The blood bead was crimson like jade, dripping onto the cracks on the surface of the stone compass.
The blood quickly spread, seeping into the cracks and covering the entire stone disc with a web-like layer of deep red.
Buzz—
The compass absorbed the missing pieces, and the crimson web emitted a red glow. The stone casing cracked inch by inch, falling away.
Right before Rhaegar's eyes, it rapidly transformed into an ancient-looking gray disc at a speed visible to the naked eye.
The new disc was not much different from the original stone compass, except it looked newer and more refined.
The engraved inscriptions and the majestic dragon patterns on the surface seemed vivid and lifelike, as if they might start dancing when no one was looking.
The crimson web turned into vein-like patterns, weaving between the dragon engravings.
A single pointer was embedded at the center of the disc, with a missing tip that trembled slightly, shifting toward each dragon engraving.
Rhaegar carefully examined it and attempted to move the pointer.
A system notification chimed in his ear:
"Congratulations, the Prophet's Relic has been activated. You have obtained..."
[Dragon Compass]
- Rarity: Epic (Purple)
- Effect: Detects the aura of dragons and locates disobedient companions.
- Description: "A high-level dragon-taming tool, the life's work of a prophet."
The disc was officially named, and the stone debris crumbled to the ground, dissolving into dust that merged with the earth.
Rhaegar held the compass in his hands, his mind going blank for a second.
"Dragon Compass… a dragon-taming tool."
The two phrases echoed in his head, instantly taking center stage in his thoughts.
Overjoyed, Rhaegar couldn't help but grin.
"I was just about to search for a dragon, and now I've got exactly what I need!"
Dragon-taming tools were incredibly rare, each one priceless.
A relic specifically designed to track dragons? It was practically a divine gift.
"Screeeeech—!"
Just as he was about to activate the compass, a deafening roar erupted like a thunderclap, shaking half of Dragonstone Isle.
A fierce wind howled, rattling the stone drum tower, making the entire castle hum like a war drum.
Clatter…
Dust rained down from above. Rhaegar instantly felt his eardrums vibrate, dizziness creeping in.
He reached out to clutch the obsidian dragon egg, staggering as he stood up.
"A Devourer's roar."
Rhaegar shook his head, his instincts screaming in alarm.
Thankfully, the roar faded as quickly as it had come.
Wasting no time, he swiftly secured the obsidian dragon egg, grabbed his weapons and the compass, and ran out.
The greenhouse was built within the mountain, so he wasn't too worried about the egg getting destroyed.
Buzz—
As soon as he rushed through the heavy stone doors, the compass emitted a hazy glow.
Something was happening. Rhaegar immediately checked it.
The pointer on the compass was spinning wildly, scanning over the numerous dragon engravings as if searching for something.
Ding!
Right in front of Rhaegar's eyes, the pointer suddenly stopped. The tip, now covered in the crimson web-like veins, pointed directly at an engraving of a young dragon.
The carving was small, depicting a snarling dragonlet baring its fangs and claws in defiance.
Its head, adorned with dorsal fins, was turned to the side. One vertical pupil was filled with panic and fear.
Surrounded by engravings of much larger dragons, the young dragon seemed to be struggling in vain, desperately seeking an escape.
"A young dragon… Where is it?"
Rhaegar stared at the compass, his mind working rapidly.
The compass wouldn't point at something without reason.
Buzz—
The pointer began to spin again, and the crimson web on the compass flickered with tiny red lights.
Finally, the light condensed into a single red beam, merging into the pointer.
Click!
A soft sound echoed as the pointer came to a stop on an engraving depicting a dragon returning to its nest.
Rhaegar's pupils shrank. In an instant, he realized what this meant.
"Dragonstone Isle… a young dragon!"
Across all of Westeros and Essos, there was only one true dragon nest—Dragonmont.
A towering, ever-dormant volcano.
"The Devourer is hunting a young dragon."
Rhaegar grinned wildly and broke into a sprint.
No hesitation—he had to find that young dragon first.
---
Meanwhile, on Dragonmont…
A towering volcano stood at the center of the island, its rugged ridges stretching for miles on either side.
For dozens of miles, jagged rocks littered the desolate terrain.
"Screeeeech…"
A streak of black and red darted across the sky, accompanied by a piercing shriek.
The dragon shadow flew fast, its crimson wings flapping so rapidly they left afterimages. It plunged through the clouds, diving into the dense jungle below.
With its relatively small size, it weaved through the trees like a giant bird.
"ROAR—!"
Suddenly, a deep, guttural roar, as powerful as rolling thunder, shattered the sound of the wind and drowned out everything else.
Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!
Birds burst from the canopy in panic, small creatures scurrying in all directions as if a calamity had descended upon them.
Whoosh—
A fierce gust swept through the forest, sending leaves swirling.
The sky… darkened.
"Screeeeech…"
A black-and-red young dragon looked up in panic, its vertical pupils filled with deep fear.
Above the Jungle
A massive beast, black as coal and as colossal as a mountain, soared through the sky. Its enormous wings blotted out the sun.
Drip.
A drop of foul-smelling dragon saliva fell, landing on the branch of an ancient, towering tree.
Sizzle...
In an instant, the branch began to corrode, releasing wisps of white smoke.
The corruption spread rapidly, stripping the bark layer by layer until the once-majestic tree stood bare and lifeless.
The predator's vertical pupils were cold and indifferent, flickering with madness and cunning—like a living, breathing machine of slaughter.
It savored the thrill of the hunt.
"Screech!"
The black-and-red young dragon let out a shrill, agonized cry as a single drop of the scalding saliva landed on one of its wings. It tumbled and struggled, desperately trying to escape.
Rolling over the damp soil, its scales scraped against dirt and rocks, leaving deep scars on its body.
After a long struggle, it carved a shallow trench into the ground.
The young dragon lay there, whimpering in defeat, attempting to move its wings.
It flapped and fluttered, but something felt wrong.
Confused, the young dragon lifted both wings to examine them.
One wing was intact, merely covered in dust.
The other, however, had a fist-sized hole burned straight through it.
"Gah!!"
Its vertical pupils widened in shock, and it let out a terrified scream.
The young dragon was small—only the size of a regular household dog.
Its body was covered in black scales, with crimson spines running along its neck and tail. Its wing membranes were a striking shade of blood red.
Though its head lacked the viciousness of an apex predator, its crown of horns was sharp and imposing.
Its mouth was lined with sharp white fangs, and its amber-colored vertical pupils gleamed with intelligence and mischief.
Had Viserys been here to witness this wild young dragon, he would have exclaimed in shock:
"Balerion reborn!"
The resemblance was uncanny—this young dragon looked far more like the fallen Black Dread than the predator looming overhead.
Even more so than the other black dragon, the one known as the Devourer.
### "ROAR—"
Suddenly, the thick scent of ash filled the air, and a massive shadow completely engulfed the jungle.
"Screech?"
The black-and-red young dragon froze. Its head lifted mechanically, ever so slowly.
Its amber pupils, filled with terror, locked onto the colossal beast above.
Black scales.
Cold, merciless eyes.
An overwhelming aura of death.
"Growl..."
A low, guttural snarl rumbled from deep within the beast's throat—enough to make even the strongest creatures tremble in fear.
The young dragon was paralyzed. It instinctively wrapped its wings around itself, seeking any semblance of safety.
The sky darkened as if night had fallen, swallowing all traces of sunlight.
And then, from the shadows—
A pair of ghostly, green-glowing eyes stared directly at it.
---
### Stone Drum Tower
"Your Highness, please be careful!"
Ser Robert, the acting castellan, was panting heavily as he chased after the prince through the castle gates.
A squad of Dragon Guards followed closely behind.
"Don't worry about me—tighten the information blockade along the coastline!"
Rhaegar clutched a compass, excitement gleaming in his eyes as he ran forward.
Within moments, he reached the stone stair bridge.
The clouds swirled around him, the wind carrying the rhythmic crash of ocean waves.
He glanced down at the compass. The needle was spinning wildly.
But every time it stopped, it pointed toward the Dragonmont behind the bridge.
"A wild hatchling... I mustn't let it escape."
Rhaegar was elated. He followed the compass's guidance without hesitation.
He was certain—the young dragon had to be on Dragonstone.
And the Devourer's unusual behavior? It was undoubtedly because it had set its sights on the wandering hatchling.
"Just don't end up as an appetizer..."
Knowing all too well the Devourer's ruthless nature, Rhaegar quickened his pace while silently praying.
It was a race—would he reach the young dragon first, or would it meet an unfortunate fate?
"Screech!"
Just as he was thinking this, the sea of clouds churned violently. A grayish-white shadow flickered within.
Rhaegar caught a fleeting glimpse and broke into a grin.
"Gray Ghost, come out!"
Across all of Westeros, only one dragon bore gray-white scales.
"Screech!"
At the familiar call, Gray Ghost poked his head out from the mist, glancing around warily.
Rhaegar stopped, spreading his arms wide with a smile.
"No need to look around—it's just me."
"Gah~"
Gray Ghost drooped his head in disappointment before slowly emerging from the clouds.
Boom—
He landed gracefully on the stone stair bridge, his two feet gripping the battlements.
His slender body crouched low, spreading his vast, paper-thin wings.
"Good boy, I need a favor."
Rhaegar strode forward, placing a hand on the dragon's side.
"It's a long journey—take me for a ride."
The Stone Drum Tower was at least a dozen kilometers away from Dragon Mountain.
Just crossing a long stone-step bridge required climbing up and down.
Running there on foot? By the time he arrived, the young dragon might already be digested.
"Hiss—Gah!"
Gray Shadow didn't refuse. Though reluctant, it extended its long neck, offering its back to its good friend.
The dragon nest in Divine Eye Lake was far too boring, so it had secretly returned to Dragon Stone Island.
Catching the scent of a dragon-eater, it had specifically come to find Rhaegar.
It also wanted to take a look at Rhaegar's little baby.
Unfortunately, the baby wasn't there.
Rhaegar climbed onto the dragon's back, gently patting its smooth scales as he reassured it, "When my child grows up, if you like him, you can take the initiative to carry him into the sky."
"Gah~"
Gray Shadow let out a sharp cry and turned its head to eye him suspiciously.
Rhaegar, thick-skinned as ever, continued painting a grand picture: "You're so beautiful—children will love you."
"Gah!"
Hearing this, Gray Shadow instantly perked up, lifting its head high and proudly displaying its form.
It truly wasn't ugly—its appearance was quite striking.
At the very least, it was far more pleasing to the eye than the grotesque sheep thieves or the terrifying gluttons.
It just had a certain soft, squishy look—almost like an easy target.
Suppressing his guilty conscience, Rhaegar urged, "Hurry up! We need to rescue a young dragon, just like I once saved you."
"Hiss—Gah!"
The moment Gray Shadow heard that a dragon-eater was preying on a dragon, it was absolutely unwilling to let that happen. It took off in a hurry.
Rhaegar adjusted his posture, wrapping his arms around the dragon's cool neck.
Gray Shadow, driven by determination, flew faster and faster.
Its slender body was like a dart, slicing through the air at high speed, with its wings on either side controlling its direction.
...
After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea,
The man and dragon soared over the long stone-step bridge and arrived in the dense forest surrounding Dragon Mountain.
"Hiss—Gah!"
Gray Shadow let out a sharp cry. It had caught a strong scent of ashes and cautiously landed in a clearing.
Rhaegar took out his compass and immediately spotted a pool of blood on the ground.
He jumped off the dragon's back, picked up a clump of blood-stained soil, and rubbed it between his fingers.
The stench of blood was strong, and the dirt was still warm.
This confirmed that the young dragon had indeed been here—and had been injured.
Rhaegar scanned the area. There were no tracks indicating that the glutton had passed through. Smiling, he said, "Big guy, for all your size, catching little things isn't so easy, huh?"
The glutton was enormous, spanning over 140 meters from head to tail.
A young dragon, on the other hand, was at most a meter long.
In such a cramped environment, capturing it wouldn't be easy.
"Hiss—Gah!"
Gray Shadow propped itself up with its wings, hopping over excitedly and pointing its tail toward the towering Dragon Mountain.
It had caught the scent.
The dragon-eater's trail led straight there.
Rhaegar didn't hesitate. He swung himself back onto Gray Shadow's back.
"Gray Shadow, speed up."
The young dragon had narrowly escaped for now, but that didn't mean it was safe.
The glutton was a vicious and cruel dragon.
It wasn't just greedy for the eggs and flesh of its own kind—it also delighted in the thrill of the hunt.
If the young dragon hadn't died in the forest, there was a high chance the glutton was toying with it, playing a deadly game of cat and mouse.