The next day.
Everyone gathered once again while having breakfast.
Harry ate cheerfully, noticing that everyone remained silent, which was rather unusual. That was when he noticed Domeric looking at him.
"So? Can we leave?" Domeric asked, looking at Harry. If he was honest, he had mixed feelings. The idea of going beyond the Wall on an adventure excited him.
But he also feared that they might die out there, or perhaps worse, return with the corpse of one of his friends.
"Don't worry. If they won't let us pass, we'll tear down the Wall," Harry said jokingly.
"Maybe if we all piss on it," Theon said with a laugh.
Domeric merely rolled his eyes and finished eating, ignoring the other suggestions for bringing down the Wall.
"Remember to check your luggage," Domeric said quietly while doing exactly that.
"So many coats... are you sure you're a northerner?" Smalljon said with a laugh as he looked at Domeric's luggage.
"Maybe he spent too much time in the Vale," Daryn said, laughing.
"Hey, don't pick on the southerner," Harry said with a serious expression.
Domeric simply looked at Harry without saying a word. Why was he encouraging them?
"Alright, let's go to the stables. It's time to leave," Harry said, putting the jokes aside.
Everyone quickly picked up their luggage and found their mounts.
Hooves echoed across the ground as the group advanced slowly with Harry at the front.
Harry raised his gaze toward the Wall. He could barely make out the top through the light snowfall. Lowering his gaze, he met his uncle's eyes directly.
Benjen was sitting in front of a campfire dressed in black, while dozens of Night's Watch brothers were scattered around.
He could guess they were there to prevent them from passing, or at least to intimidate them.
Letting out a sigh, Harry knew he was about to argue with his uncle.
"Where is the Lord Commander?" Harry called out, his gaze sharp as it swept across the area.
Suddenly, his eyes shifted to an old man who had begun walking toward them.
"I am, boy. There's no need to shout," the old man said with a sigh as he walked to the center, everyone silently making way for him.
Harry watched the old man until he stopped a few meters away. Although he was old, his posture was straight and his steps were steady.
His gaze was calm as well. Harry's lips curled slightly. It had been a long time since someone had called him "boy."
"Are you going to let me through?" Harry asked, looking at him.
The old man seemed to smile for a moment before answering.
"I don't want to, but it doesn't seem like I have much of a choice," the old man said with a shrug. Seeing Harry's attitude, he truly feared the boy might make things difficult if he refused.
He knew the food they were receiving now depended on Harry. If the food shipments were suddenly delayed, they could end up having a very difficult time.
Harry simply remained silent, somewhat surprised by how easily the old man had agreed. He couldn't help but feel a little guilty about how forcefully he had approached the situation.
Maybe he should have spoken with the old man in private. It was just that he really hadn't expected him to let them go.
"Open the gate," the Lord Commander said before looking at Benjen, who let out a defeated sigh and stepped aside.
"I'll be fine, Uncle," Harry said as he looked at him before urging Ater forward.
"Wait, listen carefully, boy. I'll explain how things work here so you understand," the old man said, gesturing for the group to be given torches and for Harry to be handed a horn.
Out of the corner of his eye, Harry noticed Dacey subtly shifting her position, apparently trying to stay out of the old man's sight.
"When you come back, blow this horn once. If you're being chased by wildlings, blow it twice. Then we'll know you're coming. Try not to die, boy, or your father will probably throw us off the top of the Wall," the old man said with some humor despite the situation.
"Hm, thank you. And don't worry, I don't plan on dying," Harry said, taking a torch and urging his horse onward.
"None of my men planned to either," the old man muttered with a sigh as he watched the young figures disappear into the tunnel.
His gaze couldn't help but stop on the bear walking at the back of the group. Only then did he realize there was a woman among them. Seeing her brown hair, suspicion filled his eyes.
But the group had already disappeared into the tunnel, leaving him with no choice but to remain standing there.
Harry advanced with his torch at the front, looking at a small light in the distance, identifying it as the exit.
The tunnel was damp and cold. The sound of hooves echoed off the walls while everyone remained silent.
"Could it be that maybe this really is too dangerous?" Theon said suddenly.
"It's a little late to be saying that," Domeric said, rolling his eyes.
"That's right, your moment was two weeks ago when we were comfortably sitting on the train," Smalljon said with a laugh.
"Don't worry, I'll definitely bring all of you back alive," Harry said firmly, filling everyone with a confidence they couldn't explain.
In the distance, the light entering the tunnel was barely visible. Before they reached the gate, it began to open with the sound of chains scraping against each other.
As they passed through it, an incredibly icy breeze swept over them while the gate immediately closed behind them, separating them from the civilized world.
Throwing the torches into a metal container, Harry climbed down from Ater before approaching the Wall under the bewildered gazes of the group.
Taking off one glove, Harry placed his hand against the ice. The temperature was extremely low; it almost felt as if his hand were burning.
"This Wall was made with magic. It has been reinforced by the cold, making it almost indestructible. Only a large-scale magical attack could possibly damage it," Harry murmured to himself, withdrawing his frozen hand and putting it back into his glove.
But Harry didn't believe there was anything capable of unleashing an attack of that magnitude, not even a dragon.
It was truly fascinating. He couldn't imagine how the Wall had been built or how many years it had taken.
"Well?" Jon said, looking at him curiously.
He wasn't the only one. What Harry had done was rather strange.
"What?" Harry said, looking at him as he climbed back onto Ater.
"What did you discover by touching it?" Jon asked.
"That it's cold," Harry said, rolling his eyes and ignoring him as he looked around.
Several hundred meters beyond the Wall were clear, but after that, there was a dense forest that seemed to stretch on without end.
Taking a deep breath, Harry felt that the air was more saturated with magic than on the other side of the Wall.
Perhaps the farther they traveled, the more magical things he would find.
"Let's go," Harry said, urging Ater forward.
The horses' hooves crunched through the snow, and the whistling among the trees kept everyone alert.
"Dacey, was that old man your uncle?" Harry asked as he looked around.
"I think so, but it seems he didn't recognize me. After all, I was only two years old when he left," Dacey said with a small laugh.
Harry hummed, indicating that he understood.
"Why is everyone so quiet?" Harry asked, looking back. He saw that everyone seemed quite nervous.
Perhaps still traumatized by the journey through the Neck, they looked at the trees with a certain suspicion.
"I'd like to ask why you're in such a good mood. A lot of Night's Watch die every year, there has to be a reason for that," Harrion said, looking at Harry speechlessly.
"You didn't seem scared on the way here," Harry said with a chuckle.
"It just feels a little strange," Smalljon said, looking around.
They talked casually as they advanced. The animals seemed incredibly alert. Moose, deer, boars, even bears and wolves all seemed unwilling to have anything to do with them.
The slightest sound of hooves against the snow made them run away.
None of Theon's arrows managed to hit anything, forcing them to eat dried meat.
They set up camp by the edge of a frozen river. After making a hole in the ice, they collected water and caught some fish.
For such a terrifying and magical place, Harry was disappointed with his first day of exploration.
He wished he had brought Hedwig. With her aerial view, exploring the area would have been much easier.
The night also passed peacefully, and Harry wondered if they were being given a gentle welcome because they were newcomers.
….
The group set out once again, following the river and continuing north for two days, still finding nothing but another river.
The freezing winds battered them constantly, covering their clothes with ice and slowing their pace.
This made Harry frown, as it felt as though they were simply on an outing. The only thing that could be considered positive was that magic became much more abundant the farther north they traveled.
Thanks to the greater concentration of magic, he was able to cast detection spells from time to time, but aside from animals, he found nothing.
Looking around, most of his companions had already let their guard down considerably, and, tired of the weather, they kept asking when they were going back.
He could only reassure them and tell them to keep exploring. At this rate, they would definitely rebel.
Then, during one of his routine detection spells, his expression suddenly changed.
Hundreds of life signs. One group was lying in wait ahead of them, while dozens more were approaching from both sides.
Harry felt his stomach tighten.
This time, they had gotten themselves into trouble.
"Retreat!" Harry shouted.
Everyone visibly tensed as they looked around apprehensively.
"What's happening?" Jon asked, his voice trembling slightly.
"We're being surrounded. Move!" Harry said, urging them forward.
Everyone was startled before quickly spurring their horses into a gallop back the way they had come.
Harry stayed at the rear while remaining alert. As long as they got out of the encirclement, there shouldn't be too many problems.
Just when he thought they had escaped.
The air filled with a strange murmur. Sensing danger behind him, he didn't hesitate.
"Protego," Harry murmured. Magic surged intensely as a transparent shield several meters wide unfolded behind them.
The rain of arrows seemed to crash into a wall. With a series of sharp cracks, many arrows shattered or bounced away.
Harry looked back coldly as he continued riding.
Covering the group's retreat, Harry continued behind them. Suddenly, a group of thirty people appeared within his detection spell. Judging by their speed, he assumed they were on horseback.
Harry couldn't help but be impressed. Who said they were savages? They had clearly planned to surround them completely.
"To the right," Harry said quickly, frowning. The ambush seemed extremely well prepared. It was obvious they had been watching them for quite some time.
At that moment, the image of the campfire couldn't help but appear in his mind.
At his command, he noticed tension once again take hold of the group as they changed direction.
They needed to get far enough away. He wasn't worried about the people on horseback; he was worried about too many people surrounding them.
If that happened, he didn't know if he would be able to bring them back alive.
The entire group rode for nearly ten minutes, with the wildlings on horseback following closely behind.
Casting his detection spell once more, he sensed that no one else was pursuing them besides the thirty riders.
Hesitating for a moment as he looked at his friends, he spoke.
"Keep moving and be ready to support me or run," Harry said, looking at the group, who had remained silent and alert, following his orders without question.
"What are you going to do?" Jon asked, looking at his brother with concern.
"We need information. We still haven't killed any of them. Maybe we can talk," Harry said calmly despite the situation.
"You don't talk with wildlings, you just kill them," Smalljon said, frowning.
"We're about to find out," Harry said without changing his mind.
"It's too dangerous. Why take the risk?" Dacey said with a frown, giving a quick glance behind her.
"Because I'm sure I can take the risk. Just be careful," Harry said before Ater slowed down and turned around.
His companions also slowed down while keeping their eyes on Harry, ready to throw themselves into battle.
Everyone wore uneasy expressions as they gripped their weapons tightly.
Harry rode forward slowly while raising his hands, trying to show that he had no intention of fighting.
Although he was upset by their attack, he still wanted to talk. Without obtaining information from them, this trip would be a waste of time.
But to his surprise, a spear suddenly flew from the group, heading straight for his chest.
He wondered whether raising your hands in this world didn't mean surrender. Wasn't it supposed to be universal?
Extending his hand, he easily caught the spear before skillfully spinning it. Drawing his arm back, he hurled it the way it had come twice as fast.
The spear whistled through the air, becoming a blur before piercing through the rider's chest and throwing him from his saddle.
The riders seemed to slow down for a moment as they looked at their fallen companion in astonishment.
"Fuck," Theon said with a whistle as he watched the incredible throw.
With diplomacy failing spectacularly, Harry drew his greatsword while quickly identifying the leader of the riders.
He found his target with relative ease. He wasn't sure if it was because of the distance, but the figure was somewhat small, wearing a white fur coat and carrying a short steel sword.
Completely different from the patchwork coats, rusted weapons, or even wooden spears.
He immediately directed Ater toward the target, planning to capture the leader.
Behind Harry, the entire group immediately charged forward on horseback, preparing to support him.
Harry looked at the men approaching. In the eyes of some, he could see the ferocity worthy of a wildling, while in others, he saw fear and nervousness.
Letting out a sigh, Harry knocked aside the weapon coming toward him with his sword before slashing open the man's chest.
A scream marked the beginning of the battle as the sound of his body hitting the ground was drowned out by the pounding hooves.
His sword moved with surprising agility for its size, blocking and counterattacking every rider he encountered with skill.
The feeling of flesh being cut by his sword was one he had almost forgotten.
Ater stopped for nothing, galloping powerfully toward the target.
That was when his eyes met those of the supposed leader, blue and as cold as ice.
Now he was certain it wasn't the distance. The figure was somewhat short, yet that didn't stop the short sword from striking toward him with astonishing speed.
Harry gave a small leap, planting his feet on the saddle. His sword deflected the blade aimed directly at his neck before he jumped off Ater.
His shoulder slammed hard into the rider's chest, sending the rider flying off the horse.
Their eyes met in midair for a brief moment before they hit the ground.
Both rolled through the snow, but only Harry got back to his feet. Quickly looking up, he saw two riders still charging toward him.
Taking a quick step to the side, he dodged one rider's weapon before swinging his sword at the other.
"Ahhh!"
Harry turned and watched one of the riders fall, clutching the stump of his amputated arm in horror.
His footsteps crunched across the bloodstained snow before he raised his sword and ended the wildling's life.
His breathing was slightly heavy, each breath leaving a large cloud of mist.
The battle cries immediately caught his attention.
"To your left!"
"Jon!"
"Idiot, your other left!"
Harry quickly turned to see his friends fighting. They seemed to be giving it everything they had, supporting one another.
The clash of steel echoed through the trees, accompanied by curses and roars.
Theon was the only one who avoided close combat, using his horse to keep his distance while firing arrows to cover the others.
Dacey was particularly fierce. With Uru's support, she dominated the battlefield with relative ease. Harry grimaced as he watched her slam her mace into a man's chest.
Smalljon used his immense size and strength to overwhelm them, while Domeric, on the other hand, seemed much more precise and agile.
At that moment, Ater slowly walked over before stopping beside him.
"You did well," Harry said with a faint smile as he patted Ater's head.
His gaze swept across the blood-soaked battlefield with a complicated expression before his eyes hardened.
While they fought, he was ready to cast a spell if any of their lives were in danger.
Fortunately, it wasn't necessary.
The last rider seemed to be fighting desperately for his life, but surrounded on all sides, he was quickly stabbed from several directions before collapsing.
Looking away, Harry walked toward the only survivor, hoping he could at least get some useful information after all the bloodshed.
Turning over the leader of the riders, Harry froze briefly when he saw an incredibly beautiful face. No wonder he had felt something soft when he knocked the rider down. It was a woman.
At that moment, the woman's eyes snapped open. Her hand pulled a dagger from somewhere as she quickly thrust it toward his head.
Her movement was incredibly fluid and fast.
Harry was caught by surprise and barely managed to move his head before firmly grabbing her wrist.
The woman refused to give up and raised her legs, trying to wrap them around his neck. The cold look in her eyes seemed to say that she would never surrender while she still lived.
Frowning slightly, Harry quickly cast a Stunning Spell.
The woman seemed to freeze in astonishment as she saw a red bolt flying toward her before losing consciousness.
Harry lifted her onto Ater before riding back toward his friends.
"Let's withdraw before reinforcements arrive," Harry said directly, receiving several nods before they started riding.
The entire group rode without stopping until they reached the camp they had abandoned by the river.
The horses snorted in exhaustion, and large clouds of condensation poured from their nostrils.
As they dismounted, everyone unconsciously let out a sigh of relief. Blood stained their armor, though not necessarily their own.
A brief silence settled over the camp.
"You fought well," Harry said as he walked over to Jon and patted him on the shoulder.
"Hm," Jon said with a nod. His eyes brightened noticeably at his brother's praise.
"How is everyone?" Harry asked, looking at them. They all nodded and said they weren't seriously injured.
"Damn, that was something," Smalljon said, taking out a canteen and taking a long drink.
"Hm, it's really not like training," Domeric said. He had to admit that he had felt nervous and even afraid, preventing him from showing his true skill.
Even with the advantage of having training, armor, and quality weapons, he wouldn't say they had crushed them.
"It's not so easy when the other person is trying to kill you," Dacey said with an ironic smile while holding her arm.
With Uru beside her, she had thought she was invincible, throwing herself into the fight almost without caution. Uru's swipes could knock a horse to the ground, causing her to lower her guard.
One attack caught her by surprise, striking exactly where her protection was weakest.
Harry immediately noticed her expression and the fresh blood on her hand.
"You're wounded? Let me see," Harry said as he approached Dacey with some concern.
He noticed a relatively deep cut on her arm, right between the pauldron and the bracer.
Placing his hand over the wound, he murmured a spell before Dacey let out a soft gasp of surprise.
The wound tingled as though ants were crawling beneath her skin.
"You'll be fine," Harry said, winking at her before pulling a potion from inside his clothing.
"Here, drink this," Harry said, handing it to her under her knowing gaze.
"Is anyone else injured?" Harry asked, looking at everyone.
"You are. Look at your cheek," Dacey said with an amused smile.
Harry looked at her in confusion before touching his cheek and finding blood on his fingers.
Only then did he remember the woman's quick stab.
"Who managed to wound you?" Domeric asked, both amused and surprised. It was really difficult to land a hit on that slippery bastard.
"Someone who caught me by surprise," Harry said, gently rubbing the wound. It immediately disappeared beneath the blood.
"I've got one," Daryn said, drawing everyone's attention as he grimaced and pulled down his trousers.
A fairly large gash could be seen on his thigh. Fortunately, the blood was flowing slowly because of the cold.
"I didn't even notice it until I got off the horse," Daryn said as he sat down. The wound looked truly serious, and his expression turned grim, knowing it would slow the group down.
Everyone else frowned as they looked at the large wound, unconsciously turning to Harry, who was practically the group's doctor.
Harry looked at the wound and sighed. He knew he couldn't hide it like he had with Dacey. It seemed everyone was about to find out.
He just hoped they wouldn't take it badly.
His sigh made Daryn look at him in fear. Was the wound worse than he had thought?
Harry extended his hand over the wound, and it began closing from the edges until it disappeared completely in a matter of seconds.
Daryn's face turned pale as the wound closed, until he had to grab Harry's arm to steady himself.
Everyone stared at Daryn's leg in astonishment. If not for the blood, they would have thought they were hallucinating.
Even the freezing breeze seemed to stop at that moment, leaving the camp in complete silence.
"Well... I guess it's not a secret anymore," Harry said with a faint smile as he looked at their stunned faces.
----
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