Blood of the Dragon Dance (II)

Rustle...

The trees grew thick and dense, their fallen leaves and branches forming a thick carpet.

" Siga!!"

A sharp, piercing cry suddenly rang out through the vast primeval forest.

A silver-haired figure clutched a pickaxe and frantically battered a dragon-like creature the size of a hound.

"Siga~~"

The Brown-bellied Pterodactyl, covered in brown scales, let out a mournful cry as its sharp head burst into a pulp.

"Haha, what luck."

Gilan, drenched in sweat, picked up the corpse, which weighed over a hundred pounds, and hung it from the pickaxe.

This place was Axe Island, off the continent of Sothoryos, a desolate primeval jungle.

"It'll be dark soon."

Gilan slapped his trembling legs and limped toward a barren mountain.

The only people on the whole island were pirates from the Three Daughters and slaves.

He had run away to fulfill his younger brother Gyl's dying wish.

That fellow had been burned to a crisp, perfectly in keeping with the Valyrian Dragonlords' funeral rites.

Dusk fell, and day gave way to night.

A towering mountain stood before him, entirely devoid of vegetation, its slopes scorched black in many places.

A hidden cave lay halfway up the mountainside. The wind howled through it like the wails of ghosts.

"Breathe forth fire, command the wings."

"Two heads stand together, singing of the three."

Moonlight spilled across the land as an ancient Valyrian song drifted through the air, its melody tremulous with grief and remembrance.

Gilan's face was ashen as he carried the Brown-bellied Pterodactyl's corpse toward the cave.

He was going to die.

Wild dragon-eating species had never bonded with anyone.

But if he didn't take this chance, his dream of escaping the Smoking Sea would become nothing more than a pitiful memory from his years as a slave.

"So be it.