Lloyd opened his eyes. They were standing in the middle of a desert. As he started to relax, he realized he had been holding his breath.
"We're here," Kai said.
Lloyd slowly spun around. Except for some mountains in the distance, there wasn't anything nearby.
"Our best bet of finding Faith or the dragons is that way." Cole pointed to some smoke rising over the horizon.
Everyone nodded and started heading in that direction. Lloyd hoped his nerves weren't showing as they walked towards the camp.
"Why are you nervous? I'm the one who might not make it out of here," Mystaké said.
"I've never been away from home before and now I'm in a completely different world," Lloyd said.
"You've never been away from home? Not even to spend the night at someone's house?" Jay asked.
"No. I've never even spent a night on the Bounty with Uncle Wu. It was too risky. The entire City hated me and there was always a threat of a Garmadon attack. Mom was worried something would happen to me."
"Wow. That's just sad."
Lloyd looked up and saw some vehicles approaching them fast. A minute later, they were surrounded as various bikes and ATVs did laps around them. One bike came to a halt in front of them. A pale woman got off and stared at them.
"Faith!" Kai, Cole, and Jay exclaimed.
"Boy, are we glad to see you," Cole said.
"What are you doing here?" Faith demanded.
"It's a long story," Kai said.
"What happened to your metal friend?" Faith asked. She pointed at Zane, who was slumped across Jay's lap.
"Like I said, long story," Kai said.
"They have an Oni!" Daddy No Legs exclaimed.
The dragon hunters all pulled out their various weapons and pointed them at the ninja.
"Woah! Woah! She's with us," Kai said.
"Why did you bring that thing here?" Faith asked.
"Because without her, we have no way home," Cole said.
"Show your true form, Oni, and release them from your mind control." Jet Jack put the tip of her spear in Mystaké's back.
"I'm not controlling them," Mystaké said as she changed into her Oni form.
Lloyd jumped when he saw her black scales, fangs, and horns.
"Why should we believe you?" Faith spat.
"Because I'm not resisting you. Believe me, you would all be dead if I wasn't helping them," Mystaké said.
"We just need to borrow some dragons so we can get home," Kai said.
"The dragons can take you home, but this Oni is about to die," Faith said.
"Don't kill her! We're taking her with us to Ninjago," Jay said.
"You are?"
"Yes."
"Mystaké won't cause you any trouble. Please. Just take us to the dragons," Kai said.
"We'll take full responsibility for her." Lloyd put his hands on her shoulders.
"Get your hands off of me," Mystaké growled.
Faith narrowed her eyes and turned on her heel. She motioned for everyone to follow her. Jet Jack kept her spear on Mystaké's back. Everyone climbed onto the backs of vehicles and they rode back to camp. Once there, Faith led everyone into a small building. They went down a small flight of stairs until they got to some cells.
"We were not expecting visitors, so the dungeon will have to do for now." Faith opened a cell and ushered everyone inside.
"Dungeon?" Cole asked.
"Wait here until I've made a decision. Do not leave to have a look around, or else I might reconsider having the dragons take you home." Faith locked eyes with Mystaké before she left them with the cell door open.
"Well, as long as Jay doesn't go crazy again, we should be fine. Right?" Kai asked.
"Haha," Jay said.
"I don't get it. Why do they hate you?" Lloyd asked.
"The relationship between the Oni and the inhabitants of the First Realm is complicated, to say the least. The Oni and the dragons were at war. Then, a child who was both Oni and dragon was born. Both sides wanted him for his powers. The child escaped the war and made a new world he called Ninjago. The Oni followed him to destroy him and his new world. I repented and changed my ways while my fellow Oni were destroyed. That is why my name is Mystaké," Mystaké explained.
"I see."
"I have a feeling we're going to be here a while," Cole said. He was standing on the bed and looking out the small window.
"Why? What do you see?" Lloyd asked.
"Faith and the other hunters are arguing. They do not look happy."
"Do you see any dragons?" Kai asked.
"No. They might all be back at the nest."
"Ugh. I hope it doesn't take them too long. I would actually like to go home and sleep in my own bed."
"We all want to go home." Cole sat down on the bed and crossed his legs.
"Home… Are you sure you can fix Nya?" Jay asked. He looked at Nya, who was sitting in the corner, hugging her knees.
"I should be able to fix all of you. Except for maybe that one." Mytaké pointed at Zane.
"P.I.X.A.L. can handle Zane," Kai said.
There was a commotion outside. Cole stood back up to see out the window.
"Well?" Kai asked.
"There's a fight happening. Crowd's blocking my view. Oh, it looks like Faith is stopping it. She's coming this way." Cole quickly sat down.
Everyone listened as the main door opened and several people came down the concrete stairs. Faith and a group of hunters appeared at their cell.
"You are going to be judged, Oni." Faith grabbed Mystaké's arm and led her out of the cell. The others followed as they walked to the arena in the center of town, leaving Zane, Jay, and Nya behind. They sat in the front row while Mystaké was chained to a pole on one end of the arena. Faith stood in the middle to address the crowd.
"We have before us something none of us ever expected to see again. An Oni! The ninja from Ninjago brought her here! They say she is reformed and will do us no harm, but I say she is to be judged!" Faith whipped out a shofar while the crowd cheered. She blew on the horn, and the crowd quieted down.
Lloyd looked at the ninja, but they looked just as confused as he was. The silence was deafening. A minute later, there was a roar in the distance. Lloyd jumped when a huge red dragon flew overhead.
"That's Firstbourne, the mother of all dragons," Kai whispered.
Lloyd watched in awe as Firstbourne landed in the arena. The large dragon barely fit inside. She saw the ninja and growled softly at them. The group bowed their heads when they saw her. Lloyd followed their lead. Firstbourne turned her attention to the Oni. Mystaké knelt as best she could while chained up. She kept her eyes on the ground in front of her. Firstbourne sniffed her a few times, then roared.
"She has judged you. We will take you to Ninjago where you will live the rest of your days, Oni," Faith said.
Mystaké nodded as she stood. Firstbourne roared and more dragons appeared in the distance. The dragons landed in the field outside of town. Kai and Faith fetched Nya, Zane, and Jay and brought them to the field. It took some time for them to secure Jay to the lightning dragon.
"You will ride the ice dragon with the metal one," Faith told Lloyd as one of the hunters threw Zane onto the back of the dragon.
"Okay." Lloyd cautiously climbed onto the dragon. The dragon growled some but did not move as Lloyd cautiously sat down. A hunter helped secure Zane to the dragon.
"Oni, you're with me on Firstbourne. And there will be none of your tricks."
"Can I at least get these off?" Mystaké held up her hands which were still bound.
"Not until we get to Ninjago."
Once everyone was ready, the dragons took off. As soon as they were high enough, Firstbourne opened a portal to Ninjago and they all flew through it.