When rivals come face to face, their eyes seem to burn with intensity.
As the two adult dragons soared into the sky, their roars reverberated, accompanied by the crackling of dragon flames.
The Cannibal, with its human-like pupils, looked over its opponents.
Unlike the Cannibal, who had ingested the Marsh Marigold to heal, Silverwing bore more grievous wounds.
Severely injured, Silverwing remained grounded in its nest, its ability to fly compromised and its fury its only sustenance. It posed little threat in its current state.
Thus, today's sole adversary was the Bronze Fury - Vermithor.
"Roar..."
In the confrontation, two more dragon roars echoed across the landscape.
One originated from the cliffs, where Rhaenyra rode Syrax.
The other emanated from the mountain range, where a massive brown dragon emerged from a cavern, casting a wary gaze upon the four dragons.
However, it made no move to approach, opting to perch on a distant reef, observing with a cautious eye.
Glancing at the newcomer, Rhaegar recognized the dragon - a wild dragon known as Sheepstealer.
This mature mud dragon, about the same age as Caraxes, had gained a reputation for stealing sheep from the island's herders.
It seems that Sheepstealer was startled by the loud roars of the dragons and came out to assess the situation from a safe distance.
Apparently, there is no reason to worry.
Simultaneously, Syrax flew to the side of Cannibal.
Rhaenyra, almost shoulder-to-shoulder with Rhaegar, looked annoyed. "Rhaegar, what are you doing, are you obsessed with fighting dragons?"
Rhaegar's tone was firm. "The Cannibal is the strongest of the wild dragons. It has its own pride. Where it falls, it must rise again."
"That doesn't make it any easier to control a dragon," Rhaenyra retorted, her gaze darting nervously between Vermithor and Silverwing.
She couldn't comprehend Rhaegar's risky behavior, but she couldn't simply stand by and watch either. She felt compelled to intervene and assist him.
Rhaegar analyzed the situation. "Silverwing is still recovering. I just need to defeat Vermithor."
"Syrax has never been in combat before, so my assistance will be limited," Rhaenyra lamented, her fingers tightening with tension.
Since becoming a dragon rider, she hadn't yet had the chance to experience a battle. Despite her initial intention to teach Rhaegar a lesson, she found herself secretly craving the adrenaline rush of a fierce clash.
Rhaegar's heart raced with anticipation as he flashed a confident smile. "You can watch. With the Cannibal by my side, I'm more than capable."
In the middle of their conversation, Vermithor and Silverwing closed in, unleashing jets of dragon flame.
"Protect yourself, Rhaenyra!" Rhaegar's urgent shout cut through the tension as the Cannibal surged forward, spewing emerald dragon flames.
Boom!
The collision of the three dragon flames unleashed a devastating force, engulfing the sky in heat.
Rhaegar lay on his back, gripping the Cannibal's scales with exhilaration in his eyes.
Despite the initial clash, the Cannibal kept up its speed and was ready for another attack.
The Cannibal's second dragon flame shot towards the larger Vermithor, aiming for its neck.
Vermithor, relying on its sturdy build, put up a good fight, using its wings to disperse the flames.
Seizing the chance, the Cannibal rushed towards the vulnerable Silverwing, who recoiled in pain.
A mournful howl echoed as the Cannibal's jaws closed around Silverwing's neck.
But Rhaegar's commanded. "Cannibal, watch out!"
The Cannibal reacted quickly to the command and changed direction, narrowly avoiding the golden dragon flames.
Verithor was really angry to see its mate wounded again, so it unleashed a torrent of golden flames in pursuit of the Cannibal.
However, the Cannibal was faster and managed to dodge the onslaught, disappearing into the clouds.
Below, Silverwing crashed heavily to the ground, its neck gushing blood as it writhed in agony.
The Sheepstealer, watching from afar, cheered in anticipation, eager for a feast.
"Stop!" But its excitement was short-lived as Rhaenyra, commanding Syrax, intervened, positioning herself between them with a stern rebuke in High Valyrian.
She was enraged by the actions of Vermithor and Silverwing, which involved an attack on Cannibal and threatening Rhaegar's safety.
But Rhaenyra understood the delicate balance of power within House Targaryen.
Vermithor and Silverwing had been loyal mounts to her ancestors, King Jaehaerys and Queen Alysanne, serving the kingdom.
As much as she despised their actions, she couldn't ignore the value of these adult dragons to the Targaryen House.
In contrast, Sheepstealer, older and wilder, posed a significant threat.
Comparable in size to the formidable Caraxes, Sheepstealer dwarfed Syrax, who was still maturing.
With her nerves on edge, Rhaenyra led Syrax into a tense standoff with the Sheepstealer.
Sheepstealer roared menacingly, but refrained from launching an attack.
Syrax, sensing her rider's tension, echoed her aggression with a low growl, wings poised for defense.
Despite its smaller stature, Syrax possessed a spirit that matched larger dragons.
In response, Sheepstealer, intimidated by Syrax's display, retreated without a fight.
...
The aerial skirmish continues.
Cannibal disappeared into the thick clouds, out of Vermithor's sight.
Driven by fury, Vermithor pursues, his vision obscured by the billowing mist. In that moment of reduced visibility, a massive form hurtles from the flank, descending upon Vermithor with lethal precision.
Cannibal emerges, its jaws clamping down on Vermithor's neck, and blood spurting forth in a gory display.
"Roar..."
The attack took Vermithor by surprise, leaving him no time to prepare a defense. He struggled desperately to escape.
But Cannibal, driven by its instincts, presses its advantage, sinking its fangs deep into Vermithor's flesh, ripping skin and muscle with savage ferocity.
Vermithor roared in agony, his wings flailing and claws slashing at Cannibal's body.
"Cannibal, disengage!" Rhaegar's commanded
For a moment, Cannibal was overcome by the intoxicating scent of blood. But reason wins out, and it obeyed its master's orders.
Releasing its grip, it tears a chunk of flesh before retracting, gulping down the spoils.
Swiftly evading Vermithor's potential counterattack, it plants its hind limbs on its foe's abdomen, propelling itself into the air with a forceful leap.
As Cannibal retreats, leaving behind a wounded and enraged Vermithor, the bronze dragon let out a roar of rage, blood cascading from its neck, barely able to maintain flight.
With a half-hearted roar, Cannibal vanished into the clouds, its trail obscured from view.
But just when it was out of reach, it emerged from below, launching another attack.
As Vermithor, badly hurt and unable to dodge, felt the burning pain of Cannibal's bite on his wing's shoulder blade, the sickening sound of bone breaking filled the air.
In a blind rage, Vermithor ignored the pain in his neck as he lashed out with a desperate attempt to bite Cannibal's flesh with his powerful jaws.
"Dracarys!"
Rhaegar's voice cut through the chaos, and he tightened his grip on the reins as he gave the command again.
Cannibal released its grip and unleashed a torrent of Dragon Flame directly into Vermithor's gaping maw, responding instinctively to its master's voice.
There was a loud boom!
The dragon flame hit Vermithor's head with a bang, filling the air with thick, swirling smoke.
For a brief moment, Vermithor was left dazed and disoriented, his neck sagging limply as his wounds seeped dragon blood.
But even though he took a devastating blow, Vermithor's strong defenses held up.
He tried to regain his senses and take control of his battered body.
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