A Losing Game (originally on AO3 written by anonymous)

Chapter 1,

*first chapter not mine!!!*

Melisandre crept through the night, hoping no one could hear her. She knew that the Night King and his army of the dead were fast approaching. She knew they would be here soon. She picked up the pace as the night grew darker and darker. Soon, she found herself outside the gate. Finally, she was here. She had returned to Winterfell. She knew that the army would descend upon here soon.

She knew that they would lose. After everything else had failed, she had one final plan for them to
escape the Night King and his army. A literal escape. She would ask the Lord of Light to create a portal so that they could escape this world, and go to another. There was resistance, sure, Jon didn't want to give up on Winterfell, give up on everything he had ever known. But as the Night King closed in, most of them realised that there was no other way. Still, not everyone was on board.

Jon, Ghost, Daenerys, Jorah, Davos, Lyanna Mormont, Grey Worm, Missandei, Tyrion, Jaime, Brienne, Tormund, Podrick, Sam, Gilly, Little Sam, Sansa, Bran, Gendry and Arya all sat around the table with Melisandre. It seemed that they were the chosen ones. Melisandre tried to explain her
plan one last time. Jon didn't like the sound of this at all.

"No," Jon said, "I already told you, I'm not leaving this place. I'm not leaving Winterfell. It's just not right. I vowed to protect the North, and I will protect the North."

Lyanna Mormont stood up.
"I agree," she said, "We are not cowards. We are warriors. We will not run."

"This is not running," Tyrion said, "This is survival. We have to do this."
At that moment the walls of the castle shook. They looked out of the window, and saw the army of the dead descending on them. They had breached their defenses and were outside the castle. Jon looked over at Melisandre and wondered what the others would think of this. What the ordinary soldiers would think of this. What they would think of them running away like this.

"And our armies?" Daenerys said, "What about them?"

"Leave them, there's no time," Melisandre said.

"A queen does not leave her people," Daenerys replied.

"Soon you will have no people," said Melisandre, "Soon there will be no people. No people, no life, only unending death. This is our last chance."

"And where does this portal you're proposing even go to?" Tyrion asked, "Do you even know?"

"I don't. Look, we don't have much time," Melisandre said, "Everyone who wishes to stay in Winterfell can leave the room now."

Lyanna Mormont walked out of the room, despite Jorah begging her to stay. She was the future of
House Mormont. But in the end, he had to let her go. He would stay with Daenerys no matter what, and whatever she chose, he would choose too. There was silence as Lyanna left the castle.

Everyone else remained seated. The walls shook again. There really wasn't much time. Melisandre got to work. She knew exactly what to do.

The portal was opened, and they all walked through, wondering what kind of world awaited them on the other side. Would it be nice? Warm? Strange? Dark? Anything like their own world? When they emerged they saw a beautiful world looking back at them. It was a weird, bright and colourful world, not like Winterfell at all. They were in the middle of a large open field with trees all around
them. The couldn't see any other people around though. Did any even live here? Did people even exist on this world?

"And so we are the future of the human race," Tyrion said, "We are all that remains now. What a
joke."

"Wait, where's Dany?" Jon asked, when suddenly he saw two dragons emerge from the portal.
After that, Daenerys stepped out and stood behind them.

"What, did you really think I would leave my children behind?" Daenerys said. It had been hard getting her dragons into the castle, but somehow they had managed it. By smashing the castle wall, sure, but they had managed it.

"Of course not, Khaleesi," Jorah said as the dragons flew high into the sky.
As Bran slowly rolled his wheelchair down the hill, he realised something was wrong. Really wrong.

"Close the portal," Bran said, "Close it now. He's coming."

"Where's the red woman?" Arya said, "Didn't you hear him? Close the portal."

"No, don't," Jon said, "If we lure him here, we'll protect Winterfell, and all of Westeros."

"Or have two worlds destroyed instead of just one," Tyrion added.

"Melisandre isn't here," Davos said, looking around for any sign of her.

Meanwhile in Winterfell, Melisandre looked at her portal. This was it, surely this was what she had
been sent here to do? To save some of humanity before its extinction. But she wouldn't be joining them. This was her place, here. She looked outside again and saw the army of the dead were almost at the castle. They were fighting against the soldiers outside. She knew they wouldn't be able to win this fight, no one could. She looked back at her portal again, satisfied, and removed her necklace, the one thing that was keeping her alive.

"Valar morghulis."

With that, she took one last look outside, before falling to the ground.
Lyanna Mormont took another step towards the dead, before looking back at the castle. Cowards.

They had left everyone here to die. Soldiers everywhere around her fell down to the army of the dead. If only they knew that those they were fighting for had ran away. But she was no coward.

She would not run. Not now, not ever. Lyanna unsheathed her sword as the army of the dead surrounded her. She took one last look around her before charging in.