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Chapter Text

Lloyd often wished he could forget about his heritage.

He never asked to be part Oni and Dragon. Even if he had less blood than both his father and uncle, the world seemed intent on constantly reminding him about it. Much to his dismay. 

Usually, it was the Oni side that brought a majority of problems his way – namely enemies. The Dragon side almost non-existant, rarely ever being brought up at all, heck, people seemed to ignore it. Thinking he was all Oni. 

This time wasn't the case, no. This time, it was both sides of his ancestry. 

One by one, he and Wyldfyre had released all the dragons with quick blasts of Elemental Power while Heatwaved scoured the second floor dor any prisoners. Destroying the cells to the point where new ones would need to be built as he freed whoever was up there. 

Each dragon more or less had the same reaction to him upon release, a hatred they couldn't name or explain other than it being natural instinct. Wyldfyre talking them down seemed to work, for the most part. 

For the most part. 

Lloyd tried his best not to shrink under the scrutiny of the numerous dragons circling around him like wolves around a herd of wallopers. Judging- no studying him as if he was nothing more than a pest that'd come to annoy them. 

The worst thing about the situation before him wasn't the fact they wanted to tear him apart, no. He's heard it all before, but... 

It was that he could understand what they were saying about him. All of it. As if they were speaking the common tongue without any sort of issue whatsoever. 

He thought dragons were supposed to be the good ones. The ones who fought for a better tomorrow. Where the Oni destroyed the Dragon created. 

He wasn't sure about that now, if he was being honest. 

'So this is the thing that'll supposedly get us out of here?' Questioned the Fire Dragon, the largest individual present so far, Lloyd barely reaching his elbows. 'Heatwave, Heatwave, what the hells is this?' 

He was slightly bigger than the Ice Dragon to his right, but just as imposing. With large jaws and scales that shimmered like actual flames, Lloyd watched fire blaze from the spines on his neck to his torch shaped tail-club. 

'We'd be better off getting help from flightless birds than this,' Snarked the Earth Wyvern, thankfully not one of the Earth Dragons he'd fought in the Realm of Madness. 'The kid and Heatwave messed it up good. Look at it – it even has limp.'

The six legged Ice Dragon didn't say a word, the purples and blues of her swirling eyes narrowed in thought. Lloyd fought hard not to flinch whenever her tail swayed just a little too closely, patterns gleaming with quiet bioluminescence.

Swallowing, Lloyd cleared his throat. He waved, hoping that they couldn't see the tremble in his hands. "My name's Lloyd - Lloyd Garmadon. And, uh, I'm here to help you escape from Imperium." 

'Here to help.' Repeated Fire Dragon, a cloud of smoke wafting from his snout in response. 'Funny how he's wearing Imperian clothes while saying this, don't you guys think?' 

The Ice Dragon hummed noncomittally, looking the furthest thing from convinced. The Earth Dragon snorted, unamused while he walked back into Lloyd's main point of view. 'It really thinks we're going to trust a hunter?' 

Lloyd bit his tongue. Gods, he wished Nya or Riyu were here. He really should've learned how to speak Dragon when Firstbourne or Wojira were around. He didn't think it'd come back to bite him like this! 

"I'm here with three others; a boy named Arin and a girl named Sora with a Mountain Dragon hatchling-" He drew his shoulders tighter when the Ice Dragon exhaled a puff of frost. Turning the floor below him slick with a thin coating of ice. 

Mentally kicking himself for his stupidity, he coughed. Falling silent. Crap, he said the wrong thing.

The room temperature raised and dropped. The Fire Dragon's streams of gray smoke turned into black rivers, backspines blazing red-orange in the light of the prison. The Ice Dragons's patterning flashed and Lloyd swore he saw the lava cracks on the Earth Wyvern expand. 

Gods, could Wyldfyre hurry up? Why was it taking so long for her to melt the security lock on the last cell when she had blue flames!? It should be instant! He was getting really tired of being called an it and really not being to do anything about it. 

"We came to Imperium to stop the creation of a monster called the Photac after we failed to save a drake from the Claws of Imperium at The Crossroads." He continued, balling his fists. Lloyd bit the inside of his cheek, stomach churning uneasily. He hoped they didn't think about the other city too hard. They had nothing to do with this. 

A light layer of dust coated his pants and sulfur invaded his nose, the Earth Wyvern slammed his clubbed tail to the ground. A snarl leaving his jaws. Lloyd thanked everything that he didn't lunge right then and there. 

"We – we don't know where she is, but I promise I'll find her and get her ou. Like I will for you." Turning in place, Lloyd met the pale, pale gold near white eyes of the Fire Dragon. Unable to tell what he was thinking. 

'Heatwave wants us to work with a deceiving murderer?' The Ice Dragon hissed in disbelief, markings flashing dangerously. 'Surely we aren't ignoring its fool hardy deceit, or its stench.' 

'Retribution for the Forest Dragon sounds right.' The Earth Wyvern spoke, digust lacing his tone. 'He attacked a dying dragon, an elder at that, most likely.' 

What were they talking about? He'd never met an Elder Dragon! The closest ones he could compare to were the Matriarch, Firstbourne and Wojira. FSM, he doesn't even know what the Wasting Disease is!

Nor could he ask because then he'd have to explain how he knows Dragon, which'll blow his cover and for sure get him killed. Lloyd exhaled through his nose, hoping his face remained neutral- let Nya or Kai not be right this one time about him begin expressive. 

His heart dropped when the Fire Dragon chuckled, humorless. He gave Lloyd a grin which he returned nervously. 'Who knows? Maybe Heatwave'll kill it soon enough. Especially now that we know it has a hatchling with it somewhere here. Its probably teaching the next generation how to hunt us. And keeping one of our own against their will.'

'As always, we're the animals to humans. When they're the war pigs.' The Earth Wyvern sighed, talons scraping across the floor, the mass of charcoal black entering Lloyd's vision once again. His glower dangerous. 'I still think we should kill it-'

"We aren't killing him, you wet jackals" Wyldfyre interrupted, walking underneath the Fire Dragon and out into the middle of the gathering. She took a stand beside him, much to his surprise, arms crossed. 

'But the Forest Dragon-' Began the Fire Dragon, only to get cut off by Wyldfyre again. Stomping her foot and causing a pulse of heat to waft over him.

 'Are you ignoring what I said? What Heatwave said?"

Where the dragons had looked ready to attack him at a moments notice seconds ago, they all backed away when she said her father's name. "What I thought." 

Relaxing some, she mad a 'come here' motion to somebody he couldn't see. "Now, come on Vigor. Maybe the Mountain Dragon Lloyd's was about to mention is somebody you know."

A 'quiet excuse' me came from behind the Fire Dragon and to the side of the Ice Dragon, the two moving out of the way, and to Lloyd's bewilderment, there was a Mountain Dragon here, fully grown, too. Only some bit larger than Heatwave. 

'Does he know a Mountain Matriarch named Mother Lupine?' He asked, keeping a little bit of distance between him and the two humans, sniffing carefully. 'And if the Mountain Dragon comes from the same peak?' 

"Is there a chance you were part of a peak lead by a Matriarch named Mother Lupine?" Lloyd said before Wyldfyre could translate, doing his best to not make it look like he could not understand what was being said. "Your spots look familiar to some of her members." 

Vigor exhaled a breath as if he'd been holding it in, his wings dropping low enough to where his wing talons brushed against the floor. 'Thank the Sentinels she's okay – they're okay. They weren't hurt.' 

While the other dragons looked on suspiciously, no doubt wanting to question how Lloyd knew a Matriarch, they remained thankfully silent. Wyldfyre hummed. "He's asking what the hatchling's name is, by the way." 

"Riyu." Lloyd said, standing a little taller while Vigor stiffened, like he'd been shocked by a bolt of lightning. "Arin, Sora and I rescued him from a shipment that was meant to arrive here a week or three ago, he's been with us ever since."

'My cousin? Is he really here? With you? Now?' Vigor walked up to him, barraging him with so many questions Lloyd had to hold up his hands. Feeling a chill run down his spine, unsure of why that was. Oni genes, probably.

"Vigor's cousin, and the usual 'what's he doing here?"" Wyldfyre added, looking underneath her nails, runninng her teeth underneath to get any gunk out. "You have any more questions, Vigor? We don't have all day. Guards are gearing up, probably." 

'Oh, sorry. No, I don't have any more.' He said sheepishly, and Lloyd wanted to honestly cry right then and there. Finally, somebody here who didn't outright want him dead and in a ditch somewhere. Nor immediately give him the cold shoulder. 

"Riyu's with Arin, last I saw before we got seperated." Lloyd replied, rubbing at his leg to sooth the aching muscles. Gods, he thought Oni injuries took long to heal, Heatwave and Wyldfyre's was taking what felt like hours. "Somewhere in Imperium, yes. Don't worry! They make a good team." 

'Thank you, Lloyd.' Vigor offered him a hesitant smile, bowing his head. Wyldfyre shifted her gaze to him expectantly, an eyebrow raised. As if debating he was an idiot. 

"If you need me to translate that I'm going to slap you."

"I got the idea," Lloyd mumbled, giving the Mountain Dragon his own smile back. He hoped it didn't look too skittish. "And no problem, Vigor." 

"Anyway! While I hate to do more talking as it's really freaking boring," Wyldfyre drawled, rolling her eyes, she then met each and every dragon aside from Vigor with her stare. "You're all gonna need to share your names with me and Lloyd, because a fight is going to happen and we'll need to work together." 

"So, who wants to go first? Make it quick please and thank you. Guards are probably on the way." Stepping closer to them, she cracked her knuckles. Lloyd knew he should stop staring dumbly, but he couldn't help it.  

How was Wyldfyre acting... less impulsive than she did earlier? What happened? Was it because she was working with dragons instead of him alone? That would probably be it, honestly.

'...Glacier.' Called a soft voice from above, almost a whisper if Lloyd didn't have sharper hearing. He could've mistaken it for the air conditioners, if he was being honest.

Looking up, Lloyd's eyebrows shot up. Hanging upside down from the second floor was another Ice Dragon, in comparison to the other one, her eyes were only a single shade of sky blue. 

It reminded him of Zane's, honestly. Not that now was the time to think about missing family, he told himself. Though, on a different note.. he swore she felt familiar, like he'd seen her before. 

"Cool name, Glacier." Wyldfyre grinned, watching the second Ice Dragon clamber down to stand with the other one, nervously smiling at the redheads compliment. 

The one that'd been circling around Lloyd sighed, shaking her head. 'Borealis.' She said, and then it hit him; this was the pair of Ice Dragons from Cloud Kingdom – no wonder they felt familiar, they fought the monsters together! 

Actually, that kinda stung. The fact that neither of the two recognized him at all. It meant that his disguise skills had gotten better, but it also meant he had to deal with Borealis 'agression and what he would assume is Glacier's shyness. 

Aside from that, and while it wasn't Borealis' fault, he couldn't help but cringe as memories of Boreal the Winter Wyvern came resurfaced. A product of the Ice Emporers tyranny, a being that felt nothing besides the most basic instincts aside from hate and survival. 

He rubbed his arm, he'd only ever seen the monster once, but it was enough to make the old frostbite scars flare up a little bit, and for his mind to wander back to Zane again. 

"Glacier and Borealis." Wyldfyre pointed for him, motioning to the duo, and he nodded, playing along. Her hands then went to her hips when she turned to the Earth Wyven and Fire Dragon, tapping her foot. "C'mon you two." 

The Fire Dragon scoffed and Earth Wyvern shifted, tail batting at the ground lightly. Wyldfyre threw her head back and groaned. "We just have to work together, we don't have to like each other." 

'Rockslide.' The earth dragon exhaled in resignation, scraping his talons against the ground. The Fire Dragon shot him a betrayed look which he ignored, staring at Wyldfyre flatly. 'You better know what you're doing, Wyldfyre.' 

"I always know what I'm doing, Rockslide. Thats what makes me great." Wyldfyre retorted, nodding in thanks to the dragon who breathed a cloud of dust. "Now, Fire Dragon, you gonna run with us or not? I wouldn't be suprised if you tried saying no, I'm too awesome, I know.' 

'You're really doing this?' He demanded, saunting towards her until he was face to face. 'Putting our lives in the hands of a killer? Just like that? It could be using scents to trick us!' 

"Much as I hate him for smelling like a dead dragon, there's nothing we can do about it, they're dead.' Wyldfyre clicked her tongue, hissing back at the Fire Dragon. "And unless you got any better ideas than mine, I'd really like to hear 'em. Smoke-Snorter." 

'You humans are all the same.' The Fire Dragon snapped, Wyldfyre's shoulder blades bunching together when he bared his teeth. Her hands brightening into red, then turning to white immediately. 'Thinking of yourselves as saviors when you are the ones causing problems.'

"You don't know what you're talking about. I'm not a dumb human." Wyldfyre fumed, hands sparking with flames. Hands clenching and unclenching, Lloyd felt familiar anger settle in his gut- but he didn't move. He couldn't, not when her trust with him was fragile as is. 

'A human that was raised by a Lava Drake is all that you are.' Shot the Fire Dragon, smoke trailing from his nostrils. 'Do you hear yourself? A true dragon wouldn't work with one of their enemies, yet here you are. Allowing- ' 

 'Allowin' you a chance t'try and see another day. Y'short sighted idiot.' Heatwave's voice was like a raging storm as he landed with an explosive thud beside them, the floor trembling on impact. 

The Fire Dragon recoiled, as if struck. Which Lloyd would have found laughable given that Heatwave wasn't even half his size. His gaze flickered on Wyldfyre before he recovered. 'By what, luring us into another trap?' 

'By gettin' somebody who knows how humans actually work t'get us out.' The Lava Drake marched forward, getting into the Fire Dragon's face, frills flared and scales now a bright orange. 'She's more of a dragon than y'ever will be, Torchspark.'

'That's rich, coming from you-' 

'You ain't thinking straight, kid. Shut up and listen-' 

As the two dragons argued, getting closer and closer to trading teeth and claws with the others unsure of what to do, Wyldyfre, surprisingly, stepped away towards him. Breathing in and out, her hands changing from red to white hues of fire constantly. 

Realization dawned on him a second later when she turned it to blue briefly, hands clenching and unclenching. It really, really felt startingly familiar to a conversation he had with his father, one he didn't like thinking about. 

Gingerly, Lloyd began to reach out to her, only to be cut off when something else landed touched down behind them, causing the ground to tremor like the beginnings of an earthquake. 

Painfully falling on his rear, his back complained when he hit another wall. This one rock hard and rugged in comparison- his head clunking lightly against it. 

Wyldyfre, yanked out of whatever she was thinking turned to look at what was behind Lloyd before her eyes widened, jaw dropping. 

'You may want to cover your ears,' a voice said, its depness akin to the beginnings of a mudslide. The shadow over him turned its head towards the red head, motioning to the other dragons. 'This'll affect you too, lava-hatchling.' 

Lloyd heard air being inhaled sharply, and he clapped his hands over his ears, Wyldfyre did the same, though she opened an eye to see what was standing over him. 

The following roar sounded like the mountains themselves were being ruptured. 

Wyldfyre approached and kicked his foot when the roar ended, the ending rumbles vibrating the ground below them. "He's done." She mouthed, moving her hands. 

Lifting his gaze to the dragons, he saw them... bowing their heads for some reason? Torchspark and Heatwave stood with their heads hung kn embarassment and shame. Though the younger dragon(he assumed) was crouching more. 

He figured out why that was pretty quickly.  

The shadow that engulfed him and Wyldfyre for a moment moved, rock behind him shifted, and he realized that it, in fact, wasn't even a rock. 

It was a leg. The cobblestone grey markings were scales. 

Its first step caused the ground to tremble, leaving a small aftershock. 'We got a limited amount of time to get out of here, yet here you both are, fighting like bone pickers over a carcass that barely has any meat on it. Wasting time when we could have already left by now.'

What he assumed was the head's shadow passed over him. 'In fact, I feel the guards gathering outside the door right now, preparing to storm inside now that we have wasted time Heatwave's daughter and the... 

It trailed off, like it wanted to say something else. Clearing its throat, it took another step. 'The Imperian could have used to get us out.' 

Lloyd felt his blood run cold, because the dragon knew. He knew what he was- 

The owner of the voice's head lowered, Lloyd froze, feeling his heart leap into his throat when he recognized the tusks facing forward like an elephant. A warm orange color that reminded him of clay, darkened by splotches of brown. 

Not only that, but the tusks were paired with another set going straight up from a powerful jaw, horrifying familiarity filled him when he saw the large, singular horn that stood out like a sharp mountain peak. Two more behind it. 

If he could, he would have sent so, so many thanks to Faith and Firstbourne right now. Holy crap. 'So, I suggest we get into a position where we're ready to fight. What do you both suggest?' 

The last prisoner Heatwave had freed beside Glacier, much to his horror and amazement- 

Was a Primordial Earth Dragon from the First Realm. 

The realm of Oni and Dragons. 

Dumbly, Lloyd stared into the blood red eyes, trying to find the words he wanted to say, but came up dry. Wyldfyre kicked him again, and he blinked. "What- what did he say Wyldfyre?" 

Wyldfyre glanced to the door where the guards were waiting. "Yeah, uh, what's your name...?" 

'Slab.' He responded, lowering his massive head to lightly puff at them both. 

'Right, yeah. Okay so, uh, Slab asked what we should do," Wyldfyre quickly rattled off, glancing off to the side to where the door was. "I say we fight-" 

"No killing." Lloyd said automatically, forcing himself up, wincing as his leg shouted at him. "We can't reason with them, but we can break the cycle of death by preventing it. Only knock them out- I am not having more blood shed today if I can help it.' 

Glacier and Vigor seemed to be the only ones who really agreed, besides Slab, which was fine, the Primordial's word was probably enough to convince the others. 

Which, was the case as Lloyd cheered internally when he saw Torchspark avert his gaze, before bregudingly nodding. Rockslide grunted in affirmation, the Earth Wyvern's eyes wide, like he was seeing something of legend, which, yeah, Lloyd agreed. Not every day you saw a dragon from the First Realm.

'You're no fun, Lloyd Bore-Ma-Don." Wyldfyre sighed ruefully, though her smile was anything but. Her usual energy coming back as she rolled her shoulders. "At least I get a fight out of this!"

"Just try not to kill anyone, please." 

"No promises."

'Wyldyre.' Heatwave approached, quietly murmuring something that caused her smile to dwindle, but then come back as her eyes softened. She raised a hand to rest it against his snout, patting him. 

Lloyd bit the inside of his cheek before he winced, already raw from how many times he'd done it – so, instead, he kicked at the ground with his better off leg. 

He can't say he liked how much Heatwave and Wyldyre reminded all too much of his own dad, wherever he was in the Merged World. He was torn as to whether or not he wanted to see him safe or- 

He shook his head, definitely not the time for that. Dragons first, thinking later.

"I have a plan, Wyldfyre." He said, looking to the cameras from under his hat and the light. "One that lets you win the fight, and makes you look scary." 

Perking up, the wild child grinned ferally, telling the dragons to come closer by waving her hand. "You had my attention at winning." 

In Imperium's current day and age, it was better to keep your head down and your mouth shut whenever a superior talked to you. Unless you wanted to be held at knife point behind closed doors. 

Doing the first two things, It was how you made sure you kept yourself alive. Prevented yourself from being banished into the open sands of the surrounding desert with nothing for miles save for a city they knew next to nothing about. 

If Lain could, he'd much rather take his chances with the unknown city across the dunes than the reason why the security tableets feed turned to static. The vision of jaws lunging out at him unnerving. 

Staring blankly at the screen, his shoulders fell. Never imagining that he and his guys would be the ones to fight dragons. He hoped the day would be a long time coming, but he supposed whatever cruel god there was decided it would be today. 

 Lain knew it would come eventually, but the risk of death rate when orders came through for restraining or hunting dragons those was... high. He knew the "glory" stories that the Claws went through whenever they chased the beasts into their own territories. 

His brother hadn't come back from one of those hunts. All of his squadron had lost family one way or another when the Empress ordered the dragons be restrained into the draining chambers. 

Laim felt a heavy glove clasp over his shoulder, squeezing it. His second in command's touch grounding him. "We won't think any less of you for wanting to opt out of this one, Lain." 

"Yeah!" Allen added, one of the youngest in his squad at nineteen years old. Fidgeting with his fracture sword. Trying to make it look like he was checking it one more time. "We... we could say that they already escaped, that it's the Claws' problem now." 

"We lose either way." Madeleine commented, her fracture-rifle gleaming across her back. She slipped a filter into the breather portion of her helmet, made to deal with the dust if the Earth Dragons tried to suffocate them with their dust. 

"Madeleine." Titus warned, pulling away to pass out the filters to the others. His helmet already on, Lain swore the bastard was ready for nearly anything. He doubted even Titus would be this time. 

"She isn't wrong." Brooke said, installing it. "Either we manage to take them down and at most get a clap on the back and live in this garbage dump still, or we get killed by the Fire Girl and the Lava Drake."

Allen gulped, unsheathing his sword. Lain saw how his hand trembled. "That's not even counting the damage the Fire Dragon and Earth Wyvern did when Rapton brought 'em in. Those three have the highest kill count out of all the recent ones." 

"Not even counting the dead the girl has under her belt." Esther sighed, rubbing her neck. The doors seperating them and the dragons felt larger, unmovable by the minute. "It's only luck that the traitor managed to get her to spare any of those left in Santiago's squad" 

"Enough." Titus scowled, stomping his glaive to the ground. The others fell silent, those who still has their helmets off looked uncertain, afraid. Resigned. Those who had them on, Lain wished he could tell. "What's your call?" 

"We're in too deep." Lain said at last, looking at his tri-gun, tired of holding it. He couldn't bring himself to drop it, either. "I'm sorry I had to lead you into this Fighting something you shouldn't be." 

"Bled too much and for what?" He continued, hand grilling tighter around his weapon. Remembering when he'd been promoted to the ranking of squad leader. "Just to turn on the lights and have running heat?" 

Running a hand through his hair he laughed dryly. "I'll just get to the point. You guys should go, run to the city across the desert. Take your families. I don't- I don't want to be the one who tells them you died under my watch. Its selfish, I know." 

The silence hung heavy between them, until Titus walked up to him, grabbing his shouler again. "We'd have to tell your wife you went in alone. Your coming child would learn they could’ve had a blood-father." 

"We're not doing that." Allen said firmly, clutching his sword tighter. Esther nodded in agreement. "Just like us, you deserve to live. Its not our fault Beatrix is... Beatrix." 

"We have a better chance at surviving going inside together than we do alone." Madeleine walked up to him, taking off her helmet so that she could look. "We don't leave our own." 

While he wasn't incredibly emboldened, Lain smiled, though it did not reach the eyes. "I guess we all have a death wish, huh?" 

Titus shook his head, turning to the doors. "Been like this ever since we signed up for it, brother. It's stupid, yeah. But we've shared the same puddles of blood for too long to seperate who belongs to who now." 

Allen plodded over to him, hesitant, but holding his helmet. Offering it. Brooke rolled her neck, he could imagine how her mouth pulled into a tight line.

Lain took it, and with another sigh of exhaustion, put it on. Feeling the weight of the gold, the brass, the metal. The last thing he'd ever feel, probably. 

"Everyone, get into formation, because.. if, and I mean if we survive. We leave this place tonight or tomorrow. For the city across the desert."

"I'll say this once, get back in those cells!' Lain ordered once the door to the dragons' prison room opened. His squadron streaming in behind him, weapons at the ready. "We don't have to shed blood over this!" 

He expected to be met with the dragons flashing their intimidation displays. The glowing throats and chests of the Fire and Lava Dragon, the flashing bioluminescence of the pair of Ice Dragons, the flared wings from the Mountain Dragon. 

Only to find the room empty and dim, the lights broken and flickering above them. Darkness surrounding the squadron from all angles except for the rectangle of light let in by the door. The tips of their shadows melding in with the mass of black. 

Lain eyed where the cameras should've been, the red dots standing against the dark. Now, in their place, only stood sparking poles of metal, the embers giving off a glow every time they shot out. 

Titus turned his flashlight on, going to the first camera spot to reveal claw marks engraved on the metal. He should've figured. Only the Ice Dragons could've gotten up there, given their ability to climb multi-material surfaces.

"Look." Madeleine pointed to the other spots where the cameras were melted, charred messes. Dripping with what he could only assume was the remainders of the Lava Drake or Fire Dragon's work. Could've been the girl, too. 

Waving his his left hand in and out off of his side, the leader then readjusted his weapon so that he could flash them another sign, lightly pressing his pointer finger and middle to the sides of his helmet. He then pointed his thumb down, loosely cupping his ear. 

"Set your tri-guns to nerve shock. Flashlights on." Lain said, hands locked around the function that would allow his weapon to blast projectiles. He felt something was wrong, really wrong. They already had an advantage with the Ice Dragons being able to see in the dark. 

Trying to get help from command would be a wast of time, the cameras were down, and at best they'd only be able to read the bio-signatures. Which was next to useless. 

The group advanced inwards, the door closing behind them. Bathing them in the dark, the dragons wouldn't be able to fit down the hallway together, it was too cramped. 

"Broken stairs." Muttered Allen, aiming his light to where the stairs leading up to the second floor would have been. "Damage is code red, it'll need to be rebuilt."

Following the line of light, Lain sucked in a breath when Allen trailed his light upwards. The destruction in of itself was terrifying. 

Sharpened rocks stabbed through the metal, contorting it every which way as dust coated the craggs in a layer of lighter brown. 

Wait. 

He thought all Earth Dragons could only use blasts of lava, the Earth Wyvern couldn't have done this. 

"Mads, get the Claws." Lain ordered immediately, hearing something clang against metal in the dark, the others drawing their weapons up. "That Earth Drake isn't like the others one." 

The sound of claws scrabbling on the walls and cieling filled the room, the sharp cracke of ice caused the hair on Lain's neck to stand on end. "Evade!" 

"Madeleine!" Brooke screamed, Lain's heart dropped as he looked over his shoulder to see her encased in a tomb of ice mid step, casting a white glow across all of them. 

Lain raised his tri-gun, looking around him. The pair of Ice Dragons on the move as they tried finding where they were, the beasts carefully hiding themselves by dimming their bioluminescence patterns to nothing. 

"There!" He caught movement in the corner of his eye, his own flashlight catching a horn. Charging up a blast, he shot where he assumed it was going, the projectiles hight lighting where it was for a second. 

Brooke didn't wast any time as she fired off a series of shots suddenly, only just catching the armored gold tail of one of the Ice Dragons as it whisked out of view again. "Gotta reload-" 

She barely had enough time to dodge out of the way when a blur in the dark lunged for her. Rolling out of the way towards him, Lain swung, feeling something connect at the end of his weapon. 

He couldn’t even tell which one it was, but given the footsteps, it assumed the Earth Wyvern. The orders dying in his mouth when he heard it roar, crashing into the wall.

Lain hated he was right, because the lava cracks around the eyes brightened, the dragons eyes narrowed into neddle thin pricks. Eyelids narrowed in a glare that pierced through him. 

He knew that this was what they got for not going through with the second option, of grabbing everything and running away from Imperium. The Earth Wyvern snarled, dashing away into the dark. 

Lain made for it, but found himself rooted to the spot when the Lava Drake all but materialized in front of him, throat and chest illuminating before him with a snarl, claw raised to turn him into a stain on the ground. 

Titus shoved him out of the way, blocking the blow with what strength he had, buckling to one knee under the pressure. Catching the beast by surprise, its frill rattling dangerously, a low growl that almost sounded like a chuckle. "Lain! Move your ass!" 

Instincts forced him to roll out of the way when he heard the crackle of ice, the Ice Dragon missing him by inches as its breath travelled forward like an arrow- 

And hit Titus' leg, causing the man to yell in pain. The Lava Drake then faded back as the Fire Dragon took its place, ripping Titus' spear out of his hands and sending it clattering to the floor. Melting it with white-hot flames as the fire revealed the scene to him.

Swinging its tail, the Fire Dragon broke him out of the hold, sending Titus to the ground rolling, avoiding something he could barely see due to its size.

Brooke was being forced by the Mountain Dragon, using its wings to keep her in place with powerful gusts as it forced her back. Her assault rifle soon destroyed by one the other Ice Dragon, closing in on her. 

Esther managed to duck below the swinging club of the Earth Wyvern, only to be caught by its thrashing horns and sent skidding across the floor towards the wall, and Lain had to watch her get cut off mid shriek as she fell limp, unconscious.

Dread shot through him when he heard the childish cackle of what he could only assume was the Fire Girl. Allen's plead ringing in his ears, the smell of burning armor intruding through the filter. "Can we talk about this!?" 

"Talking?" The girl asked, voice raspy and incredulous as he followed her shuffle. Her hands lowered, flames going from white to red, an impish grin that pulling at her lips was her response. "Barf. Fight!"

She raised a hand, covered in flames, and Lain rushed over, winding up his tri-gun to take a swing at her. A furious yell erupting from his mouth as she turned to look at him, caught off guard, stock still. 

The Lava Drake was on him in an instant. 

Blocking the blow with its arm, it growled. Eyes narrowed, its jaws opening to reveal the brightening throat that promised to pour lava over him. All he could do was mimic what the girl did, and stare. 

"Heatwave, don't!" 

Suddenly, Lain was in the air, winded after something swatted him. His tri-gun clattering to the ground somewhere, the sounds of the fight- if it could even be called that becoming a whisper to his mind. Brooke's terrified scream being the last thing he heard. 

Lain's back erupted in agony, but he didn't even have the chance to scream as his head hit the wall painfully. His vision swam spots, he felt like he saw Titus try and reach for a gun, only for a foot to pin him in place.  

One of the Ice Dragons finished the job, freezing him to the floor as he went still. Lain tried to say something, but he couldn't feel anything other than the numbness that was growing. His mouth failing on him. 

Vaguely, he felt somebody grab his arm and shoulder. Strong hands that reminded him of Bianca's, pulling him until he was sitting up, not that he could really tell as his sight darkened around the edges.

"I'm sorry." The voice said quietly, the traitor, he realized. That was an adult, younger than him, didn't sound like it was by much. He could barely see forest green eyes and what looked like blonde hair. "If–if you do go to The Crossroads, find somebody named Skylor. Tell her Lloyd sent you." 

"We got a way..." The traitor moved out of his vision, the sentence blurring into nothing as he slipped away into unconscious, losing the fight to stay awake. 

Chapter Text

 Lloyd couldn't fight off the guilt that sat with him throughout the entirety of the ambush, if he could even call it one. It was more like a team wipe-out, if anything else. 

Looking around the chamber, they thoroughly wrecked the place to confuse the security. Glass shards littered the floor here and there, the cell doors were melted, the lights flickered like some poor horror attraction. 

Meanwhile, the squadron that'd been sent to force the dragons into their cells were scattered around the place in varying degrees of consciousness. Er, well, all of them were unconscious. More so varying degrees of... injured. 

Yeah, he'd go with injured. 

His eyes landed on the leader of the squad, the conversation he eavesdropped on from the vent looping over and over in his mind. Lloyd shifted from foot to foot, arms crossed tightly, lips thinning into a flst line. 

Maybe it was how Lain's kid could've grown up hearing how they were was supposed to have a biological dad. How they'd only have his wife's and friends' stories to provide any proof the child had a father at all. 

Lloyd didn't want to think about what the dragons and Wyldyre would've done if he had not been here.

On that note, he looked over his shoulder to see what they were doing. Still wary that Rockslide, Torchspark or Borealis would do something rash. Even with Heatwave and Slab acting as the impromptu leaders. 

Instead, he saw that they were either laying down, sitting or standing. Conversing with each other quietly or getting some rest, passing the time as they waited for the ceiling to open up. Even if it was opening agonizingly slowly for his taste. 

Maybe he was worrying over nothing, really. The dragons had kept their word and not killed the guards. Which he was grateful for, even if they thought it was stupid. Keeping another problem alive just for it to come back.

Lloyd decided that he should do something productive instead of stand a little ways off. He figured moving the guards over to the shade where they wouldn't be harmed once the sun came in should keep him busy enough.

As he made himself a little useful, he hauled the unconscious guards over to Lain first. Careful not to wake them up, granted, those that'd been knocked out by the dragons would probably wake up with a nasty headache. 

He's been in the middle of moving the one of the frozen guards when Wyldfyre approached, cocking her head. "What are you doing?" 

Lifting who, if he remembered right, was Madeleine, over his shoulder, Lloyd gave a half-shrug with his free one. His burns from Wyldfyre's healing slowly, but surely. 

Turning to walk away from her, Wyldfyre snapped her teeth at him, getting in his way to glare petulantly. "I asked something. I want an answer." 

"Putting the group back together." He said simply, the heat from the desert outside slowly starting to bleed inside the dragons' prison chamber. "Dpn't want 'em to get hurt while melting. Plus, makes them melt slower while we escape." 

Wyldfyre narrowed her eyes, lips peeling back with a low growl. Her eyes went to Madeleine before returning to meet his, making grabby hands. "Lemme carry her, too. You're slower than a magma turtle. I'm awesomely strong enough to make this faster." 

He was about to decline her offer, remembering how Wyldfyre'd nearly given the young swordsmans the same burns she gave Lloyd. That is, before he remembered that she'd probably just brute force her way into helping. "Grab her legs, it'll make it easier." 

Grunting, Wyldfyre placed them on her shoulders, shivering under the chilly touch. The duo walked back to where Lloyd already propped the others, all of them resting against the wall or leaning on Lain. 

Slowing down, Lloyd felt that his clothes were slightly damp, thanks to the ice already melting. Not that he minded at all. "Okay, put her down slowly, I don't want anything to break-" 

Wyldfyre unceremoniously dropped Madeline's legs off of her shoulders, nearly sending him sprawling to the ground on his rear if he didn't shoot a leg out to balance himself out.  

Wyldfyre shook off the frost that'd began to gather on her shoulder. Making a face, she flapped her arms to get any excess off of her sleeves next. Hissing when they wouldn't come off. 

Putting the marksman down carefully and then sliding her towards the others, Lloyd brushed his hands against his shirt. "Okay, so impulse control isn't control really your thing." 

If Wyldfyre heard him, she didn't acknowledge it as she trotted over to the next one, using her own strength to haul the squads second in command over. It would've been funny, if they were not in the situation at hand. 

He followed, briefly debating something. His gaze went to the other dragons, making sure they were all out ot earshot before he inquired. "Do you not get along with some dragons?" 

"What's it to you, Imperian?" She shot back, digging her nails into the ice for a proper grip, hands sparking for a fraction of a second. "Its dragon business, we call it nunya." 

"You looked upset earlier, is all. With what To-the Fire Dragon said, I think?" Not taking the bait, he felt a cold chill run down his back that didn't come from the ice, Lloyd kicked himself for almost screwing up there. "Was wondering what happened there." 

Wyldfyre rolled her eyes. Lloyd hooked his arms around his shoulders and lifted. "The Fire Dragon's name is Torchspark. All he was doing was talking out of his ass, being drained by the day does that. What he said doesn't even matter." 

Lloyd opened and closed his mouth, wanting to ask another question. Opening and cloding his mouth three times before he came to a decision.

"It probably doesn't," He agreed, conceding. "But I wanted to ask what it's like to not have a dragons claws or tail? You have the teeth, sure, and definitely the fire, but uh... yeah." 

Wyldfyre shrugged indifferently, hair swaying back and forth. He couldn't see her expression which made it hard to gauge what she was feeling. "Some Drakes barely use their tails, preferring to slash or punch or bite. Heatwave's one of them. My fire covers what my punches and bites don't." 

"That's pretty cool." He wanted to ask more, but this was a line he was not sure could be crossed carefully without bulldozing right over it. Maybe he'd try again a little later. 

"Obviously, dragons are the best." She snorted, dropping the second in command down with the same carefulness Cole did when he tried adding ingredients to breakfast. Which was to say, not a lot. 

Counting the squadron again, it looked like everyone was here, though it felt like he was missing a head. He swore there was a fifth one- 

Ice clattered on to the ground beside him, and Lloyd turned his head to see Slab's psuedo-beak nudging the last one into the shade with his tusks. 

It comforting to know that one of the dragons from the First Realm remembered him at all, even if he'd never talked to Slab until now. 

"So why didn't you want to kill them? I know yadda, yadda all life is important to you. But, the leader tried swinging at me, Heatwave was only gonna repay the favor." Wyldfyre stretched, her arms popping just like her shoulders. 

"Because they have families, just like you." Lloyd said quietly, shifting them around. "The leader has a... hatchling on the way, I couldn't- I couldn't let him just, die. Like how I couldn't let Heatwave or the other dragons be drained." 

Wyldfyre growled in her throat, her lips peeling back. When he mentioned the hatchling on the way, the aggression faded from her, instead turning to pity. "Then why didn't they just, stay away? We coulda figured somethin' out." 

Lloyd shook his head, weary. Taking off his hat, he lay it on the man's lap. "Sometimes you don't get a say when you follow a bad leader, you just have to do it or face the consequences if you don't." 

Wyldyre wrinkled her nose. "Sounds stupid."

"It is." Getting up and brushing off any frost from his hands, he looked up as the cieling groaned one last time, clicking into place. The afternoon sun pouring into the prison chamber to fill it with natural warmth, a far cry from the cold temperature it had been when everyone was locked in their cells. 

'It's time for us to go.' Slab murmured, nudging Wyldfyre towards the direction of her father who stood off to the side of Glacier. Watching the winged dragons start running loops around the chamber to build up speed for take off, avoiding where Slab and Lloyd were.

The fire user didn't need any coaxing after that. She dashed off towards Heatwave, leaping on to his back with a whoop of excitement. The Lava Drake smiled, looking some years younger than Lloyd expected him to, he wondered how old Heatwave was in dragon years. 

Torchspark was the first to leap against the wall, talons digging in. Followed by Vigor then Rockslide, the winged dragons rushing up the walls with stomps that sounded like wardrums. He blinked in surprise when he heard the Fire Dragon laugh. 

Lloyd swore he saw Rockslide grin with each step he took, two of the most aggressive dragons he ever met actually being happy. He supposed everyone has the chance to be happy, but to see them smiling and laughing was... jarring. 

Slab watched them, his tail-club lightly thumping against the ground lightly. The Primordial still as a statue, basking in the warmth of the sun. 'You're lucky they don't know what an Oni smells or looks like.' 

"I'm pretty sure Heatwave knows, he just hasn't said anything." Lloyd mumbled, wringing his hands together. "Torchspark and Rockslide seem to have an idea, though they haven't figured it out." 

'Earth and Fire Dragon's have had the longest exposure to the Oni in comparison to our brothers and sisters,' Slab explained, lowering his massive frame and motioning for Lloyd to get on. 'We are the All-Mother's oldest children, so the scent of Oni is more familiar. Even to our combined descendents.' 

"Guess that explains why Heatwave figured it out faster than the other two." Fitting his hands around the nooks and crannies of Slab's stone-like hide, Lloyd felt a stab of longing for the times he and Cole would go rock climbing.

Slab rose from his crouch, shaking his head. The Primordial opening his jaws then shut them. 'There is also the rumor that the Oni invaded the Wyldness before turning their warpath to Ninjago and the First Realm. Perhaps he knows of them personally." 

"I hope not. " Lloyd muttered, feeling the cut on his leg flare a little when he placed a little too much weight on it. Still, he pressing forwards, managing to clamber on to Slab's back and stand on his feet. His hands gripped the green horns lining the frill. "Ready." 

"Come on you slow asses!" Wyldfyre called, cupping her hands around her mouth. The Ice Dragon pair already scaling the walls ahead of them with terrifying speed. Heatwave following them seconds later as Wyldfyre clung to his back. "We got places to be!"

'Hold on.' Slab rumbled, breaking into a brisk trot. Memories of riding Ultra Dragon came back, causing Lloyd's mouth to press into a thin line. He should visit their memorial soon, how long had they known about him and accepted him? 

He wished he could've known. 

The Earth Drake's trot broke into a wild gallop, Slab's footsteps thundering across the floor. Wind blew into his face, tousling his hair with the same wild energy a family member did to get on a siblings nerves. 

Slab leapt and Lloyd braced against the buffer of wind that hit him. His ally using the second floor twice – once with his front legs to pull him up and second to kick. The force of it causing Lloyd's to feel like he was on shifting rock platforms. 

Lloyd lurched forward when the dragon impacted the wall, hearing metal groan and shriek beneath him. Undeterred, Slab found his footing, not quite climbing like the Ice Dragons, but instead clawing his way up with speed and power. Like Heatwave. 

Speaking of which – 

They caught up to him and Wyldfyre in a matter of seconds, the girl grinning with maddening excitment. Pumping a cast into the air, she gave out her own snarling cheer. "Freedom for all dragon-kind!" 

Lloyd cast a glance back to where the squadron was, underneath the second floor. The bottom of the chambers getting further and further away by the minute with each massive stride of the dragons. 

He should've felt some bit happy, really. That they were well on their way to escaping with some success.

So why did it feel like he failed somewhere on his part as the Green Ninja?  

"Did we really need to come here just for you get another change or clothes?" Wyldfyre grumbled, drumming her fingers impatiently, eyeing the door leading out of the room. 

"It's not a new set, this is what I was wearing earlier before I changed into Imperian clothing to blend in." Pulling out his gi from the locker, Lloyd entered the same change room he used prior to everything that'd happened.

Hearing her pace in circles, Wyldfyre growled. "Make it quick, you're holding us up." 

Humming in response, Lloyd focused on patching himself up before getting set in his gi. Pulling out the basic bandages he'd snuck in to the pockets, he wrapped it around his leg after applying disinfectant. 

His arms and shoulders would be fine, they'd seen worse burns. Besides, those were staring to heal anyway. The mark left by Heatwave... not so much, he'd need to get back home to deal with that. Or maybe it was? He'd never been clawed by a dragon before. 

The process was quick and easy, familiar. Lloyd'd been in the middle of sliding his arm into a sleeve when Wyldfyre asked. "Where are you from, if you aren't Imperian?" 

"Ninjago." He replied, cramming his arm into the other sleeve, belt hanging off of his shoulder. 

"..Nin-ja.. go?" Wyldyre said slowly, trying it out. Lightly thudding against one of the lockers. "Who named your home? It isn't very good." 

Lloyd chuckled as he tied with the belt above the navel, tightening it to his usual. "Close, Ninjago. Say it together and you'll get it right." 

"Ninjago." She repeated, more confident. Her nails tapping against the metal. "Still a dumb name." 

"Dunno if I agree or disagree. I just lived there before The Merge." He said, putting on his steel-toed boots and gloves. He charged up a small ball of energy, and seeing as it didn't ruin them, he let it fizz out. Good. Still working. 

Grabbing his hood, he shoved his head through. Feeling the familiar weight of the pauldron on his left shoulder. Checking himself over, it seemed everything was as he left it. "Alright, ready to go." 

"Finally, feels like I aged a hundred years waiting for you." Wyldfyre groaned. "The dragons are probably gray-scaling by now." 

Picking up the bloodied, burned and torn Imperian disguse, Lloyd opened the door as he fiddled with his commlink. Grateful he didn't bring it with him. 

Trouble always did seem to find his way. No doubt it would've been destroyed in his numerous scuffles leading up to this. 

Opening the trashbin, he dropped the clothes in there, turning to Wyldfyre who openly stared. Like he'd suddenly grown a second pair of arms right infront of her. "What?" 

"Turn around." She ordered, trying to peer around him by craning her neck. When she couldn't get a good look, she opted to approach him, right hand outstretched.

He tensed, it was only with careful control he didn't shift into a combat stance when she got into his personal space, grasping his side. His burns reminded him of who inflicted them. "Why?" 

"Just do it." Wyldfyre pulled a a bit harder now, more demanding as she tried to spin him around herself. But he didn't budge much at all. "Lemme see the symbol on your back." 

"Okay, okay, sheesh. At least say please. " Turning around, he held out his arms to let her see it. He'd never really thought much of it at all, it was just a dragon symbol he'd never seen before. "What about it?" 

She mumbled something under her breath, tracing the lines across his back. He couldn't help slightly flinching in wariness when she pressed another hand. "Can you say that again? I didn't catch it-" 

"That's a Source Dragon symbol you moron." She hissed, jabbing a finger sharply into his side. He yelped, moving away from her. "Why the hells do you have one on your back?" 

"I dunno, it sorta just... came with? I never asked, not like I could ask." Lloyd shrugged helplessly. Wyldfyre stared up at the ceiling as if it would give her an answer instead. "None of the dragons before you and the others seemed intent on talking much."

"Source Dragon symbol and he doesn't even know..." Wyldfyre rubbed her face, sighing. Lloyd couldn't help interlocking his fingers together, bouncing on one foot then the other. "Firstbourne, why did you have to send us an idiot?" 

Lloyd scowled, crossing his arms. Unable to stamp down the flash of hurt that managed to snake past his efforts to ignore it. "I'd appreciate if you stopped calling me that – it doesn't help me or you if you don't tell me anything, Wyldyfre." 

Wyldfyre gave him that look, the one she used whenever she raked her eyes over him. Looking for any source of lies. Finally, she huffed. "The Source Dragons are Firstbourne's parents." 

It took a moment for his brain to register what she said. "Wait, what?" 

Wyldfyre deadpanned as she walked past him, then glared at the door. He watched her sniff for a second, then snort. "Firstbourne? Hello? First hatched? First child?"

"I know-" Better not disclose that he met the Mother of All Dragons now, in the middle of this. "I just, I thought Firstbourne was the... well, the dragon. The one everything came from."  

"Shows what you know." She sassed, lifting the grating so she could go on ahead. "Just get into the vent before we get caught, I'll explain it you. Since you don't know anything at all." 

"Look it's not my fault – oh, nevermind." Looking around to make sure everything was relatively untouched, Lloyd shoved the Imperian clothing further into the wastebin. Just in case. 

"I'd be so mad if you had the Source Dragon of Motion as a symbol..." Wyldfyre grumbled, her hands and knees thumping against the metal as she began to make her way back. 

The door opened right as he was about to enter the vents they used to access the change room. 

The guardman's whistling coming to a stop as their eyes met. 

They both froze, staring each other down. He heard voices from down the hall shut off as the doors closed behind him. Crap, he'd forgotten the time. 

Lloyd didn't even need to see the face of the guard to know they were terrified, the way their hands shifted to their blaster quickly, gripping it tightly when Wyldfyre called out from inside. "Get in here!" 

Unfortunately, Wyldfyre was right about a point she made earlier, at least partially. 

There wasn't any room to talk anymore. 

Dashing forward, Lloyd baited out the instinctive swing that most guardsman did when their attacker came to them by charging up a hand with crackling sparks of energy. 

Maybe that was just a him thing, he'd have to ask Kai or Nya. 

The guard swung downwards in a chop. The poor person falling hook, line and sinker. Lloyd dodged to the side of it, hooking his arm into the curve of theirs. He smiled. "Gotta work on your timing a bit, bud." 

The guard didn't get a chance to reply, that or chose not to. Instead, they began to struggle, grunting with effort as they couldn't break free. 

Lloyd allowed himself to he pulled along, then turned it against them by using the momentum to power up his own. 

Coming to a sharp pivot, he yanked his arm, throwing them into the lockers with a heavy, resounding clang of metal on metal. 

Now disoriented by having the wind knocked out of them, Lloyd pivoted to go and finished the job- 

Instead, Wyldfyre lunged past him with a snarl, brutally slamming an open palm into the helmet before elbowing them sharply for good measure. The guard crumbling to the floor after that. 

He cringed, he hoped their nose wasn't broken, or their teeth. "That was a little much, don't you think? I know a put a little too much swing into the throw but..." 

Wyldfyre wiped her hands, glaring at him. "Move it." 

Holding up his own in surrender, he looked to the door the guard had come in through then the dented locker. Ouch, okay, he really needed to work on his momentum turn arounds. "Okay, before we do – Wyldfyre, can you do something? It's a cool trick you can make cooler."  

About to retreat back into the vent again, Wyldfyre narrowed her eyes into thin slits. "You want me to do something cool after you basically cut our time to get the dragons out in half?" 

Okay, he probably deserved that for taking too long. Still, he went over and gripped the handle of the locker, yanking the dented door out. "You know how lava fuses to rocks when it cools down?" 

"Get to the point." She hissed. 

Controlling his energy into a more flame like quality, he began to melt the door from its hinges. "Do that on the door - I have an idea that'll give us more time." 

"Huh, that's... not a bad idea, okay." Eyebrows raised, Wyldfyre let out a noise. Walking towards the door as she raised her hands, lighting them into flames. "And yeah, also cool."

The smell of melting metal hit his nose as Wyldfyre began to weld what she could reach of the doors together, her hands a terrifying hue of white. As for him, he dented the locker door a little more, leveling it out. 

"Can you meld this locker on the guard without hurting the them? It's already dented so it won't be too hard. hopefully Sora knows other security stations, because this one's going under lockdown." 

Wyldfyre grunted in response, focused on her task. He'd assume that was a yes. Laying them on their back, he put the locker door above them. His version of fire was too weak to do what Wyldfyre or Kai could instantly. 

Another idea struck him as he watched Wyldfyre finish up what she was doing. 

Looking to the control panel, he rubbed his gloves together just like Jay would, feeling the energy crackle and hum, wanting a release. 

Pressing both of them to the computers boards, he released it. Aiming to at least turn the lights off and anything else in the building.

 It caused the screens and lights around him to glitch out, fluttering on and off rapidly before short circuiting. Lloyd heard glass pitter – pattering inside the plastic casings of the lights. 

Wyldfyre leapt back when fists began to pound the doors, a hand raised as she turned to Lloyd. "Okay, what did you want me to do?" 

Hurrying back to the unconscious guard, he pointed to each end corner of the lockers door. "They'll try and spend time getting them out, which we could use as extra seconds to run." 

Wyldfyre turned down the heat of her flames, now a more familiar red as she carefully melted it to the floor with sweeps of her hand. Extinguishing them once she finished. "Okay, now let's go." 

Lloyd went to the vent, raising the grating as Wyldfyre practically dove inside, rushing down the vent with heavy stomps from her knees and hands. 

Lloyd followed seconds after that, closing it behind him as he did his best to keep up. 

Hopefully this provided a large enough distraction they could get out in one go. 

"Alright, break time is over!" Wyldfyre shouted the moment she tumbled out of the vent, scrambling over to Heatwave who reached his tail out. "We bought some time but we gotta go, now!"

'Where's the Imperi-Rat?' Rockslide demanded, the Ice Dragons pair already on their feet and climbing on to the buildings faster than a pine martin tailing a squirrel. 

"Right there!" She pointed to the vent, where Llpyd clambered out seconds later. Wyldfyre grabbed on to her father's tail, Heatwave using a simple flick to launch her on to his back. 

'Leave it to the humans to mess up.' Torchspark muttered from his perch, taking off into the air with a powerful beat of massive wings. Heatwave snarled, though didn't say anything other than give him a fiery glare. 

'I'd recommend holding your tongues, both of you.' Slab said lowly, approaching Lloyd, lowering himself again so that he could climb on. The Ninja practically launching himself up the dragons side and back into the spot he was in originally. 

'What happened in there?' Vigor asked, remaining on the ground with them. He sniffed the air, standing on his hind legs. His wings tucked against his sides. 

"Got spotted, get running!" Wyldfyre urged, Lloyd nodding in agreement as they took off down the street. Slab and Heatwave at the forefront of the group. 

"Only way to get out of here is through the main gates." Lloyd called, raising his voice over the rumbling steps of the dragons. He even saw the climbers and flyer lower themself down to hear better. "It will not be easy!" 

'When is anything easy with Imperium involved?' Rockslide sassed, galloping behind Slab. Swatting a street lamp out of the way as if it weighed nothing, the thing crumpling in half. 

Slab swung his head when a tree came into view, decimating it in a single blow. Lloyd ducked behind his frill to avoid the spray of splinters, wiping at his hair. 

That's when he heard a scream and metal being torn. 

Popping out from behind the Primordial's frill, Lloyd saw a large metal pole plummet towards a pretrified civilian who stood there, most likely knocked loose by either Torchspark or the Ice Dragons. 

Charging up a blast, he fired, directing the pole off course. Hearing it clang somewhere nearby before he briefly met eyes with the civlian, watching them whizz by. 

"Shit." He mumbled under his breath. At the speed they were going they'd approach the fuller areas with active civilians soon!

Pressing his lips together tightly, he watched the few civilians going about their day scatter at the sight of the running dragons. "Slab, Heatwave, can you guys tell the others to get into a formation?" 

'Where d'you want 'em?' Heatwave turned his head, looking at him. The Lava Drake keeping stride with the larger dragon easily as breathing, his gait almost reminding Lloyd of a bear. 

"He's asking where," Wyldfyre translated, holding on to the extra frills adorning her father's neck. Slab grunted in agreement, his footsteps shaking the ground below with each one. 

Running it through his head, he thought for a minite before he heard something whizz by in the air- Torchspark's roars of anger erupting like a volcano followed by the burst of flames.  

"Vigor and Torchspark in the air, keep the drones off of us. Slab and Rockslide in the front, they're our chargers. Heatwave, guard our rear, the Ice Dragons can tell us which way to go. Tell them to tear apart any security cameras. We need the time." He instructed. 

Instead of talking, Heatwave and Slab bellowed in unison, which made Lloyd confused because wasn't that the equivalent to yelling or screaming without... words? He was getting side tracked. Focus. 

Vigor ran around them, spreading his wings and beating them before he took off by jumping. Flying up to Torchspark who was currently dealing with the drones by doing as his name sake suggested. 

Heatwave slowed his pace, letting Rockslide overtake him while he went off to Slab's left. Borealis and Glacier took turns checking which way was what with Lloyd's help. 

Once they'd figured out their destination, Lloyd turned on his comslink. "Arin, Sora, come in – the missions changed. I've gotten the other dragons out of the prison chambers and we're making our way to the front gates, over." 

While there wasn't much he could do for the civilians getting out of the way, he only hoped the roars from Vigor and Torchspark would cause them to get out of the way. Plus, if they were lucky, Slab's would've travelled fairly far. 

Arin was the first one to respond after some minutes of waiting. The teen's next words caused panic to rise in his gut. "Lloyd? Is Riyu with you? I can't find him! We got seperated after dealing with some civilians and I-" 

Steeling himself, he took a breath. He hoped he could explain this to Vigor without making him too upset. "Meet up on the main eastern pathway, we'll pick you up. Sora's probably unable to answer right now but she can hear us - I hope. But we need the dragons away from Imperium."

Lloyd couldn't help the uncertainty festering within him. Sora was MIA and Riyu was missing, he needed to finish dealing with one before he could the other. 

He prayed to Firstbourne they were both safe. 

"What's Kai doing here!?" Arin asked the moment Lloyd pulled him on to the Earth Dragons' back. 

Wyldfyre snarled, chucking another triple shot of flames at some drones that tried and failed to keep up, aiming for the ones that Torchspark and Vigor couldn't reach unless they wanted to lose momentum. 

"That's... not Kai, wait, how can there be two Elemental Masters of Fire!?" Holding on to Lloyd, Arin tried to see what was ahead.

"What I thought, too, but here we are!" Launching sharp blasts of energy, the drones exploded into bits of scrap, filing to the ground and crushed underfoot by the dragons. 

"We have to go back, Riyu doesn't have a comslimk so how can he know we aren't using the sewer exist anymore!? He could be in trouble-" Lloyd bit his lip, he knew he shouldn't have allowed them to go on this mission. FSM, what was he supposed to do? 

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Lloyd shook his head. Firing another sphere of energy at a heavier armored drone, sending it careening into a wall. "We gotta get these guys out first. We have to trust Riyu that he can be safe." 

Arin turned his head and Lloyd felt unsure of his decision, but it was the one they needed to do right now. He just hoped the little dragon was staying out of site while everything was happening. 

'Another Imperian to babysit.' Rockslide hissed, hurling himself through a bench to get closer to Slab. The thing snapping in twine with a sharp crack as it fell to the ground on either side of them. 'Great.' 

'This is the other one Lloyd told us about.' Slab rebuked, veering around a corner when the Ice Dragons called from their vantage points. Heatwave his heels. 'He summoned him so that they could rendezvous.'

'Hmph.' The Earth Wyvern growled, falling silent. 

Lloyd kicked away the urge to correct Rockslide, now was definitely not the time to break into an argument. 

"There they are! And you said the main gates would not be easy to get to!" Wyldyfre gave Lloyd what he was quickly beginning to understand was her iconic grin, all teeth. Heatwave and Slab bellowed, slowing down into a trot. 

Borealis and Glacier leapt down from the buildings, flanking on either side of the group, looking uncomfortable because of the heat. Lloyd hoped The Crossroads would provide some shade from them – if they stayed that is.

While it felt almost too good to be true, Lloyd returned the smile with his own, allowing himself to sigh in momentary relief. "If you can or want, go to the city covered in plants across the desert from here. There's water and food for you all there. Just avoid the others living there." 

'Those would do some good.' Rockslide said, shaking himself out. The Earth Wyvern regarded him bergudingly, a low hiss in the back of his throat dying out as he nodded to Lloyd. 

'Well I'll be damned.' Torchspark exclaimed. He and Vigor swooping down to run with the other dragons, some of their scales chipped here and there from the blasts of drones, but otherwise, he looked fine. 'The humans actually got us here.'

'I swear by Scorcher's claws I will leave you flightless y'sack of shit.' Heatwave snapped, Slab preemptively moving inbetween them before anything could happen, a low growl silencing the retort that was about to part from the Fire Dragons mouth. 

Lloyd gazed over to where Heatwave was, watching Wyldfyre's expression pinch before wiping it off her face quickly when she realized he was looking. "We can finally leave this place!" 

"That's great!" Arin cheered, nudging Lloyd with a proud smile. "You got the dragons out of here, now we need to go back for..." 

He trailed off when the dragons turned their heads, their grins and expressions of relief vanishing into hatred as...

Lloyd blinked, unsure if he was seeing things right. Arin's hand tightened on his shoulders, which meant that he wasn't hallucinating due to the heat, he should be used to that. 

Wyldfyre clambered over her father's neck and on to his head so she could see, her eyes thinning into slits at the sight of the monsters before them. "Those are big." 

Slab pawed at the ground, his claws leaving grooves in the dirt as his nostrils flared. Dust billowing out of his nose much like Heatwave and Torchspark who already had smoke wafting from theirs. 'Those are abominations to everything we are.'

'They smell like us.' Rockslide hissed, stamping his talons to the ground. Lava cracks expanding across his snout. Borealis' patterns flashed with the promise of ice, and Lloyd shivered when the temperature rose and dropped a simultaneously.

Only Vigor and Glacier looked worried instead of outright hateful. The Mountain Dragon shifting uneasily while the latter hunched down into a crouched position, scanning over the line. 

Wyldfyre's hands blazed when one stalked in front of the others casually, as if there was nothing wrong with the current situation. She growled, gnashing her teeth. "Him. That's the one who captured Heatwave and me." 

"Now, let's try this again." Rapton mused, coming to a stop. 

Pressing a finger to the comlink, Lloyd did his best to keep a neutral tone, though he hated the wobble that got through. "Sora, you better have a good explanation for this."

The line stayed silent, his only response the crackling buzz of static. 

Chapter Text

The Monastery of Spinjitzu, Mountains of Impossible height. Pre-Merge. Seven years ago...

Today was a fairly nice day, if Lloyd said so himself. 

The sun warmed everything it could in the peaks and valleys of The Mountains of Impossible Height from its position in the sky, turning the early morning chill to something more pleasant. Glowing white clouds lazily shifted across the earth, carrying bits of residual moisture that had yet to be squeezed out. 

Granted, the slight cold was either the altitude or the fact he kept walking through drifting clouds, to be fair. Where the water droplets clung to his exposed hands and forearms. It could even be a mix of both things, honestly. 

He listened to the accompanying birdsong that came from a little further away, adding ambiance to the otherwise quiet rhythm of his footsteps on the dirt path. The tea set clinking qiuelty in the tray, jostled by his movement. 

Lloyd came up to a familiar boulder with a symbol he was all too familiar with. Carved out then painted by him and Cole, he smiled loosely. Stepping around it to go through the narrowed pass. 

It broadened as he reached the end of it, bleeding out into a small patch of trees. Bushes were lined up against the fence around the edges of the area, meant to hide the railings seperating the drop off on the other wide. 

At the far end of the area, stood a lone headstone, the front casting a shadow due to the position of the sun. The clouds stubbornly stuck to the vegetation, misting them, their sheen brightening.  

He slowed down, breathing in and then breathing out. He – he could do this. Gripping the handles of the tray a little tighter, he steeled himself. It would be fine. Maybe. 

"...Hey, Mystaké." Lloyd greeted, walking up to the memorial. He held up the tray, smilling. "I brought your favourite. Waterhoard cactus fruit from the First Realm. Wu brought some back from a trip he did recently so... thought I'd stop by and say hi." 

"I know I said I'd visit soon, though it looks like the world had other plans for me." Tenderly placing the tray down, Lloyd grabbed the rolled up picnic blanket that was stored by the headstone and unrolled it as he sat down. "With, well, everything. I guess."

Grabbing the teapot, he lit his hands with energy. Warming up the teapot by concentrating it into a fire base, watching the green flames lick at the porcelain with varying sizes. 

His brow scrunched as he raised the temperature higher and higher. Tongue sticking out of his mouth, trying to remember how long he needed to hold it. Was it five minutes? He was pretty sure it as five or six minutes. He'd do five and a half just in case. 

"Did you ever know about Wojira? Or would Mala-Wohira be more familair since they're older?" He asked finally, shifting his hands around the teapot. Lloyd could see the beginnings of the steam, okay, he was doing this right – probably. "We met her about a year ago, now." 

"It started when Nya's water power was acting up randomly, accidentally setting everything off and causing us all to get drenched." Lloyd continued, failing to fight the smirk rising on his face. "She accidentally caused the toilet water to explode in Jay's face during that." 

That had been funny, in his opinion. Hearing Jay's shriek rip through the monastery like a perfectly conducted prank. He should kick those up again... maybe later. 

Seeing as there was now steam rising from the teapot, Lloyd served her then himself. Picking up the small cup of sugar he brought. The one Zane had checked to make sure he hadn't over done it.

"Eventually, it um, got a little much? She was getting angrier because it wouldn't listen. Kai called Maya and Ray to help her out but well..." Picking up his own cup, he dumped the sugar in, picking up the spoon to stir it. "She brought back Morro to try and figure out what was going on. Since she was being drawn more and more towards the ocean, she was also hearing things in the wind." 

"It kinda hurt, seeing her bring him back." Lloyd admitted, staring into the whirpool that formed thanks to his stirring. The metal softly ringing against the cup with each sway. "But she had a good reason for it, I mean. He–he didn't get close so it was fine. I dunno." 

Breaking the whirl pool by turning the spoon around, Lloyd began to stir the other way. "Soon enough they figured out that some undersea king was trying to wake up Wojira. That guy was a real jerk. King Kalamari was his name or something." 

"We also found out that Nya's Elemental Power had the soul piece that belonged to the Water Dragon Sentinel?" Once the particles of sugar were completely gone, Lloyd pulled out the spoon, letting any excess tea drip from it. "So we had to get it back into Wojira, 'cause that's what was causing them to be violent." 

He didn't want to remember how it nearly cost them more Nya's life during that entire fight. At least she'd been "alive" when she merged with the sea, but the possibility she could've been gone forever if that transfer of the Sentinel's soul failed –

Aaannnd that was enough of that. Lightly tapping the spoon on the rim, he placed it back down on the tray. "And it made me, well, start thinking. 'Cause technically I'm the only one who's human, Dragon and Oni. About if well, maybe the reason I can't control my Oni side is because I have too little human or Dragon?" 

"I didn't ask Wu or my fath- Garmadon, 'cause they're both mixed like me, and well, you've been around dragons for a long time." Nursing the cup in his lap, Lloyd let the warmth bleed into his fingers, chasing away the chill left by the waterdrops. "So I thought you'd know more than they do. About dragons, because you fought them and lived alongside them and stuff."

Lloyd cringed, that barely explained anything. Averting his gaze to stare at his reflection inside the cup, his shoulders slumped. "I-I morphed into my Oni side, against the Overlord. Garmadon took a really bad hit and I just... I've never really felt anything like that hate in my entire life. Even against Morro or Harumi." 

He swore he could see the gold fading in through the green liquid like ice cracking. The fact his Oni form was gold colored felt like a mockery of his time as the Ultimate Spinjitzu Master.

The first thing to shift were his teeth, his incissors turning into tusks made for biting and cushing. Made for fighting. 

"It felt both hot and cold. Like I'd been doused in lava and an ice bath at the same time." He murmured, licking his teeth. Lloyd tapped his fingernails against the cup. "Is the cold part something Oni feel when they shift back out of whatever disguse they use?" 

Thumbing the cup, Lloyd remembered what it felt like to have his nails and fingers combine to form claws. Made for slashing and tearing. He felt the scar over his temple ache sullenly; reminding him of what he did to get himself out of it.

A light breeze came from behind him, causing the steam to waft in the other direction away from him. "I don't – I don't want to shift into that again, Mystaké. I lost control for too long, I'm just glad I didnt't lose it near the others." 

"I geuss its some sort of karma, if anything. You probably weren't fond of what I said." Lloyd laughed dryly, feeling his throat constrict. His hands tightening around the cup. "I know what I said was unfair to you to any Oni that's like you. I regret it. So, so, so much." 

"You loved Ninjago, just like we did. You helped us when you didn't have to." He said, finally having the nerve to raise his gaze and read the name on the headstone. "Sure we were all in danger but – you could've ran any time. Yet you chose to fight with us." 

Healing him, hiding his family at her shop when they needed a place to lay low. Summoning the Elemental Alliance of Ninjago to form The Resistance right under Garmadon's nose. Giving Skylor time to run away so they could move foward. 

"Oni can be good, you taught me that." Taking a long, drawn out gulp of his tea, Lloyd sighed. Watching the last few droplets trickle down to the center of the cup, forming a small puddle. "But, if you were fighting against the dragons for so long, does that mean there were bad ones too?" 

It was... hard. Hard to see how a dragon could be evil when most of the time, they deserved to lash out against those who hurt them – to defend themsleves, far as he knew in his experience. 

Was he putting double standards on both sides without even thinking about it? No, he definitely was putting double standards. 

"I'm sorry, Mystaké." Lloyd repeated, now craddling an empty cup with barely anything in it. He moved to serve himself another. "I hope you can forgive me for what I said. I want to make it up to you but I just... dunno how." 

He simply listened to the birdsong for a few moments after that, feeling like he recognized it. If he remembered right, Zane did say they had a number of magpies and swallows living around the monastery.

A raven cawed sharply from some ways away, out of place yet somehow still natural to the rest of the noise. Its shadow flitting past him in the blink of an eye towards where the other birds were, most likely. 

Pouring himself more tea, he heated it up, watching the steam slowly waft upwards then off to where the wind was blowing. 

Lloyd wished he knew what to do. 

He wished he didn't feel so out of place. 

Lloyd desperately wished he knew what to do. 

Sora still hadn't responded over the comlink, Riyu was missing in the city and to top it all off, they were outnumbered twenty six to ten against a battalion of large enemies that they couldn't harm whatsoever. 

Lloyd dug his fingers into the rock hard horns that belonged to the Earth Drake he was currently standing on, trying to figure out what could prevent as minimal casualities as possible. 

Unsprisingly, he was coming up dry. 

"We can target the riders." Wyldfyre insisted, her glare hyperfocused on Rapton. Her flames barely kept in check, each flex of her fingers causing embers to fly up into the air. "Get the Ice Dragons to freeze 'em." 

"We've fought a Photac Beast before," Shaking his head, Lloyd felt Arin squeeze his shoulder, the kids nerves rising as one of the beasts barred its teeth at them, ears pinned back. "It didn't need a rider to keep fighting, plus, I think you're forgetting those things are the size of a dragon." 

Wyldfyre hissed, turning her scowl to Arin. Her lip peeled back in the same way the beasts of hard light were mimicking ones of flesh and blood. The fire user snapped her jaws, making him flinch. "We have real dragons, let them take care of the monsters while we deal with the humans!" 

"Thirteen of Imperium's best fighters and hunters in one." Lloyd reminded tiredly, remembering how much of a fight Rapton put up in the subway tunnel where he first met the Imperian. 

He might be in top shape now, but if the leader of Imperium's Claws could nearly match him swing for swing, Wyldfyre and Arin's chances weren't good. At all. All thirteen of those guards could have a sword or laser blasters at their hip, ready for use like their leader.

'We should just kill any of the humans we can.' Torchspark snarled, his wings flared to their maximum. Casting a shadow over Vigor and Glacier, fire licking at the edges of his mouth in fury. His chest glowing a dangerous red. 'They signed up for this, they knew the danger. So it's not our problem.' 

Heatwave snapped his jaws when a Photac Beast barked at him. The Lava Drake's frill ratted loudly, like a rattlesnake giving you one last warning. 'Much as I hate t'agree with cinders-for-brains, that's our only bet at weakening them.' 

'If that's what has to happen, it's what has to happen.' Slamming his tail to the ground twice, more of those lava-esq veins expanded across Rockslide's face. 'They don't deserve the mercy, not after what they done to us. To our kin.' 

The Earth Drake shook his head back and forth in a show of intimidation. Horns and tusks on full display to the Claws of the Imperium, the Primordial eerily silent as the dragons and Wyldfyre and Arin debated around him.

All forms of conversation shut down quieted when a long, disorted howl broke through. Rapton's Photac Beast lowered it's head, growling when the soldier placed a hand past its saddle. Grinning like a child at their birthday party. 

"If you're done playing club with the animals," Rapton began, his grin growing wider when the dragons bristled in fury. "I can give you two choices. Since I'm such a nice guy and all." 

Slab growled, sounding like boulders down a hill. Lloyd felt it reverberate through him, shaking every bone and muscle in his body. Similarly, the other dragons showed their disdain.

Rapton held up a finger. "One. You can peacefully return the dragons to their cells and our new guest, the Ninja, can get a fancy new cell of their own..." 

"Or," he drawled, leaning forward to pat the Photac Beast' saddle. "We can test out these completely indestructible fighting beasts, right here, right now. You already know where my vote is, greenie." 

Lloyd narrowed his eyes, hands stiffening as he grit his teeth. 

Only a select number of people were allowed to call him that. 

Energy buzzed in his hands, he fought the urge to try and launch an ionic ball at Rapton's cocky smirk. Instead, he opened his mouth to fire off a retort- 

Slab reared up with a bellow, causing the Imperians and Photacs to tense up. The Primordial Earth Dragon crashed his skull into the metal like a meteor. Arin and Lloyd yelped, nearly thrown off by the power that rippled beneath them, only just managing to stay on. 

Torchspark reared up on to his hind legs, tucking his wings before flaring them open again. Letting out another booming roar, he showed off the fire sitting in his throat, just like Heatwave who shook his frill and beat his claws into the ground. 

Rockslide pounded his tail, making Lloyd feel disoriented as the beat made his vision swim suddenly. Vigor then joined Torchspark in rearing up, his wings beating strongly where the Fire Dragon boomed, he added his shriek. 

Arin let go of his shoulder, crouching down and covering his ears, leaning against one of the moss-green spines that lined Slab's back. Lloyd couldn't see what he was saying, but Arin's eyes were shut tightly. 

Glacier and Borealis joined the cacophany of noise, adding to the thunderous volume with their own blizzard like howls. Lloyd felt a fire pool in his gut then expand outwards to his chest, burning.

Falling to his knees, Lloyd gasped. Trying to see if Wyldfyre was okay, but his vision swam with multi-colored spots as the dragons continued their racket. He pressed his head against the back of Slab's frill, words unable to be produced. 

Instead of slamming his skull into the ground, Slab stomped his feet alongside Heatwave. His club furthering the drumbeat. The Photac Beasts recoiled as if struck, ignoring their riders' demands. Rapton's scream of hatred was drowned out by the dragons voices.

Lloyd clutched his head, feeling energy course through his back, his arms, his legs. The same, ice cold feeling that he felt years ago. Looking at his hands past the blurry vision to make sure, his eyes widened. 

Not now, anything but now! Why was it reacting like this!? The dragons would react to him – he needed to stop!

He gripped his hand, trying to make the purple veins in his green disappear. He begged everything out there that it would go away- he absolutely did not need Arin seeing this. 

He felt his teeth elongate painfully, his skin pulling as it shifted to accomodate scales, his skull exploding with pain as his horns prepared to surface. His breathing hitched when he felt his fingers and nails started fusing together, changing. 

Lloyd tighted the hold on his head, trying to drown out the dragons with little sucess.

That is, until Wyldfyre began to speak, his transformation coming to a searing halt when her voice cleanly cut through the mess of roars. 

"Nature's eyes see all, the storm's fury grows 

Nature's anger boils, the storm's fury grows 

You summoned the storm, you played with Nature 

You wasted your lives to gain power 

Your sins could have been forgiven

If you layed your weapons to the ground" 

The dragons launched themselves forward, elemental breaths blazing, claws spread and teeth barred straight towards the Photacs.

Taking him and Arin with them. 

"Nature's eyes see all, the storm's fury grows 

Nature's anger boils, the storm's fury grows 

For the Firstbourne is judge and jury 

And we are her enforcers!"

He could not name what his reasoning was for coming out of dormancy. 

He had not chosen to awaken. 

Yet he had been roused from his slumber. 

He had been inbetween the state of dreaming and the waking world, simply residing inbetween.

Before the noise came, before it reached to him. 

Almost a whisper, saying things he could not make out. 

Slowly, he opened his eyes akin to the mortals who needed rest to regain their energy after a long day. However much he wished he was back in his place, the thrum of machinery reminded him of where he was. 

Imprisonment, he came to learn, was an abbhorent practice preformed by the mortals. 

Trapping the body inside the limits of a confined space was one thing. It was uncomfortable, mainting this miniature form. 

The one used to lessen the strain on the livings mind, to make sure the world around them would not rupture in their presence. 

It was another matter that the mind was still allowed to wander. Free to do as it pleased. Free of the binds that kept him here. Where he could not be, his mind would go for him. An outsider to everything that passed, no longer involved. 

Raising his head above his coils, he stared at the little humans quietly communicating to each other. Their voices murmurs under their breath. 

Pressing a single talon to his prison, he listened in their conversation, before retracting it, the same as any other day. Attempting to figure out how to siphon more of his life without endangering themselves. 

Dismissing them, he spun slowly, unable to remain motionless. He loathed how every single one of his senses had become muted since his capture, nearly shut off. Finite.

His hearing, sharper than words and wider than the expanse of stars that decorated the sky, was now restricted to little more than beyond the chamber. Even then, he needed to come into contact with the binding. 

He never quite needed his sense of smell, but the electricity used for his prison reeked of malice. A far cry from the sparks the storms produced when they promised rain or fire. As for his last one...

He could feel one of his nearby. 

A child born of lightning storms much like many others. Yet as far as that connection went, he could vaguely feel the presence of others, less than he could his claimed Lightning Dragon. 

So how was it that he heard that noise? 

He eyed the ones leaving the underbelly, unsure of how long the pair had been down here. Far as he knew, it was only him and then the scientists who cycled in appearance like the sun and moon during their respective times. 

Impossibly, he briefly entertained the thought that she was here. Having come to free him, against all odds. 

He just as quickly thought against it. She had not contacted them in millenia, nor did he believe she would be content to see him. He simply wished she remain far, far away from Imperium's reaches. 

His tail brushed against the edge of his binds, a small jolt coursing through him as he curled it carefully. Simply staring at where it made contact, unassuming as the rest of the sphere. 

Was this how his daughter felt then? Caught in a place with no escape or no end? Without any form of being able to reach out to anyone or anything? He lightly flexed his claws to create a miniature of his daughter with redirected energy. 

It crackled softly, its wings lightly beating so that it could rear up. Even in the realm of dreaming, the others nor she could reach him. Even with his best attempts. It felt... odd, not having the company of the others when it had been a constant for all of his time as one of the Source Dragons. 

He came to realize he missed them, his mind wandered to the theory that they all believed he was... 

Better to not induldge that thought, he decided. 

He angled his head when he heard something muffled in the distance. Far beyond the limits of his current state – he shifted, the replica diminishing.

Brushing up against the sphere again, he heard it with more carity. Surprise causing him to retracting his claw. Was this what the living called madness? Had he gone insane? 

Perhaps not, given the same muffled noise repeated itself again, stronger than the first time. It was clearly beyond the walls of the chamber so how was he hearing it?

The noise continued to repeat itself, lyrical in nature. He felt his lethargy fade, leaving him awake. More than he had been ever since the first year of his imprisonment. 

It sounded familiar. He needed to investigate. 

Pressing both claws to the edge of his space, the energy field made to keep him there pulsed with irritation. Though, it itself did not reject his attempt to feel along it, this time was different. 

The moment he pressed his palms against it, he properly heard it then. Surprise overtook him, that her children – his grand children, still used that to this day.

Yet it also filled him with cold dread. A familiar one. 

What he was hearing, it brought back memories of Life's grief, Motion's quiet hurt. Strength's long reclusivity. 

What he was hearing, was the promise of war. 

Distantly, he felt Slab moving beneath him, heard Wyldfyre shout her promises of death underlying what she said only seconds ago. The dragons' collective roar of fury vibrating through his bones. 

Muscles rippled below the stone like hide below him. He realized that he and Arin needed to move or get caught in the crossfire. 

Shoving aside the headache that was threatening to consume him, he reached out to the teen who still had his ears covered, eyes shut tightly. Lloyd could see he mouthed something, but whatever it was, it was silent. 

Pulling Arin close to his chest like he did all those years ago, Lloyd leapt off of Slab's back right as the Primordial Dragon barreled into a Photac Beast. The force of the blow causing his tail to snap upwards, nicking Lloyd's leg.

His healing leg.

Pain flashed through his leg before fading away, only adding to the cold fire he felt. 

He couldn't tell what was going on, all he saw was a blur of colors going past him as he and Arin went airborne. He tucked the boys head closer to his chest to protect it, curling defensively. 

The hard landing came, but the pain was numbed – not that he really had the time to recover since a shadow loomed over them.

Lloyd raised his head dully, meeting the cold hatred of the Photacs. Paw raised to smash down on him and Arin, its saddle empty of a rider. 

Torchspark descended from above, putting all his weight on the beast that writhed below him. Jaws finding their place around the monsters neck as he pinned it. 

He wasn't sure why the Fire Dragon – who seemingly hated him and Wyldfyre had come to his help. 

Torchspark's pale gold eyes narrowed, eyeing him with momentary suspicion before he refocused his efforts on the hard light monster. 

It gave him enough time to clutch Arin closer and shoot off towards the statue. Moving faster than he ever had in his entire life. The wind hitting his mask with the force of a dragons'wingbeats. 

Skidding to a stop around the statue of Beatrix, he put Arin down carefully, cupping the back of his head to prevent it from accidentally clunking against the concrete. 

Arin didn't respond. Instead, he curled up further, head in his knees, hands pressing against his ears harder. Fingers digging into his temple. 

Lloyd opened and closed his mouth, unsure if he trusted his voice to come out as a gutteral growl or normal. He needed it to be normal. He needed it to be human. 

'Freeze 'em down!' Heatwave boomed, his voice a roaring fire that blazed through Lloyd's skull. 

Words failed him, the only thing he managed to get out was a strangled noise, something between a grumble and a hiss. He shut his mouth, feeling his teeth click together like a lock being secured. 

He heard Vigor's jaws clamp on empty air, the force of his bite almost sounding like bones had been snapped. 

Lloyd wanted to form a sentence, but all he could think of was how much he wanted to fight. How his hands wanted to grasp a weapon and swing it with a vicious streak that wasn't his.

Slab reared up on his hind legs with a roar, bringing his full weight down on a Photac Beast and forcing it on its stomach. The rider screamed – a shrill shriek that was silenced by a swat from Rockslide's tail-club.

His mouth buzzed with his energy, wanting to open so that he could breathe out a breath of Elemental Power. His chest uncomfortably hot, his heart beating a mile a minute. 

White-hot flames erupted out of Torchspark's mouth, the smell of melting metal and smoke filling his nose. He heard the crackle of an ice blast from one of the Ice Dragons, the temeprature dropping. 

Fight fight fight fight fight demanded one side of his brain, wanting to strike down his enemies. Protect protect protect argued another side, wanting to rush in and protect the others from harm. Both sides chanted, trying to speak over each other.

"I don't think you understand the words 'completely indestructible'." Rapton taunted, his words slurring – or at least it sounded like that to Lloyd. Laughing despite his own squadron being targeted specifically. 

"I don't think you understand the words "shut the fuck up!" Wyldfyre snarled, her voice cleanly parting the fog before it came rushing back. 

The Photac Wolves howled and barked. The Dragons bellowed and roared. The humans screamed and taunted. 

His hands curled dangerously. Whining, Lloyd raised a half-formed claw to scratch his temple where his scar was. Hoping – no – praying it caused the transformation to reverse. 

He stopped when Arin started trembling, the teenagers words stabbing through his writhing headache. Lloyd went stock still, as if he'd been smashed over the head by a mace. 

"Please – make it stop." 

Lloyd felt his claws pricking against his head, poking holes through his mask. Arin's words sparking across his brain in the same manner bolts of lightning cracked across the sky. 

The dragons' song from earlier fought against the lightning, the thunder in his mind trying to drown out the lightning. Trying to hide it behind the clouds and the noise.

Lloyd hissed as both sides clashed against each other again, shaking his head. He blinked rapidly, trying to straighten his hands from the curved crescents, from the claws of the Dragon and the fist of the Oni. 

He breathed inwards, then outwards, feeling a plume of green fire lick at his lips. Feeling the fire adjust to his tusks, going around it. The scorching heat in his chest calmed when his eyes rose to stare at Arin. 

Reaching a hand out slowly, he pulled it back when a missile shrieked. Lloyd flinched when Heatwave snarled, snapping his jaws.

Swallowing, Lloyd tentatively reached out with the back of his hand, his brow furrowed in concentration.

His hand twitched as he glid it across Arin's knuckles, his right hand trembling on the ground. The warmed metal reminding him that he was here. 

"Arin – Arin?" He croaked. 

He was sure of what he needed to do. 

He kept his palms pressed against the barrier, feeling it burn his scales painfully. 

He reached his senses outwards, for where the son of lightning storms was. The elecricity arcing through his muscles and bones painfully, foreign. Unnatural. 

The chamber around him flickered as he absorbed the non-agressive electricty around him, demanding it to answer his questions quickly. 

It flickered across his scales, sparked across his horns in reply. The right half of his face pulsing with lightning. 

Gnashing his teeth gratefully, he began to absorb the electrical currents in his chamber. 

___

Arin shrunk away from Lloyd's touch, curling tighter when one of the dragons cried out.

Undeterred, Lloyd ran a hand through Arin's hair. Keeping his claws away from the boy by angling them upward, splaying them out. Arin winced, but he didn't pull away this time. 

Using his right hand to place it over Arin's, Lloyd held it there. Trying to figure out what he could do, his mind scrambling to think of something right then while the thunder in his head slowly dulled down to a drizzle. 

He heard another Claw Hunter scream, only to be silenced when Glacier howled. Seconds later, a block of ice containing the Imperian then went hurling past the statue, clattering against the ground.

Lloyd's gaze followed it until it came to a stop, seeing the person had lost their helmet. A man, older than him by at least a couple years, mouth caught open in a swear or sentence he never got to finish. 

Notably, his eyes, while glazed over from the ice, looked glazed over. Distracted. Different from the fury, anger or suprise than when Zane restrained somebody. 

Lloyd looked to the hunter and back to Arin, remembering how the moment the dragons had begun singing, his head had gone foggy. Similiar to the Claw. 

It hit him after another pause to think. 

Wyldfyre hadn't been affected by the dragons' song. 

Lloyd pulled his hands back, regretting it instantly as Arin let out a whimper of pain. The teenager curling back up, forehead resting against his knees. 

Opening his mouth to repeat what the secondary Fire Elemental had said during the song, Lloyd felt his mouth go dry, his mind blanking when he tried to think of the words. 

Glowering at the ground, he tried again. 

His mind blanked again. All he remembered was that Wyldfyre saying something that caused his immediate memories to turn messy, like a puddle with ripples. 

Gritting his teeth, Lloyd hissed. Come on! He was part Dragon for crying out loud! Why couldn't he sing the same song as them!? He was related! 

Digging his claws into the ground, he kept drawing blank after blank after blank. The fighting doing little to help remind him of what the lines even were.

Punching the ground, Lloyd peeled his lips back, teeth barred. The more he attempted to try and figure out what she said, the more his memeories of what the dragons' song even sounded like became muddled. 

And it really didn't help that in turn they were shoving up a memory of his father, of the Oni marching towards the Monastery of Spinjitzu– wait. They'd been singing something too. 

It only worked on him, Garmadon, and Uncle Wu... but.. maybe..? 

Clearing his throat, Lloyd steadied himself, eyes levelled only on Arin as he placed both hands on the kids' shoulders.

The memory was coming in clearly, the fear he felt when he heard it coursing through him again. He felt his features starting to change just thinking about it, his claws forming properly now. 

Bearing through the pain, Lloyd opened his mouth, feeling the words spill out seamlessly. Easily as breathing air. 

"Oh, Ancient Ones 

Those who first walked the Lands

With mighty steps 

That shook mountains

And reduced packs of the unrepentant."

The effects were immediate. 

His headache came back with a savage fury. Lloyd clutched his stomach, feeling the fire swell dangerously at the bottom. His head throbbed to the point where his horns that'd begun peaking out warped, unable to decide on whether it was supposed to be a Oni or Dragon.

Arin's lip curled, his palms pressing harder against his ears. An explosion landed only a couple feet nearby, the wind full of heat from it as the shockwave's tail end reached him through his gi. 

The teenager whispered something again, drowned out by Slab and Heatwave's bellows. 

Lloyd gasped, the muscles in his hands cramping as the transformation continued. His elbows felt like lead weights imbued with vengstone had been placed on them, his body wished to buckle to the floor. 

Placing a palm on the floor, Lloyd grit his teeth. He inhaled another shuddering breath: 

"To ash and stone 

We make this offering unto you, 

Of obedience and gratitude

With our weapons 

We clear a path at your command." 

Pulling away from the barrier, he began to twist in a scared dance, the prison clicking and buzzing at him in demand to cease his actions. 

His scales burned, steam rose n drafts that could rival ancient geysers. His horns cracked, his spines shattering one by one with each turn of his head. 

Visions of this individual Lightning Dragon flashed before him, accompanied by his flock and some humans. Every blow, every scar he would gain transferring to him as he reached the ultimatum of his ritual. 

"Forgive me, Child of the Thunderstorm."

Curling into a ball, he held the electricty, his muscles spasming, begging for release. 

He granted it freedom to travel through the underbelly of Imperium. Guiding its arcing power to his Lightning Dragon. 

It found the individual. 

Immediately closing his eyes, he forced himself into dormancy as the pain chased after him. 

Like the hunters who put him in this cage. 

Chapter Text

"To ash and stone 

We make this offering unto you, 

Of obedience and gratitude

With our weapons 

We clear a path at your command." 

The clamor of battle between the Claws of the Imperium and the Dragons faded into the background as Lloyd collapsed to the floor, feeling the warm metal and concrete turn burning hot - searing, even. 

Arin and Imperium began to dissappear from his view, a tornado of flames rising from floor and cutting Lloyd off from reaching him. His cry cut off when fire wrapped around his throat and snaked over his wrists and ankles, yanking him away. 

It dragged him through the cold, cold darkness, vast and empty until everything brightened, blindingly so. Its occupancy of the space just as painful as the heat due to the biting chill that spread across his arms. 

Lloyd wasn't sure where he was going, but he kicked and clawed all the way through. Growling and yelling in desperation as the dark continued to speed by until it started to slow down, swinging him around like a child would a toy. 

The force of the whiplash knocked the breath out of his lungs. His vision suddenly filled with his Elemental Power, green as the mountainous valleys of home, the burning fire back with a fury he'd only ever felt in that form. 

Its fury was loud, repeating that same chanting the Dragons were, but without Wyldfyre's translation to make it easier to bear through, he felt his Oni side flare up, a headache rose to the surface, his teeth elongated and thickened. 

As if on cue, that's when the Oni's Destruction came charging after him, their own chanting beating against his ears and challenging the Dragon for control. Lloyd winced, feeling the Dragon prepare for a fight. 

Purple crackled across his view with the same coldness as Vengestone, spreading – enveloping the vibrancy in twilight. Their voices reaching a head as they said one last warning, thrummed their power in a show of intimidation.

Lloyd tried moving, but the shackles bound him to the spot. Constricting around him tighter and tighter. His skull throbbed, his muscles buzzed painfully, his bones felt like they were being set ablaze. His skin drying out. 

It felt like all the times he'd been drained of his power. 

It felt like all the times the others had healed them with their powers. 

The two clashed against each other. 

The Dragon met the Oni's chants with its own. Green and purple fighting for dominance, trading vicious attacks against each other. Lloyd stood with his arms spread out, forced to watch them fight. Was this how his father felt in the Preeminent? Unable to do anything and only able to think? To watch? 

The green would strike with the Dragon's slashing claws, piercing teeth and his blazing energy acting as its Elemental Breath. Demanding it let him go, let him protect his own, to correct those that turned their back on the natural order. To teach them. 

The purple counter acted with deadly swings and bludgeoning blows, the fists and club of the Oni. The Essence of Destruction that came with it bellowing ways to annihilate his enemy. To punish them. There was to be no forgiveness. 

Lloyd grit his teeth as the fighting continued, each hit feeling like they were hitting him. Each slash, bite, punch and impact stealing the breath from his lungs, everytime he opened his mouth, the chain would reach out and shut it. 

Brought to his knees and hands under the force of the two, Lloyd felt himself growing smaller and smaller under the weight. His strength failing him as his struggles against the bindings turned weaker. 

He could feel the exhaustion sinking in, the blood bleeding from them both - from himself causing him to feel light headed. Dizzy. 

He blinked rapidly, head hanging. The Oni and the Dragon roared at each other, unable to agree. 

Unable to see that they both wanted the same thing. 

Crumpling to the ground, Lloyd wheezed, his breathing shallow. Wishing that they could just stop, wishing that they could leave him alone. 

He never asked for this. He never asked to be one of them. He never asked to be a Creator and a Destroyer. 

His fought hard to keep his eyes open, trying to keep the green and purple from enveloping him with little success as his sight continued to fade in and out. 

The two reared up to trade another set of attacks with one another- 

Only for them to be interrupted by a third presence announcing itself, breaking in and shoving them back, the mess of Elemental Essence vanishing from his eyes. The Dragon and Oni retreating away from each other. 

Everything was blissfully quiet for once, and it was hard not to just, fall asleep right then and there, really. He was so, so tired. 

He didn't bother to look up as footsteps approached him, though he tilted his head to try and hear, not that they really gave anything away. 

He stilled when he felt a hand cup his cheek with the same tenderness as his mother, another hand brushing his hair back with his father's firm yet gentle touch. The touch grounding, human. 

Lloyd breathed. 

When he came to, Lloyd felt like his mind had been rolled up in twelve weighted blankets and left in a forge overnight on full blast - Kai having cranked up the heat to volcanic.

His mind swayed back and forth between consciousness and unconscious, as if he was wood being shoved around by a stoker. The person trying to keep the fire going unable to decide where it was supposed to be. 

On second thought, that was probably Arin shaking him. Stupid parts of his heritage just had to come up and put him in this position. 

"Lloyd, Lloyd, you really gotta wake up right now-" Arin's voice ebbed in and out, as if Lloyd was the one rising and sinking from the surface of water. 

Further crawling his way out of the fuzzy warmth that softened his thinking, Lloyd cracked open his eyes, bleary. He raised his hands slowly to stop Arin from shaking him as this was really more force than necessary. 

"Please. Stop." He croaked, head lolling to the side after the boy accidentally flash banged him with how fricking bright it was. Man, everything felt so, so heavy. When did his shoulders and arms feel this hard to move? 

Feeling Arin's frantic shaking slow down then stop, Lloyd hissed when he was propped up against what he assumed was Beatrix's statue. His back complaining at the contact where it normally wouldn't. 

It would have been at least a little nice for a breather, but as usual - the world had other plans. 

He felt the ground shake dangerously as something exploded nearby, Slab's earth-rupturing roar following seconds after with Borealis' accompanying blizzard like howl.  

Right. They were in Imperium. 

They were fighting the Photac Wolves and Claws of the Imperium. 

Turning his attention to Arin, Lloyd scanned over him quickly, seeing that he over all looked fine enough. If anything, he also looked a bit tired. Honestly, given today, he felt ready to sleep for the next week. He wouldn't be suprised if Sora and Arin needed it too. 

On another note, Lloyd prayed to every possibly benevolent deity out there he had not transformed while he was unconscious. He begged everything that Arin didn't remember what happened. 

At least he'd allow himself to hope. 

"I really hope you and whats-her-name had a Plan B, Lloyd." Arin said, flinching when he saw another Imperian entombed in ice went flying past the statue. Clattering on the metal. 

"I barely had a plan A." He mumbled, grasping at the base of the statue and forcing himself up. Nearly stumbling back to the ground if it wasn't for Arin acting as his support. 

"Are you even sure you can fight like this?" 

"Gotta help the dragons'n'Wyldfyre." Grimacing, Lloyd took a couple steps, his legs feeling like they'd been ground to a pulp. "They'll think we're traitors if I don't. I made a promise to them that I'd get 'em out." 

Arin chewed his lip, but nodded hesitantly. Helping him peer around the statue, it honestly looked like the dragons were doing okay. Not well, but holding their own thanks to Heatwave and Slab barking orders when they could. 

There were still a good amount of Claws fighting, the dragons struggling to get them off while they dealt with the Photac Wolves. He needed to make it up to Wyldfyre for being out of the fight for so long. 

"You have your grappler, Arin?" Pulling away from Arin, Lloyd suppressed the wince he felt. He lifted his arms, swaying them up and down, then back and forth in front of him in large arcing motions.

"Yeah." Pulling it off from his hip, Arin waved it around, the orange and bronze gleaming in the sunlight. "What do you need?" 

Energy buzzed through his veins, exhausted, but still there. Mentally, he apologized to his Elemental Power, hoping it could forgive him for the extra use today. "The Claws get different weapons in comparison to the usual guard. I want you to get one so I know you can defend yourself." 

Arin tapped his fingers together, eyes flittering across the battlefield. Then to him. "You sure you can fight like this, Lloyd?"

"I have to." Raising one foot in the air, he breathed in, then breathed out. Energy began to flow from his hands like a trail of steam following hot water, the familiar current flowing through his body. "Stay safe, okay?" 

"I will." Arin nodded, tensing beside him. 

Lloyd allowed himself to smile despite the circumstances as he launched himself into his Spinjitzu's stance - Temporal, he remembered Arin calling it. 

Green flowed around him while he sat in the center of his tornado, whirling towards the Claws of the Imperium and the Photac Beasts.

He needed to see this debt through. He rdfused to fail another person today. 

__

"This is bad, right!?" Arin yelled, ducking under a swinging sword and countering with an uppercut. Sending the Imperian's weapon flying across the floor, knocked out of their hands.

Undeterred, the hunter wound up an arm to punch him- 

Lloyd barelled into the Claw, spinning them around until he shot them out in the direction of Borealis who froze them. Pivoting, he then fired off two consecutive balls of energy at approaching drones, exploding them on impact. He panted, winded from his Spinjitzu. 

"This... this is terrible." He agreed, hood hanging from his shoulders. Nearly torn to the base by a Photac Wolf he failed to dodge seconds too late. He leaned forward, greedily inhaling air. 

"Eat flames you bunch of flame-eaters!" Wyldfyre snarled, leaping upwards from her perch on Heatwave's back as she chucked white fireballs at more heavily armored drones. Her father doing the same to the Photacs to give the others time to recover. 

Morphing the sword back into blaster mode, Arin raised it and shot a stream of laser-bullets, the metal shrieked and groaned as he weaved around their fire. Lloyd following to make sure no Imperian guards snuck up on him in the chaos. 

The tides turned more in their favor the minute he and Arin had rejoined the fray, the guards falling faster and faster as his student took to disarming them, sharing the joint effort with Wyldfyre while also keeping any drones at bay. 

However... the cuts, bites, burns and chipped scales were slowly starting to grow on the Dragons' bodies as the fighting continued to draw out. Not to mention that Lloyd felt less than great- 

But he's sooner bite his tongue before he admitted that. 

Slab's thunderous crash shook the ground as he shoved the trio of monsters who had pinned Rockslide to the ground away. Glacier at his side, her frostbreath flowing and making the ground beneath them slick.

Borealis joined them seconds later, skating across the ice. It sent a pang of longing through Lloyd, it was hard enough not having Nya or Kai here with fire and water, but the Ice Dragons were almost fighting like Zane to a T. 

Lloyd swung his arm out, his Elemental Power lashing out like a lightning bolt and stemming through metal as it fried the drones coming on him. The charred metallic husks unceremoniously falling to the ground moments later. 

Arin shifted into his golden tornado with a jumps, copying the way Jay used to preform his. The teenager smashed into a guard who was trying to wrestle Vigor to the ground, a binding around his mouth. 

The Photac Beasts were no longer able to use their missiles, and were "weakened" without the riders to order them around. The few who were still mounted fighting hard to stay in the saddle. 

Unfortunately, Rapton was one of them due to the dragons being unable to get him. 

His Photac Wolf surged upon Heatwave, leaping into the air and cleanly swatting at Wyldfyre with a paw. The red head letting out a roar of pain as she went airborne. 

Snapping his head over, Lloyd could only stare in horror as she tried correcting her path to land on her hands and knees, he could see it with the waybshe tried rolling, but the force of the monster's blow was too harsh. She'd been caught off guard. 

"Wyldfyre!" He cried, feeling panic tear through him when she landed right on her head and went still on impact. Lloyd rushed towards her, Heatwave's enraged bellow rising above the battle. "Arin - on me!"

Driven away by another one of the dragons, Rapton disappeared back into the battle, another Claw Hunter racing towards then to try and attack Wyldfyre first, its maw opened and hungry. 

It didn't end well. 

Heatwave was a blur of orange and red, tackling the Photac Wolf in a flurry of jaws, claws and flames. He couldn't even call it a fight as the Lava Drake jsed blows that would battered and bruised any being eith flesh and blood. 

Lloyd cringed when he then heard a scream and a sickening crunch, the hard lighted monsters barks drowned out by Heatwave's roar. 

The smell of blood filled nose, not that he was a stranger to it. He looked in the corner of his eye and felt a twinge of remorse for Arin, who looked understandably green in the face. 

Heatwave continued on his rampage after Rapton, and Lloyd could see what Wyldfyre had meant when she threatened Rockslide and Torchspark back in the prison chamber with his name. 

Photac Wolves that were on the receiving end of his claws were knocked over and sent tumbling away, their riders flying off or smashed to the ground by Heatwave throwing them to the ground. Dead or unconscious, Lloyd couldn't tell. 

Finally reaching her, Lloyd picked her up. Arin acting as a barrier for him and Wyldfyre with the Claw Hunter's weapon. Keeping the drones off of them both as they ran back towards Beatrix' statue, using the dragons as cover. 

The second they rounded the statue, Lloyd placed Wyldfyre down, making sure to be gentle. Laying her head down last before shifting his hand out from underneath it. 

"Check for any blood." Lloyd ordered, blowing at his hands to activate the ice attribute portion of his abilities quicker, using deep breathes to cool his hands. "Come on come on come on." 

"I think she just had a really bad fall." While hesitant, Arin began to comb through Wyldfyre's hair, pulling it around. Brushing his fingers through the strands of red and being careful not to snag his fingers on the knots. 

"Just in case - check the fighting, if you need to, take the shot." Lloyd said, hands flowing a softer shade of green as he presses both his hands to either side of her face, Wyldfyre's skin naturally running – he assumed – hot like Kai's. "She might have a concussion from a fall like that."

Arin did as he was told, peering around the statue every so often, his blaster sparking to life unless he needed to fully hide.

Lloyd carefully ran his hands across Wyldfyre's face, seeing shifts in her. Her eyebrows would twitch and her cheeks would tense up, which caused him to breathe out a sigh of relief. Okay, she was alive. 

Pulling his hands away, Wyldfyre finally groaned, curling forwards as she clutched her head. Her eyes scrunched shut tightly. "Owh... that... that hurt, I'm totally burning his skull when I get my hands on him."

"I can help with the headache more if you let me?" Lloyd mumbled, Arin's blaster causing Wyldfyre to wince. The fire user flinching away. "My uh, power let's me do a lot of things." 

"Where's Heatwave?" Wyldfyre demanded instead, already trying to get up. Her arms wobbly as her hold on the statues base nearly slipped. "Is he okay? Where is he?" 

"He's..." Lloyd trailed off, trying to think of a way to explain. 

"Heatwave's kicking Photac Wolf butt and getting the most takedowns." Arin supplied instead, and Lloyd promised to buy him an extra pouch of snowberries and two bags more of flour when they got out of here. 

Wyldfyre calmed down, though she looked jittery every time a dragon snarled in attack or roared in pain. She averted her gaze, hand nursing her head. "Can sick-flames guy heal like he's saying he can?" 

"I swear it." Arin nodded, pulling back to directly look at her with a smile. "He healed out buddy, Riyu like, a week ago. That's the name of our little Mountain Dragon buddy." 

Wyldfyre ducked her head before she snapped it up when she heard Heatwave's roar of anger. Her hands sparking with fire for a moment, then fading out as she slumped against the statues base. 

"I can get you back to maximum awesomeness that'll get you even further than before?" Lloyd tried, desperate to try and heal any furher damage. Arin frowned, arms falling to his sides. 

She eyed Arin with the same suspicion that she'd given him in the prison, her eyes narrowing in thought. It was weird, seeing her be this quiet for some reason. 

Lloyd turned his eyes to Arin, hoping that the teenager would understand why Wyldfyre was giving him that look. He had been the one disagreeing with her initial plans and even arguing. 

"I'm sorry I didn't trust your plan, earlier." Arin said, rubbing the back of his neck with a palm since his grappler was in his hand. "I should've listened. You were right. Because of that I could have been helping a lot sooner." 

 Lloyd felt a stab of guilt for being glad that he and Arin had been affected, not only did it prevent him form seeing the mess beneath the surface, it also kept them both safe for a bit. 

Blinking in surprise, the fire user stared at him, her brows raised. A small grin crept on her face, smaller than her usual dragons smirk, but still content nonetheless. "Guess I can, well, get the healing. Only because you two have been useful so far. And 'cause I'm awesome enough to see your usefulness." 

Shuffling forward, she leaned her head so that Lloyd could close the distance. "Hurry up before I change my mind though, or else release me. Since I gotta fight." 

Reaching out, Lloyd pressed his hands to her face - seeing her nose scrunch up in discomfort as well as her lips peel back in a low hiss. Though she didn't say a word as he moved his hands around. 

"Done." Retracing his hands as the ice energy died down, she rolled her neck, humming. Arin already back on duty of sniping down drones and being a nuisance to any riders. 

"Not too bad." She muttered, rolling her shoulders. Wyldfyre rose from her position, cracking her knuckles. "Guess you aren't so sick after all, Lloyd." 

"No, just green." He returned, brushing off the pants of his gi. If he didn't know any better, he would've missed the silent thank you she sent her way. Fire user and their pride, he mused. "Ready?" 

"Duh, let's wipe the floor with these fuckers." 

"Language." 

"Fine, let's kick their butts. Happy?" 

"Better." 

The Photac Wolves were reverting to more desperate measures, now that only three or four riders remained out of the thirteen. 

Which, in turn, was making it harder for the dragons as the Photacs were no longer holding back with blunt damage and missiles, but slashing and biting. Their claws cutting through scales and teeth digging into hide. 

"We are not going to survive this without Riyu and Sora!" Leaping into the air, Lloyd unleashed another spout of explosive energy. Missing the rider as the Photac dodged out of the way. 

"Heatwave, now!"

The Lava Drake slammed into the monster, allowing Arin a clear shot. Firing, the cable whirred toward the rider, wrapping around the Claw Hunter before he tugged them off and on to the floor towards a waiting Wyldfyre.

Grabbing the Claw Hunter by the shoulders, the fire elemental smashed them against the metal twice, their struggles ceasing quickly. Lloyd flipped into his Spinjitzu, picking the person up and then throwing them into the field of defeated Imperians around the statue. 

Okay, that left three, which, speaking off - 

Lloyd sidestepped around a Photac Wolf just in time to avoid the paw slamming down where he'd previously been. Deflecting the bite with an upwards burst of his tornado, he shot out an explosive blast - hoping it would hit. 

He should've known his luck. 

The monster moved just enough to where the blast was set off by one of the fricking banners. "Better luck next time, greenie!" 

Ugh, Rapton really did sound like a more annoying, grown up version of Gene. 

Actually, he took that back. That was just mean to Gene, at least he was likeable. 

Sometimes. 

Lloyd curled his lip, hissing. Wordlessly dropping back down to the ground as he squared off against Rapton. He waved his arms in partial prep for his stance, feeling his energy rise in power because of it.

The hard light monster pinned its ears back in return, Rapton chuckling above it. It then lunged, left claw raised to smash or slash him, maybe even both. 

Winding his arms once again, he darted forward. Zig zagging around to confuse the Photac Beast. Arms spread, energy crackling in his palms dangerously.  

He yelled, fire a a blast to redirect the paw and then at Rapton. 

The Photac flinched, taken off balance as his blast almost found its mark by knocking Rapton's weapon out of his hands. 

However, it recovered faster than he could. 

It took a page out of Heatwave's book and hit him with its head, sending him to the ground, winded. He rolled out of the way of a bite that made the monster eat crap, jumping to his feet.  

"Lloyd!" Arin cried, trying to reach him but cut off by another Photac and its rider forcing him to dodge and weave around its legs to try and not get crushed. 

He was saved only by Vigor and Glacier's help, the Mountain Dragon swooping in and picking up the rider, dropping them to the ground at a height that would knock them unconscious. Glacier wrestled the wolf away, reared up on her last set of legs. 

Lloyd hopped backwards to avoid the pounce, the Photac and Rapton relentless. He saw what they were doing, too, they were pushing him farther and farthernaway from the others, knowing that they didnt have the numbers to spread out. 

Lighting his hands again, Lloyd lashed out, trying to get an opportunity. 

The Photac Beast reared up, nullifying the attacks by taking then to the chest as it landed on all fours again. Rapton smirked, leaning forward. "You aren't going anywhere, Ninja." 

Leaping forward, the Photac snarled, teeth barred and claws extended as it went in for the attack.

Lloyd ran forward, ducking bellow its underbelly as he slid under it, grateful it didn't have a cats tail, and instead a wolf's. He spun to his feet, using a dance move Cole taught him. "Looks like I went somewhere, huh?" 

Both Rapton and monster growled, turning around to continue the barrage. Lloyd braced himself for the next attack —

A roar of booming thunder broke over his head, the familiar smell of ozone hit his nose as a bolt of golden lightning hit the Photac Wolf with so much force it was pushed it back. 

A buzzing roar that ended with a shriek announced its presence, Lloyd looked over, his eyes widening as a blue Lightning Dragon flew down, running straight into the monster. Claws keeping the Photacs jaws at bay whole it tried snapping at Rapton. 

"Arin!" 

Lloyd felt hope swell in him – Sora was here! 

Then felt it promptly crash in flames when he remembered that Riyu was missing. 

The Lightning Dragon pivoted on its - his heel, swinging his massive tail into the Photac's face, knocking it off balance. The blow strong enough to where the dragon continued his spin and used the momentum to leap into the air. 

Another blur of sky blue rushed passed him, charging into the battle with a familiar deep throated roar. It was the dragon from The Crossroads! Sora had found her! 

The sky-blue dragon took off into the air, making Lloyd feel like he'd hit his head too hard against the ground. Because how was wingless dragon, that he was fairly sure wasn't either of the Sky Serpents, flying!?

The Photac Wolf howled and the Lightning Dragon shrieked in kind, making Lloyd refocus on what was at hand. Right, he needed to shatter the Claw Hunters and Imperian guards' morale by taking down Rapton. 

"Hope I can catch your name after this from Wyldfyre!" He called, morphing into his Spinjitzu tornado again, hurling towards the monster. The Photac Beast trying and failing to focus on one target and protect its rider at the dame time. 

'Any enemy of Imperium is a possible ally to me, little human!' The dragon grinned, barring his teeth and claws as he dove towards it. 

Lloyd liked this dragon already.  

"Why would you activate more Photac Wolves!?" Arin hissed, pulling away from Sora right after she pulled him from being crushed by Borealis and a Photac Wolf. 

Lloyd summoned his tornado of Spinjitzu, shoving another one back and into Jiro's path. The Lightning Dragon lifting it into the air with pure strength and furious beats of his massive wings then dropping it. 

Wyldfyre whirled around, her brow furrowed, a Imperian drone under her arm, hand on fire. She shot Lloyd a look and he raised his hands in surrender. "Wait, what? She's the mother of the monsters?" 

'It was not her choice.' The sky-blue dragon lashed her tail, striking a Photac Beast over the head. Forcing it to the ground as she spwed fire over it, the flames licking at it uselessly. She swatted at its head when it tried to bite her leg. 

Sora shrunk under Wyldfyre's glare and Arin's scowl, rubbing her shoulders."So I know this might look like I did something terrible –" 

"Might look? Definitey looks!" Arin reiterated, slicing through a drone with the stolen sword. Swapping it to blaster mode to then shoot right into nozzle of another one, having gotten the hang of it. 

"You didn't respond for forty minutes ." Lloyd commented, kicking a monster in the lower jaw - he noted that it was Rapton's mount, from the looks of it. He fired off two shots of bursting energy, the explosions loud and ringing. 

Wyldfyre melted the drone she was holding in matter of seconds, reducing it to a pile of molten mettle as she gave Sora a deadpan. "Should've ran away to regroup with your flock." 

"Okay, I know this is bad, but I really couldn't pick up the comslink!" Rushing to get her words before any of them could say anything else, she ducked underneath a stray tail, then leaped over a paw. "I was in the lab the entire time with the goons, I didn't want it to get destroyed - plus they were torturing them, I had to do something!" 

She motioned to where the Lightning Dragon was now currently helping Torchspark, who was looking worse for wear, now that the riders were gone. His wings had taken some heavy hits, and he was bleeding alongside several chipped spines and horns. 

Then to the sky-blue dragon circling against another one, using her tail to try and bait out attacks while Glacier recovered behind her. Out of breath, the Ice Dragon panted. 

 It really wasn't looking good for them anymore. 

"Might look the Imperian says, as if everything they do is not already terrible." Rolling her eyes Wyldfyre let loose a stream of flames, melting on coming drones instantly and making their blasts dissipate mid shot. 

'Jiro and I were saved by her, she is not one of them.' The sky-blue dragon called over, battering the Photac Wolf away with a well placed shoulder check towards the patch of ice the Ice Dragons created. 

Wyldfyre didn't look particularly convinced as she pointed an accusing finger at his other student. "Her people are the reason we are here at all!" 

Sora bit her lip, ducking in on herself - and Arin's eyes widened before the glare returned, this time aimed at Wyldfyre. He opened his mouth to defend her. "She isn't an Imperi-" 

Lloyd cut Arin off with a sharp blast of energy, giving him a pleading look. "Wyldfyre, hold on for a sec. Sora's the reason we even managed to get in to the city." 

The elemental grumbled under her breath, punching a fist out and sending a large blue fireball at one of the monsters Heatwave was facing, flinching it. "And? She still did it. Every chance to run away, before then." 

Llloyd nodded, though he motioned to the guards they'd encased in ice. "While she... did something less than wise, her hand was forced because off the two dragons. Like the guards in the prison chambers with their families. Rememeber?" 

While he could see the way Wyldfyre's glare softened, she turned to regard Sora coldly, her scowl searching the pinkettes, the battlefield raging around them. Arin standing beside her, arm brushing against hers. 

The fire user turned her stare to him for a couple of seconds, and when he kept hers in return, she threw her head into the air with a groan. "Piece of shit Ninja, I thought humans were bad, but are all of you this annoying?"

Lloyd smiled, reminded of how when Kai relented whenever anyone on the team would stare at him for long enough he's relent. Mostly worked if it was him, Nya, Zane, or Skylor though. 

Wyldfyre rolled her shpulders, watching Slab try entombing a Photac that was pinned by Rockslide and Vigor. "If the Imperi-Rat has a plan, then she better belch it right now. " 

"Don't call her that." Arin said, eyes narrowing. 

"Until she proves herself. She's an Imperi-Rat." Wyldfyre growled, crossing her arms. "Take it or leave it. You ain't getting me to budge." 

Lloyd shook his head in disproval. Thankfully, Sora elbowed Arin lightly, getting him to back down. "I built in a secrect way to shut the Photacs down, I just need Riyu to give me the jump-start." 

"A search mission while my dad and my kind are getting torn up just to trust you?" Wyldfyre demanded, scoffing incredulously. "Firstbourne's fangs, Lloyd. You coulda just asked me to summon a Source Dragon."

Lloyd pointed in the direction of the inner city, hands alighting with green once again. "You two, go find him. The Dragons and I will try to buy you some extra time - but it won't be a lot." 

The sky-blue dragon leapt to their side, rumbling lightly. Her scales already bearing the same wounds as the other dragons. 'I can run them in, I just need somebody to give me cover.' 

'We can do that.' Slab growled, lowering his head to her level. The Primordial perhaps the second most scarred up of any dragon after Torchspark. Glacier at his side, frost eminating from her mouth now that she found her breath. 

"Well, looks like you two have a way back in. Get on." Wyldfyre motioned, shooting a stream of flames at a Photac to flinch it off of Rockslide. Sora and Arin nodded at each other then Lloyd, the two clambering on as the drake took off, Earth and Ice Dragon covering her sides.

"Wyldfyre can I ask you for a favor?" Lloyd took the shot at another Photac Beast, watching it recoil as if it was truly struck by an attack. 

"Spew it." She ordered, following his green up with explosive blasts of her own white. 

Chewing the inside of his cheek, he turned to watch the drake's break into a run. Slab and Glacier preventing the other Photac Wolves from following. "Can you go with them? The sky-blue dragon-" 

"Zanth." 

"Zanth can't fit into the places where they need to go, and they'll need your awesome nose to sniff him out." He said, jumping over a bite and landing on the back of one, leaping off of it after Rockslide gackled it away in a flurry of horns and spikes.

She snarled at him, her eyes narrowing to slits. Her white flames briefly going blue. "Are you trying to send me away? Im not a weak human. I don't need protecting." 

He shook his head fervently, rubbing the back of it. Yeah, he should have led with somsthing better. "I would not dream of it, but they're my - flock and... I need somebody to keep them safe. Please? I can't be there." 

Squinting at him, Wyldfyre's lips curled. Hands clenching and unclenching in thought. The dragons roaring and the Photac Wolves howling in the background probably not helping much with trying to think. 

Rolling her eyes, she turned her attention to Heatwave, who was catching a moment to breathe behind Borealis and Jiro, the latter two defending him. 'Dad, there's another plan being hatched! Lloyd's asking me to go with his flock members to make sure it happens, should I!?'

The Lava Drake turned his head to her, and Lloyd could see where Wyldfyre got her scowl. He felt small under the dragon's scrutiny. 'Flash the teeth, Wyldfyre. Not like we have much else goin' on here. We'll take anythin' we can get.'

Wyldfyre still looked at them both with a little suspicion, but she was already stepping away in the direction of where Arin and Sora went. "Fine. I'll go - not because you asked me to. I don't trust that Verm-erian to not screw this up." 

While he would have corrected her for calling his student a vermin a rat, it was a moot point. He could only hope Sora gained her trust. "I owe you big time after this, Wyldfyre."

"You can fill that debt by showing me how to make my powers more awesome." She took off, scarily fast as she vaulted over a destroyed bed of flowers and around debris with so much ease he though she could've been a Ninja in training. 

Lloyd sighed, turning his attemtion to the grim fight ahead of him. Only to flinch back with a totally cool battle cry as Heatwave stood there, giving him a grateful stare. 

'You don't know what I'm saying, but I know what you did for her earlier. At the statue.' Heatwave said, turning around and flexing his claws. His frill rattling. 'Thank you for saving my not-so little girl. Twice. I owe you.' 

Lloyd blinked, because Heatwave gave him one more look - one that sent a chill down his spine because he knew. Just like he thought he did when he mentioned it to Slab. "She'll be safe. She's a really good fighter, plus Arin and Sora are resourceful. I just hope they can work together for our sakes." 

'Here's hoping.' Heatwave agreed, leaping back into the fray with Lloyd bounding beside him, the two unleashing their powers on the Photac Wolves. 

It was in the hands of the kids now. 

They just needed to have faith.

Chapter Text

"Riiiiyyuuuu!" Arin called, making her to cringe. What in the ever loving hells was he doing!? Picking up the pace, she grasped the rim of a bed of flowers and vaulted over it. "Helloooo?"

"Come on out!" The shit-perian added, one hand cupped around her mouth to make herself louder. Zanth herself remaining quiet as she galloped along, which Wyldfyre noted was smart. Less suspicion if only the humans call out. 

Unfortunately, the two on her back were not too smart.  

Okay, Arin was a little smarter than the Imperian. He at least knew how to hold his ground without any Elemental Powers. During the entirety of the Photac Beast fight all she did was dodge, which while okay in hindsight for staying alive, was not at all helpful in the moment.

Anyway, she would yell at them, but she also needed every bit of breath to keep up with Zanth. While she prided herself on being decent at running for good amounts of time, she was losing ground to the sky-blue drake's larger strides. 

Plus the fact she'd been fighting all day probably was not helping either. Cursing, she lit her hand and fired off a small firecracker shot, letting it cover the ground she couldn't. 

She watched it sail through the air, faster than she ever could be which sucked, since having her dad's or her fire's speed would be cool and hepful! But no, she was stuck with being a crappy human. 

The firecracker exploded above them, the action making both scream in fright and Zanth whirl on the spot with a short lived roar, her eyeridges furrowing with irritation. 'Was that really necessary? You could have just called out.' 

Slowing into a jog, Wyldfyre grinned half-apologetically. While it was good that she got to scare the Imperian, she did end up scaring Arin and Zanth. "I was running out of energy and time, needed a quick idea." 

"Why aren't you back at the fight?" Arin questioned, peering around from Zanth's horns and the pink haired girls shoulders. "We can handle this." 

"Yeah... no. I decided to come along to make sure you two get it done without messing it up." Walking over to Zanth, she reached a hand out. Satisifed at how the Imperian frowned. 'Is it okay if I get a ride? Sorry to add more weight, the green one wanted me to come along.' 

'Sit behind the boy. We don't have time for games.' Zanth ordered, and Wyldfyre nodded in understanding, jumping on to her tail and using the ridges to clamber up to Arin's spot at her hip. 

"So what's your plan? Because yelling out his name is definitely a good idea." Wyldfyre snarked, making sure to stay a little bit away from Arin, nestling against Zanth's ridge. 

"We were going to use Zanth's nose to track him, but then Arin and Riyu went into a garbage bin earlier. So that idea was a bust." The Imperian explained, shifting in her spot at the front as Zanth took off into a trot. 

Now that she was not being threatened with death every second, she would have to painfully agree with the Imperian. She had barely took notice earlier that Arin smelled like complete and utter crap. "Why were you even in there?" 

"Because we were trying to hide from the guards at first, then he tried staying hidden while I distracted this club, but he got caught because I was taking to long." Arin sighed, rubbing at his face. Poor guy, she decided, having to deal with teenage shit-perians outside of Pinkie. "They wanted to capture him so they could join the Claws." 

Her lips curled, teeth barred. Yeah, being around those kinds of people would definitely kinda suck. "It's like they have a death wish. Stupid boneheads." 

'I've never met a more dense group of humans.' Zanth muttered, causing Wyldfyre to bark a laugh. 'Raising their children to be our hunters and killers then being upset when they die as we defend ourselves? Idiots.' 

Okay, maybe Lloyd was right about that one. It... didn't sound as funny as she thought it would coming from Zanth. A hatchlings early days should be about spending time with family and growing, not learning how to be violent. 

She huffed, barely even more than a day and he was already using his stupid Ninja talk to make her feel a little bad. 

Not a lot. Just a tiny amount. No more than a grain of sand. 

"If they capture him, they'd have to report it to the Imperium logs." Sora said, leaning forward and pointing Zanth down another path. "Which would be bad, but we'd at least know where to look." 

Zanth broke into a gallop, and Wyldfyre looked around with bordeom - sure, it was great that everyone was hiding because of the fighting at the front gates, but it still sucked she couldn't prank a bystander or two. 

The chance to sit down was nice, she'd admit. Ugh, when was the last time she had a nap in the sun? The cold chambers were an awful place to sleep. 

Actually. Wait. Imperium logs needed those weird and cold machine-room things right? Sitting up, she looked around, recognizing the path of destruction left behind by the other dragons. Which meant they were at going towards the... oh, shit.  

"Wait wait wait – don't go to the security station you used to get in!" Wyldfyre yelled, stamping a fist down on Zanth's scales to get her to stop. "Me and Lloyd destroyed it after we got caught there!" 

Coming to an abrupt halt, Zanth stopped, craning her neck around to glower at her. She was joined by Arin who looked with exasperation and the Imperian, who sighed heavily. 'You could have said that some minutes earlier.'

She bristled, her ears heating up. She could have, but she sorta forgot when they needed to run away. "Listen, I'm not the one with whatever it is that he uses to communicate without needing you to be there. I'm just the one who's trying to get her family out." 

Pinkie rubbed the back of her head, and Arin lppked up to the sky tiredly. "That means we'll need to go to the other one and hope it isn't guarded, what did you and Lloyd do?" 

"I melted the door together and he used lightning or something to turn off the power – oh, and we trapped a guard to the floor because the poor dumbass came at the wrong time." Wyldfyre shrugged, smirking at the two humans' incredulous expressions. 

Zanth could only roll her eyes and shake her head. 'We're wasting time.' 

"Zanth says you should make yourself useful and show the way to the other places by the way." Wyldfyre repeated, coating her hand in small red flames as she looked Pinkie in the eyes. "Wasting time and stuff." 

"You'll need to take a right at the next street, Zanth." The Imp looked away, and Arin gave Wyldfyre a look, which she ignored. He didn't have any issues with Imperium until now, she wanted to hear none of hoe his "friend" was any different. It would only be a waste of breath. 

With the Imperian now unfortunately-but-fortunately leading the way, all she could really do was sit back and wait - which, given what Heatwave was going through, majorly sucked. 

Here she was, kinda resting her strength atop Zanth and he was there, fighting to get her and the others out. She hoped he was proud of her decision to lsiten to Lloyd. 

Any-anyway, At least she got to save all her best words for the Imperian Guards! She was itching to insult some sentimental idiot's shoulder pads, and anything else she could use. Maybe their armor? It was pretty ugly. 

"Hey, so, Sora when we get back to the Monastery do you want to –" Arin began, and she quickly tuned him out by drumming on Zanth's scales, mostly uninterested in whatever it was. Given that it didn't revolve around escaping this place, she could care less.

Instead, she eyes narrowed on the back of Lloyd's pink haired student while she worked out the kinks in her wrist and hands, prepping for another fight. So these two were close, from the way they chatted with each other. 

She couldn't really help the feeling in her but about Pinkie, though. Something about her made Wyldfyre want to punch her in the shoulder at least. Maybe it was that she was an Imperian, but something else felt wrong about her. 

Not that she really gave a damn, but if it caused the mission to go badly, then she would care. 

'When you get back to the fight, tell Heatwave I'm fine. And that Lloyd's little hatchlings are also alive.' Wyldfyre murmured to Zanth, hoping down from the sky-blue drake last. Patting her scales in thanks.

The drake huffed, crouching low to the ground. Her eyes skittering over to the other two teenagers she was grouped with. 'Best of luck to the three of you. You'll need it.' 

Without another word, Zanth took off into the air like she was one of the Primordial Sky Serpents, snaking around the large houses with the grace a winged dragon wished they had but could never acheive. 

Yeah... flying was a no from her. Running and jumping were more fun anyway. 

Sucks that this mission isn't fun.

Turning to around, Wyldfyre was met with Arin fiddling with the stolen weapon and the actual Imperian staring at her - again. Was that all she ever did? Stare? It was kinda rude, if she said so herself. 

"You gonna lead the way or not?" She demanded, walking up to them both and making her flinch back. "'Cause if you're getting cold feet I can help with that." 

She lit her hand, grinning. The pink haired girl took it as the right cue to turn around, motioning for them to follow. "Try and stay quiet, they are probably on high alert for anyone who slipped away from the fighting." 

"Never would have figured." Wyldfyre rolled her eyes, letting Arin take the lead ahead after he inserted himself between them. His hands twitching on the weapon constantly, not that she did not understand. This was enemy territory. 

Scenting the air around them, she shook her head. Arin's smell mostly clogging up the other ones due to how bad it was. She could barely even make out the Imp! So much for having the best smell of the three. There went one of her strengths. 

The building itself - at least she was pretty sure that's what it was called, wasn't exactly hard to climb. For something that was meant to protect people, she thought it would be more, you know, dangerous. Threatening. Scary. The stuff that came with Imperium's Guard. 

Instead, it was just some dinky little hill that was non-threatening. If it was up to her, she would totally have a river of lava going around it with a rock crossing. Maybe some ash thorn bushes too, those would be perfect for pranks! 

Maybe her thinking was too awesome, or Arin was being dumb, but she ended up bumping into his back, snout first. Hissing, Wyldfyre backed away, rubbing her nose, barring her teeth. What the hells? 

Casting a look over his shoulder, Arin pointed to the Imp, who was tapping her ear things with a finger. So she was hearing somebody at the front door. Squaring her shoulders, Wyldfyre went around Arin and stalked to the overhang.

The closer she got, the more she realized that the Imperi-Rat had heard this guard from farther away than she did. And she had pretty good hearing, if she said so herself. So not only able to create monsters like the Photac Beasts, but she also had strong hearing. 

Peeking over the edge carefully, she stared down at the Imperian Guard who was watching the battle. Her lip peeling back when she watched Jiro crunch through a guard and toss them at the screen. Swiftly extending a hand, she stopped Arin and the Gold-Pisser from getting closer.

The guard repeated the scene of Jiro crunching through one of their comrades, muttering under his breath as the Lightning Dragon's buzzing roar softly came from the thing, followed up seconds later by the crunch of armor and bone. 

At least he was too much of a coward to try and gp to the fighting. 

Hearing a rustle come from behind her, Wyldfyre snapped her head around, barring her teeth and biting at the air in warning to Arin's "friend." She would only give her one, so she better be smart.

Or else. 

Reeling back, the girl opened her mouth to whisper something that was probably really dumb, but was stopped when Arin grasped her shoulder. Pulling the Imp back and shaking his head rapidly. Pinkie gave him a look, like she wanted to argue.

She better not. 

He simply shook his head again, more firmly this time. Tugging her away from Wyldfyre. 

Good. 

Turning back around, she exhaled airily. They didn't understand death. They did not need to see anymore death than what Arin saw today. Even if she disliked the shit-perian with every drop of blood in her body. 

She glared down at the guard with disdain, fighting back the urge to jump down on the chattering Imperian Guard to let off some steam. Only when he lowered whatever the hells it was that kept replaying Jiro killing the guard did she wave the two over. 

Drumming her fingers against the stone, she continued to stamp out the urge to turn him into a charred body in a corner. Ugh, she regretted her promise. But she always kept her promises even when she hated them.

 Stupid Lloyd and his no killing request. 

She supposed she'd be more awesome and scary in the eyes of the Imp and Arin for not killing despite being able to, anyway. Definitely a good way to show how powerful yet merciful she was now that she reconsidered it. 

After what felt like years of waiting, the guard turned tail back into the belly of the hallways, the door opening as he stepped through. Honestly, how did this joke even get the job? He was a complete coward. She knew fire jackals more daring that him! 

Wyldfyre swayed her head at Arin so that he and the Imp would go first, since they knew what to look for. A low hiss telling him to move it. 

Swinging down without any hesitation, the two rushed in, Wyldfyre, again, bringing up the rear just in case. On the way back out she should definitely try being in the front. Would be a nice change of pace. 

The easier part of not having to crawl around in the vents or tunnels – whatever was that they could get to their target a visit quicker, compared to earlier where Lloyd and her had to more or less guess which way was right and wrong. 

She would have thought this place would be crawling with Imperian Guards, but there was only the one coward so far. Grinning to herself, she let out a hissing laugh, hidden under an exhale. So that really was buying them time. Wonder how long it was taking the idiots to open it? 

The Imp raised a hand to get them to stop, leaning around a corner then pulling back to turn around. Looking... amused? 

"There's an asleep guard." she smiled at Arin, and Wyldfyre wrinkled her nose. Again, this was only proving her point that the rats here never knew what danger felt like at any point in their lives.

Though an opportunity was an opportunity, she would have to admit. While it was the more boring option, better than having to scrap with a guard in a tunnel again. 

The Imperi-Rat was the first one to creep forward, walking silently past and into the room on swift steps. She and Arin following behind as they both eyed the snoring guard like he was some scraggkunk waiting to explode. 

Probably smelled like one under all that armor, if she was being honest. 

Right as they got to the door and it opening to let them in, the guard let go of his weapon. Damned idiot's grip too loose to keep it in place. 

Lunging for it, she twisted so that she'd land on her back, letting out a quiet oof. Her head thumping against the metal, her eyes on the cieling. 

Either her luck was shit or this guard was just a bad one, she really wanted to set him on fire and watch him dance around like a road runner with its tail feathers smoking. 

Arin appeared in her vision a couple seconds later, taking the weapon from her and carefully propping it up against the wall so it wouldn't crash to the ground the second they left. 

Rolling over with a low grumble she got to her feet, brushing off her clothes and flipped the guard twice at the sleeping Imperian Guard. Walking past and into the room after that with a huff. 

She'd be lying if she didn't find it a little funny seeing Arin wave his arm in front of the guys face. 

Entering the room, they found Pinke scrolling through images of the dragons. Most of them she recognized as the fighters near the main gates, but there were a couple she didn't. 

Crossing her arms, she leaned against the wall furthest away from them. Making sure to commit the faces to memory. A young Mountain Dragon female, a Fire Wyvern, a serpentine Earth Dragon.. 

Her hold on her arms tightened, glarring daggeerd at the back of the shit-perians ponytail. All of them, named and having families of some degree, dead because of her kind. 

Wyldfyre still didn't get what Lloyd and Arin saw in her. Again, she created the monsters, the ones who made Imperium think hunting and killing dragons would be easier with them. 

The ones spilling her dad's blood. 

"Checked through all the recent dragon captures, but there's nothing that fits Riyu's descrption." Pinkie said, scrolling through the images one more time. She turned to Arin. "You think...?" 

"Percival or one of his friends has him." Arin sucked in a breath, and Wyldfyre narrowed her eyes. "There's nothing else I can think of. He'd be there with the others at the gate if he'd only been hiding." 

"Hacking it is." Sora muttered, messing with the buttons and controls of the machine. 

Wyldfyre reclined back, watching them half-hearted interest. All this tech-y stuff wasn't her place anyway. 

She just hoped her dad was alright. 

__

Lloyd called in a couple minutes later, getting her to stand straight as a mountain peak. The Imp raised a hand to reaching for something on her ear. "Hacked through the city's surveillance, I'm going as fast as I can - we think Riyu was captured." 

Wyldfyre walked forward, turning her head to try and strain her hearing so she could hear what he was saying. Though with her distance, she could barely make out a thing except a low murmur of words coming from the doohicky on Pinkie. 

"I can't do it without Riyu, you know that, Lloyd." Sora hissed, the screen shifting from one room to another. Staring at the control panel due to Lloyd distracting her. Arin, thankfully, was picking up her slack by scanning through the images. 

Lloyd said something else, because the Imp's expression scrunched with bare repressed irritation. Her fingers curling on the doohicky. "Yeah, yeah true potential. But what if mine isn't as true as you think? Believe me, I've been trying! Not my fault my Elemental Power won't respond!"

So she was a traitor. Somebody who used Elemental Powers, just like her and Lloyd. A gift from the dragons, from Firstbourne herself. 

Wasted on her. 

"All I'm hearing are weak excuses." Wyldfyre scoffed, Pinkie's scowl shifting over to her. She raised a brow and then pointed to the wall - where she knew outside of them her family and his friends were fighting. "A dragon learns how to use their elemental breath or wings or they die. You want to be one of the weaker ones who dies? Try harder." 

"It's not that simple, you have a perfectly working Elemental Power-" 

"Yeah, and I still have teeth and fists!" He hissed back. "You only have words-" 

"Stop! Wait! Go back to the last one!" Arin interrupted, causing her and Wyldfyre to jump, not that it was Arin who startled her. It was Pinkie moving so suddenly and making her think she was gonna attack, obviously. 

Not like she'd win.

Glaring at her and getting it returned back, Sora inhaled sharply, her shoulders bunching together. Probably getting chastised by Lloyd or something. "Here's the good news you wanted; we found Riyu and know where he is. The bad knews; he's in the worst possible place in the entire city." 

Wyldfyre looked to the "screen" and snarled. 

On second thought, maybe she would be doing just a bit more killing today. 

So two things to keep in mind about these two, or at least things Wyldyfre thought were important to keep in mind. 

One: Arin had the same clumsiness as a newborn camel that still hadn't learned to walk when he was not fighting for his life. Seriously, how does somebody trip on smooth ground? At least she grabbed the Imperian blaster and whatever chain he used to swing around.

Only reason he even still had them. Yeah, she was awesome, she knew. 

Two: The Imp was a good liar. That or the guards were gullible as shit or the town really was that weird, but she'd give them a pass if Pinkie turned out to be a decent liar, given that Arin helped her easily as breathing. 

Either way, after that whole thing with the two guards, she stared at the door in thought. She could melt it down, but that would draw too much attention. Which, usually, would be the cool way to do it. 

If this wasn't a stealth mission. 

"We should go through a window." Pinkie pointed out, smiling cheekily at Arin who was laid out on the floor like he'd just been punched. Even she couldn't help the snort that left her. He really tried kicking a metal door.

 He has the spirit, she'll give him that. 

"Good idea!" Pulling out his grappler, he shot it out at at an angle of the roof. Then opened an arm for Sora to get closer, then stared at Wyldyre. "oh uh... how do I..?" 

Stepping away from him, she wrinkled her nose at Pinkie who's smile vanished instantly. 

 Yeah... no, she was not touching the Imperi-Rat. 

Waving him off, Wyldfyre rolled her eyes. She rubbed her hands, lighting them aflame as she pressed against the wall. "I can climb up there. It's called melting metal." 

"You sure you won't burn?" Pinkie questioned. 

Look at that, the Imperian had the capability to care for other people outside of her friends and the dragons! Plus three wyldmelons for her, maybe one of them wouldn't have some death wasps or whatever inside. 

Maybe a seeds-scorpion, just to scare her. Yeah, that sounded about right. 

Nodding, she pressed her hands against the metal, already feeling it give way as she carved an imprint made for holding on. "My caregiver bot made sure my clothes were fire resistant. Go up there and scout it out. Don't do any fighting until I get there, or if you have to."

"Got it." Wrapping an arm around the Imp, they sped up and around the building, climbing into the newrest gap– er, window. Yeah, that.

Wyldfyre grunted when them metal started putting up more of a resistance the higher she got. Furrowing her brow, she raised the heat, the red giving way to yellow then to the lower end of white. Still retaining a hint of yellow. 

Pulling her hand back and pressing it down against the metal, it caved to her will a little. Not enough to form a hold. She added more pressure, sniffing. 

Again, not as much give as she was wanting. 

"This is gonna hurt a bit." She muttered. Breathing in deeply, she cranked up the level from the lower end of white to the beginnings of blue. Wincing when her muscles started to cramp a little. 

Better make this quick. 

Speeding along, she clawed her way up to the window, the cramp in her hands growing stornger and stronger the more she stayed with blue flames. 

The metal melted rapidly beneath her touch, so that was a plus. Good thing the cool down once she moved her hands was near instant, too. Singed feet would really suck. 

So Empress Bitchiness was smarter than she looked, making the metal more resistant to white meant that this was supposed to be strong against Fire Elder's. 

That also meant that she knew about Elder Fire Dragons. Which... really did not sound great, at all! She hoped– cruel as it sounded, that the oldest dragon they ever captured was no older than Slab. 

Well, actually. She didn't really know how old he was. He talked like an old timer. Then again, in thr short time she knew them, so did Glacier and Borealis, Jiro too. 

Probably their upbringing, or somethin'.

"Ouch, ouch okay, okay, I get it I get it." Yanking her right hand back, she shook it, feeling the middle of her palm cramp. Complaining at how she was pushing it too far for comfort. 

Immediately lowering the heat on her left to avoid the same accident, she sighed, she was holding the two up. Calling out for Arin would result in a guard or some idiot noticing, and trying to jump would lead to falling. The window was right there too... 

This was probably how wingless dragons felt climbing Mount Egalt she thought sourly. 

Guess she'd deal with the consequences! 

Opening her hand and getting ready to palm the next place she was going to use for a nook ready to rush as fast as she can–

Before she startled because of something whirring close to her face. Nearly swatting at it with her fire as it pulled back out of reach. 

"Need some help?" Arin called down, poking his head out from the window. 

"Where's the Imp?" She retorted, squinting her eyes at him.

"Don't call her names, Wyldfyre." Arin sighed, lowering the line back to her, dangling it near shoulders. "She's keeping an eye on things below, we can't get Riyu." 

Good enough for her. Grabbing the line with her left hand, she blinked as he pulled her up. "What? Why? We snuck in and everything-"

Arin shrugged helplessly, averting his gaze. "There's this tiger guy named Ras, we can't get close or else he'll hear or smell us. Also, the Empress is there. I don't know about you but... I don't think can take them on. Who knows if she has a weapon. Ras has this big hammer, too." 

"Could just melt the ceiling on top of them." She suggested, letting him help by touching her shoulder. Then thought against it when she considered it a little longer. "Nevermind, the little dragon's probably in a cage. Can't have him getting crushed."

"He is." Arin said, rubbing his arm. Ah, that was bad. She'd apologize later, when they weren't in a tight spot. 

The second she was inside, she shivered at how much cooler it was. Seriously? Did the rats spend all their time inside their houses instead of going out? What a boring way to live. 

She looked past Arin to Pinkie, who was laying flat on her stomach, looking into the pit. The former lowering his voice into more a whisper. "Lloyd said he's comings with the others, they're just uh.. a bit held back right now. He said something about an ice and earth wall?" 

"Nice. Taking the fight to the heart of the vermin den." She nodded proudly, that meant her dad was coming. Ooh, she'd love to see him absolutely melt Empress Bitch into the ground. Maybe Rapton would finally be dead if he wasn't already. 

"We just have to wait a bit, now." Arin continued, sliding against the wall until he was sitting on the ground. Hand on the stolen weapon while he fiddled with it lightly. 

"Yeah." The sucky part was that they'd have to wait for any of the cool action to happen. Plus, they were already being too loud, if he was right and there was a tiger guy, he was probably from Chima or the Writing Jungles of the Wyldness

This time though, the rest was actually kinda needed, which was shitty. Her right hand would need a second to recover.

Not that she'd ever tell that to the Imp or Arin. 

She had an image to maintain. 

The structure rumbled with a satisfying shake, the lights flickered on and off with the same sparking electricity Lloyd used to fry that machine. 

The dragons had arrived. 

"A direct assault on the palace!?" Miss Babysticks demanded, her voice like rotten berry juice left under the sun for hours. "Such an affront is intolerable!" 

"Such an affront is intolerable." Wyldfyre mimed, scrunching her face in an effort to copy the Imp-Queens probably ugly face. Shaking her hand side to side as she opened and closed her left hand like a mouth. "Yeah, and I'm the alpha of the shit-piles." 

Arin hid a smile behind his raised weapon, and she could even hear the shit-perian let out a qiuet snort when the dragons slammed into the palace again. Harrumphing, she puffed out her chest. Finding it amusing how Pinke thought she was different. 

At least she knew her people were bad. So, another wyldmelon for awareness. Though she supposed she'd already given one, since Pinke had rescued Zanth and Jiro. 

Granted, maybe she'd make it half because Pinkie was wasting her Elemental Powers by not trying to tap into them more. 

Eh, she could learn. Probably. She doesn't really care.

Coming up behind them, Wyldfyre shook in barely contained excitment. The thrill of a fight after some rest making her energetic and Pinkie's status in the group forgotten. "I'll come down last, can't reveal myself just yet. Need to make them think it's just you two. If crap goes bad I'll drop in earlier, got it?" 

Arin unsheathed the sword, squaring his shoulders for a fight. She was liking him more and more. Lloyd did good choosing him for a student. Maybe not the lying part, but that was mostly Pinkie rubbing off on him. 

Speaking of Pinkie, she stared into the pit or chamber, her shoulders sagging like she was supposed to eat wet rocks. Her head and neck ducked like she was trying to hide. 

Following her line of sight, Wyldyfre cocked her head when her own eyes landed on the other redhead with the scientist. Arin raised a brow, wondering whay the hold up was.

"Somethin' you gotta share?" Wyldfyre asked, making sure there was the right amount of threat to put her back on track. Leaning against the railing lazily as she looked away to her nails. 

The Imperian ducked her head lower. And Wyldfyre swore she thought she saw shame in there, the building rattling around them one more time. "Oh, um, nothing. No, I heard you. Ready to go. Yeah. Let's get Riyu." 

Without another word, she shuffled closer to Arin who opened and closed his mouth, deciding not to ask whatbwas up with her now. Even she herself a little confused, where was the pathetic bite Pink had earlier? 

Why the sudden spiness energy of a sparkline jellyfish? 

Growling in thought, she watched Arin and Sora descent down towards Riyu, closing and opening her hand. 

They were caught, obviously, because nothing ever went well. The two were sideswiped by Green-Eyes' assistant, shoved to the ground annnnd now held at laser point after a blaster shot told them to stay where they stood or else.

Drat. 

'Course their luck would be higher than Mount Egalt when it came to sneaking around yet come crashing down to the ground when it you know, actually mattered. Because the spirits of the Sentinels were allll about trials and errors and blah blah blah. 

"Intruders." The scientist said, which, yeah, no duh. Why are you repeating it? Firstbourne's fangs Wyldfyre would never get these evil types at all. Stop talking and just kill! Easy and simple. 

Okay, to be fair if Green-Eyes was able to kill easily as talking than that would be pretty bad. So... nevermind then, she'd eat her words for that one. 'Least nobody needed to know, she grumbled to herself. 

Sighing with expasperation, she tensed, ready to leap down and show a dragon's wrath because the gray hair lady was the reason her dad and his friends got nearly killed and she needed a way to let loose because man, sneaking got boring. 

Starting to crawl around the second layer so she could jump down on top of the shit-tist, she stood up slowly. Only to stop in her tracks when she caught the wide eyed stare the redhead was giving Pinkie. 

Huh. Why was she staring like she'd seen a dragon's ghost come out their own burial mound? Maybe she could let this play out a little longer... the Pinkie was another Imperi-Rat. 

Maybe the other one knew who she was. Settling back down, she watched, waiting. As if she was her dad waiting for the chance to strike their prey down for dinner. 

Yet the next set of words caused her brain to freeze like a rare cold day in the Lava Wastes. 

"You're... you're alive." The redhead said, eyes wide, her hand reaching out to the other Imp on the floor. Pinkie returning the look with so much pain and regret it was like she herself had broken a tribal custom in the humans group. Law? One of those. 

"I thought – I thought you were actually dead." Wyldfyre had to blink to make sure she heard it right. Was this really happening? Was she actually right? She usually was but... wow. "But you are... actually here, Ana."

Wyldfyre tilted her head, rearing her neck back like a bird staring at a meal with caution. Even Arin looked confused. Wait, what? Who the hell was Ana? If Arin didn't know then she was sure that neither did Lloyd or Riyu! 

"Do I know you?" Sora blurted. Sounding confused, her gaze flickering to Arin briefly, and Wyldfyre hissed, a low sound in her throat. She knew that look. Hatchlings always took it whenever they wanted to avoid punishment. 

The look of somebody trying to escape. 

Green-Eyes raised an amused brow and hummed, and it made something in Wyldfyre want to wipe that look off of her face with her nails. She probably should be jumping down by now. 

The redhead revealing things was more important; and she wasn not going to lie, she kinda wanted to know the other Imp's name now. 

The redhead reeled back as if she'd been struck, her shock morphing into pure, focused anger. "You- you do not get to pull that shit with me after being gone for four fucking years."

"I have no idea who you are." Sora said simply, inching closer to Arin. Nervously. For a brief second, their eyes met, and Wyldfyre bristled, her hands simmering with heat. "Never seen you before. Maybe you saw me in a different district?" 

Come on, she just needed a name. She just needed to hear who it was that Pinkie abandoned. Because it sounded like she ran away like a cowardly little mouse. 

"Jordana? Hello?" The redhead- Jordana scoffed. Seemingly uncaring if the older shit-perian was right beside her, watching the interaction with interest. "Your friend? I thought of you as mine." 

"My only friend here was S-Jiro. The Lightning Dragon." Sora stated, avoiding all eye contact with the other Imperian. Arin looked between them, still at a loss of what to do, not that Wyldfyre could blame him after all. 

Pinkie was a liar.

Not only that, Jordana was acting as if her own family or tribe had turned their back on her. As if she'd been abandoned and left alone. And as far as Wyldfyre knew, it really really sounded like Pinkie had done that. 

Sure, she hated everyone who lived in Imperium. But Jordana's display, that was too raw. Too familiar to her. Wyldyfre frowned. Maybe in another life she could have met Jordana on better terms, where she wasn't an Imperian.  

But abandoning family and friends, especially telling them where you're going... that's... that's cruel. Messed up. Too many dragon hatchlings she knew would give anything to meet their parents again after the Wasting Disease took them away. Their brothers and sisters. 

Loved ones. 

Yet Arin's "friend" threw it all away. For what? 

"My only friend, in Imperium, was Jiro the Lightning Dragon." Sora repeated again, firmly, raising her head and meeting Jordana in the eye. Look at that! She grew a spine again! 

Pinkie was a deserter.

Jordana's anger gave way to hurt, before her face turned stony. Pinkie looked like she regetted her words. Good. "I'm going to go get Lord Ras, Dr. LaRow." 

Wyldfyre'd seen enough. Knew enough. 

Raising to her full height, she leaped over the railing and landed on Green-Eyes, knocking the wind out of the adult and the weapon. 

"You aren't going anywhere!" She roared, hands ablaze with red fire. 

Jordana reeled back in terror, and Pinkie's eyes turned wide as the two moons. 

Time for a little lesson in what happens when you hurt your friends and family. 

Chapter Text

 She bristled, looking down at the green-eyed shit-perian. Honestly a misfortune that the adult was still breathing, there went the low hopes of crushing her ribs on impact. 

"The Lava Drake's Daughter." Jordana whispered. Her blazing anger gone and now replaced with what Wyldfyre assumed was utter and complete fear. All the better, in this case. Should make it easier to shove her around. 

"That's right." Barring her teeth, she pressed her weight further on Green-Eyes' back which earned her a strangled gasp. The building rattling once more under the dragons' attack laying seige to the structure. 

The other redhead stood frozen to the spot, her eyes flittering between the adult and her. Probably debating on whether or not if she could fight her of – which, she was welcome to try!

Is what she would be saying, if Arin hadn't split off from Pinkie, cutting off Jordana's escape route effectively. 

Meanwhile, said pink haired girl was standing there like a sparkrabbit caught out in the open field. Didn't take a genius to figure out that she was worried about Jordana. 

This was gonna be fun, Wyldfyre decided.

"I'm gonna take Lloyd's advice and give you two options." She began, allowing fire of differing temperatures to engulf her hands. Pointing a fist at Jordana, who swallowed, she let it flicker to red-yellow "Either tell us how you know Pinkie while Arin over here puts restraints on you..." 

"Or... we can do it my way. Which involves seeing how many fingers I can melt off while leaving your arms charred black as firewood after a campfire." Turning the flames to a low end white, she put on that grin she knew unnerved humans– according to those now dead guards that used to talk outside of her cell. 

From the corner of her eye, she watched Lloyd's hatchling flinch at the threat. Her mask falling away to reveal genuine worry that was oh so satisfying to see you on that lying piece of shit. 

"Isn't that a bit much, Wyldfyre?" Arin asked, his hands resting on both that grappling thing and the Switch-Sword strapped to his waist. Ugh, he was going to water down her threats.. 

Still, she could not make her play evident so soon. Just had to play it cool. 

She shrugged, wiping the flames away to look at her nails. Acting as if she had all the time in the world. "It's up to her how we handle this, really. Personally, while I like the second option more, I do suggest the first one blah blah blah be safe and all that."  

"Why should I listen to one of Ana's temporary friends?" Jordana challenged, and Wyldfyre noted that the other teen was taller than she was. Far less muscled, however. She could probably lift her with one arm. "You're wasting your time being with her–"

"Does every single one of you have a problem with calling her Sora? It's only four freaking letters." Arin interrupted, flicking his sword out in a display of threat. He stomped up to her, his height allowing him to meet her eye level more easily. "The scientist lady probably has her wires crossed."

The mask on Pinkie morphed back to indifference, which irritated her to no end. Why would she just, not let it down? It was only going to get worse for her if she kept it up! 

Jordana laughed sardonically, casting a disbelieving glance at Pinkie. The second, well, Arin's Imp could only raise a brow in response, causing Jordie to roll her eyes. "They named the dragon Sora. Though it sounds like you don't know much. Can't say I'm surprised. She always was secretive." 

"I didn't have anyone to be secretive with except for Jiro." Shaking her head, Pinkie looked to Riyu, who was staring at Wyldfyre with wide eyes and parted jaws. She wondered if he was old enough to talk yet, he looked like it. Maybe three or four Season Cycles old? Could be more. 

"Okay." Jordana's fear seemed to be evaporate to anger and hurt as she regarded the other Imperi-Rat. It made Wyldfyre really want to join in against Pinkie, but she needed to be the leader here. No time for games. "So I really meant nothing to you then, Ana." 

So she had a hatchling name she shed, which... was fine, Wyldfyre supposed. Maybe some humans had dragon customs when it came to names? Humming, she watched Arin turn his head around to stare, looking confused. 

Either way, sometimes the past needed to be retold. 

"My birth name was Ana." The Imp said quietly, taking a step away from them. Her voice just loud enough to where she could be heard, rolling her eyes, Wyldfyre shook her head. Back to that spinless snake. 

"Oh." Arin said simply, his sword lowering. He stopped mid-step to look at her, and Wyldfyre saw how the Imperi-Rat cringed, curling in on herself. "Well, that's... yeah." 

Not the time for either of this, really. 

Buuut for Arin and Lloyd to have a good pack, they needed to have everything out there and into the fire where it could be seen. Pinkie was probably why the mission had gone poorly, if anybody asked for her assumptions. 

"Tell us a little bit about her when she was younger." Wyldfyre ordered, shifting her foot to the middle of the adult's spine. Feeling her hearbeat race fast as a sparkrabbit running through the Lava Wastes when she pressed down just a tad more. 

Jordana snarled. "Why the hell should I tell you anything? You're Outlanders-" 

"Just make it quick, so I won't have to hurt you, Reddie." She debated killing the adult again right then and there, but then remembered Lloyd's damned request. Groaning to herself internally, she cursed at him. Stupid Ninja... 

Another thing was saving the fire for somebody that mattered being a better idea than a waste like Green-Eyes. Not like the scientist could use her weapon anyway, it had been knocked away when she jumped down on her. "Also, hands up. Now. Or you get torched." 

Pinkie's head shot up and her eyes widened. "We're wasting time by doing that, there's no need to hear about my life in Imperium-" 

"I wasn't asking you for your opinion." Wyldfyre snarled, making her back away. "I was asking Jordana. Arin, get those cuffs. Your Imperi-Rat can free Riyu while we listen." 

"Stop calling her that." He said sharply, almost enough for her to raise a brow at how different he sounded - how upset. She supposed she could lay off a little, at least for his sake. 

Butting against the cage, the Mountain Dragon crowed at her from inside. 'Why are you being mean? Stop it, Sora's a nice person!' 

'She can be a nice person all she wants.' Wyldfyre returned with a huff. 'But she's also kept more secrects from your pack than I'd like. I don't team up with liars and deserters who leave their family and friends.' 

'There's no way she'd do that without a good reason! Give her a chance!' Clawing at the energy barrier, Riyu snapped his teeth. Which... eugh, yeah, he needed to work on his intimidation display. 

Also reminding herself she was talking to a hatchling, she sighed through her nose. 'Riyu, I was literally freed from the prison chamber with my dad, who is a Lava Drake by the way. If anything she's lucky I didn't beat her up on sight.'

Riyu fell silent at that, his wings drooping to his sides. He stared up at Sora who fiddled with the control pane. 'Just because she was part of Imperium's flock then doesn't mean she is now... right?'

'It's where she was nested, raised and then left. She didn't change a damned thing. She ran.' Wyldfyre hissed, Jordana staring at her like she was insane. 'For that, she is weak.' 

Riyu pouted, looking at Pinkie. 

Shit, Wyldfyre knew that look. The one of a younger sibling being inspired by and older one only to find out that they aren't perfect. She stayed silent for a few seconds, trying to think of something. 

She settled on something more neutral sounding, at least neutral enough to her. 'You know her better than I do. So you tell me if she deserves the chance later, little dragon.' 

Pinkie's face twisted painfully, like she's broken a leg. "What did you tell him?"

"What he needed to know about me. Get working." 

Pinkie, blissfully, did not say a single word after that distraction as Arin got Jordana into a pair of cuffs. The redhead made a face when Arin brushed his hands against hers, though smartly remained quiet. 

So some some Imperian's had working brains. Look at that. Wyldfyre was starting to dislike her slightly less than the others. "You gonna share or do I have to drag it out of you?" 

"Ana and I were classmates before The Merge in the Sciences District." Jordana snapped, eyeing the cuffs venomously. Arin stepped away off to Wyldfyre's side, his stare trained on her like a hawk. 

So he was not going back to his buddy's side then, she should have figured that. Wyldfyre shifted atop the adult scientist, pressing harder on one of the shoulder blades. Green-Eyes squirmed, but didn't say anything. Not that she could. 

"Everything was fine until it wasn't – I'll make it short. Dr.LaRow came to class the day she was absent and told us Ana turned down the offer to work with the dragons in the Advanced Systems. Everyone was appalled by her rejecting the offer." 

"Work with the dragons." Wyldfyre mocked, shaking her head. Starting to figure that Imperium really was just a bunch of liars, though at least in Jordana's case she was saying it as how it was. "More like work on them." 

Looking up at a tapestry of said Empress Bitch, almost instinctually, mind you, Jordana hung her hands. "She strayed from the Empress' will, and the true path. So everyone isolated her. I didn't." 

Wyldfyre's lip curled dangerously. "For a true path, Empress Bitch is as much of a liar as they come."

"If Sora strayed from Beatrix's path then that means she wasn't a sheep." Arin added, and Wyldfyre snorted at the offended glare Reddie shot at him. 

Okay! So he had some bite too, more than she could say for Pinkie. Granted the bar really wasn't that high. 

"She tended to be a loner, even before the doctor turned everyone against her." Pinkie reaaaallly seemed to be dragging out how long it was taking to free Riyu, Wyldfyre noted. Could have made it quick. 

That or she was trying to avoid their looks, which, yeah, could have been avoided way earlier if she... you know, talked. Though, like most humans, were always cowardly in sharing how they felt. 

"I sat with her at recess and lunch, I tried talking to her, and she.. well, that's history that doesn't matter anymore. Since she decided to throw it and me all away by running away a year after The Merge." Tearing her gaze away from the other Imperian's back, Jordana stared at the ground. 

"Then she came to The Crossroads and Ruins of Ninjago City and... I.. met her." Arin said, rubbing his hand over the hilt of the Switch Sword. 

"I guess she didn't have any friends." Jordana growled bitterly. "Not like Imperium has many of those." 

Well, damn. That was one thing she'd give Jordana, she could have made this difficult. Sure, Wyldfyre had threatened her life but... she was still talking. Without any real preasure. 

Any real pressure as in Wyldfyre didn't have to get up in her face about it. So, automatically semi-better than... some Imperians she supposed. 

While the story did fuck-all at telling her anything about Pinkie, she'd cut Reddie some slack and chalk it up to personal reasons. After all, it was from her and not their dear friend Sora.

Speaking of which, again! Why the hell- 

"Are you done getting Riyu out yet? It's been like five years." Wyldfyre demanded, taking some joy at how she flinched at the mention of time. Served her right. 

"Almost." She replied, subdued. 

'It's okay, Sora! I know you had to have had a good reason for the things you did!' Riyu pushed his head against the holds of his cage, the energy walls crackling on contact. 

Pinkie gave him a faint smile, attempting to reassure the little dragon, though it did a poor job. "It's fine, Riyu, you don't..." 

She turned her gaze back to the control panel, and Wyldfyre rolled her eyes. Ugh, she never thought she'd meet somebody who could just, bleed sad cat energy. It almost made her feel bad for what she was doing.

Almost, but not enough. 

That's when the building and the ground began to shake.

 This time, not because of the dragons. 

Alarms blared in her head, and she reached out for Arin, grasping his wrist and tugged him backwards towards Riyu and Pinkie. Barring her teeth at Reddie when she moved. 

The scientist gasped for air, scrambling away from them all and abandoning Jordana. Wyldfyre wanted to take the shot, but the ground was trembling too hard for her to aim accurately. 

'What's going on?' Riyu cried, tucking his wings cose and curling up into a ball. The tremble of the ground sending them all to the floor. 

Wyldfyre tried to get up and chase after the doctor, but she'd already vanished. Snarling, she slammed a fist to the floor. 

"Mergequake?" Pinkie asked, getting up with Arin's help as he shook his head. She clutched the control panel the second she found her footing, the aftershocks still thrumming beneath their feet. 

They needed to leave before Green-Eyes came back with a coalition of guards. Now. 

Raising her head to scent the air, she growled in her throat. Something else shoving its way into the stale scents of Imperium, with an overwhelming aroma that made her feel uneasy. "Feels different. We don't have long." 

Flicking his wrist, Arin unsheathed his sword again from wherever it stayed when not active. The golden blade shining in the warm light. "Feels like hope, if anything." 

Wyldfyre harrumped, checking the air again. Freaking Imperi-Rats and their need to use fake scents, always an annoyance. "We'll see if we can make it out in one piece and without killing anyone."

'We could use the way you guys came inside!' Riyu said quickly. Wyldfyre cringed. Shit, right. She was infront of a baby and talking about murder - if he was living with them that meant he was not used to it.

 She sent a mental apology to his matriarch or patriarch, hoping for forgiveness. 

By the Sentinels, she was threatening torture infront of the kid too... she.. she was definitely going to have to think about her choices for threats when she – if she got out of this. Rubbing a hand down her face, she sighed. 

She turned to see Jordana watched them from her spot on the floor, leaning against one of the supports that held up the second level. Dark brown watching their every movement. 

Honestly, it was a bigger surprise that she wasn't trying to run right now. 

Actually, on the note of running, why is she not just... burning the crate to open- wait no, the melting metal could harm Riyu. His scales were soft and not used to fire yet, if she could use a Lava Drake's hatchling as a comparison here. 

Damned Gold-Pissers and their unintentional future planning. 

"Done." Pinkie murmured, and Wyldfyre looked up to the ceiling, squinting her eyes at where the sky was outside. 

If the Sentinels of Lightning and Wind thought this was funny, she was not laughing. 

'Sora!' Riyu leapt out of the cage and into Pinkie's knees, nearly taking her off balance while Arin moved off to the side a bit. Looking away from them and to her. 

Wyldfyre shrugged, what was she supposed to say? He was their friend, not hers. She just met him today! If Riyu wanted to keep his childish beliefs then he could keep 'em. Not like he was the one who harmed anyone. 

Yet. 

Wyldfyre stepped towards the door she saw the tiger guy run through, keeping in mind Empess Bitchiness went the other way. "While this is nice and all, Arin, I'mma need you to take up the front. They'll probably think I'm the one leading the escape if we got guards comin' in. It'll throw them off to see the more dangerous Elemental at the back." 

Arin blinked in surprise, though after she explained why, he nodded, squarring his shoulders and putting on a determined face. His fingers rubbing over a button on the Switch-Sword, one that she assumed was the shocking option. "You got it." 

Sighing through her nose with great hesitancy, man she was doing that alot—

Wyldfyre turned on her heel to look at the pink haired girl and the mountain dragon. "Pinkie guides us from second place, Riyu stays in front of me but behind her. You better pull your weight or el-" 

'Sora's more capable than you think, she'll prove you wrong!' Riyu butted in, hopping forward and flaring his wings. 'I know she will!'

Thankful he interrupted her, she coughed to the side. Ignoring the fact she was about to swear at the end of the sentence when she said she try and be a bit better. "We'll see about that, little dragon." 

He growled at that on Pinkie's behalf, but Sora lightly nudged him with her foot to calm him down. "Riyu, just... don't, okay? I can handle it." 

Dropping his wings, he whined, his tail sagging loeer to the floor. He butted her leg back. 'Sorry.' 

The Imp crouched back down, running her golden hand over his head gently. "It's fine... at least I think that's what you're saying." 

Meeting Wyldfyre's stare, their groups Imperi-Rat nodded subtly in her direction. 

Satisfied for now, Wyldfyre crossed her arms. "Good. Now make sure you keep that spine long enough. We good to run?" 

"Yes." The three answered in unision.

She huffed. "Alright, nice. 'Cuz I'mma hang back for a second to ask Jordie over here one more thing-" 

"Call me that again and I will beat your head in with these cuffs." Jordana snarled, sitting up straighter than a cobra waiting to strike. 

Pinkie froze, that fearful looking coming back for a second before melting back into that same feigned disinterest. 

Pinkie could fool the others, but not Wyldfyre. 

'You aren't going to kill her are you?' Riyu questioned, his eyes wide. Even Arin looked a bit unsure of what she just told them to do. 

"Nah." She answered, waving them off and ignoring Jordie's fuming glare. "I mean it. I haven't lied yet, don't plan on it soon. So, get going." 

Arin sped away at that, Sora following him - abeit with one more uncertain stare before she was spurred on by Riyu. 

Good, she wasn't gonna use that spine against her. 

Walking towards Jordana, Wyldfyre sat on her haunches a little bit away, but close enough to where she could reach a hand out. "I could let you go if you want?" 

Jordana's jaw dropping was the most pricless thing about today, easily. 

She had to force everything in her to not burst out laughing at the way Reddie resembled a fish gasping for air. 

"Hold on, what- you- what- are you insane!?" She demanded, recovering enough of her bearings to speak again after struggling to find them for a good second. 

"Wouldn't be the last one if I was 'normal'." Resting her cheek on a palm, she shrugged. "I'm just trying to make sure I don't have a debt or whatever." 

"You don't owe me. What could somebody who looks like they live in an abandoned scrapyard offer me?" 

"I could just leave you here to be made fun of for being useless, and then Green-Eyes would find a replacement." 

Jordana stiffened. "I'm the best lab partner she's ever had. She wouldn't be able to replace me." 

"You sure? 'Cause from where I'm standing, she left you to die. Just like your shitty empress probably left your family to die, wherever they are." 

Jordana surged forward and then fell over, lacking the balance needed to properly get up. She fell on her side, getting up with some struggle. "What the fuck do you know!? You don't know me, asshole!" 

"I know an orphan when I see one." Wyldfyre stated, lowering her voice despite there being nobody else around. Who knew if there was anyone listening in on a camera. "I also recognize one when I hear it." 

Jordana stopped whatever she was about to say, only able to stare in absolute shock. 

"I should really be going," Wyldfyre muttered, finding the idea of the others thinking they could out pace her funny. 

"You should." Jordana fumed. "Fuck off." 

"Just sayin' that I know what it's like, to lose those you thought as family. Being alone and all that stuff. I've seen it, and I get it." She murmured, allowing herself to soften just a bit. 

"Fuck off!" Jordana seethed. 

"I dunno how it is for you, nor do I really give a shit because you're a bastard Gold-Pisser Imperi-Rat who's people tried killing my dad just to power your home for a couple of days." She continued, meeting Jordana's stare dead on. The Imperian staring at her in rage so volatile it could rival hers, maybe. 

"You're stupid for thinking a dragon can be a good parent." 

She wasn't falling for that bait. "Yeah, well, I'm like, sixteen or somethin', so eat shit. Heatwave and my other caretaker did fine." 

"You're a pain in the ass." 

"Yeah, you'll probably find a way to come back and bite me in the ass later, but... well..." She set her hand aflame with white fire, leaning forward and grasping the cuffs. 

Reddie flinched against the support, intially trying to move away, but stopped when Wyldfyre was careful in melting the cuffs. She cupped the molten metal with her right hand, keeping it from dropping down. 

"I at least wanted to help somebody that doesn't get help a lot if at all. I'm sorry Pinkie abandoned you." 

"I hope you die." 

"Yeah, well..." 

Completing her job, Wyldfyre backed away slowly, to not startle Jordana as she dropped the molten metal to the ground, near instantly cooling into another layer of floor. 

"Remember that you and me are still enemies in this war ever since your people started it." She turned to leave, dusting her hands off. "That this truce was a one time thing. Because that damned Green Ninja asked me to repay his debt by not killing anyone." 

Jordana looked up from her broken cuffs, silent. Seething. Angry. 

"So, if I ever see or hear you do somethin' like this again... well.." 

Wyldfyre walked through the door, sighing. 

"I'll kill you on sight. Even if Sora tries to stop me."  

The door closed behind her as Wyldfyre moved into a jog. 

As per usual, she was right to be confident in her abilties since she caught up with the three in a matter of mintues. 

Her jog was apparently the same speed as Pinkie and Arin's run, which was a little... sad, if she was being honest. Lloyd himself was pretty fast, though he was weird. She couldn't really explain why right now either. 

She would lay off on making fun of them a litttttllle bit though, they had to take account for Riyu's shorter strides. Which, still for a little guy, he could move!  

Watching him stretch his strides to the max and maintain a steady gallop that kept him in pace with Pinkie was honestly surprising. She didn't think Mountain Dragons were capable of this much speed.

On the ground at least, she'd seen Vigor outside when he was flying. He was fast. 

Falling into step behind them like she'd planned, Riyu and Pinkie turned their heads to look. Momentary panic crossing over them before it was replaced by relief. 

She honestly wasn't sure whether to be offended or feel complimenfed for that one.

She should probably more offended, they did think she was a Imperian Guard. 

Plus, even despite the unsettlingly quiet of the corridors and rooms, she ran waaay different than a stupid Imp. Also, like, seriously, she half expected to run into a single guard by now. Yet there was nothing? Bo-ring. 

Actually, they were all probably dealing with the Dragons outside. Heh, imagine needing everyone to take them on. 

It still put her on edge that the one time the rat's nest was empty was now of all times, which she'd only admit to herself. What happened to the hallways crawling with Imps ready to blast first ask questions later? 

That sounded more like her, but that's besides the point.

Coming to a split in the hallways, Pinkie looked left and then right. "Take the left - we have to go through the main entrance. That might've been the throne room, maybe? I've never been here. It's usually off limits to the public." 

Face palming, Wyldfyre wanted to blame the Imp again, but given what went on in the underbelly of Imperium and behind the closed doors, she figured it was a dumb point seeing as the ruler was also equally as shit. 

"If worst comes to worst we can just leap put of a low story window. We've done it before." Arin took off down the hallway, hand gripping the Switch-Sword tightly. She and the others hot on his heels as their footfalls filled the silence. 

She pondered who lead this trio, obviously Lloyd was their flock alpha, but hatchlings often had smaller groups when they did not have an adult to watch over them. 

Momentarily, she wondered if that role went to Arin, or if he was a second in command. 

"Take a right, that should be the entrance hall. If I'm remembering what my parents talked about right." Pinkie said, making Arin veer away from the left corridor, drifting across the floor as he righted himself. 

There was no way that Pinkie lead the three of them, even with the off chance that she was this down because they were in her home nest, a flock alpha should be able to bear through the weight until the others were safe. 

That was their role as the leader afterall.

Riyu himself was too young to even think about being the lead, not to mention she hasn't even gotten to know him. For all she knew he could be a follower when he was older. 

"Smell anything yet?"Arin asked, barging through another door. The Switch-Sword buzzing wtih the initial swing despite it finding no target as the hallway was silent. Must be feeling ansty. 

She understood, that. This building had the uncomfortable kind of inside–the one that made your skin crawl and hair raise in suspicion. 

Riyu panted, more focused on keeping up the pace than with being able to communicate. Which was fine, she could do what he could not. 

Breathing a gulp of air through her nose, Wyldfyre let the tastes fill her senses. The cold and empty hallways with its metal overridden by Arin and Riyu's stench of garbage. There was Pinkie's, too, mingling in with their immediate surroundings. As if she belonged to Imperium. 

Yet the ones that stood out against the groups were stark, made out in seconds.

Her glee leapt at the first whiff she caught of the dragons. She saw Riyu perk up, too. He must have caught Vigor's because his gallop turned to jumps, his wings flapping hard on each one to boost himself. 

The first one to hit her was the the dust and clay from Slab; strongest and biggest. Then the newly met Jiro, who smelled of lightning storms and coming rain. Her nose twitched when the other dragons began to hint the air, too

"Slow down, we're close. Just a little more." Wyldfyre announced, feeing relief warm her blood like flowing lava as his sulfur and burned dirt broke through, stubborn as ever. 

Her dad was alive. She longed to be on his back again where it was safe and warm and she was away from everything– 

Shaking her head, she forced down the thought of her dad bleeding and battered into the depths of her head because that did not need to come out right now 'cause she needed to be some sort of leader for this guys–

Focus. Focus Wyldfyre. After she can get out of this. She could do this. No time to be a hatchling. 

Inhaling a breath, she slowed her jog to a brisk walk, still at the rear of the group. Looking behind them, she honestly lost count how many doors they passed, but it didn't matter.

 They were basically there. Almost. 

The other two were more winded, though not by a whole lot. Riyu though, he was the one panting heavily - poor guy. Probably pushed too hard for a baby. 

Shaking her hair out as Arin approached the last door, slowing down enough so that Riyu wasn't about to collapse, she took the next moment to see what was waiting for them. 

Standing high as she could, she took a long, drawn out breath. 

She then coughed, bringing a hand up to her mouth to silence herself. Ignoring how Pinkie looked at her - she shot the Imp a glare, and the Imperi-Rat got the message as she turned her head forwards again.

Riyu stuck his tongue out in visible disgust, too. Arin's little tidbit about fighting one of the beasts at the The Crossroads rising in the back of her mind at the all too quickly recognizable rank scent of the explosions caused by them. 

The Wolves. 

The monsters. 

She had to refrain from cringing at how strong it was here, semi-grateful that the others were covering it up with theirs or else she would have stopped to gag. 

"Get ready to fight because the Wolves are waiting." She gasped, getting closer to them so that she could breathe in their smells instead of the monsters. 

Arin swallowed and Pinkie repositioned herself to his side, more so so that she was in front of Riyu than anything. The Mountain Dragon squawked tiredly, saving his breath. 

"Count of three?" The Imp asked.

"One." Arin said, flicking between the modes of his sword. Taser-blaster-sword repeat. 

"Two..." Raising her fists and striking a battle stance, Pinkie's breath was audible. 

This was either gonna go to shit or they'd luck out. 

"Three." Turning on the heat, Wyldfyre set her hand aflame on red.

Stepping forwards in unison, the two at the front shot their way through the door. Wyldfyre ducked so she could use their height to her advantage, trying to stay out of full view behind Arin. 

The room was quiet, still. The only thing making noise the four of them. 

Until it was shattered by metal hitting metal. 

"You'll go no further." 

At the other side of the reception hall...

was Ras. 

So it was going to go to shit.

 Okay. 

"What do we do?" Pinkie asked, fidgeting as Riyu peered around her leg with caution, shrinking at the very sight of Ras. The Mountain Dragon whimpering in fear.

The tiger's gaze felt like a snake slithering over her, smooth yet disarming. She felt her blood start to boil, because what had Ras done to Riyu? "What else? We'll have to go through him." 

Arin motioned around them with his sword, openly glaring at Ras ahead of them. "We're in a building surrounded by tech! Just use Riyu!" 

"And the heck am I gonna do if he decides to throw the hammer while I'm trying to get a spark?" While that would be incredibly funny to her, they also needed to get out of this without any heavy injuries. 

So she had a point. 

But Wyldfyre also had a point. 

"I have this thing called firecrackers." Raising her hand, she caused fire to crackle and pop in a light chain reaction. "Should be easy enough to throw him off balance." 

"Look. up." Pinkie hissed. 

Snapping her teeth at the Imperi-Rat, Wyldfyre tilted her head to look up."Don't tell me what to do-" 

– and then released a long, pain filled sigh. She was doing that a lot right now, actually. 

Of course there were more. 

Freaking, how many drones do they make in this damned place? It's like the supply was endless, didn't they throw most of them at the dragons, Lloyd and her? How were there still more?

"You didn't really think you had a chance did you?" Ras spoke, ears pinned back as he smashed the butt of his hammer on the floor again. 

Arin, meanwhile, hummed in thought, the most shit eating smirk she'd ever seen forming on his face. "I meeaaan... seeing as we basically snuck in without setting off all the alarms, with Lloyd busting out like a dozen dragons and us nearly wiping out the Claws of the Imperium – I'd say we had a good chances." 

"Give up, and we will spare your lives." Ras growled insistently and pathetically. Okay well, not pathetically, it was decent for a tiger. It obviously paled in comparison to like, a rhino or elephant or... you know, a dragon. 

Massaging her hand, she hissed lowly. Her right hand was spent from all the usage it'd gone through today. Shitty timing on her part, but also, she had been pushing it too hard. So she kinda deserved being bitten on the ass for this one. 

Doing this one handed would be harder, but not impossible. Maybe on blast to the limbs would be enough to take Ras down, but that also meant getting close to him. 

"Just so Beatrix can let LaRow experiment on us like the dragons?" Pinkie demanded, eyes narrowing into slits. She nudged Riyu back further with the back of her leg, fists still up and ready. "Good luck with that." 

Ras scoffed, bringing up his hammer into a two handed position. The drones shifted in a wave, numerous clicks filling the room. "The alternative is, that I crush the life out of all of you. That dragon belongs to me." 

Cats, Wyldfyre swore with an eyeroll. Always trying to make themselves feel important and memorable. They could never take the hint-  

Actually, no wonder he smelled so rancid, the smells of the Wyldness were gone and replaced by those of Imperi-Rat nests. He'd hidden himself from the dragons noses! 

He reeked of Photac Wolf too. Which was ironic as the cats and dogs of the Wyldness usually hated each other, far as she knew. Okay, so he was a little smarter than the average cat. 

Probably still just as prideful though.

She didn't bother to whisper, Ras would hear any form of attack she ordered anyway with his super strong hearing. Curling her hands, she ground her teeth together, annoyed. How was she supposed to deal with this? 

Apparently, the other two decided they would instead. 

Both ninja traded a brief look as Arin shifted the sword to blaster mode, firing off a swries shot at Ras who blocked the barrage with the head of his hammer in a spinning flurry. 

"Never!" Shouted Sora, taking off towards the tiger. Dodging and weaving past the drones flying in her path, racing towards Arin. Was she really - oh, shit she was gonna try to physically fight him.

"Fuckin'–" She leapt forwards, arcing her hand around like a Fire Dragon breathing a wave of flame. Engulfing the drones projectiles and even torching the first wave. "Is this how you two deal with fights!?" 

"Sometimes Sora has an elementally charged mech!" Swapping the blaster back to sword mode, Arin stabbed through a drone then yanked it out to slash through another. 

The floor beneath them trembled from Ras striking the ground, and through the flurry of laser shots she could see Pinke miss her punch. Trading it for the dodge instead as she ducked under a spinning kick.

"I don't know what a mech is!" Shoving him out of the line of fire towards a row of chairs, she grabbed one and spun to build momentum, then flung it at one of those heavier armored drones. Watching it also catch two more with it. 

She flung two more, this time, one of them a flaming pile of metal and the other used to bash in a taser drone before sending the chair on its way through the air, catching at least four more. 

Changing to the taser's long reach, Arin thrusted the sparking point forwards, causing another one to crackle and then fall out of the air. "It's like a stone monster but metal, and with a rider!" 

Okay, a golem made out of iron does sound cool, but the fact that it belongs to Pinkie makes it less cool. 

Speaking of which, again, was she was actually insane for taking on the tiger herself. Did she want to die? 

Not that it would matter to her but, losing a member of their pack could be a really, really bad blow to them if she was gonna stick around with then to fight this war. 

She swore it always came down to her to fix everything. 

"Arin, I'm going after your dumbass friend- call out if you need me." Showering another set of drones in flames, Wyldfyre dashed in the direction of the raging tiger and pink haired girl. "Riyu, stay in dodge!" 

She heard the Mountain Dragon squawk in confirmation somewhere over the shrieking of metal being torn and explosions. 

Okay, that was one thing out of the way. Now she just needed to get to get to the Imperi-Rat fighting the cat, figure out how to main him and make sure they didn't get crippled themselves- 

Well, she wouldn't need to reach Pinkie, given that a screamimg body crashed into her after she stepped out of the way of a smoldering drone Arin had shot down. 

The force of the throw knocked her off of herfeet and caused Wyldfyre's vision to go from normal to the ceiling as her head painfully thunked against the metal floor. 

Vaguely she felt like she heard Arin yell and felt him run past them, but she couldn't entirely be sure.

Long strands of sweaty pink hair brush against her face, the Imperi-Rats clothes drenched in sweat. Wyldfyre swear's she's seeing double despite only feeling one aggravating her eyes. "Can... can you get the hell off of me? You're stabbing me in the ribs, Gold-Pisser." 

"Shut-Shut up." She retorts, strained. Trying to get off but falls right back on top of her. 

Wyldfyre opens her mouth to retort, but then closes it when she see's something appear in her vision that looks familiar... wait what even, oh shit- 

She grabs on to the Imp and rolls out of the way right as Ras' hammer comes crashing down with a thud. Kicking the other Elemental off of her, she outstretches her hand and blasts a stream of flame in retaliation with her own roar. 

She's pretty sure she missed by a long shot, because she feels something jab into her side, sending her across the floor, her vision going haywire in the tumble. 

Okay, so maybe she needs some healing from Lloyd after that, because whatever she hits on impact causes her to gasp and feel like she fell on a pile of boulders. 

Reaching up and grasping the whatever she can, she manages to get back on her feet. Panting for breath as that headache from earlier comes back with force of a stampeding rhino. Ouch. Okay, she might need a good long nap after this. 

Shapes and lights fly across her vision and she vaguely felt something trickle down her nose. Must've hit it while she ate shit. 

That also explained the blood in her mouth, she bit her tongue or cheek on accident. 

Raising her hand to fire off another attack, she lowers it. Shit. She couldn't tell who was who with all the colors going around. 

Was that blob off to her... left? right? in front? Arin or Ras? Oh, Firstbounres fangs, she hoped Riyu stays hidden. One blast and it would be dangerous for him. 

Backing up into what she hoped was the wall, she saw gold, grey, and brown things start to fill her vision. Snarling, she snapped her jaws, feeling like a cornered rat after it'd been flushed out of it's hiding place.

Outside, it had been warm. It made it sorta harder to distinguish the feeling of a blast going by, but the spike in heat would give it away. Here, in the colder temperature of the reception hall, the heat was confusing. 

She felt it coming from all angles, suffocating. How was she supposed to escape? 

She couldn't, was the answer she told herself. 

Inhaling a breath, she unleashed her flame, her own screaming muffled to her ears. She turned her flames to a lower end white, enough to melt and destroy, hobbling up and down to stay out of range of the bots. 

Desperately trying to blink out the spots in her vision, she hissed, cutting off the flow of flames. Her head pounding furiously, like she was getting punched over and over again. 

She saw the blobs approaching again, and she snarled raising her hand to send a wave of flames. 

"Wyldfyre wait- stop, stop it's me." Pinkie's voice cut through the stuffing around her ears. Everything rushing back, crashing into her like the force of a tidal wave on the coast. 

"What are you doing!? We're in the middle of a fight!" Rearing her head back, she barred her teeth. Lips peeled back, though not without consequence. She clutched the side of her head. 

"Just- just listen," Pinkie said, her outline standing out in comparison to the others. Wyldfyre could see it. The bush of her namesake at the top with two dark blue ears, the white. "The drones aren't attacking me, I don't think they ever overrode my bio-signature from the database." 

"Fuck is that supposed to mean? That you get a prison free walk through or something?" She sneered, probably saying it louder than she meant it to be. "Go help Arin, I can't- I can't see right now. I need a minute."  

"He told me to come help you." Sora insisted, getting closer to her.

"I don't need or want an Imperian's help." She rebutted, stomping her foot for good meassure. That usually got others to back off without needing to resort to flames. 

"Guess it sucks to suck because you're getting it whether you like it or not." Was her vision getting better? Worse? How the heal do these headaches work? She just wanted it gone. 

"I hate you." She challenged, getting closer to Pinkie. Fine, if she was gonna get in her space then she'd do it on her own terms - shitty as they were. 

"You're not exactly likable either." Pinkie returned, and Wyldfyre scoffed. Like she had any ground to stand on after Jordana and after living in a place like Imperium. 

"Better than being a lying bitch." 

Now that shut her up. At least for a second. "Look I-... you know what, never mind. I'll save it for when we get out." 

"Finally, a smart idea from you!" 

Sora stayed quiet for less than a second before surging forward and grabbing her wrist. "If we don't hurry my best friend is going to die." 

Instinctively, Wyldfyre tried yanking her hand out of the grip, only to realize that Pinkie had a deceptively strong grip, even for somebody like her. "Let go." 

She was being stupid, she knew, and Arin was more important, but how was she supposed to to help? Trying to fight Ras would end very, very badly if she tried to. 

"Not until I get you over to where Ras is." Sora said, already pulling her along through the flaming field of drone husks. "Stay behind me and use your fire - use me as a distraction. I can go get Riyu after that." 

While she wanted to argue, one of Lloyd's own was on the line if this worked or not. 

So, reluctantly, she let Pinkie guide her. 

Not that she needed guidance, it was only for the cover - and to make sure they all made it out alive. 

"You insignificant, feeble gnats do not understand the enormity of my plans!" Swinging his warhammer down, she watched Arin leap backwards, swiftly firing off a round of lasers in response to the attack. 

"Insignificant and feeble gnats? Come on, Ras. I've seen house cats swat fruit flies faster than you. Maybe you'd learn how to if you embraced being Beatrix's lapcat!" Laughing, the boy danced out of reach from Ras again – or at least she thought she saw him do so. Her vision was still a little scuffed. 

It was better as they got through the hall to the two fighters, but still a bit off. She can't take a shot for sure like this unless she's right in his face. Plus, she'd rather not get hit with that hammer – or hit Arin with one of her fireballs. 

The drones circled around them, trying to get a good angle with Pinkie moving this way and that to disorient them with whatever the hells a bio-signature was. Seriously, what did that even mean? Was it some sort of like... code? 

Well, it didn't matter much because this headache had her in a foul mood. 

"Watch your head, or don't." She said, her hand shoving the Imperi-Rat's out of the way to project another river of flames in an arc. The smell of melting metal and her own bloodied nose not making it any bit easier to tell where everything was. 

The Imp pulled her further, yet moved to her left when a taser drone began to near. Using her body as a block. "We're getting close, Arin's got Ras distracted - plus I think he knows you're weakened." 

Launching a firecracker with - eugh, Pinkie's help, Wyldfyre winced when the following explosion made her head throb. "I'll show him weakened when I get my teeth around his dumbass throat." 

"Could you try one of his knees instead?" Pinkie questioned, aiming Wyldfyre's arm and then tapping it. Seconds later, a surge of red flames burst forth, destroying another drone. 

Angling her head in the direction of where the Gold-Pisser's shape was she glared. "Because I can totally see where I'm aiming without seeing twos, you stupid Imp." 

"I can't get Riyu and keep the drones off of you and make sure my friend doesn't get his ribs smashed." Yanking her around what she assumed was a chair, Wyldfyre was the one having to keep up.

"Why not get the hatchling?" She demanded, because that seemed like the best idea right now to stopping all of this. The drones wouldn't shoot according to you." 

"Because then both of your bio-signatures would override mine in appearance. Which would end with all three if us getting shot." The Imp explained, as if it was obvious. 

Sighing, she felt her ears tense when Ras roared again, his frustration paired with the slam of the hammer setting her on edge. "Stupid fucking Imperians I swear... always making shit harder than it needs to be." 

The fighting was getting louder, and she could see the beginnings of two shapes circling around each other through the littered drones. "Can you shoot at Ras if I tell you where or not? We just need enough time for Arin to back off and so he can cover us both."

Snarling, Wyldfyre heated her hand to the familiar feel of white flames breaching on blue. Her patience at it's limit. "Fine! But you owe me." 

She felt the gloves grabbing her arm, aiming it right. "I don't owe you anything for asking to save my friends life after you said you'd make sure- 

"I did say that." Yanking her arm away, Wyldfyre barred her teeth at the Imp, seeing her flinch. "You owe me for everything your people have caused to my kind. Keep that debt in mind." 

"If it means anything, I'm sorr-" 

Wyldfyre let Pinkie manage her arm, though she was tense throughout the entire time the Imperi-Rat moved it. "Apologize to Arin and Jordana, I don't give a shit about who apologizes to me. What they- you did is done. So fix it." 

"I still don't now who 'Jordana' is-" 

"Cut the shit. I'm not stupid." Wyldfyre barked, cutting her off with a snap of her jaws. "You know what you did." 

She felt the Imperian's hands tighten on her forearm, her grip slightly uncomfortable. Seriously, just how strong was this spinless mongoose? She could be so much more. "I... I can't. Not now." 

Shaking her head, Wyldfyre let her next works drip with as much venom as she could let them. "Then that makes you pathetic, and means you gave us another enemy. Now tell me where to aim." 

She hated the fact that Pinkie's face was still a bit blurry, her fuckin' hair must've irritated her eyes or something. Either way, Wyldfyre let satisfaction flow through her at rendering the Imperi-Rat silent. 

That is, until she spoke up again. "Can I tell you which shot to use?" 

"If you gotta, Gold-Pisser. I'm not using blue." 

The Imp firmly moved her hand to the left, carefully avoiding the white flames that flickered around her hand. "Start off with a firecracker." 

"Another smart choice from the dumb Imperian." Wyldfyre taunted, forming her hand into a sort of "mouth" as she let the crackling fireball form for a moment. 

Pinkie adjusted her arm a little more, then breathed. "Fire." 

Opening her palm to mimic a dragon prying it's jaws open, she let the fireball shoot past her fingers. 

Time to see if Pinkie knew what she was doing. 

Well, she'd be damned.

They had somehow manage to form a sort-of-pulled -out-of-their-asses working strategy against Ras. 

And it was working too. That was the really weird part about this. She both liked and hated it. 

She liked that every time Ras tried to go for her and the Imp, Arin would get in the way and keep him in place long enough for them both to move to a different location. 

She hated that the Imperi-Rat had to basically be attached at the hip for her to land these shots correctly, her vision was about clearing up, though she still saw some slight doubles to movement around her. 

So far, they'd managed to melt off some bits of the armor he had on. She was not entirely sure, but Pinkie must have been a sharp shot given how the tiger had roared in pain twice. 

While she was starting to get tired from the usage, she still had some firecrackers and fireballs left in her. Though the beginnings of a cramp on her hand were warning her dangerously every time she used white flames now. 

Now that they were disarming him while Arin wore him down, the next objective was getting to Riyu so that the Gold-Pisser could amp up and trap Ras using the fallen drones within the reception hall. 

Which would have been fine, if it didn't mean she had to share firecrackers to get rid of the machined whaling down on Riyu's hiding spot. The Mountain Dragon crying out in fear. 

The other problem was that Pinkie had to move around her to prevent the still flying drones from getting a shot. Which, was especially annoying given that they were following them, wanting to "protect" the Imp from her. 

Speaking of which, Ras was puling out the slashing claws now. Not just the hammer. Arin already had some slash marks from close calls, one particularly large one on the side of his jaw where the other two were on his face. 

"Over here, stupid!" Lobing another fireball at Ras, to provide a distraction, Arin went in for the sweeping kick at the back of the knee. Sliding across the floor and bowling the tiger over as he leapt to his feet beside them. 

"Did-did that do it?" Arin panted, leaning forward heavily. No doubt running on near exhausted from being pushed to the limit just like her Elemental Powers. Yet he still held is weapon defiantly. "Please tell me we won."

Wyldfyre squinted her eyes, trying to see if Ras was already getting up or not. Pinkie remaining silent as she supported her arm, still pulling her along, much to her dismay. "As impressive as that was-" 

Even with the want for a break, he had to side step out from where two drones shot at him, swinging thie Switch Sword to the blaster mode. Arin fired in rapid succession at the ones surrounding them, felling them cleanly. "...Fricking drones." 

"-I don't think all of his strength was in that knee." Aaaannnd Ras was getting up, albeit with a struggle. He needed to use his hammer as a support, or at least she assumed so, they must have been making him work for it with no results. 

The tiger dragged his hammer towards him, parts of his leg, arms and shoulder exposed as she'd all but melted it off of him - or he'd torn it off himself. She smiled wryly, stubborn as always, that's a cat alright. 

"Come on.." Arin groaned, rushing forward to meet him again, using the taser mod as it flickered dangerously in his hand. Rais raised his hammer and a claw to the air, meeting the challenge. 

Clearing some of the other drones with a firecracker, Wyldfyre grimaced when a stab of pain shot through palm. The muscles tightening painfully as she snarled. Shit, okay, she had less than she thought. 

"Riyu!" Pinkie called out, having figured out that the both of them were running on fumes. Arin back dodged out of an overhead swing, then thrust the paralysis rod forward. 

'Riyu!' Wyldfyre barked, come on they just needed him and Sora to be close enough. 'Get out here! We're getting blasted!' 

Ras deflected it upwards with his forearm, shoving Arin back with his shoulder. The boy nearly fell to his knee, but he caught himself before Ras could catch him with another swing. This time actually letting himself drop to one knee and deflect the hammer off to the side. 

'I'm here!' Riyu squawked, appearing from under a section of chairs that'd somehow remained mostly untouched by the battle inside the entrance hall. He had some cuts and chipped scales, but he looked fine. 

"About damn time, hurry up Imperi-Rat, get the spark-" 

Arin's pained yell cut her off, and Wyldfyre snapped her head over to see Ras smash his hammer into him. Sending the boy flying over to them- 

Shoving Pinkie out of the way and towards Riyu, she took the brunt of the throw, protecting his head against her shoulder as she hit the wall with so much force it knocked the wind out of her.  

Sagging against the ground, she could take some accomplishment for not hitting her head again at least! Still though, it was.. really hard to try and stay awake. 

Maybe she did actually hit her head, she didn't know. 

Maybe... maybe a couple seconds of rest- no, she needed to get up. The drones and Ras. 

The hatchlings Lloyd asked her to watch. 

Pushing herself, she tried to use the wall, but she slipped, Arin feeling really heavy for some reason... 

She watched the drones close in, charging up lasers ominously. Heavy and attack drones side by side. 

She tried calling up a firecracker, but all she felt was a discomfort in her arm. 

Why... why were they suddenly pink..? 

Not that she could see anymore...

When she wakes back up, it's to a thumping headache, more really blurry vision and somebody shaking her arm plus something nudging her hand. She isn't entirely sure what happens in order but that's what she feels.

Wyldfyre pulls her arm back, feeling as if everything is slow. Why is she this slow? She's never been this slow. Maybe it's fast and it feels that way? She doesn't know. But she does know, is that she peels her lips back in silent threat. 

The touching disappears, and she relaxed a bit. Leaning against the wall that was definitely nice and cool, even though she preferred warm and comfortable in comparison. This was... fine, for now. 

She needed to get up. 

Gritting her teeth, because she's now aware that the touches were from Arin and Riyu, probably, are infront of her. She can feel their body temperature, not hovering anymore, thank Firstbourne, but still fairly close. 

Slowly sitting up, she begins to raise herself off of the ground, hand braced against the wall. The voices of the others starting to bleed back in, slightly jumbled to her but enough for her to get the idea. 

Not that she's really listening either, too focused on trying to get her ass up and going. 

However, her legs decide that they don't really want to listen. So she nearly ends up going back to first base, until somebody - Arin, catches her and helps her back up. Hooking her arm around his shoulder. 

"Better?" He's a little uncomfortable with being so close to her, she can see it, but she hums in confirmation anyway, looking around to see what happened while she was passed out. 

Her visions clearing up, which is nice – and the first thing she looks for once it does fully, she finds instantly at the center of the entrance hall. 

Imprisoned in a mound of metal, she watches Ras struggle, writhing and seething like a cave snake that had it's nest discovered. His hammer laying off to the side on the floor. 

'Sora did that.' Riyu squawks, shuffling up to her so he can raise himself on to his hindlegs. Green eyes bright with pride. 'After you passed out I managed to give the spark before Ras could reach her.' 

"Good job, too bad I couldn't see it." Wyldfyre dropped her hand on his face, scratching at his ridges with her nails lightly. She offered the hatchling a smile, and though he nipped at her lightly, probably for earlier, he didn't pull away. "Where is the Imperi-Rat anyway." 

"Right here." Walking up to them, Pinkie and Riyu are tied for the least beat up. Granted, the former was clutching her side. So she didn't come off free of any damage either, probably got punched or something. 

Regarding the Imp for a second, sweaty, beat up and tired like Arin and herself, Wyldfyre sighed through her nose. She was the reason Arin and her were still alive. Credit was due. "You did... alright. I'll tell you that." 

Wyldfyre made a face, ugh, complimenting an Imperian for something.

Made her want to take to it back immediately and lash at her for not being of more use during the fighting - but she had done something. Whether it was minimal or not, it didn't matter anymore. 

Plus, she was looking like Lloyd did after she beat the shit out of him, and she hated that. Why was she looking like him? Actually, no, it suddenly made sense on where she got the spineless wet cat. It would be from Lloyd. 

Surprised, Pinkie blinked as if Wyldfyre has grown three heads and became a wyvern that breathed bolts of lightning. "Oh, um, thanks-" 

"Don't think that this is a replacement for your debt, Imperian." Wyldfyre cut off, not at all interested in what Pinkie had to say. Arin gave her that disapproving look, but as usual, he held his tongue. "I'll come for it when I think of one." 

She'll need to talk to Arin about that habbit of his, though again, it probably came down to him being torn how to feel about Pinkie's treatment of Jordana and the friend he'd come to know in those... what was it that Reddie said? Four? Five? Something like that years.  

Wilting, Pinkie nodded, and Riyu nipped her hand again, this time using more of that psuedo-fang on the outside of his mouth. 'She saved you! Cut her some slack, Wyldfyre!' 

She pulled her hand out of his reach, raising a brow at how kinda dull the psuedo-teeth were. He wasn't sharpening them. "Not saying she didn't. I'm saying that saving our lives isn't something that sweeps of a debt. If we're on the same side, allies keep each other safe." 

"Pack keeps each other safe. Both in truth and in action. They're all somebody has sometimes. " Looking at Pinkie, Wyldfyre scowled, partly from her head hurting and partly due to the Imperian herself. 

Just like in that room, Riyu didn't have an argument for her. Going silent as he waddled over to Sora to butt his head against her leg, nuzzling it. The other teen crouched down, albeit with a hiss of pain, and patted him.

"We should um, get moving." Arin coughed, diverting his gaze so that Wyldfyre pr Pinke wouldn't be able to see it. "Sora's Elemental Power has a limit to how long she can hold it. Also, Lloyd just commed in." 

She doubted she'd ever really come around to liking Pinke as it stands now, but... if they were gonna stick around she'd need to tolerate her a little more. Even then, it all came down to how Pinkie acted in the coming days. 

Making sure Arin wasn't holding all of her weight, because there was no way he wasn't bruised and hurting, she turned slightly, giving the notion. "Let's move. We have a job to do." 

All that was left to do now, was hope they got there in time.

Chapter Text

The Photac Wolves and the Dragons were evenly matched, but the former had two devastating advantages over them. 

They could not tire, nor could they could be injured. 

As a result, they were basically fighting a battle of attrition until the kids could get back to them.

Lloyd flung another explosive shot of energy at a pair of Photac Beast that were trying to ambush Zanth and Jiro, getting the attention of both monsters. The lightning based attack crackling against them to no affect. 

"Over here!" He shouted, racing away as the two snarled. Briefly glancing at the doors of the palace with desperation, he cleared the steps with a leap. Trying to draw them away from the others. 

They had managed to use the animalistic programming against them to buy enough time to draw out Beatrix and Ras by using intimidation displays, but who knew how many Imperian Guards or Claws in training were coming?

It had only been a few minutes after when some of the monsters has gotten bold enough to launch their nerve anyway. He was just glad none of them were able to use the missiles on their back anymore without a rider. Torchspark or Vigor couldn't take much more of those attacks. 

Pivoting on his heel, Lloyd dropped flat to the ground – feeling the gust of wind go past him as the first Photac Wolf soared above him. The dumb machine crashing into the palace doors with a snarl. He scoffed, right, like it could feel pain. 

It gave him a chance to divert the other ones open jaws with a sparking blast then roll over and dash right back down the stairs to the nearest Dragons. Which were Heatwave, Slab and Zanth. 

Skidding to the right, Lloyd felt the rush of air accompanying by the popping jaws of a wolf miss some mere inches from his torn hood. "I've got company!" 

Slab reacted first, swinging his head to uppercut the Photac Beast into the air. Seeing her chance, Zanth shot from her positon like a crocodile rising from the water. Cartwheeling gracefully as she slammed her tail into the monster, sending it crashing into one that was trying to pin Rockslide. 

Giving out an appreciative roar, Rockslide took off to go aid Jiro, who was engaged with two Photac Beasts. The Lightning Dragon's scales already covered in bits of blood from the teeth and claws, yet he still fought ferociously. 

'Those kids better hurry the hell up!' Zanth snarled, landing heavily. Rearing up to bat the second one as it tried to snap at Lloyd, russet claws glinted in the sun. The drake using her size to try and stall the beast.

Hunching down like a real wolf, it pinned its ears back, barking loudly. Too distracted by the drake's actions to notice Heatwave's charging in until it was too late. The force of the Lava Drake's shoulder check sending it tumbling away. 

'We.... we can hold out a little longer.' He panted, his neck and shoulders bearing a collection of scars and clawmarks from the fighting. Even some of his frills looked a bit torn up, the teeth of the beasts having torn them at the edges. 'We can do it.' 

'I'll have to side with Heatwave.' Shaking his head, Slab bore a massive collection of bites, scars and chipped scales. Adding on to his already rugged, battle tempered look. The Primordial looked fine to Lloyd, but he could see how the Earth Dragon's tail was drooping. 'Holding out is what we must do.' 

'Our fliers our grounded, and the Ice Dragons are overheating.' Zanth grimaced, firing a plume of flames to deny a Photac from leaping onto Vigor's back. The force throwing it off course and into a blur of thrashing limbs. 'For holding out we're doing the best we can. But we aren't gonna last.' 

Lloyd exhaled heavily, watching Glacier snap her jaws around the Photacs scruff and throw it at the closest one. "Best bet is to try and hold the position here at the top of the stairs. Slab, Heatwave, think you guys, Rockslide and the Ice Dragons have enough to make another barrier?"

Heatwave and Slab shook their heads, answering his question – but Zanth growled, taking out her anger by swatting at another wolf with her tail. 'Damned language barrier, this is why why more humanoids should learn dragon.'

Lloyd was so glad Zanth and Jiro did not question his apperent scent other than give him weird looks throughout the fight. He would not have wanted another set of dragons being hostile to him, thinking he murdered somebody. 

Zanth seemed to have an apperent suspicion like Heatwave though. He questioned how a seemingly normal dragon figured it out when Torchspark and Rockslide could not, which, according to Slab, they should have.

'It is annoying.' Heatwave agreed, frills rattling dangerously as he glared down the steps to where the Photac Wolves were regrouping. The soulless eyes of the beast somehow conveying annoyance. 

'Jiro, Rockslide, Torchspark, get your dumbasses back up here!' Zanth barked, the Lava Drake bellowing out his own commanding roar to reinforce her point. Lloyd took these moments of down time to catch his breath, leaning against Slab's pillar of a leg. 

The Earth Dragon lowered his head, and it made him ache for Cole to be here. They had the same sort of presence, large and imposing but kind. Heck, Slab's club reminded him all too much of the Earth Ninja's gifted warhammer. 

Then again, he just wished any of his team was here to fight this. While the kids were good, and he hoped they were keeping each other safe – there was only so much he could do to make sure they aren't injured badly. 

Heatwave roared, getting his attention as he stood up straighter. Exhaustion pulling at the corners of his mind. 

Torchspark was the first to leap up to them, his body a mess of bites and clawmarks. The spines that ranged from his head to his tail all varying levels of damaged - from near missing to chipped, even his horns, like the other dragons, had not come out unscathed. 

The Fire Dragon narrowed his eyes upon seeing Lloyd resting against the Earth Dragon, black clouds of smoke wafting from his snout still. Thankfully, Torchspark looked away when Zanth hissed, daring him to make ake a comment. 

Grumbling under his breath, the Fire Dragon took his spot on the line. Sagging further, Lloyd sighed in relief, thankful that there was one more person to keep the large dragon in check aside from Heatwave and Slab. 

Jiro and Rockslide came next a couple breaths later, both of them nearly beat up as the Fire Dragon. The former was the one clearly taking the hits for the Earth Wyvern, the number of wounds on him larger than before. 

Yet he still stood with confidence Lloyd was slightly envious of. Tilting his head with an amused air despite being under Zanth's unimpressed stare he stopd taller. 'You called? I had my claws full with making sure one of those Photac Wolves knew what metal tasted like.'

'I don't think they can taste anythin'.' Heatwave commented dryly, though he was smiled loosely. 

'The sentiment is still there.' Jiro returned. 

Zanth sighed. 'Don't encourage him.' 

Rockslide snorted, moving away to his position on the defense as Jiro lined up beside Zanth. Furling and unfurling his wings, his shoulders rolled with each movement. The Lightning Dragon's grin faltering before coming back. 

Lloyd turned his gaze to the Photac Wolves at the bottom, snapping and snarling at each other. Trying to figure out who the "alpha' was among them without a human to lead. At least, he was pretty sure that's what was going on.

While the others watched the Photacs turn on each other, Slab raised his head, looking around as he scented the air. Tensing when he seemed to have caught something. 

'They are here.' He growled, pawing at the ground right as the hard light monsters stopped fighting, going deadly calm upon hearing the whirring of hover chariots. If fact, they took off towards them. 

'Stick close an' don't stray off from each other!' Heatwave ordered, his scales shifting from red to a brighter orange. His frills rattling similarly to a rattlesnake's tail daring a predator to attack. 'If you need a breather call out an' swap.'

Hover chariots flew over to where the previous battle had taken place, and Lloyd could see guards and what he could only assume were medics working to free the Claws of the Imperium trapped or entombed in ice. 

'Immobolise any Claw or Guard if you can. Kill if you must.' Zanth stomped her foot to, claws leaving sparks on the metal below her. The sky-blue drake's eyes venomous and full of hatred. Lloyd was glad to not be on the other end of that.

For now.

Knowing that some of the other Dragons were going to act on that order – oh, he could not fight off the wave of unease that churned in his stomach. There were going to be families torn apart by them and him. 

There were so many things he could have been fighting a month or two ago after knowing Arin and Sora and getting most of his team back that would have been better than this, but no. 

They were in the middle of what the Dragons considered a war.

He was just trying to make sure nobody died. Something that was probably going to fail here soon. 

His grip tightened around Slab's horns ss he climbed up the side of the Primordial when a hover chariot much more befitting of royalty - or what he assumed was Imperian royalty, stood above the rest. 

Empress Beatrix rose to full height, her attire and facial markings being the replacement for a crown. Her eyes focused on him alone. "You dare lay seige to Imperium Palace, the heart of my dominion!?"

Irritation flared through him, and he scowled. The Dragons growling and snarling at the Photac Wolves coming back with riders. Again. "How dare you treat these beings like objects to be drained, just so you can keep the lights on!?" 

Beatrix scoffed, lip curled in utter disdain. "An Empress owes no explanations to lesser beings, you are in my kingdom with property that belongs to me." 

"You ripped these Dragons from numerous realms across the Merged Worlds, your Claws of the Imperium even drove one into The Crossroads, which, for the record, is neutral land that belongs to Ninjago!" Gods, he was indifferent to the territorial shtick that Skylor has told him about already, and that was only her explaining it.

 Beatrix cranked it up from that to hatred. 

"You really believe those peasant outlanders could ever dream of holding a region?" Laughing, Beatrix eyed Lloyd like he was some clown at a circus. "I only allow them to believe they are free because they provide little interest to I or Imperium." 

Lloyd stiffened, feeling something dark rise at that. He has no clue at all what it was, but it was demanding for Beatrix's defeat. Demanding for him to wipe out the danger that was before him. 

He figured it was his Oni or Dragon, coming to a rare agreement over the fact that Beatrix was a danger to Ninjago. To his home. To the others living within The Crossroads.

The Empress of Imperium smiled at him with so much condescension it reminded him of the Crystal King before they won against him for the third time. 

Thrusting her hand out, Beatrix gave the order. "Spare no one." 

The Photac Wolves charged. 

They were starting to run out of fumes.

Lloyd darted from Dragon to Dragon, doing his best to shoot the Imperian Guards off of the Photac Beasts with the most voltage he could use. 

Which was a little hard to do when he was also being chased by a tiger-man that was armed with a massive element neutralizing warhammer. 

Pivoting on his heel, Lloyd narrowly dodged the next strike, mere inches away from where his foot had been. 

Retaliating with an orb of fire based energy, he shot it at the feet of his assailant, causing the tiger, whom he assumed was Ras, to jump back. "You're only delaying the inevitable, Green Ninja!" 

In response, he used his other hand to send sharp bolts of lightning towards one of the Imperian Guards closest to him. The following being a chain reaction of passed out guards, immobolising the hard light monters they were riding. 

"Delaying your defeat maybe, I'm usually the one winning!" He taunted, dashing away from his wall of flames before the tiger could rebuke his claim and straight towards Torchspark and Zanth, the two fighting side by side. 

There was no time to pay attention to the charred bodies littering the grounds of Imperium Palace, much as he lied to himself anyway by taking looks to see man or woman, dead on the ground. 

Ras roared, the tell tale sign he was about to strike again - seriously, why did the enemy always telegraph it with a scream, yell or some boring comment? Just take the shot! 

"Torchspark, Zanth!" Dodging again by cartwheeling forward, Lloyd dove to the ground, landing with a oof as he slid under the sky-blue drake. The Fire Dragon immediately turning his head to bite at the approaching soldier. 

Using one of those doohicky's he saw Arin using earlier, the tiger used it to rope the Dragons mouth shut. Narrowing his eyes, Torchspark yanked his head upwards to dislodge it, making Ras go airborne. 

Spinning, he dove, hammer hurling towards the Fire Dragon who now had a pair of hover chariots on him, firing their lasers. 

What would have been a brutal hit to the spine was denied by Zanth, lashing at Ras with her tail in a tight movement and sending him off into the fray somewhere. Her action allowing her to dodge a missile that exploded against the building. 

'Where are the human spawn?' Torchspark panted, rearing up to swat a hoverchariot away. His wings acting as a protective shield against the laser fire of drones. 'Taking their sweet time in there!' 

'Less talking more fighting!' Zanth retorted, preforming a firespewing corkscrew that felled a massive clump of drones and set off a handful of hoverchariots, forcing them to land away from the battle. 

Jiro flew above them, not as fast as Vigor, but faster than the Fire Dragon - a beam of lightning electrocuting any metal machinery it hit. Glacier and Borealis on the palace walls doing their best to help him keep the aircraft off of those on the ground.

Vigor butt heads with a Photac Beast, the wolf and Dragon recoiling away from the contact before surging against each other. Rockslide lashed out with his horns and tail, battering those that tried to aim for the Mountain Dragon. 

Lloyd punched out more blasts of his Elemental Power after the quick breather, forcing a riderless Photac Wolf off of Heatwave and Slab who'd been pinned down. 

Now freed of his entrapment, the Lava Drake gave a brief nod in his direction and shoulder tackled his enemy off of the steps, the monsters trajectory bowling over anyone trying to rise the steps.sending riders screaming and crying out.

A blur flickered in the edge of vision, black and gold.

"Look out!" 

Slab turned his head in the nick of time, deflecting the hammering blow from Ras as he used his strength to push the tiger away. The Primordial bellowed at max volume, causing Ras to retreat, ears pinned back in pain. 

Lloyd wished they could do that chanting thing, but in their position they would not have been able to pull it off, even earlier. A drone or hoverchariot would have justed fired at them. 

Though the mass of fighting, Lloyd could feel Beatrix's glare on him. Following him throughout the fight with so much hatred it almost felt like he was being stared at by his da- Garmadon again after... Harumi resurrected him. 

Right as he was about to run off and be a nuisance to the Photac Wolves again, a pair of pained roars and crashes caused him to whirl around in dread. The disgustingly distorted howl of the monsters crying out in victory cutting through the battle.

Pinned underneath Photac Beasts were Vigor and Rockslide. 

The former was still as a statue because one of them had its jaws clamped on the wing membrane dangerously. Vigor's plating chipped and broken along with his horns, numerous claw marks that bled crimson stained the ground. 

The Earth Wyvern snarled, a Photac Beast keeping his head down by the horns with two others biting on to his backspines and keeping his lashing tail in check. Three to one, he was trapped. 

None of the dragons or Lloyd could approach, because if they did then Vigor would no longer be able to fly. Same for Rockslide. They could break his wings or shred them —

Torchspark followed next. 

Seperated by two Photac Wolves, the Fire Dragon was forcibly shoved to the ground and restrained. One at the neck and head and another at the body due to how large he was. His struggles going feeble as they threatened his wings, too. 

Seeing the two be put to the ground sent a wave of fury through him, energy flowing through him similarly to an adrenaline rush, his tiredness became an afterthought. His vision going green-purple for a split second. 

His mind buzzed with the repeated mantra of defend defend defend what are you doing these are your kin, protect and destroy the enemy. The Oni trying to get a say in as it and the Dragon began to force its way to the surface.

Again. 

"No no no no-" Shaking his head, he veered towards Heatwave and Slab, the last two grounded Dragons not counting Borealis and Glacier on the palace. Still defiantly dodging missiles and laser fire despite heat exhaustion becoming more and more prevalent. 

They wouldn't last long. 

Slab smashed his skull into the ground, trying to crush Ras who leapt away from the attack. Countering with his own swing. His warhammer smashing the Primordial's head in the other direction. 

Heatwave was doing his best to keep the Photacs Beasts off of him, but there were too many and he was losing ground fast. The wolves circling around him, forcing him towards the Earth Dragon who received another blow from Ras. 

Desperately trying to help the Lava Drake, Lloyd jumped into the air, aiming for the riders with bolts of green lightning. But his efforts would be for naught. The Photac Beasts reared up to absorb the attacksN defending their riders. 

Zanth cried out as a missile hit her, knocking her to the ground. Stunning her long enough to let Photac Beasts trap her beneath them. Jiro shrieked angrily, unable to help as hover chariots and drones kept him at on the defensive. 

Glacier tried to make a break for her, but she was taken down only a couple feet away. Claws visibly digging to her scales. 

The Photac Wolves tightened the circle, pushing Slab back now that Ras had retreated back into their ranks. Heatwave breathed a plume of fire in reponse to one Imperian Guard getting too ansty, forcing both rider and monster back. 

He raised a hand, shining with energy as he built it up, tapping the coms. "Arin, Sora, we really need good news out here. We're getting boxed in-" 

Pushing the shot forward, the energy blast exploded into a shower of sparks to intercept a laser blast that was aiming for him. "Guys, we really need the help here!"

Beatrix hovered above them in a circle, grinning at her possible victory. 

He hadn't thrown in the towel yet, what was it with villains always celebrating before they even defeated you first? Sheesh, talk about cocky. 

Still, Jiro was being kept at bay alongside Borealis. The two unable to do anything for those on the ground because of the hoverchariots and the drones, and the Lightning Dragon was working double time to make sure they didn't get to her. 

The Photac Beasts trained their missiles on them, all of the remaining ones surrounding them in a wall of teeth, claws and lasers. 

He felt the want to destroy bubbling up within him dangerously, his eyes trained on every rider atop their mount. If he could take them down- 

Shaking his head furiously, he clutched his head. No no no no – no killing. Absolutely not. He was not giving in to the voice of the Oni, having overpowered the Dragon and demanding violence. 

It was either them or the Imperians, and he anted to make sure as many lives were kept- 

Destroy destroy destroy- 

"Shut up." He hissed, feeling his nails sharpen against his scalp. One of his eyes shutting tightly. "Shut up shut up shut up, no ,I don't want to. You can't make me." 

The enemies will dissappear if we help... 

"I don't want them to disappear. I want them to live." Lloyd muttered, backing up into Slab's leg. The Primordial lowered his head to protect him, snarling in defense. "I'm not a destroyer. Not a creator-" 

'Hey, hey, kid. Stay with us.' Heatwave hissed, voice steady compared to the uneven mess in his head. It even shut up the Dragon, which was bliss. He was still in control. Everything would be okay. 'Can't do shit for us if you go berserk.' 

"Need to help the others." He muttered, lightly scratching at the scar he'd given himself to get out of the possession. "Prove I'm not a monster."

Slab angled his head at that, or at least Lloyd thought he looked ready to comment on something, but instead chose to focus on the Photac Wolves. Shaking his head in an intimidation display that wouldn't work. 

'You aren't. You're just a human that decided t'help a bunch of overgrown lizards.' Heatwave reiterated, his frill rattling when the Photac's pushed him and Slab closer to one another, the Imperian Guards indifferent to Lloyd.

"Still need to prove to the others." He muttered, unable to tell if that was him speaking or something else inside of him trying to talk for him. They were trying to wake up again. He didn't want them to. 

Nudging him with his front foot, Heatwave lowered his head in a crouch, eye ridges softening despite the smoke that still poured out. 'You proved enough. Didn't have t'fight th'thick an'thin for us, but y'did. And that's enough.' 

Lloyd blinked, feeling the haze of the Oni and the Dragon lift as he sagged against Slab's leg. Exhaustion finally taking coming for him as he breathed uneasily.

That's when the ground began to tremble. 

While the two had come back a little, he'd managed to push them back before they could override his control. 

That didn't excuse the fact that the ground was shaking like a Mergequake was about to appear above Imperium. 

Or that's what he thought. 

But no, where some of the Photac Wolves stood, something tore through the metal and cement, rising from beneath their feet. 

It was a freaking building. 

Taking advantage of the distraction, Slab and Heatwave tore through the Photac Beasts to reach Zanth, the hard light monsters backing off. The programming jamming up, too concerned with the trembling earth and following their riders orders. 

Jiro landed next to them, the Lightning Dragon swinging his tail like a sword to smash away any of the monsters that tried to snap back. A bolt of lightning parted from his mouth as it forced Ras back with sheer force. 

Borealis was raging blizzard as she slammed down on the group that had her cousin hostage, swatting them away with her tail and throwing them with her jaws with her attacks allowing Glacier to get up and move closer to them. 

Seconds later, he saw a barricade of ice rise between them and the Photacs. Borealis collapsing from the exertion of her abilties, the heat taking its toll on her. Each pant a small cloud of frost that dropped the temperature a wisp compared to what it was earlier. 

It was such a lucky break, but they needed this. He just hoped whatever this building meant was something that could tip the sides into their favor, as the Dragons were all but spent at this point. 

So was he. 

'Prepare for anything.' Heatwave ordered. Rockslide, and Jiro at his sides while the others either limped over to the rest or stayed down to gather their breath. 'Strange den or not, we'll show it to treat Imperium as the enemy. Or show it our fangs.'

The grounds quaking continued to rack Imperium, th Photacs and the guards staying where they were despite Beatrix's screeching. Honestly, thank his grandfather for that one, he might have shut her up himself if it wasn't for the tremors. 

Still, as the building's rise finally came to a stop, he could hear the Photac Beasts already smashing their way through the ice wall. The sharp crackle and pop of it giving away rapidly thanks to both beast and missilies working on it. 

They were trapped. 

Vigor started helping Torchspark up, the Fire Dragon leaning almost all of his weight on the smaller Mountain Dragon. Slab went ahead and offered Borealis aid up after Zanth motioned for him to help her instead. The sky-blue drake stubbornly getting off of the ground, even if slowly. 

Finding her balance, Zanth then went to Glacier, the others helping the injured to get behind Jiro, Rockslide and a beaten and battered Heatwave, the Lava Drake standing firm even with the Photac Beasts were upon them. 

Hearung the sharp fire of missiles being launched, Lloyd whirled, unleashing three consecutive blasts to explode the artillery before they could make contact. A cloud of smoke expanding outwards on impact-

That's when a Photac Wolf came barrelling through the smoke, its rider aiming their laser gun at him. The Photac's jaws wide and a paw coming in to crush him, Lloyd tried to dodge backwards, but he botched the leap, landing on his back as the ground went slick below him. 

Heatwave's roar and Jiro's shriek of panic muffled out the beasts snarl, Lloyd charged up a blast to try and save himself, but it wasn't going to be enough to handle both at once. He shivered, his back covered in frost. 

Firing off the attack in a last ditch ttempt anyway, the Photac Beast simply snapped its jaws around the weaker blast, undeterred because of the rider ushered it forward. The paw coming down to turn him into paste- 

A pillar of ice rose from the ground, stopping the lunge. 

The Photac Wolf's advande was halted in its tracks, paw in a ice. A fireball roared over his head and hit the rider, knocking them off of their mount, screaming and writhing as their armor began to melt with them in it. 

Blinking dumbly, Lloyd stared. That couldn't have been the Ice Dragon pair, there was no beam! Nor was that fireball from Heatwave or Rockslide, it was more like Torchspark's, smaller yet volatile enough to burn things on impact. 

Realization slapped him in the face when a goob of water went bubbling forward. Wait, there was no way they were here- 

His turn around to look was cut off as his world when in all directions, teeth clamping on to the back of his gi as he was pulled out of the way from the Photac Beasts' range of attack. 

Swaying around on whichever dragons jaws it was, he saw a barrage of missiles get turned around mid air and promptly sent back in the direction they came, a refreshing gust blowing his hair in all directions.

"You are so grounded after this, Lloyd Montgomery Garmadon!" 

He had never been more excited to hear a threat all day.

The Master of Water went streaming past him, baiting out the wolf's strike as she back hopped, morphing into her tornado of water. Cascading forward with the power of a waterfall, she slammed against the monsterr. Drenching then battle field around her. 

Actually, wait wait wait wait, he was twenty two. 

Indignation flaring, he writhed to be free of whoever was keeping him away from the fighting. The Dragon's jaw tightened on the scruff of his hood. "You can't ground me! I'm an adult and the leader!" 

"By my understanding, we can put you on house arrest." Zane, freaking, Zane commented, his hands blasting at the ground, blooms of frost expanding out towards the enemy. "I cannot say I am impressed with this stunt, and I have only awoken moments ago." 

"What Zane said!" Kai agreed. Zane's ice jutting out of the ground with so much force it sent the Photac Beast into the air where it went sprawling back over the wall as another current of wind stormed around them. 

Lloyd wilted, he might as well kiss his chances to lead any missions for the next week goodbye. And be under watch 24/7 "And what Nya said too, I am never letting you convince me to stay at home ever again."

"You did what?" Nya demanded, careening past Kai as she drenched the base of the ice wall in a layer of water, Kai's heat turning it to slush. "And you listened to him? Gods dammit Kai you know we can't leave him out of our sight!"

"We were kinda working with limited Ninja-power, Nya." Snarking right back, he lept twice into the air, preforming his double side flip as fire engulfed him. His Spinjitzu a tornado of red-hot power. 

"I would like to remind you all that we are in the middle of a battle." Zane said, creating a hulking ball of ice then tossing it behind him. Lloyd had to squirmed in his position to see why he did that, because there was only one person who could control wind now-

He felt embarrassment flood through his face when Euphrasia waved at him before catching Zane's iceball and sending it skywards, the sun shining off of it as she used her wind to increase it's momentum. 

While he felt a little humiliated, it was so, so satisfying to hear the clamors of panic coming from the otherside of the wall. Imperian Guards and Photac Beasts worked to try and get to them, struggling against his team and Euphrasia. 

Still, his heart swelled in glee at seeing all four working together against the beasts - and he wanted to run up to Zane just to make sure he was real. To make sure that was his oldest brother, the one who loved bird watching and culinary arts. 

Managing to twist around like some sort of human piñata, Lloyd finally saw who was holding him against his will. White underbelly scales and sky-blue scales filled his vision, confirming that the one who'd grabbed him was Zanth. 

"Lemme go." He said, angling his head so that he could look the drake in the eye. Listening to Beatrix screaming obscenities at his brothers and sister. "I gotta fight with them." 

Zanth narrowed her eyes, staring right back at him before lightly shaking her head and him like some bag that a toddler was carrying. Her response essentially spelling out the answer to him with it being a big fat–

No. 

'Firstbournes fangs, thank the her and the Sentinels.' Heatwave sighed, approaching them with a limp in his step. The other dragons watching the ninja work. 

Zane reinforced the entire wall of ice with rapid fire iceballs that expanded on contact with the top of the barricade, now lined by deadly icicles thanks to Nya using her water to shape the formations. 

'The humans smell... clean.' Slamming his tail against the ground lightly, Rockslide hissed. 'Like humans, except for the white one. He smells like metal. Silver and titan-ore.'

Slowing his squirming to stare, Lloyd cocked his head at the Earth Wyverns comment. Huh, so that's what they called titanium? Zane really was cool (pun unintended, he tacked on) even when being described in a more primitive sense. 

"Um, Lloyd?" Euphrasia asked, flinching away from Jiro whom was hunched over to inspect her. Wings flared almost protectively, forming a sort of umbrella above them. His tail curling in then out. "What's- what's he doing-" 

"Little busy right now." He replied, finally finding purchase on Zanth's jaws as he tried to pry them open with little luck. The dragon's jaw muscles tensing at his touch. "Trying to get out of this. Let me go, Zanth!" 

'A Wind Dragon-Gifted,' Jiro buzzed, a smile pulling at the corners of his mouth. He retreated when Euphrasia expressed further discomfort at being around them. 'How I wish you could understand us, Cloud-Drifter.'

Lloyd froze when he heard Nya came spiraling over to them, her water dissipating as she slide to a stop. Turning slowly, around, he swallowed nervously when he saw her eye twitch in annoyance.

 Oh, he was so, so dead after this mission. 

"So you were gonna mention the very important detail about these beasts being tough, when?" She demanded, drifting an arm around and gathering water from the atmosphere. Building it up into a glob of water the size of Slab's head. 

Any argument or snark he would have said died in his throa when she whistled for Zane, throwing it at him. The Master of Ice turning it into a massive chunk in seconds.

Kai met a barrage of laser fire with his own, melting the drones to ash piles as he pulled the flames from the charred ones to boost his own output. 

Tossing the minature iceberg into the air, Lloyd watched Euphrasia continue to elevate it through the smoke created by the Fire Elemental's destruction. In seconds, she let it go as it plummeted on to the other side of the ice barricade. 

"Yeah... they're uh... indestructible." He settled on, shrinking under her glare. Listening to Zane's crackles and howls of ice, similiar to the Ice Dragon duos roar and blasts. 

"Where are the kids?" 

"On a mission to get Riyu, they said they were on their way out." 

The Master of Water's eye twitched again. 

Even Euphrasia gave him a look that asked if he had been thinking straight. 

If he was being honest, probably not. Desperate times called for desperate measures. 

He'd been working with what he had, okay? 

'We were buying them time so that Silent Storm could arrive with the hatchling.' Jiro explained, stepping forward, rearing to his full height. He gaze at Imperium Palace in worry, then lowered it back to be more eye level with Nya. 'As you saw we were about to face defeat.'

"Put up a hell of a fight, though." She noted, motioning to the bleeding bites, cuts and broken scales decorating them. "Not bad, Lloyd." 

"I try." 

Heatwave growled, his shoulders bunching together and looking just about ready to storm the palace himself. Even when bleeding, the Lava Drake still stood proudly. 'My kids' in there with them. We can't run from this fight 'til she comes back.' 

Nya's own scowl softened, her posture relaxing for a moment. "What's her name? Gotta be on the same side here." 

All the dragons reeled back, like they'd been struck with a slap to the face. Which, again, shook him around as a result because he was literally hanging from Zanth's jaws. 

'You know our language?' Trilling, Jiro sounded weirdly... pleased. Actually, between the four of them, only two looked at her suspiciously, one looked disgruntled and one was happy. 

It was leagues better reaction than the reaction he got. 

Grumbling under his breath, he swivelled around again, reaching up to pry his captors mouth open. He swore he wasn't just a bit annoyed, he promised. 

Totally not like he had to work for it despite Nya heing here for maybe only five or so minutes, and already received better than he was, more or less.

"Can't speak it but I can understand it." Turning around, she called upon a sphere of water when she saw a Photac Beast trying to climb over the barricade, blasting at it with the force of a canon.

Maybe he was jealous. Just a little bit. 

'How the fresh fuck?' Heatwave demanded, lowering his head, smoke starting to billow from his nostrils again. He narrowed his eyes, and she met the challenge by placing both hands on her hips. 

She shrugged. "I can explain later." 

Rockslide growled, his wing talons scraping at the ground, the metal giving in to his will slightly as it dented. 'The red one was right, why was the green vermin in charge of their previous-'

Cut off by a shot of water, she raised her chin and looked down - down at the Earth Dragon. "Call him a vermin one more time and I'll make sure you never fly again, Earth Wyvern. Only Kai and I get to do

The Earth Wyvern opened his jaws to spout something in return, but was once again silenced by Slab stomping a little ways away. Reinforcing the wall with spikes of rock thanks to his breath. Panting after be finished, his tail touching the floor as he hung his head. 

The Primordial's blood red gaze turned to them once he finished, limping over to where they were gathered. 'Now is not the time to be wasting our breath with words while our lives are in danger. Can we move this discussion forward?' 

Right on cue and ever the one to avoid tardiness, Zane and Kai slide up to them, the Master of Ice's mouth set in a grim line. "I have calculated our odds of winning this battle; Retreating into the building we came out of is our only option." 

Rolling his eyes, Kai threw a fireball behind him and into an Imperian Guard who'd been scaling the wall, the flame melting the ice below them and sending them tumbling. "Oh, fun, our chances are pretty solid." 

Euphrasia wrung her hands, or at least that's what Lloyd could see from his viewpoint. "What about Arin, Riyu, and Sora? They'd be out here to face the entire squadron of guards, even with Sora dismantling the monsters."

'My daugher is still in there, Ninja. I ain't leavin' her behind. You said you were getting all of us out.' Bristling, Heatwave stalked up to Lloyd. Kai reached out defensively before Nya stopped him. 'If she's harmed, you better start praying to Scorcher.' 

"We aren't leaving anyone behind." Lloyd reiterated, finally getting Zanth to let him go as he dropped down. "But this is our only hope to give them more time for their plan. You guys can't fight anymore, and Nya, Kai, Zane and Euphrasia can't do it on their own." 

The howling cacophony of the Photac Beasts rung out, making the dragons and Lloyd flinch. Kai and Zane turned back to the barricade, where ice was beginning to shatter under the assault. Hover chariots could be seen organizing themselves inbetween the columns of smoke.

"Kai, Euphrasia I believe it was? Please stay on aerial control while Nya and I work on extending the duration of the barrier. At most the able-bodied Dragons will need ten to fifteen minutes to aid the others." 

"We're in this fight now." Cracking his knuckles, Kai rolled his neck. Fire blooming along his hands, ready to turn metal and machinery to ash. "So let's fight. Mind if I get a headstart first, Euphie?" 

"Oh, uh, sure?" Caught off guard, Euphrasia nodded. At the confirmation of the Wind Master, Kai took off without a second thought. Hands blazing with flames. Slab huffed in amusment at the sight. 

However, Nya turned to the Cloud Monk. "You sure up for it, Euphrasia? You can go with the dragons if you'd like. I know this isn't... really the same as fighting those tentacle monsters." 

Shaking her head, Euphrasia's face hardened in determination. Her hands glowing white as she began to float into the air. "I'm ready to help. Leave the missiles to me – and um, tell me if you want them anywhere?" 

"Will do. Now, come on." Turning to leave, Nya stopped, shooting a look over her shoulder at Lloyd as he'd moved to follow. "Except for you. You stay with the Dragons." 

"I was here first!" He argued. "I was doing just fine." 

'I had to pull your ass out of the way.' Zanth reminded, peering into his field of sight. Her eye riged raised skeptically. 'You really going to try and bullshit your way into this?' 

While he wanted to argue more, Nya was giving him the look that would make a grundle stop dead in its tracks and turn right the heck around. "I know you want to help, but you also need to rest now that we're here. Okay?"

"She is correct." Zane spoke, tilting his head at him, no doubt running the scans over what was damaged and what needed healing. "It is a wonder you have not pulled any muscles or received any harsher injuries. You're energy is dangerously low." 

Thank you for the help, Zane. 

Sighing in defeat, he stepped back. Biting back the unfairness of it all. Even if Zane and Nya were right. He was starting to feel tired after all the Oni and Dragon crap he'd been going through today. Actually, no, he was tired. "Fine. " 

Clearing his throat, and making them all jump, Heatwave wearily gazed to Imperium Palace. Claws digging into the ground. 'Settles th'discussion then. We retreat into th'metal den and wait for the kids long as we can.'

Zanth shook herself, just as tired as the rest, but still holding herself up sith pure stubbornness. 'Rockslide, Jiro, Slab, get the others in there first. Heatwave and I will give you all time." 

'I can aid you-' Jiro began, stepping forward while Rockslide and Slab turned tail to the Ice Dragons, Torchspark and Vigor who were laying down, exhausted. 

Zanth shook her head, slamming a claw down. 'Don't. We need you to help the Ice Dragons and Torchspark inside. Vigor and Rockslide can't do it on their own.'

Heatwave nodded in agreement, motioning to where Slab was helping Glacier and Rockslide with Borealis. 'She's right, kid. We need everybody, even if we wanna do somethin' else. Alright?' 

Coming to terms that he was outmatched by the two faster than Lloyd was by Nya and Zane, the Lightning Dragon bowed his head in understanding. 'Stay safe.' 

Laughing, Heatwave flexed his claws in preparation, the color of his scales shifting to a brighter orange. 'Been alive th'entire day, takes more than a knock off human created wolf t'kill me.'

Zanth scoffed, crouching as she leapt to the air, using whatever it was she did to become aloft. 'I'd be embarrassed if I died here after everything I've survived.' 

"Tell me about it." Nya muttered, following after Zane who gave Lloyd a concerned look, but sped off to go aid Kai, the Fire Master having been along long enough. 

Jiro buzzed in frustration, watching the other humans and the two dragons rush off into battle. Stomping away to the injured dragons, electricty buzzing in the back of his throat. 

It was a sentiment Lloyd shared and understood well. He hadn't even got to touch Zane to see if his mind still was not trying to play cruel tricks on him. Stupid as that sounds, given that Kai, Nya and Euphrasia are here. 

While everything told him to go after his family in the heart of the fight, Nya and Zane had told him to stay out of it. They were already made enough, or worried enough, he didn't need to worry them more. Even if he just wanted to help. 

He remembered he could continue to do so by helping the dragons. That counted more in line with rest, right?

Jogging over to Glacier and Slab, Lloyd charged his hands with the ice affinity of his powers, he could at least make the pain a little easier for them.

God, how he wished his Oni and Dragon hadn't nearly exhausted him. 

He could be doing so, so much more. 

They manage to hole themselves up inside the Imperian Monastery in about twelve minutes give or take. He'll have to ask Zane if he was keeping track. 

This also means he has time to finally reach Sora and Arin on the comms again. 

He should've been working on trying to reach through more often, granted he'd give himself the fact he was in the middle of a brawl earlier. And by extension, planning with the others after that, then getting the Dragons inside the monastery. 

Yeah, today was a lot for an escape that was originally meant to only bust out a singular Dragon and disable the Photac Beasts. 

Splitting off from the others, Lloyd went into a more empty corner, hand pressed against his com. "Sora? Arin? Hello? Anyone? We had a change of plans – again." 

The line remained dead silent, though he swore he heard something on the other end in the static feed. It sounded like Sora. But it was hard to tell due to the interception. 

Worrying his lip, Lloyd swallowed. Stick to the point and make it curt. Don't ramble. "We got another break. Nya, Kai, Euphrasia and Zane showed up in this weird building we barricaded ourselves in. Dragons are in here too. Where are you?" 

The doors shuddered and groaned with each bang from a Photac Wolf slamming against it, the injured Dragons who could not fight anymore casting a combination of weary glances and hateful glares. He could still hear the snarls if he strained his hearing enough. 

"We got an idea of how to get the Dragons out of here."

 Nearly leaping out of his skin, Lloyd swivelled around with a fist raised. Energy crackling akin to lightning-

Cool, metallic hands redirected his arm upwards, grasping his wrist before he shot at Nya, Kai and Euphrasia who backed up. "Forgive us, Lloyd. We didn't mean to scare you." 

"Crap. Sorry." Lloyd felt a lump form in his throat, because Zane's touch was real. Even through the gloves he was wearing, the nindroids grip was heavy and firm, more so than Cole but... gentle. "Long day." 

Kai smiled wryly, no doubt remembering how he had been thrown from ten feet in the air a month or two ago. Either way, red-brown shone with worry. "We can tell."

Allowing himself a moment, he let the energy ball diminish. The thrumming power fading into a lull as he rubbed his face with his free hand, arm going floppy in Zane's hold. The Ice Elemental not letting go as he lowered it slowly. "What is it? And please tell me it's not some sneak attack enemy from underground." 

Nya snorted, shaking her head. She turned to point in the direction of the weird structure sitting in the middle of the chamber. Past where the dragons were. "There's a portal Euphrasia and I came through with Kai. We activate it, we send the Dragons out of here to somewhere safe." 

Following her finger, he could vaguely see something that looked like a door at the other side of thw chamber with a symbol on it. "Well, why don't we just do it now?"

"There is an issue," Zane added. "While the gate appears to be linked to our monastery, it is designed for smaller transports. The Dragons surpass it's power readings by a margin it cannot handle." 

Lloyd bit down the urge to swear because of course there was an issue. Get lucky some amount of times then get the unlucky card the next. If there was a master of luck and misfortune he wanted to have some choice words. 

Dredging up a sigh from the deepest parts of his soul, he tried smiling when Euphrasia looked at him with concern. Lloyd doubted it was convincing, given that Kai had that face on, but it was the effort that counted. "Alright, how do we power it?" 

"Given the attitude of Queen Bi- ahem, Beatrix," Nya corrected, after getting frosted by Zane in warning. Kai laughed, and Nya doused him with a pellet of water. "Bet there's something inside the palace." 

Squawking with indignation, Kai narrowed his eyes at her whilst she stuck out her tongue at him. Euphrasia took a step back away from them to avoid being caught in the crossfire which, Lloyd didn't blame her for. 

Zane peered around the two as they made faces to each other. His ice-blue eyes flashing as he scanned the chamber. Humming in contemplation. "I do detect a tremendous amount of energy, yet it is not within the palace. It is below us." 

Ignoring Nya, who pretty much won, Kai wrung out his sleeve in distaste. "When we mean tremendous energy source do we mean, like, Tornado of Creation or the bad kind." 

"I have never seen such a singular reserve of energy as large as this." Zane reiterated, his eyes turning to a softer glow. Swivelling his head around like an owl when the Photac Beasts assault on the doors began anew. 

Thankfully, Lloyd didn't jump this time. 

Even despite being at the mid way point of the chamber, the healthier dragons got the others up, moving them past the structure in the middle and closer to the door. Heatwave and Zanth looked at him expectantly – though the former was scowling. 

Kai pursed his lips when another crash boomed through. "Whatever you're gonna do, do it now. These things are gonna break through in any minute." 

Thinking, Lloyd studied the floor. Walking around as he began stomping the tiles. "Hey, Zane, do you still have that thing that let's you see through walls and stuff?" 

Zane shook his head, his expression falling. "Unfortunately, I only have it set to seeing the silhouettes of anything with a heart beat. Forgive me, seeing through interiors was always Pixal's forte." 

His testing stomps faltered, because he should have remembered that. The familiar stab of longing that plagued him coming back to tell him that Pixal was also missing. Gods dammit. He should really stop doing that to himself. 

He felt the Dragon rear up at the idea at one of family missing, the want to go back to Cloud Kingdom and demand that the worms give him anything, literally anything in a scroll or book that told them where the others were. 

"Shut up." Lloyd mumbled under his breath, forcing the Dragon back into the recesses from where it had remained silent. It was a moot point anyway. The dumb scrolls had lost effect the first week into the Merged Worlds.

"Lloyd?" Euphrasia called, and he stiffened back up, masking his momentary hesitation with a harder stomp. "What are you doing?" 

Thank Gods, a distraction. 

"If this weird version of our monastery is any similiar to our home, then under these floor plates..." He trailed off, hoping around. Maybe they needed more force? "There should be an old obstacle course-" 

Click

Crap. 

Tumbling down a flight of stairs really did bring back embarassing memories he would rather not think about, and it may have resulted in a very sore, and very cranky back that yelled at him as he came to a stop at a wall. 

Maybe getting Nya or Euphrasia to help figure out the floor would have been a better idea, in hindsight. They would have found this without the need for him to be stomping around. 

On the other hand, it was that or go through a train of thought he would rather avoid until he managed to get home and a weeks worth of sleep. He'd deal with the consequences of nightmares and dreams later. Future Lloyds problem.

Actually, yeah he should probably call back up. 

"Don't worry, I'm fine!" He said, raising his goice so he could be heard from the bottom. Lloyd could only imagine Kai pinching the bridge of his nose or Nya clicking her tongue with Zane's raised brow. "And I found a way out! Come on Zane!" 

"Dusting himself off, he gave the Ice Elemental a crooked grin when he heard the thump of boots hitting the ground. "I would recommend not hurting yourself more than you already have, Lloyd." 

"S'fine. Happens." He shrugged, content to go on a smaller mission with Zane. It was a little self indulgent, sure, but Lloyd also knew that Zane would be able to track it down with his level of efficiency too. 

"We can use the tunnels, I think they're probably empty of drones so it should be fine." Hitting the latch with his foot, he listened for the familiar whirring of them, and when there was none, he hoped down.

Time to finally get these Dragons out of here. 

The vents, are in fact, helpfully empty of any drones. 

Most of them were probably called in to try and take him, Wyldfyre and Arin down earlier when the fight was running its course. Not that it worked well at all, given that there was a field of molten metal out around Beatrix's statue. 

Although... there had been an oddly limited number of drones when Ras disappeared. Lloyd hoped that if it came down to it, he kids had managed to restrain the tiger - that is, if Sora had gotten a spark in from Riyu. 

Not the point currently, but it was something to think about. 

Running full speed with Zane was always exhilarating, given that the Ice Elemental could never really tire from it other than getting bored. 

Maybe that's why Uncle Wu had assigned the nindroid to take Lloyd out on this full speed hikes when he was younger, so that he could burn off energy. 

Not like he had a ton anyway, but he needed a way to at least burn out some frustrations as their footsteps filled the silence of the vents, Zane only a breath behind him. Felt more relaxing than dodging for his life, that's for sure. 

"Wait-" nearly missing it, Lloyd drifted past a the intersection to their left, reaching out a hand to grip the corner as he crashed into the wall in an attempt to stop. His knee-jerk decision crashing him against the wall. 

Slowing down much more gracefully than he did, Zane raised a brow. Motioning for Lloyd to lead the way, which he did. Taking off down the tunnel as he saw an orange glow emanting frok the ceiling. 

"That's gotta be the power source up there." Leaping up on to the ladder, Lloyd paused to look at Zane for clarification, just in case. Could never be too sure anymore. "This is what we're looking for right?"

Taking a moment to scan the readings, Lloyd watched his oldest brothers eyes glow for a couple seconds before he nodded. "Affirmative." 

Now that he had the green light(pun unintended), he climbed up towards the vents grating, hauling it off before tossing it aside to the floor where it clanged. So, he should also be right that there aren't any Imperian Guards positioned here if the entire escape was any indication of this places security levels. 

Smashing through another ventilation grate, Lloyd clambered out quickly, feeling energy thrum through him just in case- only to disocver that his hunch had been right, the entire chamber was vacant save for...

A giant, golden sphere sitting in the middle of the room. 

"What is that?" Lloyd asked, feeling some weird sense of horror flood through him as he stepped closer to it. 

There was something about it that just felt... wrong. Like it should absolutely not be here. Even though it looked... fine, he guessed? He really didn't know how to put it into words. 

His Oni decided to put it into something that made sense for him, instead. 

It felt like he was the one who shouldn't be here. The Oni's instincts coming to life and telling him to get out, to run far away as he could. Begging for him to put distance between him and the sphere. He could sense it wanting to take over but too terrified to. 

The Dragon was completely silent, for once. Sure, it was...somehow quieter compared to his other half on a daily basis, but it was just, gone. Not even a small presence. It worried him. He couldn't tell if this was dangerous or not. 

Still, feeling a little petty against his latter half, he stepped closer, testing. 

The urge to recoil away grew, and Lloyd rasied a hand to check something. 

It was shaking.

The Oni really was afraid of whatever this was. Even the hatred for the Dragon wasn't enough to get over its fear of... this thing. 

"Lloyd?" Zane questioned, concern written all over his face. 

Placing a hand against his chest, his heart rate felt normal. Calm. Yet his hands and legs could not even fathom the the thought of even wanting to move. "I feel... strange, here." 

"The sphere itself is not the energy source." Zane noted, walking up to the edge of the platform. His hands crossed together in thought. "But my scans indicate the immense power is inside of it." 

Lloyd opened and closed his mouth when it hit him, because there was no way Imperium had managed to do that. There just, there just couldn't be a way they managed it. How? 

"Is–is that a Dragon?" He asked carefully, because Wyldfyre's words were echoing in his mind on repeat from the conversations they had earlier. How could there be one here? In Imperium? 

Zane's mouth set into a tense line, surveying the sphere. Taking in the sheer volume of it. "It would be the largest Dragon ever recorded, if it is. Even larger than Firstbourne." 

Imperium-no, Beatrix, had just committed a fatal mistake that could endanger not only her own kingdom's existence, but the rest of the Merged Worlds if it really was one of them.

"These machines are most likely designed with the idea of trying to drain this individuals power." Zane added after a moment of silence, pointing to the infrastructure above and below the sphere. "Yet there is no progress being made, according to my estimations." 

So that's why they needed the Dragons, because they weren't getting the pure raw energy they needed for weaponry or advancements fast enough from the sun. 

"This Dragon has to come with us." He said finally, looking around the platform. Imperium should never have played with something like this, the innocent were going to pay if he didn't do anyting about it. "We have to set them free." 

"If we do, I am uncertain of how we will get them and the other Dragon out of Imperium." Zane said, looking to the sphere with regret. Lloyd hated it. "We do not have the power source we need." 

"We'll find a way to unlock it." Lloyd insisted, desperately looking at the buttons and presses on his side of the platform. "We always figure out a way. This Dragon needs to come with us." 

Because if they didn't free them, Beatrix was going to summon the storm that would come when Firstbourne and Wojira caught wind of this. The inevitable war that would follow... 

He shivered, definitely not a good train of thought to ride on. 

Inspecting the otherside of the platform, Lloyd cursed under his breath when he saw the notepads organized on a small desk in the corner of the platform. He couldn't read Imperian characters. 

Zane probably couldn't decipher it either, he was out of luck. There, and he couldn't just take it to Sora either, there would be guards down here if the growing likelihood of not being able to free them continued. 

Actually, wait. "Hey, Zane-" 

Lloyd quieted when the platform suddenly disconnected from the rest of the observatory, floating up to the middle point of the sphere. The orb too clouded to see anything through. 

"Apologies, did you find anything?" Moving over to stand beside him, the nindroid tilted his head. And for some reason, that he was pretty sure was the Dragon in the sphere, the Oni began to scream at him, his hands holding the papers with greater difficulty due to the fear.  

"Yeah uh, here. I found these. Can you try saving them? That way we can ask Sora to translate them later." Trying and failing to get the quaking under control, Lloyd growled as Zane reached over. 

Flipping though the notes with deft moves, Zane's eyes flashed twice, probably taking doubles just in case. "Who is Sora?" 

Shaking his hands out, Lloyd hissed in irritation. Trying to repel the Oni away. "Somebody new, you'll meet her soon." 

He swore, if this side was the reason his trembles got worse, he was going to search for any higher being Oni and throw one of their clubs at them. Of course, he'd make sure they desrved it first. Always gotta make sure. 

Turning away to let Zane photograph copies of the papers, Lloyd approached the sphere, every isntinct that was simultaneously his and not arguing over what to do. Even if he didn't really feel afraid, the agitation was starting to get to him.

Coming to the edge of the platform, he stared at the shining orb of energy, keeping the Dragon inside and them outside. He was half tempted to touch it just to spite the Oni side and get it to freak out further. 

But he also was not really looking to transform into that here and now. 

It definitely did not help that the single biggest eye he'd ever seen opened right then and there, sluggish and exhausted, like it was taking some effort to be awake.

"So you are the reason they sang her song." They said, the voice a booming thunder that shook him to the bones. And Lloyd had to take a step back, aghast. Because that just confirmed it. 

Imperium had trapped a Source Dragon. 

"Telepathy?" Zane questioned, coming to Lloyd's side so he probably didn't fall off of the platform. He was probably done with recording them anyway. Always worked fast and efficiently.  

"Yeah, some of them do that." Nudging Zane with his forearm, he offered a reassuring smile. After that, he turned his attention back to the Source Dragon, most of their head hidden by the haze within the orb. "You heard our fighting?" 

"In bursts." The Source Dragon confirmed, pulling away into the haze of the sphere, causing Lloyd to look around as if it would jump out at him. Stupid Oni blood. "Do not free me." 

His heart sank. "We can help you!" 

Remaining hidden inside the haze, he swore he could seen the Source Dragon shifting to one side then the other, as if in great discomfort. "The capture of a Source Dragon is not a simple process, Son of the First. To release me from my confinement, at this moment, would result in the annihilation of your worlds." 

This was not how it was supposed to go, why were they just, deciding this was their fate!? "We can't just leave you here. Your capture could be the reason for an all out war on the western side of Ninjago's continent!" 

"Can you not comprehend the damage that would do to the realms, little human?" Electricty crackled and chattered from within, making him take a step back, the Oni reaching for control, yet never making it as he slammed the metaphorical lid on that. No, he was not having that right now. 

"The Imperian Kingdom has threatened the very fabric of existence, the realm world tentatively stabilizing since my capture." They continued, and Lloyd felt his blood boil, because was this Source Dragon really okay with letting a war break out? That was just as bad as letting the Mergequake Rifts go unchecked. 

Heck, the Merged Worlds were coming undone with how the rifts were not staying closed. "Are you really just going to stay here when Firstbourne and Wojira arrive demanding your release via actions of brute force? Are you okay with letting them wipe out an entire kingdom?"

"Lloyd." Zane said quietly, placing a hand on his shoulder. The cool touch making him sag in defeat, the Source Dragon remaining silent. "We aren't going to convince them." 

"I'm getting that. We still don't have a power source either." He muttered, sighing in disgust at the Dragon's choices. Was this really one of Firstbourne's parents? "We'll need to find something else to get the others out of Imperium." 

"You have contained and transferred the power of a Dragon and much more before, Elemental Master." They reminded, and Lloyd finally felt the Dragon in him go active at that, calm and collected, even with the Oni's fear of the Source Dragon.

Leaning forward into his vision to ask, Lloyd smiled sheepishly at the Ice Elemental. Now was really not the time to bring up past events - they were on a time limit here. "You missed a lot, I'll catch you up- anyway, how do you... know that?" 

"I am a Source Dragon, Son of the First."  

Feeling his ears burn in embarrassment,Lloyd coughed into a less shaky fist. Right, yeah, okay. That was a dumb question. If Firstbourne and the Sentinels were demi-gods then that meant Source Dragons probably are full gods. 

Thankfully, they allowed him to recover from his blunder. He tried to stamp down on the want to curse out the Dragon. First it was refusing his offer for freedom and next being as cryptic as destiny. "Anyway, uh, what are you suggesting?" 

"I cannot send my power outward, as I already did so to empower the Son of Lightning into a Champion." A claw appeared before them, with a talon so massive it looked like it could have been part of a sharp ended mountain peak. "However, Elemental Master, I can give you power to act as my conduit." 

So that's how Jiro had been able to fight at least two Photac Beasts at once, his energy having been bosted my the Source Dragon had granted him strength to keep going... just like how the Matriarch Dragon had done with him. 

His Oni side yelled at him, demanding answers for what the hell he was doing, and even he momentarily questioned if this was the right thing to do. Then figured it was his heritage talking, and not him.

 It was time for the Dragon to have a say.

It was time for him to have a say on what he did. 

"I could power up the portal and let the others get away." Lloyd mused, feeling Zane grasp his elbow firmly. Gloved fingertips digging into his sleeves. The lower temperature stark compared to the warmth the room radiated. 

Zane's brow furrowed in hesitation, and Lloyd couldn't lie, he was also a little anxious about it himself. "Are you sure you want to do this Lloyd?" 

"Taking my power is dangerous," The Source Dragon agreed, spines emerging and sinking back into the sphere, each one almost resembling a bolt of lightning. "By doing so, your life may change forever." 

Nodding resolutely, Lloyd exhaled. He didn't want to endager Imperium or the Dragons anymore than today had already done. "We found our way, and, if it'll free the Dragons, it's a risk I'm willing to take." 

Zane stared at him, before sighing, his eyes closing in acceptance. Offering one last squeeze of comfort which Lloyd appreciated. 

"That is exactly why you are capable of being a conduit, Elemental Master." The Source Dragon appraised. Lloyd curled his lip, revealing his teeth a little. He was doing this for them. Because it was the right thing to do. "Approach the sphere."

He relented a little however, when he reconsidered that while neither option sounded good, it wasn't the Source Dragon's fault that they had been imprisoned. It was Beatrix's for trying to play with nature. 

And he had a feeling Ras had been behind this, too. Making Imperium walk along the edge of a danger that could cost everyone their lives. 

Lloyd heard Zane tap on the control panel for the platform, raising them closer as the barrier disappeared. Allowing him to get closer to the Source Dragon's prison.

The Oni screamed one last time, wanting – trying to take control, but unable to as the energy accumulated toward the point of contact. Silencing its voice swiftly, like it had never been there at all. 

The Dragon reacted to the flow of Elemental Power, absorbing it. He wondered if this felt natural, because to him, it did. Like when the others had given him their powers to heal him all those years ago. 

The observatory faded into nothing behind him when the power suddenly surged, his senses dulling to near nothing. He became weightless, barely being able to feel the rush ahead of him. 

Lloyd barely payed attention to the vortex that almost resembled the Ethereal Divide flowing all around him, only seeing blurs of colors that looked more like trails of Elemental Power than anything else.

It all came back to him in a rush once he was tossed around like a ragdoll, nearly dropping to his knees on a surface he could only say looked like glass. 

Six symbols appeared rose around him, encirling him in the sky that almost resembled a clear night. All of them except for one glowing proudly, and he swore the one he was looking at was a sort of lightning symbol. 

The glass began to crackle and chatter beneath him- 

Next thing he knew, he was in free fall, the wind knocked out of him when he hit the ground. Still unable to taste or smell anything, but his hearing had come back.

The sight before him was one he considered horrifying, as it was an array of tombstones, swords, arrows. Ninja masks. The graveyard fraying ay the edges of his vision when he heard something move. 

Looking up, he gazed at the golden moon, and infront of it, was the longest Lightning Dragon he had ever seen. 

They swivelled and swerved like arcing bolts of lightning across the sky, the moon illuminating their silhouette but leaving the rest of them in shadow as they preformed some sort of motion. 

Raising their long neck, a blast of Elemental Power raced towards him from their open jaws. Engulfing him as his sense of feel came back, unable to stop the scream that broke from his own mouth. 

It was the last thing he saw before his vision gave out, and all he could see was a wall of hazy colors. 

He would have to make do with this. 

Chapter Text

Lloyd forgot he was a restless sleeper that was prone to waking up very, very easily because of the things his mind would conjure up. 

Jumping out of bed with a gasp, he tripped on his own foot and went tumbling to the floor in a tangle of his own limbs. Landing flat on his face, stomach and chest. 

Groaning, he lightly thunked his head against the floord board. Definitely not a great start to... 

Hold on. What. 

"Where am... ?" He said out loud, raising his head off of the floor to take in the surroundings. Last he checked, Imperium was a city of iron and gold- 

Yet all of that was absent, instead of the falsely welcoming shades of yellow and orange, there was only natural sunlight peering in from his window. 

In his room. Back home.

Lloyd swivelled his head around to check, and right there hanging up on its mount was his dao. 

"Back in the Monastery? How did I..." Right. Zane, Nya or Kai must have carried him here after the Source Dragon's powers faded away. Taking a look at his calendar, he could see the last time he marked it down. 

Fifteenth of this month. 

So it was the day after they got back Cloud Kingdom, but that felt.. wrong. Lloyd was pretty sure it was the afternoon yesterday, last he checked. If he was remembering the temperature of the heat ri- 

He winced, feeling the Oni and the Dragon become active at the same time. Clutching his head, he made sure not to grit his teeth, last time he did he drew more blood than he liked. 

Thank FSM that the two were dazed, he would have actually just preferred to pass out again if they started screaming at each other the second they woke up within him. 

This time, however, felt more like... a ceasefire, if he had to put it into words. The Oni's instincts were grumbling about his decisions, he could feel it in the way his teeth sharpened a bit, but there was an exhaustion there he never really felt before. 

The Dragon, despite everything it had tossed to him alongside its counterpart was... calm, tired but calm. He could feel it inching towards the want for control though, and honestly he was half tempted to let it simply because he could not be bothered to stop the entire transformation.

Then he remembered that Sora and Arin lived at the Monastery. 

They did not need to see that. 

Nudging the Dragon's instincts back, Lloyd rose from his spot on the floor and shuffled towards the door. His steps uneven and his legs somewhat- annoyingly, unresponsive, like they'd fallen asleep on him. 

He'd hoped up like... a flight of ten something stairs on a broken leg, he could do this. Just needed to get through it. Should be simple enough. 

Opening the door to his room with some effort, Lloyd stepped out into the hallway, ears instinctively perking up to try and see if anyone was nearby. 

Nothing. 

He would try and strain his ears, but he'd rather not. This mild headache had barely started to go away, and he'd rather not have a reason to keep it around for longer. 

Resting a hand against the wall for support, Lloyd began to hobble his way through the hallways toward the training grounds. That was his best bet at seeing where the others were. 

There was the idea of calling out, but he absolutely did not trust his voice right now, no reason to have a voice crack. Those days can stay gone. 

He then remembered that the new exits this version of the Monastery came with were wooden, heavy duty push and pull doors. Even sliders that were off to both the left and right side of the building had been replaced. 

Once they started coming into view, he grumbled incomprehensibly under his breath. 

This was going to suck. 

Pushing himself off of the wall, he reached out and grasped the wood of the one on his right, straining a little bit to pull it towards him. "Come on you dumb wooden piece of-" 

Really, he should know better than to curse at objects in this Monastery, because the door gave then, nearly sending him flat on his rear if he didn't fast step. Holding on as his leg complained at the sudden movement. 

"Jerk." He hissed at it, stepping outside and closing it behind him softly. Maybe he should have grabbed his training staff before he left his room. 

Oh, who was he really kidding? He probably would have left it either way. 

Raising a hand to adjust to the brightness of the courtyard, Lloyd made a face. Right, they lived on a mountain top past the cloud level. How'd he forget that detail? 

Right, by looking for the others. 

Speaking of which, once he cleared the momentary blindness of the sun shining against the yellow-white cobblestone around him, he blinked in surprise. 

Because down on the grounds was Euphrasia, Sora and Riyu. The former two training with each other from the looks of it – walking along the porch, he smiled. Good to see them getting along.

Sora was the one to notice him first, though the double take she did was a little amusing. Must have been focusing greatly if her sharp hearing didn't pick up him closing the door. 

"You're-you're awake!" Rushing over to him with Riyu hot on her heels, she looked him up and down. Euphrasia following behind at a slower pace, given she needed to set the training equipment down. 

"And you two are training, by yourselves?" He returned, earning a slight headshake of exasperation from Sora. Though her smile diminished some, and he rasied a brow. "Where's Arin? Is Wyldfyre here too?" 

"Arin's down by the bench at the cherry blossom tree." Euphrasia supplied, Riyu nodding in agreement. He raised a brow, what could he be doing out there? "As for the fire child, she's below us in the Dragon Caverns." 

Odd, Arin was not one to shy away from training – what happened there? He'd have to ask either him or Sora about that later. As for what Euphrasia said, it took him a couple of moments to register.

"...Dragon Caverns? You mean the old ones on the side of the mountain near the hangar bay's waterfall?" Had they been repurposed too? He never thought the Monastery of Spinjitzu would change that much. 

It also added another painful reminder to visit Ultra's memorial with Kai or Zane sometime, if that was the case. He hoped none of the residents' belongings had disappeared. 

Sora shook her hands out, letting the glow of Elemental Power fade. "You sleep for a week and a half, a lot changes. The freed Dragon's wanted to stay here while they healed up from Imperium." 

Copying Sora's earlier notion of a double take, Lloyd's jaw dropped. "Wait, wait, wait, hold on, I was out for a week and a half?" 

"Yeah...?" Sora said hesitantly, raising a brow. Riyu cocked his head. "The seniors just said to trust when you'd wake up– though Zane had to practically drag Kai from your room to get him to eat with us." 

Alright universe, he knew he'd been saying that constantly to himself, but now was the time you finally listened to him? He'd been joking for the most part! Looking up at the sky pointedly, he sighed. 

However, that did also explain the quietness up here. Letting out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, he was glad that nobody on their side had gotten killed, at least. "Is that where everyone else is? The Dragon Caverns?" 

Euphrasia hummed, looking out to the vast expanse of sky around them. Trying to probably figure out what he'd been looking at. "Nya went down with Wyldfyre to have a meeting with the other Dragons on what the next step for them is - and us." 

"Also, I went ahead and translated those documents you got from the observatory. Zane and Kai are at the hangar bay reading through them to see if we can get anything useful out of it." Sora added, and Lloyd chuckled. Always busy bodies, these kids. 

"Surprised you two aren't down there with either of them." He'd have to ask Nya for the details, maybe Heatwave and Zanth? or Slab if they all haven't left yet. "I thought you and Riyu would have been there for the meeting?" 

Crossing her arms, Sora shrugged. Averting her gaze to the cobblestones. "I... yeah, I would be, but I don't have a working translator so I'd just slow it down on both sides. Figured I'd just come up here for training, you know?" 

Lloyd made a mental note to talk to Sora at some point about Wyldfyre's comments throughout the entire Imperium escape if the secondary Fire Master was going to stay. Maybe he could work something out between the two of them. 

He hoped. 

"As for me I wanted to try and learn a bit of combat, though I didn't want to bother Zane or Kai, so I asked Sora to show me some of what you taught her." Euphrasia said, and Lloyd felt his heart swell. The memories of his father's teachings wouldn't be limited to him and the others anymore nor forgotten by the rest of the world, which was great. 

On the other hand, speaking of Kai, he also needed to try and prove to Nya and him that he was still a responsible adult that didn't need to be put on house arrest. "Did you let your parents and Marcus know where you are? I imagine you and Nya leaving Cloud Kingdom was sudden." 

Lloyd felt a breeze lightly russle his sleeves and mess with his hair. Euphrasia's fingers dancing like leaves. "Yes, I left a note where they would find it thanks to the scroll-worms."

"Also built something so they could send a letter both ways." Sora tacked on, smiling lightly. It did not reaching the ears as it had when he walked out the doors some minutes ago. "You'd think realm traversal letter systems would have been in place by now, huh?" 

"I don't disagree," Lloyd said, leaning against a support beam so that he could slide down to take a seat on the edge of the walkway. "Would be pretty helpful for trying to get things ordered outside of Ninjago." 

Rolling her hands, Euphrasia turned, looking over her shoulder at the both of them - more so at Sora. "I'm going to go practice more of the stances. Riyu, after I'm done the sets do you want to try and practice gliding a little more?" 

Perking up at the mention, Riyu's wing rose in excitement. Squawking softly as he hopped up from his spot on the cobblestone, already racing off towards another section of the court yard. 'Sure. Been wanting to do that since we left Cloud Kingdom!' 

Waving at Sora and Lloyd, the Wind Master trailed after the Mountain Dragon hatchling. The Tech Elemental's shoulders sagging as they got put of earshot from the two of them. Her arms crossing. 

Tilting his head, Sora opened her mouth and then closed it, blurting out a string of words."Yeah, so, uh, look– I uh... crap I had this ready and everything. Sorry." 

"Take your time." Lloyd offered, leaning a little heavier against the support beam. Basking in the warmth of the sun. "I'm not going anywhere." 

Sighing, Sora raised her head and met his eyes, holding contact. Even with the uncertainty that bled across her face. "I still don't really know if these are my powers or Riyu's, but I realize now that I have a responsibility to use them. I'm just... not sure where it's going to take me."

He gave her a look of understanding, finding it familiar. A memory dancing at the edges of his mind from years past. "The most important thing you can do when going on that journey of responsibilty, is finding the power to endure, Sora."

Taking a seat on the edge, the teenager averted her eyes, looking down at her combat boots. "I... dunno, Lloyd. I'm excited to figure it out, I am - but I'm just.. not sure if I can really match up to everyone else power wise now that I'm really in the game."

Lifting her head, Lloyd followed her gaze. Her shoulders bunching together as she ducked her head. "I'm so far behind compared to Arin, Euphrasia and Wyldfyre... how do I catch up fast enough?" 

That felt familiar, agonizingly so. Her words brought memories of when he had briefly been without his powers and even before that. 

The Overlord. Garmadon. Morro. Harumi. His Oni and Dragon.  

That sort of thinking, he realized, was dangerous. It'd been a constant disadvantage then because if he was without them, he couldn't keep up with the others. 

Rolling Sora's words around in his head, Lloyd chewed the inside of his cheek. Were there even any correct words to comfort her? Was she looking for a friend or mentor in that case?

He decided he would go for both. 

Shifting closer to her, Lloyd winced as his limbs ached and groaned. "True power comes in many ways you know?"

Lloyd reached out squeezed Sora's shoulder. Hoping it was the right thing. "It's beyond physical power, too. Sometimes it's the power of persuasion, or numbers." 

"What you have, Sora, is the power of mind." Lloyd finished, offering her a smile he hoped wasn't hesitant. "Your ideas can change the world, and while you haven't found the voice to go with it yet- I'm certain it'll come." 

The in-training Elemental Master wased her shoulders, drooping slightly as she mulled it over. The action reminding him of Riyu whenever he was upset and trying to put his thoughts into words. 

After a moment of thought, she sat up a little straighter. Still uncertain, but there was a confidence that wasn't there before. "I hope it comes soon, then. I think. " 

"You'll know when it does." Patting her back one last time, Lloyd withdrew his hand. He'd been in her space for a little too long for sure. 

The two fell into a brief moment silence, and Lloyd took the chance to simply bask in the warmth of the sun. Feeling it warm his clothes and his face, the black-purple he usually saw behind his eyes a welcome yellow-red.

It felt good to be back home. 

Turning his weight to the support beam, he reacquainted himself with chill that was a constant in the mornings around the very top of the mountains, reminding him of responsibilities that needed tending to soon around the Monastery.

Not to mention the ones that came with Ninjago's New World, even if in part. 

Lloyd wondered if the others did anything regarding that while he was unconscious. Surely they must have gotten into contact with Skylor again.

He hoped the Fire Master had done so in the time he was entrusted to guard Ninjago before going to Imperium.

Actually, that was a whole other can of worms he would have to deal with later. The Crossroads' Coils and Stiixan Sentries would have to be updated on Imperium's status if they hadn't already been done so. 

He absolutely did not envy Ronin and Skylor's roles. 

"Looks like Nya and Wyldfyre finished the meeting with the Dragons." Sora said, breaking him out of his train of thought, standing up as she motioned to the closest door with her chin. "I'm... going to go continue training with Euphrasia if that's okay?" 

Lloyd nodded, giving her one last smile. Even if he somewhat knew why she was opting to move away from him. "Go ahead, I can manage here. Tell Euphrasia she's doing great with the stances, though she needs to change her footing to something a bit more relaxed." 

Giving him a thumbs up, Sora walked off to where the Mountain Dragon and the Cloud Monk were training past the fountain. Calling out to Euphrasia who evaded one of Riyu's sharp dives. 

A couple seconds later, he turned his head to see Nya come out first from the door a little ways from him, freezing on the spot as Wyldfyre bumped into her back with a hiss. "What gives, Water-Wash? You don't just stop in mid walk-"

Lunging towards him, faster than he could get a word out, strong arms pulled Lloyd in for a hug as Nya hooked her chin over his shoulder, head pressed against his. "Look who decided to rejoin living!" 

Laughing, he returned it with as much strength he could, which in the current grand scheme of things - wasn't a lot. He missed her sea-water and beginning of rainstorm scent alongside the hint of lemongrass in there. 

"Welcome back to being alive." Wyldyre greeted, her steps heavier than the Water Elemental's as she came up behind her. Looking almost impressed. "Didn't think you would wake-up this early, Green." 

"I have experience getting out of sleep." He said, almost lamenting the fact that it felt like Nya was pulling away from the hug too soon. "How did the meeting go?" 

"I guess one of those two told you, huh? It went decent." Wyldfyre jumped down to take a seat on the sun-kissed cobblestone, making herself comfortable. "We left 'cause th'Dragons are forming a mixed flock now, it's really borin'tribe stuff. Bleh."

Propping herself against the support beam, Nya's back facing the courtyard, her leg bumped against his shoulder. He'd call it a good compromise. "Most of the freed Dragon's want to stay here. Slab and Borealis are leaving at sundown, though." 

Peering up her, Lloyd raised a brow. "Torchspark and Rockslide are still here? I thought out of everyone they would have left when they could at the first chance. Since neither like humans very much." 

Barking a laugh, Wyldfyre leaned her head back. Resting it against the wood. "Torchspark's stickin' around for Riyu's cousin. It's so obvious. Though after that I really dunno why he is. Fire Dragons usually have families they fly with. So for him to be here it's already a little weird." 

He remained quiet on the fact Torchspark had been less than kind to him or the fire user, but it seemed that Wyldfyre did not seem to care at all. "Still doesn't explain Rockslide, much. We've met his kind of Earth Dragon before." 

"What it boils down to is that they owe you and don't want to admit you held your end of the deal." Nya stated bluntly, flicking the top of his hair. 

Sticking out his tongue at her she made a face back. "That's why most of them are staying." 

"They don't have to," He protested."I'm sure most of them have homes they need to go back to." It felt weird, because the Dragons really didn't owe him anything at all. It was just the right thing to do. 

"Families too. They don't need to stay here because they feel like paying off a debt that doesn't exist." 

Wyldfyre opened an eye, the blue-green gradient simmering almost like she had the fire within burning. "Who says I'm stayin' here because I need t'pay off a debt? I already did by making sure th'I.mperian and Arin got back to you alive with Riyu." 

Sitting up a little straighter, Lloyd cringe. Right, he should not have assumed. "I thought you'd go back to the Wyldness with Heatwave is all, not stick around the place with all the humanoids and such. Since you like Dragons more." 

Placated, Wyldfyre closed it again, humming in content when a breeze flowed past. "I think they're more awesome for sure, but it feels like dad wants to stay. Heard him somethin' about makin' me friends? Not like I really need any." 

"You worked pretty well with Arin from the story you were telling last week." Nya commented, and the Fire Elemental waved a hand lazily, as if she was a fly annoying her. 

"He's good at listening to ideas and a strong fighter." Wyldfyre said, readjusting to make herself more comfortable. "Doesn't make him my friend, it was a you helped me I helped you kind of thing." 

Nya and Lloyd traded knowing looks. Sounded exactly like Kai when he started to warm up to Lloyd a bit more after the volcano, and even before whenever Cole or Jay shared a memory from the earlier days. 

Clearing her throat, his sister nudged his shoulder with her leg. "Just so we can get back on track, Slab wanted to talk to you about what happened at the Imperium Monastery before he leaves. You feel okay enough to move around?" 

 He figured it was going to come up sooner or later. 

He was honestly hoping not this soon, but hypocritical as it sounded, he owed it to Slab for being a major player against the Photac Beasts. For helping to keep the Dragons focused and allowing Heatwave and Zanth to grip the reins tighter with his presence. 

Still, it absolutely did not ease the nerves that festered at the thought of relaying what he saw to the Primordial Dragon. "I can, yeah. Best spot to go to would be Mystakè's Memorial. I've... been meaning to visit. I'm not sure how different it is." 

"I can go down and tell him where to go so you can rest up a little more, unless you want to go down right now?" Nya mused. "We can also work out something if you want to talk with him a bit later. Your health first." 

Honestly, much as he hated to admit it himself, he did feel like going back to sleep. This little excursion had mostly been to make sure he hadn't been alone again. "Feels like midday, I think. So a couple hours later should do." 

"Little earlier." Wyldfyre chimed in, causing Lloyd to hum. The red-head head clambering up on to the wood and laying flat on her back. "Still too cool for the Sun's Height. Like, when it's really warm 'till sundown or whatever." 

Nya's mouth quirked up slightly, a brow raised. "You mean the afternoon?" 

"That's the word." Scratching- or rather, rubbing her back against the wood. Wyldfyre sighed. "This house has some really nice places to get rid of itches. Not too hard, not too prickly... just right." 

Snorting, Lloyd shook his head. "You mind coming with Nya? I'll need a translator." 

And also because he needed to keep the fact he could understand what the Dragons were saying a secrect for a little longer-

Wyldfyre had other plans, because she bent her neck a little father so that she could look at them both. "I can do it. She can go talk to Arin or somethin'. He's been wanting to be alone or whatever ever since we found out how the- er, Pinkie, treated Jordana." 

Lloyd decided that she totally had Kai's way of caring for people, though the secondary name after what he presumed was Sora's nickname confused him. "Who's Jordana?" 

Unhelpfully, Wyldfyre shrugged. Albeit confirming that she as talking about Sora. "Ask her yourself. She had a lot more happening in Imperium besides the Dragons than you thought, probably."

"It's alright, Wyldfyre. I can go with Lloyd later. I should be talking to Arin right about now though." Nya affirmed, pushing off of the support beam to stretch. Her shoulders popping lightly, if Lloyd wasn't mishearing. 

"If you say so."

 Lloyd breathed out through his nose, glad that the secondary Fire Master hadn't put up much of a resistance against them. Wyldfyre's level of calm here was almost baffling, too. 

Granted, anyone who tried to argue with either sibling would very quickly find out that they were talking to a unmovable wall of water or fire. Well, maybe not Kai, since he was a giant softie. 

He had a feeling Wyldfyre found that the former to be true about Nya soon after she met her. 

Hopping off of the porch, Nya turned her attention to where the gates of the Monastery stood. Hair bobbing lightly. "Do you know where he is?" 

"Outside the Monastery down by the cherry blodsom tree. The girls told me he was down there. For whatever reason." Motioning to his chin to the left hand side of the wall, he grinned when he saw Sora and Euphrasia having practice matches with each other. 

"Oh, and Lloyd?" 

"Yeah?" 

Barely beginning to walk off, Nya paused, tausing a look over her shoulder. "You're grounded for the next week."

"Does being unconscious for a week and a half not count as-" 

She sent him a sharp look, and he relented immediately, ducking his head. "Sorry for making you and the others worry." 

Sighing, Nya shook her head. "Zane, Kai and I agreed that we while you won't lead any missions, you can go out. We know better to try and keep you in one place." 

Well, at least that was some consolidation. 

Didn't mean he had to really like it either way. "...Fine." 

Huffing, the Water Elemental continued on her way to the gate. Greeting the three trainees with a wave when Sora called out as she left the courtyard. The door closing with a loud click behind her. 

Relaxing in his seat, he leaned his head against the wooden support beam. Closing his eyes. Maybe going back to sleep really wouldn't be a bad idea.

"Your territory is nice. Even if it's a bit cold." 

Jolting a little, Lloyd turned to see Wyldfyre having repositioned herself again. Hanging off of the porch with her hair brushing against the cobblestones. 

"What really makes this place feel like home is who's with me." Lloyd admitted, thinking how Zane was back – which only left Cole, Jay, Pixal.. Uncle Wu, his Mom.. 

"So the flock is your territory?" 

"In a way, yeah." 

Wrinkling her nose, Wyldfyre angled her head so that she could see him. "You sure you aren't like, part Fire Dragon or Earth Dragon? You talk a lot about family." 

"So do you." 

"No shit, Heatwave's my dad. " 

Snorting, Lloyd swung both his legs over the porch, letting them hang off. "Touchè." 

"What does that mean?" 

"I'll tell you later." He says, because explaining what words meant was never hus strongest suit. Always Zane or Pixal. "Speaking of which, how are you taking the territory? Like, Ninjago's land." 

"It's colder than th'Lava Wastes. Which kinda sucks. Wetter too. Why do y'guys get so much rain?" 

He never really thought of it that way, given he's practically lived here all his life. "Ignacia-the place this is called, always had more rainy days than Ninjago City. Plus, we are in spring after all." 

"This is spring? The Lava Wastes are usually covered by clouds of volcano gasses by now. Everyone usually had to keep movin'. It get's worse in the summer, 'cause we don't get any winds to move it." Wyldfyre explained, like it was just a common problem on a Tuesday morning.

"I... well, I hope you like Ninjago so far." 

Humming, the Fire Elemental tapped her fingers along her stomach. "My dad looks happier here than he did in the Wyldness. Like he isn't... the bad kind of grumpy. Tired but not bad-grumpy." 

"And are you happy here?" 

Shrugging, Wyldfyre swayed her head slowly, letting her strands barely brush the stone below. "Don't know. Never really been outside of the Lava Wastes 'cept for Imperium. Your flock doesn't seem... bad. I guess. Save maybe for the Imperian. Zane is obviously the best one."

"Foods everywhere, I don't have t'fight some dipshit animal for water or worry about finding shelter. It just feels... weird. Like. The good kind." She continued, tapping a finger against her the wood every so often. 

"Dad says the people living in the... villages? Yeah, villages, that's the word. He says they are nice," Wyldfyre added. "I haven't really left the mountain yet. Not sure I wanna bother, though he told there's these animal shape shifters that live in families all over the place?" 

"Yeah, those peoples are called Formlings. Why?" 

"Wondered if there were any Dragon ones s'all. They are like, half human right? Half Dragon? Maybe they would know if I can be one, too. Or something. Would be nice, t'get claws of my own." 

Lloyd swallowed the lump in his throat, feeling a cold sweat run down his back. "Maybe you'll find one of them eventually– Ninjago has a ton of people. Plus, you still have your fire, obviously." 

"Wouldn't be Wyldfyre if I didn't." Lightning her hand on fire, she held it up for him to see. Then doused it without any effort, disappearing in the blink of an eye. 

Lloyd rubbed his palms against his pants. Wiping the clamminess from them. "I would say you're already a Dragon with claws, despite what you think about yourself." 

Wyldfyre turned her head to stare at him, the bone in her hair clinking against the stone softly. "I don't think anyone here would get it, Lloyd. Th'Lava Wastes wanted strength. Not whatever one thinks about themself or another person."

Pursing his lips, he wanted to comment that he understood. What it felt like to be an outcast amongst your heritage – your family. Just because he had too little of one one or too much of the other. That he could not be enough of either. 

He wanted to add that Sora would, too, now that he knew a majority of the reason for her running away from Imperium. Actually, no, if he said that to Wyldfyre it would set her off. Her viewpoint on Imperium was harsh, and for an understandable reason. 

Maybe that's why she's gravitating to Arin, he realized. Where she feels like she lacks in the Dragon, she finds comfort in the fact Arin lacks Elemental Power, yet still fights tooth and nail. Something familiar. 

"People from Ninjago's Old World always thought that strength was what it wanted," Lloyd began, remembering all those he faced. Their boring lines of power and rule and drive to stand at the top. "What Ninjago really wanted, was for its people to live and work together." 

"Like one giant flock?" 

"Exactly that. There's some times where my friends and I would have lost if we never had back up thanks to those who fought alongside us." 

"I guess that makes sense." Wyldfyre sniffed, rolling over to rest her chin on her on her arms, swaying one leg around as if were a tail. "I'll watch, for now." 

"That's fine." Lloyd said, giving her a smile. "I'm glad you decided to stay around." 

"I'm only here for the food and the water." She shot back, huffing. "The Dragon Caverns are just... a bonus. Plus, your flock is dumb, so you are funny most of the time." 

Lloyd could only really laugh to that, she was so like Kai. 

Whatever had happened to the Monastery of Spinjitzu in The Merge, it had affected the entire mountain.

Because he definitely did not remember all of this being here. 

Pinching his arm and then patting his face just to be extra sure, Lloyd stared at what was ahead of him. Unsure if he had slept enough after that nap or the lunch he'd eaten made him start seeing things. 

He supposed he couldn't really say anything, Kai and Zane were vastly more familiar with the mountain than he was. 

Still, he was like, ninety-percent sure that the caves that used to house his friends' before they combined was never this... alive looking. Even if done simply.

From the first cave to the next, a wooden fence no higher than his chest ran through each of the openings. Connecting from pillar to pillar with a gate in the middle of each one. 

"Wonder who painted you..." he marvelled, tracing his fingers over familiar patternings of fire. Some of them small, like a candle flame. Others, a large fireball that burned large and bright.

Heck, the line at the top look liked it had carefully placed burn marks, given how the wood was varying shades of darker brown or charcoal black. Maybe Kai and Wyldfyre had a hand in this? 

He shook idea off, Wyldfyre couldn't have done this, he was pretty sure. She was patient, more or less, but for pyrography? Lloyd couldn't exactly imagine she had the patience for this. Kai sounded more likely. 

Realistically, He had a feeling this could have been either Arin, Nya and Sora since... Jay wasn't here. Even then. He was pretty sure non of them knew pyrogaphy to the extent the Fire Master did. 

Nya'd never been one to be around Ultra for long, Lloyd also doubted that anyone even had any good remaining pictures of him up here, unless the people from The Crossroad did this... 

That sounded more hopeful than anything, he wasn't sure anyone (himself included) save for Cole and Jay could replicate the patterning Flame had on his head with this level of accuracy. 

They even got the little lion eyes right. 

Standing up, Lloyd walked over to peer at the portion lining the next entrance. Looking at the painted symbols that were clearly meant to have been Shard's scales. He recognized the ice cracks anywhere. 

Sighing, Lloyd tried hard to remember the feel of Ultra's scales under his hands. Growing more and more frustrated each time he blanked on the texture. It certainly didn't help that each head had their own either.

Where they slick as ice or ridged like stone? Where they warm like the namesake of the fire head or cool, like how Jay had commented Wisp had been when he was seperate from the others? 

It'd been too long, and he couldn't remember anymore. He didn't even have that scale they left him with all those years ago. 

"I'm sorry guys." 

Drawing back from the fence, he rose, resting a hand against the top. Noting how it was intentionally uneven, yet also painted with speckles of blue and white. Mountains of snow and ice. 

Looking into the cave, Lloyd saw the shape of a lantern hanging from the cieling. Its metal a dark blue with lighter speckes, vacant of any flame. Though he was pretty sure he could see the tray for a candle. 

It didn't look to be in bad condition either. Maybe he should check if the other caves have one and light them, at least. Make it feel a little more welcoming despite the long since vacant spaces. 

He wondered what the designs for Rocky and Wisp's fences were–

Lloyd's ears perked up, turning his head when he heard something—somebody scrabbling against the rock. Moderately heavy and approaching at a lumbering sort of pace, if the footsteps were anything to go off of. 

Lloyd bit his lip, hold tightening on the wood as he braced himself. 

What was one of the Dragons doing up here? Far as he knew they were all down at the caverns resting still as he hadn't seen a single scale or spike from them. 

Actually, which one of them even was it? 

Pulling away from the fence with a good amount of hesitation, he hoped it was anyone else but Rockslide or Torchspark or Borealis. "Who's there?" 

The movement on the rocks stopped, coming to a momentary silence. Then it continued back up, still just as slow, but heavier now. Each step shaking the ground lightly. 

There was no way it could be anyone else could it? They would have said something. Was he even in calling range for the others? Taking a step back, Lloyd gripped the fabric of his thigh, swallowing. He'd need to hide in the caves. There was no way he could fight this- 

A crimson snout peaked around the corner as Heatwave himself did the full turn, a deep rumble eminating from his chest. 'Who do y'think? It's jus' me.' 

Lloyd breathed out a sigh of relief. His shoulders dropping as he shook his head. "Dang it, Heatwave. I thought you were some villain of the week trying to get me. You could have said something.' 

Heatwave grunted in response, sauntering up to him. He would be lying if it said it didn't freak him out at least a little bit, the way the Dragon moved lazily compared to the bursts of speed and acrobatics he preformed some time ago. 

So that's is where Wyldfyre got her knack for showing off, he thought dryly. Remaining still and letting Heatwave approach him until the Dragon was just about standing over him. 

The Lava Drake inspected him, Lloyd tried and failed not to give way underneath his stare. It was hard when those red-yellow eyes felt like they were melting you to ash on the spot. 'You don't look like complete shit. Good job cleanin' yourself up.' 

"I'm under temporary scrutiny." Lloyd muttered, opting to try and save face by resting his elbows on the fence. "You know, make sure I sleep and eat or else pay the consequences to the wrath of Kai, Nya and Zane all at once." 

Heatwave sat down, back facing the cave as he looked out to the drop off. 'The Water Dragon's got a good head on her shoulders. Best to listen t'her.' 

"She's also terrifying." 

'I wouldn't say that. More so firm. Which is good.' 

"If only you knew.. " 

'Y'sound like one of those rebellious brats who give gray-scales. I can imagine why.' 

Sputtering, Lloyd glared at the Dragon, who simply watched some cranes fly by. "I- that's not- hey! I'm not that bad–"

'You tried approachin' a group of Dragons knowin' full well you're Oni blood would set us off even more than Imperium did.' 

Deflating, Lloyd grumbled under his breath. Pointedly looking at the fence to ignore the burn in his ears. "I thought you guys would ask questions first then teeth and claws later." 

Heatwave snorted, breaking into a series of hisses that sounded like laughter the closer he listened. The drake shaking his head incredulously. Shoulders shaking up and down. 'That's like saying I hoard treasure and live in a shitty castle, kid.' 

Heatwave's series of chuckles soon began to die down, returning to those low huffing hisses before fading out - silence coming between them again. 

"I agree with Wyldfyre," Lloyd commented, looking at him. "You look better. Happier." 

The Dragon clawed at the rock below lightly, opening and closing his frills. 'Suppose y'could say that. Enjoying actual food and water after Firstbourne knows how many weeks in there.' 

Lloyd winced, sitting on the stone, his legs complaining about staying up for so long. "Know how that feels. Been in my fair share of captures that tried doing what they did to you and, well, you'd think they would feed you better stuff to keep you alive." 

Heatwave, who had been scratching grooves into the stone, but stopped the moment he said that. The Dragon's gaze shifting over to give him a stony look, though Lloyd felt like he saw concern in those eyes for a moment.

Shrinking in on himself, he cringed for saying anything at all about that. Maybe he should've thought about it before saying it- he should work- no definitely work on that one. 

Thankfully, Heatwave didn't comment on it. 'What are you doing here, Lloyd?' 

"Got curious. Wanted to explore before I met with Slab. You?" 

'Prayer.' 

"Prayer?" 

Looking down at him for a moment, Heatwave then rose from his seat, turning around to face the cave. Wordlessly stepping over the fence carefully as he left Lloyd outside to wonder what the Lava Drake meant.

"Wh-hey, come on. It was a simple question!" 

Deciding that following couldn't end that badly, Lloyd opened the gate and then entered. Closing it behind him with a soft click. 

The first thing he noticed was the temperature dropping. 

Looking around him, Lloyd's eyes widened when he saw mall rivers of water lining the bottom of the cave walls from entrance to the very back. Glittering spires of ice sat half submerged within them, from smaller more square like pieces floating gently in the water to spiralling replicas of mountains that were taller than even Zane. 

It was cold enough in here to where his breath was just barely visible, the temperature reminding him of a night out in the Mountains of Impossible Height during the middle of winter. A bit cold, but not enough to get one of them sick. 

Looking up to the ceiling, he couldn't help but be enraptured at the differing shades of blue that hung above him. Almost like they really were trying to replicate scales. "How didn't I see this from outside?"

Walking through the cave, Lloyd brushed a hand against the nearest outcrop of ice. Feeling the frost stick to his fingers, he wiped it against his pants. Cleaning it off. "Shard would have loved this..." 

The water and ice began to fade into more neutral ground the further he went into the cave, as when he reached the end, only small, trickling ice waterfalls were present. The rivers coming to an end to connect under a bridge of sorts. 

Looking to his left, he saw the elemental glow of two more tunnels that were surely the ones that used to house Rocky and Wisp. To his right, the warm yellow-red that belonged to Flame. 

He would have explored the other two, if he'd been alone, but ahead of him, was a dug out sort of chamber. Illuminated by the glow of lightning, ice, fire and earth held within lamps that were strung up at the entrance. 

Sitting inside, he could see Heatwave with his back towards him, the Lava Drake's head bowed. 

"What was that about back there? I know about the Source Dragons but who could you be praying to in here of all places-" 

His voice faltered at what Heatwave had his head lowered for, and Lloyd sucked in a breath. 

It was a stone statue of Ultra. 

It was more accurate than the one in The Crossroads' Memorial Tent. 

Lloyd felt silent, eyes bouncing between Wisp-Shard-Rocky and Flame, the four headed Dragon captured in a moment of serenity. It... almost looked like how he was sitting when he had been staring out over the sea at the Spirit Coves.

When Lloyd had taken off the saddle and told them go home. 

Lloyd looked down at the ground, noticing how at the base of the statue were an assortment of items. 

From gold and silver ores to crowns woven with plants he did not recognize, there was even a small pit that held a clutch of rock eggs that had lava pouring out of them. 

Ice surrounded the base of the statue, as if to put them on some sort of pedestal, though it looked more like a sort of barricade Glacier or Borealis would have created. Protecting Ultra's statue from... whatever it was they meant it to be. 

He couldn't help himself, he needed to ask. "Who made this?" 

'Slab.' The Lava Drake replied, opening his eyes. 'The gifts are from the flock.'

"I... how did you even find this?" 

Heatwave rolled his eyes. 'You humans always ask a lot of questions.' 

Catching himself before he said anything weird, Lloyd huffed back. "Well, I live here. And so do you for now." 

'When we were well enough, some of us explored the mountain. Glacier and Zanth were the ones t'find this. Rest is history as we cleaned it up.' 

"And the fence? Is there illsuion magic?" 

'Zanth knows some Wind Dragon magic.' Heatwave explained, motioning over his shoulder. 'The fence? Done by Riyu, Wyldfyre and Vigor, they had th'least shaky talons out of everyone. Even your whelps joined in. Pink-Hair was the one to get the wood shape right with the bot and fire head.' 

"Nindroid." Lloyd corrected. Wishing he'd been able to join in on that project. "Use that instead." 

'Nindroid.' Heatwave echoed, as if tasting it on his tongue. The sound coming out as more of a deep throated growl than hiss. 'Weird name.' 

"It's what we use for Zane and Pixal. Why not extend it to Wyldfyre's caregiver?" 

The Dragon barked a laugh, fond. 'Would probably agree to it with enough convincing. Stubborn as a boulder melted to the ground. She is.' 

Taking a seat beside the Lava Drake, Lloyd kneaded his hands together. "Is she still at the Wyldness? You could bring her here, she'd be safe." 

'Maybe. She's never really been one for change. Always liked the routine.' 

"Sounds like a couple of people I know." He smiled wryly. "And... well, how did- how did the meeting ago? I know Nya and Wyldfyre were down there but, they left when you were electing a leader." 

Heatwave's shoulders dipped a little too much to be relaxed, it felt more weary. 'Came down t'Zanth and I, much as I would have preferred Slab or Zanth to be the head alpha of the flock.' 

"The Dragons listen to you, even if it was a little messy at the start. That's just how teamwork starts. Lloyd reassured. "I know I was a little weird when Cole handed it off to me, mostly."

'Never had anyone trust their lives to me.' Heatwave reiterated, thumbing his tail. 'Wyldfyre and Cari are family. That's different than having the other kinds under your eye.'

"We did during Imperium." 

'We were trusting each other to keep ourselves alive then. Do or die. It was also hangin' off of your promise Oni.' 

Lloyd bit back the urge to cringe, trying and failing to fight off the urge to curl up as he shifted. "Did the Oni really invade the Wyldness? Slab told me how there was... something that happened." 

'They came through the Chiman Island.' Heatwave narrowed his eyes into slits, and Lloyd felt the temperature rise before dropping. 'Dragons rose to aid the United Tribes of Chima after th'Phoenixes called for help.' 

'Wyldfyre's grandmother was one of them.' 

Lloyd chewed the inside of his cheek, incisors pricking into the flesh. "I'm sorr-"

'Apologies don't bring back the dead.' Cutting him off, the Lava Drake barred his fangs before schooling himself with a heavy sigh.

"They don't." He agreed, wilting. The tips of his hair obscuring his vision. "What was her name?" 

'You met somebody with her name.' Heatwave huffed, a small trail of smoke leaving his nostrils before fading away. 'She's a good kid. Best one I could ever want.' 

Lloyd smiled, raising his head to see the edges of Heatwave's jaws pulling fondly. The glow of the lava nest illuminating his claws softly, turning them a warm red-orange compared to just red. 

It reminded him too much of the same light that came from explosive missiles and laser fire. All the blood he saw coming out of the Dragons an the Imperian Guards. 

"What you said back in Imperium," Lloyd began, hesitantly tapping his fingers against his knee. "About... me not being a monster, were... were you lying? I mean, thank you for stopping that but.."

'I don't have a surefire answer t'that.' Heatwave admitted. 'Didn't feel like I was, not that I could. Much as I keep sayin' it, you saved my daughter - gave her a place to grow. Y'kept your word. Would be an asshole move if I did lie.' 

'It's the instincts, making it hard to figure it out.' He continued, snapping at the air with a soft pop of his jaws. 'I hate you, but I don't, if that makes any fuckin' sense at all.'

"It does." Lloyd said, watching the ice's pale light shift like a lava lamp. "I more so thought you'd actually just hate me for being part Oni. I was't sure if the Dragon was doing anything – since you guys kept mentioning I killed a Forest Dragon when I've never even met one." 

Heatwave sucked in a breath, sharper than anything Lloyd had heard from the drake. 'You're a descendant of the First Spinjitzu Master?' 

Lloyd waved his hands around quickly. "It's not something I like thinking about, much less mentioning at all. It's... done nothing but put a target on my back to anyone who knows. To those in my care. I guess the upside is that it's done so less than the title of Green Ninja, at least. If anything I'd take the latter over the former." 

Resting a hand on his forearm, Lloyd shook his head. "The Green Ninja is a title I have, but I can at least shed that one and just be Lloyd, you know? Unlike 'Grandson of the First Spinjitzu Master' which I... don't really have a say in. Since everyone ignores me." 

The Lava Dragon rumbled in his throat for a moment, before speaking. 'In the Wyldness, I'm known as th' Raging Eruption. A title I carved out in the followin' years after th'invasion when I was grieving. Now, nobody knows me as anythin' other than that except for th'family who cares. It cost Wyldfyre everything.' 

"We don't realize how much they can cost us." Letting a little bit of fire based energy trail across his palm to his fingertips, Lloyd's mind wandering to the current state of Ninjago City.

Lloyd let the fire fade away after some moments. "And most of the time, somebody's already given something up to get there without knowing." 

It looked too much like it did back then with each and every time an... event occurred.

'At least here, in Ninjago was it? Wyldfyre will have a chance t'start new. Make some friends. Get to grow up. Like I never could.' Heatwave huffed, battle worn frills readjusting against his neck. 

Lloyd froze, feeling that longing for something he could never have rear its ugly head. 

"You're a good father, Heatwave." He murmured. Looking at his scarred at calloused hands, sitting in his lap.

The Lava Dragon chuffed, breaking into a low hum. 'You ain't a bad person, Lloyd. Remember that.

"It's a work in progress, but I'll make a note for that one."

'Somethin' we should both take note of, then.'

"I'd like that." 

Chapter Text

The day had gone by faster than Lloyd would have liked, if he was being totally honest. 

Noon had bled into the afternoon and the afternoon had begun fading into evening in the far distance. The sky darkening to the east, the west stubbornly contrasting it with its remaining window of time.

Still in the sunlight, the base of the steps leading up to the little area that housed Mystaké's memorial were daunting to say the least. A warm yellow barring on gold hue coated the stone, inviting despite his feelings on the point of interest. 

He picked at his sweater with uncertainty. The Dragon Caves had been fixed up by the inhabitants, new and old. Some he knew and had come to know. What if Mystaké's memorial had been touched by strangers?

This was off the known paths, for sure, but with them now so close to The Crossroads and his lack of upkeep around the mountain itself, he couldn't help but be worried. 

Nya tapped him with her elbow. "You want me to come along? I can stay a little bit behind, if need be. Keep an eye out to make sure nobody comes up." 

Right, he had been the one to decide that this would have been a good place for him and the Primordial Earth Dragon to converse. Had he not entirely been thinking? Probably.

"I think Slab does want to talk one on one, did he specify at all?" Lloyd asked, watching Nya stuff her hands into her jacket.

Shaking her head after some seconds, Nya began to walk up the steps. "He didn't. But I think you're right. wants to hear from you, since you're the one who had that weird hover-y shining power for a bit. Zane told us what happened, but really, what happened, Lloyd?" 

"I'm still trying to figure it out, among other things." He said, catching up with her after a moment of gathering his nerves. "I saw things. Blurry visions that didn't make sense. Not all of them were good." 

"Maybe Zane might have an idea of what to do about those," Nya suggested, kicking a loose pebble from the path and off the edge. 

"I'll... see, I don't want to overwhelm him." Lloyd says, hearing it faintly clatter against other stones before moving out of his range. "He's only been around for half the month or less. I need to wait." 

Nya's ponytail swayed against her shoulder blades when she turned her gaze upwards to the Monastery, sighing. "Good call. We need the time to figure out our next move, plus everyone needing to get used to each other." 

That was one way to put it. "Yeah. We'll- we'll need the time." 

The stairs started leveling out as they approached the top, transitioning into a gentle slope before ending off on flat ground. He still recognized the foliage, but it far less tamed down than he remembered.

The grass in their absence had grown half way up to his shins, the bushes were larger, too. Nearly reaching his chest now, a far cry from when it used to only come up to his knees.

Even with the wild look, it still looked like the same. So far. The dirt path still ended some time before it reached the false dead end. Even if grass was slowly starting to expand into it. 

Letting out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding Lloyd walked up to the boulder. Cole and his painting faded from years of Lloyd not coming down and touching it up. He ran his fingers through the carved grooves, feeling how vegetation clung there. 

Turning to Nya, Lloyd saw her in the middle of wiping her eye with the back of her hand. "...I know it isn't my place to ask, but, do you think we can give this a fresh coat of paint? Just to brighten it up. Like the mural you did that one time." 

"I can't do that, Lloyd. " Nya reached out to graze her own fingertips along the carving. Her touch featherlight. "I can tell you what you need to do, but this has to be you and him." 

"I understand." He said quietly, leaning his head against her shoulder. Her arm snaking around his back and pulling him closer to her. 

Pressing her head to into his hair, she gave a sigh that had a shudder that wouldn't have been noticable if you weren't listening. "Maybe we can make our own, you know? Get Skylor here so she adds her mark to it, too." 

Lloyd pressed back, shaking his head. His own voice terse. "Wouldn't work without Pixal." 

He felt Nya's lips pull tight, her grip on his side strengthing. "You're right." 

He hated that he would need to leave this faded. There just... it would feel wrong, to work on it by himself. 

Releasing a shuddering sigh, Lloyd pulled away from her. Wiping at his own eyes. Right. He needed to get this done. "You can come if you want– he'll understand." 

Nya shook her head, nudging him forward. Her smile didn't reach the eye like it usually would. "I'll be fine. I need a bit anyway. We're holding him up." 

"Yeah." He agreed hoarsely. Wishing he could say more.

Stepping into the grass, he felt the dampened blades lightly brush against his pants and shoes. His footsteps making a clear line he heard Nya following in after some moments of delay. 

It was an unfair ask of her – what had he been thinking? 

Trudging through the narrowed pass, Lloyd felt his vision acclimate to the darker enviroment. Preventing him from tripping up. His mouth pulled tightly, maybe one of the few good traits from being part Oni and Dragon. 

He could feel the moment when it began to widen, as the soft breeze that usually came through wasn't so focused anymore. The grass itself was also beginning to shorten in height, the more he went down. 

Lloyd tried listening for the rustle that meant Nya was still following, but found that it was only him now. She must have stopped some bit back, maybe at the half way point if he had to guess. 

Finally reaching the point where the path should have turned to dirt once more, he found that there was still a thin layer of it. Looking around, he saw that the bushes and trees were still there. Larger than he remembered them being last. 

In the middle of the area and facing Mystaké's Memorial, was Slab. 

The Primordial raised his head, voice soft as stones gently clinking underwater. Red eyes gleaming in the sunlight. 'Who does this belong to, if I may ask?' 

"A friend of ours who helped us take back Ninjago City." He answered, noting that the grass around had been cut down unevenly. "She... passed before you brought my friends home. Her name was Mystaké." 

'The Warlord of Deception?' Slab eyes widened upon hearing her name, turning his head and bowing it immediately. Even going as fair to kneel.  

Perplexed, Lloyd approached closer. Standing to the Earth Dragons side. "Why are you... bowing? I thought you would—would have hated her." 

'Opinions of her and the other Warlords are divided amongst the Primordial Dragons.' Digging groves into the dirt with his tusks, the Earth Dragon puffed a small dust cloud. 'Did she ever tell you how she helped end the war?'

Lloyd sat down on the grass, warmed by the rays of sun. "Only gave me light details. She said she loved how beautiful Ninjago was. Never went into more detail other than that." 

'So the other four faded into the sands of time.' Slab said, pulling away. 

Lloyd felt his blood go cold. "Other four?" 

'The Warlords of Void, Despair, Fear and Greed.' Slab listed, his eyeridges furrowing and taking on a weary look.

Pulling at the fabric of his hoodie, Lloyd flinched when he accidentally pinched himself. "Seven in total, now only one and we don't even know if she's alive." 

'Three.' 

"Some of them are still alive?" 

'When they allied themselves to your grandfather and Mother, Lady Mystaké and her companions were sworn to give up half of their powers to prove their loyalty to the Dragons.' Lowering his head, the Earth Dragon began to draw expressions in the dirt. 

Expressions that Lloyd had never wanted to see again. 

The grimace of vengance, the glare of hatred, the grin of deception. Yet there was another one. A face that was trapped in an eternal scream. 

He didn't know that one. 

'Created by the Eclipsans and the First Spinjitzu Master to contain the power of the Oni Warlords.' Slab continued, etching in the horns and hair before finishing it off with the tusks. 

'These masks held their power. Forever leaving them weaker. More vulnerable.' 

Lloyd's eyes widened, a stab of regret flaring through him. "So when Mystaké fought my father she was..." 

The Earth Dragon brushed the drawings in the dirt away, but the memories were still in his mind. Flashing from one to the next. 'I am sorry.'

Swallowing, he shook his head. Gathering himself. Breathing in deeply, counting to five and then breathing out. He knew the costs back then. The unfairness. 

It still didn't change that she could have lived, to see the Merge Worlds. Yet she has chosen to remain behind. That was her choice. 

"Who does the fourth mask belong too?" Ignoring the feel of the Oni briefly waking up at his anger and hurt. He pushed—forced it back. 

'The Warlord of Despair did not give up her powers willingly. Nor could any of the others bring themselves to kill her.' Lowering himself to the ground slowly, Lloyd listened to the grass rustle in the wake of the Dragon. 

'Among the Warlords she was the youngest. So, as a way to compromise for her life Lady Mystaké robbed her of her power. Betraying her. She was banished by Mother to unknown lands many, many millenia ago so that she could keep her life.'

Chewing on the inside of his cheek, he raised his legs so that he could hug his knees. "Did she have a name?" 

Slab looked down to the dirt for a moment, before speaking, as if the name itself was a curse. 'Avarice.' 

Lloyd slid his gaze over to the headstone, wishing he knew just what had really happened all those eons ago in the first lands. 

However, he saw his opening to really get to the conversation he and Slab needed to have. And he took it. 

"Did the Source Dragons not do anything?" 

'The Source Dragons are not regarded well in the First Realm.' The Primordial shook his head. 'Many rumor that when Mother tried asking them for help in ending the war, they remained unresponsive.' 

Chewing on his lip now, Lloyd picked at the skin around his nails. His gloves rubbing against each other. "I guess that tracks then, because, um, Imperium has an imprisoned Source Dragon."

Slab stilled, slowly turning his head to look directly at Lloyd. Blood red eyes turningb a bright ruby red because in the dimming sunlight. 'Pardon?' 

"That weird power I gained when Zane and I went looking for a way to get the other Dragons out? Yeah, I... agreed to become a conduit for them." He said, holding a hand out and feeling the warmth of the sun. Vaguely recalling the power and nothingness that thrummed through him.

"I wanted to help them escape, but they were just so adamant about remaining there. Even with the possibility of Firstbourne and Wojira showing up to free them." Lloyd continued, shaking his head. 

'They may have turned their backs on the First Realm, but the Source Dragons are said to have been Mother's parents. Imperium has made a fatal error, one that could it cost its life.' 

"What I was thinking, but no, the guy went on about how they were not supposed to be freed. How his capture stabilized the Merge Worlds when, no, no it hasn't! Mergequake Rifts are opening up faster and getting larger." 

Ruffling his hair, Lloyd tugged at the strands behind his ear. "I don't want Imperium to be wiped off of the map, nor do I want the innocents that would get caught up in Beatrix's stupidity to pay the price for it. I saw how miserable those guards were!" 

The Earth Dragon swayed his tail in thought. 'Perhaps a compromise in information will need to be required, as I am planning to return to Mother's Thunder with Borealis.' 

"You want to omit information from Firstbourne?" Lloyd questioned, taken aback. "Won't-won't that have really, really bad consequences!?" 

'The consequences would be worse if I or Borealis mentioned that one of her sires was trapped. Do not underestimate Mother's ability to put her own feelings aside for those she loves. Her heart is as vast as her wings.' 

"I just, dunno—are you sure this is a good idea? Omitting information to the All-Mother about her family?" Lloyd asked nervously, swirling hair around a finger. 

'No.' He responded, his head hung shoulders dropping. 'I despise having to keep this information from Mother. Yet, if the chance to prevent distrust between our kinds is possible–we must put that as priority. The trust between Dragons and Humanoids is now ice thin.'

"You'll have to warn any Dragons you encounter that there are Dragon Hunters running around the Merge Worlds." Rubbing at his face, Lloyd sighed. Stupid Beatrix and stupid Ras. 

'That would have already been the first task the moment we reached Mother's Thunder.' The Primordial rumbled. 'It is your task now, to free the Source Dragon from Imperium. To prevent the Mergequakes from worsening.' 

"We'll get it done." He promised, looking up to the Monastery of Spinjitzu. The sky blue over them now darkening to evening. "We need a chance to recuperated, but as soon as we can. We will." 

'I trust you and your team.' Slab nodded, following his gaze, before going past it to look over his shoulder. 'As for the Source Dragon, do you know what they looked like? Who it was?' 

Tugging at his hair lightly, Lloyd pursed his lips. "It was hard to really tell. I think. But it felt like a Lightning Dragon. Sorta looked like one from the First Realm? With the whole long body? Saw those whisker-things on the head too.' 

'The Ion Dragon.' The Earth Dragon murmured in shock. His jaws pressing together tightly. His head shaking in disbelief. 'Better known as the Source Dragon of Energy, and the second Nest-Father to Mother.' 

Lloyd crossed his arms. Calling on the flame aspect to due the memorial site becoming cooler as the shadows began growing around him and Slab. The cold acting as memory of the Imperian corridors, making him shiver. 

Looking to the dirt, he tried and failed to remember anything else. Yet came up empty, most of the other memories too hazy or splintered to really be worth talking about. "That was basically everything that happened when I was conscious-that I remember."

"It was a lot of power to just, take in. Way more than I've ever had in a long time." He added, more to himself than anything. How many years has it been since he gave up the Golden Power?

Felt like a lifetime ago. 

Kicking at the dirt with the tip of his shoe, he sighed. "I woke up today and just... felt next to nothing but exhaustion from my Oni and Dragon sides. I feel them resting now, but I kept nearly losing control way too often back there." 

Shifting his stare to the right, Lloyd shut his eyes tightly. "What am I even saying? Sorry. This isn't your problem. I'll try remembering again-" 

'There is an old tale from the First Realm that reminds me of your predicament, in a way. Do you wish to hear it?' He felt the Dragon rise and then take some steps. Lightly shaking the ground with each one, his shadow engulfing as Slab walked around him like a barrier. 

"Sure, I guess." Better than having to focus on him–anything but focusing on him. 

Slab notioned to Mystaké's memorial, the headstone still bathed in light. Out of reach of the dark. 'Many, millenia ago, even before the war, when time had not been given a name and was only referred to as then and now, the Oni, the Dragons and Eclispan peoples lived in harmony with each other.' 

"They lived in peace?" Leaning against the Dragon's stonehide, Lloyd tried to hold back the skeptisicm in hie voice. 

The Earth Dragon blew out a small cloud of dust, creating two small mounds of dirt at their feet. 'The Oni and the Eclipsans lived with each other, often sharing villages. The Dragons, on the other hand, preferred to keep to themselves.' 

"So everyone just... stayed away from each other?" He wished his Oni and Dragon could just, leave each other alone instead of fighting. Heck, he would maybe do anything for that continous silence. 

'Correct.' 

The Primordial then created a winding river between the two and what looked like a lake. 'The seasons came and went, with it the food and water that sustained the Ravaged Coast. Plentiful and then limited, but enough to survive.'

Using a claw, he brushed another pit of dirt over the lake he had created. 'One particular dry season came, however. This one known as the Famine's Spell. It shaped our home for the next four years, water and food growing scarcer and scarcer. The Oni and the Eclipsans worked to ration their supplies.' 

"And the Dragons?"

'They attempted to withstand as long as they could, but even they were struggling. The Oni would then go ask the Earth Dragons for help to reach the underground springs and lakes.' 

Slab shook his head, poking his tusks into the mounds. 'Yet they found all of them were empty. Long since dried. This was at a time when only Earth and Fire Dragons existed. When Firstbourne was said to only have two heads.' 

"So she couldn't do anything either." 

'She had not learned to fly either, as that would come much later. Seeing as her children were struggling, Mother promised she would travel to the Northern Lands to see what happened to the First Realm's water.' Creating another mountain range and then Firstbourne's Nest, he drew a symbol that belonged to the All-Mother some ways from it. 

He watched Slab then sketch two more symbols, one for Oni and Eclispan. 'Mother would not travel alone, however. For as she began her journey, an Oni and an Eclispan would join her. Their names being Wrought and Amelija, a simple miner and farmer.' 

"I thought Firstbourne hated Oni?' 

The Dragon shook his head, smiling softly. E cirling the three symbols. 'Many Dragons hate Oni, but our Mother does not. She knows each individual has different thoughts and desires.' 

Lloyd hummed, watching the Earth Dragon wipe thr symbols and then enlarge them. This time more jagged, like spikes, teeth and claws were being flashed and shown off. 

'While she was wary of Wrought and he in turn of her at the beginning of their trek, it was Amelija who kept them together despite the two's arguing. For the Eclispans were the ones to represent Destruction and Creation both.'

Furrowing his brow, Lloyd contemplated if being born as some amount of Eclispan would have given him the ability to handle his heritage better. The First People were stronger than the average human physically–Faith could nearly rival Cole. 

'The three traveled from the Ravaged Coast in the Southern Lands, battling enemies and aiding each other through challenges none of them would have been able to pass by themselves. Mother even began to find friendship in the two of them.' 

"Does Firstbourne not have many friends?" 

Following the motions of Slab's strokes, Lloyd watched the Primordial Dragon swipe the dirt flat. 'Not many. Those she does make, she holds very dear to her heart.' 

'Soon, they reached journeys end.' Slab continued, carving out a cluster of mountains in the dirt with all the symbols then circling them at the base. 'They arrived at a mountain, the tallest peak in the Northern Lands. There, the group found the heart of all water. Blocked behind a massive obsidian boulder.' 

Jabbing a horn through the largest one, the Earth Dragon then drew an odd looking hand print. 'Firstbourne and Wrought attempted to smash through with Elemental Powers and Elemental Essences, yet with little luck. The two arguing about how neither of them could break the boulder. Nearly breaking into a fight despite their kinship with one another.' 

He then moved the Eclispan symbol that below both to inbetween them. Surprised, Lloyd brushed a hand tenderly over the Eclispans symbol. Two crescent moons back to back. "Amelija broke them up. How would a normal person manage to do that? With an Oni and a dragon, I mean." 

'Friends always listen to each other. They were no different. Aside from that, they needed cooperation to save their people.' Slab said, now circling the odd looking handprint. 'Amelija noticed the hand first. It was too small to be a Dragon or Oni, yet too big to be an Eclispan.' 

'Amelija saw how when Mother had cut herself on the boulder trying to break it, her blood trickled into it. Causing the boulder to chip, then splinter away. Yet when she tried adding more alone, it fixed itself. Wrought tried this too, with the same result.' 

Lloyd remained silent, looking at how he would draw the crack, then erase it. "Wouldn't they need to do it together to try and shatter the blockade?" 

'Amelija realized this before Mother or Wrought did.' Moving the Eclipsan symbol closest to the mountain base, Slab put the Dragon on the left and the Oni on the right. 'so she asked if she could cut herself on one of Mother's fangs. While she was concerned, she spared a tooth.' 

"So she poured her blood into the carving.." Lloyd said slowly, studying how Slab did a combined symbol for all three of the First Realms factions. "Followed by Firstbourne and Wrought—which made the blockade break entirely?" 

Shaking his head, he blew another little bit of dust. 'No.'

"No? So what was all that meant to be for?" 

'From the combined blood rose two Dragons. These Dragons, were the Sentinels of Ice and Water.' Above them, further on the mountain Slab carefully etched out the icons for them. One Familiar, but the other not quite.

The one he recognized, he knew her as part of Wojira. "Current came from this?"

'And Frosbite.' The Dragon added, tapping the tip of his tusk against the ice icon he drew. 'Current and Frostbite were the ones who broke the blockade where Firstbourne, Amelija and Wrought could not by themselves.' 

Confused, Lloyd blinked. 'That... doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Firstbourne and Wrought should have done it just fine, Amelija would have helped make the process faster. Sure, but how come Current and Frostbite were the ones to break it?" 

Slab chuckled, deep and rumbling. Reassuring. 'That is my question to you, Lloyd Garmadon. How did the Ice and Water Sentinel break the blockade when the others could not?' 

Making a small noise in his mouth, Lloyd scrutinized the symbols. The Dragon, the Oni, the Eclispan then two more Dragons when the Mother of all Dragons couldn't do it herself. That was vastly more power than they needed, but... only Current and Frosbite could do it. 

Nudging him, the Earth Dragon offered an amused smile. Head lowered to be at his eye level. 'Do not worry, it is one you will figure out in time. Perhaps sooner, possibly later.' 

"I hope sooner, if I'm honest." Lloyd shrugged, picking at his sleeves. Looking up to the memorial to see that it was now completely enveloped in the shadows of evening. The afternoon now gone. 

Etching something into the dirt below, Slab pulled away. Bowing his head in respect Mystaké. 'Perhaps you already have figured it out, Lloyd. It took me many years to understand some of Mother's Tales.' 

He opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off when the familiar howl from one of the Ice Dragons broke through the silence. Calling from the base of the Monastery's mountain. 

'Borealis is ready.' He said, scenting the air. The top of his frill barely catching the fading rays of sunlight left in the area. 'I can offer you and Nya a ride down the mountain, if you wish? She and Borealis seemed to get along.' 

'Sounds good.' Lloyd said, a little lost that Slab was leaving–this was probably how Heatwave had felt. The Earth Dragon's soon to be absence dawning on him. 'She's at the boulder because she wanted to keep watch. Mind if I take a minute here?' 

'Of course.' Lowering his head once more, he kneeled in a bow. 'It was nice meeting you, Lady Mystaké.' 

"She probably would have told you to not use honorifics." Rubbing his arm, he gave his own smile. Remembering her voice when somebody had used ma'am on one of his visits. "Said it made her feel older than she was." 

'Mother never quite liked when we referred to her as Firstbourne either.' Slab said, rumbling in his chest as he rose, backing away from him and the headstone. 'I will tell Nya that you are coming.' 

"Thanks." Listening to the Dragon plod away, Lloyd gazed down to the group of symbols and the mountain. Eyeing the newest symbol with curiosity, wondering who that was for. 

It looked a similar to the ice symbol he used for Frostbite, but plantlike. Connected on both sides and forming a sort of long tipped star in the middle. Maybe it was part of Slab's question too? 

Still, he had made a promise to himself, and he needed to fufill the other half of it. Well, maybe not a promise promise, but, he did think about it enough. 

"Hey, Mystaké," Kneeling to the ground and being careful of the sketch left by Slab, Lloyd lowered his head. "Sorry for not visiting, I just.. the world-er, Merged Worlds really had a ton of plans for me this time around."

Understatment of the year, really. But how else was he supposed to word it simply? He couldn't, was the thing. From the Realm of Madness to Cloud Kingdom, he never thought his world would change so drastically. 

Thumbing his gloves, Lloyd tugged at the edges where the skin was exposed. "I think you'd really like the newest members. Arin, Riyu and Sora feel like a trio who would like you, too. Maybe you've even met Arin, from before The Merge." 

He hoped her tea shop was still intact, he would need to ask Skylor if that had been preserved or taken over by that kid who used to work there on weekdays. If not, he would have to ask if he could get help repairing it. 

Lighting his hand with green flames to chase away the coolness, he allowed them to dance across his fingertips for a few seconds. "Wyldfyre I feel is another you'd be fond of, she reminds me of you. With the same liveliness you know? Maybe not the attitude but she's really outgoing." 

Laughing, Lloyd shook his head. Almost wishing he asked the Earth Dragon to stay. "To think this all started when I thought I saw somebody I knew on a bridge a month or two ago. Who would have thought somebody could have taught themselves Spinjitzu just by watching us from videos huh?" 

He still remembered the burst of golden Spinjitzu, flying through the air and him thinking in a split moment that it could have been a friend. Only to meet some of the best kids he's ever known on an underground train. 

The same ones he could say he was glad were on his team. 

"I couldn't believe it either, Arin had taught himself over the course of the..." Faltering, Lloyd swallowed. Realizing just how long it had really been since he visited her. "..the five years. It's been about six now. I... really let it slip by, huh." 

Five years since his world and everyone elses had been torn apart by The Merge. Leaving them to struggle, his friends and family spread across the Merged Realm's or even...

Rubbing at the back of his neck, he pursed his lips. Lightly dragging his nails across the skin. "I really do think you'd like the kids. Definitely smarter than I or the others were when we were their age. Though they're a bit younger. Sora and Arin are fifteen and fourteen."

About the same age as when he started really doing the heavy duty training like the others. He remembered-even missed the schedule he used to have with the others. 

He should go on a full speed hike with Zane soon. Or have a training session with Kai on balance and rotation. Not that he needed it, but it would at least be a way to reminisce about where he used to be. 

Instead of thinking about where he was now. 

Deciding to not dance around the subject anymore, he sighed. He hated it. Loathed it. "I nearly transformed into my Oni side when I was helping the Dragons escape from Imperium. Way too many times to be comfortable." 

Holding Arin and trying to make sure his claws didn't come out and prick the boy's skin to where he draw blood. Trying not to squeeze him too hard as he got the ninja in training out of there before he got hurt under his watch. 

Feeling the Oni and Dragon buzz around in his head, demanding to take control over his body when they've done nothing but cause him problems. To change him into something he didn't want to be at all. 

The Dragons circling around him had made him feel like he was back at Darkley's, when he was alone because of Brad leaving him so that he wouldn't get caught up in the relentless stream. 

"I... I was... naïve to think that all Dragons were peaceful. I really don't know what gave me the idea they would be kind and.... yeah." Averying his gaze from the headstone to the drawing in the dirt, Lloyd sagged. 

Ultra had been kind from the moment he met them all, even with the four personalities and differing mindsets attached to one body. Chompy had been playful, and Firstbourne was nothing but loving, as Slab said her to be. 

Boreal didn't count, that thing had never been real. 

"I heard about what they nearly did to the others in the First Realm, but I thought there was a reason," Lloyd said, remembering Faith's recounting of how Ultra had been hunted down. Captured alongside Slab. "Because of Iron Baron hunting them. How were they supposed to trust humans?" 

Falling silent, he thought about it more. Stormbringer and her son had still attacked Cole and Wu, unarmed without any weapon except Elemental Power. Slab had chased them in the arena, but then later apologized himself after he helped them against the Oni Colossus.

Stormbringer hadn't given an vocal apology other than offer Jay a ride home under Firstbourne's request and like Slab, offered her aid against the titan of stone and debris. 

Was that what Torchspark had done for him? Letting him get away so that Arin wouldn't have been in danger after the chanting? Borealis and Rockslide too?

Then he thought back to the Earth Wyverns that had been attacking the Kraggling village just to eat the mud that kept them alive, wanting to become more powerful at the expense of others despite their efforts to get them to stop peacefully. 

Tracing a finger through Firstbourne's symbol then Wrought's and Amelija's, he shook his head. "I realize now that both sides have their good and bad, Mystaké. You were good to us, and I think that's what matters the most. Even if you had to do bad at one point." 

"Same goes with this squadron of Imperian Guards I met," he continued, drifting to the ice and water icon. "They were afraid. I listened to them- how they'd rather try and run than face whatever punishment Beatrix could give them." 

"I told them of a way out. I don't know if they'll take it, but I hope they do." 

Standing back up, Lloyd brushed the dirt from his pants. Listening to the animals in the distance waking up to take advantage of the night time, slowly but surely. 

"I can't help everyone, I know. But I'll try for those that I can–I hope." 

Bowing half way like Slab had done, Lloyd breathed. "I don't really know what I'm doing, but I'll try and figure out on the way. Thanks for listening, Mystaké." 

Stepping anyway, he looked back and forth once more, then turned. Jogging toward the pass where the Earth Dragon and Nya were waiting. 

It was going to be hard, figuring out a place among everyone. But, he thinks he can do it. 

He has to. 

They arrived to see that there was a small gathering aready waiting for them at the base of the mountain, with some faces he expected and one he didn't. 

Slab landed with a thud that rattled the ground below him, lowering himself to the ground as he allowed Lloyd and Nya to clamber down from his back. 

He wasn't surprised to see that Glacier and Borealis were together, the two cousins with their heads pressed against each other. Murming soft words to one another with their horns interlocked. 

Heatwave and Zanth were two he figured would be here, given that they were now the leaders of the flock living under the Monastery of Spinjitzu. The two drakes conversing with each other some distance away. 

One he wasn't expecting, was to see Sora on a rock by herself. 

"I'll be with you guys in a second," splitting away from the two, he approached the tech master. Who was staring down at her hands like she had punched somebody on accident. "Hey. Where's Euphrasia and Riyu?" 

Shrugging, she jerked her chin up at to the top of the mountain. The only thing still covered in sunlight around them, but even that was fading. "Euphrasia's doing some theorizing with Zane. Riyu's with Vigor.' 

"Arin?" 

"With Wyldfyre. Dunno what they're up to." 

"Are you two... okay?" Opting to lean on the rock beside her, he took a look at the gathering away from them. Keeping in mind that they were still all separated. 

Sora made a so-so motion, though she didn't look certain. "I would think he's avoiding me, but he said hi a little bit ago. When he came into our room to ask what I wanted for dinner." 

"Is this... about Jordana?" He asked, carefully. Ready to gage the teenager's reaction. Wyldyfre mentioned somebody named that." 

Stiffening, Sora turned her head the other way. Lloyd could see how her jaw pressed tighter. "I would hope it's not about that." 

"About what?" 

She didn't reply, and just like earlier he waited. Keeping his eyes ahead so she would not feel pressured by him to answer if she didn't wish to. 

Besides, it gave him the opportunity to see that Heatwave and Zanth were approaching Slab and Nya. The Lava Drake butting his nose horn against the Earth Dragon's in greeting. 

Zanth and Nya traded nods, the two breaking into a topic he couldn't make out from this distance. Too far away to read their mouths- well, Nya's mouth as her back was turned to him. 

Breaking the silence, Sora kicked the hell of the rock with her boot. "When I lived in Imperium I had a friend before Arin. Her name was, like Wyldfyre told you, Jordana." 

"She and I were in the Sciences District." She continued, leaning forward to rub a thumb across her palm. "Our schedules usually lined up during school, so... we shared classes. Same with homeroom." 

"Did you ever make any more friends?" 

"Neither of us were really good at making friends. Even now, Arin's always been way social than me." Shaking her head, Sora sighed. Hanging her head. 

Lloyd looked at her, brows furrowed. 

Shivering, she huffed bitterly. "We sort of just started hanging out together at lunch because nobody really wanted us to sit with them. I was the weirdo who was always nose deep in inventions, and Jordana usually went ignored." 

Dousing his hand in green flames, he placed it palm down between them. Letting the heat warm the rock, even if it wasn't as good as Kai's or Wyldfyre's level of output.

Giving him a look, she turned her attention to the Monaster of Spinjitzu behind them. "Jordana was quiet when we started sitting together. Sure she had a temper when I talked too much, but... she was nice to me. Sometimes she'd walk me home if I was having a bad day." 

Illuminated by the glow, the corner of Sora's eyes took on a grayer aspect. The flecks of gold turning more yellow-green. 

"She always tried being the stronger one of the two of us." Sora admitted, her expression turning heavy. "Jordana had some really bad days, where she struggled to do her homework and projects. She never told me why. I felt bad whenever I mentioned home when she never did." 

He had a feeling that he knew how this was going to end. "When you left Imperium, you didn't say goodbye to her, did you?" 

Sora's mouth pulled tightly, arms wrapping around herself in a hug. "I didn't. And when we were there, I-I lied that I didn't know her because I didn't know how to—I couldn't contact her from The Crossroads. Ana doesn't exist anymore." 

Snuffing out the flames, he reached out- his hand hovering over her shoulderblade. 

Debating, trying to figure out if that was the right move. 

Her shoulds bunched up, and she pressed her fingers to her sides tighter. "I get why Wyldfyre isn't happy with me, I ran away like a coward. I left Jordana behind. But there... there wasn't much I could do. I couldn't endanger her. I knew nothing about The Crossroads then." 

He pulled away, placing his hand back to the stone, warmed from his fire. 

"I made my choice. And I can't take it back." 

Opening and closing his mouth, every time he tried to form a word it felt like the Sea of Sand erupted in his mouth. Dry and unable to form what he wanted to say as it slipped through his fingers. 

It felt like talking to Brad after he ran away from Darkley's all over again. 

Breathing deeply, Lloyd gave out his own sigh. "I'm sorry, Sora-" 

"It's fine." Cutting him off, the in training Master of Tech met his stare. Pink and blue eyes heavy with exhaustion. "Just, thanks, for listening. I guess. You didn't have to, but I appreciate you for... just hearing what I had to say." 

"You're part of the team. It's what we do when we need each other." Thankful he said something decently helpful instead of fumbling, he metaphorically wiped his brow. 

Humming, she opened up from the ball she tucked herself into. Though she still hugged herself, her arms loosening. "Sorry for taking time away from the others." 

"Sora." Lloyd said, shaking his head before giving her a grin. "In your words, it's fine. You and Arin are two of my friends-not to mention my students. Don't apologize for something like that." 

She looked like she wanted to apologize anyway, but she wrinkled her nose instead. "Sure, Lloyd."

"Besides, I think it's time we say goodbye to Slab and Borealis right? Looks like they're ready to go." Getting off of the rock, he motioned with his head to the gathering. 

Also because Sora probably wanted something that would take the spotlight off of her. 

"What do you say?" 

Rubbing her arms, Sora bit her lip, then nodded. Getting up off of the rock and joining him as she found her footing. 

The sun was now beginning to vanish over the horizon past the mountains and across the sea.

Sundown was here. 

"I'm surprised Wyldfyre isn't here." Lloyd called out to the Lava Drake when he was within earshot of the Dragons and Nya, getting the attention of those who heard him. 

Heatwave flexed his frills, seated beside Zanth whom was currently trailing a claw in the dirt, explaining something to Borealis and Glacier. 'She's never been one for goodbyes, doesn't mean any harm by it.'

"Heatwave says that she isn't fond of goodbyes." Nya translated for him and Sora. "She doesn't do it to be mean either, just prefers not to is my guess." 

Heatwave nodded, rising from his seat and nudging Zanth with his elbow. The sky blue drake waving to Lloyd before going back to her explanation. 'Most you'll get from her is a "don't die or else I'll kill you", little smogslug.' 

Waving back to Zanth, Lloyd tilted his head at Nya. Keeping up the act that he didn't know what he was saying. 

"Now he says that instead of bye she'll threaten you to make sure you keep yourself alive." Nya snorted, rolling her eyes at the statement. "I swear that's something Kai would do." 

"Something you would do too." Lloyd muttered under his breath. 

"What was that?" 

"Nothing."

Sora smiled and Slab chuckled as he gave Nya an innocent look under her glare that promised later violence. She wouldn't anyway. Well-maybe, there was a possibility. 

Clearing his throat Slab roared lightly, the sound almost like a grass blower being used on gravel. The other Dragons stopping their conversation to put their rapt attention on him. 

Lowering his head in Zanth's direction, he rumbled. 'I apologize for my interruption Mistress Zanth, but it is time for Borealis and I to depart. I hope you can forgive me.'

'No need for the title and formalities, really.' Standing up beside Heatwave, Lloyd got a look at how the he really was the smallest Dragon in the current vicinity. Both in height and length. 'We're far past that, Slab.' 

'Bled on th'same damned sun scorched metal.' The Lava Drake added. Nudging Zanth back with his tail when she bumped his shoulder. 'With us, you're a friend.' 

"What are they saying?" Sora asked, watching Nya make a face. Lloyd wished he could help her but... he would rather not be questioned. 

"I'm not translating all of that, but the general idea is that formalities can go out the window." Coming up to stand on her left, she rolled her shoulders. "I'll tell you when they're talking to you, okay?" 

"Maybe I should work on a translator." The teenager mused, watching the Dragons. "So we don't always need to bother you or Wyldfyre for what's being said." 

"Would be pretty good on missions, especially on the comms." Lloyd commented, picking at some stray pollen on his sweater then flicking at another spot. Great, he forgot it was summer.  

"It would." Nya pitched in. 

Humming, Sora took on what he liked to call the "inventors eye". He could practically see how ideas were buzzing in her head at a rapid speed. 

'Lloyd.'  

Nya huffed. "Guess sooner than later." 

The Primordial Earth Dragon approached him. The other two Elemental Masters moving away to give space for the tusk to be on either side. Forest green and blood red. 

Reaching a hand out, Lloyd brushed at the base of Slab's massive nasal horn. Bumpy and uneven but not sharp to the touch. The Dragon's scent one of dust and clay. 

"Thank you for freeing me from Imperium." The Dragon said simply. Nya speaking at the same time he was. "I owe my life to you, and your team of Ninja once more. I can return to Mother and see my home again. Different as it may be."

Rubbing the back of his neck, he tugged at his longer strands of hair. "It's really no problem. If anything, you can thank the kids. Especially Sora, she was the one who destroyed the Photac Wolves with Riyu's help."

'Is that so?' Freezing, Sora stood straighter than a board being held up as Slab pulled away from Lloyd. The drake hunching down to meet the teenager's gaze. "I thank you, young Elemental Master. I hope you pass my thanks on to Riyu, as well." 

Feeling a little bad about putting her in the spotlight when he promised he wouldn't, he felt she deserved the recognition. "Oh, um, yeah. You're... welcome? Sorry, uh, I'm just glad you guys are free now. I'm sorry my-I'm sorry Imperium did that to you."

Nudging her with his psuedo-beak, Slab rumbled in his throat. "You have long since proven you are not part of that flock, Sora. Even if you bear the markings, you are not an Imperian. You are you. One of our saviors.' 

Eyes wide and mouth open, the teens face was red. Flustered beyond measure as she struggled for a response, but settled for nodding rapidly. "Yeah-yeah. Thank you." 

Backing away, Slab nudged Nya in apology. The Water Master patted his cheek with a head shake. Pulling water from the air to give herself something to drink after talking for so long. 

Borealis stepped up after he moved out of the way, the temperature dropping as if he was approaching the top of the mountain. Her blue and purple eyes narrowing then softening. 

Breathing out a wisp of frost that coated his face, the Ice Dragon bowed her head. Nya speaking up just as the dragon vocalized. "I apologize for calling you a deceitful murder, Lloyd Garmadon. I thank you for upholding your promise." 

Lloyd stuffed his hands into his pockets, momentarily surprised. "I understand why you were suspicious, it's okay. I would have been too." 

Hissing, the Ice Dragon reared her head back. The temperature in her spot warming up a couple degrees, her softer scowl turning to Sora. "May you experience the weakest blizzards that allow light to shine through, Ninja."

"Um... I hope you can rest easy on the darkest and most frozen nights." While initially awkward, Sora relaxed when Borealis genuinely smiled. Nodding in confirmation. The pink haired girl let out a sigh of relief. 

Turning around, Borealis joined up with Slab after nuzzling Glacier one last time. The Earth Dragon's head rasied high. Scenting the air with a chuff. 

Turning to look at Lloyd one more time, Slab huffed. "When we meet again, Lloyd, I hope you find the answer to the question I asked of you. I would like to hear it. As I would like to see if Sora has found it by then, too." 

Exchanging glances, Sora cocked her head. "Found what?" 

"That, I cannot tell you. But when you do, you will find a calm in the storm." Slab answered. 

Before either of them could ask what he meant, the Primordial Dragon bolted forward. Letting out his signature earth rending roar, his gallop causing the ground to tremor unforgivingly in his wake. 

Borealis looked over her shoulder once more, then leapt after him. Easily catching up to the drake with frightening speed, her blizzard like howl joining Slab's call. The two speeding off away from the base of the Monastery's mountain. 

"A calm in the storm?" Echoing the words, the teenager's expression scrunched in consideration. "Like the Merge Storm? Is that what he meant also, he asked you a question?" 

Only able to shrug, he looked to Nya, hoping for answers. "Who's to say on the first one, really? And yeah, before he left he told me and Nya about this... story from the First Realm. One about how the three tribes fixed a drought." 

Raising a brow, Nya laughed. "Oh, you don't know what the story means?" 

"And you do?" Annoyed, Lloyd crossed his arms. 

"I have a theory or two." 

"I'm guessing you can't tell anyone these theories?" 

"Nope." She replied, popping the p. "He said you would need to figure it out yourself." 

"Great." He muttered, rubbing a hand over his face. 

"Look!" Nudging his arm, Sora pointed to where the duo were. Borealis' bioluminescent markings being the only way to tell where they were. Aside from the heavy stomping. 

Suddeny, Slab lept straight into the air. Going faster than any creature had the right to posses, a blur of spiraling horns and spikes. 

Seconds later, the Ice Dragon was beside him, her bioluminescent scales making her appear like Zane was preforming his Spinjitzu stance. 

Lloyd blinked, unsure if he was seeing things right. Because in those next moments, a Ethereal Divide passage opened up. Engulfing the two wingless Dragons, the portal then vanishing once they were completely through. 

All eyes went to the three Dragons, who looked just as shocked. If not even confused on how a passage through the Ethereal Divide was still present. 

Nya clapped her hands together, holding her index fingers together. "I'm going to go out on a limb and guess you didn't know you could do that either?" 

Glacier shook her head automatically, her jaws parted. Eyes wide in absolute wonder. Meanwhile Heatwave leaned forward, an eyeridge raised at where the two had been. 'I... never tried leaving the Wyldness, so I can't say.'  

Bristling, Zanth barred her teeth at them. 'Not like I could really try it out either. I also just figured it wouldn't work, at all. When the Departed Realm and Djinnjago's fell realm travel had become a nightmare then.' 

"I should have figured, yeah." Nya said, sheepish. Raising her hands in surrender to the sky-blue drake, her shoulders raised like she got caught staying up late on a project. "My bad, short sightedness."

"So they didn't know either?" 

"The answer was a no." 

Gazing at the two moons now fully visible in the night sky, Lloyd sighed. Turning to the three Dragons. "Sorry to ask this from you guys, but can we get a lift back up to the Monastery? I'll pay you back when I can. Which will probably be tomorrow." 

Zanth stepped back, eyes softening in apology. 'I need to check on Jiro and Torchspark with Glacier. They were sleeping when we came out here, who knows if they're awake. Both need her ice to help with the wounds.' 

"They're out because they need to check on our resident Lightning and Fire Dragon." Nya relayed, Sora perking up at the mention of the former. 

"Is Jiro okay?" 

"He should be fine," the Water Elemental reassured. "Zanth needs to make sure Glacier gives them ice for their injuries. I'm guessing the right amount?" 

Nodding, the sky blue drake took off into the air towards the supposed Dragon Cavern was. Glacier stayed back for a couple seconds to wave in departure before bounding off, making him flinch. 

He kept forgetting how fast Ice Dragons were. 

'Let's get you scraggunks up top.' Puffing out a cloud of smoke Heatwave approached them, crouching to allow them on. 

Nya clambered on first, turning around to pull Sora up next. The teenager leaning against the heated scales of the Lava Drake, acting as a reprieve from the cold that woule come on their way up.  

Keeping his gaze trained on the place where the Ethereal Divide had opened up, Lloyd mentally prayed that the two stayed safe on their travels and that they both got to Firstbourne's Nest quickly. 

"Lloyd, let's go." 

Feeling Heatwave bump a claw against his back, he jumped. "Oh, crap. Right. Sorry. Was thinking about the question." 

"You'll have to tell me the story tomorrow." Sora yawned, stretching as she sat up to accommodate for Lloyd. "I just want to eat dinner and go to sleep, been a long day." 

Climbing in behind her, he took the spot at the back near the base of the Dragon's tail. Patting his flank. "Ready." 

Breaking into a trot, the Lava Drake breezed up the stairs. Way faster than if they had gone by foot, the wind blowing past them and the air gettig thinner with each bend he reached. 

Taking a look over his shoulder, Lloyd saw the dirt and grass get farther and farther away. The wind ruffling his hair and the others from the drake's brisk pace. 

What was he missing in that story that made sense to Nya but not to him? Why did it also include Sora, too? Or was that something Slab had said to help her?

Whatever the case, he was going to figure this question out. 

There had to be a duality in the blood that was shed.