An awkward silence filled the massive gaming room of the Monastery. Monty was sprawled out against half of the main couch, running a small rod down the barrel of his pistol to clean it and ignoring everyone around him. Over stood behind the couch, arms behind his impeccably straight back. Lulloyd was seated by Monty, looking around in hopes of someone saying something. Harumi was kneeled down by the left side of the couch. Mage was the only one not in some form of awkward sensation, since he was chugging down a bottle of soda.
"Seriously, I have to figure out how to make this!" Mage gasped as he slammed the empty bottle down, "You guys have like, the best food!"
"It's all processed, Mage," Over frowned, "It would not be good for you. You should stick with the far more pure food of your time."
"So uh… who exactly is he?" Jay asked, "He looks like a younger version of Lloyd and… uh… you know!"
"I am Lloyd," Mage replied casually, "I'm gonna be thirteen soon!"
"And uh… what exactly is it that you do, aside from…" Kai gestured to Mage's body again.
Mage held one of his arms out, casually summoning elements in it. Fire consumed his palm and froze over with ice, melting into water and snapping up into the air and turning to poison, stopped midair with gravity, then dissipated and turn into dust he turned into earth, zipping the chunks around with speed until he gripped his fist and opened it to show lightning arcing between his fingers. The sight was mesmerizingly terrifying to all those that were watching.
"Did… did he just use all our powers, and then some?" Cole asked in shock.
"Yes… am I correct in assuming that you can do even more than that, Mage?" Zane asked, containing his own surprise.
"I know all of them! Well, except that green stuff that Lloyd uses," Mage shrugged, "I guess my power is related to that somehow."
Mage went back to drinking another soda, chugging it down with almost inhuman speed. The other ninja slowly turned their attention to Lulloyd, the current one that looked the most like Lloyd aside from the oddly shaped body. Lulloyd, sensing their attention, flipped around on the couch to face them.
"Uh, I'm not that different from you guys," Lulloyd grimaced, "My dad used to attack the city with his shark army. I uh, helped to stop him and now he's helping train me and my team… who are also you guys but, kinda different from you all. That's, a really bad explanation."
"A giant army of sharks?" Kai scoffed, "That doesn't sound like Garmadon."
"If I can recall, Garmadon did send doppelgangers after us as well as a dinosaur," Zane pointed out, "Given the context, it may be possible to derive some relationship."
"You're really like my Zane, just a lot more… human," Lulloyd smiled, "Yeah so uh, I'm the Green Ninja. I can't do any of the green beams that Lloyd does. My element is life. So, I can't really do anything like they can. But my dad is trying to make me a Warlord…. I shouldn't have said that, now I just look weird."
"You seem too nice to be a Warlord," Jay turned to Kai, "If anything, you'd be the Warlord!"
"I could get used to the attention," Kai smirked, "But you talk enough to be one, Jay."
"Hahaha, very funny," Jay turned to Monty, "Okay, what's your story?"
"Moving on," Monty didn't even look up at Jay.
"Just ignore him, he will act that way unless you say something to interest him," Over took a step towards Jay, making him tense, "You were going to ask me next, yes?"
"S-Sure thing, buddy," Jay nervously smiled. Over just sighed.
"I will keep it brief," Over placed a hand on his chest, "Due to my own actions to change the past, I created a future where I was a paradox and corrupted by the Devourer. And thus, my only course of action to remain in that world was to fuse with the one the venom originated from. The Overlord and I are now one being, fused down to our very essences. So, before you attempt to categorize us otherwise, I have accepted the moniker of Over for now."
"...Uhhhhh…." Kai blinked, "That's, a lot to take in. But… why the Overlord?"
"Because he was the only being that understood me and shared in my pain," Over responded firmly, "And now, I am here as a fusion of our wills and goals."
"Okay, so he's clearly evil, we're just gonna ignore that," Cole looked at Harumi, "So, what about you? You don't look like Lloyd."
"Yeah, and you have… her name," Nya frowned, "You're not, the actual Princess Harumi, right?"
"What? No, no no!" Harumi put her hands up, a look of embarrassment overtaking her face, "It's, a bit of a weird thing. I'm uh, let's just say that I'm the current Green Ninja!" Monty suddenly perked up, pulling Mage over to whisper in his ear.
"So, you're from the future, right?" Nya asked, "What's it like?"
"Well… you're all in it, and I don't want to say anything but...it's, one you can look forward to," Harumi smiled sadly, "Not without its… downs, but you'll enjoy it."
"What do we all do?" Jay asked.
"Well… for starters, you become famous for playing Fritz Donagen," Harumi told him, "And Kai, you help Skylar turn Chen's Noodle House into Ninjago's top chain. Zane, you have your own massive academy. I uhm, don't think it'll play out the same way so, I guess telling you isn't a bad idea."
"I get to play Fritz?!" Jay gasped, "I TOLD you guys I was Starfarer's number one fan!"
"I get with Skylar?" Kai pumped his fst, "Yes! I-I mean, we're so dating now so, it's not like I didn't already see it coming."
"An Academy… that is a most pleasing thought," Zane smiled, "Given the one that Wu started didn't work out, I would like to try my hand at educating the future generation."
"You said it might not play out the way we think, though," Cole pointed out, "Why is that?"
Harumi suddenly went red in the face, "It's, uhm, I'm not sure how you all will react when you hear it, so…"
"It's because her mother is Harumi and her dad is Lloyd!" Mage chirped up.
"Mage!" Harumi wailed, turning back to look at him. Monty grinned and reached out to give Mage a small bump on the shoulder.
"Wait… you're…" Nya blinked, "He… and she and…" The room went silent. Harumi lowered her head and looked embarrassed as she could be. As it all sank in to the others that hadn't already figured it out, Jay's eyes widened.
"LLOYD FRICKED?!" Jay shouted at the top of his lungs. The ninja all winced.
"...T-that's how Uncle Jay reacted when my dad first told them too…" Harumi sighed, then turned to Monty, "Why couldn't you let me break it to them?!"
"Because it's ten times funnier this way," Monty chuckled, then looked at Mage, "I'll let you hold the Sword later."
"Awesome!" Mage tapped Aevum on his hip, "Now I can try to dual wield!"
"Is that the Sword of Sanctuary?" Zane asked, overhearing Mage and Monty as Jay looked ready to hyperventilate.
"Yeah," Monty scowled, "What about it?"
"Why is it in your possession?" Zane asked further.
"Because I had it stolen for me," Monty sighed, "Take your scanners somewhere else. It's mine and you can't have it," Monty looked down at the sword suddenly and snapped, "Yes, it is mine!"
"...I see," Zane backed off his line of questioning, "This, Monty is quite odd."
"They're all odd!" Jay gasped, "Harumi and Lloyd, they, they!"
"Knock it off!" Nya wrapped her arm around Jay, sighing as she looked at the hallway, "When will Lloyd get back so he can explain this all to us?"
"But Lloyd!" Jay was cut off by a hard squeeze by Nya.
"Knowing Lloyd," Harumi looked towards the hallway herself, "He's probably finished telling Master Wu about what happened now."
Lloyd paused to take a breath, "...And that's how we ended up here with these new devices Harumi and Olive made us," Lloyd held up his bracelet, "I needed to ask you something important, Master. Well, a lot of things, really! Did you get all that?"
Master Wu sat with a cup of tea in his hand and his legs crossed in front of him. He had moved to try to take a sip of his tea at some point during Lloyd's massive rant, but had found his confusion overpowered his need to. By now, the drink was cold. He let out a small stuttering groan and sat the cup of tea aside, reaching up to adjust his hat.
"I… what was that about the volcano and, the future?" Wu asked in a daze, "I'm afraid, you lost me somewhere around there."
"That was Lulloyd and Haruim's worlds, Master," Lloyd leaned forward, "I've seen so many amazing things since I've been gone! I've been chasing the Twins the entire time and, did you hear what I said about them?"
"I, got most of it," Wu rubbed his eyes, "You, said that they destroyed a world, yes?"
"Yeah," Lloyd frowned, "The Twins found an Iron Doom that was damaged. When they used it to jump, they ripped a hole in the world that led to the void. We barely made it out before we were consumed by it."
"Right, that was, the one with Sun, yes?" Wu frowned, "I am, confused that I would name a child that. Or, that Misako would fall for me over my brother. But I assume that is just the nature of your travels," Wu took a fresh cup and poured himself some hot tea, taking a long sip. Doing so made Lloyd quietly wait for him, a much needed reprieve from the barrage of words. After taking his time to think out what he wanted to say, Wu sighed and sat the cup aside.
"Your adventures have taken you many places… I wish I could have gone with you, Lloyd," Wu sighed, "I have sent you into dangerous places beyond anything I could have imagined. Hearing all of this worries me greatly. I am just thankful that, for now, you are safe."
"But we're not safe, Master," Lloyd shook his head, "The Twins have an Iron Doom and all the Time Blades. They stole all the Vermillion from Monty's world too. They have to be planning something. I… I didn't stop them like I said I would."
"That is not a burden that you must bear, Lloyd," Wu frowned, "Krux and Acronix are out there by my own mistake. I allowed my hubris to cloud my judgement, and now a world has perished. I cannot even begin to imagine what that was like for you. Forgive me, Lloyd, for asking such a task of you. It is not the duty of the student to atone for the master."
"You don't need to apologize, Master," Lloyd bowed his head, "On, some more positive news, Harumi said she might be able to work out how to bring others, but we don't have the time to do that right now," Lloyd leaned in, "Our main worry right now is Ophiod and Prime. Those two are standing between us and the Twins."
"Yes, that is worrying," Wu shook his head, "A enemy driven by another's word is a single stone, but one driven by his own will is a mountain."
"Fighting Invictus felt like a mountain…" Lloyd lowered his head, "And… we saw what their worlds are like. We know why they're fighting us. And… it doesn't feel good."
"Rest assured, I know what you are feeling," Wu went to pour Lloyd a cup of tea and hand it to him, "I have fought many men in the past with goals that were perhaps more righteous than my own. Even someone that commits the worst act can have the best of reasons. Those two will be as great as the Twins in your quest."
"And that's why I'm here, Master," Lloyd gladly drank the cup of tea, hot and all, "I want to ask you more about what we found out when we visited their worlds."
"Ask any question," Wu responded warmly, "I will answer what I can." He went to make another cup of tea, holding it up to his face.
"Master, who is Aspheera?" Lloyd asked. Wu's tea cup froze right at the tip of his lips.
"A-Aspheera?" Wu's tea cup began to gently shake, "That, sounds like an ancient Serpentine name. Y-Yes, that is what I know about that." Wu tried to take a sip of tea.
"She's the Queen of the Serpentine in Ophiod's world, and his mom," Lloyd missed the sound of Wu suddenly choking on his tea, "She seemed to be someone kinda important. Is she around right now? She said she was a Viper but, I've never heard of them."
"T-The Vipers were my father's first attempt at creating the Serpentine," Wu shakily put down his tea cup with a nervous smile, "They were ancient, though. They evolved into the tribes that we know of today. I-If she was around back then, she wouldn't be alive anymore."
"You're sure she's nobody we need to worry about?" Lloyd asked him urgently.
"N-No, so long as she remains a memory, nothing will come of it," Wu cleared his throat, "What, what more did you wish to ask me about, Lloyd?"
Lloyd could sense something was up with Wu's answer, but he had more important things to talk about. Aspheera was just a smaller question compared to the larger ones that surrounded Ophiod and Skales. He straightened his back for a moment, then took another cup of tea and sipped it before he spoke.
"Master, I have to know," Lloyd spoke to Wu, "I need to know more about Spinjitzu."
"Whatever do you mean?" Wu asked, "You've mastered the art as well as I have. All you lack now is experience."
"Master, Ophiod and Skales, they do something with Spinjitzu I've never seen," Lloyd frowned, "They did Spinjitzu, together."
"Hrmm…" Wu paused, "Are you certain of this?" He reached up and stroked his long beard in thought.
"Yes, Master," Lloyd affirmed.
"Then they have perfected an art that even I have yet to attempt," Wu stood up. He made his way over to a large box of scrolls, then pulled one of them out. He slowly unfurled it, hanging it on the wall behind him before gesturing for Lloyd to come forward. Lloyd read the scroll, confusion lighting up his face.
"The… Spinjitzu Dyad?" Lloyd blinked, reading through the scroll, "'When two individuals are linked of heart and mind, their Spinjitzu energy can combine to produce a tornado grown from both of their wills'? Why haven't we heard of this?"
"Because the art is dangerous, and has never been perfected," Wu frowned, "Only my father was able to do so, and that was for a few seconds with one of his closest friends. The technique must be done between two people that are closer than even Master and Student, and even then it requires a trust that would put your lives in the hands of your partner."
Lloyd read down the scroll, "…'If done incorrectly, the combined force of Spinjitzu will be fully delivered into the one of weaker heart and mind.' Does that mean…?"
"Yes," Wu frowned, "If you are not fully willing and able to keep up with your partner, then the entire force of Spinjitzu will be sent right into you. For anyone of weak body, that would mean death. The only one that I ever would have been able to achieve it with was my brother, but as the venom corrupted him, I feared I would be struck down if we attempted it."
"So… Ophiod and Skales trust each other so much, they'd risk dying together just to be able to use a stronger Spinjitzu?" Lloyd asked in shock. Wu nodded sagely to him.
"It is not just a stronger Spinjitzu," Wu explained, "A Dyad is a force that is more than just the sum of two individuals. It is a union of the very energy that you use to create your Spinjitzu. If it is done correctly, it would be able to overtake any that they touched."
Lloyd paused, "When we first fought, I was trying to counter them and our Spinjitzu clashed. For a brief moment, it felt like we connected. Ophiod suddenly started shouting at me about how stupid I was and then, well he just threw me right out of Spiinjitzu. It was unlike anything I've felt. When I clash with the guys it isn't like that.."
"That is because you have done something you have only dabbled in the past with," Wu told him, "A Spinjitzu Duel. When your intent is to challenge the other, your Spinjitzu will combine, and then you will enter a duel with them. The side that loses will have the force of both Spinjitzu turned on them…."
"And?" Lloyd prompted him to finish.
"And… the consequence would be the same as failing to maintain the Dyad," Wu shook his head, "Lloyd. Do not engage them like that again. If they were to overcome you, they could damage your body in a way that you are not ready for. If you must, your mind will need steel, and your body iron."
"I'll remember that Master," Lloyd bowed his head to him, then moved to leave. When he stopped in the doorway, Wu looked to him in worry.
"What is it, Lloyd?" Wu asked him.
"Master… I've been doing Spinjitzu with Harumi this whole time," Lloyd shook his head, "I mean, not Spinjitzu-Spinjitzu but like, I've been able to use it with her holding onto me. And, she's never gotten hurt from it. Wouldn't that mean she could get hurt doing that?"
"I am not fully sure what that means," Wu admitted, "But I know that it says something important."
"And what is that, Master?" Lloyd asked.
"That Harumi is important to you, and that she trusts you with her life," Wu informed him, "Do not squander that trust."
Lloyd took a moment to ponder that implication. Skales and Ophiod were a pair that, somehow, had grown to trust each other that much? What exactly did that mean for him? A Dyad that nobody in this world had ever pulled off, a Duel that could cost him his life, it was all just so much. So much for him to try to take in with everything that he'd already learned about the others worlds. But that wasn't all he had to talk about.
"Oh! One more thing about Ophiod," Lloyd smiled apologetically, "Aspheera said that he stole something called the Scroll of Forbidden Spinjitzu. Is that something you know about?"
"Yes… I'm, shocked that something like that would fall into another's hands," Wu lifted his head, "My father created them. It was one of the things that he told us never to touch. They were something my father was creating to see how he could enhance his Spinjitzu, and created something more dangerous than even a Dyad."
"What?" Lloyd perked up, "Then, I have to know this, Master!"
"I had hoped you would never learn of them, but seeing as your enemy is using one…" Wu sighed, "The Scroll of Forbidden Spinjitzu works by manipulating your body's very energy. Do you know how I have said you must harness the power inside you to use spinjitzu?"
"Yeah, but I thought that was just a saying," Lloyd pointed out. Wu shook his head and sipped his tea again.
"It is far more literal than that," Wu gestured to Lloyd's torso, "Your body has energy inside of it, yes? When you use Spinjitzu, your elemental powers, Airjitzu, dragons, anything, you are turning that energy into something physical. You can see this most with your dragon. It is an extension of your body, and thus it exhausts you far more than Spinjitzu could."
"Okay, so I have energy inside of me," Lloyd followed along, "And, you're saying that the Scroll somehow messes with that?"
"Yes," Wu continued, "When you first learned Spinjitzu, it felt as though it took you everything just to summon it, yes? You have grown to be able to more finely grow your energy and stamina, and now it does nothing to you to use it. But as I have said, Spinjitzu is not all that you can use that energy for. Clouse used it for his magic by drawing power from another realm to fuel his spells. Your fellow elemental masters channel it into their elements. I am willing to guess your friends likely have something just like this."
"Yeah, like Rhotatae and Chi," Lloyd pointed out, "Okay, but what about the scroll?"
"The Scroll draws power in to enhance your body's energy," Wu explained, "And it does so by taking something from you in turn. My father told me that the Scroll has the ability to pull any desire, anything inside of you, from your heart. Whatever that desire is, the Scroll will grant you power to fulfill it. My father said that for many people, that desire is vengeance or anger, and it would seem as though they are corrupted. But if the one holding the Scroll has a pure desire, they will be able to use it without noticing it."
"But the Scroll is dangerous!" Wu warned Lloyd, "The more you call upon the Scroll, the more that desire will consume you. It will become all you can focus on. It will overtake anything else, even those closest to you. And if that desire should cause harm to someone… then once you have called upon the Scroll that deeply, it will seem impossible for you to stop it."
"...Then we need to get that thing away from Ophiod!" Lloyd declared, "Thank you, Master. I should go and tell the others-"
As soon as Lloyd stood up, the entire Monastery shook. He was thrown back down onto his rear, looking up in shock as dust was thrown from the ceiling. A massive whirling noise filled the area, followed by a massive crash. Lloyd helped Wu stand up as the two raced out into the hallway just in time to hear a voice that cut through the walls and almost deafened them.
"WHAT DID YOU DO WITH IT?!" The voice screamed, "GIVE IT BACK TO ME, NOW!"
"That's Prime!" Lloyd shouted with his hands over his ears, "...T-That's Prime. He's found us!"
"He must be outside!" Wu shouted back, "He's the one with the mech, yes?!"
"Y-Yeah," Lloyd gripped the wall as the entire Monastery shook with the sound of a massive explosion, "We gotta get out there, now!"
The Monastery continued to rumble, and in turn Lloyd and Wu were thrown from wall to wall as they rushed outside. They passed by the large gaming room, finding it was empty. Lloyd saw the door to the outside had fallen over, letting Master and Student rush out together to see what was on display for them.
The massive form of Invictus hovered in the air above the Monastery, much like the Iron Doom had before. Unlike that machine, however, Invictus had a regal and powerful aura about it. Said aura was filled with anger as the mech raised its two swords, the energy pulsing out to form the blades as he drove them into the stairs that led up to the Monastery. Massive gouges had already been carved, and as Lloyd watched another be torn into the mountain, the Monastery shook.
"So he finally made it," Monty greeted the two as soon as they exited. Monty stood with the SoS drawn in one hand and a shotgun in the other. Mage, Harumi and Lulloyd were grouped together near the eastern wall, looking up at the shadow Invictus cast on them. Over stood with his full staff summoned in his hand, looking up at the machine with a dangerous glint in his eye. Lloyd's team were all crouching under the Monastery's cover, unsure what they could do.
"M-Master Wu!" Cole shouted as he saw Wu, "What the heck is that?!"
"That's Prime," Lloyd bit his lip, "He found out we got away from him. How did he find us?!"
"I WILL SAY THIS ONCE, AND ONLY ONCE!" Prime's distraught and enraged voice screeched through the mech's systems, "GIVE ME BACK THE CORE, OR I'LL RIP THIS ENTIRE MONASTERY OFF THE FACE OF THE MOUNTAIN!"
"Tssk," Over stepped forward, hiding the metal band on his wrist behind his back, "What makes you think that we have taken it?"
"I know you went to my world!" Prime shouted back through Invictus, "I know you were there! Trying to hide it will get you killed! I won't give you another chance!"
"What are you talking about?!" Harumi shouted at him, hoping to buy time by playing dumb, "What is it? Tell us!"
"What is it?!" Invictus raised its swords up, pressing the hilts together and linking them up, the sword growing larger as it took it in one hand, "You took it from me WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT IT WAS?!"
Invictus gripped the now one sword in both hands, raising it over its head. The light from the blade flared up, clearly ready to go right down into the Monastery itself. Mage shot out with speed, shoving Lloyd and Wu back as dragging Lulloyd and Harumi with him. Monty took a step back, aiming his shotgun up at the mech. Invictus let out a mechanical whirl as it brought the sword down with blinding speed for the mech's massive size.
Lloyd shut his eyes, expecting to feel the ground ripping apart. Instead, Over slid forward into the courtyard and gripped his staff in all four arms. Invictus's sword cleaved straight through the gates, causing the wood to sizzle and burn as it touched them. Over clashed blades with the mech, the sword dwarfing him in size and the sizzling noise filling his mind as he held the massive blade back mere inches from cleaving through the main building. The others opened their eyes just as Over let out a shout, throwing the sword back up into the air. Invictus momentarily swayed in the air.
Over put one hand on the ground. Black dragon wings once more sprouted from his back, stretching their tattered and bony look until they grew to the size of the Monastery's width itself. With a powerful flap, he shot up into the air. With his staff in hand, Over roared and swung the point of his staff straight into the side of the blade, cutting through the energy and wedging his staff in it. With his grip firm, Over spun his body in the air, heaving the sword as he did. Invictus' jets momentarily lapsed, letting Over spin the mech in the air. Over's entire body screamed in exertion. With a snap of his muscles, Over jerked the sword up, ripping it from Invictus' hands. Over's staff melted into Dark Matter, sinking into his body as he wings carried him straight up towards the hilt of the now falling sword.
Over's hands gripped the hilt of Invictus' sword, his wings flapping to halt its descent. Invictus righted itself in the air, giving Over his moment. With a sneer, Over helfted the massive sword the size of a building over his head, sending it like a dart straight towards Invictus' chest.
Invictus threw one arm up, showing an energy shield on it. He turned the shield at an angle, causing the sword to strike it and screech as it slid down the length of the shield. Just before it went flying off into the clouds, Invictus' other hand shot out and grabbed the hilt. With a press of a button, the sword split back into two smaller blades, which the mech grabbed, crossed, and shot forward in the air with an outward strike to slice Over in half. Over threw his body down into the air and shot down in an elegant dive, just missing Invictus as it now held its blades out from its body.
"...W-Woah…" Kai gasped out, "I-I'm glad that guy's on our side…"
An orange whip shot straight through the courtyard, wrapping around Kai's wrist. Kai had just enough time to look down at it before it began to burn. Kai shouted as he was thrown across the Monastery, striking the opposite wall. The whip retracted back to reveal Ophiod standing in the now split open entrance, magic receding into his open palm and the Scroll of Forbidden Spinjitzu glowing orange at the tips. Skales emerged behind him, holding his golden blade along with him.
"And that must be Ophiod," Wu kicked the floorboards under his feet, causing a staff to launch into the air into his waiting hands, "I never thought I would see another Viper like this again."
"You broke our agreement," Ophiod closed his fist, "We were willing to spare your worlds, and your lives. But now, you have forfeited whatever hope you had of not facing us."
"Ughh…." Kai shook his head, "Who's this guy?! Nobody tosses me around like that!"
"Everyone!" Zane shouted. Lloyd's team all drew their hoods, leaping forward towards Ophiod and Skales. One by one, they twisted into Spinjitzu, their forms racing straight towards Ophiod.
"Stop!" Lloyd shouted, leaping after them, "He and Skales can-!"
Ophiod placed the staff on his back, crouching over with arms spread. Skales did the same. The two nodded heads, then both spun into Spinjitzu wordlessly. Their tornados merged just as the five ninja converged on them, the colors monetarily forcing the two Serpentine from view. A second later, the massive tornado that was the Spinjitzu Dyad grew in the air, a beautiful blend of sand blue and copper. The Spinjitzu of Lloyd's friends were overtaken by them, throwing the five onto the ground. As they turned to look at the oncoming tornado, the light threatened to consume them. Cole threw his arm over his face.
Smoke shot up around Cole and reformed into Mage standing in front of him. Mage reached out with his left hand and grabbed Aevum's hilt, his Time Matrix forming and the hands twisting down to turn it green. Mage gripped the end of the sword with his other hand, thrusting it forward straight into the Spinjitzu tornado. The blue power of slowed time glowed from the sword and began pouring into the tornado, causing its rotations to slow. Mage, however, was unable to stop it, sliding backwards across the ground. He gritted his teeth and focused, striking the ground with his feet and sinking them down. This meant that his body was bent back, bringing the sword closer to his chest as the tornado refused to slow down.
Rhotatae discs flew out from Harumi's hands, directed expertly into the ninja's suits and dragging them back to where she stood in relative safety. Lulloyd looked around, then threw his mechdragon brick into the air. The dragon unfolded as he leapt into the cockpit, spinning around the Monastery so he could angle the dragon's body down at the tornado. Mage, seeing this, shut his eyes hard and his feet bubble with acid, melting the rock and sending him sinking straight down. Lulloyd took hold of his control sticks and fired, sending missiles and projectiles straight down towards the tornado. Some exploded on impact, causing the tornado to be caught up in the cloud it left. Lulloyd stopped firing as soon as he could no longer see it.
A warning signal appeared on the mechdragon's screen. Lulloyd did a barrel roll, narrowly avoiding his own missiles flying right up and blowing him up. Monty sent a blast of wind through the courtyard, clearing the smoke. Ophiod stood with his staff held behind him, scroll glowing and half of Lulloyd's missiles frozen in the air. Ophiod waved his hand along the frozen missiles, causing them to spin and fire right back at him. The mechdragon was forced to rapidly weave through the air to avoid them.
Just as Lulloyd was about to turn around and spin, he narrowly drove the dragon just away from one of Invictus' blades coming to cleave through him. Prime wasn't paying attention to Lulloyd, instead chasing after the figure of Over gliding through the sky. Invictus traded its swords for the massive rifle that it carried, hefting it up and aiming it right at Over. The massive laser that had nearly fried all of the group at once blasted through the sky, momentarily lighting up the entire Monastery. Over, seeing this, turned his body around and once more spun his staff in one hand, the laser blasting straight into it. Over spun his blade as fast as he could, keeping the laser at bay. His wings, however, weren't able to keep up. The laser sent him blasting backwards, passing right by his torso close enough for him to touch it. Over went into a freefall, his wings snapping to his body to send him hurtling right by the Monastery and down towards the ground all the way at the base of the mountain. Invictus followed readily, jets blasting out to follow him.
Over came up right above the treeline, his wings carrying him just atop it. Invictus pulled a slide on the massive rifle, causing the barrel to retract into the gun. The mech pulled the trigger, sending smaller and fasters blasts of the laser at Over. Over shot his body left and right, rocking his form to avoid being hit. Over pointed his staff behind him, charging up his dark power to send purple blasts back at Invictus. His shots arced wildly off or were caught on the mech's arm shield, making Over scoff at him.
Over spread his wings out to kill his momentum, spinning to fly towards the right. With a vibrating thunder, Invictus rotated its jets to come after him. Invictus momentarily raised up its arm, showing the arm cannon it had and firing several blasts at Over. Over narrowly avoiding it by splitting his staff in half and pointing both halves forward, sending his power out directly in front of him. The pushback sent him just out of the way of the attack, but now heading right for Invictus. Prime reached out with the mech's hand, attempting to grab and crush him. Just as the mech's fingers opened to grab him, Over twisted his body to point his feet at it. The moment his feet touched the palm, he launched off of it. The tips of his wings barely missed being clamped down on by Invictus' fingers. Prime let out a roar of rage in his mech and went flying after Over again, heading parallel to the Monastery in the sky.
Monty raised his shotgun, aiming for Ophiod's exposed back. The bullets, just like the missiles above Ophiod, were caught in the field and suspended there. Skales jumped away from Ophiod, brandishing his blade and heading right for Monty. Before Monty could reload, Skales was on him and swung his blade, knocking the shotgun away. Monty hissed and brought the SoS down towards the snake. Skales sidestepped the blade and caught it on the tip of his own just above the ground. Skales swung his blade up, throwing Monty's form off. Monty's eyes landed on Skales just as they started to swirl.
Lloyd brought his hands together, charging up a beam of power he sent straight towards Skales. The snake growled and was forced to step backwards to avoid it. The beam arcd towards Ophiod, who raised his free hand and caught the power in his palm. The scroll flared up as the power sunk into his body, consumed in an instant. The flaps on either side of his head began to glow green. He pointed his staff towards Lloyd, a challenge in his eyes.
Harumi took Ophiod up on his challenge. She summoned a Rhotatae disc in either hand and raced right for him, crossing her arms in front of her to sling them at the Viper. Ophiod shot his palm open, sending the rest of the weapons from Lulloyd's dragon back at him. He planted his staff in the ground and twisted his body out of the way of both discs. Harumi summoned two smaller ones and held them, using them as weapons to swipe fiercely at Ophiod. Ophiod slithered back bit by bit, his body weaving elegantly out from Haruim's attacks.
"Whoever taught you to fight?" Ophiod asked Harumi as she continued to swipe at him in vain, "They were not a good teacher."
"I normally don't fight like this!" Harumi hissed, sending his fist at Ophiod's head.
Ophiod caught her fist in his free hand, his eyes narrowing. Ophiod's tail suddenly jerked forward, striking Harumi right in the gut. The wind was knocked out of her as she bent over. Ophiod let go of her arm as his tail then jerked in the air to deliver an uppercut right into her chin, then slapped across her face to knock her into the wall. She gripped it and turned to try to put her fists up, but Ophiod instead sent his free arm forward and struck her in the shoulder. His tail shot out like a third arm, punching her in the gut again. Ophiod crouched down and spun around, his tail sweeping her feet out from under her. His tail wrapped around her leg and slung her around, throwing her over into Nya and Cole and felling them both.
Zane and Jay summoned their elements in hand, racing for Ophiod in opposite directions. Ophiod hefted his staff up in his hands, looking between the two for a brief moment to gauge them. Jay swung first and paid for it as Ophiod jerked the butt of his staff up to strike him in the face. Zane fired a blast of ice at his chest. Ophiod bent backwards and let the ice arc away, jerking his staff up the other way to force Zane to dodge. Jay tried again to attack, and Ophiod took his staff with his tail. He held it up behind him as his fists struck out in a blur, breaking right past Jay's guard and staggering him back. Zane attempted to calculate his movements, just for Ophiod to swing the staff with his tail into Zane's side. His tail dropped the staff as it hit him, transferring it in the air into his right arm. He spun the staff just to strike Zane again, she reached out and grabbed Jay's shirt with his left hand. He jerked the two together and then wrapped his tail around their torsos, holding them still for him to strike them both in the jaw. Despite punching a Nindroid, Ophiod didn't even flinch. Ophiod pushed them away, holding up his open hand again. He let out all the power he'd absorbed from Lloyd in one blast, sending the two away to join Harumi.
From the shadow cast by the Monastery wall behind Ophiod, Mage's body materialized. He let out a breath and brought Aevum over his head, readying to strike at Ophiod's back. Ophiod turned around in time too late to bring his staff to his guard.
With a clash, Skales materialized behind Ophiod, catching Aevum on his sword. Skales' body was caught in slowed time as a result, but it was all Ophiod needed. The Viper waved his hand in a circle, then jerked it up. Orange magic formed in front of him, wrapping around Mage's neck in a loop and jerking up. Mage was suddenly strangled, jerking his concentration out of his mind and causing his matrix to fade. He dropped Aevum to instead clutch at his neck. Skales blinked as his perception came back to him, ramming his upper body into Mage's chest and breaking what was left of his stance. Ophiod's tail struck out and knocked Mage away.
"Ophiod, be more careful!" Skales hissed, panting himself behind Ophiod, "We don't know what tricks they have up their sleeve."
"And so do we," Ophiod placed his hand on Skale's shoulder, "Be my sword, Skales!"
Magic flowed into Skales, causing his body to turn the copper and tan colors of a Viper. He let out a hiss and stood straight up, his blade growing to a far more elegant shape. The empowered Skales stood beside Ophiod, raising his blade up in the air.
"I am Ophiod's sword!" Skales spat, "If you want to get to him, it is me you'll have to deal with first!"
"I'm used to Skales being a pain, but not like this," Nya, the only one that hadn't rushed back in to get knocked away, told Lloyd, "Why does he have legs?"
"Long story!" Mage groaned as he rolled up onto his feet, "What… what's the plan, Lloyd?"
"I'm thinking," Lloyd admitted, "Harumi? Any ideas?"
"Pretty sure I'm going to need physical therapy if he hits me like that again…" Harumi was holding onto the wall, "He hits like a mountain... "
"I've got an idea," Monty nodded his head, "Wu, give me your cape."
"My… cape?" Wu looked back to his new cape, "But, I just had this-"
"Give me the cape," Monty twisted the SoS so it gleamed at Wu, "Now."
Wu wasn't sure what to make of this situation, but complied. He undid the clasp on his cape and handed it off to Monty. Monty sucked it with wind to him, then clasped it around his own neck. He let it flap for a moment, then nodded. He gave an approving nod, then sheathed the SoS on his back under it and drew two pistols.
"Good, now then," Monty held up the guns, "Just follow my lead!"
Monty blasted off with wind right towards Skales, his guns firing off right as he reached him. Skales moved his blade unnaturally fast to block it, the bullets knocking off of it. Monty twisted his arms to put his guns in position again and fired, the bullets striking Skales' blade again. Skales stood his ground despite this. Monty jumped back and his wind caught him before he hit the ground, then slid one leg forward.
With the wind under his feet, Monty seemed to skate right across the ground. He arced back and forth into Skales, firing his gun right into Skales' blade almost like he was holding a sword. Skales twisted his blade over and over into place, knocking Monty's guns away. Monty continued to slide back and forth into Skales, attempting to blast his guard back. Skales was focused on keeping him back, as the speed in which Monty seemed to put his guns into place like a pair of blades was almost blinding.
The opening gave Lloyd and Nya their chance to strike. Lloyd balled up power in his hands to try to punch at Ophiod with, while Nya picked up a spear and rushed in with him. Ophiod saw them coming and struck the ground with his staff, causing it to grow orange thorns that pulsed angrily. Lloyd twisted into Airjitzu to go over them and bring a downward strike at Ophiod, while Nya used spinjitzu to go around them. The two hit Ophiod at the same time.
Ophiod's staff held back Lloyd's punches, while his tail had come out to wrap around Nya's spear and hold it back. Lloyd found himself almost face to face with the Scroll as it flapped and burned angrily against the staff Ophiod held. Seeing his chance, Lloyd planted his feet on the ground and stared into Ophiod's eyes.
"Ophiod! You can't keep using the Scroll!" Lloyd grunted out, "Master Wu knows what it does! It's not just a power booster!"
Ophiod hissed at him, "I took the scroll knowing full well what it does! It is… my right as the crown prince to have such an ancient artifact of my people!"
"But you don't know what it'll do to you!" Lloyd huffed, "If you let your desires-"
"My desire?" Ophiod scowled, "What do you know about my desires?!"
Ophiod brought his tail and arms together, then gave a rapid spin with his body in a cracking motion. Lloyd and Nya were thrown back. Lloyd was sent down into the thorns, his entire body suddenly burning with pain as each thorn burned through him with a powerful heat. Nya jumped over the pit and grabbed Lloyd, dragging him out. Lloyd's body felt as though it was on fire. Ophiod pointed the staff down at him on the ground.
"I don't know if you trespassed in my world like you did Prime's, but I'll tell you this, Lloyd!" Ophiod was barely panting from the battle as he spoke, "My one and only desire is to free my father from his curse. The Serpentine deserve their hero back, and by defeating you, I will earn the right to have him back!"
"I know what it's like to want your father back!" Lloyd tried to speak, "I get it! But doing this isn't the way!"
"The way? " Ophiod hissed, "Even if you do know who I am, that doesn't mean you know anything about me! We've lived lives that are worlds apart, Lloyd! Don't act like you somehow understand the slightest thing about me!" Ophiod turned to Skales, "Skales!"
Skales turned his head to Ophiod, narrowly avoiding Monty's pistol going off by his head. Monty was forced to reload after a seemingly endless barrage, only to see he had no spare clip on his belt. This opening let Skales leap back and stand beside Ophiod, his body still glowing with magic. Ophiod put his hand on Skales shoulder as he stared down the half defeated group of foes.
"Whatever you think Ophiod is… whoever you think he is…" Skales hissed at Lloyd, "You know nothing about him. Don't act like some half-hearted speech will make us back down."
"You broke the deal we had," Ophiod growled, "All you had to do was stay in that strange world until the Twins finished their plan. But now, you have to be taught that your actions are not without consequence!" Ophiod shouted, "Skales!"
The two Serpentine looked ready to enter another Spinjitzu Dyad together. Just before they were about to begin, however, the portion of wall behind them was suddenly blown apart. Lulloyd's mechdragon hovered in the air, the head ready to fire off. Ophiod spun around and pointed his staff at the dragon, aiming a blast of magic towards it. Lulloyd jumped off the dragon, gripping the brick in the air as he landed in front of Ophiod and swung the brick at him. Skales leapt in front and caught the brick on his sword, but Lulloyd had drawn his own sword in his other hand and thrust it forward. Skales was knocked back, giving Lulloyd a chance to try for Ophiod.
The entire Monastery rumbled again as Invictus shot up from the sky, Over barely ahead of it. Invictus had its two smaller guns in hand, firing bullets at Over. Over was about to roll down to avoid them, only to see the Monastery was in the way. He summoned his staff again and spun it to shield himself from the onslaught, but the action cost him seconds of flight time. Invictus reared one arm back, sending a punch into Overlloyd's staff. Overlloyd went flying away, giving Invictus the chance to look back down at the Monastery.
"Last chance!" Prime sounded no less angry even after so much battle, "Give me what I want! Now! Or I'll fire!" Invictus raised its guns and pointed them at the Monastery.
"We…" Mage thought fast, stepping up, "We don't have it anymore!"
"Anymore…?" Prime asked in shock, then snarled, "What do you mean, ANYMORE?!"
"He means…" Harumi saw Over in the distance regaining his flight and played along, "...We destroyed it."
"YOU WHAT?!" Prime shouted. The guns fired, the bullets barely flying by the edges of the Monastery. Prime regained himself, centering his guns on them again.
"We… we needed it for something," Harumi knew lying would only make this worse, "We destroyed it."
"...You…" Prime lowered the guns, "Do… Do you even know what that thing was?"
"No," Lloyd stood up, "What was it?"
"IT WAS A GIFT FOR HER!" Prime screamed, "It was the last thing I had to remember her by! The last thing I ever made for her! And you… you destroyed it…" Prime growled, "WHY WOULD YOU DESTROY IT?"
"It… it was for Akita, wasn't it!" Lloyd shouted up. Harumi turned to him with a look of confused desperation in her eyes.
"You know her name… you really did come to my world…" Prime laughed, a hollow sound that made Lloyd's skin crawl, "Do you know what happened to her, then?!"
"We know the gist of it," Lloyd straightened his back, "We know that she was on your team! And you helped her. And she… she fell with everyone else," Lloyd inhaled, "We know she was important to you!"
"She was more than important!" Prime shouted back through the mech, "She meant everything to me! She was everything I was fighting for… I did everything I could for her, for my friends, for Ninjago! And I failed to keep her alive… to keep any of them alive!" Prime growled, "And now you've taken my last gift for her! I won't forgive you for this, Lloyd! This was meant to be just another mission for me, but now you've made it personal!" Prime aimed the guns again, "I'll show you what happens when you make something personal for me!"
Just as Invictus pulled the triggers, Over shot forward across the length of Invictus' torso. His staff cleaved perfectly through the guns, causing them to break apart with a crackle of dark power. Prime turned to target Over, but Over had landed down in the courtyard. He held his staff behind him, his body shaking and dripping with exertion.
"You had no right to take it!" Prime spat, "I'll take you all down!"
Invictus reached out and pulled out the rifle on its back, shortening the barrel and aiming it right at the main building. Over turned his head, ready to leap up and take the strike. Despite how close he was, Over wasn't sure he could get his staff up in time to face it. The others all watched as the laser charged up, spelling an end to all of their lives and the Monastery at large.
Looking down at his hip, Mage saw Aevum sitting on it. An idea flashed in his mind. Biting down his fear, Mage gripped the sword and activated his Time Matrix, surrounding his arm in forward time to hold the sword. Mage jumped into the air with a burst of gravity, then swung the sword. In the air, he painted three massive slashes of blue streaks, each of slowed time energy. Mage landed on the roof, thrusting his hands forward and blasting the three streaks with fire and earth from his hands. Invictus pulled the trigger, sending the laser beam right down into the streaks of slowed time. The laser and suspending time element crackled together as Mage held Aevum out, readying himself. Over's eyes flashed with a horrified recognition as Mage snapped his finger, causing the elements stored in the time and the time itself to explode out.
For a moment, it looked as though Mage's explosion had stopped the laser. The laser, however, shot straight at Mage. Mage's eyes opened wide in terror. Over jumped up in front of Mage, putting his staff in front of him and spinning it. As he had before, he spun it to try to stop the blade. Invictus continued to fire, however, and Over instead jerked his staff to the side, arcing each laser blast away from the Monastery. As he did, Over turned his furios gaze towards Mage.
"Go!" Over shouted, "Borrowing moves from a dead boy won't do you any good! Your ability is no match for that thing!"
Mage nervously stepped back, unsure of what to do. Invictus finally stopped firing, letting Over slump onto one knee and hold his staff up. Over panted hard, feeling his body quaking with exhaustion. That last attack had taken almost all he had left. Seeing the boy borrowing a move from… from him, it was enough to make him act. And now, he was paying the price for it. Invictus moved to cock the rifle, leveling it down towards the group.
Lloyd looked up in time to see Over try to stand up, only to slump back down onto his leg. Mage looked between the mech and Over, unsure of what to do. Lulloyd's eyes filled with fear as the laser readied to charge up once more. Before any of them could act, however, Ophiod shouted.
"Prime!" Ophiod called out, "This is far enough! You found out what happened to it! This battle won't achieve anything else!"
"It'll achieve getting back at them for destroying it!" Prime shouted, readying to take hold of Invictus' blades.
"The others have nothing to do with this!" Ophiod declared, "You can't destroy them too! And we don't have the right to do this right now."
"...Why are you making me stop again?" Prime declared, "First when we found them, and then when we had them cornered against that shark army! You aren't willing to finish our mission, are you?!"
"Fighting an opponent without reason has no honor!" Ophiod spat, "The Twins might need them for something. If we kill them now, you might never see her again!"
Invictus remained frozen in the air. Prime seemed to be considering it heavily. Slowly, Invictus rightened itself in the air. Ophiod opened a portal under him and Skales with his magic, causing them to slide in and appear on the Mech's shoulder. A hatch opened for them to enter inside, and Invictus lowered its arms.
"Alright… I'll back off," Prime huffed out, "But I won't forgive them for this. They're going to pay for it. They're going to pay dearly…" Prime suddenly laughed, "Whatever… they know that they can't beat us. They know that they're outclassed by us. They know they can't beat us. We'll just make sure they remember this…."
Invictus turned around, firing its jets and rocketing away from the sky. The sight of the mech leaving them again left the group to huff and stare up at the disappearing foe, a foe they had barely managed to scratch. There was a silence. A silence of them all realizing what had just happened. And that they had only been spared their lives by Ophiod's words.
"So it was true," Harumi muttered, finally breaking the silence, "About Akita and… about his team. That statue really was…"
"Yeah," Lloyd gulped, "And… I think we just took…" He looked down at his wristband. All the dimensional travelers did. Suddenly, the sight of the thing was more revolting than anything else. Lloyd almost wanted to rip it away from him, knowing what it meant to Prime.
While the others were waiting, Over moved over towards where Mage stood. Even if his body looked exhausted beyond belief, he gripped hold of Mage's shirt and hefted him up into the air. Mage blinked in shock as Over leaned in, putting their eyes on level.
"That move you did, with your element… I know what that was," Over growled, "Did you think I would not recognize the signature attack of my rival? Do not attempt something so foolish again!" Over dropped Mage, "Unlike him, you still have breath in your body. Do not squander that fact. I am only able to barely take on that mech, you... " Over spat, "Try that again, and your world may need a new Dragon Lord."
Mage was left completely silent, unsure what to say. All of them were. Over walked away, moving to stand at the entrance to the Monastery, looking out over the horizon. Slowly, Mage got up, and the rest of them all moved to clump together.
"What… what now?" Lulloyd asked, panting heavily.
"I don't know…" Lloyd shook his head, "But, I think we've learned one important thing here today."
"We do the same ting we've been doing until now," Monty grunted, "Just now with a bigger target on our backs."
Author's Note:
It's been a little bit since I've done an Author's Note, and now that we're roughly halfway done, let's change that!
To give an update on the fic: currently, I'm working on Chapter 72. That's not as far ahead as I've wanted to be, but it's been steady. The current arc is finished and I have the next one I'm working on plotted out. Right now, my outline still stands that I plan to have 120 Chapters by the end of the story. Which is to say, roughly 3 more arcs. One arc is roughly to Chapter 80, the next is to chapter 100, and the last is to 120ish. The full story outline is done, so I don't intend to flounder. I've just had difficulty with finding places to go and write lately, so my output has been slow.
Ophiod and Prime are here to stay, they're both characters that have a lot for me to use, and they're factored into my outline until the end. There will be a few more surprises, but overall the stage is set. I always intended for NV to stop being a chase fic and soon turn into something else. I hope that all you readers are enjoying it!
If you all want to ask me questions or such, find me on Tumblr at BionicStars! Otherwise, I hope you all have a great day, and NINJA-GO!