"The initial exploration progress is low, so it seems the quality of the marsh marigold flower isn't bad," Rhaegar mused, assessing the situation.
With his experience in exploration, he eagerly reached out to pluck the flower, anticipating its potential.
But before his fingers could grasp it, a sinister shadow tentacle lunged out of the darkness, catching him off guard.
In the blink of an eye, Cannibal's tail intercepted the attack, severing the tentacle in one swift motion.
Reacting quickly, Rhaegar grabbed the marsh marigold and retreated hastily.
Once again, the shadow tentacles closed in on them, prompting Cannibal to unleash a torrent of dragonfire in defense.
But in the midst of the chaos, a new threat emerged.
A headless figure emerged from the shadows, wielding a steel spike and pierced Cannibal's tail with alarming precision.
The dragon's blood sizzled as it struck the searing metal, filling the air with a pungent scent.
The headless figure stuffed the steel spike stained with dragon's blood into its stomach and turned around without moving.
As Rhaegar locked eyes with the enigmatic figure, a shiver ran down his spine, sensing an unnerving connection between them.
Splatter...
In the next moment, Cannibal recoiled in pain from the blow to his tail and quickly swatted the headless figure away with a flick of his tail.
As the shadow silhouette dispersed, the tentacles lurking in the darkness vanished one by one, along with the steel spike hidden in the headless apparition's stomach.
Rhaegar quickened his pace toward Cannibal, clambering onto the dragon's back with urgency, the marsh marigold clutched tightly in his pocket.
"Let's go, Cannibal!" he urged, a feeling of unease gnawing at him.
The encounter with the headless figure had left him unsettled, defying the typical behavior of the shadow creature.
They were usually mindless creatures, driven by instinct alone. But this one felt different, almost human.
Rhaegar's mind raced as he considered the implications, his unease growing with each passing moment.
Sensing his rider's apprehension, Cannibal wasted no time, flapping its powerful wings to rise into the sky, putting distance between them and the disturbing sight below.
As they ascended, Rhaegar's thoughts raced, pondering the possibility that the shadow monster had evolved, gained intelligence beyond its primal instincts.
...
Late at night, Rhaegar guided Cannibal in a slow hover over Dyre Den, taking his time before descending.
"This exploration is complete, please retrieve the lost treasure," he heard the familiar beep of the system.
Rhaegar eagerly checked the survey report.
[Flower of Life]
Progress of exploration: 100%
"It's finally done, just in time," Rhaegar sighed with relief, quietly celebrating the completion of his exploration.
Instead of heading straight back to Dyre Den Castle after leaving the Swamp Forest, he took a detour to The Whispers. There, he briefed Yara on the situation, advising her to increase patrols and fortify defenses against possible attacks by shadow creatures.
At the same time, he mobilized a portion of the wildling army stationed nearby and instructed them to assemble at Dyre Den.
After a day of activity, they finally returned to Dyre Den.
"Now let's see what treasures the Marsh Marigold has yielded," Rhaegar said, cupping the golden flower in his arms as he activated the exploration reward.
A shimmering purple light emerged from the exploration and settled on Cannibal's back in the form of a small, coconut-sized mass.
"Purple... It's supposed to be epic level, right?" Rhaegar wondered aloud, his excitement palpable as he reached out to touch the glowing light.
When he made contact, a cascade of bright purple sparks erupted, accompanied by the familiar beep of the system.
"Relic successfully detected..."
"Detection successful, determined to be an epic relic, Cannivorous Flower."
"Great, it's really an epic level reward, second only to legendary," Rhaegar exclaimed, a broad grin spreading across his face at the prospect of their newfound discovery.
Immediately after, Rhaegar examined the text clues on the quest interface.
"Rooted in death but blossoming with the light of life."
Scowling, Rhaegar pondered the cryptic message.
"Cannivorous Flower... Death and life..."
He examined the delicate folower in his hand, sensing that its activation must involve some interplay of life and death.
After much deliberation, Rhaegar gave the order to land.
Cannibal gracefully folded its wings and settled outside the city walls.
The wildling army gathered, kneeling in reverence as Rhaegar approached.
"Do you have any freshly hunted animals? Bodies will do," Rhaegar inquired.
"Yes, Prince," a newly inducted member of the Crab Claw tribe replied eagerly, scurrying off to retrieve a stag carcass.
Dismounting from the dragon's back, Rhaegar placed the Cannivorous Flower on the carcass.
A faint glow emanated from the flower.
In an instant, the stag's body disintegrated into a pile of dry bones, a spectacle that sent shivers down the spines of onlookers.
Even Rhaegar himself was taken aback.
He had not anticipated the flower's insatiable appetite.
It seemed to demand more victims, its glow lingering as if demanding more.
Quickly, Rhaegar ordered more animal carcasses to be brought forth, each meeting the same fate as the last.
Fortunately, after several sacrifices, the flower seemed satiated.
Its glow faded, accompanied by the familiar beep of the system.
"Congratulations, Cannivorous Flower has been activated. You have received..."
[Life Essence].
Grade: Epic (Purple)
Effects: Majestic vitality, stimulates latent talents.
Evaluation: "Cannot be consumed by non-magical creatures!"
The flower's stamen withered, releasing a single drop of golden dew that landed in Rhaegar's palm.
Examining the quest interface, Rhaegar's eyes widened in astonishment.
"Increasing vitality and talent... What an extraordinary ability."
Reading the special notation in the evaluation column, Rhaegar shook the dewdrop and couldn't help but marvel.
Even as a human with the Dragonlord's bloodline, he had no innate magical abilities. He was not a magical creature and could not benefit from the effects of the dewdrop.
He glanced back at Cannibal, who returned his gaze with great interest.
The dragon's green eyes seemed to appraise the dewdrop in Rhaegar's hand.
Stepping forward, Rhaegar raised his palm and smiled, "Here, Cannibal, this is your well-deserved reward."
Cannibal had played a crucial role in finding the marsh marigold, so the dewdrop belonged to him.
Cannibal stared at the dewdrop intently, then lowered himself and let out a low roar, bringing his dragon's snout closer to the ground.
"Catch."
Rhaegar chuckled and tossed the dewdrop into Cannibal's mouth.
In an instant, the tiny dewdrop dissolved in Cannibal's abyssal mouth, swallowed along with his saliva.
Swallow~~
Cannibal swallowed obediently and lifted his head, shaking it slightly.
Rhaegar watched Cannibal, looking for any changes.
"Roar..."
Apparently tired of Rhaegar's scrutiny, Cannibal flicked his tail and rolled it up, placing him on his spine.
Then, without further ado, it soared over the outer walls of the castle.
"Well, it looks like the dewdrop hasn't taken effect yet," Rhaegar muttered, gripping the dragon's scales tightly and feeling a tinge of disappointment.
...
The Cannibal settled outside the castle walls, his eyes closed in rest.
Rhaegar was welcomed through the gates of Dyre Den Castle, a marsh marigold tucked safely in his pocket. Despite the late hour, the castle's inhabitants showed no signs of sleep. Fear of the attempted assassination of their lord kept them alert and on edge.
Entering the waiting room, Rhaegar found Sam, Sorrel, and Bart waiting anxiously. Sam was the first to speak, his voice tinged with relief and concern. "By the seven hells! You've returned safely at last. We feared the worst when you didn't arrive in time."
(Word count: 1,252)