Deep within Dragon Sleep Valley on Dragonstone Isle, Arya and Illyrio had converted an abandoned first men stone house into a temporary laboratory. The walls of the stone house were built from volcanic rock, insulating it from the scorching geothermal heat of the valley. A circular skylight in the roof allowed the midday sun to stream in, illuminating the neatly arranged experimental equipment inside—The Citadel's specially made bronze distillation apparatus, crystal condensers, precisely calibrated ceramic measuring cups, and a "first men Energy Purification Chart" that Tommen had found in ancient texts. The edges of the chart were covered with dense annotations in charcoal.
Illyrio, wearing a linen robe dusted with volcanic ash, was crouching before the experimental table in the center of the stone house. In his hand was a piece of Dragon's Nest ore—mined yesterday near the Dragon-Taming Stone. The ore was dark red, its surface covered with tiny pores from which a light red, viscous liquid seeped, resembling congealed dragonblood. He gently scraped off a fragment of the ore with a dragonglass dagger and placed it on The Citadel's "energy detector" (made of crystal and dragonglass, capable of displaying the ore's energy fluctuations). The instrument's needle immediately jumped violently, the red scale line breaking past the "high-energy ore" threshold and pointing to an unprecedented region.
"The energy density is three times that of The Citadel's dragonglass ore," Illyrio's voice held undisguised excitement. He poured the fragments into a grinding mortar and slowly ground them with a bronze pestle. "The Citadel's 'Treatise on Dragon's Nest Minerals' states that Dragon's Nest ore, after prolonged absorption of dragonflame, forms an 'energy core.' But I never imagined the purity of the ore cores here would be so high."
Arya leaned against the doorframe of the stone house, toying with a dragon scale gifted by a flame lizard. Her gaze fell upon the dragon-seeking mirror beside the experimental table—the mirror had been emitting a steady red glow ever since the ore was brought into the stone house. Occasionally, faint golden fire patterns would appear on its surface, subtly echoing the patterns on the dragon scale. "Can these ores really make Drogon and Rhaegal evolve?" she asked, a hint of anticipation in her tone. Since leaving King's Landing, she often recalled Drogon's figure circling in The Vale, and Daenerys's helpless words, "The dragonflame needs to be three-tenths stronger to break through the cold god's barrier."
"As long as we can extract pure energy fluid, it will certainly be possible," Illyrio stopped grinding and held up the bronze pestle. The ore powder clinging to the bottom of the pestle gleamed faintly golden in the sunlight. "Look, these powders are already starting to release energy, but the purity isn't enough. If given directly to the dragons, it won't just fail to evolve them; it might even harm them due to energy imbalance. What we need to do is remove the impurities and retain the most essential dragonflame energy."
Tommen rushed in, clutching 'Records of the first men of the Western Sea,' its pages rustling in the wind: "Lord Illyrio! I've found records of the first men refining Dragon's Nest ore! It says, 'dragonbreath ore requires holy fire to ignite, weirwood fiber to lock energy, and condensation into liquid to be fit for dragons' drink'—we need to heat the ore with holy fire, then use weirwood fiber to absorb impurities, and finally obtain a pure liquid through condensation!"
Illyrio's eyes lit up. He immediately walked over to Tommen, pointing at an illustration in the ancient text: "Look at the distillation apparatus here; it's almost identical to the bronze apparatus we brought! The first men mastered the refining method long ago. We just need to replicate their steps and then optimize the purity with The Citadel's technology." He turned to Arya and said, "Lena's holy fire can precisely control the temperature. Grey Claw and Bane can help collect weirwood fiber. We can start our first refining experiment today."
Half an hour later, on the open ground outside the laboratory, Lena had set up a small holy fire altar. Ten Red Priests (who had previously stayed in King's Landing with Melisandre and later came to assist with Daenerys's approval) stood in a circle around the altar, chanting prayers to the lord of light. The flames in the holy fire altar gradually changed from orange-red to a pure golden—this was "temperature-controlled holy fire," capable of adjusting its temperature according to the priests' will, reaching up to one-third of dragonflame's heat. This was just enough to melt the Dragon's Nest ore without destroying its energy structure.
Illyrio and Grey Claw carried a bronze crucible to the holy fire altar. The crucible was filled with crushed Dragon's Nest ore powder, to which a small amount of weirwood shavings (a "flux" recorded in Tommen's ancient text) had been added. "First, control the temperature at five hundred degrees," Illyrio told Lena, holding The Citadel's "thermometer" (made of crystal that changes color with heat). "When the powder begins to melt, slowly raise the temperature to eight hundred degrees, ensuring no energy is lost."
Lena nodded, adjusting the rhythm of her prayers. The golden flames in the holy fire altar slowly enveloped the bronze crucible. Initially, the powder in the crucible only became slightly warm. As the temperature rose, the powder gradually turned into a dark red, viscous liquid. Tiny bubbles appeared on the surface of the liquid, emitting a faint scent of sulfur mixed with dragonflame. Grey Claw, holding a long-handled stirrer, slowly stirred the liquid according to Illyrio's instructions to prevent localized overheating from causing an energy explosion.
"The temperature has reached eight hundred degrees!" Illyrio, seeing the crystal thermometer turn deep purple, immediately signaled Lena to stabilize the temperature. "Now, begin separating the impurities—the volcanic ash and useless minerals in the ore will settle to the bottom of the crucible. We need to transfer the pure liquid from the upper layer into the distillation apparatus."
This process was more difficult than imagined. When Grey Claw tried to pour the liquid into the distillation apparatus, the impurities at the bottom of the crucible suddenly boiled, and splashes of liquid fell onto the ground, instantly burning a small pit in the volcanic rock and emitting faint red smoke. "Careful!" Arya, quick-witted, used the dragon scale in her hand to block the splashing liquid. The moment the dragon scale touched the liquid, it hissed, and the runes on the scale's surface lit up, absorbing a portion of the liquid's energy.
"The volcanic ash in the impurities is reacting with the energy!" Tommen shouted, pulling out an emergency plan from the ancient text. "Filter it with weirwood fiber! The first men, when encountering this situation, would use woven weirwood fiber nets to block the impurities!"
Bane immediately spread the pre-woven weirwood fiber net over the entrance of the distillation apparatus. Illyrio adjusted the holy fire temperature, lowering it to six hundred degrees, slowing the liquid's boiling. This time, Grey Claw carefully poured the liquid. The fiber net successfully blocked the settled impurities, allowing only pure, dark red liquid to flow into the distillation apparatus. The crystal condenser in the apparatus instantly became covered with faint red patterns, pulsating as if alive.
"The first step is successful!" Lena sighed in relief, stopping her prayers. The flames in the holy fire altar gradually returned to orange-red. "However, the temperature fluctuation just now caused some energy loss. Next time, we need to control the temperature more precisely. Perhaps we can assign two priests specifically to temperature regulation to avoid further accidents."
Illyrio nodded, collecting the filtered impurities—though unusable for refining evolution fluid, these impurities could serve as "holy fire fuel," enhancing the stability of the flames when added to the holy fire. He looked at the slowly flowing liquid in the distillation apparatus, his eyes filled with anticipation: "Next are condensation and purification. As long as we can obtain pure energy fluid, we are not far from success."
Inside the laboratory, Illyrio connected the distillation apparatus to the crystal condenser. The end of the condenser was connected to a specially made crystal bottle, engraved with the first men's "energy lock runes" on its walls, to prevent the energy in the liquid from dissipating. Tommen wrapped the condenser with a wool blanket soaked in ice water (freshwater brought from wavebreaker ii, cooled by volcanic ice springs) to ensure effective condensation.
"The key to distillation is 'staged temperature control,'" Illyrio told the team members gathered around, holding the first men chart. "First, control the apparatus temperature at four hundred degrees to evaporate the water in the liquid; then raise the temperature to six hundred degrees to separate low-purity energy impurities; finally, lower the temperature to three hundred degrees to condense the high-purity energy liquid into a liquid state. The entire process needs to last three hours without any errors."
Arya voluntarily took on the "temperature monitoring" task. She stood by the distillation apparatus, measuring the temperature with a crystal thermometer every fifteen minutes and reporting the data to Illyrio. Initially, everything went smoothly. The liquid in the apparatus began to evaporate at four hundred degrees. Faint white steam emerged from the top of the condenser, cooled by the wool blanket into water droplets, which flowed down the tube into another collection bottle—this was the water content of the liquid, containing no energy, and could be discarded directly.
When the temperature rose to six hundred degrees, an accident occurred again: a crack suddenly appeared in the bronze joint of the distillation apparatus. A small amount of dark red liquid seeped from the crack, falling onto the stone floor, instantly forming a small fire pattern. The fire pattern was slowly spreading, seemingly about to ignite the surrounding experimental equipment. "Quick, use weirwood fiber!" Illyrio shouted. Tommen immediately applied the prepared weirwood fiber to the crack. Upon contact with the liquid, the fiber absorbed the seeping liquid like a sponge, and the fire pattern disappeared.
"Fortunately, the first men's method works," Tommen wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. "The ancient text says that weirwood can not only absorb impurities but also temporarily store energy, making it a 'universal material' for refining Dragon's Nest ore. We should wrap all the joints of the apparatus with a layer of fiber to prevent further leaks."
Illyrio adopted Tommen's suggestion, having Grey Claw and Bane re-wrap the distillation apparatus's joints with weirwood fiber. After this adjustment, the apparatus became much more stable. When the temperature dropped to three hundred degrees, faint red liquid began to appear in the crystal bottle. Small fire patterns flickered within the liquid, like a miniature flame burning inside. "It's dragon evolution fluid!" Arya exclaimed excitedly. The red glow of the dragon-seeking mirror suddenly became dazzling, and the mirror's surface resonated with the liquid in the crystal bottle, forming a faint golden beam of light.
Three hours later, the refining was finally complete. Approximately half a liter of dragon evolution fluid was collected in the crystal bottle. The liquid was dark red, with a viscosity similar to honey, and tiny energy particles could be seen flowing within it under the sunlight. Illyrio carefully sealed the crystal bottle. The runes on the bottle's wall instantly lit up, firmly locking the energy within the liquid. "Test the purity," he told Tommen, handing him a dragonglass testing rod.
Tommen inserted the detection rod into the liquid, and it instantly turned deep purple (the color for "high-purity energy" as stipulated by The Citadel). The scale on the rod showed "energy density 92%," far exceeding The Citadel's "80% passing line." "It's a success!" Tommen excitedly waved the detection rod. "This is high-purity dragon evolution fluid, perfectly suitable for dragons!"
Cheers erupted in the laboratory. Grey Claw raised the bronze crucible and shouted, while Bain blew the victory horn of the North. Arya walked over to Lord Illyrio, looking at the liquid in the crystal bottle, her eyes full of smiles: "When Drogon and Rhaegal drink this, their dragonflame will surely break through the cold god's ice barrier."
Lord Illyrio nodded, holding the crystal bottle in his arms as if it were a priceless treasure. "We need to take a portion of the sample back to King's Landing for testing. The remaining ore can continue to be refined to prepare more evolution fluid, ensuring both dragons receive enough energy. Additionally, we must record the complete refining steps so that The Citadel can mass-produce it. In the future, it might even be used for the evolution of other dragons."
The next morning, the team began their second refinement—this time, they were better prepared. The device interfaces were wrapped in three layers of weirwood fiber, the holy fire altar's temperature was controlled by four Red Priests, and ten extra bottles of ice water were prepared to deal with sudden energy overloads. Lord Illyrio's goal was to refine two liters of evolution fluid: one liter to take back to King's Landing for testing, and one liter to keep on Dragonstone Isle as a backup.
Halfway through the refining process, the ore liquid in the crucible suddenly boiled violently. The thermometer's needle instantly shot past a thousand degrees, far exceeding expectations. "What's happening?" Lord Illyrio shouted. Lena immediately adjusted her prayers, attempting to lower the holy fire's temperature, but the flames in the holy fire altar uncontrollably turned white, and the temperature continued to rise.
"The 'energy core' in the ore has been activated!" Tommen quickly flipped through ancient texts, his face pale. "The ancient texts say that Dragon's Nest ore occasionally contains 'natural energy cores' that explode with energy when exposed to high temperatures, leading to uncontrolled temperatures!"
No sooner had he spoken than the bottom of the bronze crucible suddenly cracked, and scalding liquid gushed out, flowing towards Lord Illyrio. Arya, without thinking, pounced and pushed Lord Illyrio away, but her arm was splashed by the liquid. Her leather armor instantly burned through, leaving a red, swollen mark on her arm that still faintly emitted heat.
"Arya!" Lord Illyrio scrambled up, grabbed her, pulled out holy fire ash from his 懷, and sprinkled it on her wound. The moment the holy fire ash touched the wound, it sizzled, and the red, swollen mark gradually faded, the pain also greatly diminishing. "Fortunately, I brought holy fire ash," Lord Illyrio said with lingering fear. "The Citadel said holy fire ash can neutralize the scorching energy of Dragon's Nest ore. I didn't expect it to actually work."
Lena and the Red Priests fully suppressed the holy fire. The white flames gradually returned to golden, and the temperature dropped to a safe range. Grey Claw and Bain used weirwood fiber to plug the crucible's crack and guided the remaining liquid into the distillation apparatus. Although some ore was lost, it was not a complete failure.
"It's all my fault for not detecting whether there were energy cores in the ore beforehand," Lord Illyrio said with self-reproach. He looked at the scar on Arya's arm, filled with guilt. "Before the next refinement, we must first scan each piece of ore with an energy detector to ensure there are no hidden cores."
Arya shook her head and said with a smile, "Experiments always have accidents. As long as we can solve them, it's progress. Besides, this scar can be considered our 'memento' of refining the evolution fluid. When Drogon successfully evolves, I'll even show it off to him." Her optimism infected everyone, and the tense atmosphere in the laboratory gradually eased. Everyone returned to the refining work.
This crisis also led Lord Illyrio to a new discovery: although energy cores were dangerous, their energy density far exceeded that of ordinary ore. If they could be safely extracted, the yield of evolution fluid could be greatly increased. He asked Tommen to search ancient texts for "core extraction methods" and began designing a new experimental plan himself—slowly heating the cores with holy fire to gradually release energy, then wrapping them in layers of weirwood fiber to prevent energy bursts.
By evening, the second refinement was finally complete, yielding one and a half liters of dragon evolution fluid, which also included high-purity liquid extracted from the energy cores. Lord Illyrio divided the evolution fluid into two portions: one was placed in The Citadel's special "leak-proof crystal bottle" (with thickened walls and encrypted runes), to be taken back to King's Landing; the other was placed in an ordinary crystal bottle, left on Dragonstone Isle for subsequent research.
In the cabin of the wavebreaker ii, Lord Illyrio was carefully inspecting the dragon evolution fluid sample to be taken back to King's Landing—the crystal bottle was wrapped in three layers of weirwood fiber and encased in a bronze protective shell, ensuring it wouldn't leak due to turbulence during the voyage. Old Ge entered the cabin, holding a newly drawn sea chart: "Lord Illyrio, we depart early tomorrow morning, taking the 'West Wind Route,' which is two days faster than our journey here, allowing us to deliver the sample to King's Landing as soon as possible."
Lord Illyrio nodded, placing the crystal bottle in a cool spot in the cabin, away from heat and water sources: "The evolution fluid needs to be stored in a low-temperature environment. Have someone put more ice from the volcanic ice springs in the cabin to keep the temperature below ten degrees. Also, tell Bain to strengthen the ship's vigilance. There might be Qarth spies in the Western Sea, and we cannot afford any mishap with the sample."
When Arya entered the cabin, she saw Lord Illyrio recording the refining log. The log detailed the steps of both refinements, the problems encountered, the solutions, the evolution fluid's energy data, and even included improved diagrams of the distillation apparatus. "Are you planning to give these to The Citadel?" she asked, sitting beside Lord Illyrio and flipping through the log.
"Not just The Citadel, but also Daenerys and Jon," Lord Illyrio closed the log, his eyes full of anticipation. "The Citadel can mass-produce the evolution fluid based on the log, Daenerys can prepare the dragons' adaptation training in advance, and Jon can adjust the allied forces' tactics based on the expected evolution of dragonflame. This sample is crucial to the entire plan against the cold god, and we must ensure its safe arrival in King's Landing."
Tommen and Lena also entered the cabin, bringing the ore impurities and energy core fragments collected during the refining process: "These can serve as research materials; Maester Sam of The Citadel will surely be interested. Moreover, the energy core fragments can also act as an 'energy source,' providing energy for the holy fire in emergencies."
Lord Illyrio took the fragments, weighing them in his hand: "These are all valuable resources that we must take back to King's Landing together. After the war against the cold god ends, we will return to Dragonstone Isle to continue studying the secrets of Dragon's Nest ore. Perhaps we can find other ways to evolve dragons."
Late at night, on the deck of the wavebreaker ii, Arya and Lord Illyrio stood side by side at the bow, gazing at Dragonstone Isle in the distance—faint flickers of fire could still be seen in the direction of Dragon Sleep Valley, where the Red Priests were cleaning up the experimental site. "What do you think Drogon will be like after drinking the evolution fluid?" Arya asked softly, her eyes full of longing.
"He will become larger, his dragonflame will be hotter, and perhaps he will master new abilities, such as 'holy dragonflame,'" Lord Illyrio held her hand, his voice firm. "By then, we will be able to use dragonflame to break through the cold god's ice barrier, completely destroy the ice core, and win the war."
The sea breeze, carrying the scent of sulfur, ruffled their clothes. The distant starry sky was exceptionally bright, as if guiding their return journey. Lord Illyrio knew that this bottle of dragon evolution fluid was not only the hope of the dragons but also the hope of the alliance. As long as it could be safely delivered to King's Landing, the tide of the war against the cold god would turn. And he, too, would continue to use his knowledge and strength to contribute to protecting Westeros.
The next morning, the sails of the wavebreaker ii slowly rose, propelled by the west wind. The Direwolf and dragon patterns on the hull were particularly striking in the sunlight. Dragonstone Isle gradually shrank, finally disappearing where the sea met the sky, but the energy of the dragon evolution fluid, the wisdom of the first men, and the efforts of the team were all condensed in that bottle of dark red liquid, sailing towards King's Landing.
Lord Illyrio stood at the bow, holding the crystal bottle containing the evolution fluid. The liquid in the bottle shimmered with tiny fire patterns in the sunlight, like a beating heart. He recalled the difficulties and successes during the refining process, the scar on Arya's arm, and the cooperation of the team members, his heart filled with determination: "We will succeed. Drogon and Rhaegal will evolve. The alliance will defeat the cold god."
Arya walked to his side, holding the dragon-seeking mirror. The red light from the mirror resonated with the liquid in the crystal bottle, forming a pale golden beam of light that pointed towards King's Landing: "Bran's Greensight says we will arrive safely in King's Landing. Daenerys and Jon are waiting for us. Although the cold god's ice mist is still spreading, we have found the key to fighting it. Victory is ahead."
The wavebreaker ii, escorted by the west wind, sped towards King's Landing. The dragon evolution fluid in the cabin lay quietly, waiting to awaken the power of the dragons; the team members on deck were performing their duties, anticipating the moment they would reunite with the alliance. The exploration of the Western Isles had achieved a phased victory, and the war against the cold god would usher in a new dawn because of this bottle of dragon evolution fluid.
Lord Illyrio looked down at the crystal bottle, silently making a promise: "For Arya, for the alliance, for the peace of Westeros, I will protect this evolution fluid and let it become the light against the darkness." On the distant horizon, the outline of King's Landing gradually became clear, and a new chapter in the contest between dragons and the cold god was about to begin.