Chapter 1

Languishing

All is lost. The ninja failed to destroy the Great Devourer and all of Ninjago has been laid waste. The people, as well as the Serpentine, have hidden underground for two months, while the massive snake consumes the surface. The people have formed a community, where those able to work must venture out of the-relatively-safe haven of the tunnels to search for any supplies they can find. The food resources have dwindled, becoming a major concern. Zane sits at the far end of the main tunnel, covering his face with his hands, unable to get away from the stench of rotting carcasses from the people who have perished from starvation.

Today is Wednesday and the only reason Zane knows is because that is when the rations are distributed in his area, tunnel fourteen. Kai shuffled through the crowd, most of them lying on the ground, too weak to even sit up against the wall. He fills each empty bowl with cold liquid, containing little to no vegetables at all. After he gives Zane the proper amount of "soup", the rules being strict on rations, he whispers softly, "Is he any better?"

Zane lifts his head, looking at the child in green beside him, pale, sweaty, sick, languishing from the lack of proper medical care. A cloth is wrapped around Lloyd's chest and midsection, covering a gash that runs the length of his left side in an attempt to stop the bleeding. "No, he is not." Zane responds weakly.

"I'll be calling you for the scavenging, after I finish," Kai notifies him and moves to tunnel fifteen, his labored footsteps echoing throughout the otherwise silent, underground.

Zane reaches for Lloyd's bowl, his fingers trembling and he picks it up, putting Lloyd's head in his lap. He carefully places the edge of the bowl against the boy's lips, tipping it so enough liquid runs into his mouth, yet not enough to choke him, hopefully. Since Zane does not need to eat, he gives what little food he has to Lloyd. At the moment, the rations are distributed once a week to each tunnel, causing a major increase in death. Lloyd coughs violently, making Zane spill the soup, and he lifts the child in a sitting position while patting his back gently, telling him, "It's alright. You're going to be fine, but you need to eat." Zane takes his own bowl and attempts to feed Lloyd again, to no avail.

"Lloyd…please stay with me," the ice ninja says.

"Zane Julien, Jay Walker, and Gerry Lyons!" Kai calls them for the scavenger group.

At the Exit

Zane stares up at a crack in the "roof" of the underground, hesitating, wondering where the Devourer is at the moment, and how large it has become. Well, there's only one way to find out. He holds his breath as he places his hands against the only thing between them, the surface, and the massive, man-eating snake. He pushes the roof up and light appears through a round hole, and he shoves the small, circular lid to the side. He steps onto a boulder and lifts himself out of the tunnel, but quickly jumps back inside, rapidly closing the exit. A rumble shakes the tunnel, distant, yet distinct.

Everyone throws their torches aside and drop to the hard ground. The ground trembles, progressively drawing near every moment as the stone lid cracks in a spider web pattern, snapping, and drops close to their heads from a heavy weight above. The exit is covered with green scales, sliding slowly across it. After about two minutes, daylight shines through and after about ten minutes of waiting breathlessly, there are no more sounds, nor tremors.

Zane gets back on the boulder, cautiously peering above the hole, but doesn't see any signs of the enormous serpent, and scrambles out. He crouches next to the exit and announces above a whisper, "It's gone."

Everyone gets out and stands unsteadily. Only then do they notice what has become of the forest around them, its trees being uprooted, some snapped in half, or split down the center, yet all displaying a distinct pattern. The destroyed plants are either cast to the left or to the right, creating a path about fifty feet wide and the length running as far as the eye can see.

"What the heck!" Jay exclaims and Kai smacks his head, while Zane covers his mouth.

"Don't shout!" Gerry whispers fiercely, "Are you trying to get us killed?"

"You don't want to end up like Lloyd, do you?" Zane asks and lets go of Jay.

"What do you mean? Are you saying he's sick and injured like that because he made too much noise during the scavenging or something?" Or when-Nya pushed him away from the Devourer?" Jay's throat constricts at the mention of his missing girlfriend.

"Yes…and no," Zane responds, not wanting to speak of the matter. He touches his upper side without thinking, fingering the gaping hole.

"Well?" Jay grows impatient, "What happened?"

Flashback

"Hello? Where are you guys?" Lloyd cups his hands to his mouth and calls for his group desperately, his small voice echoing throughout the lonely forest. "Anyone he slumps against the tree, sliding to the ground, and curls up into a ball; His little form trembling from terror as he waits for someone to find him. How could he have lost the men? His head snaps up at a slight tremor in the ground and Lloyd is instantly on his feet, running as fast as his feeble legs can go, in the opposite direction.

A sharp hiss rings throughout the forest and trees sway precariously over his head. He risks a glance behind his shoulder, only to see the serpent, slithering at a rapid pace, only twenty feet away, its hot breath on Lloyd's back. The green ninja darts to the right, shoving the dense foliage aside as the Devourer opens its deadly jaws, its slimy, red tongue whipping out, and curling around Lloyd's ankle, retracts. Lloyd is yanked closer to the mouth of the snake and he grabs a fairly large stone. He hurls it at the interior of the hideous jaws, striking the creature's tonsils.

The Devourer hisses in unpleasant surprise, releasing Lloyd's ankle. The dark lord's son wastes no time in darting to his left, ducking under low branches as the snake advances, its purple eyes glowing with rage.

"Help!" Lloyd screams.

"Lloyd, over here!" Zane scrambles out of the underground exit and snatches the boy, shoving him though the hole, then quickly slips inside, closing it with the lid. Zane drops on all fours, splashing in something wet and sticky. After he senses the snake is gone, he opens up his left arm, flipping a switch that makes his head glow, only to confirm his fears. The wet stuff is blood. It's Lloyd's. The green ninja lies on his left side, arms splayed on the ground, legs curled up.

"Lloyd!" Zane cries out, picking him up. "Someone, help!"