Hi! I'm Darkscythe Drake. To those who know me, glad to see you, those who don't, I welcome you. This is something that has been floating around in my head for a bit and after seeing House of the Dragon and reading a few fics on AO3, I decided it would be a perfect setting for this idea, along with something that has caught my attention and I see no one else using: the Branded/Albaz card storyline from Yu-Gi-Oh! To those of you who don't know what it is, that's fine. It isn't necessary to know the lore to enjoy this story. Please don't turn around just because it mentions Yu-Gi-Oh!

Well, hope you all enjoy and constructive criticism is welcome!

I don't own ASIOAF and Yu-Gi-Oh! All rights go to GRRM and Kazuki Takahashi (R.I.P you legend) respectively.

Valyria

The stoneman let out a low rumble as he gazed at the blazing sky. How long? Moons? Years? How long since the sun had graced his eyes? When did he board the ship that dropped him in this...hell. For it surely had to be, even in his unfeeling skin.

If there was any place that would fit the title 'hell upon earth', it would be Valyria. The once-mighty empire, felled before the world. Where sky-piercing spires once stood and smooth roads once lay, now remained naught but ashes, slag and pandemonium. Reduced to such by the Fourteen Flames, instruments of the gods to exact punishment on the avaricious dragonlords who once called it home, as some of the priests used to say. Since its fall, sailors have attempted to venture into its ruins, hoping to claim lost treasure or weapons of Valyrian Steel. Even a single chest or blade would set a man for generations. A merchant like his father would be the most valued man in his Free City. Yet all who have tried perished in agony, or went mad...and still perished.

He remembered once hearing the screams. So long ago...was it? Fools. There was naught but death here.

Be it by the smoke, the firewyrms, or by his stray "brethren" that wandered the blasted hills and streets. Among other horrors.

The gravel shifted beneath his feet as he trudged back up the hill. Or was it a new hill? Maybe going in circles?

Bah, he had finally gone mad, hasn't he? Fortune had finally struck him! Better mad and incoherent than to keep staring at this wreck of a land. At least in Rhoyne, there could have been company. Maybe even a stone woman to sate the last embers of his lust. But no, the gods had not been content with punishing him with just this misbegotten disease. Their winds and currents carried his ship away from their path, sending them crashing into this new prison. Only two others lasted longer than a day. Where were they? There was something...no, a statue. But what is the difference these days?

He idly kicked the sword, worth a manse and a dozen slaves back home, away from him. The beasts that crawled here were not deterred by such things.

His knees wobbled and his vision swam. Ah, how long had he walked? Perhaps rest would help him find the peace -

There was thunder.

The sky tore open. Shaped like a diamond, dyed in purple.

His haze broken, the once-man stared upwards in shock. What was this? Had the Doom decided to regurgitate some new manner of horror?

A roar shook the earth. His stone brow crackled as he cringed at the sound.

And out of the hole, it appeared. So enormous, so familiar, what else could it be?

Out of myth, legend and the lands across the Narrow Sea, the dragon fell from the red heavens, smoke emanating off its form. It passed the line of the Fourteen, past the Tall Spire and...

A thud, a cloud of ash in the distance, a gust of strong wind. Then silence.

He stood there for a while, staring up and down between the hole in the sky and where the beast landed. Before he knew it though, his legs were carrying him away from the hill, and towards the impact site. Curiosity? More madness?

He trudged through more earth, past pillars and houses. As he approached, he saw some of them had been blown away, concentrated in a circle.

Up the newly-formed hill he climbed, and carefully peeked over the edge.

A raspy gasp escaped his stony lips. There it lay, panting, clad from head to claw in glimmering steel. The skin on its wings was no skin, but a strange orange light that covered the spikes on its neck and shoulders.

His eyes widened. What manner of creature was this? What kind of dragon would be as armored as a Westerosi knight?

The dragon let out a guttural groan as it shifted its body. In its sharp claws it held a...girl? A maiden.

If he could smile, the stoneman would have been grinning from ear to ear. Such a delicate-looking thing, with hair spun like a gold river. Bruises marred her fair skin, and a strange weapon was clutched in her hand. But on her person..a bag! Possibly with food!

Oh, to have a taste of bread again! He would have it, he must have it. But the beast was there, and very much alive.

He ran. He cared not. To have a moment's relief from this eternal nightmare, to rejoice in pleasures he had thought long lost, he would pay any price. For what else was there?

Closer and closer, just within reach, he could already taste, feel -

The roar returned. A burst of light and heat. Had the sun returned?

Alas, he knew no more.

The maiden stirred, heat and noise rousing her from her slumber. But she was so tired...maybe a little more? Where was she?

A rumbling filled her ears. She knew this one well. How could she not, when she had faced him down only to reach out a hand for him?

"Albaz..."

And that's it for the opening! What do you all think? Ya'll willing to give this a try? Please?

READ AND REVIEW!