Chapter 89: Headless Shadow

But the Shadow Wyrm proved resilient, gradually regaining its footing amid the chaos.

Its writhing tentacles coalesced and morphed into a new one-eyed goat's head on its neck.

"Roar..."

The sight further fueled Cannibal's fury, causing him to rise higher into the sky, his wings beating with increased intensity as he unleashed torrents of dragon flame.

With each blow, its form was shattered and rebuilt, yet it seemed to grow more agile, quickly adapting to Cannibal's attacks.

Recognizing the pattern, Rhaegar urged Cannibal to stay alert, realizing that the creature was mimicking the dragon's movements.

"Cannibal, stay alert! It's mirroring your every move," Rhaegar warned, his voice echoing over the tumultuous battle.

Cannibal continued his assault, unleashing dragon flames from every angle.

Meanwhile, the situation on the ground was rapidly deteriorating.

The monstrous remnants of the shadow creature, still lurking amidst the chaos, continued to attack any living creature within range with their shadowy appendages.

The night air was thick with the dissolved goo of the Shadow Wyrm, only to rise from the ground and attack again.

In the face of overwhelming odds, the morale of the human forces plummeted.

The once unified wildling army was now scattered, crumbling under the Shadow's relentless onslaught.

Driven by fear, many sought refuge beyond the outer ring of fire, their panicked flight adding to the chaos unfolding in the open space.

In the heart of the clearing, prisoners lay sprawled on the ground, their ears filled with the shouts and screams of battle.

Meanwhile, the Shadowbinder's head continued to mutter.

"The Shadow is coming... to slay all the living... to gather more Shadows..."

A lone figure on horseback approached, reining in his mount with a decisive halt.

Quickly dismounting, the figure grabbed the head and silenced it with a prepared rag.

"Silence!"

It was Sam, his guards scattered in the confusion, leaving him no choice but to retrieve the head himself.

As he straightened, a sudden gust of wind alerted him to danger from behind. With a quick dodge, he deftly intercepted the attacker and severed the head with a swift stroke of his sword.

The figure collapsed into a pool of viscous goo, writhing on the ground in agony.

Sam quickly remounted and spurred his horse away from the battle.

Elsewhere, the Brune soldiers, all under Sorrel's command, clashed fiercely with the shadows.

Nearby, Bart crouched by a flickering campfire, protected only by two guards.

A shadowy figure emerged from the ground, overpowering the guards and pinning Bart to the ground.

Terrified, Bart flailed wildly and caught sight of the figure's blurred visage.

In the distorted features, he saw a grotesque resemblance to his late brother, Wells.

Bart's fear overwhelmed him and he involuntarily lost control of his bladder.

With a desperate plea, he cried out, his eyes squeezed shut in terror, "Brother, I had nothing to do with your death, I swear! Please, spare me! I have never betrayed you or our family!"

...

High above, the Cannibal, following Rhaegar's orders, engaged the Shadow Wyrn in a fierce battle. But his cries seemed futile against the relentless onslaught.

Boom...

Once again, the emerald dragon flame obliterated the Shadow Wyrm's brain, but this time it reacted differently. Without waiting for its brain to reform, it lunged forward, wings beating furiously as it charged the Cannibal.

From the goo dripping from its neck, a swirling black mist coalesced into a familiar figure - the headless shadow that had attacked Rhaegar and the Cannibal earlier.

Rhaegar's blood ran cold at the sight, his heart pounding with adrenaline.

"Dracarys!"

With a steely resolve fueled by a surge of emotion, Rhaegar's icy facade cracked and he gave the order to attack.

In that moment, he understood the source of Cannibal's rage. The crude imitation stirred something primal in him, driving him to destroy the twisted mockery before him.

Meanwhile, the Shadow Wyrm's head reappeared, setting the stage for a showdown between the two dragons. Cannibal's flames collided with his opponent's shadows as they clashed in the sky for the first time.

Boom!

The emerald flames tore through the shadow mist and collided with the shadow wyrm with unyielding force.

In an instant, the Shadow Wyrm's brain and neck were incinerated into nothing. The headless shadow perched on its neck vanished into thin air.

"Continue the attack, Dracarys!"

Rhaegar's command echoed across the battlefield as he urged Cannibal on. The dragon responded with a rumbling growl, circling and unleashing flames.

To Rhaegar's astonishment, the headless shadow reappeared on the back of the shadow wyrm. As they made contact, shadowy tentacles sprouted from the Shadow Wyrm's body and plunged into the headless figure.

The Shadow Wyrm was restored to its former glory. At the same time, half of the Shadows on the ground vanished, easing the chaos below.

"Damn it, it's consuming the other Shadows," Rhaegar cursed. He warned the Cannibal to increase the intensity of his dragon flame to prevent the production of the slimy substance.

"Roar..."

With renewed strength, the Shadow Wyrm let out a terrifying roar and charged at the Cannibal, attempting to engage the dragon in close combat.

The Cannibal roared defiantly, unleashing dragonfire at its foe.

In an instant, the Shadow Wyrm sliced through the dragonfire, leaving behind only one wing and half of its tail as it wrapped itself around the Cannibal from below.

Its body, adorned with shadow tentacles, slashed at the Cannibal's scales. The black dragon's armor-like scales proved impenetrable, however, and it easily parried the attack.

Seizing the opportunity, the Cannibal sank his razor-sharp fangs into the Shadow Wyrm's neck, leaving a gaping wound. Despite the thrashing and twisting, the Cannibal maintained its grip.

Unbeknownst to Rhaegar, the true threat lurked unseen - the headless shadow, wielding a steel spike stained with dragon blood, stealthily made its way to the dragon's back.

A surge of adrenaline coursed through Rhaegar as he sensed the impending danger, his body temperature rising and his skin flushing. A quick glance over his shoulder revealed the headless shadow, sending a shiver down his spine.

Stifling his rising panic, he steeled himself for the confrontation, his face flushed and a glint of determination in his eyes.

"I refuse to be defeated without a fight," he said, quickly pulling a bottle of oil from his storage bracelet.

With practiced precision, Rhaegar ignited the cloth at the bottle's mouth and hurled it at the Cannibal's pitch-black scales. Immediately, a fierce blaze erupted, engulfing the dragon and him in flames.

(Word count: 1,083)