The peak above the Forge Cavern was a mountain warped by lava and obsidian, marking Mark Win’s final foothold before leaving Valyrian soil.
Standing atop the ridge, he looked down at the churning purple clouds of toxic gas—a vast violet curtain sealing the entire peninsula off from the outside world.
Beneath those clouds lay twisted spires and shattered city walls: the battleground where he had fought for survival these past days, and the birthplace of his journey as a dragonrider.
To the east, across the Narrow Sea, lay Essos.
Mark unfolded a crude map drawn with charcoal on animal hide.
Though the lines were rough, the cardinal directions and key astronomical markers were remarkably precise.
Utilizing his knowledge of astronomy combined with his memory of the geography from *A Game of Thrones*, this map represented the sole route to survival he had mapped out for himself.
A prickling itch from his calf interrupted his thoughts.
Looking down, he saw that the ash-black, stony flesh had already spread below his knee, its edges taking on a lifeless, waxy texture.
High temperatures had suppressed the activity of greyscale, but now that he had left the intense heat of the forge, the affliction’s spread resumed.
Like a ruthless grim reaper, it served as a constant reminder of how little time he had left.
He couldn’t afford to wait any longer.
Carefully stowing the map away, Mark took a deep breath of filtered air, his eyes filled with fierce resolve.
He swung himself onto the futuristic Valyrian steel dragon saddle.
Fortunately, when forging it, he had anticipated Comet’s continued growth and incorporated adjustments into the design; otherwise, it would have been useless now.
Once he buckled himself in securely with the harness straps, Comet stood ready.
His body, now grown to the size of a full-grown wild bull, hummed with explosive power, his silver carapace reflecting a cold metallic gleam beneath the purple sky.
“Ready, buddy?” Mark’s voice echoed directly into Comet’s mind.
Comet released a low, battle-ready rumble in response.
“Then target: east!
Move out!” At Mark’s command, Comet beat his massive wings, venting a surge of crimson dragon qi that whipped up a gale.
Like a red cannonball, he rocketed skyward before plunging headlong into the churning purple fog below.
The moment they breached the cloud layer, Mark felt as if he had plunged from dry land into the deep ocean.
Light dimmed instantly.
The air turned thick and foul, reeking of sulfur and chemical decay.
Visibility dropped sharply, leaving them surrounded by roiling, impenetrable violet mist.
Mark immediately held his breath, relying entirely on a crude filter respirator made of wet cloth tied to the dragon saddle.
Barely ten seconds after entering the clouds, a barrage of shrill, screeching calls—sounding like grinding metal—echoed from all directions!
Mark’s heart sank.
Through their mental link, he clearly felt Comet’s intense alarm.
A second later, over a dozen dark shapes burst through the churning toxic clouds, encircling them completely.
They were hideously deformed flying monsters unlike anything Mark had ever seen.
Similar in size to Earth’s pterosaurs, their bodies looked like nightmare creations forcefully stitched together.
Pus dripped from rotting leather membranes, jagged bones pierced out through raw flesh, and pairs of mindless crimson eyes locked onto Mark and Comet—prey that had trespassed into their domain.
*Flying creatures mutated by exposure to subterranean geothermal radiation?* Mark’s brain analyzed the situation instantly.
The beasts had clearly been drawn by them—or more precisely, by Comet, a massive walking power source.
One of the monsters screeched and opened its tooth-filled maw.
A stream of emerald-green liquid, thick as concentrated acid, shot forth like an arrow straight at Mark’s face!
“Hard right turn!” Mark’s command rang in Comet’s mind almost the instant the liquid was launched.
Comet’s instincts were lightning-fast.
His massive body traced an elegant, agile arc through the air, barely dodging the lethal acid.
The acid streaked past them and struck a rocky cliff face shrouded in purple mist, sizzling loudly.
The hard stone dissolved instantly, leaving a gaping, smoke-belching crater.
Cold sweat broke out across Mark’s back.
Yet this was only the beginning.
As if receiving a synchronized signal, every monster opened its maw at once.
In an instant, dozens of emerald acid streams shot from all directions, weaving an airtight net of death that completely blocked all evasive routes!
The skies of Valyria were far more lethal than he had ever imagined.