Chapter 97: **Chapter 97: The Thief’s Lament**
"Dracarys!"
Rhaenyra's clear voice rang out as she commanded Syrax to engage the sheep thief.
After several interruptions, the thief, having failed to secure a proper meal, shifted focus to a relentless pursuit.
Caught in the thrill of battle, Rhaenyra lost herself in the moment, guiding Syrax by sheer instinct as they clashed fiercely with the Mud Dragon.
The two dragons alternated between chase and retreat, spewing flames mid-air in a standoff.
Moments later, the thief feigned retreat, only to turn sharply toward the grounded Silverwing.
Rhaenyra hurriedly urged her dragon back, releasing another burst of dragonfire to block the thief's approach.
But this was exactly the opportunity the thief had been waiting for.
As Syrax drew near, the Mud Dragon turned suddenly, unleashing a fiery torrent that rained down like fireworks upon both dragon and rider.
"Syrax, dodge it!"
The situation flipped in an instant. Rhaenyra's face paled as she commanded Syrax to turn away.
Syrax faltered mid-flight, but the searing orange flames were already upon them.
Unable to avoid the attack, the blazing heat engulfed them. Syrax twisted desperately, trying to shield Rhaenyra on his back from the scorching flames.
A pained cry tore through the sky as the dragon's chest and underbelly were struck.
Having never experienced true combat, Syrax panicked under the pain, losing his balance and beginning to plummet.
Flapping his wings wildly to regain control, Syrax inadvertently exposed his vulnerabilities.
The thief's eyes gleamed with predatory intent. It lunged, aiming to bite Syrax's neck.
Bound securely to the saddle by chains, Rhaenyra didn't fall, but the terrifying sensation of freefall pressed down on her, filling her with dread.
As the thief closed the distance, she could only watch helplessly as the greedy dragon bore down, pinning Syrax beneath it, tearing and biting.
Glancing down, she realized the dire situation.
If the thief continued its assault, Syrax would crash to the ground.
And she, too, would face certain death.
At that critical moment, a piercing dragon roar split the air.
A massive black dragon descended from the skies, its wings whipping up fierce winds that forced her to close her eyes.
Through squinted eyes, she recognized her brother's dragon, the Cannibal, as it streaked toward them.
With razor-sharp claws, it plunged into the thief's back.
The Mud Dragon let out a bloodcurdling scream, caught completely off-guard as its flesh was shredded and pierced.
"The Cannibal... It's Laegor..."
Hot dragon blood splattered across her cheek as Rhaenyra gazed in shock at the figure on the black dragon's back.
"Hold it down and take it away!"
Laegor's furious voice echoed, followed by the sickening sound of flesh tearing.
The Cannibal clamped its claws onto the thief's flanks, cruelly widening its jaws as it beat its wings, lifting the struggling dragon into the sky.
The thief howled in agony as waves of pain overwhelmed it, flailing its wings in a futile attempt to free itself.
Freed from the thief's grip, Syrax quickly twisted his body, regaining flight just in time to avoid crashing.
Meanwhile, the Cannibal toyed with the thief, dragging it through the air as it thrashed helplessly.
No matter how desperately the Mud Dragon struggled, it could not escape the Cannibal's unyielding hold.
Laegor kept a watchful eye on Rhaenyra.
Seeing that Syrax had stabilized, he sighed in relief.
He didn't know why Rhaenyra had been battling the thief, but that hardly mattered now.
Had he arrived any later, he might have lost his sister.
This thought filled him with rage.
Fixing a murderous glare on the thief, Laegor growled, "Cannibal, drop it into the sea!"
The Cannibal let out a guttural roar in response, carrying the bulky Mud Dragon toward the ocean before releasing its grip.
Freed from its captor, the thief flapped its wings frantically, attempting to flee.
But a roaring torrent of green dragonfire descended like a flood, engulfing its head in flames and drawing out panicked screams.
With a resounding splash, the thief plunged into the sea.
Its desperate thrashing stirred the waters as it choked on seawater, utterly humiliated.
The Cannibal hovered above, showing no signs of retreat.
Rhaegar steered the dragon as it circled above.
Whenever the sheep thief emerged from the sea, the dragon spewed flames to drive it back.
Dragons are creatures of fire; they are ill-suited to water, and drowning is fatal to them.
The sheep thief, with its belly full of seawater, struggled violently but gradually weakened, letting out desperate cries for mercy.
Seeing this, Rhaegar patted the glutton's back and said calmly, "Let's go, Glutton."
"Hsss… grrr…"
The Glutton growled low in displeasure, reluctantly turning its head to fly away.
It had hoped to drown the slimy sea dragon and enjoy a hearty meal. But since its rider had spoken, it chose to comply out of respect.
Casting a contemptuous glance toward the shore, it saw the sheep thief writhing like an eel as it struggled to crawl onto the beach.
On the far side of the beach, Vermithor was already gone.
The tides washed over the scars it left behind.
Rhaegar noticed this too and hurriedly turned back to search for Rhaenyra.
"Rhaegar, I'm over here!"
As he flew toward the cliff, he heard Rhaenyra's shout.
Lowering his head, he saw Syrax on the ground, with Rhaenyra—her long hair disheveled—standing nearby, waving at him.
Not far away, the severely injured Silverwing had also disappeared.
"Glutton, land here."
Once the Glutton landed, Rhaegar slid down its wing and ran toward Rhaenyra in a rush.
His short legs churned quickly as he sprinted.
He dashed into Rhaenyra's arms, his voice filled with worry. "Are you okay?"
Rhaenyra shook her head, her face flushed with the excitement of the moment. She replied softly, "I'm fine. Syrax shielded me from the dragonfire."
Hearing this, Rhaegar's tense expression eased, and he buried his head against her stomach, mumbling, "You scared me to death. You always tell me I'm reckless, but you almost lost your life this time."
Rhaenyra wrapped one arm around his back and gently ruffled his hair with the other, her eyes filled with guilt. "I just wanted to help you, but that brown dragon tried to devour Silverwing."
"Where is Silverwing now?" Rhaegar asked as he looked up, his tone casual.
"Just now, Vermithor climbed up from the cliff and carried Silverwing away," Rhaenyra replied, her breath unsteady and tinged with lingering fear.
"The next time you encounter a dragon, you need to stay far away," Rhaegar said with a serious expression.
Rhaenyra froze for a moment, her face awkward. "This was my first battle, and you're so young…"
"No! But my dragon is huge, far bigger than your Syrax," Rhaegar said, a hint of frustration in his voice.
His confidence in engaging in a dragon battle came partly from his courage and partly from the Glutton's sheer size and ferocity.
Now that they had defeated Vermithor and Silverwing, there were likely no dragons on the entire continent of Westeros—save for the mighty Vhagar, the last of the great dragons from an earlier age—that could rival the Glutton.
Syrax, being less than twenty years old, was merely a young adult dragon that had just emerged from its juvenile stage.
There was simply no comparison between the two.
Chastised by her younger brother, Rhaenyra realized the truth was undeniable. She had lost, and that was that.
Thankfully, Rhaegar had come to her rescue in time.
She crouched down to meet Rhaegar face to face, pressing her cheek against his, and said in a low voice, "You're right, Rhaegar."
Rhaegar wrapped his arms around her neck, rubbing his cheek against hers, and said softly, "I missed you, sister."
"Where did you go after that night? Father and I were so worried about you," Rhaenyra asked, her head resting on Rhaegar's shoulder.
At the mention of his adventures on the peninsula, Rhaegar's face fell. He pouted and muttered, "I ended up in a wildling camp. They're all fools—so boring."
Among the dragons of House Targaryen, the Black Dread Balerion was widely regarded as the strongest.
As for the weakest, it was difficult to determine.
For now, in my personal opinion, the sheep thief and Grey Ghost are dragons with limited potential.
(End of Chapter)