Chapter 58

“The Lord of Light wants his enemies burned. The Drowned God wants them drowned. Why are all of the Gods such vicious cunts? Where is the God of Tits and Wine?” - Tyrion Lannister to Lord Varys

Eastwatch-by-the-Sea
Two days later...

“They’re not holding back this time at all, you know. They’ve launched a full invasion, everywhere, from here as far south as they could put those blasted wights of theirs! The ARmy of the Dead is everywhere, and I doubt that I could hold them off much longer, even with these Lannisters,” Cotter Pyke cursed his luck, half-envying Theon Greyjoy that the Ironborn prince was now dead.

“Oh, I wouldn’t worry about that none too much,” another voice broke through his worries.

Eddison Tollett ... also called “Dolorous Edd,” the 999th and latest Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch, was present from Castle Black. What was up now? Was he here to help and commit his entire force now? If so, what did that mean for the entire brotherhood and for the future of Westeros, of all seven kingdoms? That was the obvious question, right?

“Yes, we are here to come to your aid, my friend. We’ve done a forced march, but we’re here. You have us now, you have the former Lannister troops, you have wildfire, and now we have to push them back for good! Now we have the chance, brothers!” Edd insisted boldly, now quite resolved to put some extra steel in the spine of his battered garrison.

“Yes, well, here comes some more of them! You’re just in time!” Cotter warned his commander now.

Sure enough, the wights in the Army of the Dead docked near Eastwatch-by-the-Sea. They were in for a rude awakening as more wildfire was hurled in jars at them. They shrieked as each of them burned in the wildfire and the ships were consumed by it. That was when Edd realized that it was probably a diversion ... or perhaps the Night King had no one left to spare. That was a distinct possibility, given that the main force had been focused heavily on the Bay of Seals.

“See, boys ... stand up and fight them, and they shall perish! Don’t let them land! Don’t let them come ashore!” Edd shouted now, not sounding like his dolorous reputation, more than ready to inspire his men.

With every last push, every last shove, every last, desperate attempt to land, the power of the assault waned. The addition of more men from Castle Black ... not a large number in the grand scheme of things, but more men nonetheless, this proved to suffice to repel each advance of the wights. Again, though, and yet again, the wights attacked, but were thrown back on each push. They got closer each time, but every time, they were cast back onto the burning ships.

“We’re taking some losses, though, and that part frightens me, since they could well be turned and soon. Should we ... toss the bodies onto the blazing boats, just to be safe? We could hold funerals after the fact in their memories, but not if they turn ... and we with them! We can’t ... we don’t dare leave them to respawn as wights!” Cotter proposed, getting a nod from Edd before he signaled to his men to do just that.

It was a hard decision, but so were all of the other ones that they had taken since this war began. What else was new, right? This might not have been the main battle, but it was a dreadful affair nonetheless. More than a little was at stake, of course. They had to hold their ground, had to keep the Dead out of Westeros, whatever the cost. It might not be the main thrust, but it could be a real threat to the left flank. Edd grimaced at even the thought of being the very last Lord Commander of a fallen Night’s Watch ... of a world wherein the realms of men had indeed been destroyed.