The Battle of the Water Dragon Stronghold - Dragon Knights #20 - A Bedtime Story

0:04 He Hello friends from across the nation and around the world, by Martin and you are listening to Dad's Bedtime Stories. Tonight, we're jumping back into the Dragon Knight's universe because well because I eventually want to finish the Dragon Knight's arc and honestly turned it into a novel of some kind.

0:25 Today's episode will continue the story ideas brought to us by Grayson and Millie. Grayson originally suggested that we sort of take on the Fire Dragon generals one at a time, and Milly suggested the story of Splash the Water Dragon General, and we're kind of continuing with that today. Now, if you like the series and you really want to get a suggestion or a voice clip on Dad's Bedtime Stories, I'm going to give you a couple of hints of the kind of stories I'm looking for right now, so get ready to take notes. One, I am actively seeking ideas on the rest of the generals, you know, the Rock or Earth one, the Air one we would need, and of course the Nature one, because I want to do a backstory for all of them, just like I

1:19 did for the Fire Dragon General and the Water Dragon General. So making a suggestion along those lines gives you, you know, a better chance of getting your suggestion, accept it. And if you're looking for other things to suggest from the Cards of Power, for example, I still really need a bunch of suggestions for opponents, opponents and their magical creatures for the Deity Level tournament, So I'm looking for both of those more than anything else right now, as I still have quite a few ideas in most other series.

1:53 Before we get started, I just want to give a couple big shout outs. First of all, thank you to the comment club on Spotify. A bunch of people have decided to become part of a comment club on Spotify, and I said that they had to follow some specific rules. Number one, no giving out personal identifiable information. If you are commenting on the show or commenting anywhere on the Internet, please remember that you do not know who the other people are who are reading those comments, so don't tell them anything about yourself that should be private, like your name or address that should never go on there. And if you have any questions, you should ask your adults, which is number two. Your parents should always know you're

2:39 commenting on things, so parents, you might want to check your Spotify comments just to make sure you know that you or your account has been commenting on things. And three, be nice to everyone. I really love the comments that I get on Spotify. I really really appreciate them. But I just think everybody needs to remember those important rules.

3:01 So I'd really appreciate it if you keep those in mind, and thank you again for commenting. Last, I just want to shout out Will. Will has sent me a few comments about ads. She's been hearing and giving me some advice on those ads, and I want everyone to know I take that advice really seriously. I'm not even really a big fan of ads, to be honest with you, but there's two ways to fund the podcast. One is by joining Patreon and you get ad for your stuff there, and the other is to put up with a few ads because they pay us. And the other thing is that these ads that you get are kind of different depending on where you live. So these are not ads that I pick specifically to put in the podcast. They're

3:43 kind of automatically inserted ads by my hosting company. I've done a lot of work to block certain types of ads and things like that, especially based on some comments I've gotten. Thank you for those, by the way, but I can't really control the individual ads, so I'm not getting the same as you get when I listen. Sort of strange that way. Anyways, it's that time again. Time to get as comfy as you can in that bed, close your eyes, and imagine yourself doing what the kid in the story does. Now, since I only do one of these episodes every few weeks or so, I think a little recap is maybe necessary. At this point in the story, you, the main character and the writer of Ellie the Elemental Dragon, have met a bunch of new

4:40 dragon writer friends, including August, the Dragon King's daughter, who not only rides an elemental dragon herself, but also taught you the power to reverse the control spell, the very spell that the Dragon King used to take over all of the dragons in the first place, and now you're on a mission to free them all. You started by taking over the Fire Dragon Kingdom, and now it's time to move on. In the last episode, we learned about Splash and her dragon Ice Thorn, the Water Dragon General, and how she came to be in power amongst the water Dragons, which will come into play today too. But today we start things off in the fire Dragon zone, surrounded by volcanoes and ash and in fact the birthplace

5:52 of Ash and Cinder. Your companion and his fire dragon find yourself surrounded by the other dragon knights along with their dragons, in the middle of a conversation on exactly what you should do next. When my father took over the kingdom, the next place he went after was the water dragons, August explains, I think that's the next place we should go too. Yeah, that's probably a good idea.

6:31 Do you think we can take them? Well, yeah, August says, with all of the dragons we've freed now from the Fire Nation and the others we've freed over the past days, we should be able to take them in a battle. Only well, it'll probably be a pretty bad one, huh. I wonder if they're anything we can do to lower the risks or slow things down at all. You respond, maybe there's like a weakness or something, or you know, like when we took over the fire Dragon area, maybe there's some dragons we can sneak in and free. That's probably a good idea. Maybe you and I should go in first, using our invisibility, check the place out and see if there's anything we can do. At the same time, the others can wait nearby just in case. And with

7:43 that the plan is settled. And after a short ride under the cover of darkness, of course, you find yourself staring from a distance at the water Dragon Stronghold, rising out of the cliffs like a frozen crown. Even from a distance, it looks powerful and well cold. Honestly, it looks very very cold. You croach with the others inside a little shelter of stone, ice, moss and roots that Bennett, Bethy, Jewels and the dragons helped make, and the cliffs overlooking the fortress. You spend some time going over the plan once again, just to make sure everyone's on the same page.

8:33 You and August, under the cover of invisibility, will sneak into the stronghold. Ellie and Eliara, your elemental dragons, also under the cover of invisibility, will wait outside, watching and ready to help. The rest of the dragon Knights will stay behind. Bethy and Luna, Jewels and Vine, Bennett and Granted, James and Whisper, Connor and bolt, Ash and Cinder, Curtis and Phoenix, and even many of the newly freed fired Dragons and their new true riders along with some of the other types of dragons you freed along the way.

9:19 Some fire dragons were left, of course, to protect the fire Dragon stronghold, but you brought a veritable army with you, and right now they were all tucked away as quietly as possible, making as little noise as possible. On a mountain not too far from the water stronghold, you climb onto Ellie's back, while August climbs onto Eliarus. The two elemental dragons shimmer, and soon you both disappear, becoming completely invisible.

9:59 The two dragons leap from the cliff and glide through the dark, icy air. You on top of one of them. You sweep over the sea, past the outer patrols, between two towers of pale blue ice. Up close, the stronghold is even more impressive and even more cold looking. The walls are made not just of ice, but of layers of frozen waves, as if the sea itself was told to well create part of the fortress. Eventually, Ellie and Eliara land softly on a high outer ledge just below the topmost tower. All right, you two wait here, August whispers to the dragons. Eliara dips her head. We will be ready. You and August coat yourself in your own invisibility magic and slip through an opening in the wall and into the fortress. Inside, everything gleams, The floors shine

11:12 like polished glass. The walls are cold blue ice veined with white, and torches with pale fire in some sort of scances glow in the hallways. You move carefully through the halls, being careful not to even make any footsteps sounds. You decide it's probably better to sort of float and glide. You take a deep breath, focus on the power of wind within you, and lift yourself gently off of the ground.

11:51 You glide through the halls like a breeze, and you listen. I heard the fire region when quiet, one of the guards mutters, keep your voice down, says the other. I'm serious. Something's wrong, everything's wrong lately. You and August exchange a glance that well, only two people with elemental powers can actually see. The higher you climb, the quieter the fortress becomes, fewer guards, larger rooms, until at last August stops beside a set of massive doors made of ice and carved with curling waves, or perhaps frozen in that shape in the first place. This should be it, she whispers. The water Dragon General's room. If there's any secrets, this is where we'll find them. The room is absolutely massive, and

13:01 at the center of the chamber stands a huge water dragon covered in pale blue scales and long icy spines, ice Thorn, and beside him stands the water Dragon General Splash. She's not wearing a helmet. She stands with one hand resting against ice Thorn's neck, looking out towards the sea below. You simply watch, and eventually, very quietly, she begins to speak.

13:41 I heard the rumors today, she says. They say the true dragon Knight's a back Thorn. Ice Thorn, of course, does not answer. Splash gives a sad little laugh. Oh, probably the worst in the world to tell rumors to. I don't even know if I believe it, she says, but I want to. I wish we had a real bond ice Thorn. I know what this is. I know what I did. I never would have accepted the control spell if I'd seen any other way, she swallows. I just couldn't let them hand you to someone else. I couldn't let some stranger sit on your back and pretend they knew you pretend they understood you. I've done bad things in this fortress. I know that, maybe too many.

14:48 But if there's a way to put even one thing right, I would do it. You look at August, and August looks at you again, and in only a way that two elemental powered people could both of you nod understanding without well even speaking. There is a way, you say. Splash spins instantly, drawing or blade. Who's there. August appears beside you, easy, Splash stars the Princess. August winces a little.

15:33 I don't barely use that title anymore. Splash his eyes narrow. If you're here, then this is already over, not unless you help us. You say, help you do what? August steps forward? Free him? Splash freezes you. You can free him, yes, August says, But once I begin, there's no pretending after that, there's no hiding from what side you're on. And to be honest, I don't know how he's gonna feel about you, someone who kept him under a control spell for so long.

16:24 Splash looks at ice Thorn and then back at August. Then I suppose it's time. If you can free him, I'm ready to suffer the consequences. All right, August says, this may feel a little strange, And with that, August's eyes change as she reaches out with her mind for the control spell and snaps it into Immediately, the look in ice Thorne's eyes change. Sh Splash takes a step forward, trembling.

17:04 Ice Thorn the dragon lifts its head slowly. When he speaks, his voice is deep and gentle and well tired, all at the same time. Hello, little one, I am so sorry, she blurts out. I never would have done this. Ice Thorn simply lowers his head.

17:30 I know.

17:33 I should have found another way. I know, Ice Thorn says again. I could not answer, I could not stop it, but I saw everything. Splash puts a shaking hand against his snout. I only took the false Bawn, so no one else would. I know why you did it, is Thorn says, and I thank you for it. He lifts his head, looking to you, in August. Now it is time to do what we can to bring back true order.

18:22 I feel my brethren near by. Splash wipes her eyes. Then tell me, tell me what to do. Is Thorn's gaze softens. First, we do things properly, He turns fully to order Splash, if you still wish it, I choose you, and with that light bursts between the two of them. Blue white energy surges from ice Thorn's chest and into splashes.

19:06 The whole room glows with it. Water rises from the bowls and channels and little decorative streams in the chamber, and energy appears around Splash, forming itself into gleaming armor water dragon knight armour. A sword forms at her side, A shield unfolds along her arm like flowing ice. Splash gasps this. This is what it's supposed to feel like. Yes, says ice Thorn. He nudges her gently with his great head.

19:52 It's time to make your mother proud. You take a breath, okay, h saying, very emotional. We probably need to get on with things, though. Splash nods, composing herself right. You quickly explain the plan that the others are waiting, That your goal is to weaken things from the inside as much as possible in order to make the battle as less destructive as possible. Well, if our goal is to free as many dragons as we can before, well before we have to attack, then I believe I should start by calling my five top commanders here, you too can wait in the shadows and hell break the bond. Once they're in here, then we can freeze their riders in place.

20:54 And well, if there's time, I can call more of the soldiers. The more we can free before the battle starts, the better. That is a wise plan, ice Thorn says, call them. You look at August, and at once you both disappear again. Well, Splash heads outside to find the commanders, and ice Thorn takes on his best I'm totally a controlled dragon look that he possibly can. It doesn't take long.

21:37 One by one, each of the five commanders arrives in the large chamber, along with their very own dragon. General. One says, what is this about rumors, Splash says, coldly, weakness in the fire region, strange movement in the sky. I want readiness at this hour. Another asks at every hour, Splash says, glancing over at you in August, though, of course unable to see you. They break into a bit of an argument, and well they do. You reach out one by one to each of their minds, each of their dragons minds. Well, August does the same, and one by one you cut the strings pulling them free of the control curse. The dragons begin blinking, looking around in confusion, and just as August snips the last of the command spells.

22:52 One of the commander's frowns, why is my dragon not responding? Ice Thorn and steps forward into the doorway because he no longer belongs to your will. He slams a claw against the floor. Water bursts upward out of the ice, surrounds the commanders and freezes them in place. What have you done, one of the masks. What I should have done long ago? Splash answers, and then a soldier appears in the doorway behind the commanders. He sees the trapped officers, the confused dragons splash wearing dragon knight armor, and his eyes go wide. The general has betrayed us, he yells and runs. We're under attack. For a split second, the newly freed dragons look uncertain. Ice Thorn strides forward into the balcony. What a dragon's hear me? The chains are breaking.

24:12 For too long, we have been used as weapons by those who do not know us, do not love us, and do not deserve us. Below, alarms begin sounding through the fortress, and soldiers begin running to their dragons to day that ends. Ice Thorn continues fight with us. Now, and when this fortress is free, we will do what should have been done long ago. We will find our true bonds. We will bring back the glory of the true dragon knights. One of the newly freed dragons lowers his head, staring at the commander who had ridden him. Then, to everyone's surprise, he says, I believe I have already found mine. You blink, Wait him, you say, realizing that you have in fact remained invisible the entire time, you allow yourself to appear again. And while the dragons look

25:32 slightly shocked, they've seen the powers of elementals before and recognize your armor. Yes him. The rider stares back in disbelief, his lower body still completely frozen in ice. While I was chained, he still treated me with kindness whenever he could. He fed me before himself, He cooled my wounds. He never struck me when others would have, and he did what he could to save others. The rider swallows hard.

26:14 I never wanted any of this, I know, says the dragon, and a beam of blue light shoots between them. Dragon armor surges into being around the rider, almost immediately, as the ice melts around him. He looks down at his armored hands and shock, what's happening. The dragon steps beside him proudly. What should have happened from the beginning. You are a dragon knight. You've served the dragon king, but your heart is pure. Now it is time you stood on the right side things. It is time we both did.

27:04 Climb on my back, young one. The dragon orders and the soldier obeys, climbing on top. You reach through your bond to Ellie, Now, you say in your head. The outer walls shimmers. Ellie and Eli Yara appear out of nowhere and smash into the first wave of rising dragons. The battle begins all at once. At the same time, you and August take to the air and fly out of the water dragon General's chambers, followed by ace Thorn Splash, and the newly freed dragons, one of which is already found a new rider. Of course, the battle begins all at once. Water tears out of the channels and the wall ice bridges crack towers throw frozen shards into the sky. Splash.

28:07 An ice Thorn command the fortress better than any of the enemy riders could sending walls of water upward and freezing them into shields, then ice, spikes, and spears. You fly on to Ellie's back as she dives through the chaos above the stronghold. The rest of your dragon army finally arrives. Bethy and Luna sweep in on a surge of water and ice. James and Whisper blast across the sky with a sonic boom that rattles the towers. Conner and Bold crackle with lightning. Bennett and Granite rise from the cliffs below on spinning disks of stone, Jewels and vines, send vines erupting through the cracks and the frozen walls.

28:58 Ash and Cinder arrive with the freed fire dragons behind them, and suddenly red orange flame rains across the fortress, melting great sections of enemy defenses into clouds of steam. The whole sky becomes water, fire, stone, lightning, wind, and ice. You and Elly cut through the middle of it. A controlled dragon blasts ice toward you. You twist sees the frozen stream with your mind and whip it around at another rider. Connors lightning blasts a second rider clean off his saddle. Bennett wraps a third in rock. Bethy yanks one from the sky with a ribbon of water. August and Eliara move through the battle, freeing dragons one by one, and each newly freed dragon turns on the fire immediately.

30:02 It probably helps that none of the water dragons have a commander to give orders, and they all attack in well a fairly chaotic and unplanned manner. It doesn't take long for the fortress to start falling apart, but still you see one rider break free. You spot them below, racing from the fortress on a water dragon, the same soldier who raised the alarm, perhaps attempting to warn others that's not gonna happen. You say, oh, wonderful, Ellie replies, I was sort of getting bored. She tucks in her wings.

30:51 The wind howls around you as she accelerates faster and faster, so fast the air itself explodes around you with a thunderous crack. Moving with the speed of an air dragon, you catch up in no time. You leap off the dragon, taking to the air. The fleeing rider glances back just in time to see you flying through the air without a dragon beneath you. He panics and points his dragon turns and unleashes a blast of ice breaths straight at you.

31:28 You grab it with your mind. The frozen stream whips around your body in a spinning spiral. Then you snap both hands forward and send it right back. The rider is struck full in the chest, frozen solid, and hurled off the dragon's back. Ellie dives below him and snatches him out of the air with her talons. Very nice, she says. You fly over to the newly freed water Dragon, who is now mindlessly gliding toward the ground. You sit on his back and grab a hold of the connection using your mind, and with a thought, you snap it apart.

32:17 The dragon shutters, what what happened? It asks? You're free? You say, that's the important bit. Now follow us back to the stronghold. You jump off of the dragon's back, taking to the air once again. Ellie follows behind, and the newly freed water Dragon decides to go along with things. By the time you return, the battle is already over.

32:52 The last loyal soldiers of the Dragon King are being locked up and reinforced chambers of ice, stone or even vines, but not all of the fortress's people are treated the same splash, stands on a high balcony beside ace Thorn and addresses the survivors below. Those still loyal to the dragon king will be locked up. She says, I have lived among you for long enough to know who those probably are. But those willing to lay down their weapons will be given a choice. This fortress will not be ruled by fear again. I have chosen another path, and you are all free to choose with me. All across the stronghold, the people cheer, not the soldiers so much, but the others, the servants, the workers, the helpers, the

34:00 people who really made the fortress go but didn't ride atop dragons, And all across the stronghold freed water dragons begin to find their new true riders. Some choose servants, Some choose fishermen and workers from the water village below. Some choose children of the fortress. Some even choose soldiers that well apparently actually had good hearts, the ones who had done what little kindness they could well trapped in the wrong world. Beside you, Bethy smiles, look at them, August nods. They're finding who they were always meant to be.

34:53 You look over at the fortress over at the sea, over the dragons landing on tower and bridges, now with clear eyes, and in many cases brand new dragon riders with fire and water now on your side. The dragon King's world suddenly seems a lot smaller than it used to be, and for once, defeating him starts to feel very, very possible. But for now you are feeling very very tired.

35:37 H Splash, is there anywhere we could, you know, have a little sleep in this place? You ask? Why? Of course, I will lead you to some chambers that would be perfect for that. You follow Splash to a section of the fortress that has not yet been destroyed, with a whole bunch of rooms and large balconies outside for well presumably dragons to wait at while their soldiers sleep. These are the soldiers' rooms. They're not very big, but I believe they will suffice. You enter one of the frozen bedrooms and climb into a bed in the center of it, and surprisingly comfortable and warm for a fortress surrounded by ice.

36:35 You pull the warm covers up to your chin, look over at all who curls up outside the door, and allow your eyes to close. With each breath, your muscles begin to relax, you let go of all of the tension in your arms, your legs, your shoulders, your back, and you even let your face sort of relax into a kind of half smile. With each breath, you sink down deeper and deeper into the mattress, and the more you breathe, the better you feel, and the better you feel, the more relaxed you become, until your mind finally begins to wander off to thoughts of new dreams, new adventures, and well new battles to come. Good night, everyone in.

39:25 New York. M no more union, no no thing, no more.

44:35 Never mo M M.

48:00 One one man

50:00 At