Thank most of you for being so patient for this chapter, the month-long hiatus is over and after this chapter, there is only one left but I assure you the story is not over. And now a little contest. If you can correctly guess the title of the next chapter then your username will be given a special cameo in the chapter. Here is your clue: What Disney song has this line, The life I knew is over, the lights are out. Entries will be accepted until Monday the 21. A Broken Creation is made possible by frequent reviews from readers like you, thank you.
Skylor's feeling of victory didn't last long. She met Windigo's eyes for a split second and saw them blazing with rage. She knew in an instant that if she didn't escape now she wouldn't live to see another day.
"Don't let her escape!" Harumi yelled.
Windigo roared in anger. Skylor jumped out of the way to avoid his claws that slashed through the air, but was too slow. She gasped in pain and her vision went black and white as she felt something sharp and cold tear through her arm. She lost her balance and fell to the ground as she felt yet another set of claws rake its path across her face. In a flash of desperation, she turned on her back and sent a blast of flame directly into Windigo's face. The icy demon howled in pain and clawed at his head. Seeing their leader struggling, Harumi, Ultra, and Killow rushed to his aid to extinguish the flames. Skylor saw they were distracted and made a quick getaway.
Mystake began to run after Skylor but was stopped as a bony claw wrapped around her neck. She was lifted into the air and was twisted to face the face of Windigo. Trails of purple blood trickled as his claws dug into her neck. Just like his torso when Kai used him as a shield against the Mechanic, his face was now disfigured gruesomely from Skylor's flame. His eyes glowed with a renewed hate and vengeance.
"How dare you capture and impersonate my beloved, steal my power, and do this to me?!" Windigo howled with rage as he pointed to the damage. "You're no better than the rest of them!"
Mystake growled and formed another staff and whacked Windigo in the face. He grunted and stumbled back, still not letting go of the Oni. He shook his head and glared at her.
"That was your last mistake."
He threw Mystake down to the floor. Before she knew it, she was encased in a mound of black ice.
Windigo's breath came in heaves as he saw Mystake frozen solid. Then he groaned and swayed, collapsing to the floor. Skylor's absorption of his power and the ensuing fight leaving him drained. Harumi gasped and rushed to his side.
"Oh no. Zane!" Harumi cried. She dropped down to her knees next to him. "Say something! Are you hurt?!"
Zane groaned. Seeing she wasn't going to get a response, she grabbed the Mask of Tyranny. She was just about to take it off his head when suddenly an icy talon seized her wrist. She gasped in fright and looked down. Zane was staring up at her, an enraged expression on his face.
"Did I say you could touch it?" He hissed.
Harumi began to say something, but the words caught in her throat. She gulped and shook her head. Zane clenched his jaw and glowered at her as he struggled to his feet, swatting Harumi's hand away when she tried supporting him. He grabbed her quickly by her chin and tilted her face up, making her look him in the eyes.
"I want to make one thing clear to you." Zane growled. "I don't want anyone touching this mask without my permission. And that includes you. Wife or not, if you so dare so much as to think about taking this mask off of me again, you will face the consequences. Do you understand?"
Harumi nodded timidly.
"I said do you?!"
Harumi flinched at his angry voice. She nodded again. "Y-yes…" She said, voice quivering.
Zane stared into her eyes for a moment more. Then he let go of her chin and slid the mask back over his face before turning and stalking off, leaving her alone.
Harumi hung her head, the snowy ground beginning to blur as hot tears began to fall down her face. Her lower lip trembled as she thought of the way Zane had grabbed her wrist, the way he rejected her help, and the venom in his voice as he spoke to her. But what frightened her most was his eyes. Even while under the influence of the mask, she would still be able to see through the depths of its effects. Looking into his eyes, she would still be able to see the Zane she had met at the palace that fateful night, the Zane that had first come to the SOG base in the subways, the Zane in her bed the night before Garmadon's resurrection. The Zane that loved her.
But when she looked into his eyes today as he had grabbed her chin with a force beyond gentle, she saw nothing. Not a twinkle, not even a spark that always came when he looked at her. Her Zane was gone, replaced by Windigo and that fucking mask.
Harumi fell to her knees and covered her face as she wept. She loved him. And it tore her heart to shreds to see him swallowed up by the demon that called itself Windigo. She wanted him to exact his revenge upon those that hurt him, but now the mask was hijacking his once pure heart, and his last sense of decency was hanging on by a thread. She didn't want to witness her beloved turn into a heartless monster.
Harumi became faintly aware of a ticklish sensation under her chin. She reached a hand up and gingerly felt along her neck. She saw a spot of red on her fingertips. It was her blood. Zane must've scratched her when he grabbed her.
Her breath hitched as she stared at her fingers, which had started to tremble. He had hurt her.
She had been suspecting it for a while, but now it was clear. The mask was winning, slowly taking over the last bits of Zane's soul. Soon, it would be complete. The Mask of Tyranny would be the downfall of her, of Ninjago, and eventually of Zane himself. He would become so besieged by its hold that it would deliver all of them to death's door.
Harumi looked up and through her teary eyes she saw Zane- no, Windigo- standing at the far edge of the tower, Corbin standing behind him. The two looked out at the city beyond through the falling snow. Her eyes slid over to the three frozen figures, Garmadon, Misako, and his latest victim Mystake. Zane freezing Garmadon should have been the first major red flag that this was getting out of hand.
And if that wasn't enough, the rows of heads on spikes of ice had grown to include those of innocent civilians. As a matter of fact, Harumi had witnessed the murder of a family of three earlier in the day. Windigo had relentlessly questioned them about the green ninja's location since he thought they were hiding him. Eventually he had tired of them and resorted to executing them by sending a spear of ice through their hearts. Their pleads for mercy and their cries as they perished still haunted her mind.
Windigo continued looking out at the skyline. The thought of Skylor not only stealing his powers but also leaving him scarred yet again filled him with unadulterated rage. Oh, how the Resistance would pay.
Windigo gave a short, sharp whistle, and Corbin stepped next to him. He let her sniff Skylor's blood that still covered his claws. The dragon growled, telling her master she had registered the scent. Windigo grinned wickedly.
"Hunt her down." He said. Corbin roared before jumping off the building and sailing into the sky, circling as she looked for the master of amber. Harumi watched her go.
This had gone on too far. This needed to stop. If Harumi wanted to prevent any chance of Zane succumbing to Windigo and wanted to save him and herself, she needed to free him of the Mask of Tyranny.
…
"Yeah, that's her alright."
Wu and the ninja were perched at the top of a dune that overlooked a flat expanse of sand. After Faith was captured Wu insisted they go back for her, so they had tailed the hunters at a distance. Now Cole was looking through a telescope. Down below beyond the bottom of the dune was Faith, buried up to her neck in sand, wearing a straw hat with a gag in her mouth.
"We have to get down there and save her." Wu said to them.
"We can't," Kai said. "We need to get to the Dragon Armor. You have the map and they don't."
"And it might be a trap." Jay added. "We can't go out there Wu. We need to find the Firstbourne's nest so we can get home and stop Windigo."
Wu took the telescope from Cole and peered through it himself. He saw Faith struggling as she was stuck in the ground.
"Maybe more of his memories came back, something that can help us in a situation like this?"
Wu sighed. "I can't lie." he said. "I still don't remember anything new. But my father told me to have faith, and without her we never would have gotten this far." He stared wistfully down the hill. "Besides, ninja never leave their friends behind."
The three ninja looked at each other. They knew he was right.
"And we've got your back." Kai said. "Let's go get her."
Wu smiled but his face became serious as he saw Faith stuck. "They must have left her here for the elements to finish her off." He said. "I'll go down, the rest of you keep watch."
The ninja followed Wu down the sand dune and kept watch as Wu ran over to Faith.
"Mnnph-mMMph!" She struggled to say through her gag.
Wu pulled off her hat and then her gag. "Faith! We came back for you. Are you okay?"
Faith gasped for breath. "You should not have come." She said. "It's a trap!"
As if on cue, the dragon hunters including Iron Baron himself all sprung from their hiding places, surrounding them and holding weapons. Jay sighed.
"Aaaaand it's a trap…" he said.
The hunters captured the ninja and erected tall poles which they were chained to the top of. Night fell over the First Realm and the hunters feasted on dragon meat around a large bonfire. Chatter, laughter, and the clinking of glasses surrounded them as they ate.
Iron Baron laughed. "Eat up, hunters!" He said. "We have the son of the Spinjitzu Master, and by first light tomorrow, Firstbourne will give up the rest of the dragon armor, and it will be a feast every day!"
The hunters cheered before going back to their meal. Wu watched them eat and sighed.
"I'm sorry." He said. "I thought i was doing the right thing but…" He hung his head. "I've only made it worse."
"Hmm. Your heart is pure, but this realm is cruel." Faith said with a sigh. "I am just sorry you ever had to find this place."
"Don't sweat it, Wu, we've seen worse." Kai said. "At any second now Cole will have bust through those chains and get us out of here."
"Uh, I tried Kai. I can't."
"But you're the muscle of the team, Cole! I'm just the looks."
Jay gasped in horror. "I thought I was the looks!"
"No, you're the annoying one."
"What are you? The party pooper?"
"That's Mr. Party Pooper to you."
"Har har, Hair Gel." Cole said, before all three of them burst out laughing. Wu and Faith looked at them in confusion.
"How can you make jokes in a time like this?" The young master asked.
"When all hope is lost, sometimes a good laugh is all you need to stay positive." Jay said in between laughs. "Helps cope with what's bad while opening your eyes to what's good."
Wu caught Jay's drift and smiled. "I see. You are the annoying one."
The three burst out laughing again, making Baron stomp over to them. "What's so funny?!" He demanded.
"What is so funny is feeding them this food to cover the taste of your lies!" Faith spat.
Baron laughed. "Well I'd rather be eating food with them, than stuck on a pole with you."
He and the other hunters jeered and laughed. Faith scowled.
"He only cares for himself!" She said. "If he gets the dragon armor, he'll have no need for you except to kiss his hand!"
That got the hunters' attention. They all gasped as they suddenly became shocked at Faith's accusation. But Baron was unfazed as he continued to laugh.
"Let me ask them, Heavy Metal." He said before turning to the hunters. "How can you believe anything she says, when she hid behind a mask?"
Some hunters supported Baron's reasoning and others took Faith's side, causing a ruckus as they argued. Muzzle mumbled something to Daddy No Legs, who nodded.
"Yeah, yeah, that's true." He said. "I definitely wasn't expecting that."
Faith growled. "It's he who is the fraud!" She yelled. "He forced me to wear the helmet just as he forced you to be his slaves!"
The dragon hunters looked at each other. Some shrugged in confusion before going back to arguing.
"We've all heard Baron's stories about how he fought an army of Oni. Well, look around! We are on Oni land, yet have you seen a single one?!"
A ripple of murmurs went through the group of hunters. Jet Jack rubbed her head in thought. Faith saw their hesitation.
"No, you have not, because his stories are just that. Stories! The Oni left these lands long ago, yet he keeps you in fear of them. His power over you is built on lies! Brave hunters died so he could get the Dragon Blade! How do we know it was not him who took their lives?!"
Realization dawned upon them as they put the pieces together, evident in their tone and the snatches of conversation among them.
Baron saw he was losing them and growled. "Not another word!" He boomed. The hunters fell silent. "Now, show of hands. Who's with her, so I can raise my Dragon Blade and lock them all!"
No one moved out of fear for their leader to make true his threat, save for Muzzle, who began to raise it but stopped when he saw the apprehension of the others.
Baron huffed. "That is what I thought."
"That's not fair!" Jay cried. "You bullied them!"
Baron wheeled around. "I said not another word!" he yelled. He pressed a button on the remote, making the chains spark. They all broke out into fits of laughter as they tickled.
Wu was laughing so hard his stomach hurt, when suddenly he gasped. There was an odd yet familiar voice speaking in his head.
"The best way to defeat an enemy is to make them your friend. Do not put off tomorrow what can be done today."
Images flooded Wu's brain as his memories began to return. His upbringing by his father, the lessons he had taught unto him and his brother, the ninja and their many battles, and everything in between.
"I-I remember." Wu said, his voice becoming deeper. "I remember it all!"
A sudden burst of strength came over Wu, allowing the young master to break free of the chains and landed on the ground with a backflip. When he straightened up, the ninja and Faith saw him with a mustache and goatee on his face.
"He has a mustache!" Jay squealed. "And a GOATEE!"
Iron Baron gasped before snarling. "Get him!" He yelled.
There was a high-pitched yell as a dragon hunter charged at him with a bamboo staff. She lunged at him, but Wu grabbed the staff's end and spun around to knock her off her feet and struck her in the stomach to knock her to the ground. Still holding the staff, Wu bent down and picked up the straw hat off her head and placed it on his own. He glowered at Baron.
"You let my ninja go, or else." Wu said.
Baron was unfazed. "Or else what?"
"Or else I will reclaim my father's armor and ask his dragon to end your rule. I am the Son of the First Spinjitzu Master and this is my oath!" He said, swinging his staff and pointing it at Baron and the hunters. The ninja cheered.
"Yeah!" Cole cried. "Master Wu's back, baby!"
Baron smirked and raised the Dragon Blade in return. "So you just confirmed it: he who claims the armor controls the Firstbourne."
"That's not what I said."
"You seem like a wise master." Baron said. "But are you really ignorant enough to take on my entire camp?"
Without warning the hunters burst forward and rushed at Wu. The ninja thought he would be done for, but in true Wu fashion he had defeated them all in seconds. Baron marched up to Wu and grabbed the end of his staff.
"Before you do something foolish, let me make you an offer." Baron said. "How about you get me the armor or else we can see right now how good you really are with that...staff."
Wu raised an eyebrow. "You want me to take you to Firstbourne?"
"Get me the armor and I'll send your ninja home." Baron said, letting go of Wu's staff.
Wu thought about it for a moment. He could fight Baron, but he didn't want to risk it and his ninja. There was no better option.
"Do I have your word?" He asked the hunter's leader.
"Don't!" Faith cried, but her plea was ignored.
"Trust me." Baron said. "There is nothing that I want more."
Wu didn't break eye contact with Baron as he dropped his staff in a silent agreement. Baron chuckled.
"What?!" Kai said. "What are you doing?!"
"I'm sorry." Wu said, looking up at them. "But we are left with no other choice."
"Ha! Now we go to the Firstbourne!"
Iron Baron began marching Wu out of the camp at swordpoint. The hunters cheered as they watched them go. Wu looked back over his shoulder.
"Don't worry ninja." He said. "Have faith."
"I hope he knows what he's doing." Faith said.
"Yeeaah, we've learned at this point to not question him." Jay replied.
Jet Jack broke through the front of the hunters and ran after Iron Baron. "You promised whoever got Heavy Metal would be your number two. Since it was me, I insist I go for your protection."
Baron just looked at her as if she had said a joke. "Protection?" He laughed. "Once I have the armor, I won't need protection. It will be you needing me!" He pushed Jet Jack away and cackled as he continued leading Wu away.
Jet Jack walked back to the dragon hunters, dumbfounded that their leader didn't make good on his promise. The dragon hunters whispered to each other.
"Look." Kai said as their voices rose. "Something's going on."
The hunters had gotten back to arguing. "They're probably deciding which one of us to eat first!" Jay said.
"Dragon hunters do not eat people." Faith said.
"Well, that's good to know. At least it's not all that bad."
"This is our chance, while they're distracted!" Kai said. He began rocking his body from side to side. "Let's get these poles rocking," he grunted. "By rocking from side to side!" He grunted again.
Cole looked at the fire ninja skeptically. "Yeaah, I'm not doing that…"
"That's...not helpful." Jay said.
"Teamwork, guys!" Kai said as he continued. "If we all do it together…" He swung his legs. Seeing they had no better option, the others sighed and joined in. Faith sighed.
"I hope the Son of the Spinjitzu Master knows what he's doing, because this is ridiculous." She said.
…
The pole began to sway as the ninja swung their feet and began to hear the wood creak as if it was breaking.
"Team...work! Team...work! Team...work!" they chanted as they swayed. The wood began splintering. "Team-"
"What do you think you're doing?"
The ninja and Faith looked down and saw Jet Jack staring up at them.
"Uh, nothing?" Jay said with a nervous smile. Jet Jack raised her weapon.
"AAH!" the blue ninja screamed. "They are gonna eat us!"
The other yelled too, even as Jet Jack climbed up the poles and sliced the chains in half, freeing them. They all fell to the ground with a big oof! They groaned as they struggled to their feet. Faith was the first to get up.
"I don't know if I should thank you or prepare for a fight." She said as Jet Jack stood in front of her.
"We got to talking." Jack said, gesturing to the other hunters. "And we all decided that this dragon armor business has gotten too far." The others mumbled and nodded in a collective agreement.
"Iron Baron speaks of serving his people, but he really only serves himself." Daddy No legs said. The other voiced their agreement again.
"Yeah," Chew Toy said. "And I think he's kind of...a jerk."
"We fear that with Firstbourne by his side, he will become unforgiving." Jack said. "Baron has shown his true colors, and they are colors no one likes. We can set aside our differences if you five think you can make a difference."
"We'll follow their tracks." Cole said. "Lets go and stop them before its too late!"
The dragon hunters cheered and didn't hesitate rushing to their vehicles, this time with the ninja on their side. They drove through the night across the desert, following Baron and Wu's tracks up to a large ravine, with the remains of a crumbled bridge. Faith saw it and her hopeful face fell.
"We're too late." She said.
…
Iron Baron and Wu had been trekking across the desert, which began to become more rocky and steep, and the mountains off in the distance had begun to seem closer. Wu was following the map to the nest of the Firstbourne, Baron following right behind with the Dragon Blade lest Wu decide to try to make a move. They were quiet as they trudged across the flatlands and now as they meandered through rocky canyons as they neared the foothills of the mountains.
"Tell me something," Wu said, breaking the silence. "Why did you lie to your hunters? About the Oni being real?"
"I told them what they wanted to hear, that I would keep them safe. And in return, all I ask is that I be treated like a king. Is that so wrong? Look around." The hunter leader waved his hand, gesturing to the barren wastes of sand and rock. "This is a cruel world. We must do what we can to survive."
"There's more to life than surviving." Wu said. Baron only laughed, as if the master's serious statement was nothing but a joke.
"You already control this realm. Why do you need my father's armor?"
"There's always more to rule. That's the beauty of power. One can never have enough." Baron said. "Are you sure the Dragon Armor will control Firstbourne?"
"Unlike you, I tell the truth."
"How very...honorable of you…"
Baron suddenly tripped over an unseen obstacle in his path. Wu turned and offered him a hand. Baron only raised the blade threateningly in response as he got up.
They continued to navigate the twisting canyons until they reached the end of one, which led to a split in the rock face that was a narrow, twisting tunnel. They followed it, which soon opened up into a large underground chamber. In the middle was a dark rift with a fragile looking bridge. Wu looked at the map again to make sure they were in the right place.
"This bridge is too brittle to hold us both." He said.
Iron Baron prodded the master with his sword. "Then you had best tread lightly."
Wu hesitated before walking up and placing his foot on one of the bridge's steps. A few rocks of the bridge crumbled and fell into the darkness below. But before he could think twice, Baron's sword again prodded his back. Wu and Baron began walking across the bridge, Wu holding his breath as more rocks began to fall. The bridge groaned and it lowered slightly.
"Careful." Baron hissed.
The bridge began to shake and some of it crumbled in front of them. Wu ran and jumped over it to the more stable side, Baron following close behind. The dragon hunter jumped and made it but lost his balance and was about to fall into the chasm below until Wu caught him and pulled him to safety.
"Keep moving." He growled. They continued on their way. They finished crossing the bridge and made it to safety on the other side. They watched as the bridge crumbled and disappeared into the darkness.
"That was the perfect opportunity to get rid of me, but you missed it." Baron said as they continued walking.
"I gave you my word, remember?" Wu asked. "Once I get you the armor, you send my ninja home."
"Trust me, there's nothing that I want more."
They continued to follow the narrow tunnel by the path of the map. It branched off in some places and in others became so small they had to crawl. Baron had begun to wonder if Wu really knew where they were going. The passageway began to slope up, and soon they came to an opening. The tunnel ended and for the first time in what seemed like hours Wu and Baron were finally able to see the early morning sky. The tunnel had led them to the center of a mountain range, tall rocky peaks surrounded them.
Baron peered at the map Wu held in his hands. "Mountain?! What mountain?! This map is indecipherable! There's mountains everywhere!"
They wandered for a time. Soon off in the distance, Wu saw one great mountain rising above the rest. It's sides were jagged and steep, and spears of rock jutted from the top like a set of claws. Wu gasped.
"I know where the nest is." He said before taking off, Baron close on his tail. Together they ran up to the base of the mountain. Baron gasped.
"The nest of the Firstbourne." He said. "And in it, your freedom and my power. Come now, our future awaits."
Baron jabbed Wu and together they walked up to the opening cave of the Mother Dragon's nest and cautiously entered inside. They were immediately met by darkness and wandered blindly through the tunnels.
"Wait…" Baron said after some time. "I cannot see a cursed thing in here." He didn't see Wu stop and bumped into him, falling down. He growled.
"Euh!" He said. He fumbled around and found a large stick and struck it against the wall. A flame emerged and began dancing at its tip, making a torch. "Where is this Dragon's Nest?!"
Wu walked forwards and looked down. He gasped and grabbed the torch from Baron to get a better look.
"I believe we're in it." he said. Baron was just about to ask what he meant when he looked down also. He gasped.
He and Wu were walking on a stone arch. Below, several dragons of differing elements slept, undisturbed by their presence.
"They are all asleep." Baron said in amazement. "Your dragon blood keeps them docile. Look!"
Wu looked to where Baron was pointing. On the other side of the arch was a giant flat slab of rock. Sitting on a small rise was the Dragon Armor, its golden hue glimmering in the dim light of the lava pools below.
"Its revealing itself to you!" Baron cried. "It wants to be found!" They ran over to it and he shoved Wu to the side. "Back away! Its mine!"
Smiling widely, he threw off his hat and dropped his sword as he placed the armor on himself. He had just finished when something shifted in the shadows beyond. There was a rumbling growl as yellow eyes appeared through the darkness. The ground shook as a massive red and black dragon with black forked horns stepped into the dim light, smoke hissing from it's jaws. Baron's grin grew wider.
"Firstbourne." He said, picking up the Dragon Blade. He brandished it at Wu.
"You see this? I wear the armor now! I command you, beast, to destroy him!"
Firstbourne did nothing, simply glancing back and forth between the two. She bared her teeth when she rested her gaze on Baron.
"You know, I've learned a thing or two about this realm." Wu said, unfazed by the mother dragon's aggression towards the hunter.
Baron turned to Wu, irate at the dragon's insubordination. "What are you babbling about, boy?!"
Wu stepped closer to Baron. "My ninja taught me responsibility, confidence, a sense of humor, and to listen to the voice within. But I also learned something from you."
Baron became enraged. "Argh! Stand down!" He yelled, brandishing his blade. "Kneel before me!"
"You taught me the power of lies." Wu said, not afraid. "You didn't think it was the Dragon Armor that made Firstbourne obey my father, did you? It was because of his heart. She sensed goodness in him. What does she see in you?"
A threatening hiss made Baron turn around. Firstbourne was drawn to full height, fire blazing in her yellow eyes. Smoke poured from between her teeth and nostrils. It was clear that she was not fond of the hunter.
Seeing Wu was right, Baron quickly removed the armor and hurled it all and a rock at the dragon. The armor skidded to a stop between her talons and the rock bounced off her head. She reared back and unleashed a spew of molten rock, encasing Baron before he ever had the chance to flee. Firstbourne then stopped and dipped her head to Wu's level, making a more pleasant and friendly sound as Wu reached out and stroked her snout.
"Shh." he said as he ran his fingers across her rough scales. "It's okay now."
Firstbourne stepped back, her way of showing the master he could take the armor.
"My father's armor…"
…
The dragon hunters and the ninja all sat in silence, unsure of their next move. They discovered that they had been too late in keeping Baron and Wu from reaching the armor. Defeated, they went back to their previous campsite, fearing what Baron would do with Firstbourne by his side if he thought they had deserted him.
One of the hunters, Chew Toy, dragged his foot absent-mindedly through the sand. He looked up and saw the ninja doing the same. He tried to think of something to say, anything to break the silence. Their predicament was terrible enough, but the quiet that had settled over while they waited to see what would become of them was even worse.
Finally, someone spoke.
"Do you think...Baron got the armor?"
Faith sighed. "Knowing him, he would stop at no length to retrieve it. I would be surprised if he already didn't have it by now."
The hunters nodded in solemn agreement. Daddy No Legs spoke next.
"You. You guys are ninja." he said. "You'll be able to do something if Iron Baron gets the armor, right?"
Kai, Cole, and Jay all looked at each other.
"We...don't know." Cole admitted.
"But you have to!" Jet Jack said. "If Baron controls Firstbourne, we'll all be at his mercy, and that fraud has none!"
"We know…" Kai said. "And if Wu isn't able to get the armor, we won't be able to get back and stop Windigo."
"I know I have asked this before, but it is still unclear to me." Faith said. "Who are Windigo and Zane, and what do either of them have to do with the Mask of Tyranny?"
Silence settled over the ninja again, a heavy, suffocating silence. It pained them horribly to think of Zane as a bloodthirsty demon, but it hurt them even worse to talk about it, especially since they knew they were all equally guilty for his turn to darkness.
"Well…" Jay began. "Zane was a ninja, like us. He was the master of ice."
"Yeah." Cole said. "He was a robot, but he was the kindest person you'd ever meet."
"So...what happened to him?" One of the hunters asked.
"It was our fault." Kai said. "We...mistreated him, and well…" Kai lifted up his gi to show the hunters the scars of where Windigo shredded the fire ninja's abdomen. The hunters gasped.
"W-what made him do that?" Chew Toy asked. "It looks like an Oni got to you!"
"Zane snapped and turned to a crime ring because they promised to treat him better." Jay told them. "He fell in with them and managed to get his hands on the Mask of Tyranny. Now he's overthrown Garmadon and rules Ninjago."
"It's...real?"
"I thought the Mask of Tyranny was just a myth…"
"I don't believe it…"
"The Mask of Tyranny is very much real." Cole said. Tears pricked his eyes.
"And now because of us, it's turned him into Windigo…"
"But we're not giving up." Jay cut in. "Mask or not, we're going to save him. He's a good person at heart and nothing can change that!"
Faith shook her head. "If you haven't freed Zane from the grasp of the mask already, it may already be too late. The darkness of the mask knows no bounds, just like its creator. Its power won't stop until it's taken complete control of its wielder in body, mind, and spirit. And the more its wearer uses it, the stronger its hold becomes."
They all fell silent again, daunted by Faith's warning. What if she was right and they were too late? How would they defeat Windigo? Would they be able to get Zane back? What state was Ninjago in? Would anything ever be the same again?
The sound of distant wingbeats startled them all from their thoughts. They looked up just in time to see a massive red and black dragon hovering above them. The dragon hunters screamed.
"It's Firstbourne again!" Arkade yelled. "Run for your lives!"
The ninja were about to flee when Jay suddenly grabbed Cole's arm. "Wait, look!"
They did, and were overjoyed to see Master Wu sitting on the dragon's back, dressed in the armor. They cheered as Wu and Firstbourne landed.
"He's riding without chains!" Jet Jack cried. "How is that possible?!"
Faith smiled when she saw Wu beaming down. "The Dragon Master doesn't need them."
Wu jumped off of Firstbourne and was immediately caught up in the arms of the ninja.
"You did it!" Jay cried. "You actually did it!"
"I knew you had it in you!"
Faith walked up to them. "What about Iron Baron?"
Wu grinned. "Baron's days are over. He showed his true colors and Firstbourne was not impressed."
The hunters erupted into cheering. The ninja finally broke the hug.
"Oh Master Wu, you don't realize how much we've missed you!" Jay said.
"We need you more than ever right now…" Cole said, gulping.
Wu grinned again, but his face faltered as he looked at the three.
"Cole, Jay, Kai...where is Zane?"
The ninja looked at each other again, feeling as if Firstbourne had suddenly sat on their chests. What do they tell their Master? That they were responsible for the kindest soul on the face of Ninjago turning to darkness and possibly ruling it with an iron fist? How would he take it?
Cole was the first one to speak. He cleared his throat.
"M-master Wu…" He began, his voice and body trembling. "We need to tell you something…"
Wu grew more concerned. "What is it?"
Cole drew in a shaky breath before telling Wu everything that had happened from beginning to end. He had to stop a few times to regain his composure, and Kai showed him the scars left by Windigo. By the end of it all, Wu stood rooted to his spot, too shocked to speak or even move. The color had left his face long ago and an expression of pure horror was on his face.
"W-we didn't know what we had done until it was too late…" Cole finished.
"W-we're sorry, Master Wu!" Jay cried, collapsing to his knees and bursting into a sobbing mess. "I didn't mean to hurt Zane like I did! N-none of us did!"
Kai said nothing, staring at the ground, looking very ashamed.
Suddenly images flashed through Wu's brain. Zane when he first joined the team. Zane when he sacrificed himself to defeat the Overlord. Zane when they had rediscovered him at Chen's island. But most of all, he remembered the icy demon staring down at him when they were in Primeval's Eye. His worst nightmare had come true.
"No…" Wu said. "No! NO!" Without another word, he rushed over to Firstbourne and jumped on her back.
"Ninja! We need to get back to Ninjago NOW!" He yelled. "Before it's too late!"
The ninja didn't hesitate. They ran over to Firstbourne and jumped onto her neck with Wu. She turned and leapt into the air, soaring into the sky.
"Go, Son of the Spinjitzu Master!" Faith yelled after them. "Save Zane and defeat Windigo! Before you fall under his hand!"
A swirling vortex appeared in the sky and Firstbourne and the ninja disappeared through it.
"Where did they go?" Daddy No Legs asked, staring after where the ninja and Wu had disappeared.
"Ninjago."
…
Lloyd and Nya whipped their heads around as the door flew open. A terrified Skylor bursted inside, clutching her arm and blood running freely down her face.
"SKYLOR!" They cried and rushed to her side as she fell to her knees.
"Oh my FSM…" Lloyd said, wide-eyed as he saw the gashes in her arm and across her face. "What happened?!"
"W-Windigo got me…" She gasped. Blood dripped to the floor. "He got me…"
"Where's Mystake?"
Skylor continued panting, shaking her head. "She...didn't make it…"
Nya cussed and kicked a nearby garbage can. Lloyd ran off and returned with rolls of bandages and went right to work examining the damage and staunching the bleeding. Windigo's claws had left deep gashes in her arm. The raking of claws over her face had sliced open her nose and cheek and narrowly missed her eye. They would leave scars, no doubt.
"Oh, Skylor, I'm so sorry…" Lloyd said as tears pricked his eyes, still in disbelief that Zane was capable of such harm.
"I-It's okay…" Skylor said through gritted teeth. Lloyd finished patching up her arm and began working on her face.
"Did you touch him?" Nya asked. Skylor nodded.
"Will you be able to control Corbin?"
"I-I don't know…" She said. "There's only one way to find out…just finish patching me up and we'll go."
"Not in this condition, Skylor." Lloyd told her. "If the SOG catches us, you won't be able to escape. And I…" He gulped. "I don't want another person to die at Zane's hands…"
"Lloyd." Skylor said. "You know I was up there. I got closer than anyone ever had. Believe me when I say this: Zane is gone. He can't be saved. What you see now isn't your brother, it's a monster. I looked him in his eyes, there's nothing left of him."
"He's still there." Lloyd said desperately, still not wanting to believe it. "We can save him!"
"We can't, Lloyd." Nya said. "He's actively hunting us down and trying to kill us as we speak! What does that tell you about him?! After all the destruction he's caused and all the blood he's shed, what in the world makes you think Zane is still there?!"
"You saw the ring on Harumi's hand!" Lloyd argued. "I don't care who it is, if that demon still has the capacity to love, my brother is still in there somewhere. Monster or not, I won't stop until I find him. I'll need proof to show that he's gone before I even begin to think about destroying him. I refuse to fail him again,"
Nya growled but said nothing, obvious that Lloyd still refused to acknowledge the inevitable. She told him, Skylor told him, even Mystake told him, but in the end it was up to him to realize it.
A grating roar from the sky above rattled the walls. Nya and Lloyd jumped to their feet, pulling Skylor up with them.
"That's our cue." Nya said. "Can you walk?"
Skylor nodded. "Yeah. Get me up there, and we'll take Corbin."
They snuck out of the ramshackled house and ducked through the streets avoiding the SOG as they travelled on foot through the city, careful to avoid being seen by Corbin, circling in the sky above as she tracked Skylor by the scent of her blood.
Finally, Borg Tower- or what remained of it- loomed in the near distance. A few blocks away was another skyscraper almost as tall. The three dove through the entrance and climbed flight after flight of stairs until they reached the roof.
"Look, there he is." Nya said, pointing. In the distance they could see the figure of Windigo. A shadow passed over them and there was another roar as Corbin sailed over them.
"Alright Skylor, you know what to do." Lloyd said. "Get that dragon!"
Skylor watched as she followed Corbin's path in the sky. She reached her hands out and Nya and Lloyd watched as purple flame and ice shards erupted from around her fingers. The amber master concentrated and tried to connect with the dragon, but could feel something blocking her. It was Windigo's control over Corbin.
Feeling a disturbance, Windigo turned around. He saw Skylor across the rooftops using his power.
"What?" He said. "What is she doing?"
There was another roar in the sky. Windigo looked up and saw Corbin reeling in circles, shaking her head as she became disoriented. He saw her eyes flicker from black to orange as she struggled. He gasped and ran to the edge of the tower.
"You think you can take my dragon from me?!" He roared. "Well, think again!"
He reached his hand out, his element manifesting itself. He willed Corbin's control back to him and sent her diving at the three.
"Its working!" Nya cried as she saw the dragon coming towards them.
Skylor felt herself lose hold of Corbin and gaped in horror as she whipped around and dove towards them.
"That's not me!" She said.
Lloyd looked and saw Corbin's eyes had gone back to black. He gasped.
"Get down!" He yelled. He shoved Nya and Skylor to the ground and threw his hands over his head, Corbin's snapping jaws missing them by inches. They jumped back up onto their feet as the dragon sailed back up into the sky.
"Windigo's too strong!" Nya cried. "We have to leave!"
Corbin wheeled around and began headed their way for another strike. Lloyd got behind Skylor. "You can do this!" He said to her. "Take control! Break his hold!"
Skylor tried to break Windigo's control over Corbin but failed. "I can't!"
Corbin roared and dived. Again they ducked before jumping back up.
"Control it Skylor!" Lloyd said. "You have Zane's power, you've felt it! It's yours now! Break his hold!"
Windigo felt his control over his dragon slipped. He growled and focused, battling for control over Corbin. Skylor felt it too and fought back. Corbin again became disoriented as they vied for her control, eyes flickering black and orange as she roared in confusion and veered through the sky, crashing into buildings and making them tumble to the ground. A pile of rubble fell on her and she crashed into the street. The onlooking citizens screamed and fled, but some weren't fast enough and were crushed to death under the dragon.
Harumi, who had been watching the entire thing unfold from the hiding spot behind her throne, gasped in horror as she watched the innocent people die. This was getting worse and worse by the minute. She had to stop it.
Windigo snarled. "You're no match for me, Skylor." he hissed, jerking back control of Corbin. The dragon got up and shook herself free from the rubble. Under Windigo's command, Corbin spread her wings and took to the sky once again. She spun around and glowered at the three, dark mist wafting from her jaws as she growled. Windigo grinned and narrowed his eyes.
"DESTROY THEM!" he bellowed, pointing at them. Corbin roared and dove at them with a vengeance.
"No!" Harumi cried. Without a second thought she leapt at Windigo's back and grabbed hold of his antlers, jerking him to the side and making him fall to his knees.
"Control it Skylor control it!" Lloyd cried in panic as Corbin neared.
"I...can't!" Skylor grunted.
Harumi's distraction broke Windigo's hold on Corbin. Lloyd cowered behind Skylor.
"SKYLOR!" He screamed. Corbin was feet from them.
Skylor finally siezed hold of the dragon and with a great yell willed her to pull up and fly into the sky above them at the last second.
Roars and cries could be heard in the distance. Nya looked out at Borg Tower and gasped. "Look!"
"Harumi?!" Lloyd cried. "What is she doing?!"
"I-I think she's...helping us!" Skylor said, maintaining hold of Corbin.
Harumi's hands groped Windigo's face as the icy demon clawed at her to get off. She yanked and tugged at the antlers as Windigo stumbled around blindly.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" he howled.
"You need to stop this!" Harumi cried, fending off Windigo's claws. "Look at yourself, Zane, you're becoming a monster! I can't let you! I won't let you!"
Down below, the SOG had rode in from patrol and watched the fight. Skylor saw them down below and sent Corbin plummeting down before unleashing a barrage of dark ice upon the biker gang. Killow and Ultra were barely able to jump out of the way in time.
Ultra pulled out out the Mask of Hatred. "Oh, it's on."
Skylor grinned. "I've waited so long for this."
Corbin came swooping back down for another attack, this time grabbing Ultra in her jaws and sending her flying over the rooftops and out of sight. Killow saw Corbin coming down again and put on the Mask of Deception before flinging cars at the dragon in an attempt to deter her. Corbin was unfazed as the cars glanced off her armored body and they came raining back down. He didn't move in time and he was covered in destroyed vehicles. Groaning, he crawled out from under the pile and searched for the Mask of Deception.
"No!" He said when he finally found it, holding two broken pieces of it in his hands.
Harumi's fingers finally found the edge of the Mask of Tyranny. She tried to pry it off of Zane's face, but before she got a chance a set of icy claws dug themselves into her calf.
Harumi gasped in pain and let go. Windigo finally tore free of her grasp and slammed her to the floor. She wept as she clutched her injured leg, staining her gown red with her blood. Tears were spilling down her face as she watched Windigo advance slowly on her, his eyes ablaze with rage, his claws coated in her blood.
"So this is the thanks I get." The demon growled savagely. "After all we've been through, after all that I have done for you, and you want to stand in my way the moment I finally get my chance at destroying the green ninja?! Is this the thanks I get?!"
Harumi looked up at Zane, tears blurring her vision. "I-I'm sorry!" She wept. "I had to! Zane, look what you've become! You're killing innocent people, you're destroying the city! I-It's that mask!"
"This mask has nothing to do with this." Windigo spat. He stared down at Harumi as she sobbed and bled. He clenched his fists. "I let you into my heart, and what did you do? You backstabbed me!"
"I-I'm trying to s-save you!" Harumi cried over the blistering, freezing wind that had now picked up. "Zane, look at yourself! Don't you see what you've become?! This isn't who I fell in love with! I married the caring, sweet nindroid, not the monster that calls himself Windigo!"
Harumi looked pleadingly up at Windigo. "Z-Zane, please forgive me...I don't want you to go down this path anymore...please...I love you…"
Windigo narrowed his eyes. The raging fire within them only grew brighter.
"You don't love me…" He said, his voice dripping with venom. "You're no better than the so called 'brothers' that treated me like nothing. And you and I both know what fates befell of them. Such will be the same with you."
Harumi's heart dropped as she realized what Zane meant. Her face instantly paled. She scrambled to her feet and limped, trying to escape. But she was stopped short as a spear of ice was sent through her leg. She screamed in pain and fell to the ground.
"Remember what I said, Harumi." Zane's voice said behind her. "Nobody stands between me and the mask. Not even you."
Windigo pulled Harumi free from the ice spike and shoved her to the ground.
"N-no!" She cried. "Zane, please! This isn't you! It never was!"
She looked Zane in the eyes in one last attempt to get through to the mind under the mask. But when she looked, she saw nothing. Zane wasn't there anymore.
Windigo cocked his head to the side, almost mockingly. "Zane?" he asked.
"I've never heard of him."
Windigo snapped his fingers, and a spear of ice shot up from the ground, stabbing Harumi straight through the heart. She went stiff in shock as she realized what he had just done and she felt the life drain from her. Windigo watched her bleed out. She struggled to form words, but couldn't, As she felt her insides fill with what felt like thousands of icy needles as Windigo froze her from the inside out.
Her vision became dim, and for a split second she thought she saw Windigo's purple eyes flash blue- the eyes she fell in love with, the broken eyes she vowed to fix, the eyes she knew would never hurt her. For the first time since she could remember, she thought she saw Zane again
But just as quickly, it left as Windigo shook his head, almost as if trying to fend off the nindroid from coming back, leaving Harumi wondering if what she saw was real. Silent tears streamed down her face as her vision went dark and the ice finished its painful process. Her eyes were now glazed over with the clouds she could no longer see.
Windigo watched as Harumi died her slow painful death, devoid of any feeling of grief for what he had just done. The ring on his finger crumbled to dust as it blew away with the wind. His eyes flickered to black as he turned his attention back to reining in Corbin.
Just as Harumi's spirit left the earth, the last piece of humanity deep within Zane's soul left with her, replaced by darkness. Zane was to be no more. He had succumbed to Windigo.
The Mask of Tyranny had won.