The blizzard ravaged the trees and battered against the fifteen figures onerously trudging through the deep snows of the far north. Like most days, not that you could really tell from day and night sometimes, the wind howled and scoured the landscape. Dunes of snow and sleet slowly grew, slickening with the frigid temperatures of the north.
"We-we're going to die out here!!!" A member of the night's watch screamed out with all the air and strength his lungs could muster. It was marginally enough to pierce the banshee cry that was the storm surrounding them.
"Forwards! The-" Benjen was interrupted by the snapping of a tree branch, the wind whipping it away into the stomach of the blizzard. "Only- way- go- forwards!!!" Some of his uncle's words were lost amidst his cry but it was clear what he meant. Jon shivered under his cloak, the warmth of the fur being the only balm for his frostbitten limbs and skin.
It had only been two days since they had set off from Castle Black. At first the travel had been almost calming, the beauty of nature shining through in the vast stretches of snow and forests. Add in some Weirwood trees and the entire landscape almost gained a holy aspect to it... As if you were stepping into the domain of the old gods.
Since yesterday things had become desperate. The nearest cover was days out and the only place that could be used as shelter was an outpost for a wilding cannibal tribe. Needless to say, the men of the nights watch had avoided that particular spot with extreme prejudice. Jon's entire body shuddered as the cold curled inside of his gut, his organs beginning to feel the chill.
"MUST- FORWARDS!" His uncle shouted aloud once more. How his uncle gathered the strength, resolve or energy to continue to guide them was still a mystery, but the shouts served to fan the small embers of his hope. Perhaps if he continued to follow his uncle they would survive this gods-forsaken blizzard.
He stumbled forwards with weariness as his feet were pulled back by the weight of the snow below his feet. His vision swirled amidst the march, the man in front of him falling into the snow with such force that he groaned out in exertion, he barely stopped his forward movement as the figure slowly sunk deeper into the snow.
Blinking away the stinging of his eyes he leaned down and flipped the man over, the other members of his party slowly moving forwards without notice of the situation. Ignoring the anxiety and worry that stirred within as he watched them press on, he checked the pulse of the man. He tussled with the man's clothes but ultimately placed his fingers upon his neck... Stillness, frigid stillness, had consumed this man. Where a pulse once could have pumped through veins there was now only the frozen slosh of blood and skin. He was dead. May the old gods protect his soul.
Jon grimaced and held back the bile in his throat, his anxiety pushing him forwards to match the pace of his remaining companions. There was no time to carry the man's body, no respite to burn him or put him to rest officially... Only enough time to wince in fear before carrying ahead.
One by one the members of the nights watch dropped dead, the wind burning their skin as the frost froze their organs and limbs. Where there once were fifteen, now were eight. Death was coming for them all and there seemed little alternative to that outcome.
'This is how I'll die, huh?' His thoughts were like his movements, sluggish and icy.
A ringing in his ears surged through his brain. It reminded him of the bells he had heard in the past within Kings Landing for the Seven; when his father took him once in the past.
His breath shuddered, all heat already vacant from his breath. Was he seeing things? Was he going delirious as the snow consumed his very sense of self? Either way he could not help but croak out his name under the wicked whipping wind that screeched through the valley they were trudging through.
Shock should have hit him hard in this moment, and it would have, if it weren't for the deep belief that this entire sequence of events was his delirium slowly pushing him towards the clutches of death and the old gods.
Tony Stark- Whoa, calm down Loki!
Loki Odinson- I shall not calm down mortal, the probability of two people being in the same universe when the potential scope of new members is Multiversal is beyond impossible.
Luke Skywalker- It's not Impossible, just improbable
Shiroe of Log Horizon- I understand Loki being surprised though, I mean, the rest of us are from completely different universes (It seems)
Tony Stark- Yeah, well, It's me we're talking about... Of course I defy the odds
Luke Skywalker- 🤨
Shiroe of Log Horizon- 🤨
Loki Odinson- 🤨
Drecarios Frost- 🤨
Tony Stark- Stop sassing me, that's my job!
Another member of the nights watch dropped dead, his uncle Benjin only stopping for a moment to collect their provisions before carrying forwards. Jon, or was he Aegon, could only continue forwards as the bright glowing screen of crimson and black hovered in front of his face, a flat surface with letters gracing the bottom of the floating 'thing'.
A minute passed as he slowly lost all feeling in his extremities, his eyes plastered to the floating object that showed conversation between peoples that were way too happy for the conditions. He slowly blinked as a deep fear crawled through his heart. This all could be an illusion, it could be a part of the transition between life and death, who was he to know? But he knew one thing, if it was real and they were a part of this strangeness, this sorcery, maybe... Just maybe, they could help him.
Drecarios Frost- I met you just the other day and somehow I have already grown tired of your, 'sass' ,as you put it
Tony Stark- C'mon, you love it Elsa... Your sister certainly liked it...
Drecarios Frost- Oh, you didn't just say that!
Shiroe of Log Horizon- Really, you're already going after his sister Tony?
Tony Stark- Hey, she's fucking hot! Like I mean, Double D, gorgeous
Luke Skywalker- Lust, a truly insidious aspect of psychology
Tony Stark- Shush it Schwartz
Luke Skywalker- ????????????????
Drecarios Frost- Ignore the asshole
Tony Stark- Hey, I resent that
Drecarios Frost- Resent it all you want...
There was a lull in the screen as he watched them quickly argue amongst one another. In any other circumstance he would have been laughing, perhaps cackling at the boisterousness of this Tony fellow. Not now, he needed their help.
Aegon Targaryen- Help please
He watched as his message transmitted. He wasn't sure on the name that the thing showed as his, but that was inconsequential as of this moment, survival was more important.
Drecarios Frost- A new guy... What help do you need?
He tapped his fingers along the board again, his fellow night watch members glancing at him with grim-horror etching their faces.
Aegon Targaryen- Freezing to death need heat need shelter
Luke Skywalker- Give me a mere moment, I'll rush to get a temperature shield... It will help protect you from the cold
Tony Stark- Can you stream to us new guy?
He tried to quickly press the letters but struggled as his fingers cracked and groaned under the strain of articulating them.
Aegon Targaryen- Stream?
Tony Stark- Shit, um, say the word 'Stream' out loud and then we can watch what is happening with you and help you out
"Stream" The words came out whispered. As the words resounded the floating board thing slowly shrunk to a small symbol of an open eye. His entire world shifted as vague figures slowly materialized from the blizzard.
One was dressed in glowing golden armour with horns on his helm, a sceptre in his hands as he looked around in fascination. He tried blinking rapidly but it came more as a sluggish flickering of his eyes as his eyelids blinked a single time. Another figure emerged, dressed in clothing that would never sustain someone in this frigid temperature. He had a refined beard and had something glowing from his chest. Finally a man dressed in noble-attire walked up to the left of him, looking backwards at the bodies of his fellow night watch members.
He looked around, spooked, despite the horror of death around him.
"This is fucking terrible..." The nobleman spoke up, his blonde hair and aristocratic features juxtapositioning the tightening of his features.
"Damn, this is harsh, hopefully Schwartz can send something through soon." The man with a glow in his chest murmured, the sounds of the blizzard being overrode by the voices of these, people? He didn't know what they were. If he was a Targaryen, perhaps he had truly gone mad?
Another figure emerged, holding a spherical object that glowed with a deep orange light. It looked as if the sphere held an eternal torch. The man wore a deep brown cloak that billowed around his black underclothes...
"Here, quickly, take the shield and press this button." He pointed to a small recess on the sphere.
Having very little reason not to take a chance on this, probable, delusion Jon grasped the sphere wearily. Immediately the other nights watch members that were paying attention to their 'maddened' companion gawked. The entire group stopped moving as, his uncle turned to regard him as his eyes widened in complete awe and concern. After noticing them he ignored them. He pressed in the 'button' and watched as a glowing orange barrier of light spread out in a wide area, all of his comrades being covered by the light.
Immediately the frost, snow, ice and sleet melted. A rhythmic thrumming echoed from the sphere as every single finger and limb slowly defrosted, thawing out and warming. A gasp of relief shuddered from his lips as he watched the figures smile or nod in accomplishment.
"Good, good. That will last several weeks with that power cell." The brown-robed man smiled whilst looking around the half-dead nights watch.
Licking his lips Jon looked towards the men who had saved his life.
"Thank you... T-thank you, so much..." His voice was cracking as he dropped to his knees, the heat of the sphere melting the snow below them to the point that the ground below was becoming visible.
"No problem Aegon, we're fellow chat members, of course I'll help you." Tears would have leaked from his eyes if he wasn't already falling unconscious.
"Shit, fuck, no... Don't fall asle-" The live stream ended as Jon fell asleep...
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