Another long chapter, 8,000+ words.
The night sky seemed to grow darker and the air colder as Firstbourne flew over the outskirts of Oni territory. She rumbled to her passengers, "I am taking the long way to my Armor. I feel the greedy eyes of the Oni over us."
"I sense danger," stated Zane.
"Same," agreed Jay, staring into the inky black abyss that was Oni territory.
Nothing could have prepared the Mother of All Dragons and her passengers for what they found when they landed in the heart of the Realm.
Opollyon stood tall and haughty, blocking the entrance to the heart of the Realm. He was backed by his legions of Oni.
Firstbourne reared up, nearly throwing her passengers. She roared in raw fury at her mortal enemies, "YOUR VILE PRESENCE DESECRATES THIS SACRED PLACE!"
The Ninja and Wu abandoned ship as Firstbourne clawed the ground and her body heated up, preparing to rain down fire on the Oni.
Opollyon raised his staff, addressing the Dragon Queen in a mocking tone, "Wait, oh Queen. Attacking us is ill-advised. You risk harm to yourself."
He motioned and the Oni parted, allowing for a shaking Iron Baron to walk forward. In all honesty, the leader of the Dragon Hunters looked like a child playing dress up as the Dragon Armor hung from his body awkwardly, pinching in all the wrong places.
Firstbourne gave another bellowing roar of rage. "HOW DARE YOU DON MY ARMOR! IT WAS NOT MADE FOR UNWORTHY SOULS TO BEAR!"
To the Ninja's surprise, the great Dragon did not tear into the Oni and lay waste to their ranks though her whole body shook with tense, furious energy.
Opollyon's lips curled into a twisted, gloating smile. He purred patronizingly as if the Mother of all Dragons was a mere lapdog, "Good girl." Firstbourne snorted, spurting a stream of flames from her nostrils. "You cannot touch us." He reached out a clawed hand, lightly scraping against the Armor in warning. He gave a derisive laugh as Firstbourne flinched minutely. "To hurt the Armor is to hurt you."
The Ninja were caught off guard and barely managed to stay upright when the ground began to tremble violently. Their jaws dropped when a portal opened up behind the Oni.
Opollyon's eyes flashed with delight as he ordered his troops through it. He shoved Iron Baron over into Oases claws who directed the man toward the portal.
The leader of the Oni smirked up at the giant Dragon and motioned toward the portal. "Where the Armor goes, you follow."
With a contemptuous snarl, Firstbourne unwillingly stepped forward. She couldn't afford to let something so precious to her out of her sight, especially with it in the hands of her enemies. She kept her head lifted high and, for good measure, reduced a group of Oni to ashes to remind them that she was still herself and was not tamed by them.
Ultra tried following his Queen, but she growled at him, ordering him to stay back.
The Ninja stood huddled together, concerned over where the portal led. So much for protecting the First Realm. Now who knew what else could be threatened by the Oni.
Zane felt a sharp pain in his power core and screams of agony rang through his mind. Something was terribly wrong. He urgently murmured to his brothers as he watched Firstbourne step through, "We must close that gateway."
"But how?" questioned Kai.
"A blast of our powers?" suggested Jay.
The Ninja were pulled from their plotting as Opollyon gave a chilling laugh. "Don't think I've forgotten about you."
Cole yelped as a tendril of black smoke suddenly lashed out and grabbed hold of his foot. It was cold, colder than Zane's ice and as chilling as death.
Kai came to the rescue, sending a blast of fire at the thing.
The Earth Ninja breathed easier as the smoke released him and recoiled.
More smoke began circling them, hemming them in.
Cole hurriedly shoved Wu up on Ultra's back. Taking the lead, he told his brothers, "On the count of three, we summon our Elemental Dragons and hit that portal with everything we've got."
The Ninja and Ultra nodded.
"One... two... three!"
Before the dark smoke could completely swallow them up, the Ninja exploded upwards on the backs of their Dragons.
Opollyon took a surprised step backwards. He had forgotten the Elementals had such power. Seeing what they were about to do, he began sprinting towards the gateway and shoving his way through his ranks, not caring who he bowled over or trampled. "Move, move!"
"Ninjagoooo!"
The Ninja and Ultra let out a spray of Elements at the portal just as Opollyon managed to leap through.
There was a violent reaction as the powers clashed. It sent a shockwave through the air, knocking the Oni to the ground and sending the Ninja tumbling head over heels through the sky.
Ultra managed to quickly right himself with a couple solid flaps of his wings. With a pained grunt, he sharply maneuvered himself and quickly dive bombed to catch the Ninja who were knocked from the sky by the shockwave. As gently as possible, each of the four heads snatched the Ninja as they fell, being mindful of their sharp teeth. Ultra didn't stick around and wait for the Oni left in the First Realm to recover as he hurriedly winged away.
As they fled, the humans all had one question buzzing in their heads, 'What in the name of the First Spinjitzu Master was happening!'
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jet Jack's keen eyes scanned the skies. The first rays of dawn were beginning to peek out over the horizon. She let out a gasp and quickly alerted the others as a dark shape appeared, flying erratically.
The Hunters snapped to high alert, immediately clutching at whatever weapons were in reach.
They withheld their attacks as Heavy Metal quickly held her hand up and sharply commanded, "Wait!"
She recognized that silhouette. It was the Neen-ja's four-headed dragon, but from its unsteady flight patterns, something was amiss. The Dragon shakily landed in front of the Dragon Hunters, letting out rumbles and whines of distress. On his back, he held Wu and a bedraggled group of Elementals. These were not the looks of victorious heroes.
What had happened? Just hours ago they were flying on the Dragon Queen of the Realm.
Faith's eyebrows were knit together in confusion. The other Dragon Hunters hung back in trepidation and watched in amazement as she approached the Elementals and Terror with familiarity.
"What happened? Did you manage to lose the Mother of all Dragons?"
"Not exactly..." replied Jay slowly with a nervous smile etched on his face.
"Sort of," admitted Kai at the same time.
Faith stared with an unreadable expression as her exhausted brain tried to remind her that knocking their teeth in would not be helpful in any way. So much for these hapless fools being heroes of the Realm. They did bring drastic change, but judging by everyone's current condition, none of that change had been particularly beneficial.
How had the Dragon Queen been felled so easily? Were the legends of her strength and power over exaggerated? No. Faith had faced her before and had seen Firstbourne's terrifying might.
"Also... Iron Baron has the Dragon Armor," blurted Wu, bracing himself for an outburst from the Hunters. Instead, the people of the Realm just seemed to slump further, accepting their misery.
Muzzle mumbled something in the background that sounded suspiciously along the lines of, "Guess I'll die."
Daddy-No-Legs patted his back supportively, "Yeah, same. I'll help you dig your grave."
"On the bright side though, he's not in the Realm anymore. Neither are most of the Oni," reported Cole, trying to be optimistic though his heart feared where the Oni had gone to ruin next.
"Not like there's anything left here to destroy," muttered Jet Jack bitterly.
Cole raised an eyebrow and tilted his head.
"The Oni already wiped out our Tribe. Guess they finally decided they had enough power to start conquering everywhere else," said Arkade, kicking at the sand.
The Ninja's and Wu's reactions of real concern surprised the Hunters as if the Hunters' problems were theirs to bear. They looked with pity and compassion, which were not often found in the harsh Realm. Not to mention, they had suffered at their Tribe's hands, so why had they continued to fight for the good of the Hunters? Trying to be some bold, altruistic hero only ever ended badly.
Zane's next words heightened everyone's distress as he solemnly declared, "I believe the next Realm they have decided to conquer is ours, considering its close connection to this Realm."
Kai let out a cry of fury to the sky. "Aaarrrrgghh! Why can't we just win for once?!!"
"Not all the Oni could get through though," noted Cole, "so maybe we've helped Ninjago a little."
"Not enough," huffed Kai.
After a moment's hesitation, Faith stepped forward and offered, "We will come with you and fight."
The other Hunters looked at her.
"We?" questioned Jet Jack.
Faith looked back at them. "If this is the end, I will face it on my feet. They've fought hard for us. I intend to return the favor."
"Technically, our Realm is worse off than before," pointed out Arkade cynically.
"No, you're still alive. That's saying something. Without them, we'd all be suffering under Iron Baron's rule," reasoned Faith. "Things would've fallen apart like this one day and we'd all be dead."
One by one, the Dragon Hunters conceded and pledged to help the Elementals. It's not like they had anything left to fight for in their Realm anyways. If they were going down, they would go down in true Hunter fashion with weapons drawn.
"There's no way Ultra can transport us all to Ninjago though," worried Kai. "How will we get there?"
Wu immediately lit up. "We start building new bridges!" Everyone stared blankly at the young teen so he clarified, "We make friends with Dragons! There's gotta be more out here in the Realm of Oni and Dragons that are willing to help us."
"Help you, not us," corrected Faith. "They'd rather eat their own tails than let any of us on their backs, and frankly, I don't blame them."
Ultra rumbled in agreement.
"But if anyone can convince them otherwise, it's the Son of the First Spinjitzu Master," declared Cole confidently, throwing an arm around Wu.
Jay broke into a grin, trying to keep a cool, assuring exterior like Cole, even though he was worried sick about his home Realm. "Yeah. Plus, Ultra'll will argue our case. Won't you, boy?
The four-headed Dragon looked the Hunters over and grunted noncommittally, not easing the Hunters fears.
There was an excited glint in Wu's eyes as he declared, "One way or another, we're getting back to Ninjago on Dragonback, and we're gonna take down every Oni we see."
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Through the burning pain and his blurring vision, Shade watched in horror as Oni began spilling out of the opened gateway. Their numbers seemed endless. In contrast to the sea of black, a pale man dressed in gold armor hobbled though and a Dragon larger than any he had ever seen before stepped through. She leapt from the roof and began circling ominously around the building.
Black smoke continuously poured out, creating a dark cloud that swirled around the top of the Tower. However, something seemed to go awry as the glowing portal began faltering and the Emperor let out a frustrated bellow. Another giant Oni came barreling through just as the gateway flickered out of existence.
Shade slumped forward as he gasped for breath, his body finally freed from agonizing pain. He listened in as what appeared to be the two leaders of the Oni conversed in garbled, raspy voices.
"What happened?"
"Elementals, but don't worry. They are of no concern, trapped in that desolate Realm. Most of our forces have arrived, and we have Firstbourne. This Realm is ours for the taking."
The Master of Shadow forcefully willed himself to remain fixated on the two towering Oni when they suddenly snapped their heads over in his direction.
The new Oni hissed, "What is that?"
"This Realm is rife with Half-Bloods," growled the Emperor.
Shade frowned, not understanding what they were talking about. He glanced over at the other Elemental Masters to see what their reactions were to all this when he realized in horror that they had all been turned to lifeless statues save for Pixal and Chamille. The two women met his gaze with alarm and fear. The Master of Form looked particularly distressed but considering her condition, no surprise there.
That's when Shade made up the foolhardy decision to open his mouth and address the two Oni leaders. "Alright! It's clear you win." He hunched his shoulders and motioned to his fallen allies. "Let us join you."
At his request, the two Oni paused momentarily and broke out in deep bellows of laughter.
Chamille hissed at Shade and stared at him as if had grown another head. "What are you doing?!"
The raven-haired man, while very wary, was the most loyal person she knew once you gained his friendship. What was he thinking?
"I'm taking a page out of your book," growled Shade lowly. "And I'm trying to keep you alive."
Understanding dawned on the Master of Form's face. "Oh." True, if she didn't look like an inflated balloon at the moment she would've totally shifted to blend in with the enemy or at least pretended to team up with them. If you can't beat 'em, join them.
Once the two Oni had finished laughing at the Elemental's offer, the Emperor spoke, "And why would we need your puny services?"
Shade looked over at Skylor's entranced form and the trembling, armor-clad stranger who was clearly not an Oni. "You have your pets. What's a few more?"
While Omega seemed contemplative, Opollyon sneered in disdain. "We have no need for you, wretched Half-Bloods."
The Master of Shadow quickly pondered the Oni ruler's words. Half-Blood. Had he not been frozen because he had Oni blood in him? He knew he had a mixed heritage and wouldn't be surprised to find Oni somewhere in that lineage. It would make sense why him and Chamille were spared from the Oni's life-sucking touch. Pixal was a different story. Maybe being an android had its perks.
Though he hated to do so, he kept his posture humble as he pointed out, "Perhaps, but we know this land and your enemies. Our services will establish your rule faster. Not to mention the emotional attachment your enemies hold with us.
The Emperor gave a harsh bark of laughter as he pridefully declared. "My rule is already established. And we don't intend to conquer. You know nothing of the true nature of Oni. We destroy."
Opollyon's eyes flashed hatefully in the direction of the Master of Form. "Nothing living will be left in existence."
"Let's make a deal," blurted Shade desperately, drawing the attention back to himself.
"You are in a poor position to be making such a proposition," growled Opollyon. His patience was quickly wearing thin and this hapless abomination was boring him.
Shade sent a fleeting glance of apology to Pixal as he proposed, "We will give our complete allegiance and servitude like Skylor if you don't lay a hand on the Master of Form."
The Oni leaders conferred with Opollyon being more reluctant than Omega.
"Though pawns are annoying, they do have their uses," admitted the Emperor, looking over at the Amber Elemental he had enslaved. "And it is so much easier to control when the victims are willing." He motioned to the two willing Elementals. "What goes better together than cold and dark?"
Opollyon frowned. "And what if they rebel and you fail to keep them under your control?" He spared a sharp glance at Oases who ducked away fearfully. "Pawns are not always so easily tamed, especially Half-Bloods."
"That will not happen," assured Omega. "I have observed these pathetic mortals for eons. Their love makes them weak. Resistance is out of the question. Not when they believe their surrender will protect someone." His expression was devilish as he stared at their leverage that was the pregnant Form Elemental.
"Very well," waved Opollyon. "They are yours. Should anything go wrong, the fault will fall on you."
Omega smirked haughtily. He looked over at the not so invulnerable Dragon Mother who was perched on a nearby rooftop, brooding and keeping a close watch over her beloved Armor. He had come too far too fall now. "I assure you. There is no power left in this Realm that can rival ours."
Chamille caught Shade's eye in sorrow before the black smoke enveloped both him and Pixal. She cursed internally as their eyes glazed over purple. Idiots! They didn't have to give themselves up for her! But then, the small life inside her kicked as if to remind her that it wasn't just herself they were protecting.
Shade stood stiffly at attention beside Pixal as their shackles were undone. Their expressions were eerily blank. "What do you order, my liege?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lloyd sat hunched over in the darkened cell. He had gained his true father back but at what cost? Ninjago was doomed.
His wounds ached whenever he attempted to move. He sobbed and buried his face in his hands, "Dad, I'm so sorry. I failed. I–I can't do this. I'm powerless."
"Lloyd," started Garmadon as he gripped the bars of his cell and leaned forward, desperately wishing his son would lift his head and look at him. "Powerless or not. Win or lose. I'm proud of the young man you've become. You led and fought with everything you had. A lesser man would have quit long ago. Don't give up now. You and I are still alive. There is still a chance to fight back."
Lloyd let out a deep, frustrated sigh. Grief leaked into his voice. "How? All my friends are either dead or imprisoned. I've failed to lead. I can't see any way we can win this now."
Garmadon closed his eyes, practically feeling the waves of despair coming from his son. He murmured, almost to himself as much as his son, "'Open eyes don't always see truth.' Sometimes things aren't as hopeless as they seem. Walking by faith and not by sight is all that we can do at this time. It's what we'll have to do a lot with this corrupting darkness."
"I can't even walk, much less fight," spat out Lloyd bitterly, painfully shifting positions so he could meet his father's gaze. Tears shine in his eyes. He felt more like a fearful child than great hero. "I'm going to lose you again."
"No, I'm not going anywhere," said Garmadon with a fierce firmness in his voice. "I don't care how dark this situation is, Lloyd. We finally have each other. I'm not going to give up on you, so don't give up on yourself. We are going to survive."
Lloyd fell into a contemplative silence. His father's presence and encouragement helped lift his broken spirit. As much as he wanted to hold as much faith his father did, doubt weighed him down and the walls of his cell seems to close in around him.
Garmadon pointed out, "You know, you're not as powerless as you think. Don't forget all your allies. There's more out there than you realize. A wise woman once said, 'True power is never lost, only given away when you think you have none.' You've empowered others. Now it's their turn to return the favor."
The father and son sat in meditative silence for a long while before a peculiar sound reached Garmadon's ears.
Drip. Drip. Drip.
He reached up, touching the wall. Rivulets of water were streaming down it. Odd. They were in the middle of a desert. "Lloyd," he said lowly, grabbing his sons attention.
The moment Lloyd's palms touched the cool liquid that was quickly pooling in their cells, hope reignited in his heart. He could've cried in relief. Nya was safe and alive, and she was coming to save him with all the strength of a great typhoon.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nya was so engulfed with rage that her whole body trembled. 'C'mon, Nya. Think!'
Ronin and Dareth watched the Water Ninja pace furiously back and forth. That white-haired witch would not win! She'd taken everything from her. Nya wasn't about to lose Lloyd too. As much as her heart hurt and the temptation to quit grew to the point of being unbearable, she refused to be beaten and broken.
She was so focused on her fury that she barely noticed the water droplets that had begun gathering around her fists and whipping around her form. In her palm, she gripped her sapphire ring so hard it hurt.
Dareth hesitantly reached out. "Uhh... Nya?"
The young Ninja turned her head sharply to glare at him. In a cracking voice, she said emphatically, "They can't win. This isn't the end."
Though the self-proclaimed Brown Ninja's voice shook and he was typically known as a goofy, fun-loving guy, there was a steadfast aura about him that served to slightly calm Nya's fraying nerves. "You're right. This isn't the end. I'm with ya, Nya. I'm gonna protect that little green guy with my life if it comes to it."
She briefly shot him a grateful look, relieved to get the small reminder that she wasn't totally forsaken yet. The loyalty of a friend was a powerful thing.
Outside, midnight-colored clouds were slowly creeping across the sky, blotting out any light. Nya looked out the window at them in utter hatred. More water swirled in the air around them. She had promised Lloyd that she would protect him till her last breath. She still had plenty of air in her lungs as did he (if he was dead, their enemies would most certainly be flaunting it to demoralize the people). She wasn't about to fail and break her promise.
Energy welled up inside of her. It felt very similar to when she first found her True Potential. Nya finally began taking notice as the liquid around her began forming and taking shape. At first, it took the appearance of her Elemental Dragon, something she seldom summoned on her own, before shifting into a new form.
When it finished taking shape, Ronin was suddenly reminded of when Nya had just become the Water Ninja, taking up the Water Phoenix as her symbol. Except now, instead of simply wearing the emblem, Nya had just created a Water Phoenix. Judging from her reaction, she was just as surprised and bewildered as him.
Grim determination settled in Nya's eyes as she reached out to touch her creation. It shook its translucent head, spraying water droplets across everyone in the room.
Mystaké's wild ramblings about rising up and Phoenixes came to mind. A small smirk formed on the Ninja's face.
"Time to rise," muttered the Master of Water. "Again." She turned to the last of the Resistance standing and motioned to her Water Phoenix. "Hop on. We're busting everyone out and charging at the Oni with everything we've got."
Dareth and Ronin shared a resolute look and nodded, turning to face Nya and saying at the same time, "The Resistance never quits."
With all the swiftness and the ferocity of the fabled goddess, Wohira, Nya outflew the pressing darkness and shot towards Kryptarium Prison. There, the prisoners were shocked to find their cells being flooded and the prison doors' electronic locks being disengaged.
The imprisoned Resistance rushed from their cells cheering at the sight of Nya as she swooped in on the back of her newly formed Phoenix, stirring up the waters in a frightful yet awe-inspiring show of her power. However, when she dismounted, she was in for a sorry surprise. As the waters settled and she passionately called for the people to take a stand with the Resistance, barely any dared to take a step outside their cells.
A particular nasty man declared from the corner of his cell, "We can't fight. We won't take up the job you failed to do."
Nya's momentary burst of hope wavered, and fury leaked in. She spoke scathingly to the frightened citizens. It wasn't quite like Lloyd's heartening speeches, but hers worked well in its own way. "Ungrateful cowards! I get it. Believe me, I do. I understand fear." She pointed to the Resistance. "What do you think we've felt this whole time trying to fight the Emperor? But guess what? We've still fought for you."
Her voice was heavy with emotion as she yelled, "My brothers died protecting Ninjago! Lloyd is hardly in better condition at this point. You look to him as your "prophesied green savior," but he's just a kid who is trying his hardest to be brave even though I know he's hurting and broken inside and out. So don't you dare say that we've failed at our jobs when he's doing a far better job at having courage than any of you who haven't even lifted a finger to resist the enemy! We don't have to continue to defend Ninjago. We could've given up a long time ago. If this is the thanks we get for our sacrifices, then maybe we should quit."
She turned in a circle, staring coldly at the citizens who were now peering out of their cells. Her breath came in heavy gasps.
Dareth stepped up beside her, beginning to speak. "Look, everyone. I'm not the strongest or brightest Ninja who has ever lived. I don't even have powers. I'm just like all you normal citizens, but here I am still fighting in the Resistance because I've gotten to know these guys over the years and they're my best buds. I really miss the other little dudes. They've given up so much to save our sorry butts. C'mon, the least you can do is stand with us in memory of them."
"Be honest with yourself, we all have nothing left. Ninjago City is covered in darkness. And right now, I guarantee a whole battalion of Oni are heading this way to destroy us all for the fun of it. You can take a stand with us and resist or sit in your ugly metal cages and die as cowards. I, Dareth, the Brown Ninja, am not a coward."
"Neither am I!" declared Vinny the cameraman boldly, walking forward.
Gayle followed close behind. "This is the comeback story of the century. I'm not going to miss out."
More and more citizens stepped out. They might've not been trained warriors, but if they were going down, might as well go down swinging, giving it everything they got.
Nya heaved a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Dareth."
Karlof bellowed mightily at the sight of Lloyd limping out of the shadows, supported between his mother and father. "Yeah! The Resistance never quits!"
Lloyd gave a small smile, nodding his head and catching Nya's eye from across the room. His smile widened when he caught sight of her Water Phoenix. He wondered silently to himself if she had been the Phoenix Mystakè had been mentioning this entire time. Now, if her spontaneous prophecy was actually true, all they had to do was find the Dragon.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
When Harumi and what remained of her bedraggled gang pulled up to Kryptarium Prison, she was mostly unsurprised to find the place flooded. Of course, the Resistance would stubbornly try to fight back even when all hope had already been lost. She steeled herself as she and her forces humbly stepped through the prison and into the midst of her enemies.
The freed prisoners tensed and fell silent at the sight of her. They seemed torn between wanting to attack or flee. The Sons of Garmadon laid their weapons out on the floor in a show of surrender as per her orders.
As soon as the core Resistance members caught sight of her, immediate looks of resentment crossed their features, but they didn't attack. Not yet. They looked to their leader who stood frozen at the unexpected appearance of her, looking even more battered and beaten than the Sons of Garmadon. He was standing with the support of his mother.
Nya did not freeze or hesitate, landing a solid blow to Harumi's face and knocking her to the ground before anyone could hardly blink.
"If you have any sense, you'll stay down," hissed Nya, holding her spear against the former Jade Princess's throat. "You have a lot of nerve showing up here."
Harumi held up her hand and signaled her forces to back down when they began moving forward to intervene. She rasped, "No, that was well-deserved."
She winced at the new cut that joined her old one on her cheek. The glint of a ring on Nya's hand explained that.
Harumi swallowed thickly and bowed her head, blinking back tears and pushing down what little pride she clung to. "I... I'm sorry." She quickly continued as the Water Ninja's fury only deepened. "I know that won't ever make up for all I've done, and I know I don't deserve your forgiveness. There are no worthy explanations or excuses. All I ask is that you let me fight by your side to destroy this evil I've brought. I don't care if I die trying. If I die, maybe then I can atone for all the wrong I've done."
She shifted to a kneeling position and bowed her head. "Do what you want with me, but please, I'm begging you, let me fight by your side."
"As if we'd ever trust you guarding our flanks," growled Gravis.
"Yeah," agreed Bolobo bitterly. He, like the Green Ninja, had suffered a bullet wound to the leg from her and was not over that. "She's more likely to turn and shoot us than fight against her 'beloved Emperor'."
"This is probably some sort of elaborate trap," accused Jacob.
Harumi's generals spoke up.
"No, we swear we're on your side," promised Killow, holding his arms out in surrender. "That thing we resurrected is crazy, crazier than Ultra Violet. We... made a grave mistake. We will stand with Harumi to correct it."
He shot a look over his shoulder, staring hard at the remains of the Sons of Garmadon who quickly voiced their support for their leader.
Chopper Maroon wrung his hands nervously, raising his voice among the murmurs. "I was here when he killed Luke." Harumi winced at this news. It was the first she'd heard of it. "I–I can't serve an Emperor like that. It could be me next. I know I've been cruel and I know I've killed for him."
The biker let out a deep sigh as he admitted, "In the moment, it was great. It felt like I had all the power of the Realm just like the Quiet One promised we'd get. But I see we made a mess o' everything. We won't turn on you. We've got nowhere else to go but to fight with you or run and die."
Ultra Violet slunk closer to Harumi who was still kneeling at spear point by the Water Ninja. Nya glared warningly at the crazy general. "Easy, Water Lily. I'm not lookin' for a fight with you. We have a common enemy now. We're not lookin' for trust or redemption. First Master knows we're past saving."
Harumi made a pained expression, knowing her general's words were true.
"All we want is to destroy that monster. You can take our help or leave it because there ain't no way you're gonna stop us from fighting anyway."
Mr. E remained silent, though he nodded in support of the other's words.
Nya's glare did not lessen in the slightest, and most citizens still looked upon the Sons of Garmadon with deep mistrust or fear.
Harumi begged one last time in a low voice, "Please." Her troops had already covered everything she had wanted to say.
The Water Ninja removed her spear from under her chin and stepped back, bitterly saying, "It's not my decision alone to make."
She looked over at Lloyd. Her stance was clear. If judgment were to be solely passed by her, she would've immediately turned the Sons of Garmadon away or thrown them straight in the many cells surrounding them and let the Oni deal with them when they arrived. Who cares if they could offer extra fighting power. After all this time they had fought against them, the Resistance couldn't just join them all of a sudden!
Nya couldn't believe the amount of mercy Lloyd seemed to have in him. He actually seemed to be considering their enemy's offer, even after all the pain they had put Ninjago through. Harumi would end up betraying them again!
The Quiet One lifted her head, meeting Lloyd's conflicted gaze. He asked quietly as he kept his emerald gaze leveled on her, "Do you truly want to help us? To fight your Emperor?"
"He's not my Emperor. He's my enemy," declared Harumi earnestly.
Most around her looked on in disbelief.
Lloyd, though he stared doubtfully, also had a contemplative expression. Finally, he said slowly, "We need to discuss this."
The white-haired girl nodded. "Of course."
Truthfully, this was a more hopeful reception than she had expected. At first, she had thought she'd stood no chance, and that the Resistance would either destroy them on sight or mercilessly throw them straight back into the clutches of the Oni. She knew that wasn't necessarily their style, but still, it was what they deserved.
Before he turned and limped away, Lloyd lowly remarked to her, "I'm glad you've finally decided to see the truth." He murmured in an even lower voice, "I just hope it's not too late."
The Sons of Garmadon and Harumi stood grouped anxiously together, awaiting the Resistance's final decision as they hotly debated amongst themselves. The citizens of Ninjago kept a wary eye on them all.
At last, it wasn't Lloyd who approached to give the final verdict but Sensei Garmadon, the true Garmadon, not the evil charlatan they had tried resurrecting. He had a steely expression as he announced, "You may fight beside us."
Harumi let out a minute sigh of relief.
"I spoke in favor of villains who can mend." He cautioned in a dangerous tone, "Do not make me regret it."
The Sons of Garmadon bowed low in gratefulness. Once great enemies were now tense allies. Time to see if their combined forces were enough to drive back the growing shadows.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Dragon Hunters had a death grip on their Chain Rifles. Even though the Ninja had heavily suggested that there wasn't any need for those things, they had stubbornly refused to leave their weapons. Faith, in explanation, had said, "Our chains are our only means of survival in this Realm. We live and die by these iron bonds and our mastery of these things."
"There's one!" pointed Chew Toy excitedly, standing up from where they were all huddled behind a rock outcropping.
Jet Jack smacked him on the side of the head, pulling him back down. "Idiot! You're blind. That's a bird."
"That's a really big bird," gulped Jay.
"And ugly," grimaced Kai as it passed overhead.
The Bonepicker gave an indignant cry.
"It smells death. Our death," said Arkade morbidly.
Jay made the mistake of inhaling deeply. He nearly choked. The Ninja hadn't had a shower in forever, and it was apparent the Dragon Hunters had never even heard what a shower was, much less personal hygiene.
Ultra Dragon let loose a mighty roar, warning of his and Wu's approach. Though the Ninja had felt uneasy about letting the young teen go alone, Cole had decided it a good way to see if the squirt had some leadership skills in him. From the looks of it, he was far better with handling Dragons than people.
"Now there's some Dragons," remarked Jet Jack, lifting her visor in amazement. Never before had they witnessed such a great mass of Dragons.
About the entire Nest had followed Ultra and Wu, ready to fight and avenge their queen.
It took every ounce of self control from the Hunters not to either try fighting or fleeing at the sight of the many Dragons heading in their direction.
Wu proudly dismounted. "I got 'em."
The Ninja cheered and ran up to their de-aged Master, hugging him and affectionately ruffling his hair.
"But..." said Wu, dampening their joy. Of course, there was a catch. Things never came easy for them. "They want proof that the Hunters are worthy to ride on their backs."
"How exactly are we supposed to prove that?" questioned Jet Jack.
Without warning, a lithe white and gold Dragon shot forward with its teeth bared viciously. On instinct, the Hunters all raised their weapons and aimed at the attacking beast. He stopped just short of running over Faith.
The Dragon stood huffing, face to face with the Hunter. Faith stood and stared into the Dragon's golden eyes which were narrowed into furious slits. His eyes seemed to glitter with fury and... pain? Odd. Faith never really noticed emotions coming from the winged reptiles until now. Both beings were frozen in place and looking each other dead in the eye, seemingly trying to read the other and tensely awaiting the other's next move.
Wind stirred up warningly around them when Faith tightened her grip around her Vengestone Rifle. The hybrid inhaled sharply when recognition slapped her upside the head. This was the mate of the Windstriker they had killed a few nights ago!
Out of the corner of her eye, Faith noticed some Fire Dragons slinking forward to the other Hunters. She recognized them as well, former slaves of the Smelter. She refocused her attention to the beast in front of her. Though it went against every instinct within her, she slowly pointed her Vengestone Rifle down and let it softly drop into the sand.
The Windstriker cocked his head slightly, looking curious yet still wary of this unprecedented action. The other Hunters also watched Faith in grave confusion, still keeping a tight hold on their own weapons. Being unarmed when facing a Dragon was just asking for an early death.
Keeping her movements measured, Faith copied what she had seen the Fire Elemental do when earning the trust of the Fire Dragon at the Smelter. She reached out her hand, willing herself not to flinch as the Dragon reacted. However, instead of biting her fingers clean off, he recoiled and bared his teeth at her, growling and pawing at the earth.
Faith frowned, momentarily failing to understand the message. Finally, she saw what the Dragon's eyes were focused on, the extra blades she kept on her person for an absolute dire situation. With a minute sigh, she lifted the blades away and dropped them on top of her Rifle with a clatter. For good measure, she carefully stepped farther from the weapons.
She reached out her hand again. Man and beast alike seemed to be studying their interaction with bated breath. After what seemed like hours, the Windstriker tentatively stepped forward and pressed his snout into her palm, not breaking eye contact with her. It was if the Dragon was communicating, "I will give you this chance, but this does not mean I trust you nor are you forgiven."
She barked out to the other Hunters in a slightly harsher tone than intended, "Drop your weapons."
Hesitantly, the Hunters complied one by one. The Dragons let out snorts and huffs of approval. The Neen-jah, who were of better rapport with the winged creatures, collected the weapons so that when they arrived in their Realm, the Hunters would not be defenseless.
It was a tense atmosphere as the Elementals and Hunters mounted various Dragons. The Hunters precariously balanced themselves on the backs of the beasts, at a loss on where to hold on. They didn't have time to ask as the Dragons took to the skies, leaving the inexperienced riders to desperately cling to their backs in a rather undignified manner.
It was a wonder neither opponents had dared to lash out at the other out of vengeance. One Dragon ride would not heal decades of bloodshed, but it was a start of trust between two species who had very little left to lose. A common enemy unites even the oldest of foes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chamille stumbled as she was shoved into an ill-lit closet of sorts. To her surprise, the Oni had upheld their end of the bargain. Shade and Pixal were theirs to control, but they had not brought harm to her.
She gasped and shuffled back as something moved forward from the corner of the room. As her eyes adjusted, she recognized the shape of a wheelchair wherein a small, gaunt man was seated. She immediately identified the man as the brilliant Cyrus Borg. Under different circumstances, the Master of Form definitely would've been extremely excited to meet the genius.
Though his frame seemed frail, his eyes still glittered brightly. He greeted her kindly, "Hello, it's been a while since I've been allowed visitors. Who are you?"
Chamille straightened, giving the inventor her name, informing him she was an Elemental Master. "And I don't intend to stick around long. You wanna come?" Already, she was surveying the room for tools she could pick the lock with.
Was she sad and scared for her husband and her friends? Yes. Was she going to show it? No. Was she about to cry in front of a stranger? Absolutely not. She kept her mind focused on other problems at hand, keeping her hands busy. She winced as she flexed her hands, the gash on her palm rudely reminding her of its presence.
Cyrus Borg chuckled at the young woman's tenacity as she combed the room. "Oh, I've cracked the code to that door ages ago. It's just..." he motioned to his wheelchair, "I don't think I'm mobile enough to stage a successful breakout."
The Master of Form laughed good-naturedly, patting her bulging stomach. "I'm not exactly mobile either, but I don't wanna know what happens when the Oni get tired of keeping us around." She urged him, "C'mon, you know this place better than anyone. You gotta know of some sort of secret exit."
The inventor pushed up his glasses, thinking momentarily before grinning. "Aha! Yes, I do. But we'll have to be stealthy."
As Chamille carefully wheeled Cyrus Borg out, she boasted, "I'm pretty decent at stealth. I mean, I've stolen from your company before and you've never figured it out."
The genius frowned confusedly, choosing not to comment on that.
They managed to make it through the halls undetected and came to a large vault door that led underneath the Tower. Cyrus Borg punched in the code, but as the two entered, they nearly jumped out of their skin as a ghostly figure hovered in the corridor. Her hair flowed freely in an invisible wind; and a straw hat was pulled low over her face, concealing her features.
Chamille froze, appearing entirely weirded out. Was this some sort of security trick by Borg? One look at his shocked face answered that question.
The man in the wheelchair quickly took off his glasses and cleaned them on his shirt before snapping them back on his face and going back to staring again. At least the Ninja had taught him how to be familiar with fighting ethereal entities, so Cyrus's mind wasn't completely short-circuited by this ghost. In fact, he felt sad, knowing that there were likely more restless souls wandering the halls of his once grand building due to the Emperor's carnage.
He addressed the ghost. "Who are you? What do you seek?"
The intangible being floated closer and lifted her head, and Chamille noted that her transparent figure was disfigured and marred due to wounds. This woman had suffered before she had died, but her dark eyes seemed ablaze with life. The spirit looked them over, seeming mildly pleased with whatever she saw. A gnarled hand with claw-like nails pointed to the inventor. Her voice was raspy when she spoke. "You, I know. Cyrus Borg, friend of the Ninja."
She looked wary as her sights settled on Chamille. "But who are you, spawn of Oni?"
The Master of Form was slightly put off by being addressed as "spawn of Oni," but she replied, "Chamille, Master of Form." She repeated Cyrus Borg's questions. "But who are you? What do you want?"
Recognition flickered in the phantom's eyes. She murmured under her breath, mostly to herself, "Ah, so now I've heard of Chamille." She finally gave her name as her expression grew furious. "I am Mystaké. And I am here because I want front row tickets to the fall of the Oni. I cannot rest peacefully until they are gone from this Realm of beauty." She laughed, "I am only tethered to this plane of existence because of my thirst to see the dawn of justice. I am living off of pure spite."
Her next cryptic words confused Chamille and Cyrus. "The rise of the Dragon and Phoenix is near. I intend to see it."
Wisps of black smoke began breaching the vault door and alarm filled Mystaké's gaze. She sighed, upset, "My apologies. I have kept you far too long." She beckoned them to follow her. "I know escape is your priority, but I know something he hoards down here that just might turn the tide of battle. Follow me."
Cyrus shared an uneasy look with Chamille. Could they trust this ghost? With the ebony smoke creeping behind them, it appeared they didn't have much choice.
The Master of Form was vocal with her doubt as they warily trailed behind, questioning what Mystaké knew and pointing out that the Oni didn't seem so easy to subdue.
In response, the spirit let out a bitter cackle, turning to face the two while still leading them forward. "My dear, no one, not even the Oni, are as indomitable as they would like to believe. Oni can be deafeated." Her visage flickered to reveal her true Oni face. "I would know."
They were silent for the rest of the way.
Cyrus Borg's eyes widened when he realized what door they had stopped in front of. He stuttered, "But–that... Zane..."
Mystaké's expression softened slightly as she nodded, and her voice was less sharp when she spoke, "Yes, what was once created for protection then twisted into a great evil can once again be reforged into something good."
Chamille pulled open the door to reveal a heavily protected chamber wherein the Golden Armor was held. Borg swiftly disarmed the alarms.
Mystaké clapped her hands sharply, hearing the whispers of the dark smoke closing in. "Quick, quick. No time to admire it here. Take it and go!"
"But how do I–" The pregnant woman's hands hovered over the Armor indecisively. Right underneath it sat a warning in big red lettering, "DO NOT TOUCH OR IT WILL VAPORIZE YOU."
Cyrus Borg pulled himself purposefully from his wheelchair. He motioned to it. "Use this to transport the Armor."
Chamille gasped. "What about you?"
The CEO of Borg industries gave a brave smile. "I've spent long enough cooped up uselessly in the shadows. It's time to have courage and resist. Having me won't help, but that Armor just might be Ninjago's last hope of victory."
Mystaké nodded in grave confirmation.
With extremely cautious maneuvering, Chamille tipped the Golden Armor into the wheelchair, and with a heavy heart, she departed from there just as tendrils of black smoke began filling the chamber. She followed Borg's last instructions. Three lefts, then a right, open a large door, and then go down a flight of stairs into a basement where she could find a way down into the sewers. Gross, but at least it was a shot at survival for her.
The ghost had vanished, but not before giving her a nod of respect and a message to deliver. "If you manage to find your way to Lloyd and Nya, tell them the Samurai was right. The Ninja have yet eluded death. I have not heard word of them stirring up trouble here in the Departed Realm. They are alive."
When Chamille reached the top of the flight of stairs, she let out a deep, frustrated huff. First of all, the staircase was pitch black. How totally not scary and foreboding at all. Second, there was no safe way of getting the Armor and herself down there safely. She couldn't even see her toes for crying out loud (due to the darkness and her distended belly)! How could she be expected to carry this hulking mass of metal down there?
She had resigned herself to just throwing the Golden Armor down first then carefully descending the steps, hoping she wouldn't misstep in the darkness, when a blinding light exploded from the staircase and shone right in her face.
Ahhh, here I am, hanging on for dear life and drowning in assignments and tests as usual. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next up, the Ninja finally make their way back to Ninjago.
""You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." - Matthew 5:43-45 NIV