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Speaker 1: Hello, friends from across the nation, around the world. I'm Martin,

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and you are listening to Dad's bedtime stories. Tonight, we're

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headed back into the Dragon Knights universe, because yeah, I

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kind of have to finish this series now. I don't

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have a specific episode to go next. What I have

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is the episode that kind of needs to go next,

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where you the main character helps take over the Nature

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Dragon stronghold in the last episode based on some pretty

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clever ideas about the Nature Dragon General. We ended up

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kind of learning the history of this general and how

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they in fact helped the new Dragon Knights come to

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be and have been waiting to help to be on

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the side of the Dragon King, which I think is

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a pretty cool plot point, And yeah, I thought we'd

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continue from there. So that's basically what we're gonna do.

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If you like the podcast, there's so many ways to

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support it, rating it and reviewing it, leaving comments. That

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sort of thing goes a really long way, as does

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joining us on Patreon. I would really, actually, really really

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prefer to have a podcast that is entirely sponsored by

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listeners rather than advertisements, because I don't actually really love advertisements,

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and that's part of the reason I created a Patreon,

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and part of the reason that I put ad free

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episodes there at every single support level, so even one

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dollar a month, which is I think an amount of

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money that many people would not notice, but I would notice.

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If many people support me.

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Speaker 2: With it, you get those ad free episodes, and yeah,

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you actually get like your own private RSS feed where

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all of the episodes go up as soon as they're recorded.

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And if you're okay with ads, then that's awesome because

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they support the podcast too, though if you do have

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ideas to make them better or less disruptive. I am

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all ears because I really, yeah, I am not really

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about advertising.

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Speaker 1: I'm about story making. So let me know your thoughts.

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Now it's time to get as comfy as you can

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in that bed, close your rise, and imagine yourself doing

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what the kid in the story does, because you, my friend,

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are the main character.

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Speaker 3: Here.

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Speaker 1: You stand inside the water Dragon Stronghold, looking out over

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the icy cliffs and the ocean beyond. Not long ago,

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this place belonged to the Dragon King. Well, it still

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technically belonged to the water Dragons, of course, but the

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water dragons had not belonged to themselves. They'd been trapped

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under the Dragon King's control spell, forced to obey riders

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that they themselves had never chosen. But now that's changed.

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The fortress is alive again, not just with soldiers, and

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not just with dragons or people rushing around trying to

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repair damage caused from the battle. It's alive with true bonds.

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Over the last few weeks, more and more Water dragons

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have found riders of their own. Some of the dragons

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had been without true riders for so long that the

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moment the control spell broke, they could feel their perfect

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match somewhere nearby. Some found children and nearby fishing villages.

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Some found old warriors who had never expected to be chosen.

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Some found sailors, farmers, and even one person who'd been

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working in the kitchen. And now all around the stronghold,

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new Water dragon knights train. They practice summoning their armor.

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They practice summoning water from the sea, using their dragon

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connection to the water element. The Dragon King's army has

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lost one of its strongest regions, and yours has become

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stronger than ever. You stand in the great Hall of

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the Water Fortress with the other dragon Knights gathered around you. Ellie,

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your elemental dragon rests behind you, her wings folded tight

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against her body. Even sitting down, she's now enormous. Her

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multi colored scales shimmer slightly in the cold light. August

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stands near you with Eliara, her elemental dragon curled protectively

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behind her. Bethy and Luna stand beside the great frozen table.

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Jewels and Vine are nearby, looking well somewhat interested. Bennett

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and Granite stand together, both looking solid and ready, which

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makes sense because earth dragons and earth riders often look

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like they are personally built by a mountain. James leans

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against a pillar, while Whisper floats lazily beside him, not

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really touching the ground because well, because they don't need to.

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They're wind dragons. Connor and Bolts stand near by the entrance,

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little sparks of electricity flickering from bolt scales. Ash and

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Cinder have brought a group of fire dragons with them,

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their bodies glowing warmly against the icy room. Curtis and

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Phoenix stand a little further back, partly because Phoenix's poison

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nature tends to make everyone else give them a bit

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of space, and partially because Phoenix seems to enjoy looking

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mysterious around all of You are representatives from the dragons

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you have freed so far. Water dragons, fire dragons, Earth dragons,

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Wind dragons, nature dragons, many of whom were once under

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the Dragon King's command, but now have riders and ideas

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of their own. It's not a small group anymore. It's

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now an army. You take a deep breath. All right,

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you say, I think it's time the conversations. Quiet, August

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looks at you carefully. Time for the next stronghold, she

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asks you.

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Speaker 2: Nod.

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Speaker 1: When your father took over the dragon world, he did

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it one region at a time, fire than water, then

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the others. He didn't win with one giant battle. He

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won by taking pieces of the world until no one

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could stop them. So we take it back the same way.

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Smiles Nature dragons. Next, you glance at jewels and vine.

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Nature dragons. Next, Vine lifts her head, her green scales glinting.

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The jungle region will not be easy to take, she says.

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Nature dragons are strongest when surrounded by life, trees, roots, vines, moss, flowers,

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everything in the jungle. They are connected to more power

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than almost anywhere else. Good, you say, then when we

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free them, they'll be even more powerful.

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Speaker 3: On our side.

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Speaker 1: That is a good point, at least, says a wonderfully

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simple point. I like that. You look over at August.

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Do you think the Dragon King knows what we're doing?

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August nods almost certainly. After losing the Fire region and

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the Water stronghold, he'd have to be very bad at

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noticing powers not to understand what comes next. That's what

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I'm worried about. You say, Bennett crosses his arms. So

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what's the plan? Sneak in again? You think about that.

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The last few times you used stealth, you used invisibility,

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you used surprise, and freed some of the dragons before

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the full battle began. But this time something feels different.

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You have an army of dragons, now so many dragons.

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You have true dragon Knight, fire, water, earth, wind, nature,

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and even lightning and poison. You have two elemental dragons

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and a whole army of free dragons who are very

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interested in helping free more of their own. Maybe hiding

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and sneaking isn't the answer this time. Maybe it's time

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for the Dragon King to see exactly what he's up against. No,

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you say, this time, we don't sneak in. Everyone looks

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at you, this time, we hit them with everything. We

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have a full out attack. We overwhelm the stronghold, knock

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the riders away from their dragons, and then August and

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I free as many dragons as we can. A slow

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smile spreads across Ash's face.

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Speaker 3: I like this plan.

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Speaker 1: You like any plan with lots of fire. Bethy says,

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that doesn't mean it's a bad plan. Ash replies. Connor

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lifts one hand. I also support any plan that involves lightning.

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Of course you do, Bennett says. You look over at Jewels.

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How do you feel about this? Jewels takes a deep

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breath and places one hand against Vine's neck. If the

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Nature dragons are still under the spell, then they're suffering.

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I say, we go get them. Vine lowers her head.

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The jungle remembers true nights. It may not help us

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at first, but once the spells begin to break, I

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believe the land itself will be on our side, and

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that settles it. You climb onto Alley's back and feel

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the familiar connection between you and your dragon open wide

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inside your chest. All right, you say, dragon knights, let's fly.

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Moments later, the skies above the water Dragon's stronghold fill

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with wings. Dozens of dragons rise from the icy cliffs,

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then dozens more. Ellie takes the lead, with you on

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her back. August and Eli Yarra fly beside you. The

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rest of the original dragon knights form around you. Behind

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them come the newly freed dragons and their riders, spreading

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into a gigantic formation that stretches across the sky. For

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a moment, you look back. You can barely believe it.

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Not long ago you were just a kid who found

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an egg in the forest. Now you're leading a dragon army. Huh, Ellie,

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you say, yes, this is kind of a lot. Yes,

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Ellie replies, but in a good way. I hope, so

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I believe. Hope is sort of the point, Ellie says.

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The army flies for hours, crossing ocean cliffs, rivers, plains,

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and finally the outer edges of the jungle region. At first,

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you see only green. The jungle stretches beneath you in

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every direction, and it's beautiful, but it's also clearly dangerous.

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In the distance, the nature Dragon Stronghold rises from the

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center of the jungle. It's not me of stone like

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the earth bases, or ice like the water Fortress.

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Speaker 3: It's grown.

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Speaker 1: Massive trees twist together to form towers. Branches weave into bridges.

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Walls are made of living wood covered in moss and

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flowering vines. Platforms spiral around trunks wider than castles. Roots

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form natural gates, and giant leaves curve overhead like rooftops.

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It's less like a fortress built in a jungle and

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more like the jungle itself decided to become a fortress.

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Then you see movement, a lot of movement. August leans

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forward on Aliara. Oh, now he's reinforced it. She's right.

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Dragons rise from the stronghold, and not just nature dragons either.

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Earth dragons climb up from the forest floor, launching themselves

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into the sky with chunks of stone circling around them.

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Wind dragons shoot out of the treetops and streaks of

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gray and white, making sonic booms as they go. And

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nature dragons rise and huge numbers vines trailing from their wings,

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and above them all several elemental dragons shimmer into view.

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The elementes. The Dragon King has clearly figured out your plan.

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A voice booms across the sky from one of the

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enemy riders. In the name of the Dragon King, give

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the dragons back or be destroyed. You glance at August.

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She shrugs. You're the leader, she says. You look ahead

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at the army waiting above the jungle. Then you draw

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your sword. No, you say, elly grins beneath you. I

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was hoping you'd say something like that. The sky explodes.

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Fire dragons on your side blast forward first, sending huge

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streams of flame across the air. Enemy earth dragons answer

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by launching boulders upward, each one spinning like a giant cannonball.

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Water dragons sweep around from behind you, pulling moisture from

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the humid jungle air and turning it into spears of ice.

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Wind dragons blast air, and then the nature dragons attack.

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Vines shoot upward from the trees below, reaching impossibly high

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into the sky. Some wrap around wings, some lash like whips.

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Others twist together into giant nets. Jewels and vine dive forward. Immediately,

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Vine unleashes a blast of green energy, and trees beneath

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the enemy dragons bend sharply, sending your own vines up

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to meet theirs. Jewels leaps off of Vine's back onto

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a spinning disk of wood, her green dragon nite armor

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flashing as she slices through the enemy vines with her sword.

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Go for the riders, you shout, separate the riders from

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the dragons. The message passes through your army. That has

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always been your greatest advantage. The controlled dragons are powerful,

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but the riders of the weak point without orders, the

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controlled dragons just kind of land on the ground and

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sit there doing nothing, And so the dragon knights strike

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at the riders. Bethy and Luna create a massive wave

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of moisture in the air, sweeping three enemy riders from

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their saddles and freezing them inside floating ice bubbles. Bennett

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and Granite flies straight into the cluster of earth dragons.

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Granite smashes through with storm of rocks.

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Speaker 3: Well.

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Speaker 1: Bennett leaps off of his dragon's back, lands on a

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floating boulder and launches himself at an enemy rider, knocking

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him cleanly away from his dragon. James in Whisper move

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almost too fast to follow. Sonic booms crack through the

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air as they zip between wind dragons, creating tiny little

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tornadoes that pluck riders from adles and drop them safely

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but firmly on the tree tops. Connor and Bolt rise

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above the battle lightning flashing between them, Spray and pray.

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Connor asks, I believe this is an excellent moment for it,

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Bolt says. Then lightning bursts outward and dozens of directions,

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not striking dragons directly, but forcing enemy riders to shield

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their faces and lose control for just long enough for

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your friends to move in. Ash and Cinder dive through

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the center of the battle, fire roaring around them. They

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release it and controlled blasts the knock three riders backward

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without burning the dragons beneath them. Curtis and Phoenix take

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a different approach. Phoenix releases a cloud of green mist

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into the air. It swirls around a group of enemy riders,

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making them cough, blink, and slump, just enough for Curtis

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to send black vines snapping around them sleeping spores. Obviously,

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you and Ellie fly straight towards one of the Elemental dragons.

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The enemy rider raises a hand, and the Elemental Dragon

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blasts fire, water, stone, wind, and vines all at once.

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Ellie twists in the air, dodging the fire, cutting through

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the wind as you reach out with your mind, grab

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the water from the attack, freeze it, and send it

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crashing back at the rider. The rider ducks ellie dives lower.

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A boulder shoots toward you, but you split it in

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half with your earth magic. Vines whip up where but

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you burn them with fire. A blast of wind hits

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you from the side, but you steady yourself using your

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own command of the air. Then you see something strange.

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The forest below you moves, not like trees swaying in

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the wind, or vines responding to nature dragons. The forest

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itself moves together all at once. Massive roots burst from

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the ground. Trees bend their trunks like living giants. Vines

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thicker than bridges shoot up from the jungle floor and

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grab an earth dragon out of the sky. The dragon roars,

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but the vines ramp around it, carefully, not crushing it.

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More vines separate the rider from the saddle, wrapping the

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rider up and carrying them away. Then another dragon is

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pulled down, and another When dragons try to zip away,

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but the trees launch nets of vines so quickly that

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even they get caught. Nature dragons under the Dragon King's

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control spell are wrapped up as well, pulled gently but

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firmly toward the center of the stronghold. Even one of

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the elemental dragons gets snagged by a dozen roots shooting

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out of the highest trees. Huh, Ellie, you say, is

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that you? No, Ellie says, I had assumed it was jewels.

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You look down and see jewels, staring at the forest

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with the same confusion on her face. It's not jewels, though,

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August and Eliara fly closer. This is not my father's doing,

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says then, who is it below you? The jungle continues

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to rise. The captured dragons are being pulled toward the

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center of the stronghold, where the largest tree towers above

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all of the others. Its trunk is wider than a castle,

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its branches stretching across the sky like roads. I think

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we need to see what's happening, you say, agreed, August

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says you, and August dive. Eli and eli Yara fold

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their wings and shoot toward the center of the jungle

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around you. The battle continues. Your friends keep fighting, using

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incredible moves to knock riders away from dragons and stop

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the dragon King's army from regrouping. You pass through a

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whole bunch of leaves and land on a massive wooden

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platform grown from the tree around you. And there she is.

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The Nature Dragon General. Violet stands atop a large green dragon,

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her armor shining black and red. Her dragon is huge

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and beautiful, with scales like layered leaves, horns like branches,

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and vines curling around her body bloom around Violet. Dozens

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of dragons sit trapped in living wooden cages, not heard

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or crushed, just contained or captured. Mostly nature dragons, though

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you also see Earth dragons, Wind dragons, and one very

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annoyed looking elemental dragon. Their riders are wrapped up separately

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in a thick vine covered, arms pinned, and bodies held

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safely away from their dragons, where no commands can be given.

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Violet looks at you, Then she looks at August. Then

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she sighs. Tuck you long enough, you blink. H'm sorry.

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I've been waiting for the true dragon Knights to arrive

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for years, Violet says, And now that you're here, you're

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standing around looking confused. August narrows her eyes. Aren't you

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the Nature Dragon General? Yes, don't you serve my father?

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Violet gives her a sharp look. I serve no one.

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You look at the dragons trapped all around her. You

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did all this well, with help, Bloom did all of this.

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I just sort of directed what I wanted Bloom to do. Unfortunately,

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she's still trapped under your father's spell, which means I

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can't really use my nature powers. Bloom's eyes are dull,

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empty and silent. Well, Violet says, get going. These dragons

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would prefer not to be controlled any longer. You look

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at August, and August nods together. You step toward the

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closest trapped nature dragon. You close your eyes and reach

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out with your inner magic, not the elemental power, but

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the human magic that August taught you. You search for

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the cold thread of control, the false connection wrapped around

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the dragon's mind and connected to the riders. You find it,

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You grab it, and you pull. The spell snaps. The

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dragon blinks, its glowing eyes fade into something fierce and alive.

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It lifts its head and lets out a roar that

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shakes the leaves from the trees. One by one, you

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and August free the dragons. The change is instant. Every

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time a dragon that sat empty, eyed and silent suddenly

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snarls with anger. Another shakes its wings and rips through

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the last of the spell with a roar. Oh dare

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they sit on our backs without permission? One Nature dragon growls.

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The tied up rider makes a muffled sound that could

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be an apology or just sort of whimpering in fear.

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Violet watches carefully. She says nothing as the dragons wake

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at last, only Bloom remains. Violet slides down from her

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dragon's back and stands beside her. For the first time

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since you landed. She doesn't look like a general. She

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looks like someone who has been waiting for this moment. Please,

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she says, You and August step forward. You can feel

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the spell around Bloom's mind, and so you pull it free.

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Bloom trembles. Violet places one hand against Bloom's snout. Come

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back to me, she whispers. I did what the Earth

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showed me. I waited. I'm sorry, but I waited. Now

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come back to me. The connection shatters, Blooms eyes flash

333
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bright green, and a sudden blast of energy leaves the dragon,

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hitting Violet in the chest. Instantly, Violet's old armor is

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blasted away and replaced by Nature Dragon armor. True Nature

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Dragon armor.

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Speaker 3: You took long enough.

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Speaker 1: Bloom says, and Violet laughs only with tears in her eyes.

339
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A Violet draws her Nature Dragon's sword, and then she

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begins glowing with green energy. The whole platform shakes as

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the trees respond. Bloom spreads her wings, Violet climbs on

342
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her back. Now, Violet says it's time to end this.

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She lifts one hand and begins to glow. The other

344
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freed Nature dragons join in, glowing green as well and

345
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adding to her power. The jungle answers. All around the stronghold,

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vines explode upward, not wildly or randomly, but with perfect control.

347
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They wrap around enemy dragons still under the Dragon King's spell,

348
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pinning wings without breaking them, catching tails without crushing them,

349
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and pulling riders gently but firmly out of saddles and

350
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tramping them in wooden cages. Together, the forest becomes a storm.

351
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Roots rise like walls, branches bend like bridges, and trees

352
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grow taller, joining in the fight like well, kind of

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like gigantic giant trees that know how to fight. The

354
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battle begins to change. Before your army was winning already,

355
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Now the jungle itself is on your side. A group

356
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of enemy Earth dragons try to regroup near the outer trees,

357
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but Violet and Bloom send roots through the soil beneath them.

358
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They burst upward, separating riders from dragons and pulling the

359
00:31:43,119 --> 00:31:47,799
riders into cages. A wind dragon tries to flee, but

360
00:31:48,000 --> 00:31:51,880
James in Whisper chase it straight into a net of vines.

361
00:31:52,480 --> 00:31:57,680
The rider is caught and the dragon drops safely down

362
00:31:57,720 --> 00:32:02,839
to the ground. One of the King's elemental dragons roars

363
00:32:03,279 --> 00:32:07,079
and unleashes a blast of fire toward the central tree.

364
00:32:08,039 --> 00:32:11,319
You and Ally dive in front of it. You pull

365
00:32:11,519 --> 00:32:15,039
water out of the air itself, spin it into a

366
00:32:15,200 --> 00:32:22,640
huge water shield, and stop the huge fire blast. Conner

367
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and Bold strike from above with a flash of lightning

368
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that knocks the rider out. Across the battlefield, the remaining

369
00:32:33,079 --> 00:32:39,319
riders begin to break. The strongest of the remaining elemental

370
00:32:39,400 --> 00:32:44,799
riders looks around, seeing freed nature dragons filling the skies

371
00:32:44,880 --> 00:32:53,200
and giant trees entering the battle retreat. He yells back

372
00:32:53,240 --> 00:32:58,680
to the Dragon King. The remaining Earth dragons, Wind dragons

373
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and elemental dragons still under control turn and flee. For

374
00:33:06,279 --> 00:33:10,279
a moment, you think about chasing them, but then you

375
00:33:10,359 --> 00:33:13,680
look at all of the trapped dragons still waiting to

376
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be freed. Let them go, you say, we'll get them eventually,

377
00:33:20,599 --> 00:33:26,000
Elly nods. For the next hour, you and August move

378
00:33:26,079 --> 00:33:31,119
from dragon to dragon, breaking the control spell again and again.

379
00:33:32,160 --> 00:33:38,400
Nature dragons wake up, relieved to be free. Some immediately

380
00:33:38,480 --> 00:33:42,160
sense their true riders somewhere in the world and launch

381
00:33:42,240 --> 00:33:46,599
into the sky to find them. Others stay to help rebuild.

382
00:33:48,240 --> 00:33:52,359
You gather with the others at the central platform, surrounded

383
00:33:52,400 --> 00:33:56,559
by freed dragons, new allies, and the rest of your

384
00:33:56,680 --> 00:34:02,839
dragon army. Violet stands beside I'd Bloom. For a long moment,

385
00:34:03,279 --> 00:34:10,239
no one says anything. Then you step forward, so you say,

386
00:34:11,199 --> 00:34:13,840
I guess you've been on our side the whole time.

387
00:34:14,880 --> 00:34:20,760
Violet gives you a small smile. Not exactly, I was

388
00:34:20,800 --> 00:34:24,599
on the side of what needed to happen, but yes,

389
00:34:25,400 --> 00:34:28,719
in practical terms, that means I was waiting for you.

390
00:34:29,880 --> 00:34:36,239
August crosses her arms. But you helped my father conquer strongholds.

391
00:34:37,199 --> 00:34:45,199
Violet does not look away. Yes I did. I helped

392
00:34:45,239 --> 00:34:51,000
him defeat earth dragons. I helped him take the Air Stronghold.

393
00:34:52,239 --> 00:34:59,119
I commanded Bloom through a false bond. I did terrible things.

394
00:35:00,119 --> 00:35:04,639
Bloom lowers her head beside her. Violet places a hand

395
00:35:04,679 --> 00:35:10,679
on the dragon's scales. But long before that, I listened

396
00:35:10,679 --> 00:35:15,239
to the Earth. I saw what was coming. The dragon

397
00:35:15,360 --> 00:35:19,440
Knights were going to fail. Nothing I could do would

398
00:35:19,480 --> 00:35:23,960
stop that. So I chose the only path the Earth

399
00:35:24,039 --> 00:35:30,800
showed me. You understand before she says it the eggs,

400
00:35:32,239 --> 00:35:37,760
Violet nods. I convinced the dragon knight's sex to hide

401
00:35:37,800 --> 00:35:46,000
them fire, water, earth, wind, nature, elemental hope, hidden where

402
00:35:46,039 --> 00:35:49,920
the dragon King could not find it. I did not

403
00:35:50,239 --> 00:35:53,440
tell the others that their battle was destined to fail.

404
00:35:54,320 --> 00:35:57,880
I only told them that hope needed to be planted.

405
00:36:00,119 --> 00:36:04,800
So you're the reason we found our dragons. In part,

406
00:36:05,199 --> 00:36:11,400
Violet says, the dragons chose you, the world guided you.

407
00:36:11,519 --> 00:36:16,159
But yes, I helped make sure there was something left

408
00:36:16,239 --> 00:36:21,679
to find. You look around at all of your friends.

409
00:36:22,440 --> 00:36:27,280
All of you were here because someone long ago had

410
00:36:27,360 --> 00:36:31,960
hidden eggs, had hidden hope, instead of spending it all

411
00:36:32,000 --> 00:36:37,239
on a doomed battle. Violet looks at you. You are

412
00:36:37,320 --> 00:36:43,360
well on your way to restoring balance. Fires, free water,

413
00:36:43,559 --> 00:36:49,840
as free nature is free, more dragons wake every day.

414
00:36:51,119 --> 00:36:58,079
The dragon King will be afraid. Now good, you say, yes,

415
00:36:58,760 --> 00:37:05,639
Violet replies, But afraid enemies become dangerous. He still has earth,

416
00:37:05,760 --> 00:37:13,599
dragon wind, dragons and the elementals, and he still has

417
00:37:13,719 --> 00:37:17,960
the spell though it seems you found a way around

418
00:37:18,119 --> 00:37:23,800
that too, But you will still need my help. I

419
00:37:23,920 --> 00:37:28,599
know his army, I know his generals, I know how

420
00:37:28,639 --> 00:37:33,880
he thinks, and unlike most of his riders and most

421
00:37:33,920 --> 00:37:40,159
of you, I was trained as a true dragon Knight, Blooms,

422
00:37:40,320 --> 00:37:46,519
smiles slightly. Well, you say, I'm pretty happy to have

423
00:37:46,599 --> 00:37:50,639
an extremely powerful nature Dragon and a true Dragon Knight

424
00:37:50,760 --> 00:37:59,320
on our side. Then let's restore balance together, she says,

425
00:38:00,840 --> 00:38:07,639
But that can wait for tomorrow. Today you're feeling very tired.

426
00:38:09,159 --> 00:38:14,199
Violet shows you around the Nature Dragon's stronghold to the

427
00:38:14,239 --> 00:38:18,440
main fortress, where there's a whole bunch of rooms for guests.

428
00:38:20,159 --> 00:38:23,920
You take one of the rooms, climb into one of

429
00:38:23,960 --> 00:38:28,519
the beds that itself looks like it was grown out

430
00:38:28,559 --> 00:38:33,599
of the ground instead of being built. You pull the

431
00:38:33,880 --> 00:38:38,880
very comfortable covers up to your chin, close your eyes,

432
00:38:39,960 --> 00:38:44,599
and slowly you begin to fall asleep.

433
00:38:46,679 --> 00:39:25,639
Speaker 3: Good Night everyone, New York.

434
00:40:53,599 --> 00:44:37,519
Speaker 4: More Union, no mo thing, no more game.

435
00:45:23,039 --> 00:46:40,000
Speaker 3: M M

436
00:50:10,880 --> 00:55:00,599
Speaker 4: No h as