Chapter 414: Ancient Scale
"Roar..."
Cannibal finally settled down, closing its vertical pupils to avoid looking at its rider. The sudden appearance of the dragon taming whip had inexplicably caused this king of wild dragons to resist. If it weren't for the fact that the item was in Rhaegar's hands, Cannibal, with its cruel nature, would have already bitten it to pieces.
Rhaegar, amused, vigorously rubbed Cannibal's black scales. He understood why Cannibal reacted this way.
The pitch-black whip was an ancient dragon taming tool known as the Dragon Taming Whip. According to the ancient books found within the space necklace, the dragon taming whip was one of the few effective tools for taming dragons, making its value greater than even a space tool.
The Aethyrys family, with its noble and ancient lineage, possessed several space props but only two dragon taming whips. One of these, hidden in the space necklace, was left for future generations.
The dragon taming whip had a crucial role. Made from an unknown material and processed by Pyromancers and Bloodmages, it inflicted severe pain on a dragon when it struck, penetrating even their tough scales. The grip was inscribed with mysterious runes, allowing it to briefly command the dragon, especially when paired with a binding spell.
The Aethyrys family used the Dragon Taming Whip to increase the efficiency of their heirs in taming young dragons. The whip's strike was unbearable for young dragons. During family civil wars, the whip could also calm dragons that had lost their riders, preventing them from rioting and attacking indiscriminately.
However, the whip was only a tool and was never meant for excessive use. Overuse could lead to rebellion from the intelligent dragons. History recorded instances where a dragon tamer who abused his dragon with a whip was torn apart in retaliation within days.
Rhaegar nuzzled Cannibal's snout and softly soothed, "Don't worry, even if you're a Dragoneater, I won't whip you."
Cannibal opened its vertical pupils, flashing with surprise.
Rhaegar smiled. "You're not normal, and you might not even be a native dragon of Dragonstone Island."
Several ancient books were hidden in the space necklace, containing valuable knowledge. Some described the phenomenon of dragons eating each other. Dragons, being highly territorial, normally did not disturb each other. However, in cases of conflict where a dragon was injured, consuming the carcass of another dragon could aid in recovery.
Another scenario was if the dragon itself had a natural inclination to eat its own kind, stealing eggs and poaching young dragons. This type of dragon was called a "Dragoneater."
Ancient texts elaborated on dragon eaters, emphasizing two key points:
1. They grow faster and are more lethal.
2. Once identified, they should be executed.
For no other reason that the appearance of a Dragoneater would lead to the death of many newborn dragons, making them a significant threat.
There was a mid-ranked Dragonlord family that once faced the tragedy of having a Dragoneaterwithin their house. Initially, the family had over two dozen dragons and numerous dragon eggs stored in the Fourteen Flames.
However, within just over a decade, several young dragons died mysteriously, and all the dragon eggs vanished. When the threat of the Dragoneater was finally discovered, several dragons had to be sacrificed to surround and kill the wild dragon.
This incident severely weakened the family, causing them to fall from their middling position. First they fell to the middle and lower ranks, and when no new dragon eggs hatched, they slipped even further down.
It took decades for the family to recover, and only after a new dragon egg was hatched did they manage to climb back to the bottom of the ranks.
This event served as a harsh lesson and marked the Dragoneater as a universally despised threat. In subsequent efforts to lay siege to the Dragoneater, the Dragon Taming Whip, which could briefly command dragons, proved invaluable.
Cannibal, a Dragoneater, likely sensed this threat. Rhaegar, good-natured and amused, didn't resist Cannibal's instincts. Despite Cannibal's nature, they had been partners for many years, and their bond remained strong.
A Dragoneater's ostracism wasn't just due to its cannibalistic tendencies. It also had a vicious temperament, often maiming or killing the Dragonlords family members who attempted to tame it. A Dragoneater was a scourge, dangerous both for its predatory habits and its resistance to taming.
However, Cannibal was Rhaegar's dragon, and despite its instincts, it had restrained its desire to eat other dragons over the years.
"Roar..."
Sensing Rhaegar's thoughts, Cannibal's green vertical pupils flashed with cunning. The dragon turned away arrogantly, ignoring him.
It seemed to say:
Have I eaten a dragon behind your back? Do you even know?
Rhaegar's face darkened slightly, and he clenched his fists.
After ten long years of taming Cannibal, only one young dragon, Stormcloud, had hatched on Dragonstone.
Good thoughts, Good thoughts, Rhaegar told himself.
Tessarion's hatching place was the Dragonpit in King's Landing, not to be counted within Dragonstone Island.
Rhaegar gritted his teeth silently. "One young dragon in ten years is still normal," he reassured himself.
As a qualified dragon rider, doubting his own dragon was not an option. Rhaegar forced a kind smile. "Cannibal, you'll be in the Dragonpit from now on. Dragonstone Island has changed ownership."
"What, are suspecting it of eating dragons?" Rhaenys clasped her hands on her chest, her eyebrows arching with amusement.
Rhaegar's expression tightened, and he didn't answer.
Rhaenys continued, "Silverwing is a very fertile female dragon. She has been resting for the past few years, but she shows no intention of laying eggs."
"I know, Aunt," Rhaegar replied, covering his forehead with his hand. Thankfully, Cannibal had shown restraint.
Rhaegar shook his head and decided to think of something more pleasant.
In a flash of inspiration, he called up the Explorer's System Panel.
[Lost Dragon Taming Tools]
Exploration Progress: 10% (Pause)
[Valyrian Steel. Space Necklace]
Exploration Progress: 15%
Two ancient relics had triggered additional exploration quests.
Rhaegar's mouth curled into a slight smile. "Completing the Binding Spell and obtaining the Dragon Taming Whip by chance has been very lucky," he thought.
He wondered what other relics the explorer might uncover.
Phew...
At sunset, a group of fine cavalry bearing the banner of the three-headed red dragon arrived swiftly. The leaders were Robb of the Second Sons Regiment and Willam of House Royce.
Upon seeing Rhaegar, both men broke into smiles and knelt on one knee. "Prince, the chaos within the city has calmed down. Please advise us," they said in unison.
Rhaegar internalized his emotions and asked, "How many soldiers did we lose?"
In a newly conquered city-state, rebellion was inevitable. It was crucial to manage losses without depleting their own forces.
Robb's face darkened slightly. "The rebellion came suddenly. The Second Sons sacrificed over a hundred men, the Fearless lost over five hundred, and the Vale Knights suffered more than eight hundred casualties."
Willam, similarly, looked down guiltily. After capturing Myr, the army had adopted a rotation system to maintain order. Many soldiers who died were killed while enjoying the city-state in small groups during their off-duty time.
Hearing this, Rhaegar's eyes flickered as he glanced at the hundreds of chaotic people detained by the Fearless.
Two thousand Fearless, two thousand Vale Knights, and eight hundred subordinate soldiers.
More than one-fifth of the troops lost in a single bout of rebellion. It was a significant number.
Rhaegar's face remained impassive as he ordered, "Root out the old nobles who provoked the riot and arrest all those who refuse to surrender."
Robb hesitated. "Prince, the number of rebels is not small."
All along their route, there were not ten thousand, but several thousand besieging the streets and alleys.
Rhaegar glared at him. "Then arrest them all. Do not spare a single one holding a weapon."
"Yes!" Robb led the order and moved quickly.
Rhaegar's gaze fell on the hundreds of detained chaotic folk. He addressed Gray Worm, "Detain them all and deal with them first thing in the morning."
Gray Worm nodded, indicating he understood. During the riot, he had been patrolling the streets and had almost been killed by the armed rebels. As an Unsullied, he would show no mercy to those who had tried to kill him.
It was getting late.
Rhaegar walked out of the ruins and headed outside. The Magister's Mansion covered a large area; while the main complex had collapsed, the outer garden buildings remained intact.
Rhaenys followed with quick strides, her brows furrowed. "Rhaegar, how are you going to handle this?"
The riots in Myr were rooted in the provocation of the old nobles and the blind following of the commoners. Behind the scenes, it wasn't hard to guess that Braavos was involved, providing a large number of weapons.
Rhaegar, in a complex mood, thought of the over a thousand soldiers who had sacrificed their lives. He said, "The only way to pacify a place is through a combination of killing and offering incentives."
Seemingly careless, his words conveyed a chilling aura.
Rhaenys' eyebrows knitted in concern, worried that this might lead to excessive killing.
...
The next day.
The sky was blue, and the sea breeze carried the scent of thick smoke.
At Myr Harbor, in the Execution Square, the blackened heads of a gathering crowd chattered and raved. A thousand Fearless and a thousand Vale Knights maintained order, surrounding the square in layers. The air was thick with the smell of fish.
Most of the crowd were ragged slaves, huddled together in fear. At the front of the square, a row of plainly dressed commoners knelt, their numbers ranging from one thousand to eight hundred. Men and women, old and young, all bowed in submission.
In front of them, on a platform made of mud-brown stone bricks, dozens of richly dressed men and women were forced to kneel, their hands tied behind their backs. After days of riots, judgment day had finally arrived.
"Roar--"
A roar, as deep as a flood bell, resounded through the harbor as a black dragon hovered in the air, its wide wings casting a shadow over the crowd.
"Gulp..."
Even the innocent slaves tensed at the sight of the massive dragon, unconsciously swallowing their saliva. The Deathwing's fearsome reputation had spread across the continent, comparable to the Black Dread that once ruled Westeros.
"Roar..."
A scarlet dragon emerged from the city-state and circled the black dragon. The two dragons danced together in the sky before landing.
Boom...
The ground shook as the dragons landed, their massive feet trampling the harbor floor. Cannibal's wings supported its body, making it look like a mountain of charcoal-black coal.
"Roar!"
Cannibal tilted its head up, letting out an intimidating low roar. Wherever its green vertical pupils gazed, a cold, gloomy aura filled the air, chilling the onlookers to their core.
"Cannibal, that's enough." Rhaegar sat steadily on the dragon's back, in a good mood. As he stood up, a voice rang in his ears.
"This exploration is complete. Please pick up the lost treasures."
Rhaegar raised an eyebrow as the system panel surfaced.
[Lost Dragon Taming Tools]
Exploration progress: 100%
"Done, a little slower than the space necklace." Rhaegar pressed down the corner of his mouth and scanned around.
On one side of his waist, he wore Truefyre; on the other, he had the dragon taming whip. A red halo, the size of a watermelon, floated over the saddle on his right.
With experience, Rhaegar reached out and gently poked the halo.
Bo...
The soft touch sent a shiver through his hand, and the red halo exploded into a cloud of red light, the starbursts drilling into his hand.
"Relic picked up successfully. Detection in progress..."
"Detection successful. Determined to be a Legendary Relic: Fourteen Flames Remnant."
"Sure enough, it's Legendary Grade, worthy of being a dragon taming tool passed down through the ages."
Rhaegar rejoiced as a tattered scale, named Fourteen Flames Remnant, appeared in his mind. With a thought, the scale materialized in his hand.
The scale was bronze in color, only half intact, and the size of an adult's palm. It was similar to the [Dragon's Legacy] obtained from exploring Bellerion's skull, both exuding a rustic sense of age.
As Rhaegar touched the scale, the system panel provided additional information.
"Mēro perzot gihoti / Elēdroma iärza sir (Ghostly flame and song of shadows)."
"Izuli ampā perzi, Prumi lanti sēteksi (Two hearts as embers, Forged in fourteen fires)."
(Word count: 2,075)