Kai gazed down at his elemental sword, swinging it around. The light that radiated from it was bright, powerful, and at least he felt that from just looking at it.
A loud shout came from Jay. "Wow, you just almost burned my gi!"
"Aiyah! Sorry!"
"Be careful next time."
"Well, what use would it be to be here when we can simply go out and tackle the Oni?" The fire elemental raised his voice and tossed the blade aside. "Why did we have to come to this place to begin with?" Kai questioned with suspicion.
"Yakunan brought us here. Why don't we ask him?"
"You mustn't disturb him." Garmadon gazed sadly at the former Overlord gazing down at Xenudah, who was lying next to him. "He hasn't seen his son in years. Give them time alone." The destruction elemental's heart panged with compassion, remembering how much he deeply missed his own son.
"Dad, it's over," Lloyd assured, a soft smile on his face. "It's okay, you don't have to worry about losing me anymore."
Garmadon laughed and stretched, letting a sigh escape. "You've grown up so much in the last few years, my son…" Perhaps one day, after the situation had calmed down, he'd be able to forge a stronger relationship with his son. It would take some time, but perhaps it could happen. He'd let it happen.
Lloyd threw his arms tight around his father, laying his head on his shoulder. "I love you…" he whispered.
"I know…"
And for a moment Lloyd knew everything was going to be alright.
"Hikari!" Yakunan exclaimed. "Epsilon is in Ninjago!" He cursed under his breath and clenched his fists.
Hikari drew his sword and infused it with his element. The golden energy pulsed through his body, filling him with immense power.
While Yakunan summoned two blades from his pure creation energy, they were golden and extremely captivating. But that didn't matter at the moment.
The darkness was coming. And it was inevitable.
Hikari turned to face his closest friend and asked, "Are you ready?"
"As ready as I'll ever be." A slight edge was present in Yakunan's reply, but it made sense, considering his overprotectiveness for his child.
"Shall we?"
"Yes, Hikari, it's time."
The two charged at the incoming Oni Legion. Their war cries echoed throughout the empty valley, golden elemental blades clashing with the black tendrilled axes, staves, and spears the Oni carried, setting the tempo for the battle at play.
But nothing seemed to be working.
Yakunan was struggling now. And then a piercing pain shot through his chest, sending shivers through his entire body.
"Tornado of Creation?"
There was no response except a painful-sounding grunt escaping Yakunan's lips.
"Yakunan! What happened?!"
"T-Tohakai… That cursed Oni… He struck me with his staff, Xenudah close to follow, and then disappeared… I cannot stay… Soon…the darkness… It will consume my child and I… I don't want to hurt you, Hikari… Not like this… I have to g– Agh! It hurts!" Yakunan grimaced at the pain. "But I beg of you to...to do everything...everything in your power to bring tranquility back to this realm as it was always meant to be. Where there is light, there will always be shadow… You are both Dragon and Oni, creation and destruction, good and evil. This realm's balance. And now I can see it… I shall be the one to shatter the peace, driving our home into oblivion. Whatever happens, please promise to bring Ninjago back to a peaceful state, and tell your descendants to do the same. That is all I want."
"I promise."
Now strong enough to stand on his own, he created a blue-purple elemental dragon, but before he could mount it, he glanced over to say goodbye. "I am sorry it had to end like this. Believe me… I never wanted it to… But it already has. Farewell, Hikari…"
And just like that, Yakunan Akurai took off with Xenudah into the shadows.
"Epsilon… I hate him..." Yakunan muttered in anguish, fury clear in his tone as well. His voice rose to a despairful shout. "I hate him! He sealed his fate the very moment he corrupted me! HE WILL NEVER GET AWAY WITH WHAT HE HAS DONE! CURSE HIM FOREVER! HE RUINED ALL CHANCES OF OUR FAMILIES EVER HAVING A TRULY HAPPY LIFE!"
"Dad, please...calm down…" Xenudah whispered, rubbing a hand against his father's back to soothe him, but to no avail.
Yakunan flinched, violently tearing away, and began pacing around the temple grounds. "I JUST CAN'T! EPSILON WILL PAY FOR THE PAIN HE HAS CURSED US WITH! I AM DONE WITH ALLOWING HIM DESTROY NINJAGO! I-I WANT IT ALL TO BE OVER!" He collapsed to his knees with a sharp, piercing cry and buried his face in his hands.
"I-I'm so sorry, father..." Xenudah whispered, tears running down his face as he expressed his sympathy.
A brief trembling sound accompanied a shuddering breath Yakunan let out, teetering on the verge of losing his temper, again. "Let me be..."
"But Father..."
An exasperated whisper emerged from the former Overlord's lips. "Please...listen to me and just leave me alone..."
"Let me help you…"
At the moment, it was tiresome to see Xenudah's needy behavior. "XENUDAH, ENOUGH!" He took a deep breath and glared daggers at his own son. "At this point, you are only making matters worse..."
"F-Father, please…" Xenudah begged, looking to be in tears himself.
"Don't get on my case," Yakunan said, with a finality in his voice he didn't often show his son.
"Dad...I-I–" Xenudah cried out, clutching at his father's arm. "D-Don't hurt me…"
"I am not hurting you." The former Overlord cut his son off. "You have no authority over me. I don't want to hide anymore..."
"I know…" Xenudah admitted.
"But I don't know what else to do… You can't just force me to do something I don't want to do." Yakunan said, with an unsteady voice. "I-I just want the Oni out of our way…"
Xenudah let out a short, pained cry, holding back tears, but keeping his gaze with his father in desperate earnesty. "Dad, I need you to listen to me," Xenudah begged, his voice filled with a desperation that he had never heard before. "If you go stop them alone, I'll lose you!"
"I won't lose you," Yakunan said, turning back to face his son, sighing in defeat. He placed a hand on his son's cheek, cradling it gently as he let out a shuddering breath, shaking his head in remorse. "You're right, Xenu. What was I thinking? I can't just leave you alone again like this."
"Then how am I supposed to do this alone, Father?" Xenudah asked. "I can't stop them alone...It's so scary, and I don't know what to do..." He repeated his original complaint, his voice climbing a few octaves with his nerves.
"That's why you're going to let me help you," Yakunan said, though his voice sounded on the verge of breaking with the emotions he was trying to hide. "You know that I would never abandon you."
Xenudah pulled away from his father, his face set with resolution and his voice low and hoarse. "I know that, father...I do. But I'm scared…and I don't know what to do..." He whispered, desperation now filling his voice.
"That's right...you're scared...but you're not alone…" Yakunan said, drawing his son close and giving him a soft embrace. "I love you… You'll never be alone…"
The former Overlord turned his back on his son, his face still filled with disappointment. "You're right…I'm wrong," Yakunan said, the words escaping him. "I'll do this with you, my son… Together... I promise..."
"Thank you, father…I didn't mean to fall apart on you…"
"It's alright, son... You've always been so temperamental…" Yakunan knelt in front of his child. "That's what I adore most about you… You've always had that reckless nature."
Xenudah wrapped his arms around his father, crying unashamedly now. "I'm sorry, father… I'm so sorry..."
"It's alright…" Yakunan whispered, holding his son closer to him. "Don't apologize...I just want you to know how much I love you."
Xenudah tried to steady his breath as he cried, listening to his father's heartbeat as it began to slow. Yakunan squeezed his son tightly, burying his face in his son's shoulder.
"I love you so much, Xenudah..." Yakunan whispered, his voice breaking with emotion. "Oh, so very much… Please don't ever leave my side…"
In that moment, Xenudah hardly noticed the drops of tears staining his own gi. Being alone was suddenly not an enigma to him anymore; instead, he remembered the moments they spent time together. They longed for the day where they could finally live their life without anyone attempting to pull them apart.