A/N: Has it really been that long since I've updated? I think I've made it clear to you that I'm a perfect procrastinator.. Well, you've got another lengthy chapter ahead of you! Again, rated 'T' for minor gore, persistent violence, and implied harsh scenes throughout.

Hero Worship

The devilish king of the Underworld surveyed the streets with eyes that saw right to the soul of every person. Not until death claimed every last one of them, would it be the closest thing such a monster could come to satisfaction. Reaching down to his belt pouch, Samukai detached a small incendiary device resembling the shape of a skull. He raised it in the air and detonated the explosive he held before aiming to the stretch of buildings on his right. The bomb lands with a thunk, bounces to a stop, and blasts open in a fatal explosion of blinding light and agonizing screams.

All the once beauty of Ninjago City was no more than a deadly wasteland heavy with the smell of burnt flesh and suffocating smoke. Traumatized civilians were running for their lives, in all possible directions, as one bomb went off after another. Mortal wailing of men, women and children hung strangled in the unappeasable mist when the undead army incessantly attacked anything the fire did not. Silvia and Misako, with their aching feet driving them to no particular destination, collided into petrified people, who were screaming with their gory bodies. Tears cascaded down the brunettes cheeks in view of the fact that she witnessed innocent lives all around her drop dead to the derelict ground.

But then, just before the annihilated metropolis succumbed to hopelessness, a winged silhouette swept over the seas of bobbling heads from high above. The jumble of both humans and skeletons leaned into the forceful gust of wind, and raised their eyes to the underside of an enormous dragon soaring overhead with incredible speed. To the invaders' alarm, the city's excruciating cries and screams of terror smeared into a wild uproar of clamorous hollering, applauding and cheering as the mystical beast advanced toward the disastrous intersection.

Two frantic skeleton warriors, one armed in red, the other in blue, seemed to drag the entire army behind them as they flagged down their superior from some distance into the streets, "Boss! We've got company!"

Although Frackjaw and Krazi's forewarning was met with denial, Samukai's three stooges made a full-body turn, only to scope out two identifiable figures astride the back of an elemental dragon. Now, If Wyplash possessed a stomach, or any organs for that matter, it undoubtably would have found its way up his throat, therefore, the highly strung lieutenant knew exactly who they were. Skull buzzing with possibilities, he felt his jaw twitch involuntarily as the guilt and culpability washed over his milky face. It would be nothing more than a dreadful countdown up until the 'big man' put the pieces together.

While Nuckal chomped down his claws to the quick, Kruncha drilled Wyplash with an incriminating stare, "Tell me I'm wrong. Weren't they the ones you were supposed to-"

"They're alive?!" The thunder voiced giant of a skeleton raged in sheer disbelief, "They're supposed to be dead!" Samukai's gloved hands instantly began to tremble from irritability, and he shot a look so deadly to his second-in-command that it literally made his spine shudder. As if the commander's flashing eyes were not threatening enough, his iron fist struck Wyplash by the neck and hauled him up to a ghastly face, "I gave you an order to kill them fifteen years ago! They were mere children- defenseless, powerless, helpless! How much simpler could that have been?!"

"It was Akyra! She hid them!" The poor creature gasped for air while his justifying tongue spat out a futile explanation, "We searched the entire monastery inside and out! By the time you ran her through, the Spinjitzu Master had already wiped out nearly half of us!"

Samukai, in no mood to take the other's pointless utterance into consideration, slammed him to the concrete in pure, unadulterated anger. He stepped over the scrambling form at his feet, and then assigned fault to the cowering generals ranked next below Wyplash, "I hold all three of you accountable for this, so don't think you two dimwits are getting out of this any easier!"

On behalf of their own defense, Nuckal held up a finger to protest, "But to be fair, Master Samukai, we did manage to-"

"Shut up!"

"Ahh!" The scrawniest flinched back, nervously laughing, "That's me shutting up, right now."

In the midst of this admiration and hero worship, the square spilled over with a congested maelstrom of crowds, all of whom hoping for at least a glimpse of their idolized heroes flipping off the descending fire dragon. On the far side of the intersection, four tabi boots touched down in perfect unison, causing a powerful shockwave to uproot the streets and intimidate the savage army into fear. Amid the smoke's nebulous glow rose two extremely athletic builds concealed in a distinctive, form-fitting attire of silver and dark slate; their flesh was completely hidden, all except for a small slit around their eyes. Varying between the ninja, an assortment of either gold or silver armor accentuated both suits' authentic design.

Samukai was by then in such a state of consternation, that he stood rooted to the spot, numb and slack-jawed. The injustice of his unanticipated predicament sent waves of fury down his hunched spine. A recovering Wyplash reclaimed his place alongside the fuming monster who seethed through clenched fangs, "What are you waiting for?"

A great horde of fiendish skeleton soldiers impatiently awaited the rallying call, until finally, the lieutenant's reverberating outcry sent them on their way, "ATTACK!"

Poised defensively aside the other, the ninja dripping in silver drew himself up courageously, "Stay sharp, brother, whatever happens, never let your guard down."

The fearless, slate grey ninja nodded, his violet eyes ignited with fierce determination, "Let's finally put these weapons to some good use!" That being said, he reached behind the back of his suit and drew two luminous weapons glistening of solid gold. A resonating storm of healed boots and maniacal shouts grated against his eardrums as he clamped the lethal instruments. "Look alive, Wu," the taller willed himself into action, "It's showtime!"

Released into the streets to do what they did best, the sadistic army charged, uncontrollably and barbaric, raising their death-dealing weapons high above their heads. In similar fashion, the ninja met them head on, dodging, slashing and striking blades, while clashing their own legendary weaponry against the enemies'. As relentless as it was violent, the overpowering scene unwrapped before the open-mouthed crowds. Misako felt her unblinking, emerald eyes widen with amazement. Everything about the pitched battle looked and felt heroic, emphasizing the bravery and phenomenal skill of the masked vigilantes. They had seemingly superhuman abilities, enhanced senses and extraordinary strength, yet the brothers' favored martial arts style was quite opposite. The silver ninja fought with a strong sense of dignity and honor, while the vigorous grey ninja kicked, slashed and brawled in spasmodic bursts, doing anything to win.

Sweat pouring as he strained and defended, the grey embodied ninja stooped low, preparing for a leading skeleton warrior's attack. "The darkness returns, ninja! Have you come to witness the destruction of Ninjago?!" Chopov's vocals rang demonically as he lunged at the teenager, who dodged, reacting on pure instinct. To follow up, he threw an expert roundhouse kick to the side of the skeleton's military helmet, instantly dropping the soldier. Consequently, it was one assault after another. Assuming the infantrymen kept the ninja occupied, Bonezai was astonished after his incoming fist was caught dead center in the palm of the boy's hand. The defender flicked an eyebrow, "Why try?" He then crushed his gloved fist around the one he strangled and, at the same time, twisted the arm behind the aggressor to bend the creature forward unbearably. In the wake of the dry snap of bone came the undying ring of metal on gold as a great number of armed forces surged towards him.

Tearing through a haze which partially obscured the streets, the lighter shaded ninja made a mid-air twist and landed feet fist on the ground as an extensive tide of skeletons washed over. "Let's dance, hero!" An aggressive soldier with a face caked in clown makeup ramped towards him, drawing his sword, however, the Scythe of Quakes was faster. Allowing himself no physical rest, the heroic combatant kept himself on his toes, and darted to the side a split-second ahead of a swinging blade. He easily blocked and parried and deflected the persistent whirlwind of attacks flying from every direction.

The uninterrupted war between light and shadow seemed to go on forever and, hence a great amount of skeletal denizens of the Underworld rose up from every street corner, implying an inexhaustible supply of soldiers barreling straight towards Ninjago's heroes. The darker ninja pulled in a deep breath before pumping his weight onto his hands and simultaneously clobbering two boneheads rushing on either side of him. He stands and flips backwards, landing with acrobatic grace behind a horde of living dead. As soon as they spotted him out, he threw his muscular arms downward and, with a flick of each wrist, his fingertips bursted into a flaming current of amethyst energy bolts. Dark lightning pulsated throughout his folded fists as he and the immortal stampede met in the middle; both decapitated and electrocuted warriors streaked across the blackened sky, some fifty feet away, plowing through building windows near and far. Then, with lengthened strides, he managed to vault over nine skeletons and crush the tenth's skull under his black clad heels while landing back-to-back with his brother.

Meanwhile, all four astonished generals watched the unceasing battle from afar. It wasn't long before the ninja had gained the upper hand as the unexpected practice of Spinjitzu blasted out the approaching wave of soldiers. In no time the streets were littered with a considerable number of either still, unconscious, or completely demolished warriors, not to mention the idiots who simply chose to lie down and play dead.

Kruncha scoffed, utterly disgusted, "Do they really think it would be that easy?"

"They have no idea what they're up against." Samukai growled and then motioned to his remaining unit of infantry whom stayed behind, "Let's finish this boys."

A/N: Sorry! Had to split it up again! The problem is that it's getting so long that my eyes are starting to cross whenever I revise it from the beginning to the end. I'll save you the eye crossing XD