Chapter 122 The Stargazer's Gift
Under the night sky, passing through the moonlit Water Gardens arcade, past a row of carved pillars, and through an elegant archway, Rhaegar was given a room by the sea.
The sea breeze was refreshing, and the scenery of the Water Gardens was indeed far superior to Sunspear. No wonder, with this garden, the rulers of Dorne were reluctant to return to the ugly, noisy Sunspear. They found joy here and no longer thought of Sunspear. Rhaegar himself also enjoyed wandering around and getting some fresh air.
Rhaegar disliked residing in King's Landing and the Red Keep; they were too noisy, even too cumbersome. Strictly speaking, House Targaryen's only pleasure palace was Summerhall, which had now been destroyed by fire. Dragonstone was the ancient seat of House Targaryen, but its mountains and waters were treacherous, and Dragonstone Castle had a classic Valyrian style that ordinary mortals found hard to appreciate. Because it was a volcanic island and guarded the sea lanes of Blackwater Bay, Dragonstone's greater significance was its strategic value.
A king rules the Seven Kingdoms, but House Targaryen, to be honest, only had one or two palaces, which Rhaegar found quite unimaginable. A normal king should have many detached palaces. Perhaps the population was too sparse, and the family still needed to guard dragons, so they dared not disperse. Rhaegar had plans to rebuild Summerhall or construct a pleasure palace near Maidenpool, but he was short on funds. He could only wait until the Bloodstone customs post was established and collect a wave of tolls to have money for construction, as he still commanded a sizable army.
Rhaegar raised the greatsword Dawn with both hands, its pale glass blade now enveloped in blue flames. The material of this sword was indeed different from Valyrian steel; Valyrian steel swords were mostly dark like black smoke, with ripples.
Ordinary flames could not harm Dawn, and Rhaegar was also controlling the heat of the blue flames he wielded.
Rhaegar found that the Sword of the Morning did not resist the flames; it seemed to be cheering. The pale glass blade of Dawn became even more dazzling.
After some more time, images appeared within the blue flames. Rhaegar vaguely saw dead silence everywhere, as if the world was shrouded in eternal night. The land was desolate and broken, with no bustling human voices, and very few signs of life, causing a suffocating fear. The first Dayne, with hair like pale gold and eyes of violet, whose exact appearance was unclear, was isolated and helpless, with only a single lonely star in the dark sky illuminating his path forward.
The Stargazer Dayne ran ceaselessly, using all his strength, chasing the star that streaked across the sky. The world was in ruins, and the Stargazer could not rest or stop fighting for even a moment. The Stargazer picked up his weapon and fought tirelessly. He defeated the mad cannibalistic beasts, the bandits who had fallen into madness in the eternal night, and the pale, ice-like humanoids. Spears constantly broke, longswords were chipped, and his armor was shattered into pieces. The Stargazer's skill had reached perfection, and his swordsmanship was divine. He grew from a greenhorn into a great warrior, but he was no longer young, covered in scars. The Stargazer crossed rivers and mountains, arriving at a small island where the Torrentine met the Summer Sea. The Stargazer gradually aged, his hair turning white and his face wrinkling. He finally discovered the fallen star. The star was like pale glass, still radiating intense heat.
The first Dayne, the one who chased the star—judging from the images, that era was indeed very oppressive and terrifying. The Stargazer only reached Starfall in his old age. But what surprised Rhaegar most was the Stargazer's superb combat skills, which Rhaegar had rarely seen in his life. The warrior's use of strength, movement, and weapons had reached a state of unity with his heart; he seemed to have been born to fight. Rhaegar pondered the Stargazer Dayne's combat techniques, which in the later stages were as natural and unpredictable as a gazelle's horn hanging from a branch. He was not a successor but a pioneer. The most crucial aspects were change and inspiration; the Stargazer won so many battles, and many of his moves seemed incredible to Rhaegar.
"Did the first Dayne come from the Great Empire of the Dawn? Was this time after the Long Night?" Rhaegar wondered, but these images were too blurry for him to confirm.
Rhaegar could only confirm that the era of the Stargazer Dayne was full of apocalyptic scenes, and the Stargazer Dayne was invincible. Rhaegar also could not determine when Dawn was forged from meteoric iron, but it seemed it should have been after the Long Night. The YiTish believe that the Long Night was caused by the Blood Betrayal of the Bloodstone Emperor, the second son of the Opal Emperor, who killed his elder sister, the Amethyst Empress, usurped the throne of the Great Empire of the Dawn, and then betrayed the true gods, the Maiden-Made-of-Light and the Lion of Night, choosing instead to worship a black stone that fell from the sky. Therefore, the Lion of Night brought the Long Night to punish humanity, and the Great Empire of the Dawn was destroyed. Some scholars believe that the Bloodstone Emperor was the first High Priest of the Church of Starry Wisdom.
Rhaegar looked at the image within the flames.
"Exploration: Dawn Greatsword, Ancient Item, Time???. Material???."
Many miraculous legends surround this sword. Some say it is the blade that brought light against the Long Night, but those ancient legends are impossible to trace. The specific time and material of the greatsword Dawn are difficult to ascertain; it can only be confirmed as an ancient item, a blade known for two millennia. Rhaegar felt that perhaps he had not yet fully activated all the flames, nor had he explored the deepest mysteries of Dawn.
The images in the fire began to dissipate, and Rhaegar's blue flames also started to wane. Rhaegar put down Dawn, and a small pale-glass-colored flame appeared in his hand; the effort was worth it.
"Exploration: Dawn Flame, The Stargazer's Gift. The ancient greatsword Dawn esteems the strongest, most fearless warriors. Light of dawn, beginning of hope. Dawn represents hope, inspiration, courage, and new beginnings."
Rhaegar slowly absorbed the flame. The Fountain of Youth flame was gentle and healing, the eagle god's flame granted vigilance and agility, and Dawn's flame embodied hope and change.
At this moment, although he hadn't undergone a complete transformation, a new wisp of flame within him still made him feel refreshed and at ease. The flame of Dawn was extraordinary.
Rhaegar noticed new changes in his achievement bar.
[Achievements: fate changer, game of thrones (Player), Commander, lucky one, Dragonrider, Explorer, Weapon Mastery, Precise Strike (improves attack accuracy)]
[Magic Achievements: kindling devourer (Nameless River God Kindling, Fountain of Youth Kindling, Golden Three-Headed Eagle God Kindling, Dawn Kindling), Rune Combiner (Rune of the Shield, Rune of the Sword, Rune of the Hammer, Rune of the Tree), Blood and Fire Chain, dragon pact, Dragon Dreamer, Fire Sight]
This flame made Rhaegar feel refreshed and warm. Rhaegar raised the greatsword Dawn and casually swung it a few times.
Effortless and spontaneous, Rhaegar felt that if Ser Arthur Dayne were to duel him now, he would lose even faster. Rhaegar also wondered where this confidence and determination came from.
It was change, a flash of inspiration. A thought suddenly clicked in Rhaegar's mind, and he understood where his improvement lay. In the past, when he used moves, it was nothing more than using strength, speed, and awareness to defeat enemies. In terms of actual technique, he was still stuck in old patterns, merely following routines and applying moves he had practiced thousands of times. He was a craftsman, not a grandmaster.
The difference between first-rate and great lies in inspiration and creativity. A steady approach can make one a first-rate warrior, but without change, without the ability to act spontaneously and break free from convention—those who imitate stagnate. A warrior's limit is just that. Warriors not only need relentless effort but also inspiration, which is sometimes even more important. To become great, one must create.
Rhaegar raised Dawn, feeling a sense of joy and accomplishment.
With the coming of dawn, all things are renewed.
Dawn represents innovation and change. Every dawn is the beginning of a new day; it never repeats or cycles.
Not bound by form, not fixated on intent, acting spontaneously.
A sword can incorporate saber techniques. Saber techniques can blend with swordplay.
Only by being free of "can" and "cannot" can one become truly invincible.
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