One morning, the Great Forge at the bottom of the mountain suddenly stopped humming, leaving the village cold and quiet. Molten realized a giant boulder had tumbled into the main magma vent, blocking the heat from flowing down the tunnels. He tried to reach into the narrow crevice with his massive, glowing hands, but the space was much too small for a lava avatar. “The village will freeze if we don’t clear this path soon,” Molten rumbled, his voice sounding like shifting tectonic plates.

Gear Gobb let out a sharp, metallic whistle and took flight, his copper wings flashing in the dim light. He dove straight into the tight gap, using his heat-resistant talons to grip the edges of the boulder. With a rhythmic click-clack of his mechanical feathers, he began to spin like a fiery drill, chipping away at the stone until it shattered into tiny pebbles. The magma surged forward again, and Molten let out a cheer that shook the mountain, thankful for his strong, speedy friend who saved the day.

TO BE CONTINUED!