Rhaegar opened the bronze Dragonlord Ring, and various Fire Seeds floated gently before him.
The Black Giant Fish Seed had been completely digested, and his eyes turned covetously to the others.
After some time, he felt he could endure another Fire Bath.
The more Fire Seeds he absorbed, the greater the chance of fully awakening the Blood of Fire.
However, the body's vessels had to be expanded slowly. Rhaegar had made progress under the tutelage of Ser Barristan and Sessa, and his swordsmanship and spearwork were beginning to reach a competent standard.
Before Rhaegar arrived, the small bedroom had become a kaleidoscope of light.
He had arranged the room and prepared himself.
These Fire Seeds were the Fire of Life, the Eternal Flame.
Bright lights of every color bloomed before Rhaegar's eyes. They were not scorching, but warm and gentle, making him feel drowsy, like the touch of lazy afternoon sunlight.
A grey woolly mammoth galloped across a wasteland; emerald wheat fields swayed in the wind; a black sea serpent coiled and writhed; a golden three-headed idol stared with expressionless faces; a yellow sand-worm looked ferocious; a Sothoryos wyvern snarled; an azure spring sparkled like a gem; and a subterranean blood-worm lurked in gloom.
The Fire Seeds were so beautiful that Rhaegar found it hard to list them all.
Legend said the Sealord of Braavos possessed a menagerie of rare beasts and birds, but Rhaegar felt what he saw before him surpassed even the Sealord's treasures.
All these Fire Seeds had been plundered by House Belaerys. In ancient Valyria, the power of a dragonlord far exceeded that of Braavos, and their collections were infinitely more glorious. In essence, the dragonlords considered Braavos nothing more than a settlement of runaway slaves.
Speaking of which, the Belaerys family's habit of looting and burning across the world was certainly unethical. But that was House Belaerys's sin; what did it have to do with Rhaegar?
These Fire Seeds were exquisite, looking like real objects scaled down and printed into flame.
All were lifelike, faintly echoing their past glory. The pity was that, though the fire still flowed, they were dim, devoid of true vitality, like dolls.
Though all were roughly the size of a fist, there were differences. The larger the seed, the stronger the life energy it had contained in its previous form. The largest were the Black Sea Serpent and the Golden Three-Headed Idol, which dwarfed the others.
"You're the one!" Rhaegar spotted the Azure Spring Seed. Clusters of blue water droplets gathered into flames, beautiful and transparent, evoking hope and purity.
The water was calm, perhaps waiting to rush forth.
This Azure Fire Seed was the smallest of them all, yet he could still feel the flow and vitality of the spring. Water gurgled, then surged endlessly.
Rhaegar tapped the Azure Fire Seed lightly with his finger. With a soft pop, the seed began to crack and slowly merged into his body. In Rhaegar's indigo eyes, a blue light began to flicker.
The Fire Bath began.
The flames were neither violent nor cruel; instead, they brought a warm, pleasurable sensation.
The fire flowed like a stream, the gurgling spring water permeating Rhaegar's entire being.
Fire flowed, yet it held the gentleness and measure of water.
This spring came from a tributary of the vast Mother Rhoyne, azure and secluded.
Until the Rhoynar discovered its wonder, the town around it had begun to prosper.
Rhaegar felt the fire seep into him. The blood in his veins slowly warmed again, but there was no pain, only a feeling of becoming more refined and solid.
His silver hair began to be slowly covered by azure flames, making him look like a fire spirit.
Rhaegar seemed to see a true dragon again. Amidst roaring flames, countless pillars of fire rose. A silver true dragon looked him in the eye, its scales shining with silver light, beautiful as pure metal. The silver dragon's golden eyes were deep as molten lava. It opened its bloody maw, and Rhaegar was instantly swallowed by fire. The flames raged, dense and blazing, slowly settling into him.
Rhaegar felt himself transform into a giant dragon, soaring through the sky, opening his jaws to breathe out a torrent of fire. "Winds of freedom, be with me!" The dragon let out a majestic roar that echoed across the earth.
Rhaegar felt himself turn into a ball of burning fire. The flame was like wildfire, endless, burning everything, devouring everything. This fire would plunder the life of other things, and all of it was under his complete control.
I am a true dragon! And I breathe fire!
Rhaegar woke from the immersive experience of the Fire Seed, feeling refreshed and energized.
He saw the change in his status panel: The Blood of Fire had awakened.
Blood of Fire: You have awakened the Blood of Fire! Congratulations. In these days of dying magic, this achievement is exceptional. You are now worthy of being called a true dragonlord. If you wake a dragon, the Blood of Fire may surge even more violently.
(Blood of Fire: Intermediate. At your age, this is enough to make dragon families bow their heads. You gain weak fire resistance, meaning you can resist mundane diseases and temporarily withstand flames. Continue to improve, and perhaps you can smelt blood and fire magic.)
Though he had not yet awakened a dragon, this was still a great benefit.
With the Blood of Fire, he could better wake a dragon, and even study binding curses and magic horns.
Rhaegar checked his body; he was in peak condition. His senses were unusually sharp, and gaining fire resistance was a top-tier gift.
A true dragonlord should fear no disease. Though House Targaryen was currently immune to some illnesses, they were helpless against plagues like the Great Spring Sickness. They were losing their divine cloak, and Rhaegar believed this was likely linked to the silence of the Blood of Fire and the fading of magic.
Dragon seed was one threshold; Blood of Fire was another.
As magic died, House Targaryen declined with it. Those dragonlords who knew only a little magic, though they raised dragons, failed to wake the Blood of Fire, and their resistance to disease began to wane. Some caught the pox; others died of plague.
Lucky One: You enjoyed a Fire Bath. The Fire Seed originated from a precious and ancient spring of the Rhoynar. After bathing in the spring water, your life will be extended, and you are immune to all poisons.
Rhaegar's eyes went round, his gaze turning steely. What a beautiful day. The uses of these Fire Seeds were endless, truly miraculous.
Rhaegar was ecstatic, feeling incredibly comfortable. He hadn't expected this flame to have such wonderful effects. Not only extending life but granting poison immunity, this meant he could torture the Lyseni at will in the future. However, he couldn't help but wonder if he could guide the power of the flame to let his grandfather use it too.
Rhaegar was overjoyed; the gift from House Belaerys was generous indeed. It was a pity he couldn't meet the Purple-Robed Dragonlord, or he would have bowed deeply. To wander half a lifetime and return still eternally young.
[Rhaegar Targaryen]
Identity: The Last Dragon, Blood of Fire (Intermediate)
Talents: Knight's Talent (Natural Warrior), Heart of Sword and Harp (Union of strength and beauty; balance of knowledge, combat, and art), Sleeping Dragon (Dragon not yet awakened), Dragon Dreamer (True Dragon bloodline, prophetic dreams)
Charm: Likeable Dragon Boy, Precocious
Achievements: Game of Thrones (Minor Player), Warrior (Minor Warrior), Lucky One (Lucky Targaryen), Dragon Dreamer, Explorer (Young Explorer), Sacred Blade (Great Voice is Silent; inherited the sword technique of Sandoq the Shadow, Shadow of Lys), Sacred Sword (Novice; inherited Braavosi Water Dance from Sessa, inherited technique from Barristan Selmy).
Collection: Dragonlord Ring of Rhaegar Targaryen...
...
Oldtown, across the sea.
In a secret chamber of the Citadel, tall, twisted glass candles, one green, three black, which had long since ceased to burn, suddenly reignited like a seizure.
Though it was only for a fleeting moment, the acolyte on duty rubbed his eyes, suspecting a trick of the light.
But the acolyte definitely saw the glass candles flicker a few times more before extinguishing again.
The acolyte finally believed it was real. He rushed out of the room to summon his companions.
"Those glass candles just now... the glass candles really burned several times," the acolyte stammered, his face pale.
"Impossible," a haggard, grey-haired Archmaester mused. "Magic has not yet awakened. Who could wake the candles? Has some other change occurred in King's Landing? Or has a dragon been born somewhere in the world?"
The gaunt Archmaester stroked his chin again. "Find some men to spread this news to Essos. There are those who will hate the resurrection of magic dragons even more than we do."
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