From Ruin to Renewal

He gazed upon the sea below him as the air rushed on his face. The summer years brought calm and he found some peace from seeing upon the sea extending from horizon to horizon. No past, no future, and no memory could be found within the limitless water. More peace than he had found in the last few years. He saw Cloudwynd's head turn slightly towards him, his constant companion occasionally flapping her wings to maintain their glide through the sky. He felt her concern for him, knowing when he would enter his brooding self. Dragons were passionate and took what they want, but the past few years have not been kind to him or his people, all of which Cloudwynd witnessed. "Everything will be alright, girl," he reassured in High Valyrian as he took his hand off one of her spines and reached forward to rub her neck, her bluish-greenish scales glistening in the sunlight. He got a snort from her in response, not really satisfied with his answer but decided to accept it. His only concern right now was to fly towards his destination, to ensure his people's safe passage. Beneath him were vessels ferrying those he was charged with towards their new destination, the last bastion for their people. Fifty ships carrying barely two thousand five hundred men, women, and children across water over four moon turns. Remnants of a great civilization long extinguished from the memory of those that now took their place. The land prowess of the Valyrian army through the Tarareons, cavalrymen and explorers who could boast about expanding the Freehold's reach without the dragons. Valyria's knowledge of blood magic, healing, and other rituals preserved through the Leniars. Lastly, the Rahitheons' skill as smiths, builders, and engineers preserved the wonders of Valyrian technology. The survival of their civilization and culture rested on all of them and one misstep could see the flame of Valyria die out for good. And then there was himself. Barely nine and ten, Jaenyx was the last scion of the Belaerys', one of the oldest and most powerful dragonlord families in old Valyria. A family that had great figures such as Jaenara Belaerys, the famed explorer of Sothoryos, included in their ancestry. Prompted by Valyria's leaders to recolonize the Basilisk Isles, the Belaerys' settled at the edge of Sothoryosi wilderness along with three other Valyrian families, all of whom could not hope to survive the dangers of that continent by themselves. Previous attempts to colonize the Basilisk Isles, seen as a first step towards further expansion south, had ended in failure. Yet, the new colony thrived under the Belaerys' stewardship. Being in the Basilisk Isles was what saved the colonists from the Doom. Unfortunately, despite nearly a century of inhabiting the Isles, a recent turn of events had put their people in dire circumstances and the Isles were no longer safe for them. Despairing over the coming extinction of Valyria, Jaenyx remembered that there was one other place that they could journey towards, a place where a certain dragonlord had fled to after his daugther's now prophetic warning about the destruction of the Freehold: Dragonstone. Check out my Website https://dravenshadefall-shop.fourthwall.com for early access to chapters and some exclusive content. Plus, it helps me keep writing these stories that (hopefully) keep you hooked!