Chapter 5

Olden Trio

  Boom——

  The land shook fiercely as if a giant was jumping up and down. Even the highest mountain, where was the habitat of the Runedragons, was affected. Sensing the danger, Huang Cong the Runedragon had soared above the sky before the quake had happened. It saw a thick smoke rising from afar.

  “What...What happened?”

  While Huang Cong was in shock, a crimson Runedragon flew over——Chi Zhang the Souliade of Huang Cong.

  “I think that’s the habitat of the Machinas...Maybe it’s the attack initiated by the Eldus that Cang Bi mentioned before...Do we need to help?” Chi Zhang asked hesitantly.

  “Humph! No need. Their well-being is none of our business,” said Huang Cong in disdain. He squinted and continued, “lives other than Runedragons are nothing but inferior creatures.”

  “Well...You have a point. Nothing really matters as long as you’re with me. Let’s refill some elements.”

  As Huang Cong nodded, the two dragons spread their wings to take off. When they were consuming the element-filled clouds, Huang Cong suddenly had an idea.

  “Wait...The Machinas are under attack…” Huang Cong grinned for something exciting as he thought, “if I tell Cang Bi that its friends are in danger, it’s gonna lose its mind. I can’t wait to see it panic.”

  Huang Cong turned its thought into action promptly, arriving at the skeleton jail located at the center of the habitat. Huang Cong had been involved in a conflict with Cang Bi the Runedragon before, and the incident was ended by the imprisonment of Cang Bi.

  Walking cockily, Huang Cong started speaking before he reached the cell, “Cang Bi, I’m here to bring you good news! It’s about your lovely friends the Machinas.”

  No one responded but echoes.

  “Why didn’t it talk back...Did it——!”

  Huang Cong sped up all the way to the end as it sensed something not right. As it predicted, the cell was empty.

  “Cang Bi escaped? No, impossible,” Huang Cong muttered with dilated pupils, “someone set it free!”

  It didn’t take Huang Cong too long to figure out the one responsible. Next second, the enraged dragon rushed to the culprit’s location. Meanwhile, Shui Huan the azure Runedragon was napping, who got up as it saw Huang Cong.

  “Huang Cong? Why are you so pissed off? What happened——Whoa!”

  Shui Huan was bashed away by Huang Cong before it could finish its words.

  “Why did you set Cang Bi free!” Huang Cong leaned and scowled at Shui Huan.

  “Huh?”

  Surprised at first, Shui Huan then replied calmly, “yes, I set it free. Even though we’re not going to help the Machinas, we can’t stop Cang Bi from doing that! It has a choice!”

  “So you just let it get itself killed by saving those Machinas——”

  A fearful dragon roar sounded beneath in the middle of Huang Cong’s refute.

  Shui Huan broke free to fly down; Huang Cong followed after a moment of hesitation. The two dragons then saw something that they had never seen——multiple objects made up of intertwining metal pipes were climbing up the mountain. There were pumping pulses on the metal surface, making the objects even creepier.

  Travelling around the dragon habitat, Huang Cong glimpsed at something crimson buried inside the pipes.

  “Chi Zhang!”

  With a shout, Huang Cong left Shui Huan and summoned element. Fusing element into its scales, Huang Cong’s body shone golden. Next second, the dazzle turned into lightning to strike at the metal object that strangling Chi Zhang.

  Floom! The lightning struck the object into ashes. Meanwhile, Huang Cong seized the chance to rescue the weak Chi Zhang away from the objects. When they were getting away, the supposingly dead objects revived to attack Huang Cong again.

  Huang Cong would be able to escape if it was on its own, but speed was dragged down by carrying Chi Zhang. The moment when the objects had their limbs on the two dragons, a strong force pull them up into the sky suddenly.

  “Who’s this...Cang Bi!”

  Huang Cong looked at Cang Bi the azure dragon flying ahead, who turned its wings ice-cold by gathering water element.

  “Freeze!” Cang Bi roared. Flapping its wings hard, it created a blizzard to freeze all the crawling objects on the ground.

  “Right. That’s the only way to stop those things from moving,” Huang Cong was inspired.

  “What are these...It felt like they snatched my consciousness when I was caught up inside...It’s horrible...Boohoo…”

  Waking up from unconsciousness, Chi Zhang, who was trembling in fear, still hadn’t recovered from the shock.

  “Let’s meet up with the others first,” said Huang Cong, wrapping its Souliade up with its wings to calm Chi Zhang. Then it turned to Cang Bi and spoke sternly, “you come with us too.”

  The three dragons arrived at the gigantic dragon bone stuck into the peak, where the other dragons were gathering. Yan Pu the maroon dragon relieved as soon as it saw them.

  “So good to see you three alright. The whole clan is safe now,” said Yan Pu.

  Yan Pu frowned as it glanced at the bizarre object frozen on the ground. 

  “But what are these? They look like vessels but they’re not exactly vessels…” Yan Pu asked.

  “I believe it’s related to the Machinas,” said Cang Bi. 

  “I went to Mech City, but the entrance was completely gone. The whole city was concealed by a powerful seal, and the place was crawling with countless of those bizarre things. I’m afraid that something unexpected happened when the Machinas were battling the Eldus,” it continued.

  “Humph! It’s all the Machinas’ fault! Why couldn’t they just hand Monesis to the Eldus? Their resistance is the reason why we’re in trouble now!” Huang Cong complained.

  “How could you say that! If the Eldus are coming for the Ancient Dragon Spine, should we give them too?” Cang Bi yelled at Huang Cong.

  “I——”

  Huang Cong was tongue-tied. A moment later, he defended his ego and said, “I don’t care. It’s their responsibility for everything happened!”

  “It’s not the time to blame,” Yan Pu cut in and continued, “those things will start moving again soon, so let’s decide what should we do as soon as possible.”

  “There’s only one option!” Huang Cong took the initiative and proposed, “we should all move to the sky. Hasn’t Shui Huan figured out how to make rocks float? It’s useful now!”

  “What? Are we really going to sit back and watch the doom of the realm?”

  Cang Bi questioned loudly, but cold gazes from its kind are all it had in response.

  “Looks like we have reached a consensus,” said Yan Pu.

  “Let’s prepare to move.”