Phooey... :/ This was supposed to come out 2 days ago. Anyways, onto the reviews.
Review Replies: (stupid Fanfiction glitch)
TheAmberShadow: Yep, no, and the books are about Darkness versus light. There are two realms and they are trying to win souls. The main character - Tenly - has not been chosen or 'signed' with a realm, and she could help whichever realm win the war if she signed with them. It's a really good read. It's in First Person POV. :P
GLACIER3: This chapter will definitely leave you speechless. ;} (But still review anyways. :) On a side note, where's Jens? I miss her. :/
S3: Zane... Everyone hates Zane, which means I accomplished something! Yay! Btw this chapter hints at The Resistance, but indirectly. ;}
Rosa: Laugh hard? Was it because of Ess and Jade? Because that certainly had me laughing. XD
Hmm... Where have all my reviewers gone? I miss you guys! :/
"I am never letting you out of my sight again..." The creature of darkness muttered, dragging the unconscious green ninja by his hair down a long, narrow corridor. Not even he knew where he was truly going, but this boy was going to be taught some respect. And after that, he was going to kick that nindroid's ass. His regime was already set.
"Are you sure? You could actually kill him, you know. He's just a mortal." Ashlynn tried reasoning with him, planting these doubts into his head, but he only growled.
"I know what you're making a lousy attempt at accomplishing, but it's not going to work. I suggest you go torment someone else," he snapped, yanking the blonde forward. Lloyd grimaced in his limited state of mobility, letting out a soft whimper.
The mistress of telepathy cringed. "I'm not attempting to do anything. As we both know, my mind control doesn't work on you-"
"Another reason I corrupted O'Neil. Durable, dexterous, susceptible to my possession, yet impervious to most any elemental power. With the exception of Light. Now you shut your mouth and leave me at once. I'm busy." The Overlord barked, becoming tired of tugging the boy along. His arm was starting to seize up, and he didn't want her to spot his weakness.
"Fine then. But don't say I didn't warn you." With those words, Ashlynn left his side, pivoting around to walk back down the way they came, her footfalls echoing lightly.
Good riddance, The dark lord thought, before bending to haul the blonde over his shoulder. Surprisingly, the energy master was much lighter than he seemed. Probably since they had been starving him since his arrival. Either way it didn't matter.
After a while of traversing the tangled web of tunnels, he spotted a patch of light shining through a hole in the ceiling. Avoiding it by moving to the side, he still gazed up into the sky above. It was peaceful and tranquil, both things he despised with a vengeance. Anything of beauty was crap to him. It was of no importance. A mere waste of time.
Grumbling, he trudged forward, heaving the boy higher over his shoulder. There was no time to lose. He actually had something serious to do.
"O'Neil? Is that you? Turn around and face me." A strong, female voice resounded from behind him, and he startled, falling short of steps. "I know you heard me."
After a moment of collecting himself, the darkness master finally did exactly as she said. Whatever she wanted with him - that remained a mystery. But he was going to play along. Or at least - for now he was.
"Ah, Pazan. So nice to see you again. Looking uglier every time," his lips twisted into a vile smile, and Pazan frowned.
"Same applies for you. Now let me see my husband, darkness," she spat, and the Overlord cackled. "And I mean it. Do I have to force you?"
He laughed once more. "Such bold words for a weakling, my dear. It's almost charming," he chuckled, wiping away fake tears. "I see you still haven't learned from our last encounter."
"I have learned plenty, thank you very much," the mistress of healing crossed her arms, brows furrowing with aggravation. "It seems you have not though. If you had, O'Neil would already be standing before me. And who is the boy?" she gestured to the green ninja slung over his shoulder, and the Overlord shrugged.
"Just someone awaiting their punishment," he said causally, though his eyes slitted. "And don't you dare heal him."
Her eyes gained a playful gleam. "But what if I did? What would you do?" she teased, sashaying toward him. What the hell was she doing now?
The dark lord's eyes remained narrowed. "Get away from me," he lashed out, but that only caused her to advance closer. "I mean it." He leered in her face, baring his razor-sharp teeth.
Pazan didn't deter the least, and she leaned closer, to the Overlord's own perturbation. "Where is my O'Neil at? Surely he wants to see me," her golden eyes shone innocence, and he gagged out of disgust.
"You imbecilic mortals never learn," he retorted, rolling his eyes. "Now leave me be."
If possible, she made the space between them ever smaller without them touching. He could hurt her, yet Pazan wasn't afraid. Her healing powers could not correct darkness inflicted wounds, but she did not care. As a matter of fact, it was the least of her worries. "I am not one of your peons you can carelessly order around. I am your wife, and I should be treated with proper respect."
"Go to hell."
"Then I would be joining you. Do you mean, 'go to heaven?'" The mistress of healing raised a brow, and the Overlord fumbled for a comeback.
"I-I- You-" he shook his head, rightening himself. "Whatever. Just get out of my sight. Your hideousness is starting to mess with my brain."
"By hideousness, I know you truly mean beauty..." Gingerly, she cupped his cheek in her hand, guiding his lips to hers.
Frantic, the being of darkness ripped from her grasp, stumbling backward. Had she tried to kiss him? What the- Oh no. O'Neil was showing up. And darkness couldn't contain him any longer.
"Now that is much better," Pazan remarked as the Overlord vanished before her very eyes, his skin enlightening and eyes changing to their natural green.
Confused, O'Neil looked around, first noticing Lloyd draped over his shoulder, then noticing his wife standing in front of him. At the sight of her, he smiled. "Did I do it?" he gestured to the green ninja in his arms, and Pazan nodded.
"Yes you did, but there were a few minor complications. Apparently you were lugging the boy out here to beat him," she explained, expression grim. The darkness master instantly paled.
"I-I was?" he asked quietly, and she nodded once more. It was hard for him to comprehend his alter-ego's motives. Sometimes they just made no sense.
"But now that you are here and so is he, will you let me see him? If what you suspect is true..."
"I know what you mean," O'Neil said, carefully sliding the energy master from his shoulder. Setting him down onto the ground against the tunnel wall, he backed away to get a better view of the blonde. While possessed by darkness, O'Neil had lost all control of his body, including his vision. He had caught glimpses of the boy before, the only reason he had fought so hard in order to escape. Though he had yet to liberate himself entirely from darkness' hold. It was an ever-consuming entity, one that ruined his life numerous times and even resulted in the death of his first wife.
Pazan gasped when she finally saw the boy, holding a hand over her gaping mouth. He had shiny platinum-blonde hair spilling out over his left brow; fair features without any blemishes. She could remember her son had blonde hair, but the true question still remained: What color were his eyes? But she'd have to wake him in order to obtain that information.
"I know I'd be playing directly into darkness' hand if I did this, but..." O'Neil began gently, tying no to disturb the sleeping green ninja. "But it'd be necessary. In fact, it'd be the key in destroying the Overlord. For good."
Pazan craned her neck, gazing up at her husband with perplexed eyes. "What would be necessary?"
"Returning the boy's golden power. But we need the elemental masters of fire, earth, lightning, and ice in order to do so. And I don't think they'd very willing to give up their powers. Though I could easily deal with the ice master..." O'Neil raised a clenched fist, but his wife was swift to grab his forearm.
"Violence is never the answer," she stated, and her husband sighed.
"I know," His morose emerald eyes flicked away from hers, instead focusing on the slumped adolescent. He was starting to stir in his slumber, and would soon wake. That meant they needed to act fast. "Take the boy back to his 'parents.' Quick. Before it returns," The ginger-haired man hastily pried Pazan's fingers from around his wrist, ushering her toward the blonde.
Bewildered yet understanding, the healing mistress obeyed, crouching next to the green ninja. She placed a hand against his cheek, stroking it in small rotations with the pad of a thumb. His face contorted under her touch, but visibly relaxed when she removed her hand.
"Hurry up, Pazan," O'Neil pleaded in a hurried tone, now pacing back and forth. "It's trying to claw its way back out, and it isn't going to be happy once it resurfaces. I can't hold it back forever."
"Just be patient," Pazan said, to her voice steady. "Whenever you are impatient, you are a vessel. A way for it to escape. Remember how I helped teach you to meditate?"
"Yes, but-"
"No buts. And you heard me. Try to remain calm, and the urge will leave. You have held darkness at bay before, even for several years at a time. This should be child's play for a grown man like you." Swooping an arm behind the energy master's body, she began to lift him up, and when he was in a more upright position, swept her other arm under his knees to finish the job.
With the green ninja in her arms, she made her way toward the hole in the ceiling, stopping just underneath it. She looked over at her dismayed husband, who still continued to walk in a small circle, his hands clasped behind his back. He was already anticipating the worst to come. Darkness.
"Neil," she called softly, readjusting the boy in her arms. Her golden eyes glistened in a ray of sunlight, pooling with mixed emotions. Sadness, pity, elation, and loss. She'd have to leave her husband again. And she was not looking forward to their departure.
He glanced in her direction, anxiety wrought into his features. In his eyes she caught a fleeting glimpse of purple. Darkness was already trying to reclaim control. They didn't have much longer together.
"Yes, Pazan?" he asked despondently, the desperation clear in his voice.
"Knock it off, will you?" The mistress of healing suddenly snapped, and O'Neil faltered at her harsh tone. "Do not pretend you do not know what I am talking about. You pity yourself. Promise me you will quit sulking about and show darkness who has the proclaimed rights to your body. You, or it. No one else can decide for you."
Her husband tried to respond, but found himself speechless. He just stared at her with his wide, innocent eyes. A facade of innocence hiding the true monster that fermented within.
Pazan's gaze became slim. "No excuses." With those two last words, she ascended into the daytime, leaving O'Neil to once again wallow in the shadows. The darkness was all he knew. How could he abandon it entirely?
Darkness had a plan. A plan he knew he could easily foil. Stage 1 was already completed. Stage 2 was initiated. Now it was darkness' turn to roll the dice.
NinjaChief547
Lloyd had never felt so cold before.
It was a rather rude awakening, exceptionally so since he had woken up in an unfamiliar place with an unfamiliar person, ending with him flailing his legs and arms as he plummeted into the salty ocean water below. Not his definition of "ideal." It was worse than when Sensei Wu usually woke him and the other ninja up for their routinely sunrise exercise each Wednesday morning. And that says something.
Now he was thrashing against the choppy tide washing over his head every now and then, gasping for air whenever he got the chance. The muscles in his arms and legs protested against the icy water with each stroke, stiffening from the bone-chilling cold. He needed to get to the surface, and fast.
Finally, he reached the surface with a gasp, and to his surprise, the mysterious stranger he had awoken to was there to pull him out. He allowed them to do so, and soon, they were stranded on a buoy in the middle of the sea, neither daring to speak or introduce themselves. They just sat in total silence, rocking with the occasional wave that passed through.
Shivering and teeth chattering, Lloyd looked to his right at the stranger sitting next to him. With a hood pulled up, their features were rendered indistinguishable - imperceptible to the naked eye. Lloyd bit his lip out of habit. Who were they? And more importantly; could he trust them?
Eventually, he worked up the nerve to extend a hand to his supposed savior. He had yet to discover their true intentions, but for now they were on neutral terms. At this moment, anything was a go.
"I-I'm L-Lloyd," he croaked, his voice hoarse and pathetic. What a good first impression. "L-Lloyd G-Garmadon," he somehow managed, cracking a faint smile as the person peeked at them from behind their cloak. They eyed his hand with caution - and a bit of curiosity - but soon accepted it.
"Pazan Kura." In a swift movement, the stranger let their hood drop to their shoulders, unveiling the delicate features of a young woman. Her age was tricky to determine, but if Lloyd had to guess, he'd say somewhere in between 20 and 30. "It is nice to finally meet you. I have been searching for you for quite some time." Her golden eyes dazzled in the pristine moonlight, jet black hair possessing a slight bluish tint. Her lips curved upward, revealing her shiny top row of teeth.
When she noticed his shaking, drenched body, she was quick to remove her outer layer of clothing, draping the thick, black fabric around him. "There you are," she backed away to inspect her work. "You should feel much warmer now. I am sorry about that whole 'falling' incident. We both startled each other, which resulted in...well, you know..." her smile still remained imprinted on her face, not showing any signs of leaving anytime soon.
Lloyd chuckled awkwardly, pulling the cloak tighter around him. It was freezing outside, which reminded him of... No, he wouldn't allow himself to think about it. That was a matter for another occasion. Just not...now...
"Thank you," he said at last, the warmth from the cloak beginning to sink in. It didn't help there were also high winds battering them, but Lloyd could tolerate it. The one thing he could still do, despite the past two brutal days. The Overlord had beaten him senseless, until he was unconscious, and then he couldn't remember anything from that point on. And that's how he found himself here, with Pazan... Now why did that name ring a bell?
"You are most certainly welcome," her smile became larger, creeping into her cheeks.
In a rush of deja vu, Lloyd recognized her, his eyes becoming round. This was Pazan, the same Pazan Kura he had seen in his dream. O'Neil's wife. The missing son's mother. Was this his mother? His actual? How was she even alive?
"Are you..." he cringed, before forcing the last few words out, "...related to me, by any means?"
Her smile finally wavered, degenerating into a pensive frown. She turned away from him, resting her hands in her lap. "I do not know..." she exhaled in a puff of steamy air, hunching over into a dejected posture. "But I do have my suspicions."
"Do you...think you're my mother?" He swallowed to salivate his dry mouth, impatiently awaiting her response. Her answer could be life changing.
"Possibly," she mused, still refusing to face him. "Though all evidence points to you being him, if it were true. After all, you do have..." Pazan trailed off, but Lloyd was more than done questioning. He was frazzled, and he needed a definitive answer.
"I have what?" the blonde raised a brow, leaning forward.
"Golden power."
"And how does that prove anything?"
Abruptly, Pazan stood. "Just watch," she said, rolling up her sleeves. Holding her hands out above the crashing waves, she summoned a ball of light, then shot it up into the still night sky. When nothing happened, Lloyd scoffed.
"What did that do?" he snorted, but scrambled backward at what he saw next.
In the air above them, there was a radiant, golden dragon, its broad wings slicing through the darkness in wide spans of light. It leered down at him with stark, yellow eyes, exhaling wisps of smoke through its nose. Pazan peered over her shoulders at the blonde, grinning with pride.
"Alright then," Lloyd said, using the buoy's metal bars to clamber to his feet. "I stand corrected. But how?" he waved a hand at the large beast floating above - a beacon disrupting the black of night.
"Shall we leave?" Pazan ignored his question, her eyes practically glowing in the luminescence. The bell atop the buoy rang several times, giving her stare a creepy essence.
"Uh, sure..." he gave up, frowning. "But where would we be going?"
"To your parents monastery, of course," she chirped, signaling for the dragon to stoop lower. "Your wounds need treated to, and upon first glance, you are malnourished."
"How can you tell?"
Her gaze thinned. "Just aboard the dragon, please. Silence would be appreciated." Pazan moved to mount the phosphorescent creature, doing so with elegance and grace. When she was finally situated atop the beast's back, she motioned for Lloyd to join her.
Keeping his lips glued, he tiptoed across the slippery surface of the buoy, making sure to watch his step. He didn't need to fall into the water again. After taking his precious time, he found himself standing at the edge of the floater, staring down into the black, murky depths. Suddenly, a rush of fear came over him, paralyzing him instantly. His paranoia of the Overlord seized his mind, and he white-knuckled the cloak that was wrapped around him.
"Are you alright? You appear to have seen a ghost," Pazan remarked from her post directly across from Lloyd, features creased with sincere concern.
"F-Fine..." he stammered after a moment, peeling his gaze from the dark water below. Pazan's golden eyes shone brighter when combined with the dragon's radiance and the moonlight together, giving off a distinct glint.
"If you insist..." she said, outstretching her hand to him. Graciously, he took it, and she helped him onto the dragon's scaly back behind her.
"Thank you," Lloyd said, gazing up into the midnight sky. A picturesque sight it was, stars sparkling and the slice of a crescent moon looming overhead. It was a luxury to see, especially since his last two days spent in captivity in an underground bunker.
"You are welcome. Now to return you home," the mistress of healing gripped the reigns, whipping them once. "But you will need to do something in exchange for me." Lloyd groaned. This was the catch.
"And what would that be?" he asked, frowning unenthusiastically.
"I need you to regain your golden power. It would be essential in the Overlord's permanent destruction." Pazan said without looking back. Slowly, the dragon began easing itself higher into the air, its wings flapping with rhythm.
"Wait, what? You want me to get my golden power back?" the blonde gaped at her, shock written into his features. "But then my friend's wouldn't have their elemental powers anymore! Wouldn't that play a crucial part too?"
She considered his words. "Yes...and no. Yes because they could fight alongside you, possibly gaining the advantage, and no because you are the only one who can defeat and destroy the Overlord. For good. You are the prophesied green ninja, or am I misled?" Now she peered over her shoulder, and Lloyd scoffed.
"Of course I am! Do I have to prove that to you now? Just look at what I'm wearing!" he gestured to his green and gold ninja gi, the space between his brows crinkling. Despite the many holes and tears in the fabric, most of it remained intact, except for the whole left sleeve. That bit was missing entirely.
"I already knew that. But Destiny has not changed its pick. You are still the light who is meant to fend off the shadows. You are Ninjago's last hope. If darkness gets its hands on the Golden Armor..." she trailed off, but the energy master could fill in the blanks. Ultimate destruction. The death of thousands. The enslavement of all Ninjago's citizens. And the end of the ninja. He'd have failed. He'd have failed everyone.
But he wouldn't allow it to come to that point. Never.
"I-I... I'll do it." Lloyd shook his head once, setting himself straight. It wasn't just about him or his friend's anymore; it was about the welfare of mankind. The well-being of humanity. And they'd either save everyone, or die trying.
The golden dragon's wings beat the frigid night air and gusts of wind as it flew higher into the clouds. A corner of Pazan's lips upturned.
"I just knew you would come to your senses eventually," she said evenly, facing forward once again. "I am glad you see to it my way."
My way? Lloyd pondered, yanking the collar of the cloak up to his chin. The higher the altitude, the lower the temperature. And it definitely wasn't a warm night, by any means.
What does she mean by 'my way?' For all I know, she could be allied with the Overlord! O'Neil is a part of him, and she's his wife... he glanced down at the dragon below, who appeared to be working overtime in the harsh conditions. Would Pazan have dropped him again if he refused her proposal? He'd agreed to help her. But what if he hadn't?
Ignoring such doubts, his eyes returned to the stars, taking in the alluring sight. It felt good to relax...
To be continued...
Alright, I'm mean. :P Anyway, the next chapter should come much sooner. Track's over and I got injured. :/ Did something weird to my hip. For now, NinjaChief547...
OUT!
(One-shot about a Ninjago dream I had coming soon! :D)