Ice and Fire: Reign of the Dragon.

Chapter 379 The First Drop of Dragon Blood
Time goes back to the third day of the Dragon Cave Change.

The morning mist hung over the riverlands like a shroud of death. Aerion Targaryen could smell the sulfur in the air, a stench of dragon dung mixed with fire. Vermax's dark green scales shone coldly in the morning sun as he tightened the dragon's rope and felt the muscles of the beast beneath him tremble.

"There." His son Varys' voice came from the right. His amber shadow appeared and disappeared in the mist. The milky white dragon's neck was twisted like a snake, and its eyes flashed with a strange light in the mist.

The remains of three abandoned watchtowers rose on the hills in the distance, with three dark shadows hovering atop them. Even from leagues away, Aerion could make out the outline of a scarlet dragon—Caraxius, dragon of the rogue prince and hero Daemon Targaryen, now wreaking havoc across the heart of the kingdom carrying a traitor who had disgraced his ancestors.

"Daemon!" Aerion's roar resounded through the air. "In the name of your father, and in the name of the loyalty that your name symbolizes, surrender immediately!"

The figure on the back of the scarlet dragon turned around. The sun shone on the unsheathed Blackfyre sword, and the dark red ripples looked like dried blood. "I am carrying out my father's will, uncle." Daemon's voice was gentle but firm. "He gave us a legitimate identity, but you did not respect my father's will and let the Targaryens fall into the abyss. Since my father gave me Blackfyre, I have the responsibility to correct the chaos on my father's behalf. Uncle, we are the Targaryens."

Maegon rode the purple-gold Garethos to flank from the left, his mail still stained with last night's dew. "It's not too late to turn back now, Daemon. Hand over the dragon and disband the rebels."

The answer was a shrill laugh. Aegor sat on the sheep thief's dragon saddle, the blood-stained sword casually slung over his shoulder. "Listen to what the scholar prince has to say. Our incompetent uncle is still so naive." He spat, "As if we care about the preaching of a few old men."

"Shut up, Iger, and keep your stinky mouth clean."

Varys was unusually angry. He gripped the reins tightly and shouted to Aerion, "Father, they are stalling for time."

Ilion's eyes swept over the three enemy dragons. Korakshuu's left wing had an old wound that had not healed, and the scales of the Sheep Thief were dull. Only the emerald Jade Olins was in good condition. On their side, the three dragons had been resting for a long time.

But their dragons were much smaller than Korakshuu and the Sheep Thief, and only Vermax could compete with the two old dragons. If they really fought, the outcome was unknown.

"Last chance." Ilion pulled the dragon rope, and Vermax spread his wings, casting a huge shadow.

Daemon just smiled and slowly raised the Blackfire Sword.

“Dracarys!”

The bronze dragon flames and the scarlet pillars of fire collided in mid-air, erupting with a deafening roar. The heat wave overturned the trees within a half-mile radius, and the dead grass instantly turned to ashes. Valis rode the Amber Shadow and rushed towards Jade Orinth like an arrow from a bow. The milky white dragon twisted its neck strangely and almost bit the throat of the Emerald Dragon.

"Watch out for his tail!" Megen shouted a warning, pulling the chain to make Galesos climb rapidly. The purple-gold dragon shadow flashed by, barely avoiding the sheep thief's attack. The peat-colored male dragon roared angrily, and the dragon's tail swept across the lake, stirring up water splashes all over the sky.

Ilion felt the muscles of Vermax tense under him. This strong male dragon had experienced dragon fights, and he remembered how to deal with a giant dragon. He deftly turned his body to the side, letting the flames of Korakshu brush against his wing membrane, while using his hind claws to fiercely grab the opponent's injured left wing. Daemon grabbed the reins and dodged Vermax's attack. He swung his slender dragon neck and bit Vermax.

The battle between Varys and Aegon was the most thrilling. The long neck of the Perch swung like a whip, and the eyes were fixed on the opponent. In the previous confrontation, Jade Orinth had left several wounds on the Perch. It seemed that it didn't care about the injuries caused by the Perch, and it only wanted to hunt down the Perch, forcing the milky white dragon to stay away from the savage green dragon in order to protect the rider. When Jade Orinth spewed out emerald flames, the milky white dragon slid along the edge of the flames like a fish. The dragon flame swept past and ignited Aegon's dragon whip again.

"Sissy!" Aegon roared.

But the dragon suddenly stiffened. Before Valis could turn around, he was knocked off the dragon's back by a huge force. The sheep thief's claws pierced through the dragon's neck, and the sharp dragon's teeth instantly penetrated the slender dragon neck, and the milky white scales shattered like porcelain.

"No!" Aerion's roar was heartbreaking. He saw his son falling from a height of 100 meters, followed by the shattered milky white dragon.

Megen's Garethos screamed, and the blazing dragon flames forced back the sheep thief who had succeeded in the sneak attack. But it was too late. Megen didn't even see clearly when the sheep thief flew to the clouds near Amber Shadow. The cunning old dragon had just used dragon flames and claws to hit Garethos, who was smaller than it, and had to retreat into the clouds temporarily. When the purple-gold dragon regrouped and returned to join the battle, Amber Shadow's body had already smashed heavily on the abandoned tower, exploding into a burst of sparks, and his green eyes had lost their luster forever.

Aerion felt dizzy. Memories came flooding back like a tide - the joy he felt when he had just had a son, the anger and helplessness this cowardly son brought to him, the trembling and joy he felt when Varys rode a dragon for the first time. All of these were now transformed into a broken body lying in the mud.

Vormax sensed the rider's grief and roared loudly. The bronze dragon flames sprayed towards Korakshu desperately, forcing Daemon to retreat again and again. But the cunning Blackfyre had already blown the dragon flute to retreat, and the three rebel dragons took the opportunity to flee - in almost the blink of an eye, the three dragons disappeared into the clouds.

Megen wanted to pursue, but Galesos's right wing was already injured.

"Be quiet, be quiet." Aerion knelt beside his son's body, and his trembling fingers brushed over the face that looked so much like his mother.

As the sun rose higher, crows began to gather, smelling the corpse. The wail of Vermax echoed across the hills, as if mourning the death of another true dragon.

When Maegon finally mustered up the courage to approach, he saw that his brother's purple eyes had turned red. Aerion was holding his son's body, humming a lullaby softly, which was Varys' favorite song when he was a child - Aerion had used it to curse his son's weakness.

In the ruins of the castle in the distance, the remains of Amber Shadow began to cool. Its milky white scales looked like broken pearls in the moonlight, and its green eyes gradually became covered with the shadow of death. A crow landed on the dragon's corpse and pecked at the coagulated dragon blood.

Then he fell screaming.

Dragon blood is fire, and no living creature can escape the punishment of fire.

"Let's go." Ilion tied his son's body to his body.

Megen followed his brother in silence.

(End of this chapter)