**Chapter 126: Sunfyre – A Little Snack**
Sunfyre moved with agility, breaking through the Dragonkeepers blocking its way and ramming into Moondancer.
*"Screech!"*
Caught off guard, Moondancer was knocked to the ground, and in an instant, the smaller Sunfyre leapt on top.
Sunfyre's vicious temperament took over. Once it gained the upper hand, it immediately lunged for Moondancer's neck, attempting to tear out a large chunk of flesh.
*"Screech!"*
Moondancer quickly recoiled, letting out an enraged cry, and struck Sunfyre's head with powerful wingbeats.
Fueled by its ferocity, Sunfyre continued to bite relentlessly but struggled to penetrate Moondancer's defenses.
After all, Moondancer was the eldest of the second-generation dragons.
Though not as massive as contemporaries like Cannibal or Vermithor, it was still significantly larger than younger third-generation dragons such as Meleys or Caraxes.
As a fourth-generation dragon, Sunfyre was merely half Moondancer's size and no real match for it.
A blast of orange-tinged blue dragonfire erupted from Moondancer's jaws, sending Sunfyre tumbling to the ground. The smaller dragon struggled to rise, its movements shaky.
Moondancer hadn't flown freely in years, leaving its body less agile than it once was.
Yet, dealing with an overconfident young dragon was still well within its capabilities.
As the two dragons fought, Aegon knew he was about to pay for his actions.
Climbing down from Sunfyre's back, Aegon realized his mistake and bolted, trying to flee.
*Whoosh!*
An arrow whizzed past his cheek, slicing off a lock of hair near his ear.
In an instant, Aegon froze as if a spell had been cast on him. Trembling, he remained in place, one foot still lifted mid-step.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the arrow's source—his older brother, Rhaegar.
"Run, go on. If I catch you, you're going to regret it," Rhaegar said flatly.
His voice sent a shiver down Aegon's spine, leaving him quaking.
After a brief glance at the entangled dragons, Rhaegar discarded his bow and approached Aegon with a cold, emotionless expression.
Terrified, Aegon didn't dare move. His pupils dilated in fear.
When Rhaegar reached him, he grabbed Aegon by the hair and slammed him to the ground with a loud *thud*.
"You brat! Just a few days without supervision, and you think you can do as you please?"
Ignoring Aegon's cries of pain, Rhaegar climbed on top of him, pinning him down.
With one hand, he steadied Aegon's head; with the other, he raised his palm and struck.
*Slap!*
The sound echoed as Rhaegar's hand landed on Aegon's face, snapping his head to the side. A bright red handprint immediately swelled on his cheek.
*"Screech!"*
Meanwhile, Sunfyre, enraged after being knocked aside, roared and lunged at Moondancer again.
Moondancer crouched low, its wings pressed to the ground, its long neck extended forward as it prepared to unleash dragonfire.
The clash between the two dragons was imminent.
Rhaegar, momentarily distracted by their roars, cast a dispassionate glance in their direction but showed no other reaction.
*"Screech!"*
As Sunfyre flapped its wings and launched itself toward Moondancer, a thunderous roar suddenly echoed throughout the dragon pit.
From the depths of a cavern, a shadow burst forth with lightning speed, appearing above the two dragons in an instant.
*Slash!*
A coal-black claw extended, gripping Sunfyre's neck with deadly precision and ending the fight immediately.
*"Roar!"*
The intruder, Cannibal, glared fiercely, pinning the golden dragon underfoot and growling menacingly from its throat.
It had been peacefully sleeping in its lair when the commotion above disturbed its rest.
As it emerged, responding to its rider's summons, it put an end to the chaos.
Now, Cannibal was furious.
*"Screech!"*
Frustrated at being interrupted, Moondancer roared at the black dragon, spreading its wings in a show of defiance.
Cannibal raised its head, its emerald eyes narrowing as it cast a sidelong glance at the challenger.
With an overwhelming surge of killing intent, the black dragon's aura swept through the pit.
Moondancer froze momentarily, its rage vanishing. Lowering its head submissively, it retreated a few steps.
In a single glance, Moondancer recognized the vast difference in power between itself and Cannibal.
Even disregarding experience, Cannibal's size alone was unmatched.
Decades of confinement in the dragon pit had stunted Moondancer's growth, leaving it comparable to third-generation dragons.
Cannibal, as a preeminent second-generation dragon, was not only a wild dragon by nature but had also consumed life essences that unlocked its potential.
Over the years, its body had grown monstrously large.
Once of a similar size to Vermithor, Cannibal now dwarfed it by a fifth.
Standing before Cannibal, Moondancer was completely overshadowed, its size barely two-thirds of the black dragon's.
And Sunfyre, trapped beneath Cannibal's claws, was no better than a mouse before a cat, utterly helpless.
"Return Moondancer and Tessarion to the pit!"
As silence returned to the dragon pit, Rhaegar coldly issued his command to the stunned Dragonkeepers.
"Yes, my prince…"
Hearing the command, the dragon handlers quickly stepped forward to assist the dragon guards in calming and guiding the two dragons.
With the trouble resolved, Rhaegar's gaze returned to Aegon. Forcing a kind smile, he spoke calmly:
"Aegon, do you realize your mistake?"
"I was wrong. I know I was wrong," Aegon replied hastily, clutching his swollen cheek.
"Oh? Then tell me, what was your mistake?"
"I... I shouldn't have ordered Sunfyre to act recklessly..."
*Slap!*
Before Aegon could finish, Rhaegar backhanded him across the face and said, "Wrong. Try again!"
"I shouldn't have run away, shouldn't have mocked Aemond. I apologize to all of you..."
After two slaps in quick succession, Aegon's head was spinning, and he scrambled to admit his mistakes. It hurt too much!
*Slap!*
Another slap landed, splitting Aegon's lip as he groaned in pain.
Rhaegar stood up, grabbed a handful of Aegon's hair, and yanked him to his feet. His gaze shifted to the distant Glutton, and he leaned close to Aegon's ear, his voice like a devil's whisper:
"Wrong again. Keep going."
"I don't know! I really don't know! If you say I'm wrong, then I must be wrong..." Aegon whimpered, his head tilted back and his words barely coherent.
"Still wrong. It seems you don't understand your greatest mistake."
Rhaegar tightened his grip and pointed at Glutton. "You were feeling proud just now about riding a dragon, weren't you?"
"What... What are you planning?"
Aegon followed Rhaegar's finger and immediately froze when his eyes landed on Sunfyre, who was struggling desperately. His expression changed instantly.
"Don't worry. My dragon will explain it to you," Rhaegar said, his tone calm yet filled with ominous intent.
"Sssss... Grrrr..."
As if sensing his master's thoughts, Glutton stomped violently, nearly crushing Sunfyre. The golden dragon let out a heart-wrenching cry.
"No! Sunfyre is just a dragon; it doesn't understand anything!"
Aegon twisted and thrashed, trying to break free in desperation.
*Thud!*
Rhaegar drove a knee into Aegon's back, immediately forcing him to settle down.
"Watch closely and see what happens when you can't recognize your mistakes."
"Sssss... Grrrr..."
At that moment, Glutton roared, its vertical pupils locking onto Sunfyre. Its maw curled into a savage grin.
The golden dragon was its prey—a delightful little snack. It had been a long time since Glutton had tasted one of its kind, and it almost missed the flavor.
In the next instant, Glutton raised the talon pinning Sunfyre and lowered its massive head, sinking its jaws into Sunfyre's neck.
"No! It's eating Sunfyre!"
The terrified Aemond, who had been silently watching, fell to the ground in horror.
Over the years, Glutton's strength had grown significantly.
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(End of Chapter)