The House of Ice and Fire

Return of the Targaryen Wolf

In truth, Aemon welcomed this; Aemon welcomed an end to years after his resurrection by the red priestess. Aemon understood the truest magics after spending time in the ruins of Valryia, searching for a way to end the Others. Only death could pay for life, and it was the death of Shireen Baratheon, burnt alive, that gave the witch enough strength in her craft to bring Aemon back to life.

He yearned to end this cruel joke from the gods if they were real. He knew not why he and Rhaegal, his mount, still lived through this horrible winter with no end. Even though their time had long since gone and their demise was certain, every time they met their enemies, they were released after suffering a little more damage. He had the impression that the Night King was amusing himself.

Both knew that only the other could end the existence of the other. Jon Snow had been killed at Castle Black and yet returned, later learning his true name and purpose. Arya had slain the Night King, and yet, as was said, only the promised prince can do such things; in the end, the Night King and his living dead returned once more, several years later after Westeros had fallen to Daenerys' madness.

The battle with the Lannisters and years of battle in the continent had drained the men dry of all things, and when Daenerys' armies came to fight in their stead, they were all slaughtered to gain the supposed victory granted by Arya. The Night King attacked when Essos' armies were weakened due to Westeros never fully rising to fight. Once Westeros fell, and Essos had no armies to fight back, it soon fell. And the world of men soon fell in quick succession.

There were moments when Aemon thought he should deny the Night King the win he'd long since earned in a game that would only conclude when he determined it would. He was ready to end his life at other times for various reasons. Sometimes, his suffering was unbearable, and he yearned to give in to the overwhelming impulse just to give up and go to them.

But he was unable to. Not only was he unsure a single heaven existed, let alone seven, and was waiting for him, but he was also uncertain if he would be accepted in such a place. In any case, why would the gods reward a failure like him? Why would there be a place for a man who was supposed to save the world and couldn't even save his family? A husband who failed to save his wife and a father who failed to save his kids. People such as that belonged in the seven hells that the earth had descended into, not the heavens; thus, he suffered life because he deserved to experience it.

The great-scaly creature roared a terrifying roar, ripping Aemon from his thoughts. His roar, a primal scream that echoed through the ruins of Valyria, sent shivers down the spines of even the bravest souls. It was a sound that spoke of ancient fury, a reminder of a time when dragons ruled the world, and all feared their wrath. The air seemed to tremble with the force of his voice, and those who heard it could not help but quiver in its presence.

Rhaegal, the emerald-bronze dragon, soared through the smoky skies with wide wings, casting a vast shadow upon the ruins of Valyria below. His scales gleamed in the fading light, each one a mosaic of emerald and bronze, catching the dying moonlight in a dazzling display. Aemon had not seen the sun in years, and thought it a sign that on this day he would bear witness to the first moonlight during the second Long Night. With eyes like molten gold, he surveyed the desolation beneath him, a predator searching for prey amidst the wreckage of a fallen kingdom.

Rhaegal, the Emerald Death, they once called his dragon—the last of his brothers, the last of Daenerys' three dragons. The Night King, once he had returned once more, had taken Drogon to mount like he did Viserion. Drogon hated Aemon with a passion once Aemon had killed his rider. But the dragon knew the dead were far worse, sparing his life, the dragon somehow knowing that the battle of the dead had not ended but was in a reprieve. Once the dead had returned once more, Drogon came upon the horde of dead and set them ablaze with never-ending flames. Aemon recalled the battle in which Drogon was lost; the last battle the living stood a chance.