This was the first meeting between Viserys and the Red Viper that didn't end on a mutually satisfying note.
Red Viper couldn't argue with the outcome; after all, House Martell was at fault. Still, Viserys had shown enough sincerity to maintain the alliance. Two days later, Manfrey, along with Arianne—Red Viper's daughters—and half of the Sunspear fleet, began their withdrawal. Red Viper lingered for a few more days, using the time to learn fire magic from Viserys and to repair their strained relationship.
Red Viper proved to have a natural talent for magic and even learned to light a candle from a distance. His decision to stay wasn't just about magic, though; he wanted to mend things with Viserys as much as possible. When the time came for their farewell at the port, the two behaved as if nothing had happened between them.
"So you think there's a good chance of establishing this confederation?" Red Viper asked after listening to Viserys's explanation.
"Not just a chance," Viserys replied confidently. "The confederation will be established in a few months."
"I suggest you reconsider," Red Viper said, his concern evident.
"Are you worried about the Iron Throne?"
"Yes. If you manage to get the other Free Cities to form an alliance with you, then the confederation will have value. But if you exclude the Iron Throne, what good will it do you?"
Viserys looked at him and said, "That's where you come in."
"Me?" Red Viper was puzzled.
"Yes, I need you to fight for me for half a year to a year."
Red Viper was accustomed to struggling to keep up with Viserys's unpredictable ideas. Whenever he felt lost, he'd look straight into Viserys's eyes for clarity.
"Why a year?" he asked, still confused.
"I can't tell you yet," Viserys replied.
Although Viserys didn't elaborate, Red Viper couldn't help but speculate. He imagined that Viserys was planning something significant—either building a strong enough army within a year or developing some powerful magic that could bring Robert Baratheon's downfall. In reality, Viserys was anticipating the chain of events that would soon unfold in Westeros: Jon Arryn's poisoning, Ned Stark's arrival in King's Landing, and the subsequent War of the Five Kings. That would be the perfect moment for Viserys to make his move.
If he were to reveal these plans to Red Viper now, it would be too difficult to explain.
"Alright, I understand," Red Viper said. "But how will we stay in contact?"
"Don't worry about that," Viserys reassured him. "I have time to train my own raven now, so we can communicate through it."
Red Viper raised his eyebrows, intrigued. He was curious to see how Viserys's raven would differ from the ones trained by the Maesters.
Viserys escorted Red Viper to the ship, watching as the Sunspear fleet's sails grew smaller on the horizon. Red Viper stood at the bow, waving until the fleet disappeared into the shimmering waves. Once they were out of sight, Viserys turned to head back to the palace.
He had been walking a tightrope for a long time. Physically, he was holding up, but mentally, he was exhausted.
"Let's see how Euron is doing. I wonder if he's reached Valyria yet." Viserys prepared to tune into Euron's journey through Dragon Dreams.
On a desolate shore, a half-sunken warship lay quietly, its stern long gone, as if it had been there for ages. The wreck was turned upside down, resembling a broken corpse abandoned by time. Vines and weeds had claimed the warship, their tendrils weaving through the gaps in the hull. Shadows flickered within the hollowed remains, hinting at small animals that had made it their refuge from the elements.
The horn on the ship's bow—a golden lion's head—stood as a silent witness to the disasters that had befallen this once-mighty vessel. As Viserys's Dragon Dream perspective drew closer, he realized that this was not Euron's body he was seeing, but his "avatar."
'Clever', Viserys thought, 'no wonder he's been able to retrieve such treasures from Valyria, like Valyrian armor and the dragon horn.'
Shifting his viewpoint, Viserys spotted the Silence anchored not far from the shore. It seemed Euron's true body was still on the ship, confirming Viserys's suspicion about how Euron explored Valyria—using avatars, like lives in a game, to navigate the perilous ruins.
Euron's avatar landed on the shore, kicking up sand as he approached the wrecked warship. The lion's head emblem hinted that the ship might have once belonged to House Lannister. He walked cautiously, the wind rustling through the desolate vegetation and the crunch of gravel under his boots echoing in the silence. As he neared the ship, Euron paused, noting the massive hole in the hull—two meters wide—wondering what kind of creature or disaster could have caused such damage.
Just as he prepared to move around the wreck, a shadow suddenly swooped down. It was a creature similar to a crocodile, but larger—three meters long and nearly 1.5 meters tall. Unlike a typical crocodile, this beast had more developed limbs, allowing it to stand higher off the ground.
'If the Dragonlords and their dragons were products of 'genetic engineering,' 'Viserys mused, 'then it's likely these monsters are too. The end of the world approaches, and the lab experiments escape—makes sense.'
Euron's avatar turned to flee, but the creature was too fast. It closed the distance in a single leap, kicking up dust as it charged. The beast stamped down on Euron's avatar, then tore off an arm with its massive jaws, black and red saliva dripping from its fangs. Blood sprayed, and the scene distorted before Viserys's eyes.
Suddenly, Viserys found himself back on the Silence. The avatar was dead, and the screen had gone black. Euron was clearly close to the ruins, but the exact location remained unclear. Viserys pulled his viewpoint higher, scanning the surroundings. The sea of smoke rising like a pillar was directly north.
'He's almost in Valyria', Viserys thought. 'Come on, Euron—let's see what you can do.'