“The Dark Sleep,” he muttered. “That’s why she won’t wake up.” He sat there with her in silence. The only light came from the single lamp hovering in the corner while darkness creeped around them like a prowling beast. The choking darkness was hard to ignore. The sound of pattering feet broke the stillness. Cole stiffened, but it was only Earth Flame returning. “Found the keys, too,” he gasped, tossing something to Cole: Matilda’s belt. Twisted iron keys jingled in his hand. “I’ll look for the purple ninja.” Without being asked the werecat began unlocking and opening every cell door. Cole turned his attention back to Matilda. Which potion was it…? His fingers finally grasped a bottle of red liquid and uncorked it. He had to squeeze her mouth open to get the drops between her lips. Yet Matilda did not wake. “Where’s her Lifesource…?”
* * *
Stones dug into Skylor’s back. Broken Fang was on top of her, scratching and biting at her face. Skylor held her arms out, gripping the old woman by the collar of her tunic, and pushed back as far as she could. Saliva flew in her face. Crooked teeth flashed and pain from swiping claws throbbed up and down her arms and torso. Something round and shiny fell from the folds of the werecat’s tunic. On instinct Skylor grabbed the necklace and yanked on it. Broken Fang’s head was pulled down to Skylor’s chest. She struggled while Skylor threw her legs around her torso and clamped down in a vise. Now the werecat was trapped. Screeching in frustration, Broken Fang sank her teeth into her arm. Crying out, Skylor yanked on the necklace again. This time the silver chain snapped. “No!” Releasing her prey, Broken Fang scrabbled for the glass orb, but it was too late. It plummeted from the top of the boulder pile and shattered to pieces. A faint plume of forest-green light breathed out and evaporated.
* * *
Gasping, Matilda’s eyes flew open and she jolted up. Cole jumped and scrambled back with a startled yelp. “You all right?” Earth Flame came running, then stopped when he saw Matilda.
Blinking sleepily, she slowly looked at her hands, then the dark tunnel they were in. Her eyes roved over Earth Flame and landed on Cole. “I swear… if you’re another nightmare I will kick you so hard your grandchildren will have sore rear ends.” A crazed laugh of relief blurted from Cole. “No dream, Matilda. I don’t know where your Lifesource is, but it looks like someone dropped it!” Suspicion made her gaze cold. She didn’t move. Cole wasn’t sure what to do now. A strange yet not unfamiliar tingling sensation in his scalp made him stiffen again. Yet the presence was familiar… he met Matilda’s gaze. This isn’t a dream…? Her voice shook in his head. It felt strange, hearing her sound shaken and uncertain. He tried to reply as reassuringly as he could. No dream. See, you can feel my consciousness. “We’ve broken into the Moon Tribe caves,” he said out loud. “Friends of Little Leaf are helping us, and some of the tribe has turned to our side now. We’re trying to stop Black Blood for good right now.” “Black Blood…” Matilda blinked several times, as if that would help her brain register this new information faster. “Yes, I remember now… she initiated all this, she’s been attacking you lot. And—” She inhaled sharply. “Your sister! That was an unexpected twist, yes, they’re your half-brother and sister… poor Talon, having to do his sister’s dirty work…” She met Cole’s gaze once again. “How long has it been? Is everyone all right?” He suppressed a faint, almost sad smile. “Most of us are OK.” “Most?” His mouth went dry. He looked back at Earth Flame, but the werecat shrugged, clueless. Cole forced himself to respond, painful as it felt. “It’s been several days since you were captured. Eagle Talon turned back to our side and helped us defend Ninjago City… but he’s dead now. And Liana’s been captured.” “Oh.” She looked dazed. “Oh… oh, that child… He’s gone?” “Son of Earth.” Earth Flame cast a dark look around the tunnel. “There’s no one else here. We can’t stay.” “There’s a battle going on?” Matilda’s gaze sharpened. “Yes. In the gathering cavern. They need our help.”
A laugh bubbled from her. Grinning and grimacing at the same time, she released Cole’s hand. She staggered to her feet and he caught her when she nearly fell. She allowed herself to lean on him like an elderly grandmother, yet a new light had entered her eyes and that familiar wry grin returned. “Let’s go kick some tail, then, eh?” she cackled. “But— but your wand!” Cole stammered. “You can’t—!” His voice trailed off when she flexed her hand, fingers wiggling in the air. After a moment, a faint violet sheen rose from her palm. It flickered weakly, and her hand trembled… but it was there, all the same. Elation spread a grin across Cole’s face. “What! You can use magic without your wand?!” “Barely.” Her grunt made him look at her again, and he realized Matilda’s face was now twisted with fresh pain. Her arm quivered as she held the ball of light, but still it stayed. Shuddering, she said, “I don’t know how long I’ll be able to do it… but I’ll manage. You just watch.” A smile weakened her grimace. “Oh, I’ll manage.”
* * *
Pain ran through Skylor like an electric shock. Groaning, she released her hold on her opponent and fell face-down. The rough edges of the boulders skinned her knees and elbows. Gritting her teeth, she tried to fight the agony. It made her muscles feel as if there were fiery snakes wriggling within. Stumbling up, Broken Fang cackled and held her hands out, continuing to let the torture curse emit from her fingertips. “Not so powerful now, are you, Daughter of Amber?” Skylor tried to summon some sort of element—fire, earth, energy, speed, anything—yet her limbs seemed to cramp up. The only thing she could move were her lungs, so she screamed. Dark tabby fur flew over her head. Broken Fang grunted in surprise and fell away, releasing the curse. Body throbbing, Skylor collapsed on the boulders. Through it all she managed to raise her head and see what had distracted Broken Fang. Mist Rise. The muscular man had thrown himself at the sorceress, saving Skylor. His clearstone sword flashed in the air. The sorceress managed to dodge his strikes twice before she gasped.
Something fell on the ground by Skylor’s face, and Broken Fang clutched her now handless wrist to her chest with a pained wail. Mist Rise thrust his sword forward for the finishing blow. Skylor saw Broken Fang glare at him the split second before green smoke exploded around her. Startled, Mist Rise stumbled back. Broken Fang stepped out of the smoky veil bearing a new knife in her hand; one green with a long, jagged blade. Mist Rise thrust his sword at her again. Jumping out of the way, a foreign incantation tumbled from Broken Fang’s lips. The raspy words felt cold and hard to Skylor, though she could see nothing else appearing. She tried to get up. Mist Rise gasped. She looked up to see the werecat dropping his sword. His hand was twisting and crinkling into itself, as if an invisible hand were squeezing it. Then it transformed, flesh shrinking to the bone and stretching out until his fingers looked like broken sticks dangling off the limb. A sickly green tint came with this transformation, like something out of a nightmare. Broken Fang threw herself at him. Too late, Mist Rise tried to jump back. Snarling, the sorceress threw one arm around his neck and jabbed him in the stomach with the green knife. “Mist Rise!” Skylor gasped. A strangled groan rasped from him. Eyes glazing over, Mist Rise staggered back and plummeted off the pile of boulders. Skylor dragged herself to the edge in time to see him land in the middle of the battlefield. He didn’t get up. “Your turn.” She spun around and jumped to her feet. The knife scraped against the rock where her head been a second ago. Standing face-to-face with Broken Fang, she curled her hands into fists and swung hard. Her limbs stiffened. Freezing in place, Skylor tried to move but found that her body had been frozen in time. Another burst of pain spread from her head to her toes like a wave of fire. She gritted her teeth, refusing to scream again. Murmuring another foreign incantation, Broken Fang adjusted her grip on the knife. “I should have gotten rid of you when we had the chance. Now I get to finish what we started.”
A streak of bright light flew from the ground to Broken Fang. Pink fire hit her head and licked at her hair. Shrieking, the sorceress spun around and cursed as she frantically put the fire out. “Broken Fang!” A tall, middle-aged woman in blue robes appeared from a tunnel entrance. The strange light appeared from one of her hands. The woman’s voice came out loud and daring, though her face was twisted in a half-grimace of pain. “I heard your brother kicked the bucket! He got what he deserved, and so will you!” Broken Fang’s gaze lit up with fresh rage. “Matilda. How—? We broke your stick…” Turning away from Skylor, she leapt atop another boulder and screeched, “No more Dark Sleep for you, Sister of Darkness! I don’t care what Black Blood says! I’ll get you this time! You’re dead!” “Come and get me, then!” Another streak of light flew toward Broken Fang. She dropped her knife and held her hand out. Violet fire poured from the palm and shot toward Matilda. The two powers met in midair and exploded. It lit up the entire cavern with a thunderous roar. Wind came from the clashing magic and swirled around the room. It whistled shrilly in Skylor’s ears. Matilda stood there, one arm out straight with her palm out, the other gripping the wall. Her legs shook and her arm trembled, yet she continued fighting. Broken Fang too only shot with one hand. She screamed in anger against the wind, as if cursing her magic for not being strong enough. The two witches were locked together, unable to let go without being destroyed. Skylor’s eyes roved over the scene until she realized Matilda was looking at her. “Now, red-head!” the old woman was hollering over the wind. “Now’s your chance!” New strength seemed to pour into Skylor’s limbs. Released from the spell, she snatched a large rock from the pile and ran toward Broken Fang. Her arm swung. Broken Fang didn’t look back until Skylor was practically on top of her. In that split second, she finally turned her head and saw her. “No—!”
The spell was released and Matilda’s white light shot into her heart before vanishing. Broken Fang went limp and plummeted off the side of the rock pile. She landed in front of Matilda, limbs splayed out awkwardly. Adrenaline still pounded in Skylor’s veins. She fell on her knees, trembling from head to foot. Matilda gazed at the fallen Broken Fang dispassionately. “Three sorcerers down,” she said, “three to go.”
Black Blood didn’t enjoy being in her human form, but in it she stayed. It made her feel tall. In silence she stood in the tunnel, listening to the roar and screams of battle coming from the darkness beyond. I wonder how they got in… Some distant part told her that she ought to feel alarmed about the invasion and that she ought to assist her tribe in fighting off the ninja and the traitors. Yet she knew that Broken Fang, Raven Frost and No Claw were there. They would be able to hold them off for now. At the moment there were much more important things for her to attend to… She turned away and strode down the tunnel, past the dark dens and floating lamps. Her path wound away from the gathering cavern until all noise was drowned out. She came to a part of the tunnels the tribe did not enter very often. It was here an isolated cave for prisoners lay, away from the others. Raven Frost was stepping out of it. Black Blood stiffened at the sight of him. “Are you not supposed to be taking part in the battle?” He paused and grinned toothily. “Aren’t you?” She curled her lip. “What were you doing in there?” For the first time she noticed the messy clearstone knife dangling from his hand. He held it up like a prize. “Just settling a score with the Daughter of No One.” Contempt made her want to hit him. Black Blood grabbed his shoulder and yanked him away, shoving him to the tunnel entrance. “If you touch her again I shall remove your ears. Now get out there and get the ninja, before I come out there to do it myself.” “What are you doing, then?” he drawled, though easing to the entrance. “Get out.” Something dangerous in her voice silenced any more snide remarks he had. As the sound of his footsteps hurried away, she unlocked the door with a low incantation and entered the little cell. Liana hung by her wrists against the wall in iron manacles. Wounds ran up and down her arms and her torso. Her hair had fallen loose from its ponytail and now hung over her face. Despite this, Black Blood could see the girl’s cloudy eyes widen and she stiffened in her prison. “Who’s there?” The question came out as a halting whisper.
“Me.” Shutting the door behind her, Black Blood walked up and stopped before Liana. “You have something of mine.” “What else do you want?” The human was exhausted, yet anger could be detected beneath her shaking voice. “You’ve already taken everything from me.” Black Blood grabbed her gi and ripped the collar open. Liana gasped and shied away, but the werecat’s hand grabbed something dangling beneath her shirt. “Leave that alone!” Liana cried, straining against her bonds. “That was my mother’s!” “Then your mother was a thief.” The chain snapped. Black Blood took the necklace and inspected it. Though the stone had been carved into the shape of some sort of seashell, it looked much like all the others. “This is a moonstone—the last of the seven moonstones. Did you know?” “The— the moonstone!” Liana’s mouth fell open. “I— I had it with me this whole time…?” Black Blood inspected her face, regarding her. “You’re not lying. You really did not know you’ve had this with you the entire time.” She chuckled mirthlessly. “How frustrating that must be! You and your ninja friends have been trying for so long to catch even just one moonstone and keep it from me, and you just brought the last one right into my hands. I really must thank you—” Weight like a bowling ball shoved itself into her head. Crying out, Black Blood fought it. Pictures of her childhood started flashing into her head. Catching her first mouse… being made into the sorcerers’ apprentice and training with them… Eagle Talon earning his full name… “Enough!” she roared. The pictures and the weight disappeared. Head throbbing, she glared at Liana. “You little—” Liana threw herself at Black Blood and they fell scuffling. However, the human was weak and wounded, and Black Blood overpowered her easily. As she locked Liana in an arm lock around her neck and choked her, she glanced at the chains that were supposed to hold her. The manacles were dangling by themselves, broken. A small plume of smoke was rising from the shattered metal. “How in the stars did you do that…?” she murmured. Wriggling faintly, Liana managed to barely rasp, “Guess my element’s related to fire.” Something clicked in Black Blood’s head. Her heart skipped a beat, yet she kept her voice cool and deadly. “Fire doesn’t do that.” Grabbing Liana by the hair, she smashed her face into the floor and pressed her weight on her. The younger girl gasped in pain. “Nor water. Nor earth. Nor air. Nor any other power of the elemental masters. But I know someone whose powers are similar to yours.” Black Blood shook her for emphasis. “Your power in the mind are unlike anything else I’ve seen, save for that Sister of Darkness, Matilda. And her power comes from the energy in the earth and in the air—from the magic that is in every world.”
Liana attempted to roll onto her side. Black Blood yanked on her hair again, eliciting another cry. “Do you understand what I am saying? Or have you always known? Is that why you joined the ninja? So that Matilda could teach you how to be as powerful a Sister of Darkness as she is?” Liana stiffened beneath her. “A Sister of…?” “A witch. That’s what you are.” She shook her again. “You’re not an elemental master, you’re a witch! A sorceress! That’s your secret! That is why you have been so hard to destroy. Your body is practically oozing with magic. You are like me when I was a kit—making things explode and getting into others’ heads. Your being burns with untapped potential.” “No.” Liana’s voice quivered. “No… I’m not like you. I’ll never be like you!” Rearing up again, she screamed, “I’m not a witch, I’m a ninja! I’ll never be like you or Raven Frost or anyone else!” “We cannot choose the powers destiny grants us. We can only choose what to do with them.” She shoved Liana to the floor and turned to the door. “And for now, I choose to leave you here while I put this moonstone to good use. I’ve waited too long to dilly-dally now.” She left the cell and slammed the door closed, locking it. “I’m not worried about you busting open another lock, as it is quite obvious you’ve used the last of your strength.” Liana trembled all over. She crawled on her skinned hands and knees to the door and slumped against it like a rag doll. “Cole will come. He’ll stop you.” “Oh, I do hope he will come,” Black Blood hissed. “I will make him suffer the same way I’ve suffered.” “You deserve to suffer,” Liana rasped, angry. “He doesn’t.” “We shall let destiny decide that, shall we?” Black Blood strode away, leaving Liana broken and quivering in her cell. Back into the dark, narrow tunnels she went, gripping the moonstone tightly as if it would slip out of her hand at any moment. Away from Liana and away from the battle, silence reigned in these empty halls. Her bare feet padded quietly, taking her through the darkness. She turned into a new tunnel. This one turned away from the main ones, slanting down. No lamps hovered nearby. No cat, not even the sorcerers, made a habit of going down there. No light would be needed for one with senses as attune as hers. Guiding herself with one hand on the wall, she walked down into the gaping mouth of shadows. The further she went, the colder it got. A pebble clattered. She whirled around. Was someone behind her? Sniffing the air, she peered up at the tunnel entrance. Nothing moved. Scared of the dark now? a voice taunted in her head. Attempting to shrug off her paranoia, she kept going, though this time at a quicker pace.
Abruptly the walls fell away. Her footsteps could be heard echoing now. She’d come out of the tunnel and into a large cavern. Murmuring the summonings for a spell, she held her hand out as a plume of smoky blue light appeared. With a flourish she tossed it up, and the light exploded quietly as it spread across the ceiling like a hazy glowing cloud. In the middle of this massive, empty cavern sat a dark shape taller than a human. As the glowing blue cloud gradually became brighter, its light reflected off of the object. Lights like tiny stars began twinkling from the glittering surface of blue, silver and violet colors. “At long last.” She approached the Great Moonstone. Large cracks like spindly fingers could be seen etched across its surface. Long ago the sorcerers had succeeded in putting together most of it, but the largest pieces that made up the main body only leaned haphazardly against one another, essentially disconnected. Black Blood reached into the folds of her robes and took out more moonstones. One by one, she placed them in crevices of near-matching shapes. Each stone acted as a small bridge from one piece of the Great Moonstone to the next, essentially connecting all the pieces together like an unbalanced puzzle. “Seven stones separated,” she murmured, “seven stones reunited.” She placed the first one in the first crevice. “The first, stolen by a Sister of Darkness.” She placed a second one into the next crevice, and continued. “The second, stolen by a Daughter of Lightning. The third, stolen by a Son of No One.” Were the pieces glowing brighter? She went on. “The fourth, stolen by a snake-man. The fifth, stolen from another Son of No One. The sixth, stolen by a Daughter of Earth.” The pendant of Liana’s necklace was placed into the last crevice. “The seventh, stolen by a second Sister of Darkness.” She hadn’t expected the Moonstone to glow so brightly all of a sudden. Startled, she stepped back and shielded her eyes with one arm. A strange hushed sound—almost like a chorus of voices whispering together—rose as the stone glowed. The blinding light seemed to ease. When she uncovered her eyes, she could see that the light of the Moonstone lit up the cavern in strange dazzling colors, mostly of blue and violet but even with gold shimmers. The sound of whispers increased. Through the noise of her pounding heart, she could not tell if they were beckoning her to the stone or warning her to stay away from it. “Mama…” Black Blood stared at the Moonstone. “Are you there?” After standing there in awe for a minute, she transformed into her nekomata body and approached the Moonstone. Hesitating, she reached out a paw to touch it. “Show me how to find you…” Her paw touched the surface.
* * *
Sniffing the air, Little Leaf peered at the ground. Human footprints stood out in the sand. “She came this way. Down that tunnel.”
Lloyd listened, but no sound came from the dark corridor gaping before them. Flicking his hand, he summoned a ball of green light to act as a lantern. “She can’t be up to any good.” Leaf grabbed his hand. Shakily she whispered, “Let’s turn back, Lloyd. Please. I’ve never been down that tunnel before, but it scares me. We can’t fight her alone.” “I’m not going to fight her. I’m just going to find out what she’s up to.” He squeezed her hand reassuringly. “Go back and get some help—Jay and Nya, maybe—and bring them here. I’ll stay and see what Black Blood’s up to. Go, Leaf,” he added when she hesitated. He grunted in surprise when she abruptly hugged him. “Be careful, Lloyd.” “I— I will.” He watched her ease back, looking embarrassed, then disappear into the shadows. Lloyd was left alone in the corridor. Taking a deep breath, he descended into the tunnel. Somewhere down there Black Blood was waiting. The light cast eery green shadows across the jagged walls. He had to bend down to keep from hitting his head. Back in the large caves there had been so much noise, screaming and shouting and the clashing of swords and stones and yowls of cats. Compared to that, the silence here felt unnerving. The faint crackle from his energy ball only made it feel louder. For several minutes he walked, the tunnel going on and on. His pulse made the time feel longer. Then a faint sparkle of light caught his eye. What’s that? He turned off the green lantern. As his eyes adjusted he realized there was a pale blue light source ahead, around the bend. He quickened his pace. The opening of the tunnel yawned before him suddenly. Pale light poured from it. Tentatively, Lloyd tiptoed to the entrance and peered past the side. He caught his breath. A massive glimmering stone sat in the middle of a cavern. Tiny lights like stars drifted from it, rising up to the ceiling. At the base of the stone a dark, feline shape lay, one paw resting on the surface. “The moonstone…?” Something about the huge rock reminded Lloyd of the small moonstones they’d been trying to collect. His stomach lurched. “No…! No, she’s got them all! She’s activating its power and getting nine lives!” There was no time to wait for backup now. Deftly he strapped the tekko-cagi claws onto his hands and ran out into the cavern. As he approached he kept his eyes on Black Blood, but she did not stir. Then he was standing over her. His nerves were on edge, pulse pounding hard. Cautiously he stepped closer and leaned over her to peer at her face. The huge black cat’s eyes were closed. Is she…? He risked touching her shoulder ever-so-lightly. Her fur felt warm and it moved. She was breathing. Asleep. His eyes fell upon that single paw laid upon the Moonstone. The surface beneath it was glowing strangely. No. He stiffened. Not today. Lloyd grabbed the nekomata by the shoulders and yanked her away from the Moonstone.
The response was almost immediate. She stirred, making an almost-cute brrr? sleepy-cat sound. Then she felt Lloyd’s arms around her and snarled so loudly that its echo rang brashly in his ears. “No! Let me go!” Black Blood tore herself away and whirled on him, scrabbling to her paws. Lloyd circled around until he stood between her and the Moonstone. “How did you find the last moonstone?” he demanded. “Doesn’t matter, I’ve won. I’ve won!” she spat. “Now get out of the way, fox-breath. You interrupted the ceremony.” “And let you destroy Ninjago? No way. You’ll have to kill me first.” Her eyes gleamed. “My pleasure.” Lloyd was ready for the curse. He deflected the burst of green fire with an energy ball, then spun into a Spinjitzu vortex. He tore himself at her, but she leapt out of the way. Claws dug into his shoulders. Black Blood yanked him out of the vortex as the green energy evaporated. He felt himself slammed to the ground on his back. Kicking his legs, he wriggled out of the way and blew up an energy ball in her face. The blow sent her tumbling back and falling onto her side. Before she could get up, he leapt to his feet and raked his claws down her torso. Gasping in pain, she whirled around with lightning-fast reflexes. Black, silver-tinged paws came swinging at him, as large as a tiger’s, while she stood up on her hind legs. Lloyd put his hands up in a defensive stance and swung back, dancing backwards every so often. She advanced, ears back and claws flashing by his face. He deflected her blow-for-blow, hearing her claws ring off his metal. He kept his gaze on her face, watching her eyes. They flickered down, at his legs. He jumped just in time. She dove down with claws out, intending to knock into his legs and sweep him over. Lloyd leapt in the air, doing a sommersault, before landing on his feet. Confused, Black Blood started turning around when he leapt onto her back and dug his claws between her shoulders. An enraged screech shuddered beneath him. The world spun—he flew through the air, thrown off her back, before hitting the ground. He scrambled to his feet in time to meet her attack and then they were off again; on their feet, punching, slashing, each one trying to touch the other with their deadly claws. Then her teeth clamped around his wrist. He hadn’t expected that. Black Blood yanked hard, pulling him down. Her paw hit the back of his head and smashed his face into the ground. Sand and stones got into his mouth and face. Claws dug into his head and his back. Panic flooded through Lloyd. No! She released his wrist to go in for the finishing bite. He threw his arm back awkwardly and hit her face with his elbow. It was enough to bruise her muzzle, and she granted enough space for him to scramble onto his rump and rake his claws over her head.
Tired and desperate, Black Blood batted his hands away. Within the blink of an eye, her head shot forward as she bit down on his collar. She hadn’t accounted for the mask and armor shielding his neck. For a second she leaned over him exposed, the side of her face pressed against his as she attempted to bite down on a weak spot. He barely even thought about it. Seeing it wide and open right by his face, Lloyd struck the tekko-cagi claws into each side of her neck. There was a terrible sound in his ears. A sick feeling rose in his throat. Hoping against hope he didn’t just do what he certainly just did, Lloyd wrenched the claws from the big cat, scrambling backwards. He barely noticed the metal strapped to his hands. Black Blood stared at him, looking puzzled. Her eyes roved slowly from him to the ground. She opened her mouth and rasped quietly, “No… no, I was supposed to live… this wasn’t supposed to happen…” “I’m sorry,” Lloyd responded, horrified. His mind was reeling. She looked at him angrily as if to say something else, but then her eyes glazed over. With a little wet cough, Black Blood sank to the floor. She stopped breathing. Shock and horror kept Lloyd rooted to the floor. He hadn’t meant for this to happen. He’d fought and defeated plenty of villains before, but he’d never actually done something like this—and not in such a violent way. He wished the paint-like splatters on his gi would just magically disappear. Almost incredulous, he stumbled to his feet and checked the big cat’s pulse. Nothing. Not a breath, not a beat. She was gone. “I— I’m sorry, Cole…” How would he react to this? Lloyd’s stomach clenched just at the thought of having to tell him. Or would Cole be glad? Not likely. Lloyd would not have been pleased if one of his teammates had done away with Lord Garmadon back when they were fighting him—but then, maybe it was different for Cole. After all, Lord Garmadon had never actually hurt any of Lloyd’s loved ones. Would he be glad his half-brother’s murderer was gone? I can’t think about that now. I have to go and get the others. Wearily he turned and headed back to the entrance. The sound of his footsteps echoed hollowly against the dark walls. He started unstrapping the metal claws from his hands. A small, startled gasp broke the silence. His eyes darted to the entrance. “Little Leaf?” Silence. “Nya…? Cole?” Unease grew. What had been that sound? “Who’s there?” Black Blood’s voice laughed mockingly behind him. Lloyd whirled around and stared. Black Blood’s eyes were glowing with an unearthly blue color, lighting up the cave. Like a raggedy puppet, the cat began to come back to life—limbs twitching, fur bristling, ears pricking forward and her jaw widening as she released a crazed cackle. The eery blue glow seemed to emanate from her mouth, too.
“What—? No. No!” Lloyd recoiled. “You were dead! You were dead!” The glowing cat pushed herself up, glowing eyes sneering at him. Little lights seemed to appear from her paws, making as look as if she were standing amid a starry cloud. As she stood, a new shape appeared on her forehead: the same glowing light coming from her eyes and mouth now carved a crescent moon shape, glowing brighter than all the rest. “Black Blood…” he stammered. “Did you—?” “I am not Black Blood! I am Blood Star, queen of the Tribe of the Moon and conqueror of wolves and humans alike!” The glow in her eyes and mouth started dying away as well as the crescent moon shape on her forehead, leaving a white mark of the same shape. Yet the lack of the glow did not take away the dangerous gleam in her eyes, nor her crazed laughter. “They shall call me the Slayer of Elements, for I shall wipe out the Sons and Daughters once and for all!” Lloyd couldn’t believe it. He felt as if he were stuck in a nightmare. “You were dead,” he repeated. “I was. But I came back.” A great wind began swirling around them, picking up dust and pebbles. She stood upon her hind legs, forepaws glowing blue with magic. “For now I—am—immortal!” He shot an energy ball. Blood Star deflected it, summoning a force field. His energy deflected off of it, spitting in the air. The force of it shoved her back a few steps. Then she hissed an incantation and shot a curse at him. Lloyd warded it off with an energy ball. He found himself forced to shoot more as she continued slinging bright curses at him, like malignant shooting stars glowing in the dark. Bright streaks of violet, blue, and pink shot from her outstretched paws; whizzing green orbs of energy flew from his swinging hands. Foolish of you, to come face me alone. An uncomfortable weight seemed to force itself into his head. Stomach lurching, Lloyd realized she was mind-bending into his head. What had Matilda said to do to keep her out—? You look so tired, Son of the First, Blood Star drawled in his brain. Across the cavern he could see her toothy grin flash at him. Wouldn’t you care to sit down and go through your memories with me? He gritted his teeth. I’m not afraid of my past. More energy balls blasted across the cavern. They met the flying curses and exploded, washing a wave of heat over the opponents. She seemed to pause, regarding him. He could almost feel her own brain squashed against his, working meticulously. Matilda said I should concentrate on something, right? Can I concentrate on my hands—? No, I’ve got to focus on the fight, she’ll take advantage— Blood Star purred in his head, I believe you. But do you fear the future? The sensation of flying suddenly seemed to jolt Lloyd off his feet. The sight of the cavern and Blood Star vanished. All was dark, and he was falling—falling—falling. No! He struggled to regain consciousness, to take back his brain. I can’t let her—!
A strange wave of heat seemed to wash over him, along with sounds and smells that made him think of swamps. Master Wu appeared abruptly before him. There was something frail about his appearance—his beard looked longer and he leaned more heavily on his staff than he usually did. “Master Wu?” Ground suddenly beneath his boots, Lloyd ventured toward his uncle cautiously. “Are you OK? Did Blood Star—?” A glowing portal of some kind burst out beneath Master Wu. With a startled cry, his uncle went flying into the glowing abyss and vanished. “Master Wu! No!” Lloyd tried to reach out to grab his uncle, but some invisible force flung him backwards, and he was falling through darkness again. Images began flashing through his head. A figure in strange, stone-like gray garments and glowing purple pieces staggered toward him, breathing heavily. Lloyd recoiled—the figure appeared to be some kind of mythical demon, its face contorted in a yellow-toothed grin and its eyes twisted in swirling black and yellow patterns beyond recognition. A guttural voice screamed behind the face, “I want you to feel the emptiness that I feel!” Buildings from the night flashed by his vision. The city lights were disorienting as Lloyd attempted to look around. Were they moving on something…? The metal ground seemed to sway, the sounds of a train rumbling in his ears. Beyond some of the skyscrapers he could see the Destiny’s Bounty—being crushed, shattering in mid-air over the city. Lloyd barely saw the great stone hands crushing the ship. Horror kept his gaze on the deck, where familiar-looking figures could be seen, standing helpless as the massive structure shattered and caved in around them—Kai, Cole, Jay, Zane… “No!” The desperate cry left him before he could stop it. Part of him felt aware that it was just a dream, that it was all a trick. But it all feels so real…! Daylight suddenly streaming across the world made his eyes water. His vision seemed to pan out, giving him a bird’s eye view of Ninjago City. It was burning. Sirens were wailing, thick plumes of smoke were rising above the crumbling skyscrapers. There will always be loved ones to lose, Blood Star drawled, unseen. There will always be new enemies who want to destroy everything you love. Defeating me won’t stop them. His vision shifted to the streets. Dark smoke, strangely cold, had flooded through the city. From this smoke eery horned figures emerged, eyes glowing in the dark. You cannot save your friends. The smoky streets and alien figures faded away. They were replaced by a picture of Zane, smiling gently at Lloyd. Then a blast of fire lit up the scene, pouring onto Zane. With a strangled cry, he seemed to fall back and vanished amid the flames. “Zane!”
