While Rhaegar slept soundly, the warm firelight of the bronze ring immersed him.
Rhaegar's vision followed in the footsteps of Dragonlord Augu.
The sun rose and the moon set.
On the Rhoyne River, the sounds of horns, war drums, and shouting rang out.
The war had begun.
Rhaegar had read about the outcome of this battle in books, but he was still filled with anticipation now.
This campaign was the most climactic battle in the Known World, the final showdown between the Sons of the Great River and the Sons of the Magical Dragon.
There were three hundred dragons and an army of over 400,000 soldiers.
Spears were like a forest, and armor was like fire.
The bright silver scale armor of the rhoynar people and the obsidian armor and black scale armor of the Valyrians shone against each other. The battlefield had become an ocean of silver and black.
The rhoynar people deployed an army of 250,000, while Valyria and its vassals deployed slightly fewer, around 200,000.
The Giant Elephants of Volantis moved their feet, and the sound of war drums grew louder.
Valyria's elite Obsidian Armor troops marched forward proudly, flanked by vassal armies from Volantis and others, while Dragonlord ships sailed on the Rhoyne River.
Due to the arrival of the Dragonlords, the vassal armies of Volantis were greatly bolstered in prestige, and their morale began to swell.
The Dragonlord banner unfurled furiously in the wind, and the Baelarys Family's Purple Dragon banner led the charge.
Three hundred magical dragons hung high in the sky, like many suns.
Purple Dragons were brilliant like crystal, Black Dragons were profound like eternal night, Golden Dragons shone like the sun, Green Dragons were lush like a forest, and Red Dragons were scorching hot like lava. There was also a silver dragon, whose brilliant silver light gave Rhaegar a stirring feeling.
Dragons of all colors circled and danced, the sky a summation of all known colors.
Dragon bodies were dazzling and colorful; one dragon often had multiple hues, though one primary color was more dominant.
In the distance of their sight, the rhoynar army was already arrayed in battle formation.
Prince Gaelen's army was divided into three routes: the east and west sides of the Rhoyne River, with a massive fleet of oared rowing boats in the middle sweeping away enemy vessels. This army was the immense elite force that the rhoynar people had kept in reserve.
Prince Gaelen had followed the river downstream, clearing out all Valyrian villages, towns, and outposts, and was once unstoppable, his prestige extending across the seas.
However, a spent force cannot penetrate fine silk.
No matter how majestic Prince Gaelen was after marching out from the great city of Qarth, he now felt his troops were bogged down, weary, and exhausted. Meanwhile, the Valyrians were well-rested and waiting for the enemy, and three hundred magical dragons had been deployed en masse.
"I raised my army from Qarth and swept downstream, unstoppable all the way. But today, magical dragons obscure the sun. Is this where I am destined to be buried?"
"Great Mother Rhoyne, please bless your children," Prince Gaelen cried out mournfully. He suddenly felt regret; today's battle seemed likely to drag the rhoynar people completely into the fiery pit of war.
The Water Wizards aboard the rhoynar ships raised their staffs and began to chant. blue runes were carved onto the olive-skinned faces of the wizards.
Before casting, the Water Wizards drank the Deep Blue Water to stimulate their mental energy.
The great river boiled and danced with the wind; the river water roared and surged, and every drop of water ascended. The droplets rose with the wizard's furious shout, merging bit by bit to take shape.
The water flow turned into water spouts and water walls; the river rushed forward madly, intending to drown the Valyrian troops.
Rhaegar felt that Water Magic seemed to have significant location restrictions, requiring proximity to a river, and was far less volatile and aggressive than Dragonflame.
The Water Wizards awakened the river, steering the water walls toward them, trying to wash away everything in sight.
Three hundred magical dragons danced wildly in the sky together, led by the two Purple Giant Dragons of the Baelarys Family.
"Dragonflame!" Dragonlord Augu blew the magical horn, and surging fire erupted from the mouth of every giant dragon.
The flame from the mouth of the Purple Giant Dragon was black like eternal night, capable of melting stone and glass, leading the charge.
Dragonlord Augu gave the command, and all the dragons began to breathe fire.
Three hundred magical dragons breathed fire together; they were the strongest military force in the Known World.
As the magical dragons danced wildly, the scales on their bodies glittered due to their own heat.
Flames flowed into a river, shades of red covering the sky. The brilliance of the fire surpassed everything.
Raging fire spread across the plains; the red flames were so vast, and waves of fire rolled forward. Like a volcanic eruption, like prairie wildfire, everything trembled, burning and melting all in its path.
The magical dragons unfurled fiercely in the sky, and the fire attacked in waves.
Water and fire roared together; the rhoynar people's water power was overwhelming, but Valyria's magical dragons were superior.
The water walls were majestic like the Great Wall, but the magical dragon's flames melted the water walls inch by inch.
"Mother Rhoyne, do you not protect us!" The leading Water Wizard cursed loudly and was instantly incinerated by the flames.
The river boats also melted continuously, like lit candles.
The flames seemed to come from hell, burning the bodies and souls of the rhoynar people.
The magical dragons ascended and swooped down, dancing left and moving right, fierce flames igniting everywhere.
The great rhoynar army began to fall apart. Facing the world's strongest violence, they could not contend.
This brief war was also a cruel one.
It brought an end to two and a half centuries of struggle.
Dragonlord Augu had a cruel smile on his face, a sickly red glow, as the magical dragons rampaged everywhere.
The magical dragons flew and circled, showcasing various flashy techniques.
The Dragonlords were adept, controlling the magical dragon's flames and skills with mastery.
Especially Dragonlord Augu, who soared up with his giant dragon; man and dragon seemed to merge into one.
Fire, flight, provocation—every move was perfect.
The small rune on the Dragonlord's brow emitted a bright light.
Rhaegar's eyes were opened, and his heart was even filled with a wild passion.
So this was how one should ride a giant dragon.
Wherever the magical dragons passed, armor melted and soldiers were scorched.
The rhoynar people suffered a crushing defeat; the ocean of silver armor seemed to melt, and tens of thousands were burned alive. The remaining soldiers frantically rushed into the river, praying for the Mother River's protection, only to drown.
The wild magical dragons swept over the river surface, causing the water to boil.
The battlefield had become a Feast for the God of Death.
Wisps of black smoke, pure white ash, scorching flames, soldiers surrounded by the pain of burns, and broken hearts.
The rhoynar people had completely failed in this war of nations.
The great Gaelin did not die; he could only live temporarily in shame.
Both banks of the Rhoyne River turned into a massive execution ground.
The Volantines and Valyrians followed up their victory with a sweep, executing all the warriors.
The great river raged, turning red because of the slaughter.
Prince Gaelen was surrounded by soldiers, disarmed, and met a tragic fate.
Augu and Alys walked over, holding their treasured swords, full of vigor and ambition.
"Lift your head! Standing before you is the Son of the Chief Dragonlord of the Valyrian Freehold, the First Heir of the great Baelarys Family, Dragonlord Augu Baelarys." Augu drew his true dragon sword and pressed it against Gaelin's hair.
The treasured sword was incredibly sharp, and Dragonlord Augu was arrogant and overbearing. His purple robe rippled in the wind; this garment, which he wore during the war, also seemed to be carved with runes.
"This is a great victory. I have secured glory for the Baelarys Family."
"Just kill me quickly, you filthy bastards born of adultery," Gaelin roared.
The Prince had been struck down onto the ground, stripped of his silver scale armor, silver fish helmet, and silver spear, and was wearing thin clothes. At this moment, Prince Gaelen's face was ashen; the war was over, but they had lost everything.
Dragonlord Augu gave a proud laugh and then said, "I want you to live, to personally witness us sailing north along the river, first wiping out Sar Mell, and then wiping out your Qarth, what you rhoynar people call the Capital of Festivals."
Prince Gaelen stopped speaking, looking at Augu with hatred.
"Bring the golden cage!" Dragonlord Augu finished speaking, and a glittering golden cage was brought forward.
This was the right of the victor, to determine the fate of Essos and completely crush the rhoynar people.
The soldiers stuffed Prince Gaelen into the cage, treating him like a monkey.
The Valyrian soldiers then hung Prince Gaelen on the ship's prow, forcing him to witness the destruction of rhoynar civilization.
Prince Gaelen hunched over in the cage, blood and tears streaming from his eyes.
The great Rhoyne River, the great rhoynar civilization, was destroyed in a single day.
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