A soft smile formed on my lips, seeing my daughter play with Bailey. "I'm glad you like him already, Nadine" I say and she looked over, a bright smile on her face.
"I love him. He's so sweet" she replied. I heard Riyu screeching from outside and raised an eyebrow. Nadine looked "What's got him freaking out?" She asks. "I don't know..." I stood and we walked outside to Lloyd, Sora and Arin. Lloyd used his Spinjitzu to get on the roof, Arin used his grapple and Sora used a ladder. I flew up to the roof and Nadine used the ladder.
Arin gasped "No way!"
"What am I looking at here?" Sora inquired. In the sky, there was the Bounty flying towards us. "That's the old Bounty!" Lloyd exclaimed "Kai took that ship to search for the other ninja. This must mean his mission was a success!"
My eyes widened as I noticed how damaged it was "Look out!" I grabbed Nadine, jumping to the ground and the other three jump out the way, the Bounty crashing into the wall and it started to fall down the mountain. I made sure she was okay and glanced at the three as Sora spoke "I'm thinking Kai's mission was not a success."
"We need to get down there." I said and stood. I dashed to the edge of the mountain and leaped off, diving down to the falling Bounty. I landed on the Bounty and Lloyd, Arin and Riyu jumped on the Bounty. I shouted "Kai! Where are you?"
Lloyd's eyes widened "What did Kai get himself into?"
"Hey guys, heads up!" Sora exclaimed and I looked up, seeing her and Nadine on a motorcycle she crafted. "You might wanna duck!"
The motorcycle landed on the Bounty's deck and they got out, Sora spoke "Just a thought, we should probably steer away from those mountains."
I stumbled as a thruster exploded and Lloyd tried steering. "The steering is jammed!"
Sora opened a hatch and jumped down "The steering column isn't attached to the rudder anymore!" She exclaimed. "...That's not good" I said. "Riyu, my tools!" Sora said and Riyu hit them down with his tail. "Ow! Thanks..."
Nadine giggled at the interaction, I looked at the distance, seeing a mountain we were about to hit. "Sora, anytime now!" Lloyd yelled. She yelled back "Try that."
He tried to spin the wheel but it didn't work "Try what?"
Sora groaned "Now!"
He turned the wheel and I held onto the railing as Lloyd steered the ship to the ground "Gently, gently. This is how you do it" he said proudly. It then malfunctioned and we crashed to the ground. My eyes widened as I was sent off the Bounty "Woah!"
I crashed right into the ground and Nadine gasped "Mom! Are you okay?"
I sat up and felt my face "Yep...Just fine."
~~~
As we entered the Bounty, it was completely destroyed, scrolls scattered all over the place. "There's gotta be some clues about where the Bounty came from" Lloyd said. He looked down and his eyes widened "Scorch marks? Did Kai attack his own ship? Doesn't make sense."
I perked slightly as I could smell something, Riyu along with me as the two of us walked off with the four following. "I doubt he made this massive blast hole" Arin said. "Something huge hit this."
I put my hand on the broken ship and frowned. Sora groaned "And why is there a puddle in here? Water and fire?"
"These are definitely Kai's notes" Lloyd said and I looked over as he spoke again "Looks like he was filling in this map as he went. And he only got to here."
I walked over and stared at the map out of curiosity, worried about what my brother in law had gotten into now. "That's the same direction the ship came from..." I mumbled and my eyes narrowed. "Then that's where we need to go" Lloyd nodded. A plank fell and Sora looked "...Good thing we got a new Bounty."
~~~
We were on the new Bounty and I sat against the railing, watching as Nadine played with Riyu and Bailey. I listened to Lloyd, Arin and Sora's conversation. "So, if the old ship came back without Kai, does that mean Kai's..."
I looked over "Of course not."
The three look at me. "Kai's strong. Sure, he's quite a hothead but he can also get himself out of trouble. Don't worry too much into it, kid." I smile.
~~~
We arrived at the destination and I glanced at the map Lloyd held "This is it...You see anything?" I looked to Arin and he shook his head "Nothing on this side, just mud. Sora? Nadine?"
The two looked over and my daughter spoke "Just two Dragon's in a massive battle with stone dudes."
My eyes widened "What?" I ask and we walk over, seeing the battle going on. "We need to get down there" I said. "What's attacking them?" Sora looked up at me. "Craglings. Their rock monsters from the Realm of Madness."
Lloyd ran to the wheel, starting to lower the ship. Arin smiled as he jumped off the Bounty, using his grapple and Lloyd gasped "Wait! You never run into a fight without a plan of..." He started but Sora got in her mech, jumping down. Nadine jumped off as well.
Lloyd groaned "Isn't the point of being a student to listen to your teachers?" He paused for a moment. "Were we this bad with Master Wu?"
I looked "We were worse...Now let's get down there before they actually hurt themselves." I transformed into my Dragonoid form, standing at 8 foot tall and I flew down as Lloyd used his Spinjitzu. I jumpkicked a Cragling and saw a blast of shadow hit it. I glanced over, seeing my daughter and she smiled. I nodded to her as we fought the Craglings and the Dragons managed to get away.
Arin smiled "Nice! We gave the Dragons a chance to get away!"
He and Lloyd were suddenly hit with a wave of water. It came back towards them and I slashed it with my left katana. I stood upright as I sheathed my katana. "Water power..." I mumbled. I turned and my eyes widened when I saw Nya jump in front of the Craglings, facing us.
Lloyd gasped "Nya!"
Her eyes widened "Lloyd?" The two removed their hoods.
"Why are you fighting for the enemy? I'm not fighting for the enemy, you are!"
The pause and smile. Nya noticed Nadine and I and gasped "Asteria? Nadine?"
"Mum!" Nadine ran over and engulfed Nya in a hug. I walked over and hugged the two of them, Nya sighed and hugged back "I'm so glad you two are safe..."
Bailey poked his head out Nadine's backpack and he barked. Nya flinched and looked at him, "Aw, and who's this little guy?" She smiled and pet Bailey. Nadine smiled "This is Bailey."
Lloyd walked to us "It's good to see you. Even if you fight innocent Dragons now."
Nya was taken back by that, "Innocent?" She asks. She crossed her arms "Those Dragons have been attacking the Cragling village."
I hummed, "So that explains the fight."
Nya sighed "And who taught you to just leap into a fight like that? Definitely not Master Wu." She raised an eyebrow at all of us. "Uh-huh? Hear that?" Lloyd turned to Sora, Arin and looked between them and Nadine. "That's what I was trying to say. Don't just leap into-"
Nya shook her head, interrupting "I literally saw you leap down and just Spinjitzu Craglings." She raised an eyebrow. Lloyd was quiet for a moment "So...How've you been?" He asked, turning to her. She paused for a moment and looked at Arin and Sora as she waved, "Hi, I'm Nya. Lloyd and I go way back if you can't tell..." She glanced at me and took my hand. "And Asteria here, is my yang. Nadine is our kid."
"I'm Sora" Sora smiled and waved. "And I'm Arin" Arin said. "We're Lloyd's students."
"Sounds like I missed a lot" Nya smiled. "Well, follow me. We need to update the Cragling leader." She offered and we followed her. As we walked, I transformed back into my human form and formed my Dragon features away. I glanced back at Riyu "Riyu, can you fit in Nadine's bag? They might not take kindly to Dragons."
Riyu purred and flew to Nadine's backpack over her shoulders, flying into the backpack with Bailey. We soon arrived at temple looking place and the front doors opened, the Cragling leader stepping out. "Ninja Nya" he spoke, "Our beloved champion. Who do you bring to our gates?"
"King Crag-Nor, this is my friend, Lloyd, my yang, Asteria, my daughter, Nadine...And Lloyd's students." Nya introduced and she smiled. "Ah! They are Ninja like you. Then they joined our side in battle?" Crag-Nor asked. "Well, uhm..." Nya said and the others looked away. I sighed and stepped in.
"No."
Crag-Nor's eyes widened, "What?" He asked. I responded "We didn't fight against the Dragons. From the fight, we thought the Craglings were harming the Dragons. But it was quite the opposite."
"Mm, I see..." Crag-Nor says. "Everyone makes mistakes."
As he spoke, I noticed Riyu poke his head out of Nadine's bag with Bailey. Crag-Nor went on, "The important thing is to accept others for their flaws and..." He noticed Riyu and gasped "Why is that foul thing here?"
Arin's eyes narrowed "He's our friend and teammate." He explained. Nadine nods "Yes. Please, he will never harm any of you..."
"You are fools to trust such a creature." Crag-Nor says, "Dragons are treacherous. And none are welcome in this village."
Nadine gave me a nervous look. "If Riyu doesn't go, we don't go in" Sora glared at Crag-Nor. Nya stepped in "Wise king, if this creature travels with my friends, then I can vouch for him."
The Cragling leader grunted, "Ninja Nya defends us in our time of need. Since she speaks up for the beast, it may enter. But it should beware, our eyes shall be upon it." He took his left eye out and then ate it as it popped back in his eye socket. Lloyd looked away as he gagged. Crag-Nor turned away, heading inside. Nya looked at us "Sorry. The Craglings can be pretty dramatic." She says and we all walk in.
"Welcome, friends of Ninja Nya, to an authentic Cragling feast!" The Cragling leader exclaimed as we took our seats and Craglings gave us some strange, blue mud. I noticed Sora gag but Arin and Nadine were gulping down the blue mud. Riyu was trying to eat the mud in the bowl but a Cragling pushed him down "Filthy Dragons can't eat here."
I frowned at this. I stood from my seat and carried my bowl, walking to Riyu and set it down in front of him "Here you go, bud. I don't eat a lot anyways so you can have it." I said. Riyu purred and started to eat, I smiled and walked back to Nya, sitting between her and Nadine.
"This is the finest feast in the Kingdom of Madness." Crag-Nor explains. "We used to call our home the Realm of Madness. But then, of course..."
Lloyd took a bite out of his food, "The Merge. Nya, is this where you woke up when it hit?" He asks. She shook her head "No. A lot happened to me after the Merge. But now's not the time to get into all those stories. Just know I woke up alone, pretty far from here, and started to work my way back to Ninjago. And then one day, I saw something."
"After the Merge, the Realm of Madness ended up next to whatever realm Earth Dragons came from. The Dragons found a field of Cragling mud that, when they ate it, gave them great powers, making them larger, fiercer."
Crag-Nor spoke, "The field Ninja Nya speaks of is no regular mud. It is a Sacred Area, burial ground to our ancestors."
Arin spit out his food. Nya spoke, "That's not where this mud is from" she smiled. Crag-Nor stood, "The mud the Dragons are stealing, it's the source of our life energy,our very essence."
Sora furrowed her brows "So they get their power from some external source? Huh."
"That's why the Craglings are crumbling and breaking apart." Nya explained, "The Dragons are stealing their life force."
"Kai, searching the lands, stumbled into this conflict, and, of course, got involved. We were sure we could put a stop to this. So we came up with a battle plan. However, Kai got hit by one of the boulders...And I needed help. I sent the Bounty on autopilot toward the Monastery, hoping someone was there."
Lloyd gasped, "Kai's...Gone?"
Nya frowned "I searched everywhere for him. I don't want to lose hope, but it's hard not to." She said. Nadine looked down and frowned. My lips curl into a straight line and I look down. "Kai's really gone?" Arin asked, "He was my favorite Ninja..." He said and Sora gave him a look. "...Second favorite." He corrected.
Nya spoke, "This isn't only about saving the Cragling. It's about taking down the Dragons that destroyed my brother."
I heard loud, girlish screaming and my head perked, looking towards the doors. Lloyd got up from his seat "We can all help. Sora, Arin and Nadine are training to become Ninja. Sora and Nadine have elemental powers, and Arin taught himself a strange form of Spinjitzu."
Nya's eyes widened, "Nadine can use a elemental power? And- Arin taught himself Spinjitzu? That reminds me of Asteria. Didn't you teach yourself Spinjitzu?"
I nod "Yes. I did. I'm not sure how I did it though..." I frowned. Lloyd spoke, "My students are new, but they're good and ready to fight. Kai was your brother, but he was also one of my best friends."
I heard even more girlish screaming.
"It's almost as if I can hear Kai's cries for help in my head." Lloyd said.
I spoke up "It's not your imagination, Bean Sprout." We ran outside, through the doors and out the gate. My eyes widened as we all saw Kai running towards us. Nya gasped "Kai! You're still alive!"
"I made a terrible mistake!" Kai screamed. "You brought the Dragons right to us?! I'm gonna kill you!" Nya yelled at her brother. Lloyd reassured "Okay now remember, don't just rush in. We need a battle pla-"
Nya brushed his hand off, "Forget all that." She ran off, sending her water power to the Earth Dragons. Kai turned to us "Oh hey Lloyd, Asteria. When'd you two get here? And who are the kids? You babysitting?"
I heard a clash and looked, seeing the two Dragons surround my wife. She jumped in the air but was sent back by a Dragon's tail. Nadine gasped, "Mum!" She ran to Nya and I followed, kneeling down to my wife worriedly. I saw Lloyd and Kai ran off, I helped Nya up and watched as Kai jumped in the air, about to send his fire at a Dragon but Lloyd shot his energy power at it.
Kai landed on the ground and turned to Lloyd "Hey, I said I had that one!"
"I didn't know which one you were talking about. Be more specific" Lloyd said. Nya yelled "Kai! Take the one on the left!"
"Who's left?" Kai asked and was hit by a Dragon's tail, being sent at the two. I sighed as Sora asked "Is this what trained Ninja Warriors are supposed to look like?" I turned to her. "Nope. I'll handle the Dragon on the left, you kids help the other ninja."
I stretched and cracked my neck. I breathed in and exhaled, feeling my body change to my 18 foot Dragon form as my long, blue scale tail hit against the ground and my wings shifted. My fiery red and orange eyes glowed and I dashed at the Dragon on my left as the three kids helped my friends.
I tackled the Dragon to the ground as we fought, roaring and using our teeth and claws to try and tear into one another's scaly skin.
~~~
I heard Sora's screams and looked up, seeing her and Nya falling. Nadine gasped, "No!" She yelled and ran with Lloyd and Kai. Black elemental power surrounded her hands and black smoke formed on the ground. The two landed safely on the smoke and it disappeared, letting the two down.
I sighed, relived but was suddenly clawed in the stomach. I roared and fell back, the two Dragons going to the Sacred Ground of the mud and starting to drink it. "Oh no! What do we do?" Arin asked. I transformed into my Dragonoid form and ran over while holding my stomach as it healed.
I watched as Riyu sat in front of the two dragons drinking and spread his wings out, his eyes starting to glow. Nya raised an eyebrow "Is your Dragon siding with them?" She asked Arin. "No, he's not." I said. "He's making them take too much power. We have to take cover. They're overloading."
"Well then let's go!" Arin exclaimed and we ran behind a large rock, taking cover. A energy wave went off and we glanced from behind the rock, seeing the Dragon's normal size and they flew off. We ran over to Riyu.
"What's happening?" Kai asked. "The energy the Earth Dragons consumed, it burst out of them and is returning to the Sacred Field." Nya said. I looked, seeing the Craglings awakening.
"The sacred life force!"
"Ninja Nya and her friends saved us!"
Nya spoke, "It wasn't us. It was him." We stepped out of the way to show Riyu. "A...A Dragon?" Crag-Nor asked. "A Dragon saved us?"
"He doesn't look so good..." Arin said when Riyu passed out. Arin gasped "Riyu!"
I kneeled down and picked up Riyu "He's okay. Just needs some rest from all his energy wasted..."
~~~
Riyu had woken up. I stood by the side as I observed Sora working on her machine. I frowned as I could hear what she mumbled to herself.
"I almost got Nya destroyed in that battle. You're wasting your time on me, Lloyd."