Amidst the thunderous echoes of falling debris, the main entrance and the pre-calculated narrow exit of the canyon were rapidly piled high with obstacles. Dust billowed, completely sealing off all routes of retreat for the Mammoth herd.
The vast majority of the mammoths were successfully driven into this natural cage. However, on the battlefield, surprises are inevitable.
One mother mammoth, seemingly delayed by tending to a stumbling, slow-footed calf, had fallen to the very rear of the herd. At the moment the entrance was completely blocked by logs and boulders, the mother and child were cut off on the outside. They stared blankly at the sealed entrance and then looked up in terror at the circling Storm Griffins, letting out helpless, anxious cries as they paced in circles.
Leylo saw this clearly from the air and frowned slightly.
"Captain Kane!"
Kane, the knight captain of Amber Territory, was currently directing his men to reinforce the barrier at the entrance. Hearing Leylo's call, he immediately looked up.
"Lead a squad to capture that stray mother and calf!" Leylo's voice commanded.
"Yes, my Lord!" Kane did not hesitate. He picked ten of his most elite knights and pivoted his mount, galloping like a whirlwind toward the panicked mammoths outside the canyon.
Chaos in the Cage
Meanwhile, inside the canyon, the scene was one of utter chaos. Over twenty mammoths were huddled together. Finally realizing they had fallen into a meticulously designed trap, they became violent and restless. Angry roars shook the canyon walls.
They attempted to use brute force to ram their way out, but in the narrow terrain and amidst the numerous obstacles, their efforts bore little fruit. The trenches and pits dug by the knights made every step a struggle. Occasionally, a mammoth would lose its footing and plunge into a pit, letting out a pained wail, or be caught in a triggered Slowness Field or Heavy Pressure Zone. Under the influence of mud and invisible magic, their massive bodies became increasingly clumsy, making a coordinated charge impossible.
"Release the nets!"
Lillian had been calmly observing the situation. Seizing the moment the herd fell into disarray, she gave the order. The knights hidden in the crevices of the cliffs and pre-dug trenches lunged forward. Working in pairs or trios, they hurled massive capture nets—woven from resilient magical beast tendons and special materials—precisely onto the chaotic herd below.
In an instant, hundreds of giant nets descended like a sky full of spiderwebs. The mammoths were caught off guard. The more they struggled in terror, the tighter the resilient ropes bit into them, binding their massive frames.
Next, thick, specialized ropes were dropped from the cliffs. The knights' targets were clear: the mammoths' proud, curved tusks and thick necks. Once snagged, several knights would work together to tie the other end of the rope to giant ground stakes driven into the rock, further neutralizing the beasts.
For hours, the canyon was filled with the sounds of horns, shouting commands, and the mournful bellows of the mammoths. Eventually, the knights' superior strategy and coordination subdued every single one. As the last mammoth was secured, the afterglow of the setting sun filled the canyon. The knights were exhausted, many collapsing on the ground, but their faces were alight with the joy of success.
The Final Count
Captain Kane returned shortly after, escorting the "extra-attended" mother and calf. The young calf, somewhat frightened, huddled close to its mother. Lillian, her pale cheeks dusted with dirt but her eyes sparkling with excitement, walked over to Leylo as he leaped down from Tempest.
"Brother, it seems our hunt was a massive success," she said with a playful wink.
Leylo smiled. "Everyone worked hard. Ed, prepare for the return trip."
As night fell, Leylo ordered a one-hour rest. Ed quickly approached him with a report. "My Lord, the preliminary count is complete. We have seventeen knights with minor injuries, but no one is seriously hurt or killed. We have captured 22 adult mammoths and 4 calves."
Leylo nodded. "Excellent. Let the wounded brothers be treated first. We head back to Blackstone Castle in half an hour."
Lillian was buzzing with energy, her dark eyes shining in the firelight. This was her first time experiencing such a large-scale hunt.
"Lillian did exceptionally well," Leylo praised her. "Without your magic and command, this wouldn't have gone so smoothly."
Lillian lifted her chin proudly. "Brother, these mammoths are so huge! Can the castle even hold them? What do they eat?"
"We will keep them at Blackstone for about a week for domestication," Leylo explained patiently. "You can use that time to build paddocks near Amber Castle. They eat grass, and there is plenty of forage around Amber Territory."
"Once we're back, I'll find a way to 'tame' them. Then, as we agreed, we split them half and half?"
Lillian's eyes lit up. "Wonderful!"
His mention of "taming," of course, relied on Moonlight's unique abilities—a secret that, for now, had to remain between a chosen few.