13 Chapter 013 – Sapphire and Jade

[287 AC]

After they had left, Phenex spread open his bag on the ground, making the objects within visible: two dragon eggs that had turned to stone.

These were the eggs from the Citadel, and they were coloured blue and white.

Phenex could sense that the life in these eggs had long since died already, but that was hardly an obstacle for him, a mythical creature with power over Life and Rebirth.

Taking up the blue egg, Phenex proceeded to use his inner fire to reignite the life inside the egg, which was a rather draining and long process even for him, as he hadn't done such a thing before.

These eggs had been dead for ages and that made it hard to revive them, without any kind of blood magic or sacrifice.

Still, he had an unending supply of power inside him and a lot of patience, so after roughly two hours he could feel that he had succeeded, sensing that life had returned to the egg.

Phenex, of course, wanted a dragon for himself, as who didn't dream of having a fire-breathing, flying companion that one could ride?

Just because he had basically been born with god-like powers, didn't mean he no longer wanted a dragon, on the contrary he now had all the means necessary to fulfill this dream of his.

Phenex knew that it took fire and magic to hatch dragons, as he had read more than enough about dragon eggs and dragons in general in the Citadel on his visits there.

Interestingly enough he had also learned that dragons were generally genderless, as every dragon was capable of laying eggs and hatching them with their own fire and magic, not needing a partner for the act. They were truly beings of magic and fire made flesh, similar to himself.

Phenex formed a flaming cocoon around the blue egg, while gently pouring his magic and inner fire into the egg, waiting for a change to happen and the dragon to hatch.

He could feel a reaction after some time, as he sensed a new bond having suddenly been formed between himself and the small lifeform inside the egg through his magic.

After that it became very easy for him to understand what he needed to do, to speed up the hatching process. Constantly strengthening the flames around the egg and raising the input of magic and fire, he could feel the satisfaction and excitement of the litte dragon inside.

Keeping this up for a few minutes, Phenex suddenly felt the eggshell becoming soft, before being pierced through by a small head a moment later.

Cutting off the flow of fire and magic, Phenex watched as the little creature broke more and more of the shell and finally freed itself completely.

With his senses he could tell that it was a perfectly healthy litte blue dragon, that began to devour its own eggshell a moment later. At the end leaving only a small dragonling behind in his hands, that looked up at him with trust and curiosity.

„Now, what to name you, little guy?", Phenex asked quietly, staring at the dragon in wonder.

The only reply Phenex got, were some cute screeching and rattling noises.

„Well, it's best to keep it simple, so how about Sapphire?", he voiced out, after thinking about it for some moments.

A faint whisper of understanding and agreement, could be felt through their connection and Phenex knew he had chosen right.

Phenex could also sense the little dragon's exhaustion, so he craddled Sapphire to his chest, while gently brushing over her scales. Being rewarded with a little draconic purr and screech for his efforts, before the dragon fell asleep.

Carefully moving the little creature to one arm, Phenex repeated the same process with the white egg.

He knew that it took years for dragons to grow up and develop the incredible power they were said to have, so it was best to hatch them as soon as possible.

Still, having a dragon and taking care of such a magical creature was a privilege and a responsibilty, something that Daenerys in the show hadn't understood until the very end.

Two of her three dragons died, simply because she had made foolish decisions, which wasn't something Phenex would allow to repeat itself this time. Neither with his own dragons, nor hers.

He didn't plan to meet her for now, not even sure where she was at the moment. But when he inevitably made contact with her, Phenex would ensure that she was ready to be a dragonrider, before letting her hatch a dragon.

His musings were interrupted some time later, when the shell of the white egg was likewise broken through by a small serpentine head.

This time Phenex didn't have to think about what to name the pure white dragonling in his palm.

"Jade.", he whispered gently, after the white dragon finished her meal and gave off a happy and affectionate screech.

…

A short while later, Kinvara came back to inform him about his courtyard being ready for him. Her surprise at seeing two living baby dragons was great, but also short-lived, as she thought it only natural for Phenex to be able to bring back dragons into the world given his power.

The short trip to his new living quarters was uneventful, as they used a secret passage to avoid the eyes of others while leaving the temple. Phenex didn't want his presence be known by too many people. He was perfectly content at staying in the background.

A short ride in a pre-prepared carriage was enough to arrive at a courtyard with high fences all around. Of course, Phenex had still used magic to conceal himself and his dragons after they left the temple.

Kinvara opened up the gate with a key that she pulled out from a pocket on her belt, while she introduced the place to Phenex.

"This courtyard formerly belonged to the third son of a noble family. He had been the favorite child of his mother, who talked his father into gifting him this place, if nothing else."

"It has several dozen bedrooms and bathrooms, several rooms for other purposes, a three kitchens, several storage rooms, a treasure vault, quarters for servants and a large beautiful garden. Of course the whole family was later killed when I took charge of Volantis on your orders, as they had many crimes to their names and did not deserve any mercy. Afterwards the temple confiscated all their properties, as we have done with many others."

"Some merchants have since then bought or rented the courtyards from the temple, though there are still a lot of empty ones at the moment. This was one of the empty ones. I ordered it to be cleaned and refurnished for you, Lord. I have also arranged for all the Valyrian blades to be stored in the treasure vault."

„Well done, Kinvara.", Phenex praised, as he continued, "You may leave now, as I will be out until the day after."

„I will leave you be then, my Lord.", Kinvara acknowledged easily.

After Kinvara left, Phenex put up a quick ward around the whole mansion, that only several fully grown dragons may have a slight chance at breaching. Before putting down his stuff in the biggest bedroom, which he had chosen to take for himself.

Leaving him with nothing, but his clothes, a small bag, Dawn and two baby dragons safely tucked away in his clothes.

He had decided to leave Black Sister with the rest of the Valyrian blades in the mansion's treasure chamber. Though he did manage to find another longword very similar in shape to Dawn on the weapon rack in the vault, which he decided to take with him, as it would allow him to dual-wield.

Strapping it right next to Dawn, Phenex was ready to take off.

A moment later, he disappeared in a swirl of flames.