Artha falls into a trap set by Word Paynn and finds himself deep below Dragon City where he meets the short, reclusive leader of the Dragon Keepers crew. But he is also near the lair of an energy-draining dragon called the Muhorta, which Word plans to use to capture the Dragon Booster and dragon of legend.

Artha is given rare deflection gear to help him win an upcoming race, but Moordryd plans to steal it, Parmon swaps it out for homemade gear of his own, and Lance replaces it with an outright fake.