Flames of the Past #1: The Man in the Mist (Ninjago Fanfiction)

Chapter 12

The moon shone white light onto the roof of the palace. Cold winds chilled the air, but Lloyd barely noticed as he paced the rim of the roof. His eyes were trained on the courtyard below him—his part of the palace to guard. The rest of the team were spread out at their own posts, all watching for any sign of the intruders. They all had their communication devices on in case they did spot an intruder.

Lloyd had purposely strapped his to his left wrist. His right wrist was now constantly throbbing, and any sort of pressure on it hurt.

He was rubbing it softly now, wincing slightly. He had begun to panic when Kai pushed questions on him earlier that day. He couldn't tell the red ninja that his marking was acting up. It would scare Kai. Scare him into thinking Lloyd was turning Baddie again or something. Although Kai always denied it, saying he trusted the green ninja completely, Lloyd knew the thought of him leaving again haunted the red ninja constantly. Sometimes Lloyd felt he was all Kai cared about—the biggest thing in the red ninja's life. Like he would give up everything and everybody else in his life to keep the green ninja close to him.

Lloyd's stomach twisted, for he knew he felt the same about Kai. He didn't know what he would do without his big brother. He loved Kai with all his heart, and he'd be devastated if anything shattered their relationship again, but then again... he felt the red ninja was more attached to him than he was to Kai. He was more independent than the red ninja. He didn't need someone riding his back every minute like Kai did. And the green ninja had other things in his life to give his heart and time to. Laurie, for one. Then there was still the complexity of struggling to stay true to his good, ninja self. He was still trying to figure out a way to mend his and Cole's relationship. But so far, he had nothing.

Then there was his father.

Lloyd felt a weight on his chest. He just wanted to make Garmadon proud of him again. That was all he wanted. He had made his father so disappointed in him in the past, and he knew he was still a disappointment. He didn't want to be a bad son. He wanted to prove he could be good. He wanted to make Garmadon happy. I just want him to be proud of me...

Lloyd knew the sensei was more proud of Kai than he was of him. Sometimes he even felt Garmadon loved Kai more than he loved him. And why shouldn't he?

Kai was a better person than Lloyd was. The red ninja could make a much better son to Garmadon than Lloyd ever could. Kai deserved Garmadon's love.

Lloyd couldn't say he deserved the same.

A flash of movement broke Lloyd from his thoughts. Stiffening, the green ninja whipped around. He peered through the darkness of the courtyard and thought he spotted something sparkling. Furrowing his eyebrows in confusion, Lloyd leaped off the roof and stalked toward it.

Near one of the long windows sat a pile of dark purple goop. Lloyd halted in front of it, tipping his head. He glanced around suspiciously before crouching beside the goop and drawing out his sword. He poked the blade into it, but it only slushed around. What the heck...

Slipping his sword away again, Lloyd touched his finger to the goop.

Suddenly, excruciating pain shot up his arm.

Lloyd screamed before he could stop himself. Jolting backward, he gripped his marked wrist, where the pain had come from. He grunted as the pain spread throughout his body, tightening around his lungs. Gritting his teeth, he stumbled against the wall of the palace and grasped his wrist tighter. Sweat formed on his face and he shut his eyes, rasping for breath. My marking... he thought, switching his dazed vision to his gloved hand. The goop... the intruders... it's all connected...