The throne room at Egberun Castle is packed. The queen, who is in charge, is Gleti. Her husband Xevioso is the king. They are surrounded by council men and women in black robes and knights who wear anachronistic futuristic armor made of a strange metal, ceek. Otherwise, the setting is medieval. All the villagers, royals and knights are Black. Legba, the voice of the throne, stands before the court.
Gleti calls on Legba to speak the creed and he recites the mythology of Mawu creating the world and the people and the technology that keeps them safe from their enemies.
Gu, leader of the knights, pulls out a glowing starsword and the court kneels before the king, queen and Ayaba, their daughter. Gu shoots a blast of energy from the starsword and destroys a large boulder. Knights gather the pieces of the boulder and carry them out of the throne room. The ceremony ends and Legba turns the court back over to Gleti.
Gleti asks what Gu has learned since they last met. Gu tells them that the village's defenses are strong. A group of people called the Dogbari have made several incursions but have been easily repelled. Gu believes an invasion is coming. Xevioso is confident that their defenses will stand, but Gleti is less so. Gu says his spies suggest that the Dogbari may be tunneling underground to reach them. Gleti says they will be prepared.
Ayaba steps forward, saying she has an idea. Legba defers to her as the future queen. She says that she not only has learned everything Legba wanted her to study, she has studied apocryphal texts as well. Legba is offended, but Ayaba waves him off. Xevioso is amused. Ayaba says there are legends, but Gleti warns her not to waste the court's time. Ayaba says the legends are true and she's seen fires among the seven castles, which are supposed to be empty.
Gleti asks if Ayaba broke the law and visited the castles alone? Ayaba says she's never broken her mother's rules but she knows that the dragon is real. Legba and the audience are shocked. They don't believe her. Xevioso quiets them and says they shall listen to Ayaba. Gleti questions whether it is the best use of their time. Xevioso reminds them that dragons are servants of Mawu and their protectors. They will investigate the castles. Gleti orders Gu to prepare a party. The royal family leaves the court.
Outside, Egberun Castle is a technical marvel made of ceek metal. Surrounding the castle is a lively village. The village sits in a valley below a plateau that is home seven castles. Beyond the castles is an impassible mountain range. Egberun is mostly isolated from the rest of the world.
Gu and Legba lead the royal party through the village and the crowd parts. Ayaba is excited, this adventure will qualify as her lifequest, a prerequisite for joining the council. Her friend Zinsu is working on a new invention, which will help her get on the council. Agasu catches up to them. She is 200 pounds and very strong. She is dressed like the knights. Zinsu's latest invention turns music into energy, but it doesn't work yet. Perdita joins the group and she makes fun of Zinsu. They break into song and then laughter. Gleti quiets them. Radin joins the group, it's only boy. He's a little older than the girls. He asks Perdita how she's going to make the council. She says she's going to score perfectly on the Inquisition. Radin asks her which inquisition and she replies that she's going to do perfect on all of them. Ayaba says she's also going to score perfectly on the history Inquisition. Agasu makes fun of her for never getting her nose out of the history books. The party moves towards Gbadu forest.
As they approach the forest, Gu calls forward two scouts, Cal and Zek. He sends them ahead to check the forest for any surprises. Ayaba asks why they are stopping. Xevioso says that times are dangerous and caution is a virtue. Gleti asks for Xevioso and Gu to go over the plan again.
Perdita asks how long they have to wait. Agasu asks where a side road goes. Ayaba says her aunts live down that road. Sakpata, Ayaba's brother, arrives and says that everyone knows what she is doing. None of Ayaba's friends like Sakpata and they let him know. Sakpata says this whole dragon quest is for show. Radin tells Sakpata it's time for him to go. Sakpata leaves, laughing at them.
Agasu tells Ayaba they believe her. The others are slow to confirm their support, but they do. Ayaba walks towards the forest. Agasu chides them for not supporting Ayaba enthusiastically.
Ayaba stares into the forest and she sees the eyes of some invisible creature open. Then it comes into view, it is Buluku a small flying creature. It says hi and tells her Aido is awake. The digging woke her. It continues to tell her that one is either friends or enemies with a dragon. The creature flies back into the forest. Ayaba calls after it, but it's gone. She runs and catches up with the rest of the royal party. Seconds later, Sakpata emerges from the forest on the opposite side of the forest. It stares after the Buluku.
The party approaches Castle Fa. Gu and the knights search the castle, but don't find anything. Nothing lives in the castle except pests. Ayaba says maybe they have the wrong castle? Xevioso agrees. Ayaba's friends support her while Sakpata gets in a little jab. He's already passed all the inquisitions and his place on the council is within his grasp. He walks away leaving them shocked.
The party approaches Castle Da, which is made of black rock filled with holes. The knights have already searched the castle for safety. Moments later, they stand in the empty throne room in another empty castle. Gleti grows impatient, but Xevioso says they'll try one more castle. Zinsu checks with Ayaba, making sure she saw a dragon in the castles. Perdita also has doubts and Ayaba walks away. Agasu chides the other younger girls for not supporting Ayaba. Perdita doesn't understand what she did wrong and is left staring after the others. As she goes to catch up, she spots a silver dragon coin on the ground and she pockets it.
The party arrives at Castle Jo and Gu leads the knights inside. Gleti is upset that this castle is empty, too. Even Xevioso doesn't defend Ayaba this time. She turns and leaves, the party follows.
Ayaba is sad and her father comforts her. He tells her that he believes her and suggests that Ayaba might explore the other castles himself. But it's a secret. He leaves. She runs to catch up with her friends and tells them she has an idea.
Back at Egberun Castle, the adults discuss the invasion and plans to defend the valley. Gu concludes that there was no evidence of a dragon presence in the castle. Gu says they have six full suits of advanced knight armor.
Legba steps forward to question Ayaba's fitness for the council. Gleti agrees she has completed the necessary requirements and must only pass the inquisition. Xevioso says shes the most qualified person to fill the position.
Legba says there is another candidate, Xevioso's son. The king denies he has a son. Gleti clarifies that Sakpata is the son in question. Legba points out that Sakpata, despite being an outsider, is an adopted son of Egberun. Legba says the law makes no exclusions for foreigners. Legba pushes hard, but Gleti only says there are questions to discuss, but they aren't pressing business, so they need to focus on more important matters.
In her chamber, Ayaba explains the plan. Zinsu and Radin aren't certain, but everybody is on board. Ayaba says they're going to keep looking for the dragon, starting with the fourth castle. Perdita is the member of the friend group with the most factual knowledge. They're going to start the search right after school.
Okanu, one of Ayaba's aunts, teaches the students in a classroom. She's discussing magic and the fact that there's little evidence to support the idea that magic is real. The kids want to believe in magic. She tells them that the reality is that it's hard to prove the existence of magic to those who can't use it. Sakpata is rude about Ayaba, but Radin insults him back.
Okanu tells them the story of four girls who went in search of dragons. They were certain that they would find a dragon in the mountains. They searched, but couldn't find the dragon. Three of the girls wanted to keep searching. The skeptical girl turned and went home and the others had no choice but to follow. That's the closest anyone from Egberun ever came to finding a dragon.
Ayaba stays after class and asks why her mother stopped looking for the dragon. Okanu compliments how smart Ayaba is for figuring that out. Okanu says her mother was once the adventurous over-achiever that Ayaba is, but she changed on the trip to find the dragon. She focused on work and worked her way up to queen. Ayaba is afraid of turning out as unhappy and rigid as she is. Okanu and others who kept their imaginations left the council to keep their freedom and chances at happiness.
Ayaba and her friends walk down a forest path. They are going to visit Ayaba's aunts, Okanu's sisters. Ayaba hears something in the bushes, but the others are skeptical. Ayaba looks closer, and out comes a knifeback, a large boar-like animal. It knocks Ayaba to the ground and heads towards the others, who run. Agasu hunkers down to face the beast. It rushes her and she sidesteps it, grabbing ahold of the ridges on its back as she goes by. She takes the beast down in front of Ayaba. Ayaba slaps the knifeback on its hind quarters and it runs back into the forest.
The knifeback knocks into the invisible Buluku, revealing the creature to the other kids. Deeper in the forest, the knifebacks comes upon Sakpata, but he scares it off while staying hidden. The Buluku checks out each of the kids and asks them if they are off to see the dragon. It warns that dragons never live alone. They are protected by a guardian and you have to give the guardian a coin. The Buluku flits away and comes across Sakpata. The Buluku talks to him, but he runs away.
Okanu leads them to the Weird Hut, where she lives with her sisters Sogbo and Agadja. Sogbo hugs the girls. Agadja makes fun of the city's formalities. Okanu asks them why they came today. Ayaba says dragons, which makes her friends uncomfortable, but not her aunts. Ayaba asks how to catch a dragon. Sogbo finds a scroll that has instructions. Sakpata eavesdrops on them from outside. The sisters say they researched dragons extensively in the royal library. They also learned from a traveling scribe. The aunts give the scroll to Ayaba. Zinsu and Radin are wary, the others are elated.
The group enters Ayaba's chamber. Ayaba says she knows they can do it. Clearly there is a dragon. Zinsu complains that the source is her weird aunts. Agasu chimes in that the aunt is a good teacher, too. Perdita says she IS weird, but backs down when Ayaba challenges her. Radin piles on, but Agasu punches him in the shoulder. The whole gang seems to pile on, questioning the fact that Ayaba's mother doesn't talk to her sisters.
Ayaba pulls out the scroll with the directions on finding the dragon. Zinsu thinks it might be a fake, but backs down. The scroll says there will be a protective spell outside the dragon's home. A guardian spell and the only way past it is to give the guardian the gift of a dragon coin. Perdita has the coin. Ayaba snatches it away from her to check it out. Perdita is upset, but she buries it. She says she found the coin in Castle Da. Perdita tries to retrieve the coin from Ayaba, but Ayaba sidesteps and keeps examining it. Ayaba is convinced the coin is how they get to the dragon.
Ayaba walks into the throne room of Egberun castle. Xevioso sits on his throne, reading a book. Gleti stands next to Legba at a table looking over a map. They ignore her until she clears her throat. Xevioso asks to what they owe this pleasure. Gleti ignores her. Xevioso gives her his full attention. She asks if she can go to the rest of the castles. Gleti finally pays attention. Legba asks why she would want to do that and Gleti concurs. Ayaba says she wants to look for the dragon. Legba is contemptuous and turns back to the map. Gleti says no. She tells Ayaba to stop with the kid games and prepare for battle. Ayaba wants to continue fighting, but Xevioso cautions her. Gleti tells Ayaba to go to her room and stay there. Legba is pleased.
Sakpata sits at a desk in his chamber, writing on parchment. Someone knocks at the door and he panics. He hides the parchment in his desk. It's Legba at the door and Sakpata is relieved. Sakpata lets him in, making sure not to be seen. The two of them place their amulets on the table and they transform.
Sakpata is a man in his early 30s. Legba is now a woman in her late 20s, she's taller than Sakpata. They embrace and kiss. Legba asks if Sakpata has finished his message home. Sakpata says not yet. He reveals that the dragon is real. Legba doesn't believe it. Sakpata says the old weird jungle ladies saw it. So did the queen. Legba laughs and says taking the valley will be easy. Their brothers and sisters, the Dogbari, will remain unbeaten in combat. Sakpata finishes writing on the scroll. Legba brings him the bat, ties the scroll to the bat's leg and sends it home through the night air.
Everyone stands around Ayaba's bed, wearing backpacks. Ayaba asks if they're always ready. Zinsu isn't, Agasu is. Radin asks if she's going to obey her parents. Ayaba says her father all but told her to go. Perdita asks if they're going to get in trouble. Ayaba says no, they're all getting ready for the Dogbari. Radin and Zinsu don't want to go, but they reluctantly do.
Ayaba leads the group quietly down the hallway. They stop before the entrance to the throne room so the adults don't spot them. She says they need a distraction. Zinsu is the only one who can do it, who says she needs to talk to Legba about her latest invention anyway. Zinsu goes in.
Zinsu tells the queen she has something Gleti needs to see. A new invention that has interactions with ceek that are interesting. While she talks to the queen, the others sneak by. Zinsu says that if Legba can confirm her calculations they can move forward. Once past the throne room, Radin notes the knights at the entrance. Agasu offers to distract the knights and asks Gu how to sign up to be a knight apprentice. Gu and Agasu walk away and Ayaba leads the rest of the crew outside.
Ayaba walks towards the gate. The others follow. Zinsu stops them and says he doesn't want to do this. Ayaba says they already talked about this. Zinsu says Ayaba already talked about it. Radin says maybe they aren't all as adventurous as Ayaba is. Ayaba says they have to save the kingdom. Zinsu and Radin say that's the adult's job, not theirs. Agasu points out that some adults believe in dragons. Perdita says it's worth checking out. Ayaba says if they're wrong, nothing happens. Zinsu gives in. Sakpata sees them in the village and gives chase, they take off running and Sakpata can't find them.
Later, Ayaba and her friends emerge from the forest before Castle Loko. Ayaba notes that Sakpata isn't her real brother. In front of the castle, two giants guard the entrance, Grum and Glom. Ayaba and the other stay hidden. Zinsu said she didn't even know giants were real. Ayaba says they need another distraction. Agasu volunteers and rushes the giants with her starsword. Ayaba and Radin follow.
Once they pass the hedge, though, the giants are revealed to be an illusion. In reality, each is about a foot tall. Grum and Glom tell them that they aren't the masters and only the masters can go inside. Perdita says they are friends of the masters. Grum and Glom fall for it and let them inside.
Once they're inside, Grum and Glom lead the kids to the throne room. Grum and Glom keep the castle neat for the return of the masters. They've been gone a long, long time, but Grum and Glom are keeping it ready for when they do come back.
Radin picks up a gold coin from the ground. Grum and Glom see it and grow to actual giant-size. They say the treasure isn't his, it belongs to the masters. Grum and Glom attack with their clubs, but Ayaba and Radin are able to dodge the blows. Radin throws the coin back into the room and they run. The giants give chase, but can't make it through the doorway. Ayaba and her friends escape the castle and into the forest.
Ayaba lies on her bed, restless. She gets up and opens her scroll a bit. She picks up the coin and prays to the Great Mawu. She doesn't know what to do and asks for a sign. Or at least for her to be given the courage to try again. Ayaba takes the lack of response as encouragement and decides to keep going. But first, she goes to bed.
Ayaba and Zinsu lead the gang up to Castle Nana. The front gate is broken and they can easily slip in. Perdita reveals that the castles used to belong to the council members. Inside, Radin sits atop the throne in an empty chamber, making jokes. But everyone else is disappointed and doesn't find it funny. Ayaba says it's GOTTA be the next one. Radin is getting tired of searching.
Back in Ayaba’s room, she sits alone with Agasu, who encourages her. Ayaba is certain it will be the next one. Ayaba says the others lack their sense of adventure. Agasu says they just want to take different routes to joining the council. Ayaba laughs and says that books are the easy way. Agasu says they aren't the easy way for her. Ayaba apologizes. She's just excited because she wants to meet a dragon. She stares at Castle Fon.
The gate to the relatively small Castle Fon is open the next day when Ayaba and the crew arrive. Ayaba and her friends examine dung outside the castle. Ayaba is certain that it's dragon dung. Zinsu and Radin don't believe it. Zinsu says that Ayaba is NOT an expert on dragon dung. Ayaba says no, but Perdita is. Perdita says there isn't any evidence that dragons exist, but this is the largest dung she's ever seen, so it's possible. Radin tells Perdita to pick a side as he and Zinsu leave. Agasu tells Perdita to NOT pick a side.
Ayaba stands in her chamber, backpack on. Perdita and Agasu sit in chairs. Zinsu arrives alone. Radin isn't coming, he's confined to chambers. Ayaba says they'll just sneak him out. Zinsu says it's not possible, he's under guard. Ayaba won't listen, but Zinsu tells her that Radin doesn't want to go, he's tired of this nonsense. Zinsu says she's out, too, and leaves. Perdita says it's problematic and she doesn't think she can keep it up. She leaves as well. Agasu stays, but Ayaba says she can leave. Agasu says no because she believes Ayaba. But Ayaba says the two of them can't do it alone. She finally convinces Agasu to go and she throws herself on her bed.
Sakpata stands and his window as Dahomey the bat flies in and lands on his finger. He takes a scroll from the bat's leg and puts Dahomey back in the cage. The scroll is a transmogrification spell. He changes the bat into a Buluku. He sends it out the window and towards Ayaba.
Ayaba rereads the scroll. She sees the Buluku outside the window. It came to warn her, she must complete her test, even if she has to go alone. And she has to go now. Ayaba steps out of her chamber, carrying her backpack. She runs down the hallway and turns a corner, where Sakpata stands. Sakpata asks her what she's doing out so late at night. Ayaba says it's not of his business and says he's the one creeping about at night.
Sakpata tells her a story about a boy and a girl. He says the boy faces the girl where dangerous creatures dwell. The girl thought she could save the day. She thought she was the smart one and had everything under control. But the boy knew things she didn't and the boy won the day. Ayaba makes fun of his fairy tale. He says she'll know soon enough. She says whatever and moves on.
Ayaba slips through the small gate and through the village. She heads into the forest unseen. She follows the path towards the castles. Then she hears something rustling in the bushes. She changes her mind and takes the road towards her aunts' hut.
Ayaba arrives at the hut, her starsword leading the way. She goes inside and Okanu notes that it's very late. Ayaba says they're still up. Sogbo says they're always up. Agadja says there are too many things to do. Sogbo hands Ayaba a steaming beverage. Ayaba says she's been talking to a magical creature. Sogbo says that's always dangerous. Ayaba says the creature said she has to find the dragon, even if her friends aren't going to help.
Sogbo asks why her friends wouldn't help her. Ayaba says her friends mean well, but it is a dragon they're talking about. Ayaba asks what she should do. Okanu asks her what she wants to do. Ayaba doesn't know. Sogbo says that's where you have to start. Okanu says Ayaba has to believe in herself, regardless of her journey. Ayaba says she does, but nobody else believes in her. Agadja says Ayaba has always believed in herself. Sogbo says maybe too much. Okanu says she needs her friends. Nobody achieves things on their own.
Ayaba walks down the forest path, her only light is her starsword. She sees a green light in the distance and turns and runs from it. She runs, but it keeps getting closer and closer. She finally gives up and turns to face it. It's the Buluku. It tells her she needs the Dagger of Neyluma, the only thing that can slay a dragon. Ayaba asks where it is. The Buluku says Radin's father has it. She tries to ask it more questions, but it's gone.
The Buluku returns to Sakpata's chamber and he gives it a treat.
Later, Ayaba walks down the castle passage, unarmed. She moves towards Radin's family suite and sees four knights guarding the door. She sneaks out a window and climbs across a tiny ledge to Radin's room. Dahomey the bat flies past her and she almost falls. She hurries to Radin's chamber.
Radin sits at the desk studying. He's shocked when she appears through the window. She says she hasn't seen him in a while. He asks what she's doing there. She says she needs a favor. He says she's got to be kidding, she's the reason he's on lockdown. He says no, he won't help her and tells her to leave. She says she needs the Dagger of Neyluma. He laughs and says that's in his father's private collection and asks why she needs it. She says it's for the dragon. He says no, he's not stealing from his father for her. He tells her to leave now or he'll call the guards. Ayaba asks him if that's the end of it and he says yes. She climbs out the window.
Xevioso sits on his throne, reading. The throne room is otherwise empty. Legba walks in with six armed acolytes. Sakpata joins them. Xevioso demands to know what's going on. Sakpata gets insulting and Xevioso says he doesn't approve of Sakpata's tone. Sakpata says he doesn't care. The acolytes pull starswords and flank the king. Sakpata and Legba takes off their amulets and reveal their true selves.
Ayaba sees them transforms and ducks out of site. Sakpata, Legba and the Dogbari acolytes take Xevioso captive. Sakpata says Egberun will belong to the Dogbari and they laugh. Ayaba runs down the hallway.
Sakpata leads the acolytes into the armory, pulling the bound Xevioso behind them. Sakpata tells the acolytes to put on the ceek armor. Legba brings a bottle of swampfire into the room. It doesn't destroy ceek completely, but it does enough damage to make it unusable. It will damage this room, too, but won't destroy the castle. Sakpata pours swampfire onto several starswords and they burst into flame and start to melt. Sakpata sends the acolytes and Xevioso out of the room and tosses the bottle into the center. It bursts into flames and starts to burn everything.
Gleti and his knights meet them and tell them to halt. Gu and a dozen knights are with her. Sakpata reveals himself to his adopted mother and Legba tells the Dogbari to run. Gleti, Gu and the knights rush forward, but the swampfire explodes from the armory and slams them into the wall. No one is seriously hurt, but Sakpata and the others escape.
Gleti, Gu the other councilmembers and knights stand around the map table. They plan to take their army through the mountains. Okanu, Sogbo and Agadja arrive and say they're here to help. Gleti doesn't want their help at first, but realizes she needs it. Okanu will watch over the castle and city. Agadja and Sogbo will go with them. They'll use messenger hawks to keep in touch.
Ayaba paces back and forth while the others sit. Ayaba says she can't stay here. Perdita asks Ayaba what Sakpata said to her last night. He told her a story that took place “where dangerous creatures dwell.” Ayaba and Perdita agrees that this means Castle Tado. They leave.
Ayaba and her friends arrive at Castle Tado. From within comes the guardian, Larus, a large red spider. Ayaba says they need to meet the dragon. Larus says no one meets the dragon. They offer the gift of the dragon coin. Larus says to place the coin in its mouth. Ayaba does so and Larus swallows the coin. Larus says they may enter. They go inside.
They step into the entry chamber where Sakpata waits. He sends the acolytes to attack them. Ayaba and Agasu rush into battle. Zinsu tells Perdita to help her set up her new invention. Zinsu turns on the device and sings into it. It freezes the ceek metal the acolytes are wearing and they can't move. They head deeper into the castle.
Ayaba and her friends arrive at Aido's chamber. Sakpata and Legba hold starswords, ready to strike Xevioso. Zinsu says they've figured out the Dogbari plans. Sakpata is angry to learn that both sides have spies.
Aido arrives and prevents Sakpata from killing Xevioso. He says that they have been found unworthy. With a tail strike, Sakpata and Legba are smashed into the wall and knocked unconscious. Aido says the others are free to go. Ayaba frees her father. Aido says they have been found worthy. Aido liked Zinsu's singing. Aido pledges to help her new allies from the valley. Ayaba and Zinsu hug.
The throne room is full and full ceremonies are in progress. Perdita is the new voice of the Throne. Radin wasn't chosen for the council, he can try again next year. Agasu is the newest member of the knights. Gu is now a full member of the council. Agasu, Perdita, Ayaba all join the council as full members. Okanu, Sogbo and Agadja are welcomed back to the council.
High above the castle, Aido flies in a circle around the castle as the sun goes down.