Everyone stares in complete shock for mere seconds that seem to drag on for an eternity. Uncle Wu's gone. The Great Devourer ate him!
Pythor's gone too which is the only upside in this turn of events. The Devourer finally turns its attention to us, its large beady eyes glaring at us hungrily.
Nya suddenly controls the Samurai X suit to grab Lloyd and I and flies out of there.
My eyes are wide in stunned horror, "Uncle Wu was eaten... he was eaten."
She lands us on the Bounty and doesn't waste a second before dashing into the control room and raising the anchor. She moves the ship over and lands on the ground as the boys run up to meet us.
"Twins!" Nya shouts, "get in here now!"
My brother and I stare mesmerized by the serpent chasing after the ninja. It's enormous body quickly slithers after them, fangs gnashing and dripping venom.
"Oh my first spinjitzu master, its our fault that thing is free." I say to my brother
"Yeah, it is..."
"Twins, now!"
We snap out of our daze and rush inside the control room.
"Fire up the engines." She instructs the moment we enter the room.
We run over to the panel turn them on, "there's no wind, we only have reserved fuel." Lloyd says
"Use it."
I turn the fuel switch as the boys come barreling into the room, tumbling on top of each other.
I turn the screen on so we can watch the camera footage and it shows the snake right by us as Nya lifts the Bounty into the air.
"Hate tel tell you this, but objects in the mirror are closer than they appear!" Jay shouts
"Working on it." Nya says pushing a few more controls, "blasters on full."
The sails open up and we blast out of there just as the Devourer tries to bite the ship.
"Yeah, take that, you stupid snake." Kai shouts as he watches the snake behind us.
But suddenly, the Devourer bursts out of the ground in front of us.
"I think it heard you." Jay remarks
The serpent lunges for the ship once more and Nya has barely a second to swerve to the side to avoid being eaten. Lloyd and tumble to the side and smack into the wall, but the boys manage to keep their footing.
"Nya, we gotta go faster." Kai says, "that thing is gaining on us."
"We're going as fast as we can!" Nya replies, "I'll try to make it to Scattered Canyon."
"The probability of us making it that far is less than 8 percent." Zane says
"Never tell me the odds!" She shrieks in response
Cole comes over to watch the footage with Lloyd and I, "it's coming in for another attack."
"Port side!" My brother and I yell, this time grabbing ahold of the table to avoid falling again when she makes swerves to the side again. Narrowly missing the snake for a second time.
"We're losing speed." Lloyd says, "we'll drop to the ground soon." I add watching the status' show our height dropping.
"Throw everything overboard." Nya orders
"What?!" The boys all exclaim
"We need to lose some weight!"
"PORT SIDE!" We shriek again, only this time, the Devourer succeeds is biting at one of the boosters. The entire ship dips to the left and the table in the control room slides to the side, slamming into the opposite wall.
The boys run from the room to complete Nya's instructions. Within a few moments numerous items of furniture are thrown from the side of the deck.
I look back at the control panel and see our height slowly rising again despite the lost booster. My brother I peer out the window overlooking the deck to see the boys rushing around the ship. A trail of items follows us as we fly away from the snake, which eats everything thrown overboard regardless of what it is.
"Is the Devourer look bigger than it was before?" I ask
The snake stops for a moment as it swallows and it visibly grows in front of our eyes. It's body expands and sheds its old scales in mere seconds and is left a couple feet longer than it was moments ago.
"It definitely is." Lloyd says, eyes wide, "they can't throw anything over."
Suddenly Kai throws Uncle Wu's blue teapot over the side as well.
"Yes, because that was the thing that was slowing us down." I deadpan
The ninja seem to notice the snake's sudden growth because they stop with their current task and rush back inside the control room.
"We made it to Scattered Canyon." Nya announces, "hold on." She proceeds to fly in a series of quick, jerky movements to avoid hitting the canyon walls. Despite the confusing terrain, the snake doesn't lay up for a second. It even gets close enough to take another nip at the side of the ship which causes us to slam to the side.
The Bounty jolts back and forth for a few seconds before Nya gets it leveled again.
"We need to get that booster back in order." Nya says
"Where'd the snake go?!" Cole asks, ignoring Nya's comment.
Before anyone has a moment to react, the Devourer bursts through the ground once again. It dives back down and swings to tail at us, the long spike at the end of it smashing into the ship, tearing the sails and nearly splitting it in half.
"Abandon ship!" Nya shrieks
The Bounty crashes to the ground and tumbles across the desert floor.
The screen falls from the wall and nearly smashes Lloyd and I, but Zane jumps in before it can. He grabs the both of us, tucking us in as we all tumble out of the way as the screen shatters on the floor.
Zane helps my brother and I leave the control room, "goodbye, old friend." He says as he crates his ice vehicle and drives off with the both of us.
The 5 vehicles race away, using the wreckage as a distraction, as the Devourer rips the ship apart.
Everyone stops underneath a canyon wall and we have a second to turn and see the snake finally snapping the ship in half.
It roars angrily and burrows back underground and finally leaves. We watch as the sand rises up where the snake is just below until it's gone from our view entirely.
"It's gone." Cole says with a sigh as everyone collapses in the sand.
"That was too intense." Kai says, taking his mask off, "all that action, it makes you so thirsty."
"There's no time to rest." Zane says, already standing up again, "we was to warn people before it becomes bigger."
"Bigger?" Jay says, "bigger?! That thing in one big bite crushed our entire ship!" His voice becomes more hysterical as he speaks, "we need to save as many as we can. We'll find some kind of refuge, somewhere safe to hide." He babbles to himself
"I think he's broken." Lloyd whispers over to me
"Just peachy."
"Oh, the Serpentine Tombs. Yeah, they're underground. We'll be without sunlight, but they're perfect!"
"And what, just give up?!" Cole exclaims
"You know as well as I do, we have no chance at stopping that thing!" Jay argues back
"Hey, stop it!" Kai yells, jumping in the middle of them, "listen to yourselves. Is this what Sensei Wu would've wanted? Us fighting? Running and hiding? Giving up?"
"He's not here anymore." My twin and I say in unison and everyone snaps out of their arguing, becoming deathly quietly.
"But his teachings live on." Kai finally says, "Sensei once told me it's not the size of a ninja in a fight, but the size of the fight in the ninja."
"Yep, sounds like some weird hippy thing he'd say."
"All this training, all of these battles we've had with skeletons and the Serpentine. We've persevered through so much, we can't just give up now." he continues, "a ninja never admits defeat. A ninja always picks himself up when he's down. Which is exactly what Sensei wu would want us to do right now."
"Is he gonna start singing?"
"But how do we destroy a sake of that magnitude?' Zane asks
"Yeah, it's not like we have an extra Sacred Flute lying around to charm it." Jay continues dramatically as he gestures his hands around, "or wait, how about one of our awesome dragons? Oh, I forgot. They took off and left us high and dry. Or, hey, what about our Golden Weapons? Which will do nothing against a snake that size." He suddenly chuckles to himself and drops back in the sand, "We are so hooped."
"You're right. He's broken." I lean over to Lloyd
"So hooped?" he mumbles instead of replying
Cole sighs, "Jay's right. We would need a weapon just as big."
Kai gasps happily, "Or an idea that's even bigger." He suddenly jumps up with an excited laugh, "Jay, you're a genius! You thinking what I'm thinking?!"
"Probably not, but go ahead." he answers nonchalantly
"There's no time." Kai says , already up and running, "I'll explain on the way."
"What?" Jay jumps up again, "Where are we going?"
"We're going to destroy that snake once and for all!"
"That's not exactly an answer!" Nya call after him, but he doesn't reply, just proceeds to make his fire vehicle.
We all glance around each other, but finally all stand up and follow. What other options do we have?
~
We arrive at Jay's parent's junkyard. Kai has some idea to build something to fight the Devourer and needs lot of parts to do so.
"Good idea, Kai." Cole says, powering down his earth vehicle, "if the Devourer likes to consume, this place is a full on buffet." He says, looking around the junk piles.
I jump up and sit on the hood of an old pickup truck and look around as well, "we haven't been here since we released the Fangpyre." I say nonchalantly
"Yeah, releasing the snakes." Cole says cocking an eyebrow
"Yeah, and got my parents bitten by them in the process." Jay says checking the trailer for his parents only to find them not home.
Lloyd's and my eyes widen and we glance at each other, "sorry." We say in unison which looks like it surprises them more than anything else we've seen today.
"Alright, guys," Kai says, "here's the plan." unrolling a blueprint on the hood of the car after Lloyd and I climb up on the roof to look down at the picture. It shows a huge vehicle with 2 levels to it and seats for all the boys to control the weapons.
"It's so awesome!" Jay exclaims
"Zane, you still have a recording of the Sacred Flute in your memory bank?" Kai asks
"It might have been destroyed earlier, but I have it's exact tone recorded and ready for playback." He opens a hatch in his arm and presses a button. In a few moments a flute song fills the air.
"Good, and there should be enough spare parts around here to build this whopper." Kai responds, "but we're gonna need to create our biggest tornado of creation yet."
"What's a tornado of creation?" Lloyd asks
"It's Spinjitzu of all their elemental powers combined." Nya explains, "it has the power to create."
"Are we gonna be able to do that?" I add
She furrows her eyebrows, "I don't know. Maybe."
"But this is gonna be dangerous and we can't have anyone around." Kai adds
"We're around." I remark
"So is he." My brother adds, pointing to the entrance of the junkyard.
Everyone turns around to see the mailman riding in on his bicycle.
"What's he doing here?" Cole grumbles
"He appears to be delivering the mail, Cole." Zane says matter of factly, but with a touch of sarcasm behind it, making Lloyd and I burst out laughing.
The others run around the truck, towards the entrance, scaring the mailman in the process.
He screams and jumps back as the boys round the corner and suddenly appear in front of him, "you ninja are always sneaking around, giving people heart attacks. You're too quiet." He says
"Sorry, we didn't mean to scare you." Kai replies, "but you need to get out here."
"Well, now, I too have a job to do and that's delivering the mail. Which I plan to do."
"Look, dude, my parents aren't even here." Jay says, taking the letters, "you really should be on your way."
"Them too?" The mailman asks instead, "let me guess, are they at the Take Back Ninjago rally too?"
"Take Back Ninjago rally?" Jay mumbles
"You haven't heard? Everyone's getting together for a rally in the city. To raise awareness about all the Serpentine problems that have been surfacing lately."
"Whoa, would you look at that," Lloyd starts, "you guys are inspirational." We finish together
"Wait a minute. You know what? You guys are right." The man says, backing his bike away from the ninja, "wherever you guys are, trouble is always around the corner."
Suddenly, the Devourer is back. Slithering up behind the mailman, red eyes glaring madly.
The boys get into a fighting stance while Nya grabs my brother and I, pulling us off the car hood and further away from the entrance.
"I think I'll be leaving now because whatever you guys are up to, I want no part of it." He finally turns to leave and comes face to face with the monstrous serpent.
It raises is huge head and opens it's mouth, showing off its gleaming fangs.
The man stutters for a moment, unable to to form a word until he finally shrieks, "snake!" And dives out of the way to hide in a bin near one of the junk piles.
"It's now or never, guys." Kai announces and pull his hood back on, "ninja, go! Fire!" And his Spinjitzu erupts around him.
"Earth!"
"Lightning!"
"Ice!"
The others call out as well and create their tornados. They merge the 4 of them together and make one huge tornado. A huge gust of wind spirals around them and it pulls random parts from pieces from around the junkyard, sucking them into the twister with them.
Nya pulls Lloyd and I over towards the trailer and the 3 of us go to the other side in order to avoid being hit by all the flying junk.
Moments later the wind dies down. We per around the trailer and see a huge vehicle in the place of the tornado. The boys are already seated inside and ready to fight the snake.
My mouth drops open, "what?! How?" I shriek
"How did they do that?!" My brother shouts
"I know. I don't get it either." Nya says shaking her head.
"Zane, now!" Kai calls
Seconds later the flute song plays again from these blasters on the side of the contraption. Little sound waves shoot out with the music and brush part the serpent.
The Devourer roars angrily and snaps it's huge jaws towards the boys. One of them puts the car in reverse and it slams back into one of the junk piles.
The snake swipes down at them again and tried to bite the vehicle, but they're able to swerve out of the way before it can. It lunges at them a few more times, even dodging the sound waves as well.
Finally they drive the car out of the junkyard and round to the other side of the Devourer. It's not quick enough to snap back at them, giving the boys another chance to attack
2 huge hooks shoot from the vehicle and grab ahold of the Devourer's scales, holding it in place. Without being able to move, Zane sends the flute sounds out once more, this time with a direct hit.
The snake writhes angrily and fights against the restraints, but starts becoming weaker and weaker the longer they blast the flute sounds at it.
All the sudden the end of its tail bursts through the ground and the claw smashes into the side of the vehicle. The part where Zane's sitting. The music cuts off and the Devourer is able to slither away, hissing furiously.
"Zane!" The ninja shout
"Where's Zane?" My brother calls as the 3 of us rush over to them as well.
Broken mechanical pieces fall from the broken part of the vehicle, "right here." Zane replies after freeing himself from the wreck. He looks up to show half of his exoskeleton is ripped off, leaving the left half of his face to reveal the mechanics underneath, "that was close." He says merely
"Too close." Kai says
"Perfect." Jay says sarcastically, "now that was a total failure."
"Not total." Kai defends, "did you guys notice on his forehead? It has a weak spot."
"Oh, great. Let me a make a note of that." Jay adds theatrically, pretending his hand is a notepad, "giant snake has wee, itty-bitty weak spot. That'll be totally impossible to get at because the thing is too ridiculously huge to do anything to stop it!" He screams at the end
Nya crosses her arms and rolls her eyes at Jay's antics.
"Is this what you're always like when fighting a threat to Ninjago?" I ask, giving him a confused look, "you freak out and give up this easily?"
He huffs, "I don't know, Lindsey. Are you always this calm when you're the one maniacally scheming to be the threat to Ninjago?" He deadpans
I furrow my eyes and think it over for a second before turning to my twin, "was that a yes?" I ask, only to receive a facepalm in response.
"Guys, things just got worse." Nya announces and points out of the junkyard.
The Devourer is quickly moving away from us for a moment before burrowing underground again.
"It's heading towards Ninjago City." Zane remarks
"That's where my parents are." Jay says
"So is everyone else." Cole corrects
"If it consumes the biggest city in all of Ninjago there will be no stopping it." Kai adds gravely
"Just peachy..."