Chapter 123 - One Day II

(Third Person POV)

[Outside The Walls of Stony Sept]

Vermithor gorged on the livestock that belonged to the Lannisters, the camp behind him was set ablaze, and massive columns of smoke and flames raged behind them. He was unbothered by this, merely feasting on the vast amounts of swine, sheep, and cattle that he had seized after the quick battle. 

He gulped down a couple of pigs as he let out a deep grumble, hearing the screams of several soldiers who ran from the camp. He looked to his side as several armed Lannister soldiers made their way past him. 

Vermithor opened his maw and unleashed a quick burst of flames, burning them as they ran. Within moments, the soldiers collapsed to the ground, set ablaze as they immediately died. The Bronze Fury continued on his feast, firing bursts of flames at the feed that was before him, cooking the meat and taking them inside his mouth. 

Behind him, clashing of steel was heard and Vermithor glanced back to see Aerion plunging his sword into the chest of the final Knight that had opposed him. 

"U-Ughh..." the knight said as Aerion pulled his sword out and collapsed

"The skies and lands are dyed red, the glow of flames fills the air as I have been set upon the Realm..." Aerion said as he turned around and walked toward a large rock that was near Vermithor, "The Hightowers will learn that opposing Rhaenyra means opposing me." 

Atop the rock, Jason Lannister was sitting, clutching a sword wound that bled profusely. His face was pale as it was covered in blood. He looked up to see Aerion walking up to him, wiping Lamentation with his cloak as his entire armor was covered in dried blood. 

"Y-You beast...." Jason said, "You dare.....my entire army was not here in this camp. You merely defeated a portion of it...the main force will return when they see the smoke..You are dead, Aerion Targaryen...." 

"I wonder how they will react when they hear that their Lord cowardly surrendered after I cut down the first knight in his defense." Aerion said as he stood in front of him, planting Lamentation into the ground, "No matter. They will be too distraught when they find your headless body." 

Aerion removed his helm, revealing his sweaty face and hair. Jason was clutching on his stab wound, a single thrust given to him by Aerion nearly twenty minutes prior. During that time, the Lannister camp was completely obliterated, signaling another victory for Aerion Targaryen and Vermithor. Jason pathetically begged for his life, asking for mercy and because Aerion was busy killing those that charged at him defiantly, he simply stabbed Jason in the thigh which the Lannister Lord was able to tend to just briefly. 

But now, everything was in flames, The Bronze Fury behind him feasting on the feed that was meant for Vhagar and he was face-to-face with Aerion Targaryen. For years, many would speak on the battle prowess that Aerion Targaryen, Son of Daemon, had. While some were skeptical of taking on the Mighty in one-on-one combat, there were those who dismissed those tales of his abilities. Even when House Martell retreated after the battle in the Stepstones, many Lords of the Realm were still confident that Aerion Targaryen was but a man. 

Only certain Lords of the Realm took those stories seriously, believing that Aerion was in fact The Warrior. And when War was declared, those who believed and those who didn't chose their sides. Jason Lannister was one of those who didn't believe. 

And this display made him a believer now. But it was too late.

While Aerion didn't cut him down after he begged for mercy, Jason Lannister's fate was sealed. Aerion was simply going to do things a bit more formally like he was taught. 

"The Lannisters..." Aerion said as he wiped some guts off his gauntlets, "The Golden Lions of Casterly Rock, always so arrogant with your gold and riches. But what good is a lion before a Dragon, Lord Jason?" 

Jason looked down, "Y-You can use me as a prisoner of war." He said, "I....there is no need....You are an honorable man." 

Aerion walked over and grabbed him, "Aye, Honor is in my blood. That is why I didn't cut you down like a dog like I did to your men. That is why I didn't burn you like I did them." He said as he pulled him off the rock and threw him on his knees, "But you made your choice, Lannister. You and your allied houses. Even someone like me has to make men bleed and have land burn to keep those who defy us in place. Viserys The Peaceful, they called my Uncle. You betrayed his Peace, you and those fucking snakes that Usurped my wife's throne." 

Jason clutched his thigh as he hung his head, "Y-Your wife...." He said, "You do all this to put her on the Throne? Why? She's a woman, that's all there is to it, Aerion! You are too strong to fight for her, you can instill yourself on the Throne with ease. Let me live and my house will support you, we'll take Aegon off the throne ourselves." 

"No." Aerion said as he grabbed Lamentation, "All of you forced my hand. Sure, I'll accept surrender. But after those Lords that betrayed The Queen are dead, new sensible ones will take their place. You, Baratheon, and Hightower.....all of you have done this to yourselves. It is you who made the Realm bleed." 

"Is this what you truly are?" Jason asked as he panted, "A Monster?" 

"Monster?" Aerion said as he lifted his sword, "No. I'm a Dragon. Do you have any last words?" 

Jason closed his eyes, "My Brother." He said, "Spare him. He is merely my servant." 

"Lord Jason Lannister, for the crimes of treason against Queen Rhaenyra of House Targaryen." Aerion said as he held Lamentation with both hands, "I, The King-Consort, Aerion Targaryen....sentence you to death." 

In a swift motion, Aerion swung Lamentation down and cleaved through the Lannister Lord's neck, decapitating him. 

As Jason's head rolled on the ground and his body fell down, Aerion wiped his blade, sheathed it, and walked over to grab his helm, which he had placed on the rock. He then and let out a sigh as he looked around. 

"Long day. Still have some light in it...." He said as he placed the helm back on the rock, due to some reluctance, "It's what? A few hours after Midday?" 

Vermithor lifted his head and shot some flames at straggling soldiers that ran from the chaos that was the burning camp. As they collapsed, screaming in pain and agony while they slowly succumbed to death, unlike the others that Vermithor burned, the Bronze Fury went back to gorging. 

Aerion flicked some guts from his armor's shoulder plates, "I think a break is in order." He said, "Should I regroup with one our allied forces? Have someone clean my armor?" 

He then walked over to Jason's head and picked it up by the hair, walked over to the rock and opened the sack where he had Borros's head, placing it inside. 

"Brutal and barbaric." Aerion said with a bit of disgust in his voice, "But it is the only way these imbeciles would learn. Gods, forgive me and do not allow me to return to my love after I'm done with all of them." 

He picked the sack up as he grabbed his helm, "Well, he was right about the forces, these were not the entirety of the Lannister army." He said, "Another victory for Queen Rhaenyra, though." 

Vermithor then lifted his head in alarm, sniffing the air as he let out a rumble. 

Aerion stopped as he heard faint thudding form the distance, sounds of a stampede. He looked to his left and off in the distance, he saw a massive cavalry charging towards them. 

"Huh." He said as he looked at this, "So.....that's where they were." 

Vermithor shook his neck and let out a roar, blood dripping from his maw. 

"How does a third battle sound, Vermithos?" Aerion said in High-Valyrian, 

"We have a long day ahead of us."