Th-Th-The Rift is back?! I thought we were done with it after befriending the future Divines of Mount Dragolympus!
Not so, son of mine! Do you remember the Pangu Dragon, from your adventure with Arya on the Island of New Beginnings?
You mean the super powerful Divine Dragon that shaped the earth and heavens with a swing of its tail?!
*GULP*
That's right! It appears this very dragon had a hand-- er, claw -- in opening the Rift again. Or, at least, a dragon that looks quite like it...
The whole thing bears further investigation -- from courageous adventurers such as yourselves, of course!
*sigh* Here we are again. The scenery's a bit different, but that endless drop into the void of space-time sure hasn't changed...
It's like a whole new Rift to explore! I wonder what kind of dragons we'll meet this time around...?
Y-You won't have to wonder long, Arya -- look! I-I-It's the Erlang Shen Dragon! Hide me!
I've ALWAYS wanted to meet you again, Erlang Shen Dragon. Are you saying you'd like to travel with us? What an honor!
E-Eliza?! What are you doing here? And what in Dragolandia is THAT?!
Well "hello" to you too, brats! To answer your first question: This creature dragged me here and seems to be carrying out my every whim, no questions asked!
As to question number two: THIS is the Chrono Erlang Shen Dragon, and it's going to utterly DESTROY you!
ARGH! I thought for SURE I had you this time! J-Just give me a second to recuperate and I'll be back to FINALLY beat you!
Whew! What a battle! I wonder what that was all about, though... It's not every day you see a Divine Dragon totally getting along with a Viking.
It's unusual for sure. But we gotta remember, we have no idea what these Chrono Divines want, or who exactly they're allied with...
Cool! The Erlang Shen Dragon sniffed out a key! Say, can you show me one of your 72 transformations next?
M-Maybe we should just let it focus on leading us through here in one piece!
Wow! It's like a palace in space! Isn't it beautiful, Ned?
It's not nearly as beautiful as...*mumbling*...
What was that? Our dragon friend's looking at you funny -- it can see through lies, you know! Better watch what you say!
Huh? Don't tell me the Chang'e Dragon is on Eliza's side! I thought at least Divines from OUR time would defend us!
It must be some sort of misunderstanding. Nothing a good battle can't clear up!
I'll ALWAYS be mystified by that logic of yours. Anyway, let's go, Chang'e Dragon! There's extra treats in it for you if we win!
Hmph. Looks like you're only getting the NORMAL amount of treats today, Chang'e Dragon.
Nooooo! Eliza, you're too cruel!
Oh please. Look how happy the Chang'e Dragon is just being around me! And before you say anything: No, I don't get it either!
Where to next, Erlang Shen Dragon? Are you going to lead us to Eliza again? It seems like a lot of your friends are on her side -- even YOU from the future!
I keep wracking my mind to figure out why that is... If I could just... Oof!
Ned, you're a genius! You've tripped right over the key we need to keep exploring the Rift!
Whew, it's hot in here. How is that possible? Isn't space supposed to be cold?
Oh, you feel it too? I thought it was just my wild fighting spirit. Sometimes it really heats me up!
Sometimes I wonder how exactly I ended up with such a big crush on-- I mean... I hope we, uh, crush Eliza...!!!
Ah-ha! That explains the heat! Eliza's got her hands on a rare Furnace Dragon!
I-I guess all kinds of dragons have gotten lost -- or stuck -- in this Rift... I can't WAIT to get out of here!
I don't care how they got here, as long as they keep obeying ME! Hehe -- this is great!
Hmph! Fine! Go cool down, Furnace Dragon... You three haven't beaten me yet! I'll kick you out and rule over this Rift!
E-Eliza, I don't think that's such a good idea... We don't know enough about this place to--
Be quiet, Neddy! Go follow your little girlfriend and useless dragon while I rule the Rift!
Eliza! That was super rude and-- Aw, hey, don't cry, Ned!
All this power sure is going to Eliza's head. It's making her into a big jerk! I thought we were sorta becoming friends...
Sorry, Arya. I guess she's still a Viking at heart... But there's gotta be a bigger reason why all these Rift dragons are on her team...
In the meantime, our Erlang Shen Dragon pal's found another key! Way to go!
Whoa! To think I called that OTHER part of the Rift a palace...! THIS part's like a... a mega-palace! Do the future Divines get to hang out here all the time?
I suppose so -- but I bet they liked it way better when it wasn't all broken and stuck in a Rift...
I wonder what the Erlang Shen Dragon thinks of all this. Poor thing -- I hope it's not too stressed out!
Uh-oh -- the Erlang Shen Dragon's getting really steamed!
Of course it is! Its future self is here to teach it a lesson!
The only one who needs a lesson here is you, Eliza!
No! Chrono Erlang Shen! Ugh, you won't be so lucky next time. You'll NEVER believe who else I've got on my side!
Try me! I'll believe ANYTHING!
*sigh* Arya...
I'm worried, Arya... If Eliza has all these Chrono Divines on her side, that kind of power is nothing to toy around with...
Sure, but WE'VE got the original Erlang Shen Dragon, and I hear it can cut mountains in half! Isn't that right, buddy?
I guess it can find keys, too! It pays to have multiple talents...
Hey Ned, if Eliza really does manage to kick us out of here, what do you think will happen to her?
Well, that's the problem. The dragons and their lands are all displaced and jumbled up in here.
If the Rift closed with those dragons and Eliza inside, they could get stuck. Or Eliza could be tossed into the future...! All I know is, I've got a bad feeling.
Eliza, why don't you give this up? If you stay in the Rift with all these dragons, you might never be able to leave!
Quiet, Dragon Girl! I don't care! I finally have power! For once, I'm respected! I'll never give that up!
Now, Chrono Pangu Dragon, show these fools the power of a dragon who can rend earth from sky!
No! I don't believe this! I bet the Chrono Pangu held back because it recognized an old comrade...! But I've got one more ace up my sleeve. See ya, losers!
I have to admit, I kind of feel for Eliza...
Well I don't! I think she's powerful! I respect her plenty! Why can't she see that and stop acting like a big jerk?!
Hmph. You know what? I don't care if Eliza gets stuck here forever -- I just want to get the dragons safely out of the Rift!
Hehe. Arya, the Erlang Shen Dragon's looking at you funny. Could you be telling a lie?
N-No way! It just looks like that 'cuz it's found a key!
Ah! It's so bright! What's the ball of light, Ned? Or does the Erlang Shen Dragon know?
I'm not sure... But I think I might have figured out the answer to our OTHER problem. I'll know for sure when we find out what that "ace" up Eliza's sleeve is!
We're lucky you're so good at solving mysteries, Ned!
Meet the Chrono Nezha Dragon! It's one of the most devoted, most powerful dragons out there, and it's chosen ME as its master! NOW will you leave me alone?!
No! We're getting you AND all these dragons out of this crazy Rift!
You... are... so... annoying!
I... I really lost...?
Ah-ha! I knew it! I was worried about being right, but this might be the only explanation: See, the Nezha Dragon is the Taiyi Zhenren Dragon's disciple...
... During our time on the Island of New Beginnings, Eliza wanted to kidnap the Taiyi Zhenren Dragon, the ruler of the Island Divines...
What if, in the future she actually managed to do it?! Ack -- stop pushing me toward the exit, Erlang Shen Dragon! I want to see if I'm right!
There's something that doesn't sit right with me. If Eliza KIDNAPPED the Taiyi Zhenren Dragon in the future, how come the other dragons all WANT to obey her?
Wouldn't they be mad? Wait -- Eliza... maybe you TAMED the Taiyi Zhenren Dragon! These dragons aren't bad, and neither are you, Eliza!
N-No way...! Do you really think...? Could I really befriend such a powerful dragon...?
In any case, can't you come home with us? If you do, I bet all your dragon friends will follow. And... I'd rather you didn't get stuck in space-time.
I... I guess I owe it to them to take them out of danger. Fine. For now, let's go back to our own time...
I'm a little worried about the future after all this... but only the past is written in stone. Anything can happen -- for better or worse!
