Welcome! I've been away for a while, but for good reason and with good results.

A while ago, I began a series of stories. They were okay, but the ideas behind them were much better than the actual content that resulted from my writing (the first story in the series was literally my first piece of writing, ever). So I decided to put them aside and work on my skills as a writer so I could bring my visions to life more effectively.

Now I'm ready to try again, and I have a feeling this time around will be the magic number. I hope you will agree!

After this one, I'm going to try to post a new chapter every weekend, at least for now. That could very well change in August when I resume college classes, but I will do my best to keep a regular schedule. Sometimes I will post two chapters over a weekend (or one may be more in the middle of the week, depends on what's going on that week).

My previous attempts at this story series will be removed from the site, as my ideas have grown and changed a little (well, really a lot) since those attempts. My new stories will replace them (and will be MUCH better).

A final (and most important) note… this story begins immediately after the Preeminent is defeated. Any events in the TV show that occur after the Preeminent's defeat are nonexistent in my work here. I suppose that makes it an "AU" story… take that as you will.

Without further delay, please enjoy Music King's Ninjago FanFiction: Take Two!

WAR OF DARKNESS CHRONICLES

Book One: Changes

Part One: Second Chance
Chapter I: Awakening

Monday January 1, 2018...

The Cursed Realm.

Destroyed? Apparently not.

Its master and ruler? Still alive, somehow. He could feel her presence, her chilled breath on the wind.

Morro.

Alive (in some sense). Awake. Alone.

There had been a deep blackness for a moment as he was plunged beneath the waves, and then there was nothing at all. An endless void. No light, no darkness; not black, not white, nor any color in between.

Just nothing.

But then, there were colors—mostly green—and formless figures—including himself—flying about the void.

In time, the chaos settled, and Morro stayed conscious just long enough to see the reformed Cursed Realm, exactly as he had left it.

Now fully awake and aware of his surroundings, Morro realized that he was absolutely alone and completely without purpose.

He was in a small, dark cave outside of a town.

He had no intention of seeking out his former master, the Preeminent. In the time during which the Cursed Realm was reassembling itself, the Preeminent's thoughts were freely floating through the void—her thoughts were available for any residents of her realm to read. Many of her thoughts dwelled on Morro, especially on the fact that he was nothing more than her tool.

Naturally, Morro was furious at being used as the Preeminent's puppet.

More than ever, he desperately wanted to escape this place. But not for revenge, or to carry out a mission, or even just to be free of the Preeminent and her influence.

Now, Morro sought redemption. When his anger against the Preeminent had cooled, he knew that he must begin to set things right. How often does life give one a second chance?

However, it was almost impossible to escape. He lacked the Realm Crystal, naturally occurring interdimensional portals were incredibly rare, and he refused to seek the help of the Preeminent's powers.

"I wonder how Lloyd escaped this place…" Morro whispered to himself.

"I left him here and returned to Ninjago, and he was without the Crystal, so how—"

Morro cut himself off, remembering something he had said to Lloyd: "say hello to your father…"

"Of course," Morro thought aloud (something he had always done regularly. Others often thought he was simply pontificating, but the habit helped him keep his thoughts in order).

"His father would know how he escaped… but I will have to face him again."

A cold chill ran up and down Morro's spine at the thought of facing Garmadon, but he saw no other option.

Morro stepped out of the cave in which he had awoken and immediately began travelling in the direction of one of the most feared destinations across the Sixteen Realms, the Mount of Anguish. It would take him two days to get there if he made good time.

He thought it was in his best interest to keep a low profile, so his initial thought was to go around the town (which, of course, sat right in his way of the path to the mountain). This would only add a couple hours to his travelling time, but there was one problem: he had no way of concealing his identity.

Morro's favor with the Preeminent (and authority over many ghosts in her realm) elevated him to a status of fame which made him instantly recognizable to anyone in the Cursed Realm. He once relished the fame and glory; now he despised it. He would have to get some cover so that he could pass through any towns he might encounter on the way to the Mount of Anguish without being assailed by fans or ghosts angry with their failure to curse the other realms and escape this accursed one.

Fortunately, the nearby town was a small one.

"Perhaps I can slip in and acquire a cloak without being recognized by too many people," Morro thought, now standing about a hundred yards from the town entrance.

His hopes were quickly dashed, however, when he reached the gates and was immediately recognized by a large hooded ghost guarding the entrance to the town.

"Well, just look who came struttin' down my path today!" the burly ghost boomed when Morro was about twenty feet away.

"Good ol' Morro. The freak who promised us glory and power over the mortal realms, but came up short the second it got hard."

Morro immediately recognized the ghost. Fardo.

Fardo had once challenged Morro to a duel. Muscular as he was, Fardo lacked agility and foresight, and lost to Morro in seconds. Morro admired Fardo's spirit and confidence, however unskilled he was, and offered a chance to train and improve in preparation of unleashing the Preeminent and cursing the universe.

"Yes, it's me," Morro replied. "Excuse me."

He had no intention to stop walking into the town, nor any intention to pick a fight with Fardo.

But then Fardo held out his arm, using it to hit Morro across the chest in an attempt to bar him from entering the town.

Morro immediately grabbed the outstretched arm, elbowed Fardo in the gut, situated the arm over his shoulder, and used it as leverage to violently throw the much larger ghost forward. Fardo did two flips and faceplanted into the ground several feet away from Morro.

Fardo knew better than to stand or offer any retaliation, as Morro was already standing over him, ready to strike again if need be.

Morro leaned down, a foot from Fardo's face, and simply said, "Don't touch me. And don't get up until I'm out of your sight."

Without another word from either ghost, Morro relieved Fardo of his hood, stood up, and walked into the town.

Fardo did not get up until he was sure Morro was gone. He also did not call after Morro or expose his presence once he was on his feet again.

After all, Morro was not known for his mercy.