Chapter 16:
Three months have past since the young Hybrids began living with Draganos. The young Hybrids have learned much from Draganos. And with help from the Hybrids, they all learned plenty about the elements. Draganos was able to teach them how to fight better as well. The Hybrids really looked up to Draganos with respect as he showed them kindness where it was needed. But he also was stern with them whenever the time came. But what they like about Draganos the most was how he took the Hybrid form like them only taller and older looking. The only difference was the his head looked like his ordinary dragon head. Yes, life was going pretty well for them all. But there were also dangers on this new land they were on. Dangers that didn't care if they were dragons or not.
"Okay, young ones.", Draganos said as he looked down at the Hybrids in his Hybrid form. "I'm going to go hunting for a special meal for dinner tonight. Can I count on you to stay out of trouble?"
"Yes, sir!", the six Hybrids said smiling.
"Good.", Draganos said before taking to the air. "I shall be back as soon as I can!"
Draganos then flew off in search of something for all of them to eat.
"So, what do we do until Draganos comes back?", Alchemy questioned.
"Well, we can do some flying around", Micheal suggested.
"I want to do some exploring!", Nerissa said.
"Me too!", Angelo said.
"But Draganos said to stay out of trouble!", Joel said.
"You worry to much, Joel!", Cassidy said with a grin. "Besides, I'm going to go collect some fruit to go with whatever Draganos gets for dinner."
"I'll go with you!", Alchemy said smiling.
"Okay!", Cassidy said as she and Alchemy ran off.
"Hold on you two!", Joel called out as they vanished into the forest.
"See ya!", Micheal said as he took to the sky.
"Not you two!", Joel said as he watched Micheal fly off.
Joel then looked around to see that Nerissa and Angelo were gone as well.
"Figures.", Joel said dully as he began to practice firing some energy blast at a large boulder. "Oh, who an I kidding! Hold up, Micheal!"
Joel then took to the sky after Micheal. Elsewhere, Cassidy and Alchemy were looking for some all of them to eat with the meat Draganos was going to bring.
"Let's see.", Cassidy said as she looked around the area. "Maybe some berries with some oranges. Or, apples and pineapples."
"You know Cassidy, you've changes a lot since the day we all met.", Alchemy said. "I remember that you were nervous and shy around us a lot!"
"Well, when I lived with Mother Hydras, I didn't have many friends.", Cassidy explained. "I only had mother and Levi to keep me company."
"Show when you met us, you were afraid that we wouldn't like you.", Alchemy figured.
"Yeah.", Cassidy said with a smile. "But, now I know better."
"Good!", Alchemy said with a smile. "Cause the six of us are all we got."
"Right!", Cassidy said. "You know. For a bunch of little seven-year-olds, we're pretty smart."
"Well, we each were raised by a Grand Dragon.", Alchemy replied as they walked through the forest.
"And now we're being raised by another one.", Cassidy said thinking about Draganos.
Cassidy trhen spotted a pineapple tree.
"Now those look like some good pineapples!", Cassidy said as she spreaded her wings.
"Sure do!", Alchemy said as she spreaded her wings as well.
The two young dragons flew up picked enough pineapples for all of them to eat. Once they picked enough, they placed them on a thing of thick bark and dragged it back to their home.
"This is going to go great with whatever Draganos catches for dinner!", Cassidy said.
"Do you think he'll have me cook what he brings back?", Alchemy asked as they made their way back to their home.
"Well, you did do a pretty good job cooking our last meal.", Cassidy replied. "So, maybe he will."
Just then two shadows passed by them at a fast pace. Alchemy and Cassidy look up to see Micheal and Joel flying at them.
"Hey, guys!", Micheal said as he and Joel landed in front fo them. "I see you found some fruit!"
"Sure did!", Cassidy said smiling. "What are you two doing here?"
"Just flying around.", Joel said. "We saw you two down here and figured that you could use some help."
"Sure.", Alchemy said. "The sooner we get this back home the better."
So, now with Joel and Micheal helping, Cassidy and Alchemy were getting the pineapples to their home. But what they didn't know was that they were being watched. Now as for Angelo and Nerissa, they were busy exploring the forest, like they always do when they have the chance.
"So, what are we looking for today?", Nerissa asked as they walked through the forest.
"Something to eat with dinner tonight.", Angelo said. "Something that we haven't seen before."
"Now that should be fun!", Nerissa said. "But what should it be?"
"Not sure yet.", Angelo said as he was looking around. "But we'll know it when we see it."
"How about that?", Nerissa asked as she pointed at a something that was growing off a vine.
Angelo and Nerissa carefully walked up to the strange fruit that was hanging off the vines. Angelo picked a thing of fruit and ate the fruit. After a few seconds, a smile came to his face.
"This is good!", Angelo said happily as he gave one to Nerissa to eat. "Try one!"
After tasting one of the fruits, Nerissa smiled at th fruit tasted good.
"This is good!", Nerissa said with a smile. "Let's take some back home!"
"Yeah!", Angelo said as they began to pick the fruit by the bunches.
Once they got enough of thr fruit, they headed back to their home. Back at their home, the other four Hybrids had just arrived with the pinapples that Cassidy and Alchemy had picked.
"I wonder where, Nerissa and Angelo are.", Cassidy said as she sat next to the pineapples.
"Who knows where they are.", Joel said. "They'll be back soon."
"Hopefully before Draganos gets back.", Alchemy said.
"Now why rush that?", came a deep voice.
The four Hybrids turned to see what looked like a dark red dragon that was the size of a horse walking on all fours towards them. He had large wings and sharp teeth with eerie yellow eyes.
"Hello, little ones.", the strange dragon said with a smile that scared the young ones a little.
"W-W-Who are you?", Alchemy asked.
"I am, Skrag.", the dragon said, introducing himself. "I am a dragon from the Dark Forest."
"The Dark Forest?", Cassidy questioned. "But that's so far away from here!"
"Very, very far from here!", Micheal said.
"Indeed it is, young air dragon.", Skrag said.
"Draganos told us that it's also home to dragons that turn to the darkness!", Joel said.
"He also said that it leads to the Dark Mountains, where other bad dragons live!", Alchemy replied.
"Well, aren't you two the smart little dragons.", Skrag said as he paced back and forth in front of the Hybrids.
"Why are you here?", Cassidy asked.
"Well, I was sent here to bring one of you back to the Dark Mountains.", Skrag said making the young Hybrids gasp in fear. "And there's nothing you can do to stop me!"
Skrag then began to walk towards the four Hybrids to grab one of them.
"NO!", Joel shouted as he charged at Skrag, ready to fight!
Joel jumped at Skrag only to be knocked to the side by and hit a tree.
"Joel!", Cassidy cried as she saw him get knocked to the side.
Cassidy then blew a powerful thing of water at Skrag, followed by Micheal who ble a thing of cold air, freezing Skrag in place. Casssidy then ran over to Joel, who was knocked out.
"Joel?", Cassidy says as she sits him up againts the tree he was knocked against. "You okay, Joel?"
"Oh. My head.", Joel said as he slowly came to.
"Is he okay?", Alchemy asked as she and Micheal ran up to them.
"I think so.", Cassidy said.
"Good cause that Skrag guy is breaking free of our ice attack!", Micheal said as he turned top face off agianst Skrag.
"What?", Cassidy questioned as she and Alchemy turned to see that Skrag was indeed breaking free of the ice he was trapped in.
Within a few seconds, Skrag was free of the ice as in melted off of him. He then turned towards the four growling as he glared at them.
"Did you think a little ice would stop me?", Skrag questioned as he walked towards them slowly. "I am a fire dragon! You'll need more than that power to stop me!"
Suddenly, a boulder came from out of no where and hit Skrag on his side knocking him away from the four Hybrids.
"Stay away from our friends!", a voice snapped at Skrag as he stood up slowly.
Skrag looked to see two more young dragons land next to the other four Hybrids. One green. The other white.
"Angelo! Nerissa!", Alchemy said happy to see her two friends.
"You guys okay?", Angelo asked as he and Nerissa turned to see Joel a little out of it.
"Joel!", Nerissa cried as she saw the shape her brother was in.
Nerissa wasted no time running up to her brother.
"Hey, sis.", Joel said in a weak voice. "What's up?"
"Are you okay?", she said as she hugged her brother.
"I'm okay.", Joel said with a weak smile. "Skrag was just a bit stronger than me."
"Skrag, huh?", Angelo questioned as he looked at the dragon in question. "He doesn't look so tough!"
"Then why don't you come face me, young one.", Skrag said with a smirk.
"Gladly!", Angelo said as he was ready to fight.
"NO!", Nerissa said. "He's mine!"
"I don't care which of you it is!", Skrag said. "In the end, I'll defeat you all!"
"Not if I don't blast you first!", Nerissa said as she charged some lightning in her hands.
"Oh, please!", Skrag said. "I can just jump out of the way of your attack!"
Suddenly, Skrag felt his four feet sink into the ground.
"What the...?", Skrag questioned as he looked down at his feet that were sunk into the ground. "How is this possible?"
Skrag then looked towards the Hyrids to see Angelo kneeling donw on one knee and touching the ground with his hands.
"YOU!", Skrag snapped as he glared at Angelo who was smirking at him. "You'll pay for this!"
"Not before you pay!", Cassidy said as she made a large ball of water and had it float over Skrag.
"And what will you do with that?", Skrag snapped.
"This!", Cassidy yelled as she let the ball of water drop on Skrag.
"All you did was make me wet and more angry!", Skrag snapped. "Is that all you little brats got?"
"No!", Nerissa said as she still held her lightning in her hands. "There's this!"
Skrag then realise what was about to happen. He then began to try and pull his claws free of the of the earth Angelo had him trapped in. But it was to late, as Nerissa let out a yell of anger as she fired a powerful blast of lightning at Skrag, Skrag let out a howl of pain as he was hit by the attack. The Hybrids watched as the smoke began to slowly clear.
"Is he knocked out?", Cassidy questioned.
"I don't know.", Nerissa said.
"One way to find out.", Micheal said as he blow a powerful gust of wind, clearing the smoke away.
The Hybrids looked to see Skrag wobbling around as he was a bit schorched from Nerissa and Cassidy's combined attack.
"Why you little...!", Skrag snapped as he shook off his dizziness. "I thought I could beat you on my own!"
"Guess you were wrong!", Angelo said as he kept his eyes on Skrag.
"Then it's a good thing I brought my friends!", Skrag said with a smirk that showed a lot of his teeth.
"Friends?", the six Hybrids questioned in surprise.
Suddenly, two more dragons that were about the size of Skrag landed at his sides. One was dark brown and bulky and on all fours, while the other one was dark blue, slender and on all fours. Both had large wings and the same eerie yellow eyes as Skrag. Both were glaring at the young Hybrids ready to attack.
"Now let my friends intrduce themselves.", Skrag said as he smirked at the Hybrids.
"They call me, Auqos!", the dark blue dragon said as he breathed out cold mist from his nostrils. "Water is my elment!"
"And I'm called Terros!", the dark brown dragon said as he took a step forward shaking the area a little. "And the earth is my weapon!"
"Now you six have a choice.", Skrag said as he stepped forward. "Come with us peacefully, or we force you to come with us!"
Sudden'y Skrag was hit by an energy blast that sent him back a few feet. He looked to see Joel standing next to Cassidy with his hands held out.
"We'll never go with you!", Joel said.
"So, be it!", Skrag said. "Let's get them, boys!"
The three dragon then charged at the Hybrids, who were ready to fight! But before they close to the Hybrids, somethign came down fast and knocked the three of them back far. Skrag, Auqos, and Terros looked to see Draganos standing before them in his Hybrid form holding four dead deer.
"It's Draganos!", Aquos yelled as the three dragons got to their feet.
Draganos said nothing as he dropped the deer as changed into his twenty foot Chinese dragon form, which scared the evil trio.
"LEAVE NOW!", Draganos demanded as he looked down at the three dragons with glowing violet eyes.
"Let's go!", Terros said as the three of them took to the skies.
"This is far from over!", Skrag said as he flew off. "We'll be back!"
Draganos let out a roar of fury as he fired a powerful energy ball at Skrag, making him fly off quicker. Draganos watched as Skrag and his fellow dragons fly off. Once they were out of view, Draganos then looked down at the young Hybrids, who looked like they've had one heck of a fight. Draganos then transformed into the Hybrid form to make the young dragon feel a bit more comfortable.
"Are you all alright?", Draganos said as he knelt down to Joel, who looked pretty banged up.
"We're okay.", Cassidy said. "We were beating that fire dragon, until his friends jumped in."
"Show me what happened, Alchemy.", Draganos said as he looked at Alchemy.
"Yes, sir.", Alchemy said as she stepped up to Draganos.
Alchemy then opened her mind to Draganos and showed him all that had happened once he left to hunt for their dinner. Once he saw what happened, he cut their link and looked at all six of them with a smile.
"I'm pround of all of you.", Draganos said with pride. "The six of you handled yourselve well."
"Thanks!", Nerissa said with a bright smile.
"But it seems that the bad dragons have found you.", Draganos said with worry. "But I do believe they will think twice before coming after you all again."
Draganos then shot a powwerful flame at the four deer, cooking them well done. Once they were done, Draganos laid them down next to each other for the Hybrids to eat.
"Eat up, young ones.", Draganos said. "You have earned it."
But before they ate, Cassidy and Alchemy went and got the pineapples they picked, while Nerissa and Angelo went a got the fruit they picked.
"Me and Alchemy picked some pineapples to go with dinner!", Cassidy said as she and Alchemy set the fruit in front of the cooked deer.
"Me and Nerissa found this fruit.", Angelo said as he and Nerissa sat the fruit with the pineapple.
"It's really good!", Nerissa said. "Only we don't know what it is."
"They are called grapes.", Draganos said before he ate some. "And they are indeed quite good!"
Joel, Cassidy, Micheal, and Alchemy tried some and smiled at the taste.
"Wow!", Joel said. "They are good!"
"Then let's eat!", Nerissa said as she tore a deer leg off of a deer.
Draganos and the six Hybrids then ate and enjoyed their meal. Afterwards, the Hybrids went a slept in the cave that was theit den. Draganos slept outside the cve in his twenty foot form, keeping guard over them.
'I won't let him take them!', Draganos thought to himself as he looked up at the stars in the night sky. 'You will not take them, brother!'
Draganos then slowly fell asleep, hoping the best for the young Hybrids.
At the Dark Mountians, Skrag, Aquos, and Terros hand landed in front of the entrance of a very large cave.
"I bring you bad news, master.", Skrag said as he, Aquos, and Terros bowed down in front of the cave.
Suddenly, a pair of large, eerie yellow eyes appeared in the middle of the darkness of the cave.
"What is it, Skrag?", a dark voice asked from within the cave.
"We tried to capture the Hybrids. And we almost had them!", Skrag said. "But-"
"But they delayed you long enough for Draganos to show up and send you three running.", the voice said. "I know, for I saw it all, you fools! I sent you to capture the white Hybrid and that Hybrid only! Your foolish pride may of cost me dearly!"
"We apologize, Dragas!", Aquos said. "We will not fil you again!"
"I know you won't.", Dragas said with a growl. "I know my brother. He'll start teaching those Hybrids better fighting and survival skills, making them harder to capture."
"So, what do we do about it?", Terros asked.
"Nothing.", Dragas said. "I must wait for the right chance to strike. Until then, train them, my brother. Train them well. That way I'll have a even more powerful puppet that before!"
Dragas then let out a sinister laugh as he went back deeper in his cave.
A/N: Well, looks like the Hybrids have had their first battle and did pretty well. Now Draganos will be training them to fight stronger enemies. And then there's Dragas, the brother of Draganos! What is he up to? And why does he want Nerissa? Have they met in the past? And will he get what he wants?
Please review.