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"Welcome to the Valentine Troupe—the special night of Wonderland Wandering! I am your guide, Felix Valentine!"
Valentine bowed, his top hat nearly touching the ground, drawing applause and whistles.
"In the vast and boundless world of magic, how many breathtaking creatures lie hidden, and how many unknown legends are being played out? Tonight!"
He waved his wand dramatically, pointing at the pitch-black hemisphere behind him.
"We will lift a corner of the curtain for you, guiding your eyes to a stage co-written by light and shadow!"
Following Valentine's words, ripples spread across the surface of the protective shield.
Valentine's smile widened. "First, let us use a touch of 'Starlight' to warm up tonight's feast..."
The tip of his wand burst into brilliant silver sparks, shooting toward the audience like a meteor shower.
The lights silently exploded midair, instantly transforming into countless graceful and elegant Starlight Jellyfish.
Trailing long tentacles, they slowly "swam" through the air above the audience, scattering silver dust like mist and enveloping the entire viewing area.
A chorus of astonished admiration rose from the crowd.
Lynn looked up at the jellyfish drifting overhead.
Hmm... all products of Transfiguration and light-and-shadow spells.
He glanced at Edgar beside him, who was completely engrossed. Edgar's mouth hung open, and the Fizzing Whizbees in his hand were nearly melting, forgotten before they ever reached his mouth.
The warm-up ended, and the jellyfish dissolved into the air.
Valentine once again drew everyone's attention back to center stage.
"Now... ladies and gentlemen, please hold your breath for a moment... because the ones we are about to introduce are tonight's stars."
"They are not docile pets, but beings in whom wildness and magic coexist!"
"First, let us welcome—with a thunderous round of applause—the master of the skies from the Eye of the Storm in North America—Earl Lightning!"
As he spoke, the massive black hemispherical barrier began retracting rapidly from the top, revealing the scene inside.
A gigantic bird, covered in blue feathers and far larger than a typical Hippogriff, stood on a metal perch at center stage.
Around its neck was a collar engraved with intricate lightning patterns.
"A Thunderbird! Merlin, it really is a Thunderbird!"
"Look at the lightning—that's so cool!"
"Earl Lightning! True to its name!"
The audience erupted into gasps and cheers, many people leaping to their feet.
Valentine looked thoroughly pleased.
"And to match the master of the skies, we present the child of fire and venom from the deep volcanoes of Peru—Venom Lord!"
The barrier vanished completely.
Behind and to the side of the Thunderbird, a Peruvian Vipertooth Dragon coiled within a massive cage.
Its body was covered in smooth, coppery scales. Viscous venom dripped from its fangs, hissing as it struck a specially designed tray below.
Its neck, too, was bound by a metal collar engraved with a ferocious fang motif.
The two magical creatures sharing the stage ignited an even greater wave of excitement throughout the theater.
"Now, please wait a moment while our stars rest and gather their strength... because the main performance is about to begin!"
As Valentine finished speaking, all the stage lights went out at once, plunging everything into darkness.
A few seconds later—
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Several colored spotlights snapped on, crisscrossing the center of the stage.
A full stage set had already appeared.
Valentine's voice rang out again:
"A long, long time ago, in the snow-covered mountains of Norway, there lived a beautiful and kind princess..."
Hearing the painfully cliché opening, Lynn wore a thoroughly constipated expression.
Using a Thunderbird and a Dragon to perform a fairy tale about a prince, a princess, and an evil dragon—one couldn't say the idea was unrelated... only that it was commercially brilliant.
Edgar, meanwhile, had already adjusted his posture and was watching with great enthusiasm. He even shot Lynn a look of disapproval.
"What's with that face? A Thunderbird and a Dragon are performing live for you, and you're complaining about the story? Watch the effects! Watch the magic! Watch the creatures fight! Who needs a deep plot?"
Lynn pressed his lips together. Fine. As long as you're happy.
Still, using magic and the creatures' natural abilities to depict scenes like "the Prince searching for the Princess" and "battling the Wicked Dragon"—while childish in plot—maximized the visual spectacle.
Tiny lightning bolts from the Thunderbird's wingbeats wove shimmering "roads" and "bridges" through the air, while the Dragon's poisonous flames created the atmosphere of a sinister lair, lending the performance a rough but compelling charm.
Soon, the story reached its climax.
With the help of Earl Lightning, the "Prince" crossed the "Storm Road" and finally arrived at the lair of Venom Lord.
The decisive battle was at hand.
Amid Valentine's rising narration and stirring music, Earl Lightning let out a piercing cry, crackling with electricity. Its six wings unfurled, and countless arcs of lightning danced between its feathers.
Across from it, Venom Lord was equally provoked. It raised its head, its chest glowing as a low, rumbling growl built in its throat.
"For glory and love! Charge, Earl Lightning!" the actor playing the Prince shouted at the top of his lungs.
The next instant, the Thunderbird surged forward, and a massive bolt of lightning—far brighter and thicker than before—shot toward the Dragon with deafening thunder.
At nearly the same moment, the Dragon opened its jaws, unleashing a torrent of flames mixed with dark green venomous mist.
The two attacks collided head-on.
Boom—!!!
Lightning and fire intertwined and exploded. The blinding flash and thunderous roar made even the front-row audience flinch, shielding their eyes and ears.
Instead of canceling out, the clash scattered countless massive sparks in every direction.
"Woah!!!" The entire venue erupted.
The sparks rained down onto the specially prepared stage floor, crackling loudly and kicking up smoke and dazzling light effects.
"That was amazing! These are the real deal!" Edgar slapped Lynn's arm excitedly.
The battle entered a white-hot stage. The Thunderbird summoned rapid, smaller bolts of lightning to harass its opponent, while the Dragon retaliated with venomous flames and sweeping tail strikes.
Each clash produced even more sparks, scattering wildly.
Both Earl Lightning and Venom Lord began to show dense, shallow wounds across their bodies—but neither seemed to notice.
The sparks grew thicker and more numerous. Smoke filled the stage, nearly obscuring the actor playing the Prince.
The thunder grew louder—yet something about it felt... different.
Crackle—!
A strange sound, unlike the previous thunder, echoed from afar.
Rumble—!
Immediately after, the stage lights began flickering erratically, and the background music warped into harsh static.
The two magical creatures grew increasingly agitated. The Thunderbird's cries turned sharp with anger, while the Dragon's roars became frenzied.
The collars around their necks began flashing an intense, alarming red.
"Wow! This... this is incredible, isn't it? As expected of magical creatures—to create such large-scale... uh, weather and fire effects at such a young age!"
Edgar's admiration only grew more excited.
Lynn: "..."