The winter wind whipped up bits of snow, tearing across the gray skies of the North.
The air was thick with that dry, snowy chill.
Lynn's cheek was smashed against a rough wooden stump covered in moss.
That icy feel sank right into his bones.
A sharp cold stabbed at the back of his neck.
It was like a venomous snake hissing right against his skin.
In the corner of his eye, he could see legs wrapped in heavy leather and fur, standing silently in a circle around him.
Heavy breaths rose and fell in his ears, mixed with the faint clink of chainmail rubbing together.
A deep, stern voice cut through, cold as stone and without a hint of feeling.
Each word hit Lynn like a heavy rock crashing down on his chest.
"In the name of Robert of House Baratheon, the First of His Name, King of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm."
Lynn's eyes narrowed sharp.
That voice, those words...
He struggled to lift his head.
But two strong hands clamped down on his shoulders, pinning him flat to the execution block.
"I, Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North, hereby sentence you."
Ned Stark!
A mess of memory fragments flooded in like a bursting dam, overwhelming Lynn's mind.
Wasn't he supposed to be getting cozy with his junior apprentice back home?
How the hell...
A chunk of memory that wasn't his own surged up.
Black robes, the freezing Wall.
And... beyond the Wall, those eyes burning with blue fire.
He'd become a deserter from the Night's Watch.
"...to death."
Ned Stark's words dropped like a final nail in the coffin.
Lynn felt the grip on him loosen.
He heard the massive scrape of metal being drawn.
It was a long, clear sound, full of finality—like it could cut through anything.
This Valyrian steel greatsword, called Ice, was enchanted with spells and runes.
It was wider than a hand, taller than Robb when standing!
Dark as smoke.
Normal weapons couldn't kill the Others, but Valyrian steel could—it was priceless.
But the way to forge it was long lost. The existing Valyrian steel weapons were all held by families, each with its own history.
Lynn's heart pounded like crazy in his chest, nearly busting through his ribs.
No!
I can't just die like this!
As Ice rose high, a cold, mechanical voice exploded in Lynn's head.
[Detecting host's strong will to survive...]
[Enemy Slayer System activated!]
[Newbie Gift Pack: Includes one-time newbie protection!]
[Host: Lynn]
[Strength: 3 (Weak)]
[Agility: 4 (Weak)]
[Constitution: 2 (Weak)]
Reference: Average healthy adult male has 3 in all stats.
[Skills: None]
[Experience: 0]
[Experience Note: Killing enemies grants XP based on their strength (minimum 1 for a regular human). XP can level up skill proficiency.]
[Attribute Note: Can be boosted through training, blessed items, and more. Training caps at 10 points max; other methods have no limit.]
[Attributes double absolute power—ignore weight, it's pure max output. Like, a normal guy with 3 Strength can deadlift about 265 pounds; at 6 Strength, that's 530 pounds.]
Lynn's mind blanked out for a second.
A system?
But those crappy stats snuffed out the spark of hope he'd just felt.
With this weak-ass body?
Forget fighting back—he could barely crawl off the block.
He could feel that legendary Valyrian greatsword Ice already swinging down toward his neck!
Even Ned couldn't swing this beast of a sword easily!
No time to think!
Lynn mustered every bit of strength and roared from his parched throat.
"The old gods gave me a vision!"
Lynn's voice was hoarse and piercing, shattering the heavy silence of the execution ground.
Everyone froze.
The falling greatsword veered off, slamming down next to Lynn's head.
The whoosh of the blade scraped his skin, raising goosebumps. He swallowed hard.
Lynn could even smell the cold tang of Valyrian steel on the sword.
Damn, that was close—Ned almost took his head off!
Good thing Ned twisted it aside in time!
"Bullshit!"
A young, cocky voice piped up, dripping with mockery.
"Saying anything to save your skin, huh?"
Lynn didn't need to look to know it was Theon Greyjoy, the Iron Islands' only intact heir...
Well, for now, anyway.
Ned Stark didn't say a word.
He just stood there, still as a statue.
Sword in hand, his figure loomed under the dim sky like a silent carving.
But that paused sword was Lynn's shot.
Lynn forced himself to chill out, his brain racing faster than ever.
Ned Stark.
A guy who valued honor and duty more than life itself.
He stuck to the old ways.
Starks still had the blood of the First Men in their veins. He believed the one passing sentence had to swing the sword himself.
Taking a life? You gotta look 'em in the eye, hear their last words.
If you can't do that, maybe they don't deserve to die.
He's as fair as they come.
Lie to him, and you're done.
Beg for mercy? Dream on.
The only way out: Pit his "duty" against his "traditions"!
"My lord."
Lynn's voice steadied, no more yelling.
He made sure every word came out clear.
"I'm a deserter. I broke my oath. By law, I should lose my head."
That line stunned the crowd again.
Theon's face twisted in confusion.
Nobody expected a guy fighting for his life to own up to his crime.
A faint ripple crossed Ned Stark's deep gray eyes—hard to spot.
"But I didn't run 'cause I'm a coward."
"It was a vision from the old gods."
Lynn spoke slow but strong.
"I did all this to get the message back safe!"
Lynn twisted his head, straining to look up at the tall figure.
"The old gods showed me."
"Beyond the Wall, something's waking up."
"They ride dead horses, eyes like burning sapphires, and everywhere they go, everything freezes solid!"
"The Others—they're not just stories, my lord. They're real!"
Lynn didn't paint the full picture.
He just pulled the deepest fear from the original owner's memories, laid it out plain.
That bone-deep cold.
That suffocating silence.
That ancient evil you can't even describe.
The execution ground went dead quiet.
Just the wind howling past everyone's ears.
Behind Ned Stark, Robb Stark's young face was all shock and worry.
His hand gripped his sword hilt without thinking.
"My lord, he's just spouting nonsense!"
"How could the old gods guide him?"
Theon tried to snap the weird vibe.
Ned Stark stayed quiet.
He stared into Lynn's eyes.
No liar's slyness there—just the terror of a survivor, and this rock-solid... certainty?
Lynn knew this was the make-or-break moment.
He met Ned Stark's gaze and said, word by word:
"I can see the future. Not just the Others—I see other stuff happening too!"
"Killing me's easy, my lord."
"One swing of that greatsword in your hand."
"But you'd be chopping down a warning about the long night coming."
"You're the Warden of the North. Your duty's to protect the North, keep the Seven Kingdoms safe from wildlings and those dead things."
"A deserter's life versus the safety of the whole North—which one's worth more? That's for you to decide, my lord!"
"If you don't believe me, I can give you a prophecy right now!"
Lynn finished and locked eyes with Ned Stark.
Time stretched out like taffy.
Every second was agony.
Lynn could hear his heart thumping like a drum.
After what felt like forever...
"What did you see?"
Lynn heard Ned ask, and he jumped right in.
"On the way back, you'll find a dead direwolf."
"If you don't run into a direwolf, you can chop my head off right there—no complaints!"
The sound of metal sliding back into its sheath rang out, and Lynn felt a wave of relief.
"Take him back."
Ned Stark's voice was still low, but edged with unavoidable weariness.
"Keep him under close watch."
Two guards stepped up quick, yanking Lynn roughly off the ground.
The exhaustion of surviving hit him like a truck.
Lynn's legs buckled, barely holding him up.
He got dragged through the crowd, stumbling.
Before they hauled him away, he glanced back.
Ned Stark was watching him.
Those gray eyes were a mix of emotions—hard to read.
Scrutiny, doubt.
But Lynn knew he was safe for now.
He'd snatched a sliver of life from under the Warden of the North's sword.
Lynn knelt on the ground, shaking nonstop.
From the cold, and from the aftershocks.
In his vision, that blue panel only he could see hung there quietly.
Lynn's mouth twitched up into a grin he couldn't hold back.