Volantis's walls shuddered beneath the onslaught. The Targaron heir's forces had laid siege, battering the gates with relentless fury. Inside, Kaerys rallied her allies, the weight of the city's survival heavy on her shoulders.
"We hold or we fall together," she declared, voice ringing through the war room.
A Dangerous Game
In the shadowed corridors, spies moved like ghosts. Jaro intercepted a coded message hinting at betrayal within their ranks.
"Someone close to us plays both sides," he warned Kaerys.
She nodded grimly. "Then we flush the snake from its hole."
The Ritual's Price
Deep within the vaults, the ritual to awaken a dragon's full power exacted a toll. Elira's hands trembled as the magic surged through her.
"This power is not a gift," she gasped, "it is a curse."
Kaerys's voice was steady. "We pay the price — or be consumed by those who do."
A Clash of Titans
On the battlefield, Serenthis soared above, her flames turning the tide. But even dragons could not guarantee victory against betrayal and treachery on the ground.
Neron fought with fierce determination, but even he sensed the growing shadows closing in.
A Quiet Farewell
In a rare moment of calm, Kaerys wrote a letter to the surviving families — a call to unity in the face of destruction.
"If we are to survive the coming storm," she wrote, "we must stand together — or perish divided."
End of Chapter 43