Chapter 90: Defeating The Creature With Its Own Mask

Armed with the formidable enchantments of [Blood and Fire] and [True Dragon's Blood], Rhaegar remained impervious to the scorching heat unleashed by the kerosene inferno.

Despite this, the flames served to draw the encroaching shadows nearer, compelling them to converge.

Yet, shadows were ephemeral entities, destined to distort and dissipate upon encountering the searing embrace of flames, rendering them harmless to Rhaegar.

Amidst the crackling inferno, the Cannibal sensed a shift in its master's emotions, prompting it to whirl around in alarm. With a thunderous roar, it confronted the advancing headless shadow crawling up its body.

Discarding the remnants of the smoldering shadow wyrm, the Cannibal unleashed a torrent of dragon flame, forming a barrier of searing emerald fire before it. With a powerful beat of its wings, it propelled itself forward, passing through the roaring conflagration unscathed.

Reacting swiftly, Rhaegar hastily stowed away the red mask, shielding his face with one hand as he crouched.

As the flames licked at his clothing, searing his skin with their heat, Rhaegar braced himself. Within the green flames, all shadows seemed to be obliterated.

Unscathed, Rhaegar rose to his feet, scanning the surroundings with heightened vigilance. Yet, the headless shadow had vanished without a trace again, leaving him to lament its escape.

With a resigned sigh, he retrieved a set of loose garments from his bracelet and swiftly changed into them.

"Roar!"

The timely roar from Cannibal jolted Rhaegar back to focus, prompting him to steady himself as the dragon descended, casting a shadow over the remnants of shadow wyrm.

Even as the monstrous entities continued their relentless assault on the living, the battle raged on, far from its conclusion.

Rhaegar retrieved the red-painted mask once more, contemplating its significance.

"The mask is a token, but how can I return it?" he mused aloud, pondering headless shadow.

Unlike other shadow creatures, this one possessed a distinct purpose, almost as if imbued with intelligence.

Recalling its previous attacks, including the attempt on his life and the Cannibal's tail, Rhaegar couldn't shake that the headless shadow was the Shadowbinder's original creation.

"A shadow without a head... and a mask..." His thoughts raced, and suddenly, a realization dawned upon him.

"Cannibal, lead me to those prisoners!" he commanded abruptly, envisioning a plan to break the curse.

Having teared the shadow wyrm apart, Cannibal responded dutifully, soaring through the air while spewing dragon flames to vanquish the figures below, drawing closer to the prisoners at the heart of the clearing.

Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the clearing, the headless shadow reappeared, perched atop the monstrous creature, orchestrating another rampage to claim more lives and replenish the shadows lost in battle.

Whoosh--

A flaming arrow streaked through the air, piercing the chest of the Headless Shadow.

Clutching the wound, the headless figure stopped, fixing its gaze on the source of the arrow—a girl with brown, curly hair who was reloading her bow for another shot.

Twisting and contorting, the headless figure dissolved into a shadow, merging seamlessly and closing in on the girl.

"Run! The dragon is coming!" Skylar shouted urgently, her voice drowned out by the chaos as a burly wildling shoved her aside, forcing her into the throng.

With a roar, green dragon flames descended, engulfing the creatures. As the last remnants of the shadow were consumed by the dragon's flame, the battle drew to it's end.

The combined forces of the wildling army, the soldiers of House Brune and House Crabb stood united against the waves of shadows, wielding oil-coated weapons, drastically reducing casualties.

Rhaegar and Cannibal landed on the ground, searching for the heads of the Shadowbinders among the slain prisoners, but it was nowhere to be found.

Determined to find it, he called out to Skylar, "Have you seen the head of the Shadowbringer?" Before she could respond, another voice chimed in.

"I have it! The skull is here!" Bart, disheveled and panicked, ran towards Rhaegar, clutching the head with a distressed expression, his guards nowhere in sight.

Meanwhile, Sam, tall and stout, fended off the approaching figures with his longsword, steadily making his way towards the dragon.

Spotting Bart with the skull, Rhaegar's eyes sparkled as he urgently commanded, "Destroy it! Smash the head!"

"Yes, Prince!" Bart, momentarily bewildered, swiftly complied, tossing the skull into a nearby bonfire without hesitation.

...

As the skull made contact with the flames, black smoke billowed forth, but any attempt to howl was stifled as it was quickly reduced to charred remains, crumbling to bone under the trampling feet of the crowd.

Buzz...

A profound silence fell over the scene. The shadows seemed frozen, allowing the living to cut them down, each one reverting to nothing as they fell.

Amidst the scattered bone fragments, a headless figure emerged. He watched as the empty neck writhed, gradually giving rise to a new head—a face identical to that of the slain Shadowbinder.

Yet, devoid of emotion, the face remained quiet. Though its mouth opened as if to speak, how could a mere shadow speak?

In a swift transition, the headless figure adjusted to its new appearance, and the shadows on the ground began to stir once more.

"Skylar, shot it!" Rhaegar's command

Whoosh...

An arrow flew, its tip piercing a red mask, aimed directly at the shadow of the Shadowbinder..

Splat...

The arrow struck true, embedding itself in the Shadowbinder's forehead, the red mask enveloping its face.

In an instant, the red mask unleashed an infinite suction force, swallowing the shadow within.

With the disappearance of the Shadowbinder's shadow, all the shadows in the clearing dissipated, dissipating into wisps of black smoke that dispersed on the wind.

Even the monstrous creatures and remnants of the shadow wyrm could not withstand the wind, shriveling and crumbling into dust.

In the blink of an eye, the enemy vanished, leaving the stunned onlookers in disbelief.

They still lingered in a state of uncertainty, their eyes scanning the clearing for any sign of the battle's resolution.

"Did it work?" Rhaegar's voice carried a note of skepticism as he watched the shadow creatures vanish into thin air.

Cannibal's growled, lazily shifting its weight and stretching its wings—a assurance that the danger had passed.

The wildling army and soldiers, their muscles still tensed from combat, turned their attention to the young prince and the dragon.

Uncertain if the curse had truly been lifted, their resolve remained steadfast as long as the dragon and its rider stood beside them.

Interpreting Cannibal's demeanor, Rhaegar couldn't help but feel a surge of admiration. "Who would have thought defeating the Shadow Creature could be so straightforward?" he mused, aware of the expectant gazes fixed upon him.

After a brief moment of contemplation, he straightened his posture upon the dragon's back, raising his arm high to address the assembled crowd.

Among them were wildling savages, armored soldiers, and nobles like Sam and Bart.

After a brief moment of contemplation, he straightened his posture upon the dragon's back, raising his arm high to address the assembled crowd.

Among them were wildling savages, armored soldiers, and nobles like Sam and Babette.

As Cannibal shifted beneath him, lifting him higher, Rhaegar took a deep breath of the moonlit air, his voice resonating with authority: "Gentlemen! After all your efforts, I am pleased to announce..."

"The curse is over!"

The declaration reverberated across the desolate battlefield, the hoarse yet powerful voice like music to their ears.

"We've won!"

"Curse be damned, we've triumphed!"

"Long live the dragon... Long live the prince!"

Their joyous cries filled the air, weapons raised in celebration of their hard-won victory.

Surveying the jubilant throng, Rhaegar felt an inexplicable surge of excitement, a smile spreading across his face.

He hadn't relied on his family; it was him and Cannibal against the dreaded curse.

This was their adventure.

Their first triumph together.

"My friend, we did it!" Rhaegar exclaimed, his praise directed at the towering figure of Cannibal.

(Word count: 1,323)