Behind the cedar hedge, moonlight revealed rusty rails buried under moss. Hari’s breath caught. “The enchanted track,” he murmured. When Thunderbolt touched the metal, the toy engine shivered, gears whirring to life. Its headlamp blinked. “Choo-choo! At last, a driver!” squeaked a tiny, tinny voice.

Hari stumbled back, eyes wide as carriage wheels. “Toys don’t speak!”

“They do where magic sleeps,” replied a warm, furry baritone. From the shadows padded a golden dog wearing pilot goggles. Strapped to his back was a miniature, cherry-red motorbike engine. “Name’s Rumble. I ride two wheels and guard these tracks.”

Rumble’s tail wagged like a metronome. “The railway’s fading. A hungry shadow eats its glow. We need helpers!” Hari gulped, thumb brushing Thunderbolt’s smokestack. “I’m shy,” he admitted. Rumble grinned. “Courage isn’t noise, pup. It’s choice.”

Just then, a pink sparkle cut through the air. A princess in a glittering bike helmet skidded to a stop. Streamers fluttered from her handlebars. “Princess Zara, speed rider of the Crystal Cycle,” she announced, bowing. “I heard the rails cry.”