According to the original plan, Nymeria, Tyene, Davos Seaworth, and his sons were all supposed to visit the Wall. However, the two ladies fell ill and had to stay behind in Winterfell to recover. Now, only Wright, Davos and Davos' sons continued the journey north.
The farther north one traveled in Westeros, the colder the climate became. By the time Wright's group reached the area near the Wall, the land was blanketed in white. Arriving at Castle Black along the King's Road after nightfall, they were greeted by Jeor Mormont, the 997th Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, who arranged accommodations for Davos and his sons while inviting Wright for a chat in the meeting room.
"Davos and his group touring this place must be quite expensive," Wright remarked.
"This is a military stronghold of the Night's Watch," Jeor replied with a grin. "People who came here are either members of the Watch or delivering supplies. There's no admission fee."
Both men burst into laughter.
Although Wright had donated supplies on behalf of Davos and his companions, he himself came with a letter of introduction from King Robert, leaving the Night's Watch in no position to charge him for anything.
Jeor, with his hair and beard now completely white, had a favorable impression of Wright. His own son, Jorah Mormont, had thrived under Wright's care, with his business flourishing and his life now comfortable. Jorah was even a grandfather, and Jeor had officially passed down the family's Valyrian steel sword, Longclaw, to him last year.
"Are you not cold?" Jeor asked, glancing at Wright.
"Not at all. Can't you see the three fireballs behind me?" Wright replied, still dressed in a golden robe. Three flaming spheres had hovered behind him ever since leaving Winterfell, providing warmth while also enhancing the flow of his magical energy. This dual effect allowed him to endure the freezing temperatures at the Wall with just an outer robe and inner lining, though it was nowhere near as effective as the Red Priestess's methods, which required no external heat sources.
The Red Priestess could wander beyond the Wall with much of her chest exposed, using certain fire magic techniques unique to followers of the Lord of Light. Previously, the Red Priest Thoros had only been a dabbler, lacking mastery over advanced magic. Most of what he practiced was religious ritual rather than practical spellwork, leaving Wright unimpressed. He had only gleaned superficial knowledge from Thoros.
In the Elder Scrolls system Wright had adapted, even a max-level character would lose stamina and health in cold climates. The fire magic spell Flame Cloak could create a protective layer of fire around the body for warmth, but its high mana cost made it impractical for anything but combat. During his time in the North, Wright had been continuously researching methods to resist the cold more effectively.
"At first light tomorrow, I'll be heading beyond the Wall," Wright announced.
"How many men will you need for protection?" Jeor inquired.
"None. I'll go alone, and there's no need to open the gates. I'll jump down from the Wall," Wright replied.
Jeor was momentarily stunned but refrained from asking further. Matters concerning mages were often beyond his comprehension.
"More men have joined the Night's Watch this year compared to last—by dozens. Why is it increasing year by year?"
Wright smiled faintly. "As the realm grows wealthier, so do the numbers of thieves and bandits. Just last year, I personally sent over twenty."
Jeor Mormont clearly wasn't referring to that. "The numbers may have grown, but the supplies sent from the kingdoms are still based on quotas set a decade ago. The brothers are eating less, forcing us to send hunting parties beyond the Wall. Recently, we even had a skirmish with the wildlings."
"Did the Night's Watch suffer any losses?" Wright inquired.
"No deaths, thankfully, but several brothers were injured. We're even short on medical supplies," Jeor replied.
"I'll speak to the king when I return," Wright assured him. "The Night's Watch's supply quotas need adjusting."
As a traveler from another world and a viewer of the television series, Wright understood the importance of supporting the Watch's reasonable needs. He also intended to propose expanding manpower at the other castles along the Wall and suggested Robert send more criminals. Unless their crimes were truly heinous, executions or amputations could be minimized.
"On behalf of all my brothers, I thank you. Hahaha!" Jeor's hearty laughter caused his beard to quiver.
Wright hadn't seen Maester Aemon, likely because of his advanced age. Unless something urgent required his attention, Aemon wouldn't venture old of his chamber.
"Pass along a message to Maester Aemon for me," Wright requested. "I'll meet with him after I return from the North beyond the wall."
Jeor nodded in agreement.
The following morning, Davos and his family finally saw the Wall in daylight. Made entirely of ice, towering over 200 meters high, it was a marvel in a world devoid of modern skyscrapers. Combined with its 500-kilometer length, it was truly magnificent. However, Wright, accustomed to the colossal buildings, hydroelectric dams, and other engineering feats of his original world, found it less impressive.
Using the winch elevator, the group ascended to the Wall's top. Davos and his sons leaned over the battlements, marveling at the endless expanse of the frozen wilderness to the north. They couldn't help but admire the Wall's grandeur, while the brothers of the Night's Watch were equally amazed by Wright. Clad in just a single robe, he stood atop the Wall, a stark contrast to the black winter garb they all wore. His golden attire made him appear completely out of place.
Wright carried a cloth bag containing some rations and a book. Turning to Davos, he said, "I'll be gone for at least two to three weeks. For the first two weeks, you and your sons are free to explore wherever you like. After that, return here to Castle Black and wait for me. I've already paid the admission fees."
"Thank you, Lord Wright," Davos replied.
His sons echoed their gratitude enthusiastically. Traveling with Wright had been a dream—safe, comfortable, with good food, clothing, and lodging. It was nothing like the grueling life they usually experienced under Stannis.
"I'll stay here at Castle Black," Davos said. "The supply wagons sent by the king and Lady Nymeria to the Wall should arrive soon, and I need to oversee their delivery."
"As you wish," Wright said. "But remember, you need to relax sometimes."
Jeor Mormont, overhearing their conversation, interjected, "More supplies?"
Wright nodded. "My wife intended to visit the Wall, but as a Dornishwoman, she fell ill due to the northern climate and had to stay behind. Along with King Robert's contribution, we're sending clothing, meat, and weapons to Castle Black."
Bringing gifts to the Night's Watch was an informal tradition. However, given Wright's official position, he couldn't openly participate and had to send the supplies under his wife's name. As for Robert, he had completely forgotten about the matter. Wright had used his own funds to procure the supplies on the king's behalf.
"On behalf of my brothers, I thank you again," Jeor said, clapping Wright on the shoulder. "And please extend my gratitude to the king as well."
Wright nodded at Jeor, saying, "I'm off." With two steps, he leapt from the Wall, activating wind magic to glide across the distant snowy expanse.
The men of the Night's Watch leaned over the Wall, watching Wright's golden figure soaring through the air, exclaiming in awe and wonder. Meanwhile, Davos and his family stood by with their arms crossed, glancing disdainfully at the gawking "country bumpkins".
---
Walking through the snow, Wright regretted not asking Jeor Mormont for a horse in his bid to show off. If not for his exceptional stamina, he might starve to death before even reaching the greenseer.
A raven led the way ahead of him. Wild animals had been driven off by the greenseer's influence, leaving the path eerily quiet. The snow deepened, rising past Wright's thighs as he trudged on.
Wright's journey was planned — he had an agreement to meet the greenseer.
The greenseer was akin to a mage in this world, capable of seeing into a person's past and future, and using warging abilities to control animals. However, his advanced age left him immobile, forcing him to travel the world vicariously through animals he controlled from afar.
Initially, there had been misunderstandings between the two. But after observing Wright through his unique methods, the greenseer determined that Wright was no threat. A raven carrying a message had found its way to Wright, beginning their correspondence. Wright, recognizing the greenseer's power and lack of hostility, saw no reason to antagonize someone with such vast knowledge and abilities.
During the journey, Wright considered using conjuration magic to summon the skeletal horse, Arvak. However, the creature's appearance was unsettling — its frame made entirely of violet bones, with purple soul fire flickering on its head and tail. It looked even more eerie and malevolent than a resurrected dead horse.
He also contemplated summoning his other undead allies: skeletal warriors, mistman, and wrathman — a full purple-hued army of the undead. But he quickly dismissed the idea. If the greenseer's raven saw him conjure such horrors, the greenseer might prioritize eliminating Wright over dealing with the Night King.
Another critical concern was the source of Arvak. The skeletal Horse hailed from the Soul Cairn, a separate realm teeming with restless souls. Even in the Elder Scrolls universe, it was a realm of death and danger. Summoning Arvak here risked creating a connection between the Soul Cairn and the world of Westeros — a possibility that could unleash beings far more terrifying than White Walkers. While the risk might be low, Wright had avoided testing it thus far.
But now, faced with the endless snow and exhaustion creeping in, Wright decided to take a gamble.
Purple magic shimmered before him, and a sigil infused with ominous deathly energy formed in the snow. Slowly, a skeletal horse wreathed in violet flames emerged.
Overhead, the raven guiding him abruptly plummeted into the snow. The greenseer, startled by the sudden appearance of Arvak, severed his connection and turned to peer into the future instead.
Wright mounted the skeletal horse, carefully attuning his senses to the surrounding magical energies. Nothing felt amiss — no signs of demonic intrusion or disturbances from the Soul Cairn.
With Arvak carrying him, Wright's speed increased significantly. Soon, the raven rejoined him, circling above as the snowstorm intensified.
The farther north he went, the harsher the blizzard became. Suddenly, Wright sensed a magical disturbance emanating from the base of a mountain to his right. He turned to the raven perched on a nearby branch.
"Stay here. Don't move," he instructed.
Riding Arvak toward the disturbance, Wright carefully assessed the unfamiliar magical energy. It wasn't human — its nature was completely foreign. A White Walker? Or perhaps a magical beast?
"That magic feels strange. I'm going to investigate."
---
If you can, support me on pa treon:
Pa treon. com/ RightTranslations (No spaces)
Up to 50 chapters ahead on the four novels i am translating.