The first breath burned.
It wasn't air he inhaled, but heat — molten, suffocating, alive. His chest rose, tight and trembling, as the newborn lungs struggled against the furnace of this new world. For a moment, there was only pain. Agony so sharp it felt like a blade was carving sigils into his bones.
But he didn't scream.
Because in that moment, his soul remembered.
He had died.He had made a wish — no, four wishes. Bargains carved in divine flame. And now... he was reborn.
Outside the chamber, the skies of Old Valyria roared with thunder. The Five Flames of the mountain range had awakened early that morning — streaking ash and smoke across a crimson dawn. The Citadel of Maegaron, carved from obsidian and gold, shook as dragon roars echoed over its towers. The air itself tasted of sulfur and old power.
A child was born.
To House Maegaron, one of the forty Dragonlord families that ruled the Valyrian Freehold.
A child touched by fire.
He blinked, vision blurry. A woman held him — beautiful, pale, her silver hair braided with golden clasps. Her violet eyes widened as she stared down at him.
"He does not cry," she whispered. "He… stares like a man grown."
The maester beside her frowned. "The firestorm above… It happened when the babe drew breath. A sign. The gods may have marked him."
Kaelarys felt the name pass through the air like prophecy.
Kaelarys Maegaron.
It echoed in his mind, and then came the System.
[Mount & Blade: Legacy System Activated]Welcome, Kaelarys.
World: Planetos - Valyria (Pre-Doom)Status: New Life [Modified Rebirth]
🎁 You have 4 Granted Wishes:
[✓] Born into Valyrian Dragonlord Bloodline[✓] Mount & Blade Combat + Kingdom Building System[✓] Magic Ring of Holding (Infinite Dimensional Storage)[✓] Magic Equivalent to "Voldemort" — Soulcraft, Mind Domination, Dark Rites
⚔️ Starting Attributes:STR: 4 / DEX: 4 / INT: 7 / CHA: 6 / LUCK: 10
🐲 Trait Unlocked: "Dragonseed Supreme" — Easier Bonding With Dragons🔮 Trait Unlocked: "Cursed Genius" — Dark Magic Progression Tripled
[You are currently Level 1. All skills locked until Age 5.]
He didn't smile. He grinned inside.
Five years. That's how long he had to pretend. To wait. To grow stronger in the shadows of the world's greatest empire. Then, the forging would begin.
Valyria was a rotting beast, he thought. Glorious. Proud. Blind. And soon to die.
He remembered the histories from his past life. The Doom was coming — fire, chaos, death. Valyria would burn from within. And he would be ready.
I am Kaelarys now, he thought.
And I will not burn with the rest of you.
⏳ Time Skip: 3 Years Later
The sun fell like liquid gold over the mountain-lined coast. Kaelarys — now four years old — stood barefoot in the courtyard of House Maegaron, listening to the clash of steel.
He watched the guards train. His small hands mimicked their movements, repeating their stances over and over, copying their footwork with obsessive perfection. Every night, in his mind, he fought a thousand duels.
His System rewarded him.
⚔️ Basic Swordplay: Novice (Level 3)🎯 Reflex: Level 2🛡️ Shield Use: Level 1
📈 Level Progress: 32% to Level 2
Special Quest: "Wield the Blade Before Ten." (Reward: Combat Trait Unlock)
At night, he trained in secret. In silence. With wooden weapons enchanted with runes stolen from the old tomes in his father's library. His magic ring was now filling with books, scrolls, and precious steel ingots.
It opened with a thought.
A hole in reality, cold and silent. Inside: ten crates of wine, three rare books, one enchanted dagger, and… a dragon egg.
Yes, the first one.
Stolen during a ritual feast two nights ago — replaced with a painted replica.
No one had noticed yet.
His mother thought him a gifted child. His father, a cold disappointment. The nobles whispered about the boy who never laughed, who read grimoires before speaking full sentences.
Only one person feared him.
His wet nurse, Vara. A lowborn woman from Lys.
She'd seen him staring into fire one night, whispering words in no language she knew. The flames had danced in time with his voice.
She never returned the next morning. The guards found her body torn apart — heart missing, eyes burned black.
Kaelarys had performed his first ritual.
🔮 Soulbind Successful
Gained Dark Magic XP.Magic: Level 2 [Unstable]
Trait Unlocked: "Fear Feeds Power" — Gain magic bonus from fear in nearby mortals.
That night, under the moonless sky, Kaelarys stood atop the highest balcony of House Maegaron, the dragon egg in his hands.
"I am not of this world," he whispered in High Valyrian.
"I am not bound by your rules. Not your laws. Not your gods."
The egg pulsed in his hand.
A heartbeat.
Alive.
He smiled, baring small white teeth that gleamed in the moonlight.
"Grow with me," he whispered, pressing his bloodied palm against its shell. "Together, we will rise."
[Chapter Complete]Progress:🐲 Dragon Egg Obtained🩸 First Ritual Complete⚔️ System Levels Gained🔥 Fear Gained From Death
📌 Next Chapter: "The Eye Opens" — Age 5 Awakening, System Unlocked, First Combat