The hunters had kept me in chains. The metal for the chains kept me from using any power. I was laying in the desert sand and growled a bit as I tried to break free, my muzzle was chained as was my legs and wings. I heard footsteps and looked, seeing the others, my eyes widened and I moved around.
Kai cut the chains off my muzzle off "Get out of here! It's a trap!" I said. "A trap?" Cole asked.
The hunters jumped out of the sand and surrounded the others "...I should've known." Faith said.
~~~
The hunters were sitting around the campfire, I was in chains again while in front of the two small wooden towers the others were trapped on.
Wu spoke to me "I'm sorry, Asteria...I thought I was doing the right thing." He said. I looked up at him slightly and spoke softly "It's alright Wu...You did what you thought was right."
"Don't sweat it, Wu. We've seen worse. Any moment now, Zane will have cut through these binds, and we'll be out of here!" Kai told Wu "Uhm...I cannot cut through these binds, Kai. Perhaps there is another alternative you were thinking of?" Zane asked.
Kai sighed "But Zane, I'm the good looks of the team. You and Asteria are the brains." He said, Jay gasped "I thought I was the looks?" He asked.
"Nah, you're the annoying one" Cole said, I made a chuckle. "What're you, the party pooper?" Jay asked "Mr. Party Pooper to you" Kai said "Har, har, Hair gel!" Cole told Kai.
I made an inaudible chuckle as everyone laughed. "...How can you make jokes at a time like this?" Wu asked.
"Heh...well, when all hope is lost, sometimes you just need a good laugh to stay positive. It helps copes with what's bad" Jay said "...I see" Wu said. "You are the annoying one" Wu said, I softly laughed with the others.
Iron Baron came over "What is so funny?" He asked and we stopped laughing.
"What is funny is you feeding them this food, to cover the taste of your lies" Faith said and glared, Iron Baron laughed.
"Well I'd rather be eating food with them than stuck on a pole with you!" He said the hunters laughed and I growled.
"Hey, you keep quiet, Dragon!" Iron Baron told me. "He only cares for himself. If he gets the armor, he'll have no need for you..except to kiss his hand." Faith said, the hunters gasped and whispered.
"Let me ask them, Heavy Metal." Iron Baron said and turned to the hunters "How can you believe anything she says, when she hid behind a mask?" He said and the hunters murmured. I rolled my eyes in annoyance.
"It is he who is the fraud! He forced me to wear the helmet, just as he forced you to be his slaves. We've all heard Baron's stories about how he fought an army of Oni. Well, look around! We are on Oni land and haven't seen a single one..because his stories are just that, stories." Faith explained, the hunters whispered.
"Not another word!" Baron said and it went quiet "...Now, show of hands. Raise them if you're with her...so I can raise my Dragon Blade to lop them off!" He yelled and it went quiet.
"That's not fair, you bullied them!" Jay yelled at Baron. "I said not another word! Or I'll cut the Dragon's head!" Iron Baron said as he went to me and held the blade close to my neck.
I lowly growled at him. I saw Wu's face go to shock, I could sense his aura becoming stronger. "...I remember. Asteria, hold on!" I heard Wu say and I looked, he jumped out of the chains and landed on the ground, growing a mustache and a goatee.
"No way! He grew a mustache and a goatee!!" Jay yelled.
I watched as the hunters tried to attack Wu but he grabbed a staff from one of the hunters and knocked them down, he faced Iron Baron. "You will let my ninja go, or else." He said "Or else what?" Iron Baron asked. "Or else I will reclaim my father's armor, and ask his Dragon to end your rule. I am the son of the first Spinjitzu Master, and this is my oath!" Wu said.
"..Hm. So you just confirmed it..the legend is true. He who reclaims the armor, controls the Firstborne" Iron Baron said, I growled in anger as I tried to get free of the chains. "You seem like a wise master. Are you really ignorant enough to take on me and my entire camp? Before you do something foolish, let me make you an offer. How about you get me the armor or else we can see right now how good you really are with that staff." Baron said.
"You want me to take you to Firstborne" Wu said "Get me the armor, and I'll send your Ninja home" Baron explained.
"...Do I have your word?" Wu asked "Master Wu, no!" Cole said. "Trust me...there's nothing I'd want more." Baron said, Wu stared and dropped the staff.
"No!" The others yelled, Baron left with Wu and I frowned, I relaxed my head on the ground and closed my eyes, relaxing.
~~~
It was morning, I groaned as I was trying to relax but the others were rocking the towers back and forth to make them fall over. I saw Jet-Jack fly over to Jay "What do you think you're doing?" She asked as he and Faith stopped moving. "Uh, nothing...?" he said, Jet-Jack took out a shuriken and cut everyone's chains, they all fell but I stayed in chains.
"Ow...hey, why just us? At least free Asteria!" Jay said "...Hm." Jet-Jack set and walked over as she cut the chains off me. I snarled and immediately jumped at Jet-Jack, trapping her on the ground with my left claw. "Wait, Asteria, no! Let her go!" Kai told me, I charged up lighting and shot it at Jet-Jack but purposely missed, I closed my mouth and huffed smoke out my snout at Jet-Jack.
I got off her and she stood up, backing up. "..I don't know if I should thank you or prepare to fight, Jet-Jack" Faith said.
"Or if you're gonna eat us..." Kai started and pointed at Cole.
"Eat him first, he's filled with cake!"
"Huh!? Am not!" Cole said, Zane chuckled quietly and I groaned.
"We got to talking, and this Dragon Armor business has gone too far. We fear with Firstborne by his side, he will become...unforgiving." Jet-Jack explained. "Wait, wait..you're telling me all this time, while they're getting closer to the nest, you guys are arguing whether or not to release us?" Jay asked and the hunters were quiet.
"He's shown his true colors. And they are colors no one likes. I can put aside our differences..if you think you six can make a difference." Jet-Jack said "We'll follow their tracks and get to them before it's too late" Cole said.
I roared and flew off into the sky, going after Wu. The others shouted my name as I continued to fly.
~~~
I soon arrived at the nest and flew in, I landed on the ground as my wings folded. I saw Wu and walked over as the other Dragon's were awake, the Firstborne was up as well.
I bent my head down to Wu "..Asteria.." he said and he reached up to me. I roared softly and let him put his hand on my snout, I softly breathed. "Asteria..I know you." I heard the Firstborne tell me, I lifted my head up and looked as Wu put the armor on.
"What?.." I asked. She shook her head and smiled, "Nothing. Let us head back."
Wu got on Firstborne "Ok..let's get out of here, shall we?" He asked, I nod.
Both me and Firstborne flew up, out from the nest and dove down towards the camp.
We soon arrived at the camp and landed, my wings folded as Wu got off Firstborne and the others ran to Wu, hugging him. I bent down at their height, the hunters walked over. "What about Iron Baron?" Jet-Jack asked "His days are over. He showed his true colors and Firstborne was not impressed." Wu explained.
"He's gone?.." Jet-Jack asked, the hunters cheered and I smiled slightly. "So, can Firstborne take us home?" Cole asked Wu "That's up to them.." Wu said and turned to Firstborne.
I stood up as I turned my head to Firstborne, she nods. We both roared loudly and four Dragons flew out from the mountain as they flew down to camp, landing.
"Guess we have our answer!" Jay said and they all got on different Dragons, Wu got on Firstborne. "Wu, get us home." Kai told Wu and he took off with Firstborne, I flew up in the air and followed her as the others followed us. "So, how do we travel into different realms?" I asked Firstborne, she turned her head behind to look at me. "Just follow my lead and you'll understand" she told me, I nod and watched.
She started to spin in circles, I started to do the same with the other dragons and the others cheered in excitement.
A portal soon formed and we flew into it, we stopped spinning and flew through the portal. I noticed the other side of the portal and we got to the end of it.
"Nya, Nadine...I'm coming back for you." I thought.
~~~
Author's Edit: Oct 17, 2023
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