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Chapter 19 - Upgrade

A week had passed since he first soared over King's Landing on Dreamfyre's back, thought Aegon as he adjusted the clasps on his new riding gear. Since that first flight, he had taken to the skies twice more, once over the bustling sprawl of the city and once over the shimmering waters of Blackwater Bay. He hadn't ventured farther, not yet. His grandmother, Queen Alysanne, had forbidden it, for now.

And the reason why was wrapped around him at this very moment.

The dragon-riding suit.

A gift from the King and Queen, it had taken a full week to be custom-forged and fitted. Aegon admired it in the mirror, quietly impressed. The base was a light, flexible leather, dyed in a rich royal blue that echoed the hue of Dreamfyre's glittering scales. Metal pauldrons capped his shoulders, engraved with faint Valyrian patterns that shimmered subtly when the light caught them.

It was not a suit of war, but one of status, an acknowledgment that he had ascended to the rarest of heights.

It reminded him of Princess Rhaenys's own riding gear, practical, elegant, and unmistakably regal. But this one was his, tailored to his form.

A knock at the door broke his thoughts. He turned to see Daemon leaning against the frame, arms crossed, a smirk playing on his lips.

"You look like a real dragonrider now, brother," Daemon said.

Aegon gave a small, knowing smile and nodded in acknowledgment. Daemon always wore mischief like a cloak, but there was genuine pride in his voice.

"So, where will you be flying today?" Daemon asked, his tone casual.

"I'll be going over Driftmark," Aegon replied as he tugged his gloves into place. "Thought I'd give cousin Rhaenys a visit. I imagine Lord Corlys would appreciate a visit from the realm's newest dragonrider."

Daemon snorted softly. "Driftmark, huh? You'll charm half the Velaryon fleet while you're at it." He turned, waving a lazy hand as he walked away. "See you later then, brother. Don't fall into the sea."

Aegon chuckled under his breath and made his way down the hall, the sound of his boots echoing softly through the Red Keep.

As he passed, young maidservants paused mid-step, blushes blooming on their cheeks. Servants bowed or stepped aside with wide eyes, many stealing furtive glances at the finely dressed boy who was no longer just a prince but a dragonrider.

"Dreamfyre is already waiting, my lord," said the dragonkeeper, his voice hushed with reverence as he led Aegon through the wide, echoing passageway toward one of the Dragonpit's open-air caverns.

Aegon stepped into the sunlight and caught sight of her.

Dreamfyre.

She lay basking on a sun-warmed plateau near the edge of the cliff, her long serpentine neck curled loosely, wings half-unfurled like sails at rest. The light shimmered over her pale blue scales, each one catching the sun like polished sapphire.

Her eyes, however, never rested, glancing warily at the dragon keepers nearby. They stood watchful, hands near weapons, though none dared provoke her.

As Aegon approached, he felt it immediately, the subtle hum in his mind, a mental thread that tightened the closer he drew. The connection. In the past few days, he had tested its range meticulously.

Within twenty meters, it was strong, capable of full mental conversation. Beyond that, the link thinned and frayed. It didn't vanish, but reduced to a faint tether: a sensation that she was alive, no more, no less.

Dreamfyre, he thought, reaching out to touch her snout, stroking the warm, scaled surface gently. "Did you have a good meal?"

~Yes, came the answer, her voice a rich, feminine echo within his mind, calm, yet tinged with underlying pride.

Aegon smiled. "Let's ride, then."

She lowered her body, shifting so the saddle at the base of her neck was within reach. Aegon moved with practiced ease, climbing the rigged footholds and settling into the seat, strapping himself in with a fluid motion.

The leather reins hung loose, more ceremonial than functional now, they no longer needed to guide her by hand.

"Let's go, Dreamfyre."

The dragon growled softly, then began to move. Her wings twitched in anticipation as she ambled toward the edge of the cliff. Without hesitation, she leapt forward, diving headfirst into the open sky.

The drop was sudden, exhilarating. Wind howled past Aegon's ears, pressing against his armor, snapping the fabric of his cloak. He leaned forward, smiling, as Dreamfyre angled her body and unfurled her massive wings. With a powerful beat, she caught the air and rose sharply.

They were flying.

"Left, Dreamfyre. Towards the sea."

~Yes, she responded without hesitation, banking smoothly in that direction.

Below them, the Blackwater Bay gleamed like liquid silver, ships like toy boats bobbing near the harbor. King's Landing shrank behind them, the Red Keep rising high above the city like a crowned sentinel.

Aegon sat straighter in the saddle, feeling the wind and freedom rush over him.

A blue dragon and its rider flew low along the eastern coast of Blackwater Bay, their shadow stretching long over the waves as the sun climbed higher.

Every time he flew, Aegon felt it again, that untouchable, wild sense of liberation. No walls. No court politics. No whispers. Only sky and wind.

"Dreamfyre, fly close to the sea," he said aloud, not needing to.

~Yes, came the voice in his mind, fluid and serene.

The dragon angled downward, wings folding slightly to dive. Wind screamed past them as they descended, cutting the air like a spear. Then, just above the surface, Dreamfyre flattened out. Her claws nearly skimmed the water, and her wings kicked up a trail of sea spray.

"Dreamfyre… to the sea. Dracarys."

With his command, her throat glowed with inner light, and a blast of brilliant yellow-white fire erupted from her maw.

It scorched the sea below, boiling it instantly, leaving a trail of hissing, steaming water behind. The ocean screamed where fire met salt.

"Dreamfyre, higher," he ordered, eyes shining.

Yes. She began to rise in smooth arcs, wings straining powerfully as they climbed.

"Now… move straight."

She soared forward steadily, the wind now colder, stronger, whispering across his face. Aegon closed his eyes briefly, inhaling deeply. This was his dominion, his place in the world.

After a while of flying, "Dreamfyre… land near that hill."

~Yes. She banked gently, then descended toward a low cliff east of Duskendale. From the air, Aegon had scanned the area, no movement, no people. Just rocks, scrub plants, and the sound of distant waves.

Dreamfyre landed with a rumbling growl, her wings folding around her like a cloak.

Aegon remained atop the saddle, eyes scanning the horizon before pulling up his interface. He needed to see it with his own eyes.

[EXP: 120,400]

He couldn't help it, he grinned foolishly. That was more than he'd ever held in reserve. All of it earned in a single week of claiming Dreamfyre.

The scale of impact was undeniable. Every flight, every awe-struck noble, every tremble of fear and wonder in the eyes of the smallfolk, it all fed into this.

Becoming a dragonrider changed everything.

He reached down and patted Dreamfyre's side. "Remember how we first got mentally connected?" he whispered. "Now I'm going to do something similar again."

Dreamfyre growled, deep and approving.

Grinning, Aegon concentrated, reaching inward to the pool of stored experience. Then, with deliberate control, he poured a torrent of EXP into the class [Dragon Rider].

[-16,500 EXP]

[Class Level Increased: 1 → 6]

The change was immediate.

Heat, intense, radiant, swept through his body. But it didn't stop with him. It surged into Dreamfyre as well, racing across her scaled hide in pulsing waves of energy. It was as if their very blood, their very souls, were syncing in perfect harmony.

For a moment, the heat formed a bridge between them, not mental, not physical, but something in between. He could feel her pulse, her hunger, even her amusement.

~Feel good, her voice purred in his mind, more intimate than ever. ~Again.

He chuckled wryly. "Later."

He did not dare to leap straight to Level 10.

The power granted by each stage of [Dragon Rider] was immense, he could feel it in every fiber of his bond with Dreamfyre. To push too fast, too recklessly, might trigger changes he could not control.

Unstable growth, unforeseen backlash... Aegon knew better than to gamble with a force he was still learning to master.

Instead, he took the cautious route, first raising the class to Level 6. He would observe the transformations, grow used to them, test their limits.

Only once he was sure everything remained stable, no shifts in temperament from Dreamfyre, no erratic magic feedback or changes to his own body, would he commit to the final surge toward Level 10.

Then, focusing his breath, he examined the new changes.

[Class: Dragon Rider (Tier 2)]

[Prerequisites:

- Class: Heir of Old Valyria at max Level 10 (satisfied)

- INT ≥ 9.0 (satisfied)

- DEX ≥ 6.0 (satisfied)

- AGI ≥ 6.0 (satisfied)

- Accepted by a Dragon for riding (satisfied) ]

[Level 6 (000 / 6600)]

[Trait : Symbiosis of Flame and Flesh

(+45% Riding efficiency and control with bonded dragon)

(+45% Mental connection with bonded dragon)

(+35% Growth rate of bonded Dragon)]

[Trait : Draconic Conduit

(+45% Dragon fire temperature when riding)

(+40% Combat efficiency with bonded dragon)

(+35% Magic Resistance)]

The results were beyond what he'd hoped for.

He could feel it already, the strength in Dreamfyre's frame, the sharper edge in their mental bond. Her instincts bled into his more clearly now, and her body already felt… larger. He wouldn't be surprised if she grew faster now, more muscle, broader wings, thicker scales.

She was evolving with him.

Aegon sat back slightly in the saddle, wind rustling his hair. "We'll make you one of the greats, Dreamfyre," he said softly.

The dragon let out a low, proud trill.

He spent the next hour weaving through the clouds and testing the limits of their new synergy. The riding felt smoother now, like he was moving with her rather than atop her.

Where once he guided with reins and pressure, now he guided more by thought, an intention, a glance, even a silent image in his mind was enough to make Dreamfyre respond.

When he willed her to bank right over the coast, she twisted effortlessly, following not a command, but a shared impulse.

He even tried something new, closing his eyes and picturing the cliff where they had first flown together. Within seconds, Dreamfyre stirred, sensing the image in his mind. She didn't move, she understood it wasn't a command. But she knew.

He smiled.

The strengthened mental connection had expanded their reach. He now knew with certainty that he could summon her from nearly 500 meters away, sharing his position and emotion with clarity.

She could find him now, even through walls or forests or castle stones.

Their synergy was no longer just rider and dragon. It was fusion.

Once satisfied, Aegon directed Dreamfyre forward, the blue-scaled dragon slicing through the sky like a bolt of magic toward the sea. Their destination loomed ahead: Driftmark.

 

Aegon soon reached Driftmark, the island home of House Velaryon, its sharp cliffs and grey-stone architecture looming above the churning sea. Dreamfyre flew high and proud above the isle, her azure wings casting long shadows over the beaches, the bustling docks, and the clustered fishing villages that clung to the coast.

He did not land immediately. Instead, he guided Dreamfyre in a wide, majestic circle around the entire island. Below, the smallfolk looked up, squinting at the blue shape in the sky, some shielding their eyes, others pointing excitedly.

The sailors in the harbor dropped what they were doing, jaws slack.To them, this wasn't just a dragon; it was the arrival of a prince, a rider of fire and blood.

As he flew low over the beaches, Aegon caught sight of Meleys, the Red Queen, basking atop a large flat rock near the southern shore. Her crimson scales shimmered like flame in the sunlight, and she lifted her head sharply as Dreamfyre passed overhead. With a thunderous, echoing roar, she greeted Dreamfyre.

Dreamfyre answered with her own resonant bellow, wings flaring wide in pride.

Aegon couldn't help but smile.

Finally, he brought Dreamfyre into a slow descent toward Castle Driftmark. The keep stood at the island's heart, old and weathered, but with the unmistakable strength of generations.

Dreamfyre landed just outside the main gate, sending gusts of wind and loose dust across the courtyard as she touched down. Her wings folded with a low shhhk, her tail curling around protectively.

Bannermen and retainers of House Velaryon were already gathered, having seen his approach. They stood in a loose half-circle, silent in awe, as they stared up at the dragon and its young rider.

And then the gate opened.

From within strode Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, clad in a finely tailored tunic of crimson and black, its edges embroidered with gold thread that caught the light with every step.

Upon her chest gleamed the silver seahorse of House Velaryon, her new station as the Lady of Driftmark proudly displayed.

Lilac eyes, sharp and steady, sparkled with pride as they rose to meet the sight of her young cousin astride Dreamfyre. There was admiration in her gaze, but also recognition.

Rhaenys knew what it meant to be a dragonrider.

Beside her walked Vaemond Velaryon, the Sea Snake's nephew. His expression was more controlled, measured but his eyes held sharp focus, as though assessing Aegon's purpose.

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