Game of Thrones: The Dangerous Traveler (MULTIVERSAL)

GOT: The Dangerous Traveler 18

Lyn Corbray

Year 2010 AD – Georgia

Lyn and Ciri crossed the threshold of the house cautiously, trying to act naturally. The afternoon was quiet, but both could feel they weren't alone. A shared instinct, sharpened by years of experience in dangerous situations, alerted them to the presence of other eyes watching them. For Lyn, that instinct was something more. His Warg abilities told him there were human consciousnesses nearby.

Without saying a word, they exchanged a quick glance, filled with understanding. Lyn stopped in the doorway, pretending to inspect the surroundings. With a casual smile, he pointed toward the house as he spoke.

"It's a peculiar construction. Look at those windows, they barely let in any light, and that sloped roof... everything's different from what we've seen before," Lyn said in a light tone, as if he were genuinely interested in the architecture.

Ciri followed his lead, nodding as her eyes discreetly scanned the environment. "Yes, it's very functional. I guess they built to withstand the elements here."

As they spoke, both analyzed the landscape. Their eyes moved with precision, searching for any sign of movement. That's when they saw it: a fleeting shadow among the trees, barely visible but clear enough to confirm someone was there.

"And those small structures over there? Are they for storage?" Lyn continued, pointing toward a nearby shed, his voice as calm as the wind rustling the leaves.

Ciri squinted in the direction Lyn indicated. "Could be. Though they seem to be in ruins."

A slight movement on the other side caught their attention. This time, it was a flash of brown hair briefly swaying among the foliage. Closer, another glimpse: a strange, rounded hat they could barely make out.

Both remained calm, though their hearts began to beat faster. Lyn brought a hand to his chin, pretending to think. "There's no harm in taking another look inside. We might find more clues about this place."

Ciri nodded immediately. "Good idea. Let's go."

They turned and re-entered the house, closing the door behind them with a soft creak. Once inside, Lyn peeked through a broken window, his body pressed against the wall. Ciri stayed by the door, her sword ready.

"You saw it, didn't you?" Lyn asked in a low voice.

Ciri nodded, her eyes searching the shadows outside. "There was a woman. Brown hair, I think. Also someone else... wearing a strange hat."

Lyn frowned. "Looked like a guy, not much older than twenty-five, I'd say. But we didn't get a good look. What do you think?"

"That they were watching us," Ciri replied. "They didn't seem hostile, but they didn't make any attempt to approach either. They were cautious."

"Maybe they were assessing us. Seeing if we're a threat," Lyn suggested, stepping away from the window.

Ciri crossed her arms, thoughtful. "They might not be the only ones here. If they found us so quickly, maybe there are more people in this ruined place."

Lyn sighed and leaned his back against the wall. "Do you think we should go out and talk to them?" He quickly dismissed the thought.

"Not until we know more," Ciri replied. "We don't know if they're armed or what they want."

Both fell silent for a moment, listening for any sounds from outside. Though the environment seemed calm, the tension remained palpable. Finally, Lyn broke the silence.

"I think we should just follow them, see where they lead us. It'll also help with our task of moving away from the point where we appeared. Getting away from those black-clad bastards."

She looked at him doubtfully. "Are you sure? We don't know who they are or what their intentions are."

Lyn flashed a confident smile. "Exactly why. If they're alive in this place, they might know things we don't. And if they're not friendly, well... we can handle them."

Ciri sighed but nodded. "Alright, but carefully. If they spot us, they might get defensive."

They left the house in silence, moving through the trees as they followed the pair. The woman and the young man walked slowly, observing their surroundings as if expecting a threat at any moment. After a few minutes, the path led them to a small building with large broken windows and a faded sign hanging crookedly. The facade was covered in grime, and the colors were barely visible, but Ciri managed to read the words "Pharmacy" in faded letters.

"What is this?" Lyn asked, frowning.

"A pharmacy," Ciri replied, her tone uncertain. "It's a place where they stored medicines... at least in some worlds."

Lyn raised an eyebrow. "Medicines? What kind of medicine requires an entire building?"

Before Ciri could answer, the two riders entered the building. Lyn and Ciri exchanged glances and nodded in unison.

"It's a good opportunity to catch them off guard and interrogate them."

"Are you sure?" Ciri asked, and Lyn nodded.

Without wasting more time, they advanced toward the pharmacy and entered silently, their swords ready in case of any surprises.

Inside, the duo moved through the aisles, quickly inspecting the boxes and bottles that remained. The woman, more determined, picked up some items to inspect them, while the young man seemed more cautious, as if expecting something to jump at them at any moment.

Lyn and Ciri took advantage of their distraction to approach. In a coordinated move, they appeared behind them, each pointing their swords at the strangers' backs.

"Don't move," Lyn said in a stern tone.

The woman and the young man tensed immediately. Maggie was the first to speak, turning her head slowly. "We don't want trouble."

"That depends," Ciri interjected. "Are you armed?"

They looked at each other, clearly nervous. Finally, Maggie dropped a rifle she had slung over her shoulder, which clattered to the ground with a metallic sound.

Lyn frowned at the weapon, not lowering his sword. "What the hell is that? A metal stick?"

Ciri sighed, bending to pick it up. "It's a firearm. One of these can kill someone from a distance. I saw them in Night City. Don't get too close."

Maggie and Glenn exchanged confused and clearly alarmed looks. Glenn was the first to speak. "Who are you? Where are you from?"

"We're the ones asking questions," Lyn replied.

Lyn's sword didn't move from Glenn's neck, while Ciri kept the rifle Maggie had dropped under her arm, pointing her sword at the woman. The tension in the air was palpable.

"What is this place?" Lyn asked, his eyes searching for answers in the young man's face.

"What? It's... a pharmacy," Glenn replied hesitantly, turning his head just enough to glance sideways. "What else could it be?"

"I know it's a pharmacy," Lyn said, though not entirely sure; he had just learned of the concept a few minutes ago. "I mean, where are we? This... land."

Maggie frowned, clearly confused. "Where the hell are you from? This is Georgia."

"Georgia?" Ciri raised an eyebrow. "Is that a city? A kingdom?"

"It's a state," Maggie replied, instinctively taking a step back. "In the United States. Do you really not know that?"

Lyn exchanged a quick glance with Ciri before continuing. "Suppose we don't. What else should we know about this place? What about those creatures outside?"

"Creatures?" Glenn swallowed, his confusion growing. "They're walkers... zombies, some call them. Have you never heard of walkers?"

Ciri tilted her head, evaluating the response. "Zombies? Dead people who walk? How is that possible? There was no human nearby to control them."

"We don't know," Maggie interjected, crossing her arms with a tone of exasperation. "It just happens. They die, and after a while... they get back up."

Lyn shook his head, clearly skeptical. "That defies all logic. The dead don't just start walking out of nowhere," Lyn added. He had a thought similar to Ciri's. Besides, his eyes couldn't sense any strange magic in the body; it wasn't necromancy.

"Well, tell that to the thousands out there," Maggie retorted, her voice laced with sarcasm.

'Thousands? If this is the work of a necromancer, then the Wild Hunt will be a minor problem in comparison,' Lyn thought.

Ciri raised a hand to calm things down. "How long has this been happening?"

Glenn exchanged a look with Maggie before answering. "A few months... at first, no one knew what it was. They said it was a virus, but everything spiraled out of control quickly."

"And where are the authorities? The kings, the armies?" Lyn asked, trying to understand.

"Kings?" Maggie raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about? There are no kings. There was a government, but... it fell apart."

Ciri leaned slightly toward Glenn. "And the soldiers? Isn't anyone trying to fix this?"

"Maybe somewhere," Glenn replied, a note of despair in his voice. "But not here. We just... survive as best we can."

"They said it was a virus," Lyn murmured. "What kind of disease could cause something like this?" he asked, trying to think of diseases in his world, but even the most severe and strange ailments, like greyscale, couldn't compare.

Maggie sighed, her patience beginning to wear thin. "We don't know, okay? Not even the doctors knew."

"So no one's looking for a cure," Ciri concluded, her tone grave.

"Not here," Glenn said. "And I doubt anywhere else either."

Lyn frowned, lowering his sword slightly. "So this world is completely doomed. It's some kind of end of the world."

Maggie stared at him, her face hardening. "No, it's not. Some of us are still fighting."

"Well, I can respect that. There's always a reason to fight and stay alive."

Ciri crossed her arms, silently reflecting as she observed the interaction. Finally, she changed the subject. "What year is it?"

The question seemed to baffle both of them. Glenn hesitated. "What kind of question is that? It's 2010."

"And why would that matter?" Maggie added, frowning.

Lyn ignored the question, focusing on something else. "You said the dead rise. What happens if someone kills them again?"

"They stop," Glenn replied. "You have to destroy the brain."

"The brain?" Ciri nodded slowly, as if trying to understand the logic. Her thoughts drifted to the man, now a walker, they had killed just moments ago.

"Yes, it's the only way," Maggie added. "Anything else, and they just keep coming for you."

"And how many of them are there?" Lyn asked, adjusting his grip on his sword.

"Too many," Glenn whispered. "More than you could imagine."

Ciri observed their expressions. "And the people? Where is everyone?"

"Dead. Or hiding," Maggie said, lowering her gaze. "What's left of humanity isn't much."

"It's like they're talking about a world that no longer exists," Lyn said thoughtfully.

Glenn looked him directly in the eyes. "That's exactly what it is. The world we knew is gone."

Silence fell over them for a few seconds, only interrupted by the faint creak of the shelves as they shifted. Finally, Ciri sighed and lowered her sword. "Alright. I think that's enough for now."

"You sure? It'd be easier to just kill them," Lyn commented, as the duo tensed.

"You know I don't do things that way, Lyn. Only if it's the last resort. Here, it's not."

Lyn simply sighed and followed her lead, though he still distrusted them. Maggie and Glenn relaxed slightly, though their confusion didn't fully dissipate.

The duo knew they had more questions than answers, but for now, the important thing was figuring out how to survive in this strange and dangerous world.