Chapter 138: Dragons in the Rainwood
The Stormlands, the Rainwood
"Boom... Crack..."
"Whoosh... Whoosh..."
The Stormlands were called the Stormlands because storms raged across the peninsula all year round. Under the influence of some mysterious natural law, the region was either scorched beneath a blazing sun or battered by violent tempests.
The terrifying storm prowled above the rainforest like a giant beast. Every time the gale swept through, the trees trembled violently, and weaker branches were ripped away entirely.
"Rustle... Rustle..."
"This damned place isn't fun at all!"
After handing her wooden umbrella to a servant, Nymeria Sand complained openly.
Her current location was a testing ground thirty miles south of Mistwood in the Stormlands. Besides Nymeria Sand and her sisters, the "Red Viper" Prince Oberyn Martell, Ellaria Sand, King Stannis Baratheon, and the "Onion Knight" Ser Davos Seaworth were also present.
"Now, now, dear. You won't experience this much rain in Dorne. You need to learn to appreciate things from a different perspective."
The seductive Ellaria Sand was currently nestled in Oberyn's embrace. Hearing her daughter's complaint, she quickly spoke up to comfort her.
"Woooo... Woooo..."
"ROAR..."
At that moment, the shrill sound of horns suddenly echoed through the rainforest.
Following the horn calls came faint dragon roars. Immediately afterward, everyone witnessed an astonishing scene.
"Thud... Thud... Thud..."
Deep within the northwestern forest, several enormous figures crashed through the trees, causing the jungle canopy to sway violently.
"Woooo... Woooo..."
As the horns drew nearer, the air itself seemed to grow heavier, as though some invisible pressure was descending upon the area.
The looming shadows gradually became clear.
The first thing to emerge was a gigantic dragon head, followed by its massive body and thick claws. When the creature's enormous frame—larger than an elephant—fully stepped into view, everyone present felt an overwhelming sense of pressure.
This was a wingless dragon covered in black scales. It resembled the legendary lizard-lions of the swamps, though its neck was much longer and its appearance leaned more toward that of a giant reptilian beast.
This was a Drake, a new species Jon had recreated based on myths and various stories from his past life. The creation of true Valyrian Dragons could not be rushed overnight, so Jon intended to build the foundation step by step.
Riding atop the Drake's back was Jon himself, holding a strange horn in his hand. This particular Drake was the highest-quality specimen among all current test subjects.
"Thud..."
After leaping down from the dragon's back, Jon walked toward the group. Behind him, several more Drakes of different sizes and forms emerged from the forest.
However, these Drakes were much smaller than the one Jon had been riding. As soon as Jon stepped forward, the smaller creatures quickly retreated back into the rainforest.
"What you are seeing now are the Drakes currently under testing. This is also why I occupied the Rainwood. The rainforest environment is the most suitable place for raising and taming them. If the price is acceptable, I can also sell some to you."
After speaking, Jon swept his gaze across Oberyn and Stannis.
A trace of interest flashed through Stannis's eyes, but the moment he remembered the enormous debt he still owed the Iron Bank, those thoughts vanished immediately.
"Prince Aegon, name your price! House Martell may not shit gold like those Lannister bastards, but we can still produce enough Gold Dragons."
"I thought His Grace King Stannis would be interested. I didn't expect it to be you instead."
Jon's words made Stannis feel slightly stifled, but he truly couldn't spare more money right now. Besides, he knew perfectly well that dragons could never be bought cheaply.
"Ten thousand Gold Dragons."
"What did you say!? Ten thousand!?"
Jon's answer instantly shattered Oberyn's confident demeanor. His arm around Ellaria loosened unconsciously.
"These are dragons. One day, they may grow wings and soar through the skies. Do you really think they aren't worth that price?"
"Forget it then. Dorne isn't like the Westerlands—we don't have endless gold mines waiting to be dug up."
These Drakes were already near maturity. Under the influence of Blood Magic, most of the Long-Winged Dragons Jon had captured had essentially become breeding stock.
Every day, Jon simply fed them well and ensured they remained healthy, while their sole purpose was to continuously lay dragon eggs for his experiments.
In his previous life, Jon had once seen a mock documentary describing the evolutionary process of fire-breathing dragons, and he had borrowed many ideas from it for his dragon modifications.
Although Jon himself could transform into a dragon, the sensation of breathing Dragonfire felt to him more like spitting flames. He could vaguely sense the activity of his internal organs, but he still couldn't determine whether some mysterious supernatural force was also involved.
"I'm curious, Prince Aegon. What do they usually eat?"
Tyene Sand looked especially interested in the dragons' habits. She wanted to know whether they carried strange toxins, and she even wondered whether poison could kill them.
"If Lady Tyene is interested, you can stay here and assist me. I can give you a few dragons to study. Perhaps in the future, you may even raise a dragon of your own."
Jon's words instantly excited the short-haired Dornish beauty. After glancing toward her father, Tyene asked eagerly:
"Is that really possible?"
"Of course. Your knowledge of poisons may help me develop entirely new dragon species. If your research succeeds, I will naturally reward you generously."
During the past several days of interaction, Jon had been genuinely surprised by Tyene's talent with poisons. After learning she had once studied Blood Magic along the Greenblood, Jon immediately developed the intention of recruiting her.
Today's gathering was meant to show Oberyn's faction and Stannis's faction the dragon breeding grounds. In order to ease their suspicions—and eventually turn them into test users for his future war beasts—Jon had invested significant effort into this display.
Strategic weapons like dragons could not be perfected overnight. Right now, with Westeros descending into chaos, Jon intended to use the wars across the continent to test the dragons' battlefield effectiveness.
Aside from the original black Drake, every dragon displayed today was either a standard-grade or defective experimental specimen. Before these people departed, Jon planned to "lease" one to each faction so he could collect the combat data he desired.
"Good! Good! I'm willing to stay and help you, Prince Aegon!"
After receiving Jon's confirmation, Tyene Sand nearly jumped with joy before happily running back to Oberyn's side.
Jon then invited everyone into the wooden tower of the breeding base.
The entire complex had been constructed from timber. The fences and wooden keep gave the place a primitive and rustic appearance.
However, once they entered the main hall, everyone discovered that the interior was completely different from what they had expected.
Various flowers and vines covered the upper floors, greatly reducing the rainforest's sweltering heat. Stone tiles and creeping vines paved the floor, creating a surface that was slightly uneven beneath one's feet.
Because the rainforest climate was so humid and hot, stepping across the gaps between the stone slabs produced a faint swaying sensation, as though the floor beneath them were hollow.
After everyone gathered around a wooden table, Jon's servants brought out fresh fruit and juice. The Rainwood's rainforest was abundant in resources, and many of its fruits were rich in water and sugar.
After eating for a while, the usually silent Davos suddenly spoke.
"Prince Aegon... could you lease one of the dragons you showed us to His Grace King Stannis?"
"Hm?"
Jon paused slightly, not expecting the request to come before he even brought up the subject himself.
"So you mean you wish to lease one?"
"Yes."
This time, it was Stannis—who had remained mostly silent throughout the visit—who answered directly.
"It's not impossible. But the price... may be somewhat higher than normal. Would you mind?"
After hearing Jon's response, Davos immediately answered:
"That's acceptable. As long as His Grace can unify the Seven Kingdoms, these costs won't be a problem."
After Stannis finished speaking, the responsibility for negotiations naturally returned to Davos once again.
"In that case, I believe Dorne would also like to lease one. I wonder what Prince Aegon's price would be?"
"Twenty thousand."
Although both sides had expected Jon to raise the price, neither anticipated such a dramatic increase. To their shock, he had doubled it outright.
"Think carefully. This price is already quite generous. If you wait until you can truly afford to buy one in the future... it certainly won't cost this little anymore."
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