Ice and Fire: Reign of the Dragon.

Chapter 382 The Return of the Dragon
The gate of the main keep of Lake Leaf Castle groaned under the impact of the battering ram. Eustace stood at the top of the stairs, with only a dozen wounded knights left beside him.

"For Osgrey!" He raised his sword high, and the last warriors roared in unison. "For the glory of the Checkered Lion!"

The door collapsed.

Podrick was the first to rush in, his scimitar still dripping with the blood of the defenders. "Surrender, old man," he grinned, "and I can make your death quicker."

Eustace responded with a powerful chop that forced Podrick back. The Checkered Lion was still as powerful as ever, and his long-handled battle axe cut down three mercenaries in succession as easily as cutting melons and vegetables.

"Interesting." William's voice came from the shadows. A black arrow suddenly shot through Eustace's knee. The old earl groaned and knelt on one knee.

Podrick took the opportunity to step forward and slashed Eustace's throat with his scimitar - but was deflected by William's sword at the last moment.

"The Grand Commander must be alive." William Hisham said in a deep voice.

Eustace looked up, panting, and saw the mercenaries making way for him. Galwyn Peake was walking slowly towards him, with a smile of victory on his face.

"Lord Eustace," Galwyn said, bowing gracefully, "you disappoint me. I thought you would last until at least the end of the month."

The old earl spat out a mouthful of blood foam, hitting the tip of Peake's shiny boot. "Traitor... His Majesty Darren will..."

“Derren?” Peck laughed. “He’s not here now!”

The Grand Master of the Second Sons made a gesture, and two mercenaries roughly lifted up Eustace. "Lock him in the dungeon," the Grand Master said coldly, "and wait for Lord Daemon to decide his fate."

As Eustace was dragged away, he took one last look at the great hall of Leaflake Castle - where the chequered lion of House Osgrey had once hung, now all that was left were charred walls and bloodstains.

Dragon's Nest City, Dragon's Lair.

Dan Varese wipes the scales of a Cendrolos with a soft, oil-soaked cloth.

The dark green dragon lazily crouched on the wide square, its dark green belly rising and falling slowly with its breathing. Its membranous wings slightly spread out, revealing the gorgeous patterns like butterfly patterns, and its tail hammer gently tapped the ground, making a dull sound. While enjoying the service of its companions, it also enjoyed the awe of the other dragons in the dragon cave.

"You are still the same," Dan patted the dragon's neck, "even the poisonous snakes of Sothoryos dare not approach you."

Centrolos uttered a low gurgling sound, his huge dragon pupils half closed, as if enjoying the touch of his master.

At this time, a burst of hurried footsteps was heard. Dan turned around and saw his second brother Jacaerys striding towards him, with dust on his purple cloak.

"Seven levels of hell. How come you, an ugly dragon, haven't been eaten as a snack by the carnivorous plants of Sothoryos?"

Jakaris Varezes crossed his arms and looked at Sendroth with a sidelong glance. The dark green behemoth lazily raised its eyelids upon hearing this, and made a muffled sound from the depths of its throat, somewhere between a burp and a threat, spraying Jakaris's face with hot air that smelled of rotten meat.

"Seven Hells!" Jacaerys stepped back, flapping his cloak. "It stinks worse than it did three years ago! What on earth did you feed it—swamp zombies from Sothoryos?"

Dan Varese was squatting under the dragon's wing examining its scales. Without even turning his head, he retorted, "It's better than your hedgehog. I heard that Kong Yi sneezed last time and turned the roof of the Dragon's Nest stable into a sieve?"

"That was an accident!" Jacaerys kicked his brother's boot. "And now it has learned to retract its thorns - unlike some people's dragons, whose tails can collapse half of a pyramid with a flick of their tails."

Sendros's tail hammer swept across the ground in time, crushing the granite tiles into powder.

Dan finally stood up and smiled a smile so bright that it deserved a beating: "It just missed you too much, second brother."

The two brothers looked at each other for a second and laughed at the same time. Jacaerys grabbed his brother's collar and ruffled his curly hair, which was as unruly as his own.

"You are finally back," Jacaerys said, his smile was suppressed and his voice was tense, "The kingdom has been in chaos."

Dan raised his eyebrows: "Dairen can't control those nobles anymore?"

"It's worse than that," Jacaerys gritted his teeth. "Daemon Blackfyre has rebelled, bringing three dragons with him. They burned the dragon pit, and three dragons have escaped. Now the whole kingdom is in rebellion, not to mention the conquests."

Sendroth suddenly raised his head, with his dark green scales slightly erected, like a beast that had smelled its prey.

"I should go see Baylor. Have you told him the news?"

"He knows it earlier than you. The child is waiting for you. Go." Jacaerys patted his brother and told him to go and see his nephew and student.

"Justice is not the pattern on the flag, child. It is the edge of your sword - either don't use it, or draw blood." The memory of many years ago emerged in front of Baelor Targaryen. At that time, he was just a boy dreaming with "Chivalry" and "Seven Star Bible". His mother was still taking care of him with love, and Dan - his mother's brother and uncle who had just become a knight - held the sword across his knees, and his violet eyes were more severe than any instructor.

At this moment, standing on the top of the Flame Tower of Dragon Nest City, Beile looked at his uncle beside him and suddenly found that time seemed to be particularly tolerant to this man. Dan's silver hair was still as dazzling as moonlight, and only the subtle lines at the corners of his eyes hinted at the years of hardships they had experienced around the world.

"The first lesson you taught me," Beile suddenly said, "was that a true knight should protect the weak and abide by justice and rules."

Dan sat next to his nephew, not even looking up. “Then the next day you beat up three servants who were bullying the fisherman’s children.”

"I threw them into the dragon dung pit."

"That's why I said you have a future." Dan finally stood up and grinned. That smile made Baylor suddenly turn back into the boy who followed his uncle to learn sword. "I taught you more than that," Dan chuckled, "I also taught you how to use a sword, how to tame a dragon, and how to avoid being discovered by your mother and brother when you are drunk-"

"Uncle." Beile interrupted him helplessly, but the corners of his mouth rose slightly.

Dan's smile faded, and his eyes became sharp. "Damon must be stopped." He patted Baelor's shoulder, "But don't rush into the battlefield. Justice requires wisdom, not just anger."

Baylor was silent for a moment, then nodded. "I'll go negotiate with them. If they still have a shred of honor—"

"Honor?" Dan sneered. "Daemon is stained with Targaryen blood, Aegor killed Varys, and the other boy is the product of betrayal. They betrayed their sacred oaths - they have long forgotten how to write honor."

Baelor clenched and unclenched his fist. "Then use dragon flame to make them remember."

The fire at the foot of the tower made a strange low hum, and its twelve tentacles twisted restlessly. This ugly gray dragon could always sense its master's emotions.

"Very well, how are you going to use the dragon flame to make them remember?"

"Northward," Beile said in a calm but unquestionable voice. "The fire can track the scent of Korakshu. Daemon can't escape. I want to see how much disaster they have caused."

Dan was silent for a moment, then nodded: "I will go to the riverlands and meet up with Igor."

Beile looked at his uncle: "You won't come with me?"

"Cendros is not suitable for tracking," Dan smiled faintly, "it is more suitable for... termination. Remember to blow the horn as soon as you find them."

Belle nodded heavily.

Dan was silent for a moment, then reached out and put his hand on his nephew's shoulder. "Then remember - justice needs to be sharp, but not cruel." He pointed to the sword on Beile's waist, "Just like your sword, it is sharp, but never kills indiscriminately."

"It is time to go," Dan said softly. "Your justice is in the North, and my duty is in the Riverlands."

Dan and Beile only rested for two meals in Dragon's Nest City before they were ready to set off.

"Honestly, uncle," Beile turned over and jumped onto the fire, and the tentacles of the gray-white dragon automatically wrapped around and fixed, "Are you sure that Centrolos won't treat Korax and the others as the messy things of Sothoryos and chew them? That guy looks like he wants to chew something at any time."

Dan pretended to think for a moment. "It's better than your 'long-tentacle jellyfish'. I heard that last time in Sothoryos, it almost took a merchant ship as its mate?"

Belle's face flushed instantly: "That's-that's a misunderstanding!"

Jacaerys laughed so hard that he couldn't straighten his back. "Gods, I must tell little Igor and the others about this! 'Prince Beile and his tentacle dragon's courtship'——"

A tentacle suddenly rolled up the apple core on the ground and hit Jakaris on the forehead accurately.

Amid the laughter of the three, the two dragons spread their wings at the same time. When the dark green figure of Sendroth and the gray body of Huohuo parted ways under the morning sun, no one said goodbye.

The gray-white figure of the Burning Fire flew northward, with twelve tentacles stretched in the wind, and the broad wing membrane almost covered half of the sky. Baelor did not look back, he had only one goal - to find Daemon and end this rebellion.

Cendros was galloping towards the riverlands. The dark green dragon was like a ghostly lightning, its scales glowing coldly in the sun. Dan lay on the dragon's back, feeling the whistling of the wind passing by his ears.

“Time to work, old friend,” he whispered. “This time it’s not the beasts of Sothoryos that are at stake… it’s the blood of traitors.”

Sendros' tail hammer swung lightly, and its speed suddenly increased.

(End of this chapter)