I walked silently through the forest surrounding my Father's monastery, the imminent storm blocking all light from the sun. I didn't care. It had only been a week since we defeated the Anacondrai. Everyone, and everything, was at peace. All, except for me. I had lost my father that day. I had lost my father that day. He was banished to the Cursed Realm, so that Chen and his Anacondrai army could be stopped. It worked, but at the cost of his life. I never thought my life could be so empty without him. He isn't down in the training hall when I get up. He isn't there to encourage me to train. He isn't there when I go to help Cyrus borg in the afternoon, and he isn't there when I return that night. He was more than my father, more than my sensei . He was my friend. My best friend. I stopped walking, and blinked back tears. It wasn't fair.
Rolls of thunder echoes through the valley, and flashes of lightning filled the sky with white light. I began my walk back to the monastery, when I heard footsteps behind m. My heart pounded, as I spun around, and scanned the area for spies.
" Who's there?" I called. The stranger stepped out of the shadows, his gray hair whipping in the fierce storm winds. Were my eyes playing tricks on me? Or was it real? It can't be....I thought, fearfully.
" Hello, Lloyd." He said. His voice calmed the storm, and time itself froze. I gasped, and took a step back.
" Dad?" I asked.
" Everything will be alright..." He said.
" What is going on?" I questioned, taking a step towards him, but he only seemed farther away. " Ok, this is crazy!" I stopped dead in my tracks. " You're banished, trapped in the Cursed Realm forever- how are you here? And what do you mean by ' everything will be alright' ?" All the anger I had within erupted like a volcano. " Did you even think how banishing yourself would effect us? Mom needs you! I need you, dad! You....Were my best friend.." I felt my anger subside, and was replaced by sorrow.
" You're probably not even really here..It's just my mind tricking me." I said quietly, looking down at the grass. " If I could redo what happened that day, I would. I wouldn't have yelled at you, then storm off...I would have said I am sorry for never listening to you.. And I would have told you how much you mean to me....." After what seemed like forever, he took a step forward, and placed his hand on my shoulder.
" Lloyd." He said. " Look at me." I lifted my head, and met his eyes.
" I forgive you..And I hope you will forgive me. It was a hard decission, but it needed to be done...But, I promise you, you will see me again." The smallest of smiles formed on his lips.
" But, how?" I asked.
" You'll just have to wait and see...." He said mysteriously. He removed his hand from my shoulder, and stepped back. " It's time..."
" Time for what?" I asked.
" Lloyd, wake up." He said, as he began to fade from my vision.
" Wait, dad!" I called, reaching for him, as everything went dark.
***
" Dad!" I cried out, sitting up. I looked around frantically, my heart pounding. I wasn't in the forest of tranquility, I was in my bedroom in the monastery. It was all a dream. There was a soft knock on the door, as my mother poked her head in.
" Lloyd, are you alright? I heard a shout from your room...." She asked.
" I'm fine, mom...." I said, smiling. " Everything will be alright." She nodded, and left, closing the door behind her. I looked at the family photo on my nightstand, focusing on my dad, and smiled.
" Thanks dad...." I said quietly. " ....I forgive you." An ever-so-familiar feeling came over me, filing every inch of my body, as I laid back down. It was a feeling I hadn't felt in what seemed like ages. Peace. I was at peace. With my father. With what happened. With myself. I fell asleep that night knowing that, one day, I would see my father again.
The sheer normalcy of the morning was striking. There had been no calls for help, no attacks, and no danger to speak of. Everything was quiet- almost too quiet. Quiet, that is, except for the game room of the Destiny's Bounty...
"Hey! No fair!" Jay protested, "You can't just gang up on people like that!" He mashed the buttons on his controller as his character lost health.
"Yes we can," Kai said, "And because you're the biggest gamer out of all of us- hey! Cole, we were supposed to be fighting Jay!"
"No one said we had to," Cole laughed, but his eyebrows shot up as Kai activated a special move, knocking his character off the screen. "Hey!"
Oddly, the Sensei had not appeared to protest, and they went on with their game until at last even video games ceased to be interesting, and the Ninja found themselves sitting in boredom.
A long, awkward silence followed. This had never happened before- usually they didn't have much chance to play video games without something coming up. Now, in this uncanny absence of activity, they found themselves at an utter loss.
"Well this is... odd," Kai muttered at last. Like the others, he almost expected an alarm to ring even as he spoke, but none did.
"Let's go find the Sensei," Cole suggested after another pause. "This... this is too quiet. Something's wrong."
They stood and hurried onto the deck, but the Bounty was deserted. Sensei Wu, Nya, and Misako were gone.
"What?" Lloyd breathed, "Where... where are they?"
"Someone must have taken them!" Zane exclaimed, "Yet how or where I do not know!"
"We need to think," Kai said. "Who could have done this? And how did they get on board while the Bounty was in the air?"
"They could have gotten on the last time we landed," Jay pointed out, "And slipped off again without being noticed."
"Set the coordinates back to our last stopping point," Cole commanded, "Turn the Bounty around!"
In minutes the ship was retracing its route through the sky, while Cole phoned the local police department.
"No sir, we haven't seen them," the officer answered. "But we'll keep looking."
Cole nodded, and then hesitated. "Has you had a quiet day?" he asked, frowning thoughtfully.
"Indeed we have- no other calls."
"Alright, thank you," Cole said. "Call us if you find anything." He put down the phone and stood, returning to the others.
"Something's going on here," he said. "I just talked to the police. Get this- they haven't had a single call today!"
"But that... makes no sense! Even if we're not called in, there's always something for the police to address!" Jay protested.
"I know," Cole replied, rubbing his forehead. "It all feels so... unreal..."
"Maybe it is unreal," Kai said suddenly.
The others stared at him.
"Kai... what are you saying?" Zane asked, perplexed.
"Think about it!" Kai replied quickly. "Everyone but us is missing, yet the Bounty has been in the air for hours. And am I the only one who recalls seeing them after we last took off?"
The others hesitated. Now that Kai mentioned it, all of them did remember seeing the rest of the team after they'd taken flight.
"But... that's impossible!" Lloyd replied, "This doesn't make sense!"
"Exactly," Kai replied, "It's not possible! None of this is real!"
As soon as the words had left his mouth the air around them shimmered, dissolving into mist. They found themselves lying on the deck of the Bounty, staring up at a hooded figure.
"The Dreamweaver," Cole breathed, "Of course! He used his powers to trap us in a dream so we couldn't stop him!"
The hooded man glared down at them. "How did you do that? No one escapes my dreams!"
"A Ninja must see what others do not," Zane said, rising to his feet along with the others. "And your evil deeds have gone unchecked for far too long!"
The Dreamweaver stepped back, eyes darting to each of the Ninja in turn. The teammates exchanged glances.
"I think it's clear what we need to do," Kai said, and the others nodded. Then, as one, they raised their voices-
First set of runner ups: LEGO Ninjago: FREEZE! by Hypaxxus-4231
The ninja had so much to look back on. They remembered when Garmadon was so evil and let the Skulkins loose. They recalled when Lloyd released the serpentine, but what they most liked to think about was their trip to space. They desperatly wanted to go back and search for alien life, but they did not know what was really up there.
"My lord," said a lime-green-skinned figure with a robotic suit, "We have located it, what you have searched for so many years to put all your captured planets. We also have found another planet, but it appears to have heroes..."
"Oh Omnorse," said another identical figure, only with a helmet that only covered his scalp, and a robot arm, "Haven't I defeated every hero on all my planets? Prepare all Omnens for our departure! Soon the Omniverse shall be completed!"
The ninja were still talking and Jay was playing video games when Sensei Wu walked in.
"We must continue training students," he said.
"Oh, come on!" shouted Jay. "There's no one to save, no one to fight, and I was just about to beat RETURN OF THE NINJA 2!"
"He's kinda right, sensei," said Cole. "Though I can't believe I'm saying it." Jay gave him a hard glare.
"There's always danger in Ninjago," said Sensei Wu. Suddenly Nya ran in.
"Guys!" she cried. "I've picked up signal of a massive object entering the atmosphere!" The ninja ran outside. It was all quiet.
"I don't see anything," said Kai.
"That's because it's in Ninjago City," said Nya. They jumped on to the Destiny's Bounty. When they got to Ninjago City, they certainly saw a massive object. It was a massive spacecraft with a slanted lower deck and a big windshield, and two wings which seemed to reach a mile each! Above that there was an upper deck with a windshield bigger than the first, and five huge fins coming off the top: the middle one was biggest, right beside that on each side were medium fins, and beside those were the smallest fins. The spaceship let out small space pods. Clearly aliens were attacking Ninjago!
The ninja heard a voice from the spacecraft.
"I am Omnilen," it said, "Ruler of the Omniverse. For years I have searched for the center of the universe to put all my conquered planets, and when you came to one, I tracked you back, and now, I found it! Begin Deconstruction!" The entire upper deck suddenly lifted and red eyes appeared which shot rays which began breaking buildings apart! The space pods began also firing beams which froze people (no ice involved)!
"It looks like a giant game of freeze tag," said Lloyd. "We have to stop him!" The Destiny's Bounty shot a grappling hook and the ninja zipplined across. Kai burned a hole in the wall and they shot in. They burst into the main control room when suddenly robotic arms grabbed the and shoved them into prison pods along with hundreds of frozen citizens! Omnilen spun around.
"Excelent!" he said. "Once I have finished freezing everyone I shall deconstuct all cities and rebuild them the way I want! I shall mutate everyone and turn them into Omnens (the race of alien we come from) and they shall only obey ME! Last I will relocate all my planets and the Omniverse will be complete!" He began histerically laughing.
"We have to get out of here!" said Zane. "Wait! I have an idea!" He froze the pod that it burst, and he freed his team mates.
"WHAT!" cried Omnilen. "FREEZE!" His helmet shot a ray but the ninja dodged it.
"How about YOU freeze!" said Zane, and with that, he shot a beam of ice and trapped him! They shoved him in a space pod.
"Noooooooo!" cried Omnilen, but they sent him into orbit! Suddenly the ship began exploding! Wu and Nya burst in.
"Where have YOU been?" said Kai.
"Destroying aliens," said Wu. They all loaded citizens on board the Destiny's Bounty and flew away just as the mothership exploded! After that it was mostly calm. They unfroze citizens, rebuilt buildings, and celebrated their defeat of another villian. Not all danger was eliminated yet, though. All of Ninjago was safe at last...for now.
The Ultra Sonic Raider sped down the highway, and for a reason. Lloyd had run away in a desperate attempt to escape the day before. Everyone seemed tense. Wu, who seemed more worried than anyone, had enlisted the help of his enemy, his brother, Lord Garmadon.
The silence between the Ninja and Garmadon was thick and awkward, but the evil Lord could care less. If there was one thing he loved more than evil, it was his own son.
"So. . ." Jay tried to break the awkward barrier of silence. "Um, what's been happening, Garm?"
Garmadon said more to himself, "Nothing much, really. . ." He seemed distant, which was odd for a man like himself.
"Oh. Mm-hm."
The rest of the Ninja stayed quiet, focused on the road instead of each other. The roar of the engine was the only noise between them, and they were perfectly fine with that.
"We're here," Kai later announced to the team, pulling near the subway station.
"Alright boys, ready?" asked Cole. He always asked this before a big mission, and he got the same answer every time.
"Are you kidding?" Jay asked, relieved to be speaking with a person other than Garmadon. "I was born ready!"
"Affirmative," added Zane. "So am I."
"I'm ready." Kai said.
Garmadon hesitated. They waited a few seconds for him, but he stayed silent.
"C'mon, guys, let's go get 'em." Cole's window lifted up, and he jumped out onto the streets.
The rest of the Ninja looked at each other, nodded, and followed their leader.
Garmadon sat still, furrowing his eyebrows. Reluctantly, he climbed out of the 'Raider.
Hidden in the depths of the subway, a few of the snakes teased and taunted young Lloyd, waving flaming torches near his face. Other Serpentine were already preparing to burn Lloyd, arranging hay around his feet. He wriggled and squirmed, trying to escape the ropes that bound him to a stake. But it was no use. Besides, it was only a matter of time before Skales gave the order, and he would be long gone.
Skales smirked. "Okay, everyone, it's time!" he said sing-songingly, clapping his hands together. Nobody bothered to ask him what it was time for, they all knew. Lloyd, especially.
"Not so fast, snake breath!" Cole exclaimed, with the whole Ninja team behind him.
"The N-" Skales couldn'y finish his sentence while being tackled by Jay.
"Not so mighty after all, are you, Bucked Teeth?"
That wouldn't stop Skales. "Now!"
With a single command, the Serpentine dropped their torches and set fire to the hay. The flames were spreading fast. Lloyd's cape was already engulfed in the orange brightness. "Help!"
No one seemed to hear him. The Ninja were busy fending off the snakes, and it all seemed too late. The flames continued to creep upon his back.
"Lloyd!" a familiar voice said. The boy's head turned around to see his father, already taking out a blade and cutting the ropes.
"Dad. . .?" His face lit up. "D-dad!"
The ropes fell to the ground. "Son!" he said, embracing him He took his child's hand and pulled. "Come on, we have to go."
Lloyd nodded and tried to keep up with him.
"Guys!" Kai exclaimed. "We got him!"
"Out, out, out." Cole insisted, running towards the exit. Flames spread everywhere, and the room was filled with smoke.
He, Kai, and Jay managed to get out. Zane refused to go until he knew Lloyd was safe.
"C'mon, Dad, we're almost there!" Lloyd yelled, pointing to the exit. "Dad?"
Garmadon was held back by almost a dozen snakes. "Go, my son, go!"
"No, Dad, I'm not going."
Garmadon hugged his son tightly, then threw him into Zane's open arms.
"No! Dad! Wait, Zane, wait!"
"I'm sorry, Lloyd," Zane consoled.
"Dad!" Tears trickled down Lloyd's face as he cried like he never had before. He snatched one last glance of his heroic savior, knowing it would be a long time before he would see him again. "I. . . I love you. . ."
A figure nervously ran in the woods, looking around every now and then with an occasional flash of lightning. The figure was Jay, and he was lost while on a mission with the other ninja. One minute he was happily chatting with them, then a storm broke out, causing the ninja to scatter and look for shelter from the downpour.
By now, Jay was drenched. The rain was cold and miserable as he racked his brain for any information on how to contact his group. Then he remembered- Zane had told them about radios where they can signal each other when lost. He grinned, finally finding use of Zane’s words. Jay ran to the nearest tree and tuned the radio. As minutes passed, there was nothing but static. Groaning, he muttered, “It can’t get any worse than this…”
A brilliant flash of blue struck the tree he was standing under, giving him a shock. The tingling sensation ended about a second after, leaving the tree completely scorched. As he looked up at the charred remains, his mind buzzing, he remembered an old piece of advice. Never stand under a tall tree- or any tree- during a thunderstorm.
But all of his thoughts disappeared and one word replaced them once he looked higher up. A winged lizard, with vibrant blue scales clashing against white ones. It’s eyes were calm, yet wild. It was a magnificent sight, but the weather made it look absolutely terrifying. Dragon.
The dragon, harnessing the power of storm, was trying to get Jay’s attention as it perched steadily on top of the tree. It watched him curiously. Jay, not knowing what to do, thought he was hallucinating, but realized several minutes after that the creature was real. He slowly extended a hand to pet it, and the dragon growled contently. He didn’t know if his mind was playing tricks on him, but he thought he heard the dragon say, “I’ll help you.”
Minutes ago, Jay thought he was having the worst time of his life. Now he was on the back of an electric dragon who was willing to reunite him with his team. He yelped with joy as the dragon did tricks in the air, flashes of lightning barely missing them. Shooting upwards, it launched itself and Jay into the storm... and flew above it.
The sky over the storm seemed clear as darkness washed over, declaring that it was night. With the moon on the rise and stars glowing brightly, all seemed peaceful, except for the fact that there was a raging storm beneath them. Jay could see mountaintops poking through the grey clouds. A faint glow caught his eye and over the rumbling of thunder, he heard a familiar voice call his name. A few familiar voices. Jay pointed the spot out for the dragon. "Over there!"
Swooping down into a dive while twisting, the dragon finished showing off with a loop-de-loop into a dense forest, landing smoothly. Jay, dizzy but grateful, was speechless. The dragon seemed to understand his loss of words. It nodded and flew off, blending in with the electric flashes between the storm.
"There you are! We've looked almost everywhere, we were convinced you went to space!" Jay turned and saw Kai and the others, who were exhausted. Jay wanted to tell them about the dragon, but the last thing they needed was a story they might not believe. As they walked back, Cole asked, “How did you get lost? Did you goof off again?” Jay sighed. He wasn’t in the mood to talk. “Our tents are also packed. Where are you going to sleep?” Lloyd piped up. Jay looked up at the sky. The storm was starting to clear and it was drizzling. “Maybe I’ll sleep outside.” Lloyd said, “There’s more space for us, then!” “Don’t catch a cold,” Zane advised. As the others headed for the tents, Jay lay on the grass. The rain now felt cool and refreshing. With memories of the dragon, he drifted off to sleep...
-last edited on Mar 25, 2017 15:13:16 GMT by egorsmirnov
Post by egorsmirnov on Mar 25, 2017 15:12:36 GMT
Fall into Darkness by Feral_Mutant
I sat on the porch of my cottage and stared at my hands, pale not just in the moonlight, but in the sunlight as well. It had been that way for a few months, and I could feel that the venom of the serpent, which was now called the Great Devourer, had almost broken all of my defenses.
Today, I knew it would overcome me completely.
I stood. I have to leave, or I'll hurt my family. I barely took three steps when the cottage door squeaked open. Misako, my beautiful wife, came out, cradling our baby, Lloyd. "You seem quiet this afternoon," she said. "Is something bothering you?"
I was silent for a moment. "It's taking over me. The venom, it's almost got me. I can't stay."
She blinked, as if I had spoken the ancient language and she had to translate it. "Garmadon, you... you have to stay."
"If I do, I risk hurting both of you. I would never live with myself if I harmed a single hair on your head in any way. You must allow me to do what needs to be done. Even as we speak, I feel it changing me, corrupting me. I must leave." I swallowed hard.
Tears slid down her face. "Lloyd needs a father. I need a husband. What am I to do without you?" Sobs wracked her body. Lloyd woke up, but remained silent.
I pulled her into an embrace. "Raise Lloyd for me. Be strong. And remember me as I was, not as I'm going to become." Holding back my own tears, I whispered, "I love you, Misako. Forever and always." I caressed Lloyd's head. "Goodbye, Son. When you're older, do not follow in my footsteps."
Then I turned and began to walk away. I looked over my shoulder. Misako sat on the porch, crying softly. Lloyd stretched out a hand toward me.
My vision snapped into gray. I waited for it to fade. Lately, it took longer than it used to. I paused another moment.
The color didn't return.
Not wishing for Misako to see me for the last time with red eyes, I took off and left the village behind me. And you left your family, you coward.
I ran farther and farther, barely stopping for even a breath. And all the time, I felt the venom ram through the last walls inside me. I quickened my pace, trying to put as much distance between me and Misako and Lloyd as possible. My surroundings had blurred, and I wasn't aware of where I was headed.
Images of Misako and Lloyd swirled through my head. Every step I took was a step closer to a divided family. I wanted to stay. The temptation was strong. But my instincts knew better. My heart was becoming corrupted, so I could not follow it.
Suddenly, a wave of cold blasted through me. I fell to the ground, gasping in pain. It had broken through. I was now a different man.
Those thoughts faded as I saw I was at the doorstep of the monastery. I had climbed up the Mountains of Impossible Height and didn't even feel short of breath. I was fit, but I had no idea my potential was that great.
Some desire stirred within me. It slithered its way into my mind. My purpose... I know what I need to do. Ninjago was created by an old fool. It needs to be re-created in my own image! Then everyone will see that I, Lord Garmadon, am supreme and to be feared. But I need power for that, and that is why I am back here.
"Those Golden Weapons," I hissed, "are mine!" I threw open the doors and stormed inside.
-last edited on Mar 25, 2017 15:18:22 GMT by egorsmirnov
Post by egorsmirnov on Mar 25, 2017 15:17:25 GMT
third pair of runner ups:
~Zane's Friend~ by mrbill2000
Zane threw his backpack on quickly and grabbed his walking stick. It was a beautiful morning and he didn't want to miss any of it!
"Why stay inside on a day like this?" he thought to himself, as he walked out into the sunshine. He was right, the flowers were in full bloom, the birds were singing their pleasant symphonies,
and the grass was green.
"Where should I hike?" he thought to himself.
"Help!" called a voice from the forest.
Zane followed the voice as fast as he could. As he got closer to the voice, it didn't sound
human anymore. When he finally saw it, he found out why... it was a robot!
"Help me!' it cried out.
The poor robot's leg was almost completely broken.
"Okay" replied Zane picking up the robot.
Suddently they heard lightning and Zane glanced up. The white cotton clouds he had seen
just an hour ago had turned into huge gray water sprinklers.
"I have to get you out of here and fast!" Zane yelled
The storm grew worse each minute. Zane tried to pick up the speed,
but it seemed like each step he took was harder than the last.
"Thank you saving me! My name is MC14," said the robot breaking the silence
"Nice to meet you MC14! I'm Zane," replied Zane "How did you you bust open your leg?"
"It was all a blur," MC14 continued "All I remember was total darkness"
Just then there was movement in the bushes...
"Show yourself" Zane shouted...
"Friend or foe?" Zane demanded.
Suddenly, out of the bushes, came Kai on his Blade Cycle.
"Kai!" shouted Zane, with a sigh of relief, "I'm so glad to see you! I need your help...
This Robot needs repairs...and fast!"
"Sure thing!" replied Kai, "Hop on!"
Zane quickly lifted MC14 onto the Blade Cycle.
When they finally got to headquarters, all the Ninja were relieved to find out Zane
wasn't hurt. At dinner the room was full of questions for MC14...
"Where did you come from?"
"Do you play video games?"
But the answer was always the same... "I don't remember"
"Can we please keep him Sensei?" all the Ninja asked at once.
Sensei Wu thought about it for a couple minutes and replied, "Okay...but only till we find
his real home."
All the Ninja cheered...but Zane was the happiest...He had found a friend
"Finally! A day all to myself!" Lloyd said to no one in particular as he entered his room. Ever since Chen's defeat, the ninja had been hard pressed, searching around ninjago for any more traces of evil. Finally, they'd finished, and now Lloyd could get a few hours of peace.
Surprisingly, instead of being tired, Lloyd was actually bored. He flipped pages of random books in his room, then decided to go out to eat. He could order something....but right now he felt more in the mood to eat out.
He went outside and summoned his elemental motorcycle, then hopped on and drove. His house was only a few miles away from ninjago city, so he didn't have far to drive.
He entered the bigger centers of the city, and passed many people walking along the streets. Finally he stopped at Skylor's noodle house, and went inside. Skylor was behind the register, and she grinned as he walked in.
"Lloyd! What a pleasure to see you! Camille came here earlier...is she waiting on you?"
"Uh...not really..."
"Oh, stop being so shy! Go over and sit next to her!" Skylor ordered.
Lloyd blushed and walked over to Camille's table, and sat down. She looked very surprised. "Lloyd, you came here too?"
"Yeah, it has the best noodles in town." He said.
She looked to his right and gasped. "Lloyd, duck!"
She grabbed his arm and threw him down on the ground, the two of them rolling a bit as they fell. Lloyd looked at their table to see a knife where'd he sat.
"Look!" Camille pointed at a black cloaked man rushing out of the restaurant.
"I'll get him!" Lloyd yelled, racing after him. The man looked back, then ran faster, jumping on cars and leaping onto buildings with ease.
"Who is this guy!?!?" Yelled Lloyd, gasping for breath. "He's so fast!"
The attacker stopped running and turned to attack, two knives in his hand. Lloyd took out a golden dagger, and a furious battle ensued
How...how can I beat him!?
Lloyd threw a dagger and the man leaped onto a window ledge. Lloyd gritted his teeth.
"I do not wish to fight you." Said the man.
"Oh really? Well you could've fooled me." Lloyd grunted.
The man threw off his cloak, and Lloyd gasped. The boy looked just like him, but he had black hair and brown clothes that were several sizes too big for him. He looked like he hadn't eaten since dinosaurs had roamed ninjago.
"My name is Rune Pember." Said the boy, his soulless gray eyes staring straight through Lloyd. "My element is emotion. I feel and experience all Ninjago's suffering, pain and desolation. Many a time I've tried to turn these emotions into joy and happiness, but I've failed every time."
His eyes were full of sadness, and Lloyd felt a strange tugging in his soul.
"Then I will take up this quest." Lloyd said. "I will turn all ninjago's pain into happiness and peace."
"How can you be sure you'll succeed?" Asked Rune.
"Because I have friends who'll help me in my goals, and on our honor as ninja we'll never give up!"
Rune Pember smiled, and bowed. "I do believe you can make this change....I will count on your words, Green Ninja."
Rune spread out his hands, and black smoke surrounded him. When the smoke dissipated, he was gone.
Lloyd whispered "Your faith will not have been in vain."
And then he walked down the street back to the noodle shop.
Misako brushed some of her brown chestnut hair from her face and repositioned the way Lloyd was laying on her side. Her five year old son had been sleeping for the past hour and she wanted to keep it that way. At least until they arrived.
The trees creaked and howled as the wind blew around them. Misako's feet were also aching from the long treacherous walk they had taken so far, but she knew she couldn't rest for too long.
Not when she still had so much farther to go.
She sighed as she placed Lloyd on the blanket she had set out. She still felt guilty for having to leave him at a boarding school, but it was her only chance of saving both him and Garmadon.
Garmadon.
Her heart ached as she said his name. She had to leave him too. She had to keep searching for the answer. A clue, a message, or a sign that could prevent the final battle. She couldn't bare the thought of loosing either one of them. She needed her family. Granted, Garmadon was evil, but she could look past that. Pass his red burning eyes, pass the pale skin, and pass the green venom that coursed through his veins.
No, that wasn't the Garmadon she knew. The one she knew was a father and a husband who cared for his family deeply. It was the only thing that kept him sane.
"I'm doing this for you two." Misako whispered as she stroked Lloyd's cheek.
It pained her to think about how she wouldn't be able to see her baby boy grow up.
Sometimes she wondered if all this was really worth it. Would she really be doing the right thing? What was the point if the final battle was inevitable?
She usually shook these doubts from her mind. She couldn't let these foolish thoughts cloud her judgement. She had to press onward.
Lightning flicked and thunder roared now and dawn was just approaching the horizon.
Lloyd was still napping next to her. She wondered how he could possibly still be sleeping with all this noise.
Then...just as Misako was about to start walking again she heard a sound.
This sound was not thunder.
Her eyes danced across the forest searching for their new...visitor. She heard branches snap and leaves crunch as it stepped closer.
Now, these sounds did wake Lloyd up. She was so busy watching that she didn't notice that he had gotten up and was now holding on to her leg.
"Mommy, what's happening?" he cried, flashing his emerald eyes at her.
She picked him up and held him again.
"Nothing sweetie, just go back to sleep." she said trying to reassure him.
"Mommy, I'm scared. Where are we?" he questioned.
She continued stroking his hair and began to walk slowly from their current location.
"Shh...sleep honey." she said.
Another tree branch snapped.
Then...the sounds stopped.
Misako eyed the forest again. She had to admit that now... she was also scared.
The wind howled some more and there in the darkness, behind a bush, she saw it.
The beast.
It's glowing sliver eyes stared her down and its matted fur was soaking wet from the rain.
It began to snarl and growl through its sharp teeth as if it were waiting for prey.
Prey that Misako did not want to become.
Her heart raced faster and she felt the drops of sweat start to fall down her neck.
Slowly...she had to move slowly.
She had fought these beasts before with her husband and Wu, they only attack if you run.
"Don't run. Don't run." she repeated to herself.
She kept one hand on Lloyd's head to keep it down. He had fallen back to sleep again, but she still didn't want him waking up and seeing what was really happening.
She picked up her bag of scrolls and blanket and kept backing away. So far it was working.
"Don't run. Don't run. Don't run." These thoughts entered her mind again.
She quickly glanced back and saw the dirt road. She was now at least fifty feet away from the beast and it's big glowing eyes now become like small ants before her.
Then... they were gone.
She sighed with relief as she placed her bag back on her shoulder.
"Hunted (a Ninjago prequel story)" by jamesmcdowell
The sun's golden rays kissed Sensei Wu's forehead, but the sunrise didn't bring bring a smile to his face that morning. His brother's banishment to the Underworld caused him grief beyond measure. The Monastery was empty, and the life that had thrived from it was gone. It was about a year after his battle with Garmadon, and since then he had not left the Monastery his father built. Although Ninjago was at peace, his heart was tormented. The golden weapons would not corrupt anyone else, he swore it. But all of that was about to change. A loud knock came from the front.
Voice: Wu! I came as soon as I could, open up!
Wu recognised the voice, and did not hesitate to open the door. Before him, a man with blacksmith's gloves and a dusty brown beard ran inside. His red shop apron dripped with sweat. It was Hakan, descendant of the master of fire. Wu began to smile as he entered.
Wu: Hakan, why the excitement? Has your wife gone into labor?
Hakan: No, they're coming. You have to protect the weapons!
Wu's face grew worrisome.
Wu: Who's coming?
Hakan: Mercenaries, there is a bounty on you already.
Hakan handed him a faded piece of paper.
Wu: It appears Garmadon's reach has extended past his imprisonment in the Underworld. How long do we have?
Hakan: I don't know, I only found out this morning. You need to leave, they'll know to find you here. If you come with me, I can..
Wu: Calm yourself Hakan, it's going to take more than dishonorable mercenaries to make me leave my post. I will defend my father's keep.
Hakan: But you don't understand, these aren't just...
Hakan stopped. Footsteps could be heard ascending the mountain. Hakan reached for the half finished katana that he had brought in the rush.
Wu: You're going to need a finer sword than that if you plan to fight.
Hakan: Now's not the time to make fun of my craftsmanship.
Wu: I wasn't.
He handed Hakan a long object wrapped in cloth. It faintly glowed inside like ember. Hakan hesitated.
Wu: It's fine, you'll need it.
Hakan took it, and just in time too, for at that moment three grappling hooks lodged onto the Monastery walls. Wu and Hakan backed into shadow, waiting for the enemy to make the first move. Three masked men slid down the roof into the training yard. Their leader, or at least what Wu assumed to be their leader had snakelike eyes and a voice that growled.
Leader: Spread out, don't let him leave until the prize is found.
Hakan lost his patience. Out he jumped from the darkness, throwing the cloth to his side to reveal the golden sword of fire in all of its glory.
Mercenary 1: There’s two of them!
The leader grinned, then stopped. He couldn't move. An icy feeling had come over him. It wasn't long before he realized Sensei Wu had pinned him with the shurikens of ice. The other two quickly drew their katanas, only to drop them as the scythe of quakes shook the ground beneath them. The ice broke, and the leader charged at Hakan with a fire in his eye. Their swords met, as sparks flew like fiery sprites into the air around them. The training yard had become a battlefield. Wu gave a nod to Hakan. Both smiled.
Wu and Hakan: Ninja..GO!
Two bright tornadoes spun the mercenaries into a corner. Fear was in their eyes.
Wu: You are not welcome here! LEAVE!
They were already climbing up the Monastery walls as he finished his sentence. One of the mercenaries turned his head as he reached the roof.
Mercenary: The weapons will not be safe forever, we will be back...Sensei Wu.
He jumped backwards, and they all vanished behind the wall. The battle was over. Hakan dropped his sword.
Hakan: He’s right you know, the weapons are not safe as long as they are here.
Wu: We’ll worry about hiding them later.
Hakan: Yes, my wife needs me back at the shop.
Hakan started heading for the door.
Wu: Wait...you never told me what you were going to name the child when it’s born.
Hakan stopped, as a faint smile formed on his battle-scarred face.
Hakan: I always thought Kai had a nice ring to it.
For some reason I never heard anything about it after the contest. 