The Black Tiger Returns

Orphen and his companions travels have taken them to a desert town. As they need to pass through an unbroken desert to reach the Sorcerer Rox Roe, Orphen wins a wagon through Arm Wrestling in a bar. Meanwhile, at the Tower of Fang, Childman/Azalie is comatose. Thus, the Elders send Flameheart after Orphen. Hartia speaks to Lai, his classmate and a seer, and learns Orphen's location, and goes to warn him.

Orphen arrives in the next town and stops for supplies, only to discover that everyone has left town due to an impending volcanic eruption. The only people remaining in town are an old couple and their about-to-give-birth-dog. The situation is made more dire when Dortin and Volkan steal Orphen's wagon and wreck it. As Cleao tends to the dog, Majic & Orphen tend to fixing the old couple's junker wagon. They get an animal to drive the wagon thanks to the timely arrival of Hardia as "Black Tiger". Everyone flees town ahead of the eruption, only to run into Flameheart, who challenges Orphen. Orphen steps out of the wagon and does battle. Flameheart seems to get the upper hand, only for the volcano to intervene.

At the tower of Fang, Childman/Azalie has awakened, and is reveling in being human again. However, she receives a shock when she learns Orphen's location from Lai.