Chapter 3: A Small Sense of Fear
The sky was a maze of dark grey and black clouds, dark and treacherous - the storms raged on with the pure frustration of the wind - the Bounty was having quite a time fighting against these winds and Morro was catching up quickly.
"Everybody get to your positions!" Wu yelled, holding onto his hat, "I need to make an imprint!"
The 4 Ninja got into their positions, eyes out for the shimmering green of Morro's energy dragon.
Looking above, the great wings of his energy dragon descended down through the air, slicing through the wisps of storm cloud.
Morro was determined not to let the staff he so desperately needed get away, he knew all too well what could happen if he did not fulfill this task.
He gripped the chains of his dragon, it pulled back it's head and opened it's jaws, shooting a bright green energy ball directly at the Bounty.
"Port-side!" Zane yelled over to Nya, she was at the wheel. Spinning the wheel frantically the Bounty was steered left - out of the way of the energy ball.
"That's a Ninja who never quits!" Cole yelled over to his team, "Jay, take the cannon!"
With that said, Jay flipped over to a cannon, aiming it straight at Morro's dragon and dawning rapid fire.
Morro chuckled under his breath, 'cannons..? Please, elements or no elements - this team rely too much on each other..'
The dragon spun in a spiral up above the Bounty, which was slowly backing down due to the force of the wind.
Descending into shades of green particles, the dragon disappeared and Morro dropped down onto the deck, summoning two ghost blades.
"Going so soon..?" he laughed malevolently.
"Cole, Jay, keep him busy. We'll take Sensei to our quarters!" Zane told the black and blue ninja before grabbbing Kai and running down into the Bounty.
"Oh great.. we can take this guy!" Jay yelled determinedly, the two whipped their swords from their sheaths and ran head-strong to Morro.
The ghost Ninja merely laughed, instantly blocking their attacks and kicking them hard in the stomach.
Groaning in pain, the two fell to the floor, where he blew them back like pieces of scuffed up litter using the power of the wind.
'You only wanted the staff! Stop hurting them! Please..' Lloyd's subconscious whimpered - he was in pain from the energy being drained from him.
'Sometimes, to get what you want, you have to do it yourself.' Morro replied in thought, as he raised his ghost blades, Nya had hit auto-pilot, aiming her boomerang, she knocked the two out of his hands and they disappeared in the stormy air.
Morro growled and span around, without realising he shot lightning from his hands, Nya dodged and it hit the control panel - causing the whole ship to destabilize.
'What the.. I never mastered lightning..' he thought to himself, confused - but impressed at the damage as he sneaked in through the captain door as the ship lurched to it's side.
'Oh shoot.. I may have thought to hard and made you use lightning.. hehe..' Lloyd nervously told him in thought.
Morro grinned at his honesty. 'Hm, you're pretty useful Greenie..'
He hopped into the corridor, supporting himself as the ship violently fell through the air - he could see Kai, Zane and Sensei Wu at the end - this gave him the courage to carry on.
"Go Sensei! We'll hold him back!" Zane yelled, unsheating his sword.
Morro laughed, and easily threw the ice Ninja into the stairs - a heavy box suddenly tumbling out of a storage cupboard and crashing into Zane - making him weak and dizzy.
Kai scowled at this, and flew head-strong at him, gripping his hands he pushed Morro hard into the wall.
"Your team will fall apart without it's Green Leader!" Morro yelled, trying to pry the determined Ninja off him.
"I'll lead them! I'll take you down if it's the last goddamn thing I do! Sensei says you won't stop, neither will I!" Kai yelled back, groaning against Morro's strength as his arms were forcefully pushed back.
The Bounty was slowly crash-landing, as it hit the mountain Morro was thrown into a wall, Lloyd subconsciously groaned in pain as his stomach rumbled and debris slashed his arm.
The 2 head-strong males were thrown to the back of the Bounty, wood splintered away creating a hole, Kai yelled for help as he fell through. Biting winds of the storm trying to pull him out.
Morro chuckled, "who's the leader now..?" he cooed, Lloyd's voice slightly slipping in with his - he scowled.
Laughing malevolently, he blew gales directly at Kai, trying to knock him off the ship and sending his down to his inevitable demise as the ship lurched dangerously.
"If you want the staff, go get it!" Wu yelled, throwing the staff hard past Morro and through the hole, sending it down through the storm to the Earth.
"No!" Morro yelled, diving out and falling free-style, his hood blowing back and his hair bbeing ruffled by the fingers of the wind.
'They've got the imprint.. you're so naive..' Lloyd thought, triumph in his tone, Morro snarled as he summoned his dragon, skillfully catching the staff as they nearly fell to the floor.
'Says the one who arrived at an unknown cause alone' Morro argued back, slightly hurt as he saw the Bounty crash in the forest, fire and smoke rising from it's destroyed mast.
Gripping the reigns of his dragon and the staff, Morro flew up into the slowly clearing sky - Lloyd had left him unbelievably thirsy. He needed something to quench his thirst.
It was seemingly hours, the skies have faded to jet-black as the stars shone above - Morro had made it to a tavern riddled with bikers and junkies.
'Why're we going in there..?' Lloyd asked worriedly as they landed, the dragon disappearing as Morro flicked down his hood, walking through the doors.
'Your thirst has made me unbelievably thirsty, Greenie.. what.. haven't had something other than water before..?' Morro thought back, grinning as the bartender gave him a free glass - which he drank in one gulp.
"It's been a while.." Morro simply told the bartender, before turning around and walking to a pool table, summoning dust onto it and tossing the staff onto the olive-green material - showing three symbols, "of course.." he whispered to himself, smirking.
'Morro..' Lloyd whispered subconsciously, knowing that he had just agitated some people.
"You're a little young for a place like this aint'cha..?" a drunken man slurred, holding a pool pole in his hand - annoyed that Morro spoiled their game.
"You shouldn't come here alone.. with no friends, if you get what I mean.." a biker grinned, slapping the wood against his hands threateningly.
Morro smirked, growling, "I have friends.." he looked down at his Allied armor, clenching the power he had within he summoned one of his trusted - well, who he thought he could trust - ghost teammates - Wrayth.
Breeze softly ran through the tavern, a jade-green glow emerged from the armor and through black smoke - was Wrayth. His gritty growl ran through the ears of the drunks and bikers.
Morro quickly blew three to the floor, knocking them out with a punch - before Wrayth flew around the last ones, throwing them through the windows.
Shards of glass flew around the room, shattering more against the tables as people quickly evacuated to safety.
"I see you've actually managed to complete the task..?" Wrayth raised an eyebrow, grinning as the two walked out the destroyed tavern - Wrayth tried to keep his voice masculine.. there was something he was trying to hide.
"Of course I have.." Morro replied calmly - trying to not tremble as he remembered the times in the Cursed Realm.
"Do you know where to go..?" Wrayth questioned, keeping a subtle grip on Morros wrist - as he was possessing somebody, Morro was easy to keep in a grip.
Morro stammered, he could hear Lloyd wince, "definitely.. make sure none of those Ninja follow." he commanded - knowing it was a risky thing to do as Wrayth let go of him and he rushed to the road, summoning his dragon, Lloyd could sense slight fear - he never knew he had it inside of him - especially after the battle they had departed from.
"Nice ride." Wrayth cooed as Morro gripped the reigns, raising an eyebrow and chuckling to himself - Morro had no idea.
"Get your own." Morro snarled, his confidence coming back as he flew off into the night to his next destination, the grip Wrayth had on his wrist still tingling - he felt the familiar sensation.. but where it was familiar from - he couldn't remember.
_
Once Morro was out of eye and ear shot, Wrayth closed his eyes - letting the other soul he had merged with leave his presence.
"That was a smart idea." she hissed as she emerged in full glory - the one that had been let out the bag with him - Vesper.
"So now we got him under our pretenses.. this'll all be too easy.." Wrayth chuckled, "he knows exactly what to do.. only.. we know he's too riddled with his pathetic feelings to do it - that's why you lead us, Vesper."
Vesper grinned, she felt more strong as she flexed her arms, her spiked ghost chain whip in her hand, she pulled down her hood - eyes pitch black and her pupils stained blood red, laughing - heat of her insanity flaking off into the atmosphere, she agreed:
"Of course Wrayth.. oh you do make me feel more important than that pathetic boy, I am afterall Second-in-command after our master the Preeminent - we shall wait until it's time.. trust me. I'll be able to make his goddamn plan work well, I'll make him let me take over.. he knows what will happen if he doesn't succeed the next step on hand.. mark my words."