The Dragoso Series 1: Discovery in Hardship

Brokenstar paced frantically in the throne room. He sent so many creatures on purpose, the Compass Dragons should’ve come through the portals by now, where were they?

You do nothing but underestimate them!

Brokenstar growled and ignored Cenod. Demise watched nearby, scared to speak. Brokenstar had been on edge since his last order. Being in control of the Underworld gave him so much more power, but he couldn’t bring that power to the Compass Dragons. He’d have to bring the fight to him.

But it wasn’t as easy as he thought.

They aren’t going to jump on a problem right away! They plan and rest before tackling it. Don’t be an idiot.

“Demise! Leave!” Brokenstar roared. Demise squeaked and flew out quickly. Brokenstar tossed his head, Cenod slamming into a nearby wall. “Shut up!” He pinned Cenod to the wall by the shadow’s neck.

“Kill me and Master will have your head,” Cenod warned. Brokenstar bared his teeth at Cenod whose white teeth started to appear in the shape of a sheepish grin. Brokenstar snorted and released Cenod.

The shadow being got to his feet and shook out his wings, chuckling. “You totally are afraid of my Master.” Brokenstar growled and turned away from Cenod. “You better hope your loyalty doesn’t slip.”

Cenod preened his wings. “Or what?”

“You will surely regret it, Brokenstar.” Brokenstar narrowed his eyes at Cenod before turning away.

“We’ll see.”

~oOo~

Trevor exhaled as he pulled his signature football jersey over his head. Behind him, David was tying his shoelaces tight and stuffing the laces into his shoe. Trevor looked over his shoulder at his brother before nodding to him. David looked up and nodded back. Without a word, they exited their room, meeting Brenda and Aya in the hallway. Trevor nodded to Brenda who nodded back and they started downstairs and outside to the front of the Academy.

The rest of the team stood ready to go. They all stood in their human forms chatting amongst each other. Trevor realized they were separated into their groups. Kathey, Malice, Sylark, and Zoymey in one group. Sonar, Tikimune, Samual, and Arkin in another group. The Compass Dragons and the Special Needs Dragons.

“You guys ready?” Trevor asked, turning to his siblings. “Our first mission, probably the most dangerous we’ll ever have. We can’t be careless while we’re down there.”

“What if we lose?” David asked. Trevor looked down at his brother before laying a hand on David’s head. He took a breath and exhaled slowly.

“Buddy, what matters most is that you tried your hardest to help out. The worst that can happen is this...Brokenstar guy...beats us and we’re trapped in the Underworld until Kathey can save us. You worry about being careful, fight hard, and listen to what they tell you to do, alright?” David nodded and Trevor looked to his sisters. “That goes for you two as well. Mom can’t lose all of us at once.” Before Trevor could continue, the sound of the front doors of the Academy slamming open drew everyone’s attention to them. Deathbore stood looking livid.

“Deathbore?” Kathey questioned as the Underworld King stomped forward, clearly angry.

“I’m gonna murder that double crossing asshole of a demon!” Deathbore roared.

“Whoa, whoa, what happened?” Malice asked.

“Nakano, that’s what! That feshing demon let Brokenstar into the Underworld right under my nose and helped that psychotic Nega Dragon overthrow me! Oh, he is going to PAY!” Deathbore shouted and his body was surrounded in a rich black glow. His body changed and revealed a black dragon with a pink underbelly and wing membrane. His irises were a fierce pink while the rest was black, filled with rage.

“Everyone change! We’re going!” Kathey snapped. Trevor exhaled, feeling his magic in his body and willed it to change his form. When he opened his eyes, he could see everything much clearer. His siblings stood beside him in their dragon forms as well. Deathbore was the first one to take to the skies, everyone else following in their dragon forms. Minus Tikimune obviously, she sat on Sonar’s back with her hands grasping the collar around his neck.

Trevor’s mind trailed to what Deathbore had been angry about. Who was Nakano? Deathbore said a demon let Brokenstar into the Underworld, was that Nakano? Trevor’s thoughts were invaded by another mind and he let the other presence in.

You wish to know who Nakano is? Anna asked with her mind. Trevor looked towards her at the front of the group, noticing she was looking back at him.

I figured I should know since Deathbore kind of threw the name and my siblings and I and we have no clue who that is. Trevor replied. The image he was shown next could only be the demon in question. He certainly looked like a demon with red scaly skin, large horns on his head, reptilian wings, hands that appeared to be clawed, though he wore gauntlets. His eyes were bright red. It was something that Trevor had only ever seen in video games.

Nakano was created by the Death Dragon that ruled the Underworld before Deathbore took over. In religious belief, he is like Belial, an advisor for the devil. It would appear Nakano lives up to his relative and has lied to Deathbore for many years now. Trevor narrowed his eyes at Deathbore slightly.

So it seems...

Trevor received a look from Sylark, which Trevor ignored, focusing on the ground below him.

You do not believe what Deathbore implies? Sylark questioned. He wasn’t one to make himself known when picking through the minds of others. Trevor could still feel Anna in his mind, but focused on Sylark.

Why would he only just now learn it was his advisor that double crossed him? Seems suspicious to me. Trevor snorted, getting a look of concern from Brenda. Trevor shook his head at her.

We have been on good terms with Deathbore for years, ever since Amethyst’s Demon threatened the very existence of every dragon, alive and dead. He stopped his selfish acts of trying to rule over the living world after that. What reason would he have to suddenly trick us?

Trevor shook his head and ignored Sylark’s prods to his mind for the rest of the flight. It wasn’t until they suddenly started to head for the ground did Trevor really take in his surroundings. They were in a forest of some kind, but what caught his attention was something that sounded like a quiet hum.

“What is that?” Trevor asked quietly.

“A portal. Hopefully the one we’re after,” Deathbore responded. Anna turned to the group.

“All of you stay here. Deathbore and I will check the portal before calling for you. Stay put, don’t do anything stupid,” Anna commanded, glaring at Arkin who scoffed. Anna and Deathbore started through the trees.

“Why does she assume you’re the one to cause trouble?” Brenda questioned Arkin. The buff Water Dragon shrugged a wing and laid down.

“Cause she calls me a womanizer, not like I care about females. I spend all my time training, no time to find a mate,” Arkin replied. “She should really tell the lazy one to stay out of trouble.”

“Shut it, Arkin,” Malice yawned, already on his back with his eyes closed. Trevor chuckled at this and shook his head, laying down. No telling how long Anna and Deathbore would take to check the portal. A little rest wouldn’t kill them.

~oOo~

“Trevor has his doubts about you,” Anna announced as she and Deathbore walked away from the group.

“He’s a yearling who knows nothing about dragons, I don’t necessarily care what he thinks of me,” Deathbore replied.

“Why didn’t you think of Nakano right away?” Deathbore stopped in his tracks and looked over at Anna.

“What are you talking about?”

“You’re not exactly like the previous Underworld King. You made peace with Kaylano, don’t cause trouble for the living world, I would expect his loyalty to you to falter.” Anna walked passed her dumbstruck uncle and flicked her tail at him. Deathbore watched her for a moment before running forward to catch up with her.

“Now that I think about it, Nakano had been absent quite a bit just before Brokenstar attacked. I suppose it’s logical that he would be a prime suspect. But that can’t be the only ally that Nega has. How did he defeat me?” Anna shrugged before stopping suddenly, holding a wing out to stop Deathbore. Deathbore gave her a questioning look before looking out at the clearing they had come to.

There they saw a blue portal surrounded by what looked like hellhounds, but the beasts were much more demonic. Their eyes were missing and appeared to be much larger and menacing than the Hellhounds they’ve seen.

“He released the Demonic Hounds?” Anna questioned and Deathbore snorted.

“We best be careful when we get in there, call your ice users to deal with these hounds.”

~oOo~

Trevor. Trevor lifted his head. I need you, your sisters, and Sylark to come over here, we need your ice powers.

Trevor stood, nudging Aya and Brenda. Sylark had already stood, waiting for them.

“What?” Brenda snapped, clearly being woken up from the nap she was having.

“Anna needs us for our ice powers, I guess,” Trevor replied. Brenda stretched and stood.

“Ice powers? What like breathing ice? She knows we haven’t had the chance to actually do that, right?” Trevor shrugged and started towards Sylark.

“You will be alright, Brenda,” Sylark stated and led them through the trees.

After a few minutes, Trevor spotted Anna through the trees and getting closer he soon spotted Deathbore standing beside her.

“I’m aware you three don’t know how to control your breath elements yet, but it’s actually quite easy. It’s almost like breathing air, just harness the magic you have in your bodies and it’ll bring out the ice,” Anna explained and moved to the side so Trevor and his sisters could see into the clearing. “Those are Demonic Hellhounds, vicious beasts that are better avoided or frozen.”

Trevor stepped forward to spot the hounds. He watched them for a moment before feeling the magic in his body. He closed his eyes and searched, finding that it was focused near his heart. Trevor launched himself from the trees and huffed a gust of air, only it didn’t come out as air, it was a cold stream of water. The hounds he hit were drenched and in an instant, frozen solid.

“Holy crap...” Trevor gasped, though it was short lived, the other three hounds that were free surrounded him. “Guys? Little help, please!” Trevor looked towards where the others stood, watching Brenda launch out and freeze the remaining hounds instantly. Brenda stared, amazed at what she just did.

“Wow...” Brenda breathed and they heard Deathbore chuckle, Anna laughing beside him.

“Exhilarating, isn’t it?” Anna asked, walking out with Sylark, Deathbore, and Aya.

“I didn’t get to do anything,” Aya stated and Anna shook her head.

“You still have a job. Snow Dragons have the ability to summon snow to confuse enemies. It can freeze too, use it now to check the surrounding area.”

“Our Magic teacher showed her, right Aya?” Brenda reminded her.

“Oh yeah!” Aya exclaimed. She said a few strange words and snow started to swirl around her. She opened her wings and the ring that surrounded her expanded quickly into the trees before it disappeared.

“Anything?” Anna asked and Aya shook her head.

“Nope, didn’t feel anything.” Anna nodded. She stood still for a moment then exhaled.

“The others are on their way.” She looked towards the trees and it was a moment before the rest of the team appeared. Trevor watched Tikimune drop from Sonar’s back and turn to her dragon form. Trevor inhaled when he spotted what little was left of Tikimune’s missing wing. Possibly a few inches of the bone was left. Trevor could only imagine how painful it was when she lost it.

Tikimune caught him looking and gently smiled at him, jerking her head towards Anna. Trevor flinched slightly and looked to the team’s leader. Anna stood in front of the portal with Deathbore by her side.

“The Underworld is an unforgiving place, do not underestimate anything past this portal,” Deathbore started.

“Listen to any directions Deathbore gives, he’s our only chance of surviving. Are we ready?” Anna asked. The Special Needs Dragons and the Compass Boys nodded without hesitation. She nodded once before looking to Trevor and his siblings. “Are you four ready? This is what it is to be on the team. Face dangers that could very well kill you, but you face them head on. We’re a team, you never face something alone.” Everyone looked to the siblings and Trevor looked among everyone. He exhaled and looked between his siblings who nodded to him. Trevor stepped forward and stood tall.

“We’re ready, Anna,” Trevor announced and Anna nodded.

“Then let’s go.” She looked to Deathbore and he nodded, turning to the portal and stepping in. The portal flashed and he was gone. Anna jumped in after him. One by one the rest of the team went in, leaving the siblings left. Aya went in first, then David. Trevor looked to Brenda who nodded and stepped in.

Trevor stared at the portal before him before inhaling and launching himself in.