Chương 9: Icarus
I started going in the direction that growl came from, but after a while, I didn't hear anything except the howling winds and the waves crashing. The sky above was silent, but the land around me felt alive, charged with the ancient magic of dragons. I crept forward, careful to avoid the large rocks that would give away my presence. My eyes scanned the cliffside, looking for any sign of movement. My ears strained to catch the faintest sound—a wingbeat, a growl, anything that would betray the dragon's location.
The path ahead opened into a small, rocky alcove. It was barely wide enough for me to fit, but it might be my only chance. I crawled into the crevice, pushing myself into the shadows as far as I could. The cold stone pressed against my back, and I held my breath, trying to steady my racing heart. After a while, I came out to an opening that was large enough for a dragon. But there was nothing there.
But then I heard it again. A sound—low, rumbling, like thunder rolling across the cliffs. My blood ran cold, and I froze in place. My eyes snapped upward, and there it was: a massive silhouette, dark against the night sky, its wings spread wide like the shadow of death itself.
It was the freaking Cannibal! And he's looking down on me from the cliff currently!
The only dragon I wanted to avoid at all costs! Seriously, what is up with my luck? I would have thought I became Lancer with such bad luck!
The stories of the Cannibal were whispered across Westeros—tales of a dragon so vicious and so untamable that even the bravest of the Targaryens were scared to approach it; the few idiots who tried have died. They said no one had ever survived an encounter with him. The Cannibal was a creature of pure violence, driven by a hunger that could never be sated. It had made its home in the dark caves of Dragonstone for centuries, feeding on other dragons and hunting anything that dared approach. He was a dark shadow hidden in the caves of Dragonstone.
I stumbled backward, my heart thudding in my chest. Panic flared, a wave of fear crashing over me. I had heard the stories, but nothing could have prepared me for the sight of the Cannibal. It was a beast of nightmare proportions, its dark scales gleaming like polished obsidian under the moonlight. Its eyes, glowing an unnatural green, seemed to pierce the very soul of anyone unlucky enough to cross its path. It moved with the silent grace of a predator, its massive wings creating great force just by flapping them lightly as it jumped down in front of the alcove, blocking my exit.
His eyes glowed with an unnatural green hue, piercing the darkness like twin orbs of death. His breath came in slow, deep rumbles, like the rolling of distant thunder.
The Cannibal was no myth. He was real, and he was every bit as terrifying as the legends described!
I froze in place, instinctively dropping to one knee, my breath caught in my throat. The dragon's gaze locked onto mine, and for a moment, neither of us moved. The air was thick with tension, the silence broken only by the distant howls of the wind. It felt like the entire world had stopped, holding its breath, waiting for something to happen.
Then, without warning, the Cannibal roared again, the sound so deafening it felt like the very mountains trembled. My eardrums almost burst from the sound. His massive form shifted, his claws scraping against the stone as he moved closer. I could feel the heat of his breath, the heat of his fury. My heart raced in my chest as I defiantly rose to my feet.
I couldn't outrun him. I couldn't fight him. But I wasn't going to back down.
I gripped FrostMourne tightly, the cool steel steadying my resolve. I stepped forward, my voice steady despite the fear gnawing at my insides.
"You won't scare me like the rest of them, Cannibal," I said, my words ringing in the silent air. "I'm here to write my own fate. I'm not some coward to be driven off."
The Cannibal's eyes narrowed, his nostrils flaring as he sniffed the air. A low growl rumbled deep within his chest. I could feel the heat building, the air growing thick with the promise of flame. Then all my fears came true when a small burst green flame erupted from his mouth, coming towards me.
You know those moments, when everything feels like it's moving in slow motion? That happened to me. I could see the flames getting closer to me , inch by inch , as my life flashed before me. At that moment, all my dreams, plans, and desires felt like a joke. Nothing can stand against absolute power, huh?
Unknowingly my hands raised Frostmourne, as if it was an instinct , to defend against the flames. And it did. Surprising both me and Cannibal. The flames that should have melt both my sword and me were being easily stopped by Frostmourne, as if the flames lost all heat. Cannibal stopped the flames and glared at me as I looked at my sword that was still intact, but some strange symbol like a rune glows in middle of the sword, releasing a chilling aura ."Neat." I muttered. Cannibal growled and took a couple steps forward.
But instead of lunging at me, as I expected, the dragon stopped, watching me intently. The next few moments felt like an eternity, a battle of wills between man and beast.
I could see the intelligence in those eyes, the same kind of cold, calculating intelligence that I had seen in the eyes of men who held power. He wasn't just a mindless predator. He was a force of nature, testing me. The heat of his breath washed over me in waves, like the breath of a furnace.
I couldn't afford to let him see fear, not now, not with everything riding on this moment. The world seemed to shrink around us, the very air hanging in a delicate balance between life and death.
I stood my ground, refusing to show weakness. This was my moment. If I couldn't claim this dragon, I was nothing. I had nothing. I could only be a bastard, maybe a dead one.
But if I could prove myself worthy, then I would become something greater than anyone could ever imagine from me.
The Cannibal slowly moved closer, his massive head lowering until we were eye-to-eye. The heat of his breath washed over me, but I didn't flinch. I didn't move. I kept my eyes locked onto his, as steady as I could. This was no longer about fear . This was about determination. About survival. About my future.
Then something unexpected happened. The Cannibal's eyes flickered, just like a thought passing through the dragon's mind,and for the first time, I saw something other than hunger or anger in his gaze. It was a flicker of something else: recognition.
He lifted his head slightly, the sheer size of him making the world seem insignificant. I felt the earth vibrate beneath me as the dragon shifted his weight. The enormous creature regarded me with a kind of scrutiny, as though weighing my worth. I gathered my courage and spoke to him," Are you willing to just stay here hidden, and waste away without leaving any mark of your existence? Or, will you come with me as my companion as I take on the whole world ?" I paused and grinned," Two of us against the world, won't that be a fun story ?"
The Cannibal's tail flicked behind him, smashing against the jagged stones of the cliffside and sending them flying with ease. Then, as if deciding that I had stood my ground long enough, he leaned in closer.
Slowly, the Cannibal's massive head lowered, until his green eyes were level with my face. The heat of his breath washed over me , but still, I didn't flinch. His piercing eyes searched mine, as if reading every thought, every fear, and every dream that I had ever had. It felt like time itself had frozen, as if the world was waiting for the verdict.
Then, with a sudden, unexpected movement, the Cannibal snorted. It was a sound of resignation, almost... approval? His tail swished behind him again, and this time he stepped back, giving me a clear path .
I stood there, frozen for a moment, unsure if this was truly happening, with my luck. Was he... really accepting me?
He snorted and gave me a look. The Cannibal didn't answer with words, but his actions spoke louder than anything he could have said. He lowered his massive wing to the ground; the membrane of it spread wide like an invitation. The great beast made a soft rumble in the back of his throat, a sound that seemed almost like a growl of approval and joy, finally finding someone worthy of him.
The dragon's eyes softened, and I felt the tension in the air shift. It was a subtle change, but it was there. The Cannibal had recognized something in me.
I didn't know what it was—whether it was my fearlessness, my resolve, or something deeper that , but Cannibal acknowledged me. In that moment, something changed. The dragon took a step back, his enormous wings rustling as he lowered his head.
I couldn't believe it. The Cannibal has... actually become my partner.
My heart pounded in my chest as I took a step forward, my hand trembling as I reached out. The dragon's scales were warm under my fingers, as smooth and unyielding as stone. But there was no resistance. The Cannibal had truly acknowledged me.
"No, Cannibal isn't the name you should bear my friend," I whispered as I stroked his snout."Once upon a time, there was a Dragon King whom I saw in an anime, he was also black dragon majestic and strong as you. So how about the name 'Acnologia'?' to which he gave out a rumbling growl which sounded like acceptance, and happiness?
For the first time since I had arrived on Dragonstone, I felt a surge of power course through me. This was the moment I had been waiting for—the moment that would define my future. The most terryfying dragon, the very symbol of strength, fear and dominance, had chosen me, a bastard. Not that anybody would dare to insult me for it now.
I moved to climb onto his back, my hands finding grip on the spiny ridges that ran along his side. His great muscles shifted beneath me, and I felt the power in them. The dragon's body tensed beneath me. With a great, rumbling growl, the Acnologia spread his wings. The wind whipped around us, and the scent of the sea and the cliffside filled my nostrils as he launched himself into the air. The ground dropped away beneath us, and I felt my stomach lurch as the dragon's immense wings beat with a force that shook the very air.
I gripped tightly, feeling the powerful muscles of his back beneath me as we soared higher into the night sky that was about to turn into mornings glow. The stars stretched out before us, but with a few flickering rays of sunshine on the horizon.
For the first time in both of my lives, I felt as though I were truly free. The wind rushed past me, the taste of salt in the air, and I couldn't help but grin. I had done it.
I was flying in the sky. Not just on any dragon, but riding 'The Cannibal' who now is 'Acnologia', the most feared and powerful dragon in the world, was mine.
At that moment, I felt like Icarus, soaring into the sky towards the sun. As if to share my feelings, the sun slowly appeared on the distant horizon. The world stretched out beneath me; vast, infinite, and full of possibility.
I was no longer just a boy with a sword and a dream. I was a dragon rider. One strong enough to reshape his destiny, and perhaps the world itself.
**I have added some explanations in most of the chapters Author thoughts, including this one, to better clarify the story. Read those to have a better idea of the direction I am going and some questions you might have will be answered in comments by me as much as I can. Thank you.**
SUY NGHĨ CỦA NGƯỜI SÁNG TẠO 
Virtuosso
Virtuosso And there You go! Cannibal, or now Acnologia in this fic is the largest dragon alive, and its age is around Baelerion. despite that he is in peak condition, due to him absorbing life force from young dragons and eggs.
And the concept of rune is pretty simple, the sword has a frost rune engraved, which basically protects him from cold , and freeze flame based attacks before they reach user. no offensive capabilities for now. There will be some new areas explored later, I'll try to merge many of the mystery stuff from the book accordingly, to give you a fresh concept.
Vhagar is almost 50 metres shorter than him and relatively slower due to age(I'm going with the regular info, and then calculated accordingly a rough estimate). I'm going for something around 200 metres.
Vermithor is around 120 meters, Silverwing 110 meters, Meleys and Grey Ghost 105 meters, Sheepstealer 100 meters, Syrax(adult) 90 meters Sunfyre 60 meters , Vermax 50 meters, Tessarion 10 meters. might readjust after research.
last one for this week. next on weekends again.
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