Valyria VIII

"The war between the Maiden of Light and the Night Lion, and their respective 'successes' in breaking past their limits, spurred the other foremost magic users of that age," King Ghidorah continued. "The House of the Undying, the Shadow Lands, and certain other groups became places where they spread their respective faiths. They sought their own paths to 'godhood.' But not one of them succeeded."

Time continued to pass. Around five thousand years ago, a group of recklessly bold shepherds with some talent for magic discovered a kind of "active" magical energy on this peninsula. They settled here, studied it, and gradually came into contact with forbidden magic from organizations such as those in the Shadow Lands and the House of the Undying.

"They were very inventive, but also very greedy," King Ghidorah remarked. "They used the active energy here, combined with that forbidden knowledge, to conduct bloody magical experiments. They forcibly fused native magical creatures, such as fire lizards and bloodworms, with the energy I had released, then sacrificed vast numbers of lives. In the end, they 'created' dragons: powerful, controllable magical war beasts that could greatly enhance their strength."

With their dragons, these shepherds rapidly rose to power, established the Valyrian Freehold, and became the rulers of this land.

"Their success was built on disregard for this world's laws of energy and the value of life. In particular, their ties to organizations such as the House of the Undying grew ever deeper. Those organizations sought to influence Valyria into conducting larger magical experiments, potentially capable of shaking the foundations of the world, to achieve the 'godhood' they pursued."

Their actions finally drew that being's attention.

"R'hllor-or rather, the Maiden of Light-had always watched the changes in this world. The Valyrians' reckless behavior, and the organizations behind them that sought to claim 'godhood,' crossed her limits and threatened her interests. But the rules prevented her from destroying Valyria directly."

And so a plan began-or rather, an act of "guidance" and "provocation."

"Through certain channels, she allowed a select few of Valyria's foremost dragonlords to learn that the 'depths' of this peninsula might hold the 'ultimate secret of dragons,' 'divine power,' and other such things." King Ghidorah's thoughts were steeped in sarcasm. "Greed drove them. They gathered more than a dozen of their strongest dragonlords, mounted their dragons, and invaded this place, seeking the 'ultimate power' they imagined."

"They disturbed my slumber." All three of King Ghidorah's heads rose at once. Even through their mental exchange, the sudden eruption of fury made Viserys's consciousness shudder violently. "Though I slept to heal my wounds, I was not insensible. A swarm of ants, bringing a few crude imitations, dared to covet my very being."

The result was the scene Viserys had witnessed in his dream. The Fourteen Flames shook, and King Ghidorah, thoroughly enraged, awoke from her slumber. Alone, she fought more than a dozen Valyrian dragonlords and their dragons. The battle shook heaven and earth, but its outcome was never in doubt. Dragonlords fell, and dragons wailed. Yet under the strain of her fury and the battle, King Ghidorah's control over her power also faltered.

"My injuries were more stubborn than I had imagined, and I was not entirely compatible with this world's energy." A rare gravity and helplessness entered King Ghidorah's thoughts. "Forcing myself awake and fighting that battle caused my injuries to deteriorate catastrophically. My own primal power began leaking out uncontrollably. This higher-dimensional energy from my homeland is a 'foreign substance' with 'contaminating' properties to the matter and magical environment of your world."

"That is the other half of the truth behind the 'Doom.' My leaking power triggered a chain reaction with the active magic already present here. It warped the magnetic field, polluted the land and sea, and spawned all manner of mutated creatures, creating those strange fields that impede life and disrupt the mind. The Smoking Sea and the chaotic magical effects you encountered on your journey all arose this way."

"As for the black dragon coiled on the rock ledge, he was an accidental creation. I used the magic I had previously absorbed to induce a dragon egg here to hatch. He carries a trace of my aura, which allows him to survive here and instinctively obey my will."

The long account drew toward its end. King Ghidorah's six golden dragon eyes focused on Viserys once more, now bearing a hint of resolve.

"I have little time left. The deterioration of my injuries cannot be reversed, and in this world, where magic is now at a low ebb, I cannot obtain enough energy to repair them. If this continues, I will eventually perish completely in my slumber."

"So I have chosen 'nirvana.'"

"Nirvana?" Viserys seized on the crucial word.

"It is one of our race's inherited gifts. When faced with utter ruin, we condense and compress our most essential life imprint, memories, and pure primal essence into a 'Primordial Egg.' I will be reborn. Beginning from the most primitive state, I will adapt to this world and grow anew. This will completely resolve the conflict between me and this world's laws, and eliminate the source of contamination."

"This is also why I drew you here, Viserys Targaryen-or rather, a dragonlord's descendant who has merged with a soul from another world." King Ghidorah's thoughts laid his true nature bare. "Among the countless civilizations of the universe, humans may be rather ordinary in individual strength, but your potential and creativity are extraordinary. Your soul's unique nature, together with your dragonlord blood, your hunger for power, and the will you demonstrated in reaching this place, showed me a possibility. That is also why I chose you."

"What do you need me to do?" Viserys asked bluntly.

"Hatch the 'Primordial Egg' here. A considerable amount of magic still remains in this place. With my approval, you can absorb it and then use it to hasten my hatching. And preferably, you should succeed before the two 'gods' outside learn of it."

"What do I get in return?"

The thoughts of King Ghidorah's three heads came at once, bearing a solemn vow. "Once I regain my strength, and until your life reaches its end, I will be your companion, just like the dragon companions of this world. My power will be yours to wield, helping you reclaim your throne and fulfill your ambitions. As for the black dragon, during my nirvana and while I grow, he can serve as your mount for the time being. He has already reached an early stage of maturity and possesses considerable strength."

"Very well. I agree."

After waking the soldiers, Viserys had Ser Arthur lead them back to the Satheryen family's castle, following the black dragon. They were to first reunite with those who had stayed behind, then explore the Valyrian ruins together and gather whatever treasures they could find. With a dragon leading them, safety was no longer a concern.

Viserys, meanwhile, remained to absorb magical energy and hasten the hatching of the "Primordial Egg" into which King Ghidorah had transformed. The process proved even simpler than Viserys had imagined, however. King Ghidorah probably had not anticipated it either.

After just one week, the egg began to crack. Then a figure gleaming with a dark golden sheen struggled out of the shattered shell. She landed before Viserys and gazed at him with some astonishment. Despite having only just hatched, she was already about the size of an adult tiger.

A layer of fine, evenly arranged scales covered her entire body. Her form was sleek and powerful, her claws as sharp as hooks, and her two tails swayed constantly behind her. A pair of membranous wings, still immature in proportion to her body, lay folded at her sides. They were as thin as cicada wings, yet faint patterns of energy flowed through them.

Most striking of all, without question, were her three heads.

The central dragon head was the largest and seemed composed, a hiss like scraping metal rising from its throat. A faint golden light capable of distorting vision flickered deep within.

The head on the right swung about energetically. Its snorting breath carried a burst of blazing sparks that scorched the ground, proclaiming the authority of fire.

The head on the left was the quietest. It simply watched its surroundings in silence, yet the air slowly cooled with its exhalations, and a cold, ghostly blue light glimmered inside its mouth.