Disclaimer: I don't own Ninjago
PRESENT DAY
Lloyd, with the heart stone back in his possession, teleported to the opposite end of the bridge where Karasu just was. Once there, he climbed up and few more stairs and kicked opened the door to their citadel. He was not expecting the inside to look so…homely. There was a group of people sitting on couches surrounding a fireplace. Lloyd walked past a mirror, but quickly went back to it. When he looked at his reflection, Lloyd was wearing a kimono like his father's and had a short beard.
"Lloyd." Kai smiled.
Lloyd looked and saw that all his friends and family where sitting together around the fireplace. When he walked over to them, he was greeted with smiles. Sitting on the laps of the ninja, were children.
"Daddy." A little girl ran up to Lloyd.
Lloyd bent down and picked her up. He smiled when she hugged his neck. Lloyd took a seat next to a woman, his wife. He looked around at his friends, mother, father, uncle, and the kids. Lloyd kept smiling and his wife laid her head on his shoulder.
"I have been away for far too long." Lloyd said.
Lloyd put his daughter on his lap and faced his wife. She was a beautiful woman with brown eyes.
"I have missed you, Lloyd." She said.
They kissed each other before pulling apart. Lloyd looked in her eyes and then at her hands. There he saw the symbol for Death tattooed on. Lloyd became angry, put the girl on the floor, and quickly stood up from his seat. His 'wife' changed form into Ketsueki, who was smiling at him.
"In time you will forget. All that you want can be yours, Lloyd." Ketsueki said as she stood up.
She changed form again to Lloyd's wife and placed her hands on his chest.
"If this is what keeps you in service to Lord Death, then this is what you shall have." Ketsueki said.
Lloyd looked around again and saw his friends watching him. His daughter was smiling up at him from the couch.
"It…It is not real." Lloyd said pushing her away.
"I can be your reality." Ketsueki said before changing again. "The hard part is over, ninja, you have committed the ultimate sacrifice. You are all powerful."
Ketsueki walked away from Lloyd, who saw the Eyes of Dreams attached to her hip.
"Offer yourself to us completely, and you shall live in blissful illusion." Ketsueki smiled.
"…Never." Lloyd said.
With that, everything around Lloyd changed. His family and friends disappeared with their children, he became his younger self, covered in a few scars and bruises from previous battle at the prison, and the room became bigger, with pillars surrounding the walls.
"Then let death be your reality!" Ketsueki yelled.
Lloyd ran towards, but Ketsueki quickly shot her black web from her fingertips. Lloyd was stuck until he squeezed the heart stone and teleported out of the web.
"What is the meaning of this!?" Ketsueki asked surprised.
Lloyd jumped forward, but she quickly floated backwards farther away from Lloyd.
"You have made a poor choice, boy." Ketsueki warned.
She reached for the Eyes of Dream, but they were no longer attached to her belt. She quickly tried to find them on her other side, but she looked forward to see Lloyd holding them in his hands. Lloyd looked at them one more time before attaching them to his belt. Lloyd ran forward on a narrow bridge and was soon on the circular platform that Ketsueki had escaped to. Karasu flew from underneath the stage and landed behind her sister.
"A simple trinket will not defeat us, sister." Karasu told her.
Both of the Erinyes prepared for whatever attack Lloyd was going to make. Lloyd however, simply walked towards them, surprising the sisters.
"You defy me? You are but a mortal." Ketsueki said.
When Lloyd was getting closer to them, Karasu projected a wall in front of her and Ketsueki. Lloyd stopped walking when he reached the wall and took out the Eyes of Dreams. Lloyd then held the eyes in front of the wall and it disintegrated in a flash of light.
"You should've taken our offers, Lloyd. Now you will pay for that mistake." Karasu declared as she floated in the air.
"I am the Queen of the Erinyes and all who defy me or my sisters will die!" Ketsueki said.
She fell on her back and started to squirm on the floor, laughing manically. Her black liquid/webbing exploded from all over her body, covering her in a sticky black mess. Ketsueki, still laughing, then started to grow from inside the web. Lloyd took his Jade Blades out after putting the Eyes away. A large black serpent with yellow eyes and pointed sharp fangs burst from the web and roared at Lloyd. The Green Ninja merely stood his ground she took new form.
Ketsueki, now a giant snake, brought her massive jaws down on top of Lloyd, who jumped backwards in the air to avoid them. Lloyd quickly grabbed the Eyes from his back and blasted their magic on Ketsueki, who felt the pain of them and roared. Karasu created an army of samurais to slow Lloyd down. They started to march towards Lloyd who was preparing to use the eyes again. However, Karasu's raven flew down and stole them from Lloyd's hands.
"I hate that bird." Lloyd said.
One samurai fired an arrow into Lloyd's shoulder. The Green Ninja grunted and pulled it out. He then grabbed his Jade Blades again and ran towards the army. Lloyd jumped in the air and came crashing down in the middle of the samurais, sending a few up in the air as he did so. Each was armed with a weapon and wasted no time in trying to kill Lloyd, who was expertly blocking all the attacks made against him. One samurai, swung his katana across Lloyd's back, cutting it.
"You will pay for taking Kuma's life!" Karasu professed.
Lloyd looked up and saw the raven flying around in a circle. Lloyd flew up to him and grabbed the bird's beak, scaring Karasu. The raven was strong, but Lloyd was stronger and he opened his beaks to retrieve the Eyes of Dream. Lloyd flew away from the raven and smiled with the eyes back. Ketsueki appeared behind him and swallowed Lloyd whole. The samurais cheered for about five seconds before Lloyd teleported out of the stomach with the heart stone. Lloyd looked at Ketsueki and flashed another amount of magic from the Eyes of Dreams. Lloyd then turned around from the approaching samurais and lifted the Eyes of Dreams in the air. Lloyd then caused a flash of magic and the samurais were suddenly gone.
Lloyd put the eyes away and jumped towards Ketsueki. He then shoved his blades in her chest and then proceeded to slice down her whole body. The serpent screamed with pain until Lloyd jumped off. Karasu threw her magic at Lloyd while his back was turned. The magic caused Lloyd to fall over and Ketsueki crushed Lloyd underneath her tail.
"A life for a life!" Karasu said.
Lloyd, from underneath the tail, lifted it off him. Lloyd looked up and used his heat vision to burn under her tail. Ketsueki swung her tail in the air, along with Lloyd. Lloyd swung his blades down and their chains appeared. When the blades got stuck in her neck, Lloyd swung on the chains. Three times around her head and Lloyd finally was on top of her. With every part of his strength, Lloyd pulled his chains. The blades came out of her neck and sliced the snake around her head until they attached to their hilts. The serpent was making an unholy sound with the pain she received. Karasu flew to Lloyd, but her blasted his green energy in her face, knocking her to the ground.
Ketsueki knocked Lloyd off her head, but he quickly grabbed the side of it. With one of his blades, Lloyd impaled his Jade Blade in Ketsueki's eyes, once again causing the monster to scream. He stabbed it two more times before climbing back on top of her head. Lloyd sliced her head open a bit and Ketsueki threw him up into the air. This didn't matter to Lloyd because he was just going to dive into her open wound.
Before that happened, however, Karasu's raven flew down and grabbed Lloyd in his beak. The raven began to fly upward, but Lloyd took the Eyes of Dreams and projected their magic on the raven, who let Lloyd go. Lloyd fell back down again and pointed his swords straight for the open wound on her head. When Lloyd impaled his Jade Blades on Ketsueki's head, the giant snake roared one last time before melting in a black puddle. Lloyd landed on the platform and Ketsueki, back in human form, rose from her own liquid, resting on her hands and knees.
"You shame Ninjago, oath breaker." Ketsueki insulted.
As Lloyd began to walk forward, Karasu jumped in front of him with her bird behind him.
"You bring this curse upon yourself." Karasu said.
The raven flew towards Lloyd, but the green ninja blasted the Eyes of Dream into its chest. The raven tried to fly away, but Lloyd grabbed its wing and blasted the eyes magic into its chest again. The bird was still trying to get free, but Lloyd slammed it down on the metal floor. He then created a continuous beam from the Eyes of Dreams magic until the magical bird exploded in a flash of light.
Karasu was sobbing until Lloyd walked over to her and punched her in her face. Karasu turned around completely and when she faced Lloyd again, she had taken the form of the First Spinjitzu Master.
"You are not fit to be called a ninja!" She said in his voice.
Lloyd punched her in the chest, sending her back and causing Karasu to changed form again. This time to look like Lloyd himself.
"I lost everything because of you!" She yelled as Lloyd.
Lloyd kicked her in her chest and she fell on her back. The kick sent Karasu right to the edge of the platform. Lloyd picked her up by her neck, but she had taken the form of Lloyd's wife he had in the illusion. This caused Lloyd to stop for a moment. He was angry, but that soon faded away. He loosened his grip around her neck and Karasu, still as Lloyd's vision wife, touched his face gently. Lloyd brushed her hand away and squeezed her neck harder. She smirked and changed her form to Hamato's
"If only you knew what really happened that night." She said.
Lloyd broke her neck, causing a horrible cracking noise. Karasu yelled briefly and suddenly became silent. When she died, she changed back into her original form. Lloyd knew he killed her, but he wanted to as it was the only way to be finally free of them forever. Lloyd still didn't feel guilty about another kill and he wanted to know why. Before that could happen, he had one more Erinyes to deal with.
Lloyd dropped Karasu's body over the platform and walked to Ketsueki, who wobbled as she stood up.
"You think you want the truth? The truth will only bring you pain!" Ketsueki told him.
Lloyd grabbed his Jade Blades and held them reverse grip, upside down. He then impaled his swords into her chest, causing her to scream and her black liquid to pour from her wounds.
"My death will not free you from this madness." Ketsueki grunted.
"We shall see." Lloyd said.
Lloyd shoved his blades deeper inside before violently pulling them from her body. Ketsueki yelled as all of the remaining black liquid inside her body gushed from her. Ketsueki fell on her back into the liquid and looked at Lloyd, you put his Blades on his back.
"99." Ketsueki whispered before dying.
The entire citadel and prison started to shake fiercely. Lloyd looked up and witnessed rocks starting to fall from the ceiling. All of the human prisoners had escaped and ran in opposite directions away from the prison. Once far away enough, they all turned around and watched as the prison exploded and crumbled down. Everyone began to cheer and celebrate. They stopped when Lloyd teleported in the middle of them. Lloyd looked at their scared faces but put them to rest once he smiled at them. They prisoners cheered again.
Lloyd, after flying for hours, finally landed at the doors of the Temple of Light, where this whole adventure started from. Lloyd may have lost his ninja uniform during the battles at the prison, but he had received knew items to help him on his journey forward. Lloyd smiled at the temple.
"I would not have been strong enough to choose your path, Green Ninja." Musukoshi said behind Lloyd.
Lloyd turned around and saw Musukoshi and Hamato standing behind him, smiling. Lloyd laughed and hugged Hamato, after not seeing him for so long. Hamato and Musukoshi laughed. Lloyd stopped hugging Hamato and put his hand on Musukoshi's shoulder.
"Musukoshi." Lloyd smiled as they shook hands.
"I would have taken what my mothers offered." Musukoshi said.
"I would rather live in truth." Lloyd said.
"I fear you may come to regret those words." Musukoshi said as he turned his head.
Lloyd looked at Hamato, who had a saddened face and then back at Musukoshi.
"Lord Death still has control over you." Musukoshi said.
Lloyd grabbed Musukoshi's shoulder and turned him around.
"How can this be?" Lloyd asked.
"Before you kill them…My mothers made me your bond keeper." Musukoshi said, depressed.
Lloyd's mouth opened slightly in surprise and defeat.
"For you to be free, I must die by your hand." Musukoshi told him.
"I don't understand." Lloyd said.
"If you do not release me, my father will retain power over you but even worse." Musukoshi said.
"There has been enough blood shed by me already. I cannot bring myself to kill a friend." Lloyd said.
"There is no other way, Lloyd. Destroy the bond, repay your debt to Death, and be free." Musukoshi said.
Lloyd looked at Hamato, who only hung his head. Musukoshi put his hand on Lloyd's shoulder and Lloyd put his hand on Musukoshi's. Musukoshi pulled a dagger from his pocket and handed it to Lloyd.
"I was never the warrior my father wanted me to be, but please, all I ask…Is you give me an honorable death." Musukoshi said.
Lloyd hesitated at first and looked at the dagger in his hand. The blade was silver and straight, but the hilt of it was colored white and curved. Lloyd looked at Musukoshi who gave him a small friendly smile.
"Thank you for all your help." Lloyd thanked.
Musukoshi gave single nod. Lloyd then stabbed Musukoshi in his chest. He started to gasp for air and lost his balance. Lloyd held on to his friend and gently lowered him on the ground. Lloyd pulled the knife out and sat next to his dying friend. With the death of Musukoshi, the blood oath to Death was finally repaid. Lloyd had killed 100 souls in return for him returning to life. As Musukoshi laid there dead, the painful truth rushed to Lloyd's mind. He had finally remembered what happened to him between the campfire with Hamato and waking up in the Temple of Light.
The truth of the murders he committed as the Angel of Death. No one was safe from Lloyd, not the serpentine, not the innocent villagers he slaughtered, not even a lone Shadow from the Society of Ghosts was safe from Lloyd. He saw that he almost tried to kill Kai in his sleep, but before he did, Lloyd took over the Angel's body and ran to the Temple of Light. Once at the temple, Lloyd struck the bell with a massive hit. The sounds created from the bell, weakened the Angel of Death for Lloyd to be free of it. Lloyd broke free from his grasp and the Angel melted in a black puddle. Lloyd fell unconscious. These murders he committed, would haunt him as visions and nightmares for the rest of his life.
Lloyd was panicking and gasping for air. Hamato placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Lloyd, I am so sorry." Hamato apologized.
Lloyd yelled to the sky as Death's laughter echoed in the wind.
As nightfall came, Lloyd had gathered firewood from the island and placed it in a pile outside the Temple of Light. He placed Musukoshi's body on the wood and lit a torch. Hamato was whispering a prayer and Lloyd threw the torch on the firewood. The fire erupted and covered the wood and Musukoshi's body, burning everything. Lloyd watched the fire burn and looked at all the objects in his hand. In his left hand were the Eyes of Dreams and his Elemental Forge and in his right hand was Musukoshi's dagger and Heart Stone. Lloyd placed the dagger on his belt and put the rest of the items in a bag on the opposite side. Lloyd then walked away from the temple and Hamato sighed as he watched him leave.
Now free of the Erinyes madness, but still haunted by the deaths he caused, Lloyd left his grandfather's temple and set out to undo all he had wrought.
R&R