Darkness from Within #1: Twisted Paths (A Ninjago Fanfiction)

Chapter 14

"I won't hurt you, Lloyd." Kai's voice trembled.

"Then you're just as pathetic as I thought you were!" Lloyd drew his sword and struck it toward Kai for another blow, but the ninja blocked it with his sword.

Trembling with pain, Kai felt himself weakening under Lloyd's strength. "H-how did you get so strong?" he gasped out as he found himself on his back with Lloyd standing over him.

"When did you get so weak?" Lloyd growled before hopping off him.

Before he could strike again, Kai hurriedly jumped to his feet. He stumbled backward as Lloyd closed in on him. Kai suddenly tensed in pain and, dropping his weapon, bent over to clutch his wound. Moaning and unable to move for a moment, he gasped as Lloyd shoved him to the ground. The green ninja grabbed Kai's sword. He now held a sword in each hand.

He lifted them over Kai, and the red ninja quickly rolled out of the way and the swords struck the floor. Grunting and hissing, Kai pushed against his bed to help himself back to his feet. He dodged as Lloyd swung both swords at him.

"Are you crazy?" Kai exclaimed as he found himself backed up against a wall.

Lloyd grunted as he lifted the swords, preparing to slice Kai. The red ninja ducked out of the way, but not fast enough. He gasped as one of the swords slashed his hand.

"Ow!" Kai groaned, grasping his injured hand. Catching sight of Lloyd's satisfied expression, Kai realized that the green ninja was ready to kill him.

Exhaustion flooded over Kai, only making his pain worse. He staggered away from Lloyd, but wherever he tried to go, the green ninja met him there. Lloyd grabbed Kai's arm and flung him across the room with a grunt. Kai groaned as he smashed into the wall before falling to the ground limply.

"That'll teach you ninja not to mess with me, Lloyd Garmadon!" Lloyd cackled. "Mwahahahahahaha!"

* * *

Wu looked down the hall wildly. Where did Lloyd go? As he began to hurry down the hall, he skidded to a halt as Garmadon and Misako burst out of the hospital room.

"What happened to Lloyd?" Garmadon demanded. "Did you see him?"

Before Wu could reply, Nya appeared. "What's wrong with Lloyd?" she asked. "Is he awake?"

Wu shook his head. "He's awake alright," he muttered.

Nya glanced at the three. "Why am I getting the feeling this isn't good news?"

"Because it's not," Misako sighed. "Garmadon and I were there when he awoke, but he didn't recognize us."

"And then he attacked us," Garmadon added. "He thought we were 'pretending' to be his parents!"

Wu nodded. "He attacked me, too."

"What?" Nya gasped. "Why? What happened?"

"I think he's in some kind of trance," Wu answered. "He thinks he's in the past, when he was a kid."

Nya glanced at Garmadon. "Then he probably didn't recognize you without your four arms," she realized.

Garmadon shook his head. "We have to find him before he makes any more trouble."

"Mwahahahahaha!" a voice suddenly cackled through the hall.

The four froze.

"I know that laugh," Garmadon murmured. "Lloyd."

Nya gasped. "It's coming from Kai's room!"

"We have to get in there!" Wu told them. They raced down the hall. "Kai won't expect Lloyd. He'll have his guard down."