hotmtlnovel Chapter 84: The Shadow’s Approach
Chapter 84: The Shadow’s Approach
Chapter 84: The Shadow’s Approach
With a farewell to Yara, Rhaegar mounted the dragon and left the Whispers.
According to legend, the last sighting of a marsh marigold in the heart of the swamp, nestled in the center of Crackclaw Point, the largest swamp on the peninsula.
The swamp was shrouded in a perpetual miasma and plagued year-round by poisonous insects, so it had remained untouched by human presence for many years.
Despite the swamp's reputation, Rhaegar was determined to use his dragon to find the marsh marigold.
As they neared the edge of the swamp, Rhaegar looked to the sky. The sun was still high; there was still time to find the flower and return to Dyre Den before nightfall.
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Hovering over the marsh, its vast expanse stretching endlessly below the edge of the sky, the Cannibal let out a low growl, expressing its reluctance to move forward.
Rhaegar tenderly stroked the dragon's scales and wondered aloud, "What is it, Cannibal?
The dragon shook its head and flapped its wings, signaling its discomfort.
"Do you think there might be something dangerous lurking in the swamp?" Rhaegar ventured a guess.
"Roar..."
The Cannibal's tail lifted and tapped Rhaegar lightly on the shoulder.
"Am I in danger here?" Rhaegar's voice trailed off as he was frozen by the dragon's warning.
In response, the dragon flew over the swamp and directed a stream of dragonfire at a patch of mud.
Boom!
The explosion erupted in mid-air, dragonfire igniting gases and sending up a noxious blast that churned the muck below.
Rhaegar watched the show with a frown.
"Is that... miasma?" He remembered the Maester's lectures on the subject.
The swamp air is pretty toxic, full of noxious gases, ready to burn if exposed to fire.
The dragon's flame had accidentally set off the dangerous miasma.
"Are you worried that I might breathe in the poisonous fumes?" Rhaegar thought for a moment, then placed a reassuring hand on the dragon's spine.
The Cannibal, who was more clever than he let on, knew what he was doing, his green eyes saying it all.
"Have you crossed this swamp before?" Rhaegar asked, trying to figure out what the dragon was up to.
"I'm looking for a particular hardy flower. Do you know where it is?" Rhaegar showed him the Crabb House crest, adorned with the distinctive marsh marigold.
Cannibal reacted quickly by flapping his powerful wings and soaring upward, avoiding the attack.
From above, jets of green dragonfire cascaded down, engulfing the shadows below, reducing them to ashes in an instant.
Surveying the aftermath with a grave expression, Rhaegar remained vigilant, expecting more attacks from the Shadow Creatures.
But to his surprise, none came.
With a firm nod, Rhaegar refocused on their main goal.
"Cannibal, let's move on. Let's focus on finding the marsh marigold first."
Cannibal agreed and turned in a new direction, acknowledging the lack of immediate danger.
There were lots of swamps in Crackclaw Point, and each one could hide treasures beyond belief.
...
As the sun set, casting a warm glow over the landscape, Cannibal led Rhaegar through several small swamps until they reached one near a rushing stream.
A macabre scene unfolded before them: a carpet of white bones covered the swamp, the remains of wild beasts drawn to the water's edge by the poisonous miasma.
With a loud thud, Cannibal landed in the middle of the eerie scene, his huge weight crushing a few pine trees under his huge talons.
Amid the devastation, Rhaegar caught sight of smothing—a marsh marigold blooming on a patch of green stone.
"Cannibal, you've outdone yourself," Rhaegar murmured, awed by his dragon's keen senses.
Cannibal shot a disdainful look at him, as if to say, "That's easy, ignorant boy."
Ignoring this, Rhaegar descended from Cannibal's back and traversed the gnarled roots and sinking pine trunks to reach the precious flower.
Navigating over the sunken pine logs and through the muddy terrain, Rhaegar approached the patch of green stone where the marsh marigold thrived. With gentle hands, he cradled the flower's rhizome.
"Rare specimen detected, containing traces of magical essence. Initiating analysis..."
The system's prompt echoed in Rhaegar's mind, letting him know that it had successfully detected the flower's unique properties.
With bated breath, Rhaegar studied the flower, his excitement palpable. "Who knew such a humble place held an opportunity for exploration?"
He quickly accessed his system interface and examined the newfound discovery.
[Flower of Life]
Exploration progress: 0.5%