Fire and Blood

Chapter 137: Battle Above the Gods Eye (Part 3)

The Riverlands ― Above the Gods Eye...

The hour had long surpassed midnight, shrouding the world in an impenetrable darkness that seemed to swallow all light. Dense clouds obscured the heavens, their heavy, roiling forms blotting out the stars and rendering it nearly impossible to see anything nearby. Aemond tightened his hold on the saddle's handlebars, his knuckles white against the leather as he maneuvered Vhagar through the night sky over the Gods Eye. The massive dragon's wings beat steadily, a rhythmic sound that resonated in the stillness, yet it felt like a heartbeat in a world that had fallen asleep. With one remaining eye narrowed against the wind, Aemond searched his left and right flanks; his senses heightened in the oppressive darkness. The world around him was a tapestry of shadows, and he could feel the weight of the night pressing down, thick and suffocating. Occasionally, he peered downwards, alert for the threat of a potential ambush.

The vast expanse of the Gods Eye stretched beneath him, its waters dark and unfathomable, reflecting the muted glow of the moon that struggled to break through the clouds. Suddenly, a flicker of movement grabbed his attention-a dark, fleeting shadow that stirred the clouds, coaxing them into a gradual, undulating dance. It was evident that something was coming. Anticipating the imminent arrival of Aeonar and his dragon Vaelor, Aemond braced himself for what lay ahead.

However...

From the ominous clouds below, three grand spheres of condensed dragonfire were unleashed, shimmering with a deep black hue and intricate swirls of menacing red. With unerring precision, they surged forth, hurtling directly toward their target.

"Dīnatan, Vagar! (Move, Vhagar!)" Aemond exerted his command as he strained against the reins, compelling his dragon to veer sharply to the left to evade an imminent strike.

"*RRAAAAAAOOOOOHH!*" Vhagar roared and turned as much as she could, barely dodging the three fireballs in the nick of time, though she felt the flame's heat. "*RRRAAAAAAAOOOHHH!!*" she growled, her nostrils flaring to pick up the Swiftrunner's scent.

Aemond could scarcely feel that. The searing, intense heat and sheer power of Vaelor's concentrated dragonfire would wreak far more significant damage to Vhagar than the ones Arrax and Gaemon inflicted above Shipbreaker Bay. Still, even their combined might paled compared to what Vaelor could unleash. Dragonfire of that scale, concentrated and focused, was not just an attack; it was a force of nature, and the sheer scale of destruction it could unleash upon impact was unfathomable.

As Vhagar flapped her massive wings to stabilize her flight, the air around her crackled with energy, echoing like distant thunder. Below, the vast clouds swirled and churned, a tumultuous sea of white and gray. Suddenly, Vaelor burst forth from below with great speed, his large body slicing through the clouds like a shark breaching the ocean's surface for a surprise attack. The coloration of his deep obsidian scales, the night skies, and dense clouds allowed the Swiftrunner to blend seamlessly with his surroundings. Vaelor's keen crimson eyes locked onto his target as he closed the distance. He could see the subtle shifts in Vhagar's posture, the way her muscles tensed as she prepared for the next phase of her flight. It was a moment of vulnerability, and he spears his head upward, huge jaws with blade-like serrated teeth opening wide.

Vhagar, with her extensive battlefield experience, quickly recognized that Vaelor was aiming for one of her most vulnerable areas: her soft underbelly. Memories of her fight against Vermithor and Silverwing at the Battle of Rook's Rest flooded her mind, each a vivid reminder of the stakes in protecting her weak spots. While the hardened scales and bony plates that adorned her epidermis provided formidable protection against most attacks, she was acutely aware that the skin on her abdomen was notably thin, almost fragile in comparison; a powerful bite from the Swiftrunner's jaws or well-placed strike from his razor-sharp claws could lead to devastating disembowelment causing a torrent of blood loss, a grave threat to her life. It was a grim reminder that even the mightiest dragons could fall if they were not careful. With a moment to spare, the Queen of All Dragons deftly adjusted her position mid-flight, her massive wings beating with a grace that belied her size. Instead of retreating or attempting to evade, she chose to confront the threat head-on. With a beat of her wings, Vhagar adjusted her position, angling her body to face Vaelor's impending assault directly, her night vision allowing her to see and lock onto him.