Yakunan watched as his son stormed away, dark clouds trailing behind him. As the other citizens and ninja resurfaced from the bunker, the former Overlord found himself collapsed on his knees, shaking in emotion from the events that had transpired.
"Are you alright?" Garmadon asked, kneeling beside Yakunan.
"Xenudah..." Yakunan's voice shook in emotion as he spoke. "My poor son… He shut me out again…"
"I'm so sorry…" Garmadon pulled the older man close. "I'm so sorry…"
Yakunan sobbed harder, the pain he had held back for years, releasing in a tsunami of grief and sorrow. "I'm sorry I wasn't good enough for you, Xenudah…"
The destruction elemental's voice was unsteady as he spoke. He could empathize with his son's once-former adversary. "I cannot even begin to imagine how devastated you must be feeling at the moment."
"It hurts more than anything…" Yakunan's hands balled up into fists as he spoke. He was scared, desperate to have his child as his own once more.
He wouldn't stop until he did.
Xenudah shuddered as he flew off to parts unknown. He had to leave. He had to get away. His father—no, Yakunan—no longer cared for him, or so he thought. His hands clenched tightly into fists as he glared at the island of Ninjago. "Yakunan, you'll pay for what you've done to me! As of today, you are no longer my father. We are no longer related. I hate you!"
The son of the former Overlord let out a piercing shriek, his throat straining as he wailed. He couldn't fly anymore. Not when his emotions were out of control. He landed in a nearby forest, curling into a tight ball against a tree, allowing his body to tremble without restraint. He was overwhelmed beyond everything. Especially after what he'd said to his father. The light deep within him refused to accept that he really pushed Yakunan away to that extent.
Just then, he heard a soft voice call out his name. He jumped, startled at the young woman that stood there.
Her eyes were a vivid red, and she was wearing a black and crimson gi. Her long, raven black hair cascaded down her back in a ponytail.
Too familiar. This couldn't be her.
But it was.
"Xenu?" The woman spoke again. "Is it really–"
"Y-Yes, but why…?" Xenudah began, his voice dangerously low and quiet. "Why did you leave me, Shiren? And why, out of all times, did you decide to come back now?"
"I didn't want Kymika to live under your shadow…" Shiren gazed down at her hands, which were gently grasping Xenudah's. They were shaking. She was scared. It had been so long since she had reunited with him, and she didn't know how he would respond.
"So, you left?!" Xenudah snapped, yanking his hands out of his wife's hold. "I waited for you, yet you tore her away from me!"
"I gave her up for adoption, Xenudah. I wasn't ready to take care of her just yet."
"Shiren Oreka, I can't believe you!" The shadow elemental screeched, shoving her back, fury burning in his indigo orbs. "I never asked, yet you left behind my back and didn't apologize! Where is our daughter?!"
"Look, I'm sorry… I don't know…" Shiren sighed. Her voice was soft and submissive. "I won't leave you again, I promise."
Xenudah's breathing grew shaky, as did his body, causing Shiren to embrace him. He tensed at the gesture, his eyes incensed in slight suspicion, though it was short-lived as he pushed her back again.
"LET ME GO! I CAN'T LIVE LIKE THIS ANYMORE! NOT WHEN OUR OWN DAUGHTER HAS FALLEN TO THE FORCES OF LIGHT AND IS AT RISK OF LEAVING US FOREVER!"
Shiren sighed and shook her head. "I love you, Xenudah, I know you wouldn't push your own child and father away–"
"DON'T CALL HIM MY FATHER! I DON'T CARE ABOUT YAKUNAN ANYMORE! I HATE HIM!" Xenudah screeched, his eyes glowing a bright shade of indigo as the emotions bubbled to the surface. "HE JUST OUTRIGHT LEFT ME ALONE, TRAPPED IN A CAVE WHILE HE WENT TO FIGHT HIKARI, AND HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW THAT THE LAND WOULD BE SEPARATED, QUITE LITERALLY TEARING US BOTH APART FOR DECADES ON END?! WE COULD HAVE CONQUERED NINJAGO TOGETHER! THERE IS NO HOPE LEFT, ALL OF THAT IS IN VAIN, AND NOW I AM LEFT WITH NO CHOICE BUT TO USE FORCE TO BRING US TOGETHER UNTIL THE END OF TIME ITSELF!" He clenched his fists tight as he glared at Shiren, a swirl of indigo energy consuming him as the anger within continued to build. "THE KAMIARES WILL PAY FOR ALL OF THIS AND I AM DONE WITH WATCHING OUR FAMILY CRUMBLE INTO PIECES!"
As those last words were said, Xenudah collapsed to his knees, bursting into piercing wails, the energy forming a huge shockwave that knocked all the trees down that surrounded him and Shiren. His body would not stop shaking, and his wife couldn't help but kneel beside him, pulling him close. Xenudah wouldn't let her, however. Instead, he pushed her back, wanting to have space.
"I-I can't…I can't deal with this anymore…" he continued, his sobs falling to a faint whimper, before growing more intense once again. "I want our daughter back… Where is she?! WHERE IS SHE?!" He let out yet another piercing shriek as he picked up one of the rocks and threw it far from where he stood on the ground.
Shiren trembled at being literally pushed aside, her voice shaking along with her body. "I said I didn't know, Xenudah…"
Xenudah shuddered at his wife's statement, the dread overcoming him. Perhaps Kymi—No, he wouldn't go there. He wouldn't be convinced that she's gone too far at this rate. "I will never forgive you after what you've done to me. I promise I won't let you, Kymika and Yakunan get away with as much as you all did." Xenudah's voice shook uncontrollably as he let the emotions run rampant in his mind and soul.
Shiren let out a soft sigh as she struggled to keep from breaking down. Her family was falling apart before her very eyes. She didn't know what else to do anymore. "I'll find her, Xenudah. I'll find them both. You'll never be alone again, I promise."
Xenudah only scoffed. He was finished with the nonsense his so-called family was giving him. Yakunan especially. Heck, he abandoned him millennia ago and didn't bother to come back for him. He was bound to come back one way or another, whether on the same side or not. But as of today, he would no longer be related to him. Letting out a sigh, he carded his fingers through his hair as the anxiety within him only grew.
"Xenu, are you alright? What's going on? Your breathing is kind of frantic."
"How can I be? Our daughter is somewhere we don't know and Lloyd's somewhere out there and I hate him for almost killing Yakunan, as much as I don't want him to be related to me."
"You have to let that go –"
"You know I can't! It's all his fault Yakunan's purified! We were this close to conquering Ninjago! THIS! CLOSE! LLOYD AND THE KAMIARES HAVE TO DIE! I'LL MAKE SURE OF IT!"
Shiren fled. For as long as her husband was consumed with darkness, she would never be free. She knew she needed help.
This time, she wouldn't hide or run away.
She would not stop until Xenudah and Kymika were hers again.