"Roar--"
Cannibal roared arrogantly, its body resembling a black meteor as it rushed toward the top of Sea Smoke's head.
Sea Smoke looked up sharply, feeling an overwhelming sense of oppression.
"Cannibal, catch it!" Rhaegar commanded against the gusty wind.
With its rider gone, Sea Smoke had been retaliating with indiscriminate attacks. It was only right to stop it and force it into submission.
Boom--
Cannibal's body dived, and its dragon maw spewed Dragonfire. Ghostly green flames like smoke and mist enveloped the light silver dragon.
"Roar..."
Sea Smoke cried out in fear and flapped its wings to flee. But Cannibal was faster, moving like a dark cloud and clearing obstacles with its eerie green Dragonfire.
As Sea Smoke flew some distance away, the adhesive flames clung to it. The light silver scales ignited with green fire, making its spine look like it was covered in green hair.
As a young dragon, Sea Smoke's scales lacked the thickness and resistance to withstand such an assault. It screamed miserably, closed one pair of vertical pupils, and quickly rushed out of the Dragonfire's scope.
Poof---
Sea Smoke's head burst through the terrifying Dragonfire, tilting as it spat out a large mouthful of its own flames. The Dragonfire formed a fiery curtain, through which Sea Smoke plunged, trailing wisps of black smoke.
Rhaegar watched the scene with surprise, letting out a surprised "Huh."
Sea Smoke had broken through the Dragonfire, and the green flames covering its body weakened visibly. It cleverly used its own fire to contain the spread of the enemy's flames and mitigate the pain.
"What a smart dragon," Rhaegar's eyes lit up. He bowed forward and called out, "Cannibal, Dracarys!"
Among the new generation of dragons, Sea Smoke had the most combat experience. It had seen battle and fought other dragons. Its decisive response to Cannibal's Dragonfire surpassed Syrax and Sunfyre.
"Roar!!!"
Cannibals bared its teeth, the dragon's head rising high as its swooping stance turned into a glide. It opened its abyssal mouth, spraying Dragonfire.
"Roar..."
Sea Smoke let out a mournful cry as it was struck again. The light silver scales on its body burned to a crisp, fluttering to extinguish the attached Dragonfire. But the second wave of green flames from Cannibal descended with overwhelming force, leaving Sea Smoke with no power to fight back.
At that same moment, the black dragon swooped down, its massive body eclipsing the light, and extended its sharp claws.
Slash!
One claw gripped Sea Smoke's neck while the other embedded itself in the scales along its spine.
"Roar..."
Sea Smoke thrashed wildly, struggling to free itself.
Boom--
The two dragons wrestled in the air, entangled, and crashed to the ground.
Sea Smoke landed heavily, dragon blood spurting from its mouth, its body writhing and twisting like a silver snake. Its wings spread wide, creating a tragic and striking image.
"Roar!"
Cannibal roared triumphantly, its claws pressing down on Sea Smoke's neck, its green eyes filled with arrogance and disdain.
Sea Smoke trembled all over, its chest and abdomen scales shattered and bleeding. Facing Cannibal, it couldn't muster a fraction of its strength. The fate of Morghul flashed in its mind, and Sea Smoke wailed.
Cannibal was unmoved, standing over the young dragon with a menacing presence.
"Cannibal, that's enough," Rhaegar called out, smiling helplessly from the sidelines.
Cannibal, however, didn't seem to heed him. Its green eyes glowed ominously, and its dragon maw nearly drooled with anticipation.
Looking around, there are only two dragons and visible smoke on the horizon. The villagers nearby were certainly unlucky.
Rhaegar sighed and jumped off Cannibal's back.
"Roar..."
Sea Smoke lowered its head and squealed sorrowfully, its wings and tail flailing, stirring up dust.
Cannibal pressed harder with its claws, nearly crushing Sea Smoke's neck.
Sea Smoke let out a shrill scream, its body stiffening momentarily, its tail pointing skyward.
"Alright, you're all old comrades. Be gentle," Rhaegar spread his hands, trying to calm Cannibal.
Cannibal's green eyes glared with disdain, snorting heavily. The sulfurous heat nearly blew Rhaegar off his feet.
Rhaegar laughed and pointed, the man influenced the dragon and vice versa. Since he became a dragonborn, this big brute has become more rebellious.
Ignoring Cannibal, Rhaegar walked toward Sea Smoke and spoke in the dragon taming spell language, "Suppress Anger."
His voice was magnetic and gentle, with a slightly fluctuating tone.
"?"
Sea Smoke's vertical pupils widened, and it stopped its frantic thrashing. It seemed to understand.
Rhaegar faced the dragon's head and slowly approached. "Suppress your anger and return to Dragonstone Island."
This was his true purpose. ith Laenor gone, Sea Smoke shouldn't remain in the wild; Dragonstone Island was its rightful place. The appearance and death of Morghul had already stirred too many dark thoughts and covetous eyes across Westeros and Essos.
Rhaegar regretted Laenor's murder deeply; the two had shared a close camaraderie since childhood. But the dragon belonged to the Targaryens.
"Roar..."
At the mention of his rider's name, Sea Smoke recalled the pain and thrashed uncontrollably. Its mournful roar echoed loudly.
Rhaegar covered his ears, his inhuman frame unable to withstand the dragon's scream. His eyebrows furrowed as he sensed something was wrong. The roar carried notes of disappointment and sorrow.
Rhaegar murmured softly, "This dragon is still looking for its rider."
Sea Smoke wasn't merely venting its anger but searching desperately. Every failed attempt resulted in an attack.
Rhaegar's brows gradually relaxed, and his mood grew complex. Ancient texts from various Dragonlord families and the Targaryen Brief History all emphasized that dragons possessed intelligence comparable to humans. With intelligence came emotions.
Sea Smoke was hatched on Dragonstone Island and had been with Laenor for over twenty years. Their bond was deep. The emotions of a dragon were strong and pure.
Rhaegar's eyes softened as he tried to soothe the beast. "Quiet!"
Just as Balerion's end, Vhagar's wail, and Vermithor's remembrance of his old master, Sea Smoke needed to be comforted.
"Roar..."
Sea Smoke ignored him, its wings and hind legs straining to break free from the Cannibal's grip.
"Roar!"
Cannibal's eyes remained indifferent. Its claws tightened, easily suppressing the struggling dragon. In Cannibal's view, a dragon caught in its grip had no chance of escape.
Wild dragons survived through strength, endurance, and speed. Cannibal, especially in terms of speed, was unmatched. Against it, even the oldest and strongest dragons couldn't keep up.
"Roar..."
The brief moment of freedom vanished as Cannibal pressed down harder. Sea Smoke hissed in agony, its neck nearly embedded in the earth.
Dragons were inherently restless, each with a fierce personality. Facing constant calamities, Sea Smoke's desperation grew, and it rebelled without care.
It opened its maw and turned to attack the black dragon. Cannibal's claws tightened, extinguishing Sea Smoke's Dragonfire.
Sea Smoke's roar was cut off, its body twisting unnaturally under the pressure. Cracks appeared in its flesh as its spine strained against the force.
"It's going to fight to the death?"
Rhaegar's eyes widened, and he instinctively stepped back. He wasn't afraid of Dragonfire, but the thought of Sea Smoke's desperate struggle filled him with concern.
"Roar..."
Sea Smoke chirped with a sobbing sound, its broad wings sweeping back and forth, its robust hind limbs plowing furrows into the ground.
A few paces away, Rhaegar heard the crunching of Sea Smoke's neck and spine. Was it an act of anger or fear?
Watching the dragon's wings pivot like siege hammers, Rhaegar was grateful for the foresight to keep his distance.
"Roar!"
Annoyance surfaced in Cannibal's green vertical pupils, and the dragon's muzzle twisted into a hideous arc.
Sea Smoke rolled, spraying dragon's blood, the smell of which triggered Cannibal's predatory instincts.
Snap--
In a flash, a long, black whip flew across the sky, striking the top of Sea Smoke's head with precision.
"Roar!"
Sea Smoke screamed miserably, its body collapsing into a heavy heap. Between the two silver-white curved horns on its head, a slender whipping mark appeared, stark and clear.
Rhaegar cocked his head, his right hand still holding the dragon taming whip, which shimmered with an ebony light.
It won't listen? Then let's just hit it with a whip.
"Roar..."
After a moment of submission, Sea Smoke's vertical pupils widened in anger, and it struggled even more intensely.
"Doesn't work? One more time."
Rhaegar muttered, and his hand moved swiftly and forcefully. Fire magic power infused the grip, merging man and whip.
Crack-
The whip's length grew several times, like a spirit snake emerging from its hole, biting down on its prey. The whip's ebony light blossomed, and the sinewy body seemed to come to life, strangling Sea Smoke's neck.
The next second, the fine scales on the whip's body trembled and embedded in the gaps of Sea Smoke's scales, locking the dragon in place.
"Roar..."
Sea Smoke's cries abruptly ended, and its head slammed to the ground, as if it had lost all its strength. Rhaegar clenched the grip, his body lunging forward with the whip's tugging.
Sea Smoke's vertical pupils suddenly became aware, and its struggling slowed. Rhaegar's gaze was hopeful as he used the dragon taming spell language, "Don't move, stay calm!"
For the first time using the dragon taming whip, Rhaegar was eager to see its effects. Sea Smoke heard the voice, and the dragon taming language echoed in its mind, compelling compliance. With a plop, the dragon fell to the ground.
Rhaegar's face changed slightly as he staggered forward, following the whip's pull. "You're a good dragon, so much strength."
He couldn't help but smile. The Dragon Taming Whip's inscriptions on the grip glowed with ebony light, and the length remained constant. Observing Sea Smoke's state, Rhaegar discerned some clues.
The Dragon Taming Whip combined the divine effects of Toughness, Activity, Binding, andStrengthening Binding Spell. Whip lashes caused dragon pain, while the whip's binding forcibly awakened the raging dragon.
"Worthy of being a dragon taming tool, the effect is outstanding."
Rhaegar couldn't contain his excitement. Ancient Valyria had thrived for so many years, having such magical tools was not unexpected. Putting it on the battlefield, a Dragonlord wielding a dragon taming whip would be invincible.
A flash of insight crossed his mind. "If the Dragon Taming Whip is this powerful, wouldn't the Dragon's Horn that calls upon dragons be invincible?"
He shook his head. The Dragon Taming Whip specialized in controlling dragons. The Dragon's Horn had sparse written records, with no detailed efficacy. It was roughly described as calling for the return of distant partners.
There was a premise: what was the number of partners called for?
(Word count: 1,767)