to see his old friend rise up as a **** of the Army of the Dead, his slanted eyes turning blue. However, his dismay turned to shock when the new wight moved his arms in peculiar ways.

"Wait..." The half-skagosi thought as his eyes widened sharply, "Is he trying to...?"

His suspicions were confirmed a boulder learned to fly and moved to attack them.

"Look out!" He shouted but it was too late.

The large rock ended up hitting two of the three hulking members of the expedition that possessed Giant's blood in their ancestry, smashing them overboard. He gasped and looked down. The men were nowhere to be seen among the freezing waters but at least the boulder hadn't made a hole on the ship.

As the vessel turned around, the leader of the expedition decided he wasn't interested in giving his former friend-turned-foe a second opportunity.

"Nadria!" He called, yelling over the cacophony of noises the dead were making. "Get us out of here!"

The Water witch hesitated for a moment but then her gaze hardened and she started chanting in Ancient Rhoynar. By the time the next boulder was aimed at the ship, a powerful burst of water propelled the ship forward much faster than it would have on the wind of sails alone. The Warging Firemage turned back to look at the large rock missing its target, and unless becoming a wight had somehow increased the potency of Zhu's Stone magic by a wide margin, he wouldn't be able to reach them from then on.

But then, destiny saw it fit to chill his blood one last time.

Maenag Stane blinked rapidly trying to make sure he had not imagined what he was seeing. He couldn't be certain because of the distance but...was the Night King smiling?

As their forms grew smaller in the distance, the Enforcer had a feeling he would never know for sure. But the possibility filled him with concern, for obvious reasons.

Eventually, Nadria couldn't hold the spell any longer and she collapsed on her knees, gasping for breath. He approached his fellow practitioner of the Higher Mysteries and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you alright?" He asked in concern.

"I'll live," She said, out of breath. "But I feel like I could sleep for a week."

"Not surprising," He said as he turned to examine the distance she crossed them through. "You saved us all with the power you hold. Thank you."

"Just...don't ask me to do that again anytime soon," She pleaded as she rose to her feet.

"I won't," He assured her and he helped her get up.

Then they were silent for a long moment, looking at the faces of the survivors and noticing the absence of many of their comrades. Less than half of the expedition managed to return.

"The mission was a success," Maenag said in a tired tone. "Still, it came with a bigger cost than I expected."

"Zhu is one of them now," Nadria sniffed. "He made us promise to burn him if he died on the mission. And we failed him."

The Firemage nodded gravely. "I know. And I will carry that regret with me forever. This is why, I vow to you now that I will do my best to fulfill our promise if we see him again, even if I have to find a way to harness enough fire to burn a White Walker to ash."

The young woman teared up and hugged her old friend, who embraced her in turn. They tried to comfort each other after that harrowing experience for a few moments but eventually, Maenag had to break away and went to look for the captain. He found her examining the hull of their carrack, the young but physically strong woman turning back to him when she noticed his approach. She scowled.

"We almost end up at the bottom of the Shivering Sea," Captain Snowaters stated as she brushed away a lock of silver-gold hair". "And on one of my best ships no less. What exactly was that barrage? Did the dead learn how to make catapults?"

Maenag sighed as he looked at the secret member of House Velaryon. "It was Zhu," He said simply.

The captain's eyes widened at that. "Oh. I am sorry to hear that."

"You and me both," He muttered. "Will the ship be able to sail?:

"Thankfully we managed to avoid a breach in the hull, so yes," She replied, her grey-green eyes confident.

"Good, because speed is of the essence," The wizard declared.

Then he turned around and address the gathered crew.

"We suffered heavy losses," He said grimly. "But their sacrifice was not in vain, for now, we know for sure that we are better equipped than most in the North for the war to come."

The crewmen and the remaining soldiers nodded solemnly, remaining in stoic silence. Then he sighed.

"There are dark days ahead, but thankfully, our omens speak of bright possibilities as well," The Enforcer reminded them. "Now, let's head back to Skagos at full speed. We have much to report to the Keepers of the Order of the Emerald Weirwood...and it's time to prepare for Jon Snow's arrival. It seems our prophecied savior has ascended just in time."

A/N: Well, this is the end of the Interlude. It mostly served the purpose of setting up several plot developments and characters that will be important going forward but since I was world-building this part from different pieces of lore across both the show and the books, it was bound to have quite a bit of exposition at first. Hopefully, it wasn't too confusing. But don't worry, everything will make sense in time.

Now that the Interlude I promised is done, I am beginning the break I mentioned back at the end of Story Arc 3 so don't expect much work on this particular thread for a few weeks at least.

Sorry for the wait but if all goes well, I intend to return refreshed and with more developed plans for my story, which I am hoping you will enjoy.

Thanks for reading everyone. I would be curious to see what you made of this Interlude so if you want to leave a comment or send a private message, I all ears (or is it eyes in this context, lol). Until next time.