The wind bit sharply against my scales as I glided through the cold air, the vast expanse of the Valyrian ruins sprawling below me. My wings, broad and heavy from years of growth, carved steady arcs through the sky. The scars that traced my body were a map of battles past deep gouges along my flanks where claws had torn, jagged burns from fire that had singed my scales, and a faded but stubborn mark on my jaw where I had barely escaped death. Each mark was a testament to survival, a story etched into flesh and memory. I was no longer the reckless hatchling who had first spread his wings in the skies above Old Valyria, I had grown both in size and in wisdom.
Below me, the jagged peaks of the ruined Valyrian peninsula rose like ancient sentinels, their shadows stretching long in the late afternoon sun. The air smelled of ash and salt, mixed with the faint, metallic tang of decay that lingered over the once-mighty empire's ruins. Despite the desolation, life still thrived in the skies and danger was never far.
Ahead, two wyverns circled with predatory grace. Their leathery wings beat rapidly, sharp talons glinting in the light, eyes locked on me with a mix of hostility and caution. Though smaller than I, their speed and agility were formidable. I could feel the tension coiling in their muscles, the hunger for a fight burning in their gaze. They were the hunters, and I was the prize or perhaps a rival they intended to eliminate.
I let out a low, rumbling growl, the sound reverberating through my chest like distant thunder. The wyverns answered with shrill cries, their bodies diving in swift, synchronized motion. The first launched itself at my neck, claws extended like knives aimed to rip through vulnerable flesh. But years of skirmishes had taught me better than to meet their fury blindly. I twisted midair, feeling the rush of air as talons sliced past mere inches from my throat.
I snapped back, jaws clamping down hard on the attacker's wing. The sickening crunch of brittle bone beneath my teeth echoed in the silent sky. The wyvern screamed and veered away, wounded but far from defeated.
The second attacker was faster, darting low along my flank, claws raking through thick scales and drawing hot, stinging pain. A fresh, angry line blossomed along my side, but I gritted my teeth against the ache. My tail lashed out like a living whip, striking the wyvern's ribs with the force of a battering ram. It cried out, spinning away with a broken wing.
Our aerial duel became a dance of death it was fast, brutal, and merciless. I exhaled controlled jets of fire, the flames roaring from my throat and scorching the air between us. The wyverns dodged and weaved, their screeches sharp and frantic as they tried to find an opening. But I was no longer the young dragon who relied on brute strength and fury. I moved with calculated precision, reading their every move, anticipating their attacks.
One of them dove in a spiraling plunge, aiming straight for my chest. I met it with a blast of intense flame, forcing it to swerve sharply to avoid the searing heat. The other circled warily, searching for a weakness in my defense.
Pain flared again as claws scraped across my snout, tearing scales and exposing raw flesh beneath. I hissed, a sharp sound born of both agony and anger. Flames flickered from my maw as I lunged upward, teeth snapping at the wyvern's neck. It twisted just in time, but I caught a chunk of wing membrane in my jaws, shredding it with a savage bite.
The sky churned with smoke and ash, the sunlight fractured by swirling clouds. My breathing was heavy but steady; muscles burned with exertion, fueled by adrenaline and the wild fire coursing through my veins. This was not a reckless fight it was a battle of wills, a contest of survival between ancient creatures who understood the stakes all too well.
Another claw strike caught me mid-turn, ripping a fresh wound along my wing. I roared in frustration and pain, the sound echoing across the desolate landscape below. With a mighty beat of my wings, I surged forward, tackling one wyvern midair. My jaws closed over its neck, teeth sinking deep into bone and sinew. It thrashed violently, wings flailing desperately, but I held firm until its struggles stilled and it fell away into the shadows below.
The remaining wyvern hesitated, eyes wide with fear and fury, circling cautiously as it assessed me. Then, with a sudden burst of desperate speed, it charged. We collided in midair, talons raking, teeth snapping in a brutal exchange. The sky seemed to pulse with the violence of our clash, each moment a test of strength and skill.
Finally, with a savage twist, I bit down hard on its neck, breaking bones and severing vital arteries. The wyvern let out a final, desperate cry before plummeting into the abyss below.
I hovered alone in the sky once more, chest heaving, wings trembling from exertion. The fresh wounds along my flanks stung, mingling with the familiar ache of old scars that throbbed like ghosts. But beneath the pain was a fierce exhilaration—a primal thrill that surged through my being. The wild fire inside me burned brighter now, tempered by years of hardship but never extinguished.
I stretched my wings wide, feeling the cool wind wash over my battered body. The world below was vast and full of mysteries yet to unravel. I was no longer just a dragon; I was a force of nature wild, fierce, and unyielding.
With a powerful roar that echoed across the desolate Valyrian skies, I spread my wings and soared onward, ready to face whatever challenges awaited in the endless horizon.
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Hope you enjoyed the chapter