Aegon and Daenys waited quietly beside Tiamat for a while.
When the dragon had recovered somewhat from its drug-induced daze, Aegon scrambled up onto its massive back. But just as he was about to soar into the sky, he was shocked to discover there was no saddle on Tiamat's back.
Left with no choice, he had to put off their first flight together.
Instead, Aegon and Daenys rode atop Dreamshade as he shouted commands for Tiamat to climb the steep cliffside.
"Tiamat, come here. Breathe fire at the cave opening over there."
Once Tiamat was in position, Aegon gave the order without hesitation: "Dracarys!"
In an instant, crimson dragonfire surged from Tiamat's mouth like a roaring flood, pouring into the cave.
Other exits on the mountainside also erupted in blazing flame.
In no time, the cave was scorched red-hot by the searing breath. The rocks at the entrance melted into black-red lava, and soon, the entire cave began to collapse and melt under the intense heat.
Daenys, witnessing the terrifying power of Tiamat's breath, swallowed hard. It was simply too hot, too fierce—she couldn't imagine anything surviving more than a few minutes in that molten inferno.
"That's enough, big girl."
Aegon quickly moved to stop Tiamat from continuing its relentless breath.
It seemed her immense size gave her an unusually long breathing time; Tiamat's dragonfire just went on and on.
She tilted her enormous head—massive as a train—and stretched it toward Aegon on Dreamshade, then slowly opened her mouth and stuck out her tongue.
Seeing this, Aegon's face darkened. He figured she was asking for blood orchids again.
"Not today."
He spread his hands helplessly, shaking his head while mentally projecting to her that there were no blood orchids left.
Tiamat sneezed in protest, and thick black smoke blasted several meters from both her nostrils. Startled by the sudden puff, Dreamshade shuddered and flapped her huge wings rapidly, quickly pulling away from Tiamat.
"Let's head back and rest for now. Tomorrow, we'll go find you something to eat." Aegon hurried to soothe the agitated Tiamat in High Valyrian.
Tiamat seemed to understand. Her massive body slowly glided down the steep mountainside, returning to her blazing-hot nest.
"It's nearly morning. Let's hurry back and rest too." Aegon sat down slowly, looking a little weary.
"Aren't you going to stay with your dragon?"
Daenys turned her head slightly, skillfully steering Dreamshade around.
"Tiamat's lair is just too hot. Normal people couldn't possibly stay in there," Aegon replied with a resigned tone.
He gently wrapped his arms around Daenys' soft waist, feeling the delicate warmth of her body. Since Daenys had taken the initiative to express her feelings today, Aegon had naturally become much bolder.
Daenys let out a soft murmur, her cheeks flushed, but she didn't stop Aegon's hands from wandering.
Dreamshade slowly descended toward the riverbank, seemingly drawn to the damp surroundings.
On the dragon's back, Daenys was left breathless by Aegon's teasing, her slender frame trembling slightly. But she resisted the stirrings in her heart, composed herself, and rose from the dragon's back, slipping out of Aegon's embrace.
Aegon followed her down, a little disappointed.
Together, they stepped into the river to wash. After spending so long in the ash-filled Abyss of Flames, the sweat on their bodies had long since mingled with grime. Daenys gently scrubbed Aegon's body, her eyes inadvertently falling on the changes in him, and she sighed softly.
"In the real world… I'm still not completely ready," she murmured, lowering her head, a faint blush rising on her face. After a moment's pause, as if summoning courage, she looked up and said quietly, "But tonight, in the dream… you can do whatever you want."
Aegon gave a small nod, reaching out to caress Daenys' slightly worn face.
She had endured too many ordeals these past days—her spirit was truly exhausted.
...
By the riverbank, inside a simple triangular shelter made from branches.
Daenys and Aegon lay side by side, their clothes hanging outside to dry. At this moment, they were skin to skin, embracing one another as they slept.
Half asleep, Aegon suddenly felt a familiar mental tug. His consciousness smoothly slipped into Daenys' dream.
This time, the dream scene before him was the same room where they had last tangled together in passion.
Daenys sat quietly at the edge of the bed, head bowed. Her silver hair cascaded down like a curtain, veiling her face. The moment Aegon's form appeared in the dream, her delicate frame gave a startled shiver.
Aegon stepped forward and gently lifted her chin with his index finger, slowly raising her head, her skin smooth as cream.
Their eyes met, and Aegon leaned in, pressing his lips to Daenys' trembling cherry lips.
In the real world's shelter, their bodies instinctively drew closer, as though longing to melt into one another's souls and become one.
The symphony began once more, echoing through the silent night.
...
By midday the next day, the sunlight was pouring warmly over the land.
Aegon and Daenys stirred slowly in their makeshift shelter. They had slept deeply and long, only waking at this late hour.
As they stepped outside, the sunlight shimmered like golden threads, wrapping around them. Its warmth lifted their spirits and brightened their mood.
Perhaps it was because they had both become Dragon Knights and gained a significant boost in power that the heavy burden weighing on their hearts had finally begun to lift.
The prophecy of Valyria's doom still loomed over them like a dark cloud, and the many obstacles in the Targaryen evacuation plan remained a crushing weight—but now, they finally had a strength they could rely on.
"Raaah~" Dreamshade let out a joyful cry as it splashed in the sparkling river, a large fish clutched in its mouth. Its gem-like dragon eyes blinked playfully as it looked at Aegon and Daenys with clear delight.
Aegon scanned the area and saw that the riverbank was already piled with fish, stacked like a small mountain. It seemed this dragon had quite the fondness for grilled fish.
Feeling a bit hungry, Daenys and Aegon exchanged a smile and immediately directed Dreamshade to ignite the branch shelter they had been using. In an instant, flames roared to life, becoming a perfect campfire for grilling fish.
After gutting and cleaning the catch, the two sat comfortably by the fire.
While turning the fish to ensure it cooked evenly, Aegon spoke with a serious expression. "Tiamat's body has undergone some strange changes after consuming the magic plant. She now has the ability to grow stronger by devouring other dragons and absorbing their power.
I've been thinking—we could go hunting in the canyon of the Fourteen Flames. There are a lot of dragons there, and if we succeed, our strength will grow even more."
A flicker of surprise passed through Daenys' eyes. "So last night, when Tiamat devoured that green dragon in the forest... it was for this reason?"
Aegon gave a small nod.
"The dragons in the Fourteen Flames are technically in a semi-free range. There are hundreds of them. Losing a few shouldn't raise too much concern." Daenys lifted a delicate hand, picked up a grilled fish, and took a small bite. Realizing it wasn't fully cooked, she placed it back on the fire.
She paused to think. "Still, we should be cautious when hunting dragons."
"If she ends up devouring ten or more dragons, won't that draw the wrath of the Dragonlord Council?" Aegon asked with concern.
Daenys tilted her head slightly and fell silent for a moment, as if carefully weighing the risks. "We must be extremely discreet. No one can know Tiamat is hunting other dragons. As long as we aren't caught in the act, even if the Dragonlord Council suspects something, they'll be hesitant to act recklessly when facing a Royal-tier dragon. They might even be forced to compromise."
Aegon immediately understood the unspoken message behind Daenys' words.
Put simply—leave no evidence. And if anyone does find out, they must be silenced without a trace.
...
After finishing their meal, Aegon and Daenys worked together to cut down the rope ladder attached to Dreamshade. Then they felled a large tree and fashioned a basic, temporary dragon saddle.
Once everything was ready, the two rode Dreamshade back to the Abyss of Flames.
As soon as they reached Tiamat's lair, Aegon couldn't wait to install the newly made saddle on her. He checked the harness several times to ensure it was securely fastened. Then, bursting with excitement and anticipation, he mounted his dragon for the very first time and shouted,
"Let's go, Tiamat!"
"Roar!" A thunderous roar shook the air as Tiamat began to charge forward with her massive, slightly clumsy body.
Even from atop Dreamshade, Daenys could feel the powerful tremors rippling up from the ground.
She gave Dreamshade a light pat, and the dragon instantly understood, flapping her massive wings and lifting off from the ground. In no time, she was soaring beside Tiamat.
Daenys and Aegon gazed at each other from afar, then shared a smile.
Dreamshade flew alongside Tiamat like a nimble frigate guarding a mighty aircraft carrier, circling and patrolling around her.
Tiamat was familiar with the nearby dragon dens, so Aegon simply let her follow her instincts.
Daenys took a map from her pack and carefully compared it to their current location. She quickly realized that Tiamat was leading them toward the nearest site to the Abyss of Flames—Stinking Bone Swamp.
Aegon sat high on Tiamat's back, shouting freely as the dragon carried him across the boundless sky. In that moment, he truly felt like the undisputed ruler of the skies—of this time and of this world. The exhilaration of such a dramatic surge in power coursed through him like a rising tide, uncontainable and wild.
Daenys smiled softly, quietly watching Aegon as he shouted out in exhilaration. She still vividly remembered the first time she had soared through the skies on a dragon's back—that unique, indescribable sensation was etched deep into her heart, something she would never forget for the rest of her life.
Tiamat's massive body swept over the forest at incredible speed, like a shadow that blotted out the sun. The turbulent air currents left in her wake tore through the treetops, flattening swaths of slender trees as if a storm had passed.
At over a hundred meters long, even her slightest movements brought about small-scale devastation to the natural world around her.
As they flew past the forest, the scenery below began to shift. Scattered ponds started to appear, glistening like pearls when viewed from above, dotting the vast terrain with shimmering light.
The shrubbery became increasingly dense. The once-isolated ponds gradually merged together, sketching out the sprawling contours of a swamp.
They flew swiftly, and soon reached the Stinking Bone Swamp.
Tiamat dipped her massive head slightly, peering down at the wetlands below. Her dark-gold eyes scanned the terrain with focused intensity, searching for signs of a Dragonpit.
Noticing this, Aegon quickly flashed a hand signal toward Daenys.
She understood at once and responded with a signal of acknowledgment. Giving Dreamshade a gentle tap on the side, she wordlessly issued her command. Instantly understanding her intent, Dreamshade beat her fleshy wings and veered away from Tiamat, darting ahead with her superior speed to begin searching for any sign of a dragon across the vast swamp.
...
A short while later, Tiamat let out a low, rumbling growl, tinged with the faint edge of impatience.
"Roar!"
Aegon frowned, puzzled. "Don't tell me the dragon that used to live here has already been tamed and ridden away?"
Just as he was about to have Tiamat abandon this Dragonpit and head for the next possible site...
Suddenly, Dreamshade's sharp, ringing cry echoed from the distance.
"Raaaah~~~"
"There's something! Tiamat, that way!" Aegon's heart leapt with excitement. He quickly patted Tiamat's back, signaling her to turn and rush toward the sound.
Tiamat's massive form traced a wide arc through the sky as she turned. By the time Aegon reached Dreamshade's position, they were already nearing the edge of the Stinking Bone Swamp.
From his perch high in the sky, Aegon looked out—and spotted a surprising scene.
Hovering above the swamp's edge, alongside Tiamat and Dreamshade, were three other dragons flying in the open sky.
At that moment, they were locked in a tense chase—two pursuing one.
A young dragon, roughly ten meters long, was fleeing for its life, being relentlessly hunted by two full-grown adult dragons.
The young one was pitch black, like ink staining the sky. Its skull-shaped head was lined with jagged, protruding ridges, and though its jaws were clamped shut, thin streams of green fire still leaked out from between its teeth. The flames twisted and flickered with eerie vitality, as though alive, casting a strange green glow from its mouth.
"Screee~"
The young dragon let out a piercing cry, but there was an undeniable weakness in its voice—it was clearly running out of strength.
And its pursuers—two enormous adult dragons—were easily several times its size. The gap in power between them was staggering.
For it to have lasted this long without being caught, the young dragon was already an exceptional talent among its kind.