Broken Bonds
Hey Guys. I'm sorry I haven't uploaded for a few weeks, was taking a break. Who's ready for the next chapter? I am, let's get to it, riders!
It was a cool night in Dragon City and Moordryd stood in his father's citadel, arms folded over his chest. He wasn't very happy about being summoned by his father, he'd rather be hanging out in his compound with his crew than doing his father's work.
"You sent for me, father?" Word didn't answer, only held up a vial with a black liquid inside.
"That tiny bottle contains the work of half a lifetime, Moordryd." Moordryd took the vial in his hand.
"Liquid black draconium."
"Liquid?" Moordryd asked, bringing the vial closer to his face so he could see it better. He'd never seen black draconium in liquid form before and was fascinated his father had somehow managed to make some.
"Yes, highly concentrated." Word turned to face his screens while explaining. "If a dragon, say the Dragon of Legend, were to drink this, the black draconium would flow freely through his veins, turn his very bones to black, and utterly crush his will." his screen showed an image of Beau, rotating around while changing colour from black and gold to pure black draconium.
"He would become… my slave."
"What about the Dragon Booster?"
Word turned back to face Moordryd and approached him while speaking. "Without his dragon, the Dragon Booster is nothing. And with the Dragon of Legend, I will have dominion over all dragons!"
Moordryd glanced one last time at the vial in his hand before he turned to leave. "And Moordryd?" he glanced back. "Do not fail me."
The teen sneered before he finally left the citadel.
Sometime later, he stood with a young boy named Spratt, a boy with slightly dark skin, green spiked hair and deep blue eyes as he stared at the various gear on display at a local gear shop. "Whoa, this gear is totally drac!" Spratt exclaimed in excitement.
"It's nothing compared to what my father will give if we pull off this little job," Moordryd explained as he, Cain, Prankk and Rancydd stood outside the shop with a dragon trailer with Coershun and Decepshun waiting nearby.
Moordryd held up a light blue hydro-pack. "This hydro-pack is an exact copy of the one I've seen on the Dragon of Legend." he held up the liquid black draconium. "And this little gift from my father…" he shook the vial slightly before he popped the lid and poured it into the hydro-pack. "Contains enough liquid black draconium to enslave a thousand dragons."
"Liquid? If the Dragon of Legend drinks that…"
"He will fall under my father's power, and the Dragon Booster will be out of the job."
Sudden footsteps were heard as shadows appeared on the ground. "Someone's coming," Cain warned and Moordryd hid the gear behind his back just as Lance, Parm and Iris rounded the corner, having gone out to take an evening stroll. Prisma walked behind them, flanking them in case they needed to get out of there fast.
"Well, well. What do we have here, the geek, the pip-squeak and the Penn brat? Isn't it past your bedtime?"
"I'd watch how you speak to them, Moordryd Paynn." a voice wanted before Gwen Avalon, who had joined her two charges and Parm out for a walk, spoke as she appeared in front of the kids, glaring at the teens.
"Gwen Avalon. What brings you here?" Moordryd questioned, a bit surprised to see the dragon vet out and about. Gwen folded her arms as Iris pushed Lance behind her and Prisma snarled at the group, tail lashing in agitation.
"Decided to go out for a walk with my two charges and their friend. What's it to you?" Gwen questioned.
"Charges?" Moordryd questioned, looking between the vet, the Penn kids and Parm before it dawned on him. "Huh. You are sure you can handle them?" he asked with a sneer.
Gwen narrowed her eyes at him. "I think I can handle them. Come on, everyone. Let's go." she spoke before Lance spotted Spratt in the middle of the Dragon Eye group.
"Spratt, what are you doing with these guys?" he asked as he stepped out from behind Iris to speak to his friend.
Moordryd laid a hand on Spratt's shoulder. "Spratt here is my latest recruit, he rides with the Dragon Eyes now." the boy explained as Spratt developed a smirk.
"I thought we were friends?"
"We were, but you were never around, Lance, the Dragon Eyes stick together." he referred to the Dragon Eye bracelet on his wrist. "Unlike some people, I know."
Lance looked hurt and Iris wrapped an arm around his shoulders, pulling him into her side while giving Spratt a dirty look for his words. No one hurt her brother like that!
"Really? Asking a child to do your dirty work? That is low, even for you, Moordryd." Gwen said, eyes filled with rage at Moordryd using a child to steal things.
Moordryd scoffed and looked over at Cain. "Cain." his friend held up a piece of gear for the boy to take. Spratt looked between the gear and Lance before he made his decision and took the gear from Cain, attaching it to the window. "Spratt, what are you doing?" Lance asked in surprise. Spratt didn't answer and he activated the gear, it cut a perfect hole in the glass and Rancydd reached in, grabbing some gear.
"I'm calling Dragon City Security," Gwen announced before Iris stopped her. "Wait, Gwen, how about we call the Dragon Booster, he might be able to help."
Gwen wanted to get the security, but she'd heard of the Dragon Booster and heard of his great heroics, so she sighed. "Alright, Iris. We'll do it your way. Come on, everyone, let's go." she directed before Cain stood in front of them.
"Move kid," she warned before Soundwyve, who had joined his rider for the stroll, suddenly appeared and roared threateningly at the group with Prisma, both dragons ready to defend the group.
"Let them go, Cain," Moordryd ordered and his friend backed away as Soundwyve magged Gwen to his saddle Prisma did the same with Iris and both Parm and Lance were placed on her back before both dragons left the area. Gwen looked over at Iris. "Are you sure this is a good idea, Iris?" the teen nodded.
"Yes, I'm sure. The Dragon Booster, as far as I know, is the first one at the crime scene before Dragon City Security even gets there. The Dragon Booster is the best shot."
Gwen thought about it before she nodded her head, smiling. Lance had a sad look on his face as Prisma and Soundwyve ran down the streets, reeling from Spratt's betrayal.
Back with the Dragon Eyes, they had loaded up all the stolen gear into the back of the trailer and closed it up just as the Dragon Booster and Beau arrived at the scene, Beau was wearing his blue hydro-pack as he roared.
"Daddy cut up your drackal card, Moordryd?" Dragon Booster joked.
"You're the one that's about to pay!" Moordryd sneered, shaking a fist angrily at the hero with Spratt riding in front of him. Cain aimed his green trapping gear and fired, the gear expanded as it sailed towards Dragon Booster, who used his jakk-stick to hit it, sending it flying at Rancydd, pinning him to the back of the trailer.
"Will that be cash… or check?" Dragon Booster asked, spinning his jakk-stick in the air.
"Get ready kid, " Moordryd spoke to Spratt, who nodded as he held up a flash stick and Dragon Booster's eyes widened beneath the visor. "Flash stick!" it went off, blinding him and Beau temporarily. Moordryd took this moment and latched his drain whip onto the hydro-pack and pulled it off Beau, smashing it to the ground in pieces while having Decepshun mag Spratt over and replace the hyrdo-pack with the one containing the liquid black draconium, Spratt gave Moordryd the thumbs up and he was taken back to the saddle as Beau and Dragon Booster recovered from the blinding light, Beau shook his head and snarled.
"Let's get out of here!" Cain called and the Dragon Eyes raced past Beau and the Dragon Booster. "Let's go, boy, time to catch a couple of old friends."
Beau suddenly growled. "What's wrong, Beau?"
"I'm thirsty, Artha."
"Oh, no wonder you're thirsty, the feeder tube to your hydro-pack must have come loose in the fight." the hydro-pack expanded and the liquid black draconium began to flow into Beau's mouth.
Unaware of what was currently happening, Artha contacted Parm, who was not too far away. "Parm, got any leads on where our late-night shoppers went?"
"Western quadrant, they're headed for Moordryd's compound," Parm answered, looking down at his calculator.
"Chicken's going home to roost," Artha said to himself before Beau growled loudly, head lowered as if he were in pain. The last of the liquid draconium finished flowing into his mouth and his gold eyes turned a dark shade of black.
Artha stared in horror as Beau's gold markings faded and his colouring went a dark black colour. Parm squinted at his calculator, no doubt reading Beau's draconium levels. "Artha, I detected a shift in Beau's gold draconium outlet, you might want to…"
His warning came too late as Artha was thrown into the air by Beau and he landed harshly on the ground with a groan. Beau snarled as he approached Artha menacingly. "Beau?"
"Seems he's not the faithful friend you thought he was. Seize them, seize them both." Moordryd ordered as Beau loomed over the Dragon Booster, snarling while Spratt, who wore a smirk, suddenly became a look of concern and worry. Cain fired green trapping gear at Artha and both he and the dark-coloured Beau were taken to Moordryd's compound.
Sometime later, Parm, Kitt, Iris and Lance were at the scene of the crime, without Gwen as she had to go home after the walk, she had said goodbye to all of them, including Artha, who wished her goodnight and once she had left the stables, he transformed and left with Beau to stop the Dragon Eyes.
Iris was concerned that Artha wasn't here with Beau and she hoped they were okay. Lance stood near a light post, feeling lost thanks to Spratt's betrayal.
"Spratt was my best friend. Why would he do this?" the boy questioned, looking down as Iris wrapped an arm around his shoulders to comfort him as Kitt knelt in front of him. "Who knows, you've been pretty caught up with us, you know. Maybe he got jealous of your friends and made some of his own." she reasoned gently.
Iris nodded. "Yeah, don't think this is your fault, Lance, 'cause it isn't. Spratt chose his path, but let's hope he can walk away from this before it's too late."
Lance hung his head. "I've lost my best friend and now Artha is missing. You won't leave, will you, Iris?" he asked, looking up at his sister, the only remaining family he had at the moment. Blinking back tears, Iris opened her arms and her brother ran into them, she wrapped him in a tight hug. "I'll never leave you, Lance, I promise!"
The moment was ruined by Parm's voice. "Over here. Look at this." he held up an empty vial that looked like it once contained something important. He then directed everyone to the broken hydro-pack pieces. "And there's Beau's hydro-pack."
Iris frowned, she clearly remembered Beau wearing his hydro-pack when he and Artha left the stables, so why was it in pieces on the road? "But Beau was wearing his hydro-pack when they captured him. I saw it." Lance spoke up, looking at Iris.
(My guess is that Lance was with Parm when Artha contacted him about where Moordryd would be heading once they left the scene while Iris remained at the stables after Gwen left.)
Parm had his thinking face on as he connected the dots. "The robbery, that battle, it was all just a diversion?"
"Diversion?" Kitt asked.
"Are you saying what I think you're saying, Parm?" Iris questioned, the puzzle pieces coming together in her mind. If Beau's hydro-pack was broken in pieces, then Moordryd must have had something to do with this.
"They did something to Beau! We have to see Mortis, come on!" Parm urged in a worried tone and the three teens and ten-year-old mounted their dragons and left to go back to Mortis.
Down in the temple, Parm explained his theory to Mortis. "So that means Spratt and Moordryd switched Beau's hydro-pack."
"But why?" Lance questioned.
Parm pulled out the empty vial he had found. "To use this, I found lying near the pack." Mortis approached the boy. "Let me see that vial?"
He took it from Parm and sniffed it, recoiling at the smell. "It is worse than I thought. He tried for years, I didn't think he'd succeed."
"What is it, Mortis?" Iris asked with worry in her voice.
"Word Paynn has developed liquid black draconium. And Beau has been infected." Mortis explained.
"Infected?"
"Liquid black draconium penetrates a dragon's very blood, changing it, corrupting it. Soon Beau's blood will flow as black as Word Paynn's heart." everyone wore worried looks, both Beau and Artha. "He would become Word's slave."
"Beau is the Dragon of Legend, and with his influence over all dragons, he can be used to call them all to the final battle!" Parm sumerised as Iris, Lance and Kitt all stared in shock and worry.
Back at Moordryd's compound, Dragon Booster was restrained by Cain and Rancydd while Moordryd stood with Beau, who was growling. "Ah, at last, the Dragon Booster. The last hope for Dragon City. Let's take a closer look at our hero, shall we?"
Moordryd approached Dragon Booster and grasped hold of his helmet and pulled, but it would not move. "It won't budge!" Moordryd pulled harder, bracing his foot against Dragon Booster's leg to gain more leverage, but no matter how hard he pulled, the helmet wouldn't move. Dragon Booster found it rather entertaining.
"You need to start eating your green's, Moordryd." he quipped with a grin despite the situation.
Word, his clawed hand resting on Beau's forehead, sneered. "Silence worm!"
Moordryd backed away as Word approached and peered at the visor, but due to it being tinted, he could not see the wearer's eye colour. "Interesting, this armour is wrought in the old ways, it is gold draconium and cannot be removed. At least while its wearer still draws breath. Take him away." he ordered, once again resting his hand on Beau's forehead. "We have other pressing matters."
Dragon Booster struggled in Cain and Rancydd's grip. "Leave my dragon alone, Paynn!"
"Oh, he's no longer your dragon." pressing a button on his wraith controller, Word controlled Beau to screech aggressively at Dragon Booster, who screamed in despair. "Beau! BEAU!"
Down at the dragon temple, Lance was seated on a rock near one of the dragon priest statues, looking more depressed than ever despite Iris being right beside him and offering him her comfort. Mortis could see both Penn siblings were worried for Artha and in truth, so was he.
"Stay strong, you two. All is not lost, not yet," he said, trying to lift their spirits. "What do you mean? We've lost our father, my best friend and now Artha. I've lost nearly everything!" Lance cried, burying his face in Iris's side as she wrapped her arms around her younger brother, trying not to break down in tears right then and there.
Mortis knelt and rested a hand on Lance's shoulder as the boy peeked at him from his spot in his sister's arms. "But you must not lose your hope. What is lost can always be found again." Mortis explained, pulling out a vial of golden draconium in liquid form from seemingly nowhere. "Like this." Lance and Iris both stared at the liquid gold draconium in wonder. How had Mortis managed to make that!?
In the compound, Cain, Rancydd and Spratt were playing some kind of dice game in one of the rooms. Well, more like Cain and Rancydd while Spratt just watched. Both teens laughed before Cain looked at the kid. "Hey shrimp, go check on the prisoner?"
Spratt did not appreciate being called the wrong name at all. "The name's Spratt!" he sneered. Cain couldn't care less what his name was. "Shrimp, Spratt, they're both tiny little fish! Now move it before I use you for bait." Spratt gave Cain a scathing look before he turned and left the room in a bit of a foul mood to check on the Dragon Booster, who was pinned to the wall with green trapping gear.
The boy entered the room with a juice can in hand with a straw, which he offered to the Dragon Booster, who sipped it gratefully. "Thanks."
Spratt stared up at the hero. "Are you really the Dragon Booster?"
"Yeah, but maybe not for long." the Dragon Booster got a good look at the kid and realized he was Lance's best friend Spratt. "Hey, aren't you friends with my-" he cut himself off upon seeing the look on Spratt's face and quickly changed his tone. "With, uh, with Lance Penn?"
"You know Lance?" Spratt asked in surprise.
Dragon Booster nodded. "Yeah, sure, he's like a kid brother to me."
Spratt frowned. "All he wants to do is hang out with his show-off brother, wannabe sister and his racing buddies!" Spratt grumbled, not sounding very happy and Artha frowned slightly behind the visor at his sister being called a wannabe. He didn't like that, but he couldn't do much about it right now and hoped the kid would come to his senses.
"I've got new friends now, the Dragon Eyes. And we stick together."
"That's what they told you?" Dragon Booster asked before Cain's voice was heard from the other room. "Hey shrimp, fishie, Spratty, whatever your name is, get in here, now!" Spratt glared at the door, he didn't like his name being mispronounced, and his grip on the juice can tightened slightly as he lowered his head slightly.
"They don't sound like friends to me. Lance was a real friend, and real friends know what it takes to forgive." his words seemed to make Spratt think about his actions before Cain once again shouted. "HEY! WE'RE WAITING!"
Turning around, Spratt spoke. "If I let you go, will you take me with you?"
Dragon Booster smiled. "That's what friends do."
With a smile, Spratt got to work freeing the Dragon Booster
Outside in the stage area of the compound, Word stood at a control panel while Beau stood in the middle with Cain and Moordryd beside him.
"Get away from my dragon!" Dragon Booster announced, turning around, they saw him, free of the trapping gear, standing near a doorway, he stomped on the end of a pole that was lying beside him, it flipped into the air and he caught it to use as a makeshift staff.
Cain grinned. "Two against one, I like those odds."
Moordryd snapped his drain whip, sending it flying towards Dragon Booster, who ducked and rolled under it, sweeping the pole under Moordryd's feet, and knocking him to the ground as Cain stared in shock.
"You were saying?" jumping into the air, he spun around, landing behind Cain and a few feet in front of Word with Beau standing off to the side between them. Word simply laughs and presses a button on his controller making Beau snarl and lunge at Dragon Booster. "Beau!"
Beau leapt at Dragon Booster as the hero fell on his back with the pole between him and his dragon, who bit down on the pole hard.
"Destroy the Dragon Booster!" Word ordered the dragon, who lifted the pole and flung Dragon Booster high into the air, the pole falling from his hands as he walked up and over one of the overhead catwalks and came down on the other side all while screaming. He hung by one hand on the edge of the wall as Beau approached him, snarling and growling while Word was laughing at his accomplishment of finally having the Dragon of Legend in his grasp.
Dragon Booster gripped the ledge tightly with his hand, but from past experience, he knew that he would eventually fall! He and Beau locked eyes for a moment before his grip loosened and he fell, screaming.
"NOO!" Spratt screamed, having seen the whole thing, but at the same time, exposing himself in the process. Moordryd, hearing the scream, turned to look at Spratt, who stared at him with fear.
As he was falling, Artha closed his eyes, concentrating before his two fins at his back straightened out and wings unfurled, allowing him to glide through the air. "Huh. Glad I went for the fully loaded model." he grinned as he soared towards Penn Stables to meet up with his siblings and friends.
In the dragon temple, Mortis held up the vial of gold draconium liquid as Parm, Iris and Lance stood in front of him. "I have spent years developing this liquid gold draconium. I was going to use it to heal injured dragons. I feel it is our only chance."
"So we just feed this to Beau and he'll get better?" Lance asked hopefully.
"Perhaps. Perhaps not. But we must try."
"That sounds good and all, but how are we going to get there? That place is swarming with Dragon Eyes and locked up pretty tight." Iris said beside Lance before a new voice spoke up.
"I guess I could bring it there." everyone turned to see Artha approaching in his civilian form with a smile. Lance had a massive grin on his face upon seeing his older brother, as did Iris.
"Artha!" both siblings ran towards him as Artha opened his arms and his siblings ran into them. "Come here, you two!" he happily wrapped his arms around his brother and sister, grateful they were safe as Kitt and Parm approached them with Mortis.
"This is wondrous news! But how did you escape? Moordryd's compound is filled with defenses, he has black dragons of every size and power, gear of all levels and designs! Dragon Eyes are everywhere!"
Artha had an arm around Lance's shoulders and his other around Iris's shoulders as he held his siblings close to him, happy to have them with him. "I had a little inside help, and I need to get back there quick to get him out."
"You mean Spratt?" Lance asked with a hopeful look on his face.
"Looks like he has chosen his path, the right path," Iris commented, smiling at Lance as he hugged Artha's waist.
Mortis smiled at the Penn siblings. "Huh. What is lost can always be found again." he looked over to Artha. "And Beau?"
"They're both still there and Beau's gold draconium markings are fading by the second," he informed, looking worried.
"Soon Beau's very bones will pulse with black draconium energy and Word will use him to call the dragons to war. Beau must drink the antidote before it's too late."
"We've got to get in there," Parm said with urgency.
"Not gonna be easy, Professor. Think they left the key under the mat?"
"Dragon City is an ancient place with many secrets." leaning his staff against the wall, he pulled out a digital map that he handed to Parm. "This map should take you past Moordryd's defences." walking up to Artha, Mortis handed the teen the gold vial of liquid. Artha gripped the vial as he tossed it in the air with a determined look on his face. "Beau chose you for a reason. He won't give up on you so easily. There is a great bond between you. And some bonds are too strong to ever be fully broken."
Iris walked up to Parm. "Hold up, Parm, maybe I should take the map since you might get us lost down there."
"Hey!" Parm sounded rather insulted by her words.
"I have to agree with her, Parm, I know you mean well, but maybe give the map to Iris," Artha spoke up, Parm looked at them before he scowled and handed the map over with a huff.
Iris patted his shoulder. "It's okay, Parm, I promise next time we have a map, you can use it."
That didn't seem to make him feel any better, but he followed as the teens left the temple and saddled up their dragons, Artha rode with Iris as Primsa raced out of the stables with Wyldfyr, Cyrano and Fracshun.
"Hang on, Beau. We're coming!"
At the compound, Beau stood on a platform above Word, Moordryd and Cain, roaring and screeching. "Listen and despair. The Dragon of Legend is building me an army."
All over the city, dragons of every colour and class could hear Beau's roars and throw their riders off, rebelling against the humans as they all began marching towards the compound.
Down below, Kitt, Artha, Lance, Parm and Iris were in an old tunnel. Iris looked down at the map in her hands as Artha looked over her shoulder. "Okay, so according to the map, we should reach a big door just a little further down this tunnel," she informed as the dragons came to a stop and they all dismounted.
The group walked through a slightly smaller tunnel, too small for the dragons and saw a door ahead of them. Stopping in front of it, Iris pressed a button on the console and the door opened, a massive gust of air roared past them as they saw they were looking out at a huge upward air vent.
Kitt slightly shielded her face from the harsh wind. "Anyone feel like being a hero?"
Artha narrowed his eyes in determination as he grabbed his amulet and placed it in his gauntlet. "RELEASE THE DRAGON!" he transformed into his booster form. He approached the very edge of the door and took notice of a ladder on the other side leading up.
He stopped Parm as he moved forward while holding his other hand on Lance's shoulder. "It's too far for you. I go alone from here. I've come to get a friend back, Parm, not lose anyone else."
He looked at Iris. "Keep Lance safe, sis. I'll be back soon, hopefully with Beau."
Iris reached out, handing Parm the map and hugging her brother. "Be careful, Artha. Bring Beau back, he's family." Lance joined in as the three siblings held each other.
"I will, sis. You too." he smiled at his siblings before he narrowed his eyes, leaping from the doorway, and aiming for the ladder on the other side. He fell before grabbing hold of the ladder as the others watched tensely. He gripped it tightly before a piece broke off, falling and leaving Artha hanging by the last rung. Parm, Iris, Kitt and Lance all held each other fearfully as they watched. Artha grabbed the rung with his other hand. "They just don't build rusty old ladders like they used to."
He started to ascend the ladder, eventually making it to the top, where he saw a vent above him and punched it open. He climbed out, seeing Word, Moordryd, Cain and Beau above him on the stage.
Up at the stage, Spratt was pinned to a support beam with green trapping gear and was staring around the corner with a glare before a hand covered his mouth and pulled him back. He was startled but hushed when he saw it was the Dragon Booster, who held a finger to his lips for the boy to stay quiet as he deactivated the gear, freeing Spratt.
Dragon Booster knelt in front of the boy. "I told you I would be back. I'm going to need your help, Spratt. Here's what I need you to do." he lowered his voice to tell the boy his plan.
Once he'd told the boy his plan, he appeared from around the corner. "I've come to take my dragon back!"
"Oh, how touching. The little boy has come to rescue his lost puppy." Word pressed a red button and Beau, wearing his saddle, magged Dragon Booster into the air with a black mag stream. "Search him!"
Beau lowered Dragon Booster to hover above the ground as Moordryd and Cain checked him over before Moordryd pulled out a vial of gold liquid.
"What is this?"
Dragon Booster kicked the vial out of Moordryd's hand, sending it flying towards Beau, who roared, mouth open wide. But just before it fell into his mouth, Word leaped up in front of Beau, catching the vial and doing a flip Dragon Booster didn't know he could even do at his age and landed in a crouch as Dragon Booster stared in shock.
"I see my old friend Mortis has been busy." Word shook the vial before he pressed the top of the vial and tipped it out. "What a shame his work has been in vain." Dragon Booster stared in despair as Word leapt into Beau's saddle as he began to change. His markings became black as his claws became long and sharp, same with his nose horn as Dragon Booster looked on in shock and horror.
"Behold. His gold draconium has been turned! The Dragon of Legend is mine! Now we crush this insect."
Beau roared as Moordryd and Cain zipped away, Beau released Dragon Booster from the mag stream and he fell to the ground. Beau advanced slowly, growling. He placed his front paw on Dragon Booster's chest and pressed down. He screeched and his mouth came dangerously close to Artha, the hero closed his eyes and then opened them again, locking eyes with Beau as he remembered the words Mortis had told him earlier.
There's a great bond between you. Some bonds are…
…Too strong to ever be fully broken. Artha thought as Word shouted. "Finish him!"
Dragon Booster turned his head. "NOW SPRATT!" he shouted and the boy came out from behind the support beam.
"Stop him!" Word ordered as Spratt threw the vial of gold liquid into the air.
Cain and Moordryd both leapt at the vial at the same time, hoping to catch it, but all that did was make them crash into each other. Dragon Booster caught the vial in his hand and tossed it into Beau's mouth. The dragon snapped his mouth shut and backed up.
He started glowing and thrashing around as Dragon Booster got to his feet. "Beau!" the dragon continued thrashing about and screeching, clawing at the ground with his eyes closed. He opened them and his dark purple colouring changed back to gold, his markings returned to their normal gold colour as his long claws and nose horn returned to their normal length. Beau was finally free!
Seeing Artha, Beau smiled. "Artha, you're okay!"
Dragon Booster smiled, his dragon was back to normal again. Word stared at the empty vial in his hand he had emptied before. "What trickery is this!?"
"That was dragon-ade, Word. Looks like you just spoiled my dragon's favorite drink."
Word shook with fury at his plan falling apart right in front of him. Beau growled. "Get off me, you don't belong there!" he magged Word out of the saddle, the man tried to fight the mag stream, but it proved to be too strong and he was flung into the air. Dragon Booster watched and cringed a bit as Word was hanging from blue cables.
"Get them!"
Moordryd and Cain both fired green trapping gear at Beau, who used a black draconium mag stream to destroy the trapping gear. Word looked stunned by the display. "He's using the black draconium as power! He's mastered it!"
Moordryd and Cain stared, slack-jawed.
Dragon Booster patted Beau's chin. "Good to have you back, beau."
"It's good to be back, Artha. Hop on." Beau lowered his head for his rider to climb into the saddle, which he did before calling out to Spratt. "Come on, Spratt!"
The boy ran towards him and he grabbed hold of Dragon Booster's extended hand, lifting the boy up and into the saddle behind him. The boy stared at Beau in wonder.
"Whoa! Cool dragon!"
Dragon Booster grinned. "The best!" he looked up at Word. "Sorry to leave you hanging, Paynn. But we got to go." giving the man a salute, he rode off with Beau as Word glared.
"You'll pay for this Dragon Booster! YOU"LL PAY!"
Out in the street, the dragon army was still advancing when Beau appeared on a bridge above the road. He roared, drawing the dragon's attention to him and they all looked up at him as he jumped down down, approaching them.
At first, the dragons remained still. Then Beau greets them. "Hello dragons, I have returned to normal."
"It's the Dragon of Legend!" one dragon exclaimed before the dragons parted like the red sea, bowing as Beau passed them. He moved through them, reaching the end where he saw the rest of Penn racing crew and their dragons.
Lance smiled upon seeing his brother and beau. "You did it!"
"Couldn't have done it without Spratt here." Dragon Booster gestured to Spratt, who poked his head out from behind Dragon Booster and as Beau came to a stop, he jumped down and approached Lance, looking remorseful. "I'm sorry I was such a doofus. Are we still friends?"
Lance grinned, happy to have his friend back. "You bet!" they shared a fist bump as Iris smiled at them, happy for her brother.
"It's wonderful to have both of you back, safe and sound. Now, I say we head home." Iris said and everyone was happy about that. With the dragon behind them, they all headed back down the street and all the dragons left to head to their homes or wherever they lived.
Kitt and Parm left to go to their homes, leaving the Penn siblings to head back to the stables. However, as they reached the stables and got the dragons settled in and Artha changed back to his civilian form, they entered the dark house, only for the lights to turn on, making the siblings freeze as they saw a very unhappy Gwen sitting at the kitchen bench. She regarded her charges with narrowed eyes. "Where in the name of Draconis have you three been?"
Uh oh, they've been caught. Will Gwen figure out their secret?