The next day, the royal family and the scholars gathered once more in Aegon's medical chamber.
The number of royal guards was noticeably greater than yesterday, and each carried spears and other weapons designed for subduing dangerous beasts.
Whether by intent or instinct, the guards had formed a loose ring around Prince Aenys.
Aenys himself appeared slightly taller, his features softer, yet beneath his robes the sleek definition of his muscles was clear.
Princess Alyssa clung to her husband's arm, her face glowing with happiness.
Maegor watched his elder brother with unease. When his gaze drifted over the children standing nearby, his heart suddenly clenched—one small face was missing. His nephew Jaehaerys was nowhere in sight. A terrible suspicion surged in his mind.
Maegor's expression darkened. He tightened his grip on Dark Sister's hilt and strode toward Aenys, locking eyes with those dragon-like pupils.
"Where is Jaehaerys?" he demanded.
Aenys bared his teeth in a grin, licking his lips. "Why don't you guess?"
"What are you doing, Maegor?" Queen Rhaenys hurried to stand between them, glaring at her nephew. "After the violence you inflicted on Aenys yesterday, you still dare speak to him like this? Do you feel no guilt at all toward your own kin?"
Chastened by his aunt's rebuke, Maegor's face flushed with shame. "But Aenys… last night, he… he ate—"
Queen Visenya stepped forward, taking her son by the arm. "Maegor, saving your father is what matters most right now."
Seeing her give a slight shake of her head, Maegor exhaled heavily, swallowed his words, and turned to order the physicians to begin the transplant of the [Seed of Life] into Aegon.
The procedure mirrored the one performed on Aenys the day before, though this time Aegon—unconscious—made no cries of pain.
Before long, the Archmaester of the New School of Medicine finished suturing the Emperor's chest.
Wiping the sweat from his brow, he bowed respectfully. "Your Highness, I have done all I can. Whether His Majesty wakes now is in the hands of the Seven."
Maegor gave a curt nod, dismissing him to rest.
All eyes in the chamber fixed on Aegon. His chest rose and fell with strong, steady beats, and soon, before their astonished gaze, the wound began to knit itself together.
Gasps echoed through the room as the healing flesh pushed out the cotton sutures. His skin regained the smooth pallor of youth, even the lines of age fading away.
Maegor's hand tightened on his sword hilt. If the one who wakes is a man-eating monster… how am I supposed to face him?
Then, Aegon's fingers twitched.
The first to react was young Rhaena.
The girl, closest to her grandfather, shoved past the guards and ran straight to his side, heedless of the blood that still clung to him. She cupped his face in both hands. "Grandfather, it's me—Aya. Please, wake up… Grandfather…"
The rest of Rhaenys' kin crowded forward, but Maegor and Visenya stayed rooted where they stood.
"Mother… I'm afraid of him," Maegor whispered.
"He is your father," Visenya replied softly. "Even if he has become a monster." She tugged at his sleeve, pulling him toward the bed.
Under the expectant eyes of the court, Aegon's lids fluttered… and slowly opened.
They were golden eyes, like Aenys'—but the pupils were narrow, vertical slits, their depths flashing with lightning-bright sharpness. The gaze radiated wildness and danger.
"Grandfather's awake! Grandfather's awake!" Rhaena cried, pressing a kiss to his cheek.
Around them, ministers and maesters broke into jubilant murmurs at the Emperor's revival.
Aegon's gaze swept across those gathered. "I never imagined the blood of Valyria's dragonlords would be so compatible with the [Seed of Life]."
He pushed himself upright—only to find his palms sinking deep into the metal surface beneath him.
Startled, he pulled them back and stared at the pale, youthful skin of his hands, then down at the dent his grip had left in the iron table.
"So strong…" he murmured. Ignoring the exclamations and congratulations around him, he activated the chip to scan his body.
[Aegon Targaryen:
Base Attributes: Politics …; Vitality: 196; Magic: 199
Talents: [S-rank – Beyond the Heavens …]; [C-rank – Dragon Demon – King of Plagues (Unawakened)]
…]
A new talent—Dragon Demon. Did that mean he was no longer human?
His vitality had surged to nearly four hundred—more than some young dragons possessed. That such terrifying life force could be contained in a human frame was staggering.
So, in my past life… I created something this monstrous.
Thinking back, he guessed it must be the dragon's blood of Tiamat at work. When he had extracted it, Tiamat had already been receiving the immortal substance of the Outer God beneath Bloodsource Peak.
Perhaps the [Seed of Life]'s abnormal power was tied to that Outer God as well.
But what exactly did [C-rank – Dragon Demon (Unawakened)] mean?
Probing inward, he sensed a new energy in his flesh and blood—something like magic.
He willed it to move, and at once his talent shifted: [C-rank – Dragon Demon (0.1%)].
If he could drive it to 100%… what would happen then?
Before he could test it, his stomach gave a loud growl.
Aegon was starving.
He had been bedridden for days, surviving only on thin broths, and now this newly reborn body was reaching its limit.
"Quick—bring food for His Grace," an attendant at Harrenhal barked toward the servants outside the medical chamber.
Maegor heard his father's stomach growl and instinctively stepped back, his eyes fixed on Aegon, waiting to see how he would react.
Visenya's grip on her son's wrist tightened, her palm damp with sweat.
Aenys' lips curved into a faint, unreadable smile. He ran his tongue across them, clearly curious to see how his father would handle the changes in his body.
Aegon's nostrils flared as he took in a breath. His brow furrowed, and he turned toward the granddaughter clinging to him. The golden glare of his eyes made Rhaena's heart skip.
"Grandfather… don't look at me like that. You're scaring me," she said softly. Her body recoiled with instinctive fear, yet she still held onto his neck, nuzzling him with affection.
"Why… why do you—why do all of you smell so good?!" Aegon's eyes widened as he scanned the room. Every person there seemed to exude a strange, tantalizing aroma that made his mouth water, filling him with a nearly irresistible urge to cut them open and feast.
"Fragrant?" Rhaenys sniffed at her sleeve in surprise. "I haven't even worn that perfume you made today."
The others exchanged baffled looks, unable to understand why the Emperor would say such a thing.
Then Aegon's gaze locked on Aenys' golden eyes. Pointing at him, he asked, "Why don't you have the scent?"
Aenys grinned. "Ah… let me think."
He tapped a finger to his temple in mock thought, then winked. "Perhaps it's because you and I are the same kind. And why would one predator want to eat another?"
"You've also had the [Seed of Life] implanted!" Aegon's voice sharpened in shock.
Only then did the true meaning of "fragrant" dawn on the others—the Emperor wanted to eat them. The realization hit like a chill wave.
"That's right. In this world, it may be that only you and I are the same species now! Hahahaha!" Aenys laughed wildly.
The entire room froze, the court scholars and physicians instinctively edging away from the bed. None of them were fools—they knew how twisted black sorcery could be. In the Dragon Tower at the New Citadel, magical accidents were not uncommon—mindless undead and warped beasts sometimes broke free from their cages to slaughter indiscriminately.
The squeak of a cartwheel sounded from outside before a food trolley rolled in, laden with an array of dishes.
Silver platters held succulent grilled steaks, porcelain bowls brimmed with rich cream of mushroom soup, and a basket of soft bread sat beside small dishes of butter and jam.
Aegon looked at it all… and felt nothing.
"Grandfather, aren't you hungry? Look at all this—it's delicious. Why won't you eat?" Rhaena speared a piece of steak and offered it to him.
He accepted it automatically, chewing, but it was like biting wood shavings and chewing plastic.
The truth hit him—his diet had been changed by the [Seed of Life]. Now… it seemed only human flesh would do.
"Grandfather, why won't you swallow? Don't just chew!" Rhaena scolded.
Aegon took the steak from his mouth, lifted his granddaughter into Rhaenys' arms, and let his gaze sweep the room. His voice dropped into a deep, commanding tone. "I think I understand now. Everyone who isn't of the royal family, leave. I have words for my kin alone."
The maesters and physicians practically sighed with relief, filing out as the doors closed.
Aegon's expression turned grave. "I've never told you the truth about our family's origins—or why the Valyrian Peninsula was destroyed. I thought I had another decade to live, but now I must tell it all. If I don't… our entire House Targaryen may be corrupted into monsters."
Maegor, seeing his father's reason still intact, felt a wave of relief. At least for now, he would not have to face his father as an enemy.
The royals leaned in with rapt attention—even Aenys, so brash moments ago, fell silent to hear the truth.
"Our true dragon blood," Aegon began slowly, "comes from the mingling of divine essence from beyond the stars and the blood of demon-dragons. Thousands of years ago, the Outer Gods descended… The gods feared them and forced the Valyrians to seal them away. In the end, the Freehold fell… and the Valyrian Peninsula became a wasteland."
"So the [Seed of Life] also comes from these Outer Gods?" Aenys asked thoughtfully.
"It should be a fusion of Dragonlord's essence, the source of the Outer Gods, and certain magical plants—refined together with blood sorcery," Aegon replied with a nod.
He beckoned his eldest son forward.
Though puzzled, Aenys stepped closer to the bed.
Aegon patted his shoulder gently. "My child, all power comes with a price. The power of the Outer Gods is chaotic and evil—you cannot control it."
Aenys heard the unspoken reference to cannibalism and sneered. "You taught me that only absolute power is truth. Now that I have it, you'd have me give it up? We can't give it up—it's in our hearts, in our blood. Haven't you noticed our blood has turned purple?"
Aegon stayed silent. When they had touched, he had used his chip to scan Aenys' attributes.
[Aenys Targaryen:
Base Attributes: Politics…; Vitality: 178; Magic: 173
Talents: [C-rank – War Song …]; [C-rank – Dragon Demon – Silver King (100%)]
…]
Aenys' vitality is even higher than mine. Could it be because he's fully catalyzed his magic—completely awakened? Aegon thought grimly.
Aenys gave a contemptuous laugh. "When you stripped me of my rightful place as heir, wasn't it by the same rule of absolute power? And now you ask me to give it up? Ridiculous."
Aegon tried again, his tone earnest. "Plots and power are for enemies in the political arena. We are family—"
Visenya, watching, sighed inwardly. Aegon always clung to naive hopes about blood ties, always showing his softest side to kin. But in the royal house, what true kinship could there be? At least Maegor had not been molded into such softness.
The sudden crack and grind of bone shattered the air.
With a wet, tearing sound, a silver-white blade of bone burst from Aenys' forearm and drove straight through Aegon's chest—pinning him, and the iron bed beneath, to the floor.
The shock froze everyone in the chamber where they stood.
Little Rhaena clapped her hands over her mouth, eyes wide with confusion and fear, a muffled sob escaping her lips. "Father… Father killed Grandfather!"
"Seven Gods—what are you doing, Aenys?!" Rhaenys' voice broke. Only yesterday she had faced her nephew and sister plotting to murder her eldest son, and now her own son was using some monstrous power to murder her husband. The shock and fury overwhelmed her, and she collapsed in a faint.
Pfft! Another silver bone blade shot from Aenys' arm, piercing straight through Aegon's left lung.
The medical chamber erupted in chaos, the onlookers frozen in horror, unsure what to do.
Maegor's hand went to Dark Sister—he was about to rush forward to protect his father—
"Stay back!" Aegon's roar stopped him cold. "All of you, fall back! I'll face Aenys myself… I'm not going to die."
Pfft! Another silver bone sword rammed into Aegon's abdomen.
Rhaena clung to his arm, sobbing uncontrollably.
Purple blood ran from the corner of Aegon's mouth. He looked at his granddaughter with warmth in his eyes and said gently, "Child… go. Don't make me worry."
"Aegon, you—" Visenya began.
Pfft! Another silver bone sword speared into his shoulder blade, Aenys' left arm having reshaped into a fan-like blade.
Aegon lifted his blood-streaked face and roared, "Take them out of here! Now! Do you understand?!"
Grief shadowed Visenya's eyes, but she gave the order. The imperial guards gathered the royal children and rushed them from the room, while she and Maegor backed toward the doorway.
Aegon spat a great mouthful of purple blood, splattering it across Aenys' chest.
Aenys' lips curved downward. He regarded his father's state with open dissatisfaction—almost pity—and said coldly, "Since I was a child, you've been the nightmare in my heart. And now… now I finally have the strength to defeat you. Father… hand me your life, and your throne. Only I… am your perfect son."
The imperial guards lunged, spears stabbing toward him—but the points only tore his clothing.
Aenys lowered his head slightly, contempt burning in his gaze as he looked at the useless weapons. "Father… behold my strongest form. To die at my hands in this state—you could go to the underworld as the Stranger King without regret."
His body began to change again. A suffocating silver demonic aura poured off him like thick smoke. The gold in his eyes was drowned in silver light, spiderweb veins crawling around them.
Plates of silver-like bone armor spread across his body. His skin lost all color, hardening into scale-like plating. His frame grew taller and more heavily muscled, hips lengthening and swelling. The shifting, knotting flesh of his lower body formed the powerful back of a horse, corded muscle binding into four reverse-jointed legs. Silver bone armor encased the equine half, gleaming with a cold metallic sheen.
His face disappeared beneath a sleek, winged helm of silver bone—its sharp lines giving him a beauty both cold and arrogant. A mane of silver-white hair spilled down like a waterfall, whipping wildly in the swirling magic.
His left arm had become a massive multi-bolt crossbow, his right arm a giant silver lance fused to the forearm. From his back spread silver bone wings, each tipped with an arrowhead of pure bone.
Fully awakened, Aenys stood nearly three meters tall, bursting through the ceiling of the medical chamber.
A thin, writhing haze of silver demonic energy coiled around him like the shadows of hell itself.
He raised his left arm and fired. The silver bone bolts slammed into Aegon, impaling him and hurling his body through the chamber wall. The force carried him across Harrenhal's lawn before slamming him into the earth with an explosion that carved a deep crater.
Aegon's body hung in the pit like a broken doll, pinned in place by multiple silver arrows.
Aenys' massive form thudded forward to the shattered wall, looking down at his fallen father.
His voice—layered with multiple tones—echoed coldly from behind the silver mask. "Don't play dead. Your aura hasn't faded—it's grown stronger.
Come, Father.
Only by defeating you with my own hands can I erase the torment you've inflicted on me all these years!"
...
[Upto 20 chapters ahead for now]
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