The Living Elements (Part 1)

by Binary Codex Mastermind

Long ago, four tribes of elemental beings came into the world of Ninjago, the Creator's Land. An old couple, a man named Garmadon, and his wife, Misako, had a son who became sick. After finding an old healing scroll told with the markings of the Elemental Beings, they journey to capture each of the "marked" Elemental Beings in order to save their son, Lloyd's, life. Success?

The Living Elements (Part 1: Meeting the Rock Men):

The Prophecy:

There was once, long ago, a world known as Ninjago.

This world was made, with the elemental masquerade.

Since its creation was for long ago, the people there were gone so.

Many thought they were a sin, but others thought they were made for this.

Fire Men, as some described, born from the anger inside.

Rock Men as those spoke of, strong as the metal they mined from above.

Lightning Men as another told, fast and excited as the sky's bold.

Ice Men as another cried, cold as their hearts abide.

Other fled for their lives as these four tribes were sent like hives.

Many stayed and tried to befriend them, but some were thwarted and killed just then.

Some of the people ran and attacked, as the others fought the evil things back.

But one day, they would join again, become the best of friends.

A boy by the name of Lloyd, would cause them to gently rejoin.

A parent who killed many of them, sought to save his only creation.

His wife, a woman of love and kindness, wished to regain the power that was taken.

Together they lived until the time struck, fearing the worst they went undermuck.

Now:

"Wu! Please, come outside! Lloyd is in danger!" a man, Garmadon, shouted against the wooden door of Wu's hut. The door flung open and the old man stepped outside, shoving them all in in front of himself. Lloyd hung from Garmadon's arms, cold as ice and weakly gasping. "You must not take your eyes off him. Stay here and I will get some tea for the lad." the old man said to his brother and old love. Misako was the woman's name, the wife of Garmadon himself. She just had a child and he was so weak that she was worried and called Garmadon to take him to Wu. As sons of the Creator of Ninjago, she was positive that Wu and her husband could save their child. Lloyd's golden hair took after her, but his green eyes stayed for his father, as well as his love for candy. Recently, many people had come and stayed in the Village of Rockridge, close to the Rock Men of Mute Mountain. People wished that the creatures would show themselves to them, allowing for even the slightest glimpse. Wu came running back down the hall and set a tray down on the coffee table in front of them. He took Lloyd from his brother's lap and gently let him sip the tea, calming his nerves and giving back his color. "He is very sick. How did this happen?" Wu asked as Lloyd drank. "I went to check on him and he looked like this. I have no idea what did this to him at all. He's been inside most of the week, but every time I told him to go outside he went out." Garmadon said, looking anxiously at his little son on the couch, sweating and groaning. "I was reading about a lost script of ultimate healing power and it said the words about a cellar in Rockridge that had the script in it. Perhaps if we find the script, we can heal your son?" Wu offered. Misako smiled and stood up. "Yes, I suppose we look for it and try to use it to heal Lloyd." she said as Wu bent down to a carpet on the floor. He lifted it and a small wooden door hung underneath. He grabbed the handle and lifted, his back cracking with the weight. The dust from the floor flew from the ground and brushed the edges of the family's feet, making them tingle. "Let's go." Wu said, pulling out a flashlight and walking down the steps. Misako and Garmadon followed quietly, listening for any sound that made of danger. At the bottom, a light flickered on and revealed a paper scroll pile sitting on a pillar. "This must be it." Wu said, taking one scroll from the pillar and unravelling it. Pictures told from the scroll's sides, twisted into something barely readable. "These are about the Elemental Beings. Why are they down here?" Garmadon asked as Misako took the scroll from Wu. "These tell about the powers of the Elemental Beings when combined. This one talks about the ways to capture one." she said, putting the scroll back in Wu's arms and taking another from the pile. "This one says that when the powers of all four different beings merge, they can heal even the deepest wounds. But only can they heal together, not alone." she said, taking yet another from the pile. "And this one speaks about the different natures of the beings and how dangerous they can be." Misako said, taking another from the pile. "And this one speaks about a prophecy involving the reunion of the four tribes, and a boy named Lloyd who leads them to grow together. Only the four that have the mark of the Creator can be merged to heal the young or the old." she said, looking at her husband's shocked face. "The mark of the Creator is the yin-yang symbol." Wu said, looking at the other four scrolls that still sat on the pillar. "Eight scrolls, the number of the old Elemental Masters. But you only need the marked four from the four tribes. We should get to work quickly, I fear your son's life is fading, my brother." Wu said, turning to walk back up the stairs with the scrolls and a bag. "We must read the scroll showing how to capture one of the creatures first. The Rock Men are the closest Elemental Beings to our village. We need to find out how to capture one and keep it held hostage." Misako said, following her husband's brother back up the stairs and into the living room. Lloyd had gotten even more pale, his face slightly smaller and weaker. "I will stay and watch over Lloyd. You two must go and find the needed Elemental Beings for his healing." Wu said as Misako opened the first scroll and began to read its contents:

For those who are in need of healing from the Elemental Beings, we leave you the secrets to their bodies. The Rock Men, strong as the metals and stones they mine, need to be put to sleep using a special movement that looks much like snapping one's fingers three times and closing their eyes. Verbal communication will not affect the outcome of the sleeping Rock Man. Singing also works along with dancing or loud noises. Beware the Rock Men's power: they can move the rocks they are made of and the rocks that are around them. They have the mental strength to allow the rock to become part of themselves, or the things they create. The danger level is high when you enrage them. The Rock Men care deeply about their friends and family members. As a tactic for communication, circle the Rock Man and speak as loudly as you can for visible hearing records need to be made. The Rock Men are not really violent creatures, they just like to test themselves against each other as often as possible.

"The Rock Men need to be put to sleep before they can be transported in a cage of aluminum metals fused together using a temperature of over four hundred degrees. I know the movements and I expect that you'll let me come with you when you leave." Misako said, turning to face her husband. "Yes, I will allow you to come because of the knowledge of these beings are kept in the scrolls." Garmadon said, smiling up at her. "I will pack some bags for you." Wu said, walking around the corner to grab two bags and began putting clothes and supplies inside. "Thank you for helping us, brother. I know that I haven't called out to you before in a time of distress, but I call to you now for the sake of my son." Garmadon said, placing one of the packs on his shoulder. "in the meantime, I will have the blacksmith prepare to make the four cages for your return." Wu smiled, placing a warming hand on Lloyd's shoulder. Garmadon and Misako slipped out the door and into the fresh air. "The mark of the Creator is the one we should get. I will read as we walk along the path to their mountain." Misako said, pulling out the scroll and following behind her husband. It took several hours to reach the summit of Mute Mountain, allowing the couple no days rest as they trudged up the rocky slopes. "The scrolls say that there is a secret passage only big enough for Rock Men children and humans to pass through on the right side of the mountain." Misako said, gasping for breath as they continued their climb to the righthand side of the mountain. A small door was embedded into the rock, just big enough for the couple to slip through. Passages carved out of the rock flowed from the mountain's stones, and the Rock Men were everywhere. Small children carved out of stone ran around covered in dusty cloaks, the adults worked the mines and spoke in their low gentle voices, their bodies covered in dusty rocks forming clothing of some kind. "Okay, so we look for the mark." Garmadon whispered to his wife who was already scanning the crowd. At least a hundred Rock Men were there, women and children included, and the beautiful jewels came flowing from the mines like water from a waterfall. Garmadon's eye caught on a young Rock Man, with distinct carved blackened hair and large muscles to cover his arms and torso. A black and white circle was carved into his neck, shifting each time he moved to pick up a cart full of minerals. "Found him. Look, the one over there that's hauling the carts back and forth." Garmadon said, pointing to the Rock Man with his little finger. "Okay, when I say go, you run down there and start making the movements. Okay?" Misako asked, Garmadon smiling. Misako held up her fingers one at a time until three stood up, then ran out into the open and started making the movements with her fingers and her eyes. The Rock Men began dropping like rocks (pun intended) in a puddle, hitting the ground and falling into a sleep. When she came to the marked one, she smiled and watched as the Rock Man turned and looked into her eyes. He eventually dropped as well, taking a few seconds longer than the others. "We can take him home now." Garmadon said, grabbing one of the minecarts and shoving the Rock Man inside.

PART TWO COMING SOON!