Lost in Sothoryos | A Game of Thrones fanfic

(Location: Outside the Green Hell near the Nymeria river)

(Time: Early afternoon, 295 AC)

(Jon POV)

'I never thought I'd be so happy to see the sun beating down on me again' I think to myself as I lay spread out on the river bank that we came out on after we excited that he'll scape.

"It can't have been more than an hour or two since we first went into the forest" Sansa states while looking at the position of the sun in the sky.

"It felt a lot longer than that" I say solemnly

"I guess that's one of the ways that place makes you suffer, by hiding the amount of time you've been terrified for" I say while looking at Sansa who I just realised was greedily gulping at the water in the river.

"Sansa! What're you doing you can't just drink the water straight from the river" I shout loudly at her while getting up and dragging her back, which turned out to be a stroke of good fortune.

As soon as I dragged Sansa back from the river a massive creature leaped out of the river and bit just where Sansa was a second ago.

The creature was almost as tall as me though it had four short legs and a long body, longer than 2 horse standing one behind the other. It had a rough hide with pointy spines going along it's back and a massive maw.

'What in seven hells is that thing, if it had wings I would've said if was a dragon' I thought to myself while quickly trying to back up, pushing Sansa behind me as I went.

"Jon! We need to run" Sansa says in a panic as she grips onto my back

"We can't Sansa we are trapped between the river and going back into the forest, and i really feel like we have better chances out here" I say while putting my hand on my dagger.

"You can't be serious Jon, look at the size of that thing it'll eat you for breakfast and then have me for lunch" she says looking at me as if I was touched.

"Listen Sansa just stay back don't go back into the forest just strafe down the river bank and hopefully it'll lose interest with you while I distract it" I say while holding her arm

"I ca-" but before Sansa can finish.

"Do as I say Sansa this isn't the time for arguments" I say while pushing her off to the side.

Taking my dagger out of the sheath I get into a comfortable stance as I see the huge creature exit the water and stomp towards me, I can here the hissing coming from it's mouth and a slight rumble.

'Exit the nightmare forest to end up as a wingless dragons lunch, I bet the nights watch don't have to deal with this' I think to myself as I get ready.

Suddenly the monster picks up speed and lunges at me with its mouth open ready to bite down on my whole body, but before it does I jump to the side and roll before getting back on my feet and lunging at the only weak spot I can see.

My dagger strikes true and I manage to gouge its eye but it doesn't die like I thought it would and it shakes me with incredible strength and I land 10 feet away from where we both were.

Feeling a bit dazed I can't help but curse at the fact it didn't die 'shit it must be my dagger it wasn't long enough to reach its head from the inside' I think to myself while slowly getting back into my feet. I notice the blood dripping down my head as I'm still trying to shake off the dizzy feeling I got from hitting my head on the ground.

I start to look around for my dagger and can't help but chuckle at where it is 'Right next to the monster that's currently trying to kill me, guess it would be too much to ask if the dagger got flung this way too' I think while standing up and getting ready for my second bout.

I see the enraged creature as it refocuses its single remaining eye on me but before it can charge I start sprinting towards it, the creature then starts charging.

'Just need the perfect moment' I think as I get closer and closer to the rampaging monster.

'Now' and as it lifts its head up in order to bite me in half I slide down low and let my momentum carry me behind it, barely managing to avoid the thick tail that almost knocked me out.

I grabbed my dagger and spun myself around and jumped on the creatures back, it aggressively started shaking and I barely managed to keep my balance and in the end I had to jump and stab at the creatures head.

But it didn't stab through like I thought it would it snapped the tip of my dagger off and I only managed to stay on the creature by grabbing onto one of the protruding spines on its shoulder.

'It's skull must be made of damn rocks' I curse to myself as i desolately try to remain on board.

It must've given up trying to get me off because I see it eye up Sansa who managed to make it a couple dozen feet away from the battleground and was trying hard to not be noticed.

The monster made a loud rumbling sound which got Sansas attention, though the monster was so tall she couldn't see me lying prone on top of it she must've assumed the worst as she just broke down and sat on her knees as the monster approached.

'No no no stop stop!!!' I thought as I kept stabbing my knife into its head desperately trying to draw its attention back to me and off of my sister, but it was all in vain as the dagger didn't pierce his skull one bit.

As the monster drew closer and closer to my sister I started to get more and more panicked until I was bashing my hands as well as the dagger onto the creatures skull.

I was close enough now that I could see Sansa and could see the pure terror in her eyes as tears were rolling down her cheeks.

This managed to sober me out of my anger and frustration as I steeled myself and came up with a different plan

Taking a deep breath I focused and got up on my feet, trying very hard to balance as the creature was still moving 'I only get one chance at this or she dies' I say to myself.

With a big leap I raise the dagger into the air and hit the meaty part of the monsters neck.

*SCREECH*

It shrieks in pain as I manage to get a good portion of the knife stuck in the back of its neck.

I then slid around keeping one hand on the knife and my feet on its lower jaw and shoulder 'Dagger might not be long enough but I certainly am' I think to myself as I forcefully push my hand through it's ruined eye and go as far as I can until I reach something mushy and I grip it in my hand all the while the monster is thrashing about in pain I rip it out

"AHHHHHHHHHHH" I yell in victory as I hold up the inside of the monsters head as if it were a trophy.

Before the monster collapses I let go of the dagger and push myself back so I land a safe distance away from the creature and coincidentally land next to Sansa who has a look of disbelief on her face.

"Was I as good as one of your southern knights" I say with a small smile on my face relieved at having stopped the creature.

Sansa just looks at me and then dives onto me in tears "I thought you had gotten eaten!" She says while grilling me tightly.

"I thought you'd left me alone again" she says in a slightly quieter tone.

I rub her back and comfort her the best I can "Sansa we really need to get going" I say to her in a serious voice while lifting her chin up to look at me.

"Why, we shouldn't be in anymore danger right?" She says while sniffling and wiping her eyes.

"I want to try and get some meat from the beast but I won't be able to if we don't do it straight away" I say while getting us both off of the ground.

"Back when me and Robb would go hunting with father he'd always say as soon as you make your kill you wouldn't have much time before something higher on the food chain would come investigate" I say in a grim tone

"Considering the size of this creature I really don't want to find out what's higher up on the food chain than this" I say with slight worry in my voice.

With realisation setting in she finally gets up and walks up to me "Is there anything I can do to help" she asks in a serious voice

"I know I'm not good at stuff like this but it would go faster if I helped even if only a little bit" she says while looking down at the floor and holding her hands together.

"You're right, luckily that creature died on its side so we have access to the underbelly and the skin should be softer I want you to go to the river bank and look for any plants that have a strong smell but be careful and check if there's anything in the water first, I'm hoping we can conceal the smell of the meat while we travel" I say while walking to the creature and getting my knife out of its neck and kneeling down to start slicing.

Without a word Sansa went and followed my orders 'I guess life and death situations really do change someone, she hasn't called me bastard in a while' I think to myself as I slice away the skin to get to the meat.

(An hour later)

We finally managed to get on the move and now stayed a healthy distance away from the river bank.

'So much as happened in such a short time, though being in the forest it felt like I spent days looking for Sansa' I think while walking over the small bumps and uneven terrain.

'We need to start looking for a place to stay after dark, I don't even want to think about what type of creatures will come out at night' I look toward Sansa who is starting to look slightly pale.

Feeling a bit worried I grab her shoulder "Are you okay Sansa" I ask in a kind tone as I look into her blue eyes and give her a look of concern.

"I'm just a little tired Jon I'll be okay" Sansa says with a small smile and then continues walking ahead of me.

"Jon look there's the Hill we saw it can't be more than a mile away" Sansa says excitedly as she points to a large hill over the tree line.

I get excited too until I realise we'd have to cut back through the forest if we wanted to take the short way "Sansa wait" I say as I grab her arm before she can run off, she looks at me questioningly but before she can say anything

"We can't cut back through the forest, we don't know if whatever was in there isn't following us from the tree line, if we go back in we might never come out we'll have to go the long route" I say to her while watching her shake in frustration.

"AHHH" she screams as she picks up a rock and throws it passed the tree line and into the forest

"Sansa it'll be okay we just need to walk a bit faster, we don't wanna be here when it gets dark" I say to her while rubbing her back.

I see movement in the corner of my eye and pull Sansa into my chest as we both see the rock she'd just thrown go straight back towards her.

'Shit' I think to myself as I look into the dark forest only see pitch black.

"We need to go Sansa" I say as I drag her along the river bank around the forest in order to make it to the hill.

(1 hour before sunset)

"Sansa we need to keep running we still have a few miles left before we get there!!!' I say with slight panic in my voice as I can see the sun start to set on the horizon.

Sansa is looking even worse than she did before with her entire face losing colour and her breathing being very uneven.

"I can't Jon, I can't go any further" she says as she collapses onto the ground breathing deeply with a slight wheeze in her throat.

"Shit" I say mostly to myself as I pick Sansa up on my shoulder and start to rush towards our destination, I can slowly start to hear the sounds of wildlife that I couldn't hear during the day, it feels like the entire forest is waking up and we are what's for breakfast.

(5 minutes before sunset)

I'm managed to get us to the hill before sunset but carrying Sansa and myself after a day like today might not be manageable.

I keep pushing forward ignoring the strain and pain in my muscles, wiping the sweat off my forehead.

'I'm not gonna make it' I think to myself as I still have a large portion of the hill left to climb. But as I'm climbing up I trip and in order to avoid falling off the hill I throw myself to the wall.

The vines which I landed on weren't attached to the wall at all and just happened to be freely hanging and me and Sansa fell into a moderately large space.

Untangling myself from Sansa I get up and look around only to be met with dust and crates with a few skeletons around and a sleeping roll in the corner, I immediately pick up Sansa and place her in the roll after beating it against the wall a few times.

Looking around I look in the crates and find water as well as gold and a few exotic gems I'd never seen before as well as a big blue scaled stone that lay in the middle of the gold.

I look at the Skelton the one closest to the doors had a small book in his hand at which I could only guess could be a journal of some kind.

I pick it up and use the light that's still bleeding in from the entrance of the cave to read it.

*it's been 3 weeks since we have been here or maybe 3 years I do not know, time here doesn't seem to make sense or maybe it is i or no longer makes sense.

There are only a few of us left I still think about the laughing we all heard in that cursed city, thousands of people gone and no sound was made apart from that accursed laughing. Me and Ateb went into the city in the morning and there was nothing not a single bloodstain or any signs of a fight.

Maya was taken last night, what looked like a man with wings just flew down and grabbed her, there was nothing we could do though we had to hold back Doran from running after them. To hold back a man who just wanted to protect his wife, this place really makes you into people you never thought you'd be. As long as we can make it to the ships we can get out of this nightmare.

Nymeria has gone, all the ships have gone Zamettar has been abandoned and we are now alone...

We managed to find a few books on Valyrian sorcery as our water magic was not effective in protecting us at least. We carved a ward rune into the small cave it's said to protect us as long as the rune is bathed in light.

Ateb and Dorian ended their lives earlier this morning before I woke up I'm truly alone now.

(At this point the hand writing starts to get messier and the pages ripped from being written on too roughly)

They stand at the entrance of the cave and stare at me every night, they won't let me sleep every time I close my eyes i see one of them move slightly. I'm afraid of what will happen if i go to sleep.

I'm blind I can't see they've stolen the light away from me Im writing this down on the few pages I have left in the books in the hopes that it'll make it on there. I can still see them, my eyes no longer work but I still see them I know the torch is still lit and the runes are still working I can feel the heat from the torch.

I looked at them for too long and they stole the light from inside me the torch is starting to die and I can feel them coming in I can't even move enough to grab Atebs dagger and end it before I am taken.

If anyone finds my journal I just had to say how sorry I am that you've ended up in this devils continent known as Sothoryos and I hope whatever knowledge is in the books scattered around the cave will help you escape.

But if you find yourself in my refuge please I implore you DONT FORGET TO LIGHT THE TORCH or you'll*

The writing then cuts off as if something happened before he could finish his sentence, though the last sentence sent chills through me as I looked up and noticed the sun disappearing beyond the horizon.

I sprint into action grabbing the old torch that was attached to the wall and grabbing my flint and steal and desperately trying to light it as the last of the suns light disappear.

And the shadows start emerging from the forest and the roaring of animals can be heard on the night sky as I desperately try to light the torch beige it's too late.

(AN: and that's chapter 5 I did try make it longer than the other ones though not as long as the first one it seems like a decent length but let me know what you guys think. And I'm sure most of you guessed but the skeletons in the cave were part of the ten thousand ships Nymeria sailed on as it actually is canon that they tried to settle Sothoryos, the rest is just creative liberties. Also thanks to everyone who left a like or kudos it really is nice when someone enjoys your story, also I hope the fight scene at the beginning of the chapter was okay I've never written one before so let me know if I need more detail or less detail)

Cya