While Yin and Yang were flying through the air, they kept trying to reach Steel through their communication orb. Strangely, Steel had yet to respond, which caused unease to creep into their hearts. However, Yang kept reassuring Yin, offering explanations for why they hadn’t heard back, never suspecting that this might be a trap. After all, as two of the strongest creatures on the continent, they couldn’t imagine falling into one. They simply thought the communication orb might be malfunctioning.
What they didn’t know was that a massive conspiracy was already in place, waiting for them.
As Yin and Yang flew over Ashen Town, Yang joked to lighten the mood, saying, "It looks like this town has moved. After we left last time, the volcano must have erupted. The original town was destroyed, and now it’s been rebuilt and renamed Ashen Town."
Yin, however, wasn’t in the mood for jokes, but she replied, "Really? What was this town called before?"
"I don’t remember either," Yang admitted.
As they continued their conversation, they arrived at the foot of the volcano and landed without shifting into human form. Yang said, "The signal from the communication orb seems to be around here." He sniffed the air deeply, "There’s also Steel’s scent... It smells like his treasure."
This volcano had been dormant for a long time, and its base was cool enough for small patches of grass to grow. Yin, feeling increasingly uneasy, urged, "Find our son quickly. I have a bad feeling about this."
Yang searched the area, focusing his senses, but grew impatient. "I’m going to check the crater. You stay here and look around, okay?"
Yin nodded in agreement, "Be careful."
Yang dismissed her concern and swiftly flew up to the crater. Once there, he noticed a small nest inside, much smaller than their lair on Mango Mountain, and it looked like a young dragon had been living there. As he sniffed around, he found a few coins scattered in the nest, and Steel’s scent was unmistakable on them.
"Steel!" Yang called out his son’s name, but there was no answer. He pulled out the communication orb and infused it with magic, causing it to glow. "Steel!" he called again. Suddenly, a faint echo of his voice came from deeper within the crater. Squinting his eyes, Yang peered down, noticing a dim light where the echo had come from. Infusing the orb with more magic, he illuminated the area below and spotted Steel’s communication orb on a ledge within the crater wall. He quickly flew down and landed on the platform. Because of the small size of the ledge, he transformed into human form and walked toward the orb, muttering, "Why would Steel leave his communication orb here?"
Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.
Just as he reached for the orb, he felt a subtle shift in the air — a faint magical ripple. His instincts screamed at him, but it was too late.
A golden, invisible magical net shot out from all sides, enveloping him. Yang immediately shifted back into dragon form, roaring as he unleashed a torrent of searing flames in an attempt to burn through the net. But the net was tailor-made for him. The flames didn’t destroy it; instead, they were absorbed by the magic.
"This is a trap!" Yang growled, beating his massive wings and trying to soar out of the enclosure. He struggled with all his might, sending gusts of wind through the crater. But the net was stronger than he had anticipated, holding him tightly in midair. The more he fought, the tighter the net constricted, pinning him against the crater wall.
Just then, a mocking laugh echoed through the air. A mysterious mage, cloaked in black and with his face obscured, floated into view. In his hand was a wooden staff, its tip glowing faintly.
"Yang, you finally fell for it," the mage sneered, chanting an incantation while waving his staff. The net tightened further, and more powerful binding spells took hold.
Yang let out a cry of anguish as his massive dragon body was completely immobilized. The net began to contract and lift him off the platform. Yang, now fully realizing the peril he was in, stared in shock at the mage. "How are you able to cast two spells at once? Who are you?" he demanded.
The net’s pressure increased, constricting his thick scales and suppressing his every movement. It wasn’t an ordinary binding spell; it absorbed his energy as well. Yang, eyes burning with fury, glared at the mysterious mage.
"Don’t bother struggling. You’re too powerful, but it took a lot of effort to set this trap," the mage said with a cold smile.
"Darling!" A furious roar echoed from the mountaintop. Yin, her anger almost palpable, unleashed three massive fireballs from her mouth, aimed directly at the mysterious mage.
The mage, however, seemed unfazed by the attack. He casually waved his staff, causing the fireballs to veer off course and crash harmlessly into the base of the volcano.
"I might as well catch you too," the mage muttered, chanting quickly and sending another golden net toward Yin.
"Get out of here! Run! Go find Rang!" Yang roared desperately. "He’s too strong!"
Yin, though fierce, was no fool. She instantly realized she couldn’t defeat the mage, especially after seeing her strongest fireballs deflected so easily. When the net came flying toward her, she flapped her wings powerfully and shot into the sky at top speed.
"Where do you think you’re going?" the mage said, preparing to give chase. But just as he was about to fly after her, the two deflected fireballs struck the crater’s walls, while the third one slammed into the volcano’s base. In an instant, the dormant volcano roared back to life, spewing molten lava. The mage had no choice but to conjure a protective shield around himself, enveloping his entire body as the lava surged around him.
Yin used the chaos of the eruption to her advantage, escaping high into the sky with a flick of her tail, heading back the way they had come.
Meanwhile, in Ashen Town, Mayor Zoe and Bishop Manpha watched the volcano erupt from a distance. But due to the ash and fire blocking their view, they did not notice Yin soaring into the clouds above...
(To be continued)