Partners In Crime

Chapter 37: Winds of Change

"We can't exactly just walk into Ninjago city without causing alarm," Lloyd says

"Why not?" Aria argues "We haven't done anything."

"Really?" Lloyd questions

"Mhm," Aria nods "Who tried to take over Ninjago? Was it really us or my father?"

"It was..." Lloyd shook his head "We released the Serpentine."

"And?" Aria questions "Did they destroy Ninjago? No. Did we unleash the Devourer or was it Pythor? It was Pythor. Oh, and we didn't do anything with Chen really did we? We played the game, we disappeared after I won, what he did after had nothing to do with us."

"You're right, they have no grounds to arrest us." Lloyd leans back in his chair "You're so smart dear."

"I know," Aria responds with a smirk.

"We'll go tomorrow then," Lloyd kisses the top of her head "It's already late and that old woman is probably already asleep."

"You're right," Aria sighs

The two head to bed after they locked up the castle for the night.

"Aria!" Lloyd, sword in hand, turned around from his enemies to face the perpetrator who held his princess captive.

"Lay down your weapon Lloyd," he said as he held his own sword close to Aria's neck "don't spill anymore blood on this night."

Lloyd growled as he staired at his princess's defeated look.

"You refuse to give up even when all hope is lost," the perpetrator sighs "your fight is over."

"You fail to realize that unlike you, my oath to protect her to my last breathe," Lloyd pants as the blood ran down his arm "was sincere."

"Someone like you could never understand," the perpetrator responds "the true duty of a knight."

Aria was awoken from her dream by the window to the room opening violently. Strong wind gusts traveled through the room as Lloyd grabbed a sword next to the bed. Aria stood up from the bed as Lloyd stood in front of her.

"Who's there?!" Lloyd shouts

The two stared at the window until a glowing green figure appeared inside the room.

"It's.. a ghost?" Aria says questionably.

The wind stopped as the ghost's image was clear as day. He looked to be older then them with black hair. Lloyd never dropped his guard as the ghost looked up at them.

"It's been a long time," he says

"What do you mean?" Lloyd narrows his eyes.

"Who are you?" Aria asks

"You don't recognize me?" the ghost looked saddened "I suppose it's been a long time. It's me, Princess, it's Morro."

"You address me as princess too," Aria states as she comes out from behind Lloyd.

"Wait," Lloyd put his arm out in front of her "we can't trust this guy. We don't know who he is, he's a ghost for fucks sake."

"You haven't recovered your memories have you?" Morro asks as he looks down "I understand now... you can't help me after all."

"Help you with what?" Aria asks.

"I'm afraid it's hard to understand without your memories," Morro replies.

Lloyd lowers his sword "You know us from our past don't you?"

"So, wait, now I'm confused." Morro shakes his head "You do know about your past selves?"

"We have an idea," Aria responds as she held up the novel beside her "are you familiar with this book?"

"I am," Morro nods "it was written by Lloyd's mother not long before I passed, and after the fall of Del. It was your story, not all details are the same, nor your names. I however kept it with me wherever I went, to remind myself of home."

"You're from Del then?" Lloyd questions as he turns to Aria "See, I told you my theory wasn't wrong! We are the people from the story."

"Yes you are!" Morro smiles "This is great, if you know that much I can help fill in the other information."

"Hold on there buddy," Lloyd puts his hand up "before you get too excited. What is this problem you need help with?"

"Oh yeah," Morro sighs before looking serious again "there's a ghost that escaped from the cursed realm when it was opened not long ago. I followed after him to stop him, but I'm afraid I lost him."

"So there's a ghost on the loose?" Aria questions

"Not just any ghost, this ghost plans to bring the Preeminent into Ninjago." Morro explains "His goal is to drag any remaining survivors of Del into the cursed realm. That includes the two of you, to stop the prophecy from happening."

"What prophecy?" Lloyd asks.

"That I don't know, but we can't let that happen." Morro replies.

"Why not?" Lloyd scoffs "The Del people deserve that, them and there predecessors, for what they did to us."

"That includes the downfall of us too Lloyd," Aria scolds as she pinches his cheek "didn't you hear him?"

"I'm not scared of some ghost!" Lloyd swats her hand away "I won't let anything happen to you."

"That's why I am here as well," Morro says "you don't remember, but I was a knight of Del before it fell to the rebels." He kneels in front of Aria "Princess, I failed to protect you in the past, let me make it up to you."

Aria smiles as she bends down to Morro "I know I don't remember, but thank you Morro."

Lloyd crosses his arms and turns away as Morro stood back up with a smile.

"Thank you," Morro says happily. "Besides, I do know that the prophecy has to do with you two vowing to come back and casting the land in darkness. If we stop him, you two have something special in store for the descendants of the Del rebels. They will pay for what they've done."

"But that can't happen if we get sucked into the cursed realm," Aria nods as she nudges Lloyd "Right Lloydie?"

"Yeah yeah," Lloyd sighs before smiling "their's nothing I can do to stop you after you've made up your mind after all."

"There's my man," Aria giggles.

"Inseparable as always," Morro smiles sadly "even in this life."

"Hm?" Aria turns to Morro "We're we close in the past too?"

"The Servant of Evil may have altered some things, but does correctly show how close you two were." Morro responds "He would die for you back then, and I'd say the same now."

"Of course," Lloyd says "who knows how I would be without her?"

"I could imagine," Aria laughs a bit.

"What?" Lloyd questions.

Morro shakes his head at the two as Aria turned to him.

"So, who's this ghost anyway?" Aria asks

"...the leader of the rebel army." Morro responds "The one responsible for cutting off your heads."