A Dragon's Beginning (Transcript)

Lloyd: A Dragon's Beginning

(The Ninja all groan as they awaken)

Lloyd: What happened, everybody ok?

Cole: Ugh, I’ve felt better. My back is kinda sore.

Nya: The main question is: Where are we?

(The Ninja all look around at the scenery, a forest full of trees and various plantlife.)

Zane: It would appear that we’re in some sort of forest. I don’t know if it has a name or if it is just a random forest.

Kai: Uh, guys? Why do we all have four legs, and also wings?

Jay: (Runs over to a nearby lake to look at his reflection.) Woah. Hey, guys! Come check this out!

(The Ninja all run over to Jay.)

Cole: Uh, Jay, What are you looking at?

Jay: You’re never gonna believe this, but, We’re not Ninja anymore, guys! We’re DRAGONS!!! This is so cool!

Nya: Woah woah, Relax, Jay. Maybe you’re just seeing things. Besides, there’s no way we could just turn into dragons when we enter another realm.

Jay: Well, look at YOUR reflection and see for yourselves!

(The other Ninja do as told)

Kai: Oh my gosh, Jay’s right. We really are dragons. Awesome!

Cole: I’d put it more along the lines of “weird” than awesome, to be honest. Like, it’s not every day that we turn into different beings when we enter some other place. We didn’t become formlings when we visited the never-realm.

Lloyd: The thing i’m wanting to know is if we’re able to do Spinjitzu here or not.

Kai: Uhh… Let me try, NINJA-GO! (He successfully performs Spinjitzu, but topples over afterwards.) Yep, apparently we can, but it’s a little difficult now that we have tails and wings.

Lloyd: Well, that answers my question.

(The Ninja look back at each other confused. Nya then notices another hatchling dragon sitting by a sign.)

Nya: Hmm. Hey, guys, there’s another dragon over here. (She and the other ninja walk over to the hatchling.) Hi there, who might you be?

Hatchling Dragon: Greetings, my name is Spitfyre! You all must be a little confused, but I'm here to tell you that it is okay! Perfectly normal for your first visit to be disorienting. I can fill you in on everything!

Lloyd: Nice to meet you, Spitfyre! I’m Lloyd, and this is Jay, Kai, Cole, Zane, and Nya. The thing is, we’re actually ninja from a different realm. We just somehow managed to be transported here.

Spitfyre: I’ve never heard of a ninja before.

Jay: They’re basically masters of combat and stealth.

Zane: But, unlike any other ninja, I, Myself, am known as a Nindroid, or a robotic Ninja.

Kai: We possess special abilities known as elemental powers, and a martial art called “Spinjitzu”.

Spitfyre: Can i have a demonstration on what that martial art is?

Jay: I’ll show ya! Watch this, NINJA-GO! (He performs Spinjitzu.)

Spitfyre: Wow, what an amazing ability that is!

Cole: Yep, we all learned it many years ago!

Lloyd: Anyway, Is there anything around here that we should know?

Spitfyre: Well, let me explain myself. You are one of the Gifted, which means you have been granted the ability to be restored after death to a special shrine, such as the one you just woke up by. This also means that you just died, but have no fear. As one of the Gifted, death is only an annoyance, rather than the end.

Jay: So wait, if we die, we can be resurrected at this shrine over here?

Spitfyre: That is correct.

Zane: Huh, interesting. It seems that the people live differently in this realm than they do in Ninjago.

Spitfyre: You may feel a bit weak after dying, but it will go away soon enough! Later, once you've grown and become more experienced, a nice meal will help get rid of the weakness pretty quickly.

Lloyd: Wow. So, the more we grow, the slower it will be for us to recover from death.

Kai: Dragons here are much more interesting than the ones back in Ninjago, that's for sure.

Spitfyre: Right now, all of you and I are young, just hatchlings. We're smaller than most Dragons and we can't even fly. It is our birthright to soar the skies of Istaria! I have heard the others talk about how amazing it is to watch the mountains and waters pass beneath our wings, to feel the winds on our scales.

Cole: Flying sounds great right about now!

Spitfyre: I'm afraid now is not the time and you are not ready for that challenge. Soon, perhaps, but for now you must learn to fight and craft so that you will be ready when the time is right to ascend.

Kai: Ascend?

Zane: I guess that’s a dragon’s way of earning the gift of flight.

Nya: So, how do dragons here start their training?

Spitfyre: Well, firstly, you should go speak to my instructor, Karkath. He's a great teacher that can show you how to defend yourself, but do be mindful as he's been known to be a little... eccentric.

Lloyd: Ok, we’ll keep that in mind. Do you know where Karkath is?

Spitfyre: He is right behind me down the road into the volcanic area! Pass through the gate back there and he'll be to your left only a short few steps down the road.

Lloyd: Alright, Lets go, ninja! (They all start to make their way down to the volcanic area and meet up with Karkath.)

Karkath: Ah yes, hello! I’m your instructor for today! Well any day really, depends on how quickly you learn.

Nya: Hi, you must be Karkath, we’re the Ninja.

Karkath: I suppose Spitfyre sent you over here? She is a very helpful apprentice. Maybe someday she'll take over and train the new arrivals for me. But for now, I am the fighting instructor and I will teach you how to fight against the monsters you will encounter in your travels. Oh, one more thing before we get started.

(The ninja all look at Karkath curiously.)

Karkath: I bet Spitfyre forgot to explain to you where the Gift came from; she often does that in her excitement. So I'll enlighten you. Some time ago, when the races of Istaria had just about given up fighting against the hordes of undead - our enemies, the Withered Aegis - two members from a group known as the Eight Mages of Istaria performed a magical ritual called The Ritual of Life Everlasting. Originally it was designed as a means to bring arcane forces against blight that plagues our land, the Withered Aegis. The ritual was a failure, I suppose you could say, and did nothing to affect the power of Blight on the Prime. Instead, it changed the way of life for some randomly chosen citizens of Istaria.

Jay: Wow, quite the history this realm has.

Karkath: Some of us have been granted with the gift of virtual immortality. Although not all of us were affected by this change, there was enough Gifted to start a turn in the tide in the Withered Aegis. You, Dragon, are one of these chosen few; that is why you have woken up here. You experienced your first death and thus your body and soul reappeared here, as all Dragon Gifted do after their first death. I am the first of many to have the honor to train you!

Zane: It’s a pleasure to have you as our instructor, Karkath. So, what do you want us to do first?

Karkath: For your first mission I'm sending you out to kill a single Skalkaar Grulet. You can find them nearby Spitfyre; make sure to speak to her! She'll explain the basic attacks to you.

Kai: Grulets? Are they those weird looking pig guys that we saw earlier?

Zane: That is correct, Kai.

Karkath: Oh, here, take these journals with you, I've already recorded my quest for you in them, so if you get lost or confused you can just read what was last written. (He gives a journal to each of the ninja.)

Lloyd: This will definitely be of good use, thanks! (To the other Ninja) We should go and talk to Spitfyre like Karkath told us. Shall we?

Cole: Sounds like a plan to me, Lloyd.

(Scene transitions to the Ninja walking towards Spitfyre in the forest.)

(End of episode, for more information click here.)