The throne room was completely silent as everyone had evacuated. The only people left inside were the King and his Kingsguard and the Starks who stood in the centre of the throne room with sweat pouring down their bodies. On either side of them was a column of green fire that was being emitted from the King as he floated in the air; The King was like a god amongst men, or a demon as most people saw him, his ability with aura was truly terrifying and even Brandon one of the most stubborn Starks after Lyanna felt some regret at coming to Kings Landing.
Rickard and Brandon both had their auras released in an attempt to defend themselves from the sheer amount of heat being generated by the King's aura. As it wasn't a conjuration ability but instead a transmutation of aura, they could defend against it by counteracting with their aura, but the problem was that the King was so overwhelmingly powerful and had such vast quantities of aura he was able to pour it out of his body and heat the room even further.
Rickard looked behind the King and noticed that even the Kingsguard was starting to breathe heavily as his aura was beginning to affect them as well. "I'm sorry father..." Brandon breathed out heavily as sweat coursed across his face.
"You are an idiot boy... but you have a good heart," Rickard replied with a rare smile as he placed his fist on Brandon's chest.
"I've killed us Father," he said his voice cracking slightly. He wasn't afraid of death, what he was afraid of was that his sister was still missing and he'd be dying before he could find her.
"Do not lose the first battle boy, fear cuts deeper than swords, we are still breathing and we will fight until we can't," Rickard said sternly as he withdrew Ice from its sheath before throwing the sheath down to the ground. Rickard lost his father early in his life and so he had to take the reins of House Stark from an early age. What this meant was that amongst the history of House Stark Lords, Rickard was one of the most proficient wielders of Ice and like Arthur Dayne, he based his Aura ability around wielding it.
"I give you these words King Aerys, should we both fall today know that the days of the Targaryen Dynasty are numbered, the Dragon shall be cast down to the earth and you will be remembered as the King who failed his ancestors!" Rickard shouted to King Aerys who looked at the Stark Lord with pure and utter hatred.
"After I am done with you I shall wipe the very name Stark from the history books, even uttering the name will be punishable by death, all those Stark will die!!!" The King shouted as his flames rose higher and got more intense. Brandon released the full power of his aura that nearly put him at the same level as a Kingsguard; when the King felt his aura he felt concerned, not for himself at that moment, but it made him consider how many people were hiding their true potential to strike him down.
'The Wolfs Blood'
Brandon activated his ability with a mighty roar. The King and everyone in the throne room felt his aura grow and they saw him get taller and gain more muscle. Brandon's ability increased his strength and power as well as his healing to incredibly fast rates but in return, he would slowly lose his mind until he was just a mindless animal. Even now Brandon placed both hands on the ground in a wolf-like posture as he prepared to fight the Targaryen King.
Rickard released his aura as well though it was markedly less than Brandon's though had a much more refined nature to it. He let his aura flow around Ice making it look more dangerous than it already was, he then got into a low stance as he started down King Aerys.
The King was not impressed at all, in fact, he laughed at their efforts to defy him. "If this is what you can muster, then you should just allow yourselves to die," he said as he laughed manically.
"You will be surprised at how wrong you are King Aerys, but I suppose you don't have to worry as you have the Kingsguard protecting you In case you lose," Rickard said with a smirk suggesting that the King was a coward. A purposeful play to try and get the Kingsguard out of the room as Rickard knew that if any of them joined in they would die straight away.
"The Kingsguard protect nothing!!!" He said as he turned towards them.
"Get out all of you! This is a trial by combat you will not get involved or steal my victory!" He shouted at them. They all bowed their heads and walked out of the throne room leaving the three of them in there alone.
The King turned back around and smiled "I'm going to enjoy killing both of you, in truth I've been so bored as of late, I do hope you can put up a better fight than the rest of the traitors I've had to deal with," He said arrogantly.
Brandon growled at him as his aura pulsed with power, while Rickard looked at him with a mocking smirk "Perhaps we will lose or perhaps we will end the Targaryen dynasty right now," he said.
King Aerys roared and the columns of wildfire surrounding them started closing in on them. Rickard and Brandon both jumped into the air, but it seemed that this was what King Aerys had expected and the flames burst upwards towards them. Rickard and Brandon flipped midair and pushed against each other's feet which sent them to different sides of the throne room. Aerys growled as he saw they were still alive; he morphed the flames into two separate green serpentine dragons that chased after both Brandon and Rickard. Like a puppet master, he controlled them and smiled as he got close but scowled as they managed to get away.
Brandon like an animal charged at the King by pushing off the ground with all four limbs, jumping over the wildfire straight towards the King. "Brandon, No!" Rickard shouted but it was too late. King Aerys had already snatched Brandon by the throat; the Stark heir's throat began to blister and burn under the king's power. Rickard who was still barely avoiding the wildfire sweeping across the throne room could do nothing to help his son who roared in pain.
Then in an unexpected move, Brandon channelled aura away from his body and neck reducing his protection, but a moment after he connected a swift punch to the King's face which he had not been expecting and so he was sent flying back into the Iron Throne. The King's concentration was broken and the wildfire all dissipated leaving Brandon and Rickard some breathing room; Rickard rushed over to check on his son who had managed to get loose from the King. "Are you well boy?" Rickard asked.
Brandon growled an affirmative answer as he pulled on the collar of his shirt that was burnt and ripped off his shirt revealing a heavily muscled body. Rickard could see that the injuries he sustained by the king were already starting to peel off and new skin was growing underneath. Brandon picked up his sword that had been dropped to the floor when he had to avoid the King's first attack, they both then looked up to the Iron Throne where the King lay on the steps staring up to the ceiling.
"How long has it been since a man has struck me?" He said loudly, but it was clear that he was talking to himself.
"Not even in the war did I find myself struck by anyone, before Summerhall? Was it one of my cousins? I don't remember..." King Aerys stood up from the step touching his jaw and the small amount of pain he felt from it. Rickard looked concerned as he saw the King's eyes liven and a smile plaster itself upon his face. "You have made me feel excitement, something I haven't truly felt since I became a god, so do this last duty to your king and entertain me!" He shouted as his aura exploded out of his. The sheer weight and power of the King's aura was a sight to behold, it nearly blew both of the Starks away with its power.
"Father... I'll fight close... you support, I can take it," Brandon said as he struggled to formulate words —his ability already taking its toll on him.
Rickard was reluctant but understood to logic of Brandon's plan. Rickard did not have the ability to heal like Brandon did and so any injuries he sustained would affect him for the remainder of the fight. Rickard nodded towards Brandon who roared out in challenge to the Targaryen King, his aura started to grow and so did his muscles until he was a foot taller than he previously was and his aura had grown nearly a quarter larger than before.
King Aerys laughed before placing his hand on the handle of a sword from the throne and using his aura to superheat the metal he pulled the sword out —the hot steel glowed red as he flourished it. Brandon with his sword in hand near flew towards the King with his sword arcing as he attempted to cut the King in half. Aerys laughed as at an even faster speed he rushed towards Brandon impaling him through the stomach with his sword, but he didn't stop and he kept on running with Brandon impaled on his sword towards Rickard who had yet to move. The Stark Lord prepared himself for whatever attack Aerys might unleash, what he didn't expect was his son to be thrown towards him forcing him to catch him —which in turn launched him back. The king followed them as he formed a sphere of wildfire in his hand and threw it after them. Rickard saw the threat and managed to untangle himself from Brandon just in time to bring Ice up.
'Full Counter'
As soon as the sphere made contact with Ice it was sent back to the king at almost double the speed. Aerys could only block as his surprise at having his attack reflected at him reduced his reaction time, but he was not the strongest man in Westeros for no reason and with both hands he grabbed the sphere despite being pushed back on his feet, and using his aura he snuffed out the sphere of flames.
Rickard flourished his blade as he felt a little winded after using his ability. Full Counter allowed him to deflect any attack back at its opponent it didn't matter what the attack was, but he could only use the ability while wielding Ice and it would cost him 1.5x the amount of aura used for the attack to send it back. It was a costly move that should only be used as a trump card to end a fight quickly, but in a fight against such an overwhelming power he didn't have a choice but to use it liberally.
"A splendid ability, but did you think it would do anything? I bathed in the wildfires of Summerhall, my attacks will never arm me," King Aerys boomed out with a Laugh.
"We shall see..." Rickard said as he and Brandon got ready for the next bout with the King. Aerys was having such a good time with them, it seemed that one of them wouldn't break as the injuries he had delivered were gone and the younger Stark was fine.
(AN: The fight between The Starks and Aerys has begun and our boy Rick has shown off his aura ability, I think it's a decent one if a bit unoriginal. Anyway hope you enjoy.)
Support for more.
Patreon.com/captainalfie78works