Duran Duran
••• Save a Prayer •••
feel the breeze deep on the inside, look you down into your well
if you can you'll see the world in all his fire
take a chance like all dreamers can't find another way
you don't have to dream it all, just live a day
•••••
TW: neglect, possession, human remains
I remained standing before the waterfall, running over Ronin's unexpected ill-temper with a baffled frown. Even for him, that was a bit much. It took more than a few minutes for the sting of his words to fade into something not so sour.
"What does he know, anyway?" I muttered to myself, and kicked a rock into the rolling surface of the water at my feet. Probably a lot more than me.
I frowned at the spot where the rock sank. Ronin wasn't actually right, was he? Was I really just stumbling over myself like a fool?
I didn't have much time to succumb to the whiles of my overthinking, as Jay called my name from the shop. There had been a development while I was busy mentally kicking Ronin's shins.
"Are you okay?" Cole asked when I arrived. Everyone had already gathered within. "You look a little troubled."
"We're in troubling times," I said.
"You can say that again," he grumbled, and half-walked, half-drifted inside. He faltered at seeing Ronin peering beneath one of the knocked over doors. "Looking for something?"
Ronin pinged upright with a startled look. I turned my face away with a petty frown.
"Nope!" Ronin chirped. "Just... just taking stock of the damage."
My brows scrunched at the odd inflection his voice had taken. I peered at him from the corner of my eyes, taken aback by his continued odd behaviour.
"... okay," Cole said slowly. "Misako's figured out the next step. Let's go listen in."
He pulled ahead to join the others. I glared at Ronin a little longer just to let him know I really was upset with him, before my ire faded into suspicion.
Ronin seemed on edge. He didn't follow after Cole, instead lingering, his eyes flying all about the small shop. It was almost as if he was looking for something.
"Did you figure out where the tomb is?" Jay's distant voice urged me to shed my thoughts and step into the circle gathered around what used to be the counter.
"Not yet," Garmadon said, and patted his wife's shoulder as she scrambled to organise her books. "But we think we know how to locate it."
"We know that the last clue - the skull symbol - refers to the tomb's entrance," Misako began, feverishly pointing to the parchment of clues. "We also know that it's my father-in-law's resting site where the Realm Crystal resides. But what Wu's just stumbled across are the plans Uchū made for his tomb."
Nya's expression contorted with discomfort. "That feels kinda grim."
I was inclined to agree. But Misako was on a roll and didn't stop to discuss the comment.
"It's protected by three deadly tests and is designed to keep anyone unworthy away," she continued. "Only the Sword of Sanctuary can see past its riddles."
Across the table from me, Ronin shifted nervously. The movement drew my attention away from the books of handwritten scrawl laid out before us. He looked anxious.
Cole crossed his arms. "It's a good thing we've got the sword, then. But where's the tomb?"
"We started to wonder if the Scroll and Sword combined held a secret," Garmadon said. "That's when Kai reminded us there was a map on the back of the Scroll and-"
"If you use the Sword on the map, the blade's reflection will reveal the tombs location?" Kai figured.
"Exactly." Garmadon nodded.
"Which means we'll have to get our hands on that map," Cole said grimly.
"But we do not possess the knowledge of Morro's location," Zane said, and glanced around the table. "They could be anywhere."
"Yeah," Jay piped up in worry. "What are the odds that we'll find them in time?"
"We still have the Sword," Kai reminded. "And if our theory is right, then we're both at a stalemate."
"Then we attack first. Grab the Scroll before they have a chance to try and come after the Sword," Nya said.
"But how do we find them?" Misako asked.
I tuned out the rest of the conversation when I realised with a start that Ronin had vanished. Scanning the small tea shop provided no sight of him, and I felt my suspicions return with full force. Ronin had been looking for something. He'd wanted me to go home. My chest twisted with unease.
I assured myself that I was absurd to think such thoughts, that Ronin would never go to such lengths after telling me about how he wanted to help protect Ninjago for his daughter, but my legs still sped me out of the tea shop.
The Sword of Sanctuary had been hidden in one of the surrounding sheds in the chance that Morro attacked. I just needed to make sure. I needed to soothe and correct my unfounded worries. Surely they were unfounded?
The door to the shed was ajar. Ronin had gone searching for the hiding spot Kai and I had carefully selected.
"What are you doing?" I asked from the doorway.
Ronin froze. In his hands he held the gleaming, golden Sword of Sanctuary. The jade hilt reflected the way his expression tightened with regret.
"Kid." He turned to face me. "I told you to go home."
I glanced between his drawn frown and the sword in his grip. The sword I'd risked my life to retrieve. The sword that was the only hope in bringing Lloyd back. The sword Morro was desperately after.
"What are you doing?" I repeated. I didn't want to believe the thoughts I was beginning to have. I didn't want to believe in the betrayal running me through with hurt.
"I wish I could tell you," Ronin said, and began towards me with a regretful look. "But your ninja friends are going to catch on soon, and I need to leave before they do."
My hands balled into fists. The shock had faded, and clarity drove away my hesitance to believe what had happened right beneath our noses. And yet, he still dared to look at me with sympathy.
"You sold us out," I said quietly, and then my disbelief and rage struck me until I saw red. "How could you?!"
"I didn't have a choice, kiddo," Ronin said dolefully. "Believe me."
He continued his slow approach, and I forced my feet to remain still, to not cower. With the magic sword in his grasp, Ronin was suddenly frightening.
"Get out of the way," he said.
"I'm not letting you leave."
"Out of the way, Y/n," Ronin repeated firmly. "Now."
I shook my head, and my rage turned into fear. "You can't do this," I said desperately. "Please. It's the only way to get him back."
"I'm sorry," Ronin said.
I leapt for the sword. He sidestepped my attempt and kicked his leg out, and I tripped to the floor with a gasp. I landed heavily on a pile of stock crates, one which crumpled beneath me. Dazed and aching, I lifted my head to the traitor in the doorway.
"Please!" I begged. "Please, Ronin, don't do this!"
"Like I said," Ronin said, his voice low and slow with apology. "You're stumbling all over yourself."
He escaped from the shed with the speed of a fox, and I hurriedly staggered after him with a wince. My elbow had caught most of the fall, and a long, bloody graze stretched up my arm. Did I at least stall him long enough for Garmadon and Wu to catch on? Did they overhear us?
By the time I escaped from the shed, Ronin had already taken off in R.E.X. Nya was the first one out of the shop and didn't hesitate, summoning her dragon to give chase. Wu and Garmadon, whom I wasn't even aware had elemental dragons, did the same. The rest of the team watched from the courtyard with varying expressions of disbelief and fury.
"What about the Bounty?" I quickly asked. "We can fly after him!"
Misako shook her head. "By the time we get it set for take-off, it'll be too late. He'll be long gone. The Bounty will never be able to catch up."
"I'm sorry." The crushing realisation of what was stolen from us coalesced like iron in my chest. My lungs began to twist amongst themselves, and my throat swelled with tears. "I'm so sorry! I couldn't stop him-"
Kai pressed a heavy hand onto my shoulder. I focused on its weight and tried to control my breathing before my spiralling panic could steal it away completely.
"No-one could've predicted Ronin stealing the sword," Kai said darkly. "You just caught onto him faster than the rest of us."
"What if he gets away?" Jay asked worriedly. "What are we gonna do?"
Deflated and disheartened, Misako turned to head back inside. She sat on one of the few chairs not broken by Morro's destruction and dropped her head into her hands in despair. My heart broke. Just when things started looking up, just when things finally started going in our direction, the rug was swept out from under our feet.
"This is dire," Zane said with a voice clipped by hasty panic. It was the most I'd ever seen him emote. "It is imperative we get that sword back."
"Yeah, obviously!" Cole snapped. He looked at the spot where Ronin had disappeared into the afternoon and huffed with frustration. "These stupid powers - I feel so useless!"
I could empathise with that a little too well.
Nya and the Senseis returned two hours later, dripping with sweat and exhausted. They'd chased Ronin until they could no longer hold their elemental dragon's forms, and then struggled through the trek home. Jay fretted about his girlfriend's slumped figure. Zane, Cole and Misako focused on helping Garmadon and Wu inside Steep Wisdom.
Nya found her brother's impatient gaze. The shake of her head was enough of an answer. Kai dug the balls of his palms into his eyes in stress.
"We all knew the path to save Lloyd was never going to be a straight line," Wu said quietly, and looked amongst our solemn parade. "We were all fooled by Ronin, but that doesn't make us fools. At a time like this, we mustn't butt heads, but put our heads together."
Jay cracked a smile. "Butt-heads."
Before he could get ghost-slapped in the back of his head by Cole, a silver bird swooped inside and landed on the counter. I blinked in surprise. Zane was the first to greet it, because apparently even robot birds were ninja-normal.
"Hello, my friend," he said, and held up his arm for the falcon to perch upon. "What message do you bring today?"
The bird flapped its silver wings with a caw, and although it was a robot, the wings' joints were so fluid that it looked almost like a real bird. I wondered if whomever it was that built Zane also created his bird.
The bird's eyes turned a bright shade of blue before it craned its neck to an empty spot in the room. A humanoid hologram flickered to life. At first, I leant forward with intrigue, but as soon as the form focused and solidified, my curiosity turned sour.
Nya shared my sentiments. Exhaustion forgotten, she started toward the hologram of Ronin with a snarl.
"You-!" Her venomous shout was cut short by Jay snagging an arm around her waist to keep her legs from crumbling beneath her.
I crossed my arms. "Called to gloat? A thief like you would be a sore winner."
Ronin's form glitched as he winced. "I can't talk loud-"
"Then save your breath," Cole shot. "We don't want to hear anything from you."
"You'll want to hear this!" Ronin hissed, and lowered his voice. "Trust me."
"We've made that mistake before," Kai said sourly, but quietened when Garmadon raised a palm.
"Go on, Ronin," he said gravely.
"I wanted you to know that Misako was right, the Scroll and Sword revealed the tomb," Ronin said hurriedly. He looked about his surroundings with eyes blown wide with fear. "I know where it's located! I know you don't have the Sword, but you can beat them to the tomb."
The team shared pensive glances. It almost sounded too good to be true.
"What was the point in taking the sword to Morro if you're just giving us the location, anyway?" I asked bitterly. "Are you some kind of double agent? Do you have loyalty issues?"
Ronin's face twisted unhappily. "I'll forget you said that. Look, I don't have the time to tell you right now, but things are a little complicated for me."
"Complicated enough to risk the world?"
His expression grew stony. "Complicated enough to try and keep my loved ones safe. I'm sure you know the feeling."
My scowl faded a touch.
Ronin's head whipped over his shoulder. "They're coming." He turned to face us again, and his entire visage began to flicker and glitch. "The Caves of Despair! The Tomb- is in- the - aves - of - spair!"
He vanished. The falcon shook its beak and nipped itself beneath the wing.
"The Caves of Despair?" Wu frowned in confusion. "We've been there, but I don't recall seeing any tomb."
"But there are still miles of unexplored mines," Misako insisted, her hope reinvigorated. "It could be there. We have to try!"
"But why should we believe him?" Nya asked. "For all we know it could be a trap."
"We don't have the Scroll and we don't have the Sword," Kai pointed out. "With Lloyd's life at stake, what other choice do we have?"
Like Nya, I was on the fence. I wanted to believe that this was the right step to take in getting Lloyd back, but our trust in Ronin had been shattered. I didn't know what to think.
"Kai is right," Garmadon said. "Even a misstep could be a step in the right direction. We cannot afford to do nothing. The ninja will go."
Nya sighed, though didn't push her point further. We all looked unsure but what else could we do? It was our only lead.
"Let's go suit up, then," Jay said, and led the way to the Bounty.
I followed, thoughts drifting, until I found myself kneeling before the crayon doodles on Lloyd's wall. I traced their rough lines with a finger. Loneliness struck me.
The past few days had been such a rollercoaster. It felt both as if I'd been stuck in them for an eternity and if it'd gone in the blink of an eye. I'd never experienced such turmoil. I was swimming through a perpetual sea of exhaustion.
Lloyd. I dropped my forehead against the wall and closed my eyes. I hadn't even really known him for that long, and yet this was agony. I couldn't imagine a world without him, anymore. I wanted my Starfarer-loving, candy-craving, demigod hero back. I needed Lloyd back.
"Aren't you getting ready?"
I turned at Garmadon's voice. He stood in the doorway of Lloyd's room and tilted his head.
"What?" I asked.
"You did not expect to sit out after giving us that speech this morning, did you?" He crossed to the wardrobe and pulled out a green mask. "Didn't you say nothing would get between you and saving my son? Stand up. You'll need to keep your face hidden."
Dumbly, I stood. Garmadon pulled the hood over my head and adjusted it with a small smile. It smelt of faintly of Lloyd and clean linen that had been stored in a closet for a while. I watched owlishly as he turned to the chest of drawers and picked up the sword.
"I'm still not entirely content with you going, but I believe the ninja will take good-"
His worries cut off when I swiftly dove into him for a hug.
"Thank you," I whispered. He patted my hair with a smile.
The ninja were already outside and waiting on Nya's dragon. Garmadon had given me a sheathe for Lloyd's sword, and it swung heavily on my back with each step. It still didn't feel quite right. I felt like a little girl dressing up in her parent's clothes - it didn't fit.
Kai held out a hand for me and singlehandedly beat away my forming imposter syndrome.
"Ready, wonder girl?" he asked.
Lloyd's sword was engraved with the old kanji for hope. I had hope in me. I had hope strapped onto my back.
I placed my hand in Kai's. "Ready," I said, and was lifted onto the dragon behind him.
🍃🍂🍁🍂🍃
"It is a wrap," Ghoultar said, and turned off the camera.
Ronin's body crumpled to the floor of the old shack. He gasped for breath and clawed at the wooden boards, winded, violated. He spasmed at the sick rejection of ghostly possession.
Morro drifted into the air with a victorious smirk. "Thank you for your services, bounty hunter."
Ronin glanced up at him with a glare and a shudder. If only he had the strength to punch that smug look of his face in.
"P- pretty good impersonation." He struggled onto his shaky arms. "But they'll never buy it was me."
"You think?" Morro bent over to look Ronin in the eye. At his falter, the ghost's smirk bloomed. "We'll see."
Ronin watched Morro slip from the room with a seething frown. He managed to lift himself onto his seat and held his pounding head. He'd felt as if he'd just been run over by a truck and simultaneously had his insides plucked out by tweezers.
"Fuckin' prick," Ronin muttered under his breath. "This's why I hate teenagers."
"... do I count?"
Ronin's watery gaze turned to the cage in the corner of the room. It looked like one intended for large dogs or small farm stock, and smelt as if it hadn't been cleaned since. Slumped in the corner of it was the sickly, thin form of the green ninja.
"Lloyd?" Ronin staggered upright and made his way to the cage. He winced at the boy's sunken cheeks and dull eyes. "Jesus. You look terrible."
Lloyd didn't have the energy to be surprised that Ronin knew who he was. He smirked, but didn't have the strength to hold it. "You don't look so flash yourself, old man."
Ronin ignored his comment and yanked at the cage's door. It held fast. Lloyd watched on spiritlessly.
"Don't bother. I've already tried."
Ronin's weak legs sunk to the floor and he scrunched his nose at the putrid smell of the cage. "Why'd they chuck you in here?"
"Because, unfortunately, I'm a living person," Lloyd muttered sarcastically. At Ronin's raised brows, he sighed. "He got tired of the upkeep."
Lloyd leant his head back against the bars of his cage and closed his eyes. With how pale he was, with the sickly sheen of his face, Ronin was almost convinced that he'd died then and there. His health was on rapid decline.
When was the last time Lloyd'd slept? Eaten? Had a shower? Ronin could barely handle two minutes of being possessed. How was Lloyd even alive?
Y/n was never going to forgive him. He was so cruel to her, but the Soul Archer was tired of waiting for Ronin to pay back his debt, and had threatened Anabel and her mother. He didn't exactly have a choice. Y/n was a major obstacle in his plan to escape with the sword - only she would figure him out, and she'd had.
But, mostly, she was never going to forgive him for delaying Lloyd's rescue.
"Hey," Lloyd whispered, and Ronin startled at how brittle his voice sounded. "If I don't make it-"
"Don't talk like that."
Lloyd cracked open his eyes. "Promise me you'll keep Y/n safe."
Ronin sighed. "Kid, you're gonna get out of here."
Lloyd lifted his head and set him with a glare. "Promise me."
"Don't worry so much about her," Ronin said. "I know she's timid, but..." he trailed off, only to chuckle grimly. "I'd just be counting your lucky stars that she's on your side."
Lloyd's frown slipped. "What do you mean?"
Ronin shrugged. "I reckon she's gonna kick Casper's ass."
Lloyd raised his brows. "Are we talking about the same Y/n?"
Ronin sent him a disbelieving look. "Are you blind? Once she's over her teenage angst and gets a handle on those powers of hers, she's gonna be one devastating ally to have." Ronin grinned at the ceiling wickedly. "You haven't seen how she's been without you. Girl's got grit. She'd shoot down heaven just to claw you outta hell. I can't wait to watch."
At Lloyd's prolonged confusion, Ronin groaned.
"You really think Fate would pair the Green Ninja with someone who isn't as strong as him?"
"Hey." Morro returned with a scowl, and crouched at the door of Lloyd's cage. "Shut up and save your strength, you half-assed leprechaun reject. I'll be needing it."
"Why do you think I keep talking?" Lloyd asked dryly.
Morro's grin was sharp and emotionless. "You're funny. Do what you want, green ninja. Soon, Axon will have your head on his wall."
Lloyd's glower was unmoved. Morro rose with a snicker and went to return to the others. He paused as an afterthought, and shot a look over his shoulder at Lloyd.
"I wouldn't worry about Y/n, either," Morro purred. "I'll take good care of her."
Lloyd surged forth with bared teeth. His legs folded to the floor at his first step. Morro's mocking laughter rung through the shack as he continued towards his entourage.
"You two, prepare for voyage," Morro said triumphantly. "We head for the tomb at dawn. Ghoultar, carry out our plan."
"What about Ronin?" the Archer asked.
"Leave him." Morro grinned, his eyes half-lidded in the glee of his plan coming together. "He's worthless now."
The ghosts departed from the shop to make their last minute preparations. Lloyd struggled upright.
"What a grade-a asshole," Ronin muttered, and glanced at the map and sword they'd left on the table.
Ronin smirked. Well, it was a good thing he just thought of a plan.
🍃🍂🍁🍂🍃
"The Caves of Despair," Kai announced as the dragon landed at the base of a large quarry. "Funny being here again."
It'd only been a short flight, but being at the back of six people on one dragon made it feel as if I'd been hanging on for dear life the entire time less I fall off the tail. It was a relief to slip off and be on solid earth again. I could almost kiss the dusty ground.
Nya's dragon nudged me for attention. I gave her an absent-minded pat and stared at our surroundings, trying to look for a clue that Uchū's tomb was amongst the series of cave openings.
"This is where we first came for the Golden Weapons," Cole told me with a bittersweet smile. "It's like everything's come full circle."
"Don't say that," Jay whined. "Full circle means it's coming to an end and I don't want to hear that before I go into the Caves of Despair! One of my least favourite words.
"Your least favourite word is 'cave?'" Cole asked.
"Yes, Cole, my least favourite word is 'cave,'" Jay sweetly answered. "Of course it's not 'cave!'"
"Come on, guys," Kai said, and started towards the caves. Nya's dragon disappeared.
"How do we even know if the Tomb is in there?" I asked.
"We don't," Nya said monotonously. "It's why I wasn't to willing to trust Ronin right off the bat."
"That is where you are wrong, Nya," Zane corrected, and he pointed to a cave opening a little way up the cliff face. "There is a symbol beside that entrance."
Kai snickered and nudged his sister in the arm. "You were wrooong," he sang.
"I'll kill you."
I giggled at Nya's deadpan comment and followed her up an old ladder. The symbol that Zane had spotted was the same as the third clue - a skull.
"Good enough for me," Jay said, and waltzed inside first with the false confidence of someone who was pretending not to be terrified. "Let's go."
We entered the cave and followed a cart trail as the outside's light grew further and further away. The swelling dimness made me squint my eyes and hold onto Zane's sleeve. I'd hate to get lost.
"There's another symbol." Jay pointed it out as we passed an upturned cart.
"It's so dark in here," Cole complained. "How are we supposed to see?"
Just as he said that, we came across five pre-lit lanterns. I frowned at the eeriness of their flickering, blue light. Was it too late to turn back and wait outside?
"Well, it's a good thing we've got a little light," Kai said and reached for one.
"Wait!" Cole suddenly cried with outstretched hands. Kai flinched back from the lanterns and shot him an irritated glare. "What if this is one of the tests?"
"Yeah!" Jay gasped with a frantic nod. "Garmadon said the Tomb was gonna be protected by three deadly tests! Maybe if we pick the wrong lantern..."
Kai frowned, and reached out precariously. We stepped back cautiously as he snatched the handle of the lantern, pulled it from its hook, and waited. Nothing happened.
"Nope," Kai said with a relieved laugh and wandered deeper into the cave. "Just a lantern."
Zane, Cole and I nervously grabbed another three lanterns. Jay took the last one with a grimace. When, still, nothing happened, his eyes opened in relief.
"Like I thought," he said. "Just a lantern. Wait up, Kai!"
We caught up to Kai, who had trailed ahead determinedly. The lanterns casted off an eerie blue-white glow that bounced off the rocky walls and stalactites as we walked. A gassy smell began to emanate from deep inside the system. I pressed my sleeve over my nose and lifted my lantern higher, looking for more clues in the weak light it gave.
We stopped before a gaping hole in the side of the wall. Cole bent down and examined the freshly-broken rocks. "Looks like there was a cave in," he noted curiously.
Jay sniffed and gagged. "Ugh, what's that smell?"
"My senses pick up traces of kethanol, a highly flammable gas released from deep-well mining," Zane answered.
"Sure," Cole snickered. "I bet that's what all nindroids say."
Zane turned and sent him an unamused glare. "If you are implying that smell came from me-"
"Guys!" Kai said, catching our attention. He craned over the rocks and held his lantern out to cast some light. "Some of these rocks have been recently moved. Maybe Morro's already been through here."
A grim silence passed over the group.
"You think he's still in here?" I asked quietly.
"Be careful," was Nya's answer. "Keep quiet, and have your eyes peeled for anything."
The walkway opened up into a large cave with a boiling geyser in the middle. I slipped on the uneven ground and kicked up dust in my fall. I coughed, covering my nose. Kai frowned before bending down and scooping up a handful of the powder.
"Ash," he mumbled, thumbing the stuff before it slipped through his gloved fingers. He stood, sending the cave a narrow-eyed survey. "Everything here has been burned. Maybe one of the traps?"
Zane nodded towards the geyser.
"The kethanol geyser," he noted. "We cannot stay long. It may ignite again at any moment."
"Let's hurry," Nya said.
"Look!" Cole said as he walked over towards something. We followed and found a skeleton leaning against the wall. My body went cold with the sight of human remains.
"Ew!" commented Jay in morbid fascination. "You think it's him?"
"The First Spinjitzu Master," Kai said in awe before glancing around. "But where's the Realm Crystal?"
"Maybe Morro already has it?" I said.
Frowning, Zane leant forward and unflipped a fold of weathered cloth from the skeleton's shirt. It revealed a badge with squiggly lines.
"That is not the First Spinjitzu Master," he corrected. "It's the Master of Wind. These are the remains of Morro's mortal body."
"Do you think he'll feel it if I kick it?" I grumbled. Cole chuckled.
"Wait - Sensei Wu said that he never came back from looking for the tomb," Jay recalled. His face grew pale. "So... if he's here, that means-"
"It is trap!"
We spun around just as Ghoultar sprung into visibility at the entrance.
"Now you suffer same fate!" he shouted, before bringing his ghostly scythe down onto the ground.
The cavern rumbled with great disturbance from the impact, and Ghoultar disappeared with a cackle. Cracks bloomed up at the cave's walls and sharp spears of stalactites began to impale the ground. Zane snatched my arm.
"Come on!" Zane ordered as he dragged me towards the exit. Our lanterns fell, discarded in our shock. "No!"
With a crash that seemed to make the entire world shake, the entrance was blocked off with boulders far too large for us to move. Cole shoved at them with frustrated grunts. They refused to move.
Stalactites continued to fall around us, the rumbling of the cave neverending. I ducked my head as a rock fell a little too close to comfort.
"There's no way out!" Kai exclaimed in panic. "If this was a test, I think we failed it!"
"Of course it's not a test!" Nya snapped. "This wasn't the Tomb! Not only did Ronin steal from us, but he also sent us to our deaths! But, of course, nobody listened to me!"
Jay coughed and waved a hand in front of his face. "And all this gas is making me feel lightheaded..."
Nya caught him before he could stumble back. He mumbled a 'thank you.' The geyser began to spew more and more steam, disturbed into acceleration. Cole peered over at it with a furrowed brow.
"This cavern's an oven," Cole said seriously. "If that geyser decides to ignite, we'll be cooked!"
"I have located an opening," Zane said before my panic could drive me into straight freak-out mode. He pointed to the roof where a gap emitted a little bit of light. "The cave in must have created a gap!"
"Big gap to where?" Jay huffed. "For all we know it could be a dead end - and for the record, that's another one of my least favourite words; dead end!"
"I can't do Airjitsu," I reminded worriedly.
"Too late!" Cole called from the mouth of the geyser. He grabbed a large boulder and hoisted it over the geyser.
"Wait!" I cried.
"Stop!" Nya shouted.
"Cole!" Zane exclaimed. "No!"
Cole dropped the rock onto the geyser's opening and wiped his hands. "Hah," he said smugly. I stared at the rock in disbelief. "Solves that problem!"
I lifted a hand to my mouth in horror. We're all going to die.
"Correction," Zane said. "You made it worse. Now the pressure will compact the explosion and multiply the damage tenfold!"
"What are you trying to say?" Jay cried. The rock began to shake from the pressure, hissing with escaping steam.
"It means that the more you compress it, the faster and bigger the explosion," I answered shakily.
"Indeed," Zane nodded with a grim expression. "When that rock goes, every cave in a ten-mile radius will be filled with a wall of fire so hot, it will incinerate everything in its path."
"Okay," Kai said shortly. "Time to go."
He snatched my arm and pulled me into his chest. By the time I realised what was happening, we were already halfway into the air. It was just like being in the middle of Lloyd's spinjitsu again.
Kai and I stumbled as we landed in the upper cave system, and I felt my stomach turn with nausea. I held a hand over my mouth and willed myself not to throw up in Lloyd's mask as the others joined.
"No time to gag," Nya said, and yanked me after her.
We careened down the cave system at speed, stumbling over rocks and rails as we raced to escape the impending explosion's path. When it did explode, the entire cave system shook like the world had been split in two.
I stumbled, flailing my arms as I tried to regain my centre of balance. Nya yanked me along once again.
"Hurry!" Zane ordered.
I was suddenly hyperaware of heat rapidly rising in temperature along my back. We came to an abrupt stop at the edge of a drop.
"Go, go, go!" shouted Kai.
Nya didn't give me time to overthink as she dragged me down with her, and we landed in a pile inside of a minecart. My arm hit the metal edge and the sword dug into my back. I groaned in pain. The cart began rolling down the tracks from the weight of our fall.
"Great, now what?" Jay yelped we began to pick up speed. "How do we stop this thing?"
I felt my stomach drop as the cart rolled down a hill. The cart teetered on the tracks unsteadily and the cave walls brushed past us too close for comfort. My heart was racing out of my chest.
"Is this normal for you?" I shouted over the wind.
"Uh... actually, yeah!" Cole answered.
"Oh, great," I exclaimed sarcastically. I squinted my eyes as something green and slightly glowing in the darkness appeared along the track. My eyes widened. It was Ghoultar. "Company!"
The ghost was briefly taken aback by us not having been burnt to a crisp, and held out his scythe menacingly. But before he could do anything, Jay grabbed his Aeroblade and lobbed it at the ghost, making him disappear with a puff.
The aeroblade came swinging back towards us and I yelped, ducking my head just as Jay caught it. He laughed in accomplishment, unaware that he had almost decked me with his weapon.
"I caught it, guys!" he chirped. "I caught it!"
Cole cried in alarm as he pointed towards a rock wall at the end of the track. "Looks like we're coming up to a dead end!"
Jay's exuberance quickly deflated.
"There's that word again!" he yelled. "Never say that word! What do we do, what do we do?!"
Zane leant over the side and pressed his aeroblade against the wheel. "Use your aeroblades for breaks!"
Kai, Nya and Jay leant over the side of the cart and dug their Aeroblades into the groove of the minecart's wheels. I braced for impact.
"It almost feels like we're going faster!" Jay cried.
The minecart suddenly switched onto a different route moments before we could meet our doom. Then, it offered us a new doom; it took us over a large cavern and had been cut off midair. The minecart dropped like a rock, with us in it.
We all screamed as we fell towards what looked to be the outcome of the eruption; a sea of molten rock so hot that I could feel myself roasting before I was close to it. I closed my eyes on instinct.
And then we landed in a pile of limbs once again.
My eyes shot open in confusion, and it took a few moments to realise that we'd been caught by R.E.X. The airship rose out of the cavern and away from the blistering heat of our would've-been deaths.
I flopped onto the ground with a groan of distraught relief. Around me, the others did the same.
"I could kiss Ronin," Cole said breathlessly, before scowling. "After I clobber him for getting us into this mess."
"I get first punch," I grumbled, and pulled Lloyd's mask from my face to better regain my composure. My limbs were practically vibrating with an adrenaline rush.
The main screen lit up, showing the weary face of Ronin on it. I struggled upright with a frown.
"Hey, Ninja," his voice greeted through the speaker. "If you're getting this message I'm sure you might have some choice words for me."
"No kidding," Nya muttered.
"But I wanted to tell you that it wasn't me who sent you to this trap," Ronin continued. "I was under the control of Morro. I know you think I'm a crook by taking the sword, and you're right. I am."
We shared unsure glances. This truthfulness thing was making it suddenly hard to hate him.
"I want to make things right by offering my airship R.E.X as a peace offering. I know it's not what you had in mind, but I've remotely entered the location of the Tomb. The real one this time."
A map of Ninjago's west coast appeared on the screen, showing a blinking red dot out on the reef.
"Look at that!" Kai pointed at the screen. "The reason no-one ever found the Tomb in Ninjago was because it was never there in the first place! It's under the ocean!"
Ronin reappeared, the screen glitching.
"Morro has a headstart, but R.E.X should get you straight there in a jiff," he promised. "If it's any consolation, this will be the last you see of me. And Y/n, assuming you're there because you're absolutely crazy..."
The camera turned around to a familiar face. Lloyd smiled weakly. We all gasped at the state of him.
"Hey, sunshine," he said weakly. "See you guys soon."
It turned back to face Ronin. "I'm sorry for what I said to you, kid. Know I didn't mean any of it." He sighed and nodded firmly. "Okay. Good luck... and go make things right."
The message ended and the screen went black, but I could still see Lloyd's face. He'd gotten worse. How could he have gotten worse? I'd just seen him that morning - how fast was Morro's possession destroying him? My nausea from earlier returned.
"He looks awful," Jay murmured. He sent us a regretful look. "We should've been faster."
"Don't say that," Cole said gently. "Lloyd knows we're trying our best."
"We can't go back in time," Nya said. "All we can do is focus on getting him back."
Still, Jay looked as sick as I felt. I folded Lloyd's mask and held it to my chest.
Kai changed the subject. "It's gonna take a while to get to the tomb. We should get some rest while we can."
The airship was small, so finding a place to rest without sticking your foot in someone's face was difficult. The ninja were used to resting in uncomfortable places, though, and fell quickly fell asleep.
I couldn't sleep. The sun was setting over Ninjago, and I'd hate to think how long I'd been awake for, but I couldn't sleep. Was Lloyd going to be at the tomb? What if he wasn't? What if Morro hid him away somewhere? What if we were too late?
My mind raced. Lloyd's sword sat on the ground before me, and I played with the worn leather of its hilt, fitted my hand around where his would've held. Hope, the sword told me to have. Every day it was getting harder. I still couldn't sleep.
I stared out the window as we slipped beneath the ocean.