(To continue on the last cliffhanger, in the Crystal Temple, Lloyd is still hanging from Vengestone chains facing the Crystal King now knowing it's the Overlord.)
Lloyd: This isn't happening. I don't believe it!
Overlord: (Laughs) I have returned. Your grandfather fought me and failed. Your father fought me and also failed. You and your Ninja tried twice, and failed just like your forbearers.
Lloyd: You know what they say. (He shakes against the chains.) Ugh, third time's the charm.
Overlord: You still hope. (He chuckles turning away.) Admirable, but foolish. Watch as I crush that hope.
Lloyd: (He struggles, grunting.) How did you even get off the Dark Island? I thought you needed a vessel. Like my father. Like technology. How did you-
Overlord: Needed. That was the past, Green Ninja. (He creates an orb of Destruction.) This is the future. The difference between then and now comes down to just one important variable.
Lloyd: Ugh, and what's that?
Overlord: (He begins to power up the Council as beams go from his hands to the Golden Weapons.) With this Elemental Essense I am now strong enough to overpower the very weapons the First Spinjitzu Master created.
Vangelis: I feel power, surging into me!
Aspheera: Yes. Me too!
Lloyd: (He looks around, worried.) What Elemental Essense? You had all my friends destroyed! There is no more Elemental Power to take!
(A Shuriken of Destruction files outward and Ciara catches it)
Mechanic: Hey, I thought we were sharing!
(The other Shuriken of Destruction flies outward and the Mechanic takes it as he smiles.)
Overlord: (He chuckles.) That dear boy...
(Aspheera gets the Sword of Destruction)
Overlord: ...is because the Dragon and Oni were more powerful than any Elemental Power that you speak of.
(Vangelis gets the Scythe of Destruction)
Lloyd: Master Wu is gone...my father has disappeared. There is no more Dragon and Oni power in this Realm, not anymore. (He narrows his eyes at the Overlord.) Where did you get that power from?
(Pythor gets the Nunchucks of Destruction.)
Overlord: If only you knew. (He crosses his arms behind his back.)
Pythor: (Happy because they have an electric chain connected to them.) Finally, these work! Thank you, my Lord!
Council: Thank you.
Lloyd: (He sees the crystals on the weapons and the council's armour.) So, you gave them some cute purple outfits. Is that supposed to impress me?
Overlord: Perhaps this will.
(The Overlord turns and manipulates the central crystal, levitating the Crystal Temple.)
Pythor: Now that's impressive.
Vangelis: Very impressive.
Aspheera: Praise from the fallen king. Worthless! But the admiration of Aspheera, Empress of the Serpentine. That is a prize.
Vangelis: You dare!
Mechanic: Listen to the two of you. King of this, empress of that. Where I come from, we call people like you "kiss ups".
Ciara: For once, the Mechanic is right.
Mechanic: Hah, see?!
Overlord: (He silences the villains. Faces Lloyd.) Witness my power, Son of Garmadon, and see that resistance is useless! Join me. I offer you a chance. Stand by Harumi's side and do my bidding as she does. (He looks into Lloyd's eyes.) And...earn something of what you think that you've lost. (He stands up and summons his powers.) Refuse, and be destroyed. The choice is yours.
Lloyd: (He looks at the Overlord confused before shaking his head.) Thing is, sometimes I like to order off the menu. So I'm going with choice number three.
Overlord: Choice number three?
Lloyd: Escape and live to fight another day!
(Lloyd swings on his chain, knocking back the Crystal King and Vangelis. The Scythe of Destruction hits the crystal.)
Vangelis: No!
(Lloyd's chains break and he stands up. The Crystal Island tips and Lloyd escapes.)
Lloyd: Thanks for hosting the party, guys. But I think I'll be going now!
Ciara: (She throws her knive at Lloyd, but misses.) Ugh, come on!
Mechanic: Why did you use your shuriken? (He waves his shuriken of destruction.)
Ciara: I like my knives, deal with it.
Overlord: Fools! Stop him! (He rights the Crystal Island.) After him! Destroy him! Do not let him get to Cell #1!
Council: Yes, Lord! (All but Harumi leave to pursue Lloyd.)
Overlord: What is it, Quiet One? (Looking at the pink crystal in the middle.) You understand my plan only works if the last two Heroes stay apart.
Harumi: (Behind the Overlord.) I know. But Lloyd doesn't have to be destroyed to keep him apart from Crystal. Let me try to convince him, to— to reason with him.
Overlord: That time has passed. He made his choice. For my plan to succeed and for me to complete the prophecy is for you to do as I command. Destroy the Green Ninja, and I will make sure that Light Ninja and us unite forces.
Harumi: But- Lloyd may be easy to manipulate, but Crystal is- she's- she's a more complicated case.
Overlord: The Mistress of Darkness will join us.
Harumi: How can you be so sure?
Overlord: She will. (He turns to Harumi.) Once she has time to understand that whatever she's ever done has been for nothing. Once she accepts the fact that everyone she truly cared about is gone. And once she figures out that Light cannot win with the Green Ninja gone. She will join the Darkness and finish the prophecy she was created to fulfil.
Harumi: Yes, but Lloyd-
Overlord: (He points at Harumi.) This plan only works if you eliminate the only one left in our path. The grandson of the First Spinjitzu Master. Destroy him, in front of the Child of the Dragon and Oni if possible. Do I make myself clear?
Harumi: (She looks away.) It...will be done.
(Meanwhile, in the temple, Lloyd attempts to find an exit as he runs through the hallway.)
Lloyd: Where the heck am I? Why do mysterious temples have to be so mysterious?
Aspheera: Where exactly do you think you're going? We're floating up into the sky! And last I checked, Ninja can't fly!
Lloyd: (He sends Aspheera flying with Spinjitzu.) No, but snakes can!
(Lloyd continues to evade the council's pursuit. Meanwhile, the Overlord arrives at the hall with Vengestone Guards.)
Overlord: Harumi has served me well. I asked for an army, and an army I have. (He powers up the guards as they face him.) Yes. My legion.....
(Meanwhile, Crystal is still seen her room looking at the pink crystal in front of her. She pants, falling to her knees.)
Crystal: So you needed my powers as a vessel.
Overlord: (His voice echoing around the room.) You have a choice, Child of Destruction.
Crystal: Stop...calling...me, ugh, that..... (Her eyes glow purple as she pants.)
Overlord: I am making you an offer that will satisfy your needs. There is no one around you to tell you what to do anymore. You can make your own choice.
Crystal: (She dryly chuckles.) You've taken away everyone, sure. (She looks up.) You need me to complete the prophecy, maybe. (She glares at the pink crystal with the Overlod silhouette.) But I will never fight for what I never believed in the beginning. And that is my choice.
Overlord: There will be peace-
Crystal: -Within the dark. I'm not a fool, Overlord. If you win, you'll destroy everything.
Overlord: Ah, but there will be peace in the end. No more fighting for balance, no more endless battles. The Realm of the First Spinjitzu Master will succumb to what always threatened it. The Darkness. (He appears in front of Crystal making her stand up surprised.) But, I feel as if you're forgetting one important fact.
Crystal: (She backs up.) And...what's that?
Overlord: This deal doesn't just benefit me it also helps you. (He steps forward.) You are a Ninja as you've made very clear. You believe in the lessons and morals. Putting off until tomorrow what can be done today. The best way to defeat your enemy is to make them your friend. Sibling sharpen sibling.
Crystal: (Backing away.) How do you-
Overlord: You protect those who can not protect themselves. Fear isn't a word where you come from. (He takes a step.) You stand up to those who are cruel and unjust. (He takes another step.) And most importantly: You don't quit.
Crystal: Hmm, thank you for the biography. (She takes her battle stance.) But if you're trying to change my mind you won't-
Overlord: (Pushing Crystal's hands down.) Do you know what happens when the prophecy goes unfulfilled?
Crystal: ...No?
Overlord: The Green Ninja formerly known as the Golden Ninja is gone. The First Spinjitzu Master as-well. Everyone who was apart of the prophecy is gone...except?
Crystal: Us. (She looks at her hands.) So you're saying-
Overlord: If the propcey isn't completed, it will not continue like before. And what happens? Well, the entire Realm will be destroyed. (He puts his hand on Crystal's shoulder.) Not just us. Everyone. All those people you so desperately tried to protect over all these years, gone. Just like that. (He snaps with his other hand.) If you truly are a Ninja, you will help me with your powers and save everyone from this terrible fate.
Crystal: (Thinking.) It can't be true...everyone has said that the Overlord will bring devastation-
Overlord: Because if you do not... (He tightens his grip on Crystal's shoulder making her wince.) ...everything and everyone will cease to exist. And the consequences will all be on your head.
"The choice is yours."
...
..
.
(Meanwhile, Lloyd is running through the hallways before finding himself surrounded by the Council.)
Pythor: Somehow, it's fitting that this would come down to you and me.
Vangelis: And me.
Mechanic: And me.
Ciara: And me.
Pythor: No! You chaps just ruined a really dramatic one-on-one moment! Phooey.
Lloyd: Okay, look. I know you all have new weapons and powers and everything seems great. But trust me, the Overlord is bad news! For all of us! He will destroy everything!
Mechanic: Ha, except us! That's why we joined him, genius!
Aspheera: (She laughs.) But you don't have to worry. He won't destroy you.
Pythor: We'll do that!
(The council all throw their weapons at Lloyd. He jumps in the air evading them, and the weapons collide and knock the villains back with a shockwave. Lloyd then turns to run.)
Harumi: You fools! Never let the weapons come in contact with each other. They're too powerful! (She runs after Lloyd.)
Pythor: Which way?
Harumi: (She hesitates, then points in the opposite direction.) That way. After him! (The villains leave, and she runs towards the correct path.)
(In a hallway, Lloyd is attacked by a Vengestone Guard. He kicks it away and runs and passes by a door. The scene looms on that door as Lloyd runs back to see it glowing pinkish-purple.)
Lloyd: What the- I thought the Overlord didn't take prisoners? (He looks at the door before grabbing the knob. Reading the door.) Cell #1...
(Lloyd opens the door and his eyes widen when he finds Crystal on her knees, the chains on the ground.)
Lloyd: Crystal?
Crystal: (She looks up and gasps.) ...Lloyd?
(Crystal gets up as Lloyd runs to hug her as she almost falls from the impact.)
Lloyd: (Smiling brightly.) I thought you were- Harumi said- And- (He looks at Crystal.) How did you survive?!
Crystal: Survive? I thought you were gone?! The Overlord said he destroyed you and-
Lloyd: You know about the Overlord too? Wait, of course you do. (He shakes his head.) Look, Harumi said she...eliminated you because you stopped my transformation to...whatever.
Crystal: If they lied about that, who knows what else they lied about. (She looks at the pink crystal as Lloyd does the same.)
Lloyd: ...What... (He looks at Crystal.) Did something happen?
Crystal: The Overlord...told me things. And I think most of it was true...
(Before Lloyd can ask they both hear footsteps outside the room.)
Lloyd: Tell me later. We're getting out of here. Togethor? (He pulls out his hand.)
Crystal: Togethor. (She takes his hand as they both smile.)
(With Harumi, she's seen running past the room and going inside to find no one. She yells enraged.)
Harumi: No...no, no, no! This can't be happening! (She runs away.)
(Meanwhile, Lloyd and Crystal are seen running as the mouth of the temple opens and Lloyd nearly falls off.)
Lloyd: No! (He's about to fall but Crystal grabs his hand.) Crystal!
Crystal: I just got you back, and I'm not letting you go again. (Lloyd smiles as he climbs back up.)
Lloyd: That was close. How do you think we should go about this?
Crystal: (She looks down to see forest.) We're too far in the air, we'll never make the fall.
Lloyd: Ugh, maybe if we-
Harumi: (She appears behind the two Ninja.) There's no escape, Lloyd and Crystal!
Lloyd: Stay back! I don't wanna hurt you!
Harumi: The Crystal King wants me to destroy you, to have Crystal fulfil the prophecy.
Lloyd: Fulfil the what?
Crystal: I'll tell you later. (To Harumi.) You've lied Harumi, too many times to count. And you still think we'll trust you?
Harumi: Ugh. (She steps up.) I'm giving you another chance, Lloyd. Both of you. Join us. Join me!
Lloyd: If you think we'd ever do that, you don't know us at all!
(The council arrive to Harumi's aid and gasp when they see Lloyd and Crystal at the edge of the floating island.)
Harumi: Stay back! All of you! (To Lloyd and Crystal.) Lloyd, Crystal, don't! From this height, you both would never survive!
Lloyd: (He backs up, looking below them.) I really hope you're wrong about that. You too, Crystal.
Crystal: (She looks back.) What do you mea-
Lloyd: For both our sakes! (He grabs Crystal's hand and jumps as they both yell.)
Crystal: What are you doing?!
Lloyd: At this point, I don't know!
(Harumi watches this enraged and looks around before jumping off as-well. The Council watches this and gasp.)
Ciara: Did she just- Is she seriously the boss of us?
Vangeslis: Foolish. How is Harumi going to defeat two Ninja with Elemental Powers by herself?
Aspheera: Who cares! Just jump after them, you fools!
Mechanic: I ain't jumping. You jump!
(Meanwhile...in the Samurai X Cave, the Team work on the Combo Mech.)
Kai: That oughta do it. Give it a try!
Cole: Here goes. (The vehicle catches on fire.) Ah!
Kai: Turn it off. Turn it off! (Wu extinguishes the fire.) Thanks, Master Wu.
Wu: Turn off the smoke alarm, Zane.
Styx: (Hearing the beeping.) Yeah, it's giving me a headache.
Zane: It is off.
Wu: What's that beeping then?
Nya: That's not a smoke alarm. (She looks at the screen and gasps.) It's Lloyd and Crystal's trackers! They're both back online!
Kai: What?
Zane: Where?
Cole: They're alive?
Styx: Called it!
Jay: Did not!
Styx: Did too!
Nya: Look! (She points.) They both smack in the middle of Primeval's Eye!
Pixal: Getting there will not be easy.
Wu: No. We need the Bounty.
Cole: It's under lock and key, remember? It's been impounded.
Wu: (He sighs.) I know. The only way to do this is to steal back the Bounty and the rest of our vehicles. But, it will mean breaking the law again. There will be no going back after this. So each of us must decide.
Kai: Master Wu, with all due respect, we've already made our choice.
Jay: Yeah! We're already fugitives!
Cole: Jump in! Water's warm.
Zane: I believe our friends are more important than our criminal records.
Pixal: We must save them, no matter what.
Wu: Are all of you sure?
Cole: (The others nod.) We are.
Styx: Totally, so what's the plan, Master?
(The Chapter ends with Wu smiling as we zoom onto the screen. Two red dots are seen on the map...a bit fair apart from eachother.....)
Oh, my gosh. This was probably one of the most entertaining chapters to write.
The Dark.
The Mystery!
And you guys don't even know what I have in-store on the "Return to Primeval's Eye" Chapter!
Oooh, this is going to get real good real fast...
Hope you liked today's chapter, and like always, see you in the next one!