Northern lights

101. The prince who was promised

Jon Snow

Winterfell is surrounded by a moat of fire. Great swaths of field continue to burn where Drogon laid waste to the undead. The Night king and Viserion swoop down, expelling powerful blue flame that destroys a great turret of the city wall as they speed across.

Drawing a deep breath, Jon grips Rhaegal tightly as they intercept Viserion, clutching his undead brother in his claws. The sound of dragon jaws snapping at each other fills the air as Rhaegal sinks his teeth into Viserion's neck. Viserion roars as he rakes Rhaegal with his massive claws, slicing a great wound under Rhaegal's left wing. 

Realizing the fight between them is a losing one, Jon panics. "Get off!"

Viserion clamps his jaws on Rhaegal's neck and sinks his teeth in as Jon struggles to hold on. Once Viserion rips his jaws away, blue flame boils in his mouth. He bites at Jon, who twists to evade the massive jaw. Plumes of blue flame puff from Viserion as the dragon continues to snap and bite. Entangled, the dragons spiral downward.

If they plummet into the ground, Jon didn't see a way out of this. The Night king could easily overpower him if he's knocked out after, even if he's not, he might be severely injured. He wanted to believe that he'd see Rosalie again, that he'd live long enough to see Sansa happy after all the shit she was dealt in her life, to see Arya's misadventures and perhaps be a part of them on occasion, to help Bran return to who he was, to help Robb run Winterfell.

Closing his eyes before impact, Jon holds his breath. But this fall from grace felt like an eternity, and Jon's eyes snapped open when he realized Rhaegal had changed course and managed to slow down their descent. Squinting, he sees Drogon ripping into Viserion as the Night king falls from his perch, plummeting to the ground. It won't kill him, but it will give Jon a proper start.

Holding onto Rhaegal for dear life, Jon gasps as Rhaegal reaches the ground with incredible speed and force, trying to transition from flying to running. The velocity is too great however, and the dragon ends up sliding on its belly, throwing Jon to the ground. With a groan, Jon props himself up on his elbows, pushing himself up from the ground. Panting, he looks up at Drogon as he belches forth a column of fire that envelops the Night king. He can see Daenerys as her smile grows at the sight of a massive fireball where Night king stood. 

It's over, he wants to say, but his voice is gone. Lips parted, Jon gets closer to it as the flames dissipate. Once they clear, Jon's eyes widen at the sight of Night king who remains stood in his place - confident, unhurt and unphased. He stares up at Daenery, smirking at his invulnerability. 

"How", Jon whispers, his insides turning with this revelation. If dragon fire cannot hurt him, can anything? Was this entire battle a losing one? Has he brought them all together to die? 

Daenerys is stunned but once the Night king picks up his spear, she immediately spurs Drogon to flee. It doesn't stop the Night king who hurls the spear at their receding figures, missing by mere inches. 

Clenching his jaw, Jon shakes his head as the Night king strides through the smoldering grounds, toward the godswood. He won't let him get away. If dragon fire cannot hurt him, Jon will make sure he tastes the same dragonglass his soldiers did. And if that does not work, at least he will die in a fight, not running away as cowards do. This is no time to be afraid. 

Drawing Longclaw, Jon sets after the Night king at a brisk run. Hearing Jon's footprints among the burning cinders, the Night king turns to look at him and Jon pauses, breathlessly staring straight into the milky blue eyes of his enemy. 

Planting his feet apart and spreading his hands, the Night king begins a silent invocation. Blinking fast, Jon's heart felt as if it would explode from pent up pressure in his chest. This is the moment he's waited for, this is how he takes revenge for all those he lost and for all those he's haunted by. Setting off toward the Night king at a sprint, Jon gasps as he notices undead northernmen rising between him and their new king. Their eyes are vacant, unnaturally blue and once Jon is almost close enough to attack, the undead collect before their king, blocking his shot.