Daeranyx POV
I shut the door behind me, having instructed the guard to prevent any servants from entering the chambers for a while. I began to inspect the trunks and wooden boxes, puzzled by their abundance, as I was certain I hadn't requested so many items. Indeed, I had only asked Corlys for three things. Selecting two boxes that seemed to radiate magic from the rest, I positioned them near my bedside table and proceeded to open the trunks scattered across my chamber floor, one after another.
The trunks contain rare silk, spices and herbs, precious jewels, ancient scrolls, and much more. While I appreciate the effort and expense invested in these gifts, many of them are superfluous to me as I have no use for them. One can only wear so many jewels, and as for the silk, I possess far superior quality. However, some items may be of use to me, such as the spices and herbs. Although available in any market, the quality of these is exceptional, and at this time, such spices and herbs are a rare commodity that not everyone can afford. Additionally, there are scrolls providing a detailed account of the wars that occurred during the Century of Blood. These are not mere brief mentions of conflicts among the Free Cities as found in the ASOIAF books, but rather comprehensive descriptions.
Among the trunks on the ground, one of the three items I had requested from Corlys was indeed present. Initially, I thought Corlys hadn't managed to acquire it for me, but I was mistaken; the box was emitting a faint magic, which is why I hadn't noticed it earlier like the other two boxes. I placed all three boxes on my bed and made myself comfortable, ready to examine the items I had requested from Corlys. My gaze settled on the already open box, inside of which were bones of a charcoal-grey color, shaped like the dragon bones in my collection.
These are not dragon bones; I have plenty of those and would not ask Corlys to fetch them from Essos. Instead, these are wyvern bones from Sothoryos. They emit only faint magic because they are ancient, and hunting wyverns, which can grow as large as dragons without help from dragons, is difficult. In fact, these bones might even originate from Old Valyria. Before the Doom, dragon bones were exclusive to Dragonlords, and as always, the so-called 'Old Blood of Volantis' attempted to emulate their superiors. However, no Dragonlord would part with such treasures, leading them to hoard wyvern bones as the next best thing.They somewhat resemble dragon bones, but are lighter in color since dragon bones are typically jet-black. Moreover, wyvern bones are scarce on the market, as not many houses venture to Sothoryos to hunt these creatures. But if I recall correctly from Daeranyx's memories, only one house undertook such ventures.
The house was named Zelyrioqar, and with the recollection of this name, I also retrieved additional information from the memories of Daeranyx. Zelyrioqar had a deep-seated rivalry with the Targaryens; both houses vied for superiority in dragons, wealth, and lands. Their rivalry, though not as bloody as that of the Five Houses, was still well-known among all Dragon Lord houses in Old Valyria. House Zelyrioqar was also renowned for their beautiful female members that look even beautiful than typical Valyrian Dragon lords, which is why Daeranyx delved into their history, having been smitten with a daughter of Lord freeholder Zelyrioqar. It seems there are still aspects of the former owner of this body that I am unaware of. However, this may not be of great importance, as House Zelyrioqar would have perished along with the other Dragon Lord Houses in Old Valyria, save for the two that remain.
I have shifted my focus to wyvern bones, as they hold more significance than the history of Zelyrioqur. I opt for them even though they lack the magical enrichment and power of dragon bones, because wyvern bones are associated with strength. This doesn't mean I will never use dragon bones, but they tend to enhance magical rather than physical attributes. Therefore, I must source wyvern bones for rituals that require physical strength. The magical properties of the Wyvern bones are as follows: The bones of wyverns are incredibly dense, known for their resilience and durability. When ground into a powder, wyvern bones retain their strength and can be used in rituals that demand physical fortitude.
Wyverns are also like dragons, are associated with primal power and the untamed wilderness. Their bones carry remnants of their life force, which can be transferred into other creatures. When used on a dragon, this would strengthen its skeleton and muscles, enabling Anarion to bear his new, larger form with ease. Wyvern bones are also attuned to flight. By incorporating them into a ritual, Anarion's wingspan and flying capabilities could be enhanced, allowing him to fly faster and with more agility, even after his body becomes significantly larger.
These bones serve a great purpose in the ritual just as this other two. After examining the Wyvern bones up close for a few minutes, I placed them inside the box that I took them and close the lid of the wooden box containing them. Setting this box aside, I take the second of the three boxes that contain the items I requested. Upon opening it, I find thick wool used as padding. Removing the wool, I discover a Dragon glass flask filled with a dark-red liquid resembling blood. I sense magic emanating from it, not as potent as ingredients sourced from Dragons, but in this world, very few things retain magical properties after being harvested from magical creatures, Dragons being the exception.
I refrained from opening the flask to examine the blood, as it is not a matter to be taken lightly. The substance within the flask is indeed blood, specifically that of a basilisk. However, the basilisks of this world differ greatly from those residing in the Chamber of Secrets within the Harry Potter universe. They do not share many similarities, except for their venom. While not as potent as the venom of the Harry Potter world's basilisks, the basilisks of this world do possess venom in their blood. This knowledge comes from Daeranyx's memories, as Valyria has utilized basilisk blood for creating poisons and for various other purposes. Presently, the venom of the basilisk is employed by The Faceless Men, who mix it into a paste to enhance its potency. This mixture imparts a savory aroma to meat but causes violent madness in any warm-blooded creature, be it man or beast. It is said that even a mouse will attack a lion after ingesting basilisk blood.
Basilisk blood possesses venomous properties that can be immensely harmful to living beings. However, in magical practices, its toxicity is harnessed as a source of power, driving transformations or amplifying natural traits, which is my intention for the ritual to strengthen Anarion. When applied to a dragon, basilisk blood might harden the creature's scales, which are already nearly invulnerable to harm, making even a slight enhancement valuable. This is why I've instructed Corlys to procure it for me. Additionally, it could aid the dragon in withstanding the stress of swift physical growth. The enhancements I've mentioned are certain outcomes of using basilisk venom, but there's also a possibility that Anarion could develop venomous capabilities in his claws or bite, rendering him a more fearsome combatant.
Should that occur, I doubt any Dragon could best Anarion, for if Anarion's claws and bites were to produce venom, then that venom would be as formidable as the Dragon himself. If my theory holds, such venom, administered in the right dosage, could slay a fully grown Dragon. However, this remains conjecture, and it's far more likely that Anarion would not develop venomous abilities. These are the potential advantages of incorporating basilisk venom into the ritual. I secured the flask just as it arrived in the wooden box and cast several spells as a precaution, ensuring it poses no threat to me should it begin to leak.
I opened the last box that contains the last of the three ingredients that I would be using in the ritual to enhance Anarion.
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