Ninjago High: Rise of the Ninja

Interlude-Black Snow

A/N: The observant among you will notice that this chapter is titled differently. 'Interlude' means a break, like intermission in theatre, or half-time at a football game, for those of you who aren't theatre nerds. There will be several more of these, and they will either be from the perspective of Wu or Garmadon at varying stages of their lives. Enjoy!

Garmadon.

The name strikes fear in all who hear it.

Warlord. Murderer. Demon.

He goes by many names, most similar in theme. But, for all his corruption and destructions, all the curses that follow him and the hatred he stirs, no one has wondered what created the monster.

(Granted, sensible people don't ask for a villain's life story right before their city is going to be leveled, but you get the point)

We never question the origin of a monster, for we fear the things that create them. But not all monsters are born of violence. Some come from loss, some from fear, some from loneliness. Monsters are born in the dark, doing whatever it takes to return to light.

There will be no return for this monster, though. He is too far gone. Fate has carved his path in stone, too strong to be changed.

But once, his story was different.

~~~

Many, many years ago, under a younger moon, a child was born of shadow.

As most children are, he was curious, questioning everything he saw. Why the sky was blue, why leaves changed colors, why his brother never had visions like his.

A less-patient parent would have hushed him, or ignored the boy altogether. But his father was understanding, and answered all his questions as best he could.

 The boy and his brother were close, always playing together and training together. The boy loved his brother as much as he could. And his brother loved him equally.

But his father still worried. For the boy was a child born of opposition, with forces of Creation and Destruction warring inside him. When he grew older, he would have to choose between the two.

So his father tried to strengthen their bond as much as possible, in the hopes that his brother could lead him down the lighter path.

Despite their love and their bond, the boy always questioned his visions. Dreamlike sequences that occurred in the darkest hours of the morning, always the same.

Perhaps these visions and the questioning of them led to what has transpired. Perhaps they served as an inspiration, or a reminder. Or, they had nothing to do with this story at all.

You be the judge.

~~~

Ninjago City.

It was breathtaking.

Well, it could be.

Montgomery turned a slow circle, eyes wide, taking it all in. Cool mist kissed his skin as he stepped forward, soft grass tickling the soles of his bare feet. 

Around him swirled a iron-colored fog, nearly as thick as smoke. A hazy circle of light hovered overhead, the sun all but smothered, enough to see the outline of buildings on the horizon.

Montgomery squinted. These buildings looked nothing like the village huts. Tall, imposing towers, some flat-roofed, others topped with spires that stretched towards the heavens. Who could build something so magnificent? Towers that reached for heaven, made by men wanting to be gods.