Dragon Eggs

In the days that followed, Viserys began making bolder attempts. Ordinary skinchangers could usually form a deep bond with only one kind of animal, yet within just a few days, he had established stable mental connections with three rats at once.

This unusual ability gave Viserys much to ponder.

After repeated experiments and comparisons with the accounts in ancient texts, he arrived at one possible explanation: as someone who had crossed into this world, his soul had undergone the tearing and restructuring of space and time, subtly changing its very nature.

That experience had made his mental power more resilient and given his consciousness a more unusual structure, allowing it to reach in several directions at once like an octopus's tentacles.

Another possibility was that the Targaryen bloodline's innate affinity for magic had further enhanced this gift. Viserys had possessed no such talent in the original story, however, so perhaps crossing into this world had awakened the power in his blood.

He began training this ability systematically, gradually increasing his connections from the original three rats to five, then seven. Every additional connection demanded more mental power, but he still seemed far from reaching his limit. During this time, he also connected with other animals, such as feral cats and stray dogs.

Meanwhile, he continued honing his greensight. With magic so depleted in the present age, this ability was especially important. He learned to distinguish the energy signatures given off by different things: the energy of stone was steady and ancient, that of flowing water was lively and cool, while the energy of living creatures brimmed with vitality and change.

Late one night a month later, Viserys decided the time was ripe.

He connected with twelve rats, four cats, and three dogs at once. Their consciousnesses wove together into an intricate network in his mind, their views appearing like feeds on a large screen in a surveillance center. Viserys guided these small animals along different routes toward the Hill of Rhaenys, where the Dragonpit stood.

This enormous, circular structure had once housed the Targaryen dragons. Now only ruins remained. Beneath the moonlight, it resembled a sleeping behemoth, exuding an air of age and mystery.

Viserys guided the animals into the Dragonpit through various gaps. The passages that had once led inside had long since been blocked by debris. On his previous searches, he had always been forced to turn back at this point. Now the animals could squeeze through.

Through their eyes, he could see the interior as well. It was in better condition than he had imagined. At least the lairs deep within and some of the dragonkeepers' former quarters on the platforms remained relatively intact.

While directing the animals to search for dragon eggs, Viserys also used his greensight, sensing the presence of living things in one area after another. In the first areas he searched, he detected only the energy of insects and weeds. But as they passed one platform, several searing currents of energy emanated from a dragonkeeper's room.

He thought this must be the energy signature of dragon eggs. According to several books, even dormant dragon eggs gave off unique magical fluctuations-the power of blood and fire.

Viserys had all the animals push the door open together. All he could see was a collection of battered wooden furniture. The energy fluctuations he had sensed came from beneath a dilapidated wardrobe.

Fortunately, the wardrobe had not been made from any expensive wood and was already somewhat rotten. He directed all the rats to gnaw a large hole through it. An iron chest lay buried in the ground beneath the wardrobe. It was unlocked, and when he opened it, he saw three dragon eggs resting quietly in recesses in the lining, each giving off its own distinctive glow.

The egg on the left had a soft, pearl-pink base covered in golden stripes, giving it the warm luster of jade. As the light shifted, those golden markings seemed to flow slightly, like living metal breathing.

The egg in the middle was an indigo blue like a clear sky, its shell scattered with tiny silvery-white specks, as though the night sky had been imprisoned on its smooth surface. If one stared closely, those star-like points seemed to shift subtly with the viewing angle.

The egg on the right radiated a warm, rich gold, as though summer sunlight had solidified. Milky-white ripples covered its shell, gently undulating over the golden base as if they were alive.

Yet amid his delight, Viserys also noticed several unusual details. Strange symbols had been carved inside the iron chest.

Through his greensight, he could see those symbols emitting a faint, unsettling blue energy. It stood in stark contrast to the energy of the dragon eggs themselves, as though suppressing their vitality.

More troubling still, he discovered some unusual instruments in one corner of the iron chest. They looked like tools for carving runes.

There were also several scraps of paper covered in writing. Although most of the words had become illegible, he could still make out a few key terms: "suppression," "degeneration," and "sterilization." Viserys carefully used a mouth to drag out a relatively intact piece of parchment and examine its contents.

"By order of the chief archmaester, we must ensure that these eggs can never hatch. We have carved suppressive runes inside the stone chest. This ancient technique can sever the resonance between dragon eggs and magical energy. The bloodline of dragons must end.

"These magical creatures bring nothing but chaos and destruction. House Targaryen's dependence on dragons has already threatened the balance of all Westeros. We have hidden three eggs here, awaiting a suitable opportunity to transport them back to the Citadel. We will obtain more dragon eggs in the future, but we must avoid attracting the attention of House Targaryen and the other traitors.

"The Citadel's mission is to safeguard knowledge, not magic. The age of dragons must end. We are certain that we are carrying out a great mission, even if it costs us our lives."

A chill crept up Viserys's spine as he read. These words confirmed his worst suspicions. The Citadel was not merely tampering with dragon eggs; it was systematically and deliberately eliminating everything connected to magic.

He recalled the histories he had read recently. Around 130 AC, when the number of dragons had fallen sharply, the Citadel had indeed sent large numbers of "dragonkeepers" to assist House Targaryen. Ostensibly, they had come to provide better care for the dragons. In reality, some among them had been carrying out this vicious plan to exterminate them.

The Citadel had always been hostile to magic, and dragons, as the foremost magical creatures, were naturally a primary subject of its "research."

The Dragonpit itself was one such example. It had originally been built at the maesters' suggestion. They claimed it would protect the other people of King's Landing and ensure that the dragons received better care. Yet most of the dragons confined there grew slowly and became irritable, causing many members of House Targaryen to die while trying to tame them.

He also remembered what Archmaester Marwyn of the Citadel had told Samwell Tarly in the original story: the Citadel was building a world without magic.

Marwyn himself was an "outsider" who stood apart from the Citadel's orthodoxy, firmly believing in magic and possessing practical knowledge of it. He was more an occultist and a man of action than a traditional scholar.

It seemed that only he and a handful of his students at the Citadel possessed Valyrian steel chain links symbolizing magic and the occult. He had also traveled through Essos in pursuit of magic, even visiting the ruins of Valyria and surviving. Apparently, in the original plot, he had also authenticated the three fossilized dragon eggs Illyrio gave Daenerys.

Viserys suspected these eggs had survived only because the dragonkeeper who stole them had not managed to smuggle them out before someone discovered they were missing, leaving him trapped by a lockdown in King's Landing. Later, he might well have died in the riot at the Dragonpit.

Thinking it over, House Hightower had played a role behind the Dance of the Dragons, the conflict that marked House Targaryen's turn from prosperity to decline. House Hightower ruled Oldtown, which was also where the Citadel stood.

Oldtown was also home to the Starry Sept, the principal seat of the Faith of the Seven. The Great Sept of Baelor would only become its principal seat in the future, when the High Sparrow became High Septon. The Faith of the Seven and the Targaryen Dynasty also shared a history of bitter bloodshed.

Although the two sides had finally reconciled during the reign of the long-lived King Jaehaerys, and still appeared to coexist peacefully, both had lost their highest leaders in their earlier struggles. How many hidden currents, then, were stirring beneath that calm?