Chapter 179: Runes: Bronze and Bridled Serpent

"Roar..."

Cannibal couldn't hear Rhaegar's voice, but their minds were as one, and the dragon immediately responded to his command.

With a final blast of Dragonfire incinerating a group of fleeing Mountain Clansmen, Cannibal turned and soared towards Runestone.

Syrax, however, did not take the command and continued to pursue the Mountain Clansmen as far as the eye could see.

As a almost adult dragon, it was impervious to ordinary bows and arrows, except for the deadly scorpion crossbow. Rhaenyra was relieved to know that Syrax could handle himself.

Cannibal flew over Runestone and landed in the clearing of the front yard. On the city walls, Gerold had dispatched all the Mountain Clansmen who had breached the defenses, his eyes now fixed on the two dragons.

Everyone in Westeros knew that dragons were synonymous with power, but few had actually witnessed their might. Seeing the two dragons incinerate thousands of Mountain Clansmen left Gerold in stunned awe. It was as if he had witnessed the power of the gods.

"Quickly! The prince is hurt, get the Maester!" Jeyne's voice broke through Gerold's daze, her urgent cry snapping him back to reality.

...

Night fell.

In a dimly lit bedroom, Rhaegar lay unconscious on a bed, his body stripped bare. Herbs and bandages covered his shoulders and abdomen, treating his injuries from the recent bloody battle.

Despite the severity of the fight, his injuries were limited to two major wounds and several bruises.

The Runestone Maester had assessed his condition and determined that neither wound was critical. The arrow hadn't hit any bones, and the stab wound in his abdomen hadn't damaged his intestines. With proper care and prevention of infection, he would recover.

Creak...

The door to the room opened slightly and Rhaenyra entered, carrying a bundle in her arms.

"Rhaegar," she called softly, hoping to wake him.

Seeing no response, Rhaenyra walked silently to his bed. In her arms were two precious items: a sheathed half-sword and an ancient bronze breastplate.

She drew the sword halfway, revealing the undulating pattern on the Valyrian steel blade. This sword, called Lamentation, was a treasured heirloom of House Royce of Runestone.

She placed the sword beside Rhaegar and placed his left hand on the hilt. Then she placed the bronze breastplate at his feet, making sure one foot touched it.

The breastplate, aged and green with patina, bore faint runic carvings around its heart and edges.

The Royce House, founded in the Heroic Era, was known as the "Bronze Kings". They specialized in bronze casting and still used bronze armor and weapons, a tradition reflected in the nickname Daemon once used for his ex-wife, "Bronze Bitch".

The Royce House worshipped the Old Gods and believed in the power of runes, which they inscribed on their bronze armor to increase its strength and protective properties. The breastplate Rhaenyra brought was the oldest surviving piece, rumored to be thousands of years old.

"Rhaegar, you must wake quickly," Rhaenyra whispered, planting a soft kiss on his forehead.

Fetching Lamentation and the Bronze Armor was Rhaegar's request before he lost consciousness, believing that these ancient objects would give him strength.

Though Rhaenyra didn't fully understand their significance, she granted his wish. She knew that Rhaegar had a passion for collecting antiquities, and many of the exotic items he had given her had been acquired at great expense.

With her task completed, Rhaenyra hesitated before deciding to stay. She removed her boots and climbed into bed beside Rhaegar, lying on her side with her head propped on one hand. She didn't feel comfortable leaving him alone and wanted to be by his side all the time.

According to Gerold, a hidden tunnel had been discovered in Runestone, leading to the massacre of almost all the Vale nobles who had attended the banquet. Though the tunnel was now sealed and soldiers patrolled Runestone around the clock, Rhaenyra's fear persisted. She didn't want Rhaegar out of her sight.

As sleep overcame her, she remained unaware of the significance the two artifacts held for Rhaegar.

A system prompt echoed in his mind: "This quest has begun. The target is the Valyrian steel sword, Lamentation."

Exploration Progress: 0.3%

Time passed, and in the middle of the night, another system beep sounded: "This exploration is complete. Please retrieve the lost treasure.

Then: "This quest is open. The target is the Runic Armor."

[Runic Armor]

Exploration Progress: 0.3%

Rhaegar's eyelids fluttered slightly as if disturbed, but he did not wake up. He had long wanted to explore the Royce family's treasures, Lamentation and the Bronze Armor, but had refrained due to the complications of his marriage relationships with them.

Now, with Rhea dead and the Runestone in turmoil, everything had been simplified. At Rhaenyra's request, Gerold had generously loaned the artifacts.

Creak...

The door opened again and a silhouette stood at the entrance, peering through the narrow crack.

"Rhaenyra..." Jeyne murmured softly. Her long chestnut hair hung over her chest as she spotted her best friend lying on the bed.

She left the room in silence, closing the door behind her.

...

At dawn the next day, Rhaegar was awakened by a system alert.

"This quest is over. Please retrieve the lost treasure."

He groggily opened his eyes, blinking in the dim morning light. A small, delicate hand rested on his chest, and he felt the warmth of a body beside him.

"Rhaenyra?" he murmured.

Rhaenyra blinked awake, her eyes meeting his. She had fallen asleep in her clothes, keeping watch over him through the night, her hand still gripping the hilt of his sword. At his feet lay the battered bronze breastplate, glowing faintly with a purple aura.

Rhaegar realized immediately that Rhaenyra had retrieved the items he had requested. He called up the system interface to check the status of the exploration quest.

[Lamentation]

Exploration Progress: 100%

[Runic Armor]

Exploration Progress: 100%

Turning his head, he saw the half-sheathed Valyrian steel sword in his left hand. Beside the scabbard, another purple glow emanated from the ancient bronze breastplate. With effort, Rhaegar moved his fingers to touch the purple halo and nudged the other glow with his foot.

Two fireworks-like bursts of purple light erupted, and the system beeped.

"Relic picked up successfully, detection in progress..."

"Detection successful. Judged to be epic relics: Runic Greatsword and Watcher's Armor."

Rhaegar's heart leaped with joy at acquiring two epic-level relics. Before he could investigate further, the system provided more details.

"Congratulations, the Rune Greatsword has been activated. You have obtained..."

[Rune: Bridled Serpent]

Grade: Excellent (Blue)

Function: Activates the power of the snake, quickly recovers from injuries.

Evaluation: "One of the advanced runes, rare and precious in the age of disappearing runes."

"Congratulations, the Guardian Armor has been activated. You have won..."

[Rune: Bronze].

Grade: Good (Green)

Function: Provides protection.

Evaluation: "One of the basic runes, a good way to save your life."

As the knowledge of the runes flooded his mind, Rhaegar felt a rush of pleasure that seemed to come from his very soul, causing him to roll his eyes in ecstasy.

"Ah!!"

A sudden, mournful cry pierced the morning air and echoed through Runestone. The voice was young and filled with terror.

(Word count: 1,205)