Nicki's Story
61
Cole opened his eyes with a gasp, bolting upright.
"Keyda?!"
His voice echoed in the darkness of the void and he groaned. Not here again...
One second he had been struggling to his feet, trying desperately to think of some way to free Keyda from the Baron. But now he was back in this weird mind void where he had met his Elemental Dragon. He got to his feet and looked around; maybe he could find that old lizard again and get out of here.
The void suddenly flashed with purple light, and all at once everything became distorted. Cole took a step backwards and stumbled on the void's floor, which had become rough and uneven.
"What the…"
In the light of the purple flashes he could see holes in the flooring and felt a sense of dread…what even happened if he fell through one of those? He picked his way across the void, trying to find a way out. How did he keep ending up here? And what was going on with this place? He turned at a rushing sound, trying to keep himself from panicking. He was in his own mind, right? What could hurt him in his own mind? There was purple smoke lingering in the edges of the space. What…
The smoke zoomed at him and he yelled and waved his arms, trying to dispel it. It made it to his face and poured into his nose and mouth; he gagged as the smoke choked him. It had an acrid taste that was strangely familiar and he coughed and spit, trying to dislodge it. He fell to his hands and knees, retching as he continued to be smothered by the strange smoke. He was starting to get light-headed from the lack of air…which irritated as much as panicked him. Why does his mind self even need air? What the heck was happening?!
This is it…I'm literally going to die here, in my own brain.
Just as he had come to terms with his certain demise, the smoke suddenly started to dissipate and his mind cleared…literally. He coughed a few more times and took a few shaky breaths. He wasn't sure what had just happened, but he needed to get himself to wake up before it could happen again. He got to his feet and had only taken a few steps when he felt something crack. He froze, looking down with a spike of fear. The floor suddenly dissolved and he was plunged down into the nothingness.
His yells echoed in the emptiness, and he closed his eyes, expecting to hit a bottom of some kind. The hit never came and he finally opened his eyes to total darkness.
Am I even falling…or just floating in this darkness? How would I even know?
Sudden flashes of light caught his eye; they seemed to show memories, but they flickered in and out before he could really grasp what was happening in any of them.
Was this what it was like to die? He had never gotten the chance to talk to anyone who had died…but in the books and movies everyone made it seem like it was just like going to sleep and waking up in another place. Boy…did they get that wrong! He looked around for a light…isn't that what he was supposed to be heading towards? Or rather…not heading towards? He shook his head. Nothing made any sense.
It suddenly occurred to him that the world around him was grey. He hadn't even noticed the change happening…much like how one doesn't notice the sun setting until they find themselves in a dark room. He spun around, getting a good look at his surroundings as he floated. There wasn't much to look at…it was literally just all a boring shade of stone-grey.
Time was nonexistent…he could have been sitting there for minutes or years. He was startled to realize that he couldn't remember where he had been before this point. There were people he had to get back to…right? He looked down at his hands. Wasn't there something he was supposed to do?
He realized that he was tired…really tired. He kept trying to remember what he had been doing…who he even was…but his head felt fuzzy and he couldn't think straight. Maybe if he just shut his eyes…
"What on earth are you doing here?"
The voice snapped him back to himself, his mind clearing. He turned to find that a figure had somehow materialized behind him. The man sat in a meditative way, his face lined with stern wrinkles and his grey hair floating around him. Cole recognized him with a start.
"Garmadon?!"
Lloyd's father raised one eyebrow while Cole shook his head and continued.
"No offense…but I never pictured you as the person who would be waiting to greet me into the Departed Realm…"
"This is not the Departed Realm," Garmadon cut in, as direct as always.
"Are you sure?"
Garmadon sighed. "Yes, Cole, I'm sure…I've been to the Departed Realm…" he said dryly.
Cole went a little red. "Ah…right. So…where are we then?" The two figures looked around them at the endless expanses of grey.
"We are lost in a state of limbo…a place for partial and missing souls," Garmadon mused, and Cole tried to push away the sense of dread that was rising.
"Wait…" Cole's mind had started to reconnect. "Aren't you supposed to be in the real world? I mean…you're terrorizing Ninjago at the minute…how did you end up here?"
Garmadon looked at him, the lines in his face deepening as he frowned.
"I am not sure what occurred in the real world…but something ripped me from the departed realm. But whatever the force, it tore me apart and the majority of my soul ended up here. From what you say, it seems that my other side made it to the living world after all." He looked at Cole with a scrutinized expression. "But how did you get here?"
Cole didn't really have an answer to that. He struggled to remember what had been happening directly before coming here. Someone was in trouble…something…wait! Keyda! The Baron had Keyda, and then he had shot Cole with a blast…
"Uh… I don't know. To be honest I think I should be dead…not, um…missing," he said, still not sure he understood where they were.
"Odd…something really terrible must have happened for you to end up here instead."
Cole shuddered. "Yeah…well, let's just say I've been having a pretty rough week…"
Suddenly, Garmadon looked at him with a harrowed expression.
"How is my son? How is Lloyd?"
Aw man…that's a tough one to answer…
"Uh… well. Last I saw him he was pretty…um…alive?"
Garmadon did not look comforted. Cole sighed.
"We actually got separated from Lloyd a few days back…he's still in Ninjago with Nya and Evil you, as far as I know. The rest of us ended up in the Realm of the Oni and the Dragon…"
"What?!" Garmadon looked shocked. "Why?"
"You know, it's a pretty long story…but I guess we have the time, huh?"
Suddenly, a blast of light blinded the two figures.
"WOAH…maybe not as much time as I thought…" Cole remarked, covering his eyes. Something tugged at him and he looked down to see what looked like a rope of light attached to him. He looked up at Garmadon.
"So…is this like a normal thing here, or…"
He was interrupted by another flash, this one violet hued. It slammed into Cole and he was pushed a few feet forward before the two light ropes seemed to be jerking him backwards. He reached down to pull them off but they were stuck tight
"Alright…what's happening?!" he said, trying not to panic. Not that this grey place was really that interesting to hang out in…but he wasn't really in the mood for any more surprises.
"Someone is pulling you back," Garmadon said, sounding amazed. Cole gave up pulling at the ropes.
"Really?! Well, here! Grab on!" He reached out and tried to grab Lloyd's father's hand, but to his shock his hand went right through the older man's. Garmadon sighed, sounding both frustrated and resigned.
"This is not a physical world…I cannot be rescued by physical means…"
Cole was being yanked further away.
"What does that even mean?! How will we find you again?"
If Garmadon had answered, Cole was too far to hear anything. The grey rushed past him and suddenly there were flashes of memories again, and then flashes of black. He closed his eyes, feeling sick. When he opened them, he noticed that he was heading towards a light after all.
Lloyd
"Agh…these don't make any sense!" Nya complained, turning the device to look at it from a different angle. "There's nothing that looks like an entrance…"
"Borg would have his stronghold well hidden from detection devices," Lloyd mused, taking the device from her. "But Ronin mentioned that there were a few anomalies…that must be what these strange smudges are on the map…"
"But that doesn't mean they are entrances… there could be any number of anomalies in this jungle!" Nya complained. "We don't have time to look at them all!"
Lloyd looked up, scanning the surrounding area. He zoned in on some trampled ferns.
"No…but if we could follow the path taken by the security droids and investigate anomalies on the way, that could give us a good place to start."
"Good thinking," Nya replied, heading over to the trampled ferns. They moved from clue to clue, with Nya yelling out in frustration any time they seemed to lose the trail. They always managed to pick it up again, however.
"Ok…one of the smudges is just over there," Lloyd said, pointing east while still looking at the device.
"And it looks like that is where the security nindroids came from as well," Nya said, pointing out a few footprints in a soggy patch of ground. They headed that way and came to a small clearing.
"Look!" Nya said, pointing out a few more footprints leading up to a large tree.
"The tree is the same location as the smudge onscreen," Lloyd said. "It must be the entrance!"
Nya knocked on the wood. "Feels pretty real to me…"
"Maybe there's some kind of opening lever…like there was before," Lloyd said, pulling hard on different branches of the tree.
Nya walked away from the tree, turned, and began running at it as she yelled. Lloyd quickly got out of the way. She jumped a few feet away and spun in the air, using the momentum of the spin to land a hard kick on the side of the tree. The whole thing shuddered and leaves fell, but no opening revealed itself.
"Ooooowwwwww…" Nya said, massaging her foot. She looked up to see Lloyd flipping his way up the branches. "Where are you going?"
"The other opening was at the top of the boulder stack…I wondered if climbing up here would help us get some perspective…"
"Well…do you see anything?"
"No…" He had nearly made it to the top when the branch he landed on swung downward, throwing his balance off. He yelled out as he tumbled, but one of his hands caught a branch and he managed to save himself from the fall. He rubbed a scratch on his face ruefully.
"You ok?!" Nya called from below. Lloyd looked up at the branch, not sure what had happened. It was now sticking out at a weird angle….like a lever that had just been pulled. He scrambled down the tree.
"Hurry, do you see any kind of opening?!" Lloyd asked. Nya ran around the tree.
"Over here! There's a big hole now over by these roots…it looks like the entrance to some kind of animal home, to be honest…"
Lloyd landed next to her and a few more leaves rained down. "Not any animal I've ever seen…that thing is huge!" he commented. "I'm betting it's our entrance."
"Oh, I know it is…." Nya replied.
"What do you mean?"
In response, she pointed down the hole. Lloyd took a closer look; In the darkness he could see was a bunch of red glowing eyes. He jumped back as he almost got hit in the face with a grappling hook.
"Well…looks like we'll have to deal with these guys first, then," he said. Nya nodded and pulled out her spear.
62
Skylor grasped the rope tightly.
"I got you," she encouraged with a smile. P.I.X.A.L smiled back, but Skylor noticed she still looked worried. "You'll be fine, Pix. If anyone can do this, you can."
The pair had finally made it above the central room, which housed the armor. However, P.I.X.A.L had discovered an alarming last complication.
"It is a serious risk, Skylor…I will only have a few minutes, at most, to find the control box for the room's security measures."
"And you're sure that one of those measures is sleeping gas?"
P.I.X.A.L nodded. "Based on the data I'm intercepting, it appears to be the armor's final protection; if anyone was able to breach this room, they would be put to sleep. Nindroids do not breathe, so the gas would not affect them. Hence they could enter the room and arrest the intruders without any problems."
"Well…even if the gas does go off, at least you'll be unaffected then, right?" Skylor said, tone light. P.I.X.A.L gave her a withering look.
"Once the inner sanctum is breached, we will be swarmed with nindroids. I will not be able to hold them all off myself and you would not be immune…"
"Then I guess you better find that control panel to save me the unwanted nap," Skylor said with a smirk. She adjusted her stance, anchoring the rope around her so she could belay P.I.X.A.L down into the room. The android opened the hatch and gave one nod at Skylor before lowering herself down into the room. The armor was floating above a cylindrical pedestal. She stared at it for a few seconds; she couldn't help but analyze it. The armor was giving off frequencies opposed to the Oni Mask frequencies… it must be that the golden armor possessed dragon magic.
"Ok Pix…did you find it?" Skylor called from above. P.I.X.A.L quickly scanned the room.
"I am still searching…"
She felt something on her foot and realized with a start that she had tripped a security wire. An alarm began blaring and she cursed herself for not being more careful; she had been so focused on eliminating the gas threat that she hadn't been paying close enough attention to the rest of the room. As an android, she should be better than this!
Iron security walls came down and sealed the door to the room, and bars shot across the roof, blocking the hatch.
"PIX! Are you Ok? What's happening?!" Skylor yelled from above.
"I tripped a security wire…" P.I.X.A.L scanned the room furiously, but it was in vain. The security panel wasn't inside the room… it was somewhere outside and she was now locked in here. To make matters worse, they had only minutes before the gas kicked in.
Keyda
Keyda concentrated, forcing her aura down into the form in front of her. She tried to quiet her anxiety by remembering what Wu had told her while he had explained his plan to them.
You must locate his soul and connect to it…my connection alone will not be strong enough.
But how will I find him? How will I know if it even is him?
Wu's eyes had twinkled. You'll know.
But she didn't know… and she couldn't find him. With her eyes closed she was relying solely on the feelings from her aura, but so far she hadn't found anything but emptiness. She remembered the Baron's words with a stab of fear.
…all that he has left is his good heart… but soon I will dissect even that until he is just a husk of his former self…
She shook the Baron's words from her mind; that monster was dead. Thinking of that conversation was a distraction—she had to focus. She had to find Cole.
She heard Wu make a sound next to her, and she felt a flash of hope. Had he found him? She searched deeper, pushing her aura further. All at once she felt a glimmer of something familiar. She focused more, pressing into that glimmer until she gave a gasp of relief. It was him. The kid had been right…she did know.
She sent her aura racing to where she had detected him, and felt it crash into something. Outwardly she clenched her fists as she mentally locked on. She felt Wu's grip tighten on her hand; it was time to pull him back. At first there was resistance, but she ground her teeth and pulled harder. Suddenly, her aura was flying back to her. She felt backwards as it hit home, her eyes popping open as she threw her hands back to steady herself. Next to her, Wu had also opened his eyes.
The ninja crowded around them as everyone looked at the figure on the ground.
"Did…it work?" Kai asked. Keyda had a hard time breathing…what if it hadn't? Or what if something had gone wrong?
Cole made a small sound and his eyelids flickered. Jay shoved the others out of the way to get in close.
"Ok, move it, best friend coming through…" He looked intently at Cole's face. "Cole! Buddy! Are you alive? Are you…you know…good still…?
Cole's face contorted and he groaned as he cracked his eyes open.
"…Jay?"
"OK…so he knows my name…that's a good sign…"
Cole closed his eyes again as he kept talking.
"You know…I've been through a lot over the last few days…the least you could do is let me sleep in for once."
The ninja all laughed in relief, and Keyda closed her eyes and smiled. He was back. At least, he seemed to be. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked over to see Wu smiling gratefully.
"Thank you."
Behind them, Cole yelled out as his three friends dog-piled him.
"GETOFFGETOFFGETOFF!"
The ninja backed off sheepishly while he glared at them from the ground.
"Pretty sure that most of me is still broken…so you're going to have to find other ways of showing how much you appreciate me." he said dryly, wincing as he sat up. His gaze suddenly moved past them and he caught sight of the Oni.
"Keyda?"
She looked over at him, unsure of what to say.
"Heya, Idiot. Seems like you're still with us after all."
He chuckled, shaking his head; mainly he was just happy to see that she had somehow escaped the Baron. Speaking of which…
"Wait…what happened to the Baron?" He looked around and noticed the hordes of Dragon and Oni gazing up at them. "Aaaand why are all those guys staring at us? How long have I been out?"
Jay slapped him on the shoulder, causing him to cringe. "You kinda missed a lot, but basically the Baron was trying to turn you evil and Wu is the Dragon Master…"
"Wait, what?!" Cole looked over and noticed the Golden Samauri for the first time.
"…and we killed the Baron but now the Elder Dragon is on a murderous rampage…"
"Wait…slow down, the Baron is dead? And which dragon?"
"Oh yeah, you never met him. He's old…like really old and he did all this bad stuff that I honestly still don't actually understand…OH and the price that we all agreed to was that we can't ever leave here…"
Zane patted Jay on the shoulder. "Maybe we should just deal with one thing at a time, Jay…" the nindroid cautioned, while Cole layed back down and closed his eyes in defeat.
"You know…I think things were a lot simpler when I was dead."
Wu chuckled nearby.
"Perhaps…but there is still more for us to do in the living realms." His smile faded as he studied Cole. "Can you stand?"
The black ninja grunted, eyes still closed.
"Do I have to try?"
"C'mon, we'll help you." Kai said as he and Zane each took one of his arms. Cole grimaced as he rose.
"Alright…I'm standing. Happy?" He looked over at Wu, but his golden-wearing sensei had turned away from him to the crowds below.
"Do you now see that it is possible? That by joining together we can truly change this realm for the better?"
Cole looked at Zane. "I guess it's probably not even worth me asking what the heck is going on right now?"
His nindroid friend smiled, but his eyes were flicking across the crowd below them, analyzing reactions.
"Just know it's all part of the plan." Kai answered from his other side.
Harumi
Harumi twisted the screwdriver one last time and typed in the reboot code. A few seconds later Mr. E's characteristic red eyes opened and blinked a few times.
"Welcome back." she said dryly, putting the screwdriver away. "If you didn't already figure it out…your plan didn't work very well."
"I will track them down, Empress," Mr. E said, sitting up. Her icy expression didn't change.
"Yes…you'd better. Otherwise I may not fix you the next time you have a little accident." Mr. E bowed in acknowledgment and went to leave. However, Ultra Violet rushed into the room and crashed into him, sending the nindroid flying.
"Careful…I just finished fixing him…" Harumi said coldly, but Ultra Violet's eyes looked wilder than usual.
"Boss! It's the Emperor…he insists on seeing you!"
Harumi raised an eyebrow, interest peaked. She rushed from the room and through the hallways of Borg tower, happy that she was getting summoned at last. She paused briefly outside of his room and then remembered what happened last time. She pushed the door open, hoping she was exuding both confidence and meekness for the Emperor. She expected him to look eager or maniacal…instead he looked furious.
"Your honor…what is wrong?" she asked, surprised. He looked up from where he was brooding, purple smoke billowing around him.
"We must start preparations right away…"
"Yes…of course…but why now?"
He stood and Harumi did her best not to shrink from his foreboding stature.
"He's still alive…he hasn't faded away…"
"Me liege…are you talking about Lloyd? Because I promise you we are on that…"
"NO, FOOL," he spat, and Harumi felt herself flush. Garmadon had never spoken to her like that before. He took a step closer, his tone becoming patronizing.
"When you took me from the departed realm, you split my soul. That is why only the worst parts of me came back. But the rest of my soul is still out there!"
"Where?" she asked, as baffled as she was offended by his tone.
"Limbo." Garmadon turned, walking to the nearby window. He gazed out on the city. "He should have faded away long before now there…it is nothing but a void. But he has somehow managed to beat the odds and remains conscience there."
"I see," Harumi said, her mind feeling cloudy. "I understand that could pose a problem should he ever return…but Master, there are only a handful of rebels left, and none of them possess the power…"
"You are wrong." He cut her off, his voice icy. She blinked and bit her lip to keep from saying anything. Did Lloyd have some army that he had managed to keep off the radar?
"What do you mean?"
"The ninja are still alive…as is my brother. They are merely trapped in another realm, but are working their way back into this one."
Harumi felt like she had been hit by a truck. The ninja…alive? It was impossible! She had witnessed their deaths firsthand! Garmadon had to be mistaken…but she wouldn't dare suggest it.
"But how do you know?!"
He finally turned away from the window, his gaze burning with hatred.
"Because one of them just made contact with the part of me in limbo…and told him everything."
63
"They weren't so tough…" Nya commented, pulling her spear out of the last security droid. "Now, how about we go find our friends, track down the armor, and destroy those masks once and for all?"
"Sounds good to me…" Lloyd said, but he seemed distracted as they made their way through the dirt tunnel.
"You ok?"
"Yeah…this just seems familiar. I think this was in my training, actually."
"Well, that's a relief…that means you know what comes next!" Nya said but Lloyd just frowned.
"It's so foggy…in fact, the only thing I can actually remember is…" he trailed off and turned around suddenly. Nya turned as well, just in time to see a giant boulder hurtling towards them.
"THAT!" he yelled, before taking off running. Nya was a half a second behind him.
"You couldn't have given me a little more warning?!" she yelled as they ran. Unfortunately, the tunnel lead downhill and the boulder was gaining momentum.
"I told you I didn't remember much! Stop picking a fight and run!"
Elder
The Elder Dragon roared in frustration.
You have always been nothing but traitorous scum! You were meant to bring the child back centuries ago…and instead you sided with him, playing bodyguard to the very tomes that were stolen from us!
The Ultra Dragon glared with all four heads. It clearly didn't see things the same way that the Elder did. The fight had been going on for a while now, and both Dragons were reaching a state of exhaustion. The Elder dropped heavily onto a rock formation, and the Ultra Dragon hovered over him, willing the old leader to yield. The Elder looked up, pained.
Alright…alright…I yield.
The Ultra-Dragon landed nearby, seeming relieved. The Elder Dragon struggled on shaking legs to rise.
Please…help me…
The Ultra Dragon had no reason to doubt the Elder's intentions…a Dragon's word was law. Yet as it closed in to assist the elderly leader, the Elder flared suddenly, clamping onto one of its necks and throwing the Ultra Dragon into the side of a neighboring Rock Formation with strength that belied his wizened build.
The Ultra Dragon hit hard, breaking through the formation. The Elder watched with burning eyes as the prophesied mount of the Dragon Master tumbled to the earth, buried by the falling rocks. He did not feel guilt…there was too much at stake right now to feel guilt.
He took to the skies and flew towards the battle. He could tell that the fighting had stopped, and he felt the familiar burn of rage inside. How dare the Dragons stop before each Oni was wiped from the earth! He noticed a formation topped with colorful figures, both dragon and human alike. It was time for all of this nonsense to end.
The blue Guardian spotted him first and called the warning. The Elemental Guardians immediately closed in protectively around their respective masters. However, that only left the Elder's true target all the more in the open.
Wu tried to dodge his grasp, but there was nowhere for the Dragon Master to run. The Elder rose over the formation with the Golden Samurai clutched tightly in his claws. He looked down at the glaring masters below him.
You colorful fools…did you really think I'd allow you to ruin centuries of planning? His grip around Wu tightened, causing him to yell out as his powers flashed protectively.
"Stop it! Leave him alone!" Kai yelled out, firing flames as Jay and Zane launched attacks nearby. The Elder merely flew up and out of range of their attacks. He turned to the throngs of Dragon and Oni, all watching in shock.
Dragon Nation! Do not tell me you were fooled by this Disappointment. He crushed Wu again for emphasis. The Oni leader is dead...now is the time for us to strike and finally accomplish our plans for this realm…
"NO!" Jay yelled down at them. "This guy is a LIAR!"
But the Dragons seemed to be listening to the Elder. They had waited many centuries to be rid of the Oni…now truly was their chance.
Join with me now…let us first eradicate these colorful vermin from our realm, and then we shall destroy the Oni!
"NO!" Wu yelled from his grip. But the Dragons were already taking to the sky. Soon the formation was surrounded, and the ninja and their guardians looked around warily.
"Ok… I'm still pretty lost…but this looks like a bad situation," Cole said. "Why does this guy want us dead?"
"He wants me dead," Keyda corrected, coming up to stand beside him. "Me and all the Oni."
"You cannot do this!" Wu yelled, pleading with the surrounding Dragons. The Elder's grip became painful once again and Wu turned to the traitorous leader. "You cannot destroy them…you said yourself that they must stay in this realm…"
Yes…and they will. They will remain part of the Dragon Nation until their deaths, which will be occurring very shortly. Then the Elements within them will be returned to us.
"If you destroy the Oni than you will destroy this realm! There must be Oni power present for it to continue to exist, you know that!" Wu yelled against the strain from the talons.
The Elder hesitated, and the surrounding dragons looked at him questioningly. He began to chuckle as he looked down at the glowering Samurai.
You have Oni in you, as your father did. As long as we have you, the Oni force will be present in this realm…we do not need to spare any of the monsters. The Dragons roared hungrily while the Elder's prey fought in vain in his grasp.
Pity…you could have ruled at my side, Dragon Master. Now you shall watch your students die before spending the rest of your existence in confinement.
On the formation, the ninja had taken defensive stances. Kai turned to Zane.
"Ok…how many of them are there?"
"I have detected 73 dragons…"
Kai nodded slowly. "Yeah, ok…that's not too bad. That's only like…what, 7-ish dragons per one of us, if we include the guardians…"
"8.1, to be exact."
"8.1…yeah, no sweat…" Kai said, trying to sound confident. Jay looked at him like he was crazy.
"ARE YOU CRAZY? These aren't your average snakes or nindroids or even flipping immortal vermillion warriors, Kai…THEY'RE DRAGONS! HUGE, TOOTHY, FIRE-BREATHING DRAGONS! And I'm betting Cole doesn't last through just one of them!"
"Gee…thanks for the confidence, Jay," Cole muttered, having taken his own defensive stance. But he knew his friend was right; the only reason he was even standing right now was through sheer obstinance. He figured that at least when he was dead he could finally take a day off.
Dragons… the Elder began, ready to call in the attack. The Elemental Guardians opened their wings, preparing themselves as well.
"WAIT!" it was Keyda who yelled out, and the Dragons looked down at her in disgust. She glowered at the Elder Dragon. "You would kill the Elemental Guardians? You would harm your own?"
The Dragons looked at the Elder for his response. His eyes flashed.
If they were to choose to leave the outsiders behind, then there would be no need to…
"They cannot leave their masters…they are bound to protect them," Wu pointed out, and the Elder sneered. Keyda began yelling once again.
"You would destroy your own…just as you have done in the past! You killed Antirock!"
This caused confusion in the ranks of the Dragons and the Elder roared in frustration.
This Oni witch is a liar! Just as Echo was…why would you give any thought to anything she has to say?!
"It's the truth!" Wu called out. He gasped at the pain in his ribs as the Elder tried to silence him. "He told me himself" he managed to choke out.
You would say any lie to save your wayward students…nothing out of your mouth can be believed either. Now Dragons…DESTROY THEM ALL.
The Dragons went to launch the attack, but a sudden flash of blue and the Elder's own voice caused them to pause.
I did what I had to do to ensure our Nation would succeed in the end.
The video emitting from Zane showed the Elder clearly, and the Dragons couldn't help but watch this strange and intriguing display. Wu's voice came next from the video.
"You forced Antirock to make that prophecy...you forced him to seal it with his life…"
It was not easy to convince him…the witch's poison had tainted him deeply and she had filled his head with all kinds of nonsense. But I was able to use her against him.
The Elder roared in fury. DESTROY THEM! But the video continued.
"You really are as manipulative as the Baron!" Zane's voice came through.
It was a necessary sacrifice. I was able to ensure we would once again have the child which had been smuggled from my grasp…as well as the elemental powers that the child had stolen from us. Combined, these would reveal the Dragon Master, who would usher in the reign of whichever side he was compelled to join.
The Dragon master launched an attack on Zane himself, but Keyda threw a purple orb that dispelled the discolored blast.
"It's like he said…your magic is tarnished with hatred. Your own words have exposed your traitorous past!" she yelled. The dragons looked at the Elder with confusion. How could it be true?
You must not believe what you have seen! It is nothing but an Oni TRICK! It is impossible to show events as they have truly happened!
The video immediately changed, showing the very scene they were living in. The Elder's voice came through the video: You must not believe what you have seen! It is nothing but an Oni TRICK! It is impossible to show events as they have truly happened!
Keyda turned to address the wavering army.
"I know that I am not someone you would ever trust, but look around you! Look at what the Elder would have you do! Destroy us? Destroy your guardians? Isn't destruction what you despise so much in us?
"I know that it seems like a union couldn't be possible…but aren't you tired of following directions from someone like him… tarnished and twisted? I have spent my entire life under the thumb of a villain who used me, my kind, and Dragons alike to accomplish his own twisted agenda. But now he's gone! For once in my life I have hope that the rest of my life can be better…happy, even. Are you really willing to throw that all away to listen to the orders of another tyrant?"
KILL HER NOW
A few Dragons launched an attack on Keyda, but for the most part the army seemed less eager to follow the Elder's desperate demands. Keyda was able to dodge a few of the fire blasts, and shots from the Ninja blocked the rest. However, the Elder Himself launched an attack that would have hit home had Cole not barreled into her, knocking them both across the formation and out of the way of the blast. They came to a stop, both coughing in the settling dust.
Cole wheezed painfully. "Yep…that hurt…that hurt a lot." Keyda pulled herself up and glared at him.
"You Idiot… what were you thinking?!"
His eyes were closed. "I think you pronounced 'thank you' wrong." She punched him in the shoulder, hard, causing him to gasp in pain and open his eyes.
"HEY! I'm INJURED!"
"Which is something you seem to have forgotten!" she hissed.
I will not stand for this indecision in my ranks! The Elder was fuming as he addressed his army. Destroy them NOW or you shall all face my wrath!
Not surprisingly, his words only caused the Dragons to hesitate more.
"How are we gonna stop that guy?" Jay asked. He was glad to note that the dragons seemed less keen on killing them all…but the Elder still had Wu and was getting more unstable by the minute.
The Dragons must accept the Dragon Master as their rightful ruler…ousting the Elder from that position. His dragon's voice came from behind him. Jay whirled around.
"Oh, that would have been really helpful to know before now!" The dragon regarded him with a dry expression.
What do you think the Dragon Master has been trying to accomplish this entire time?
"You know this is wrong!" Zane called up to the Dragons. "If you destroy everyone today it will not bring peace...it will rip this world apart!"
KILL THEM! The armor around Wu creaked as the Elder's grasp constricted dangerously. Wu fought for breath.
"You're killing him! You are killing the true Dragon Master!" Kai yelled. He turned to the dragons. "You all seem to believe in this prophecy thing…but that prophecy named him the Dragon MASTER for a reason! He will lead you into peace!"
NO…this boy is nothing…he is merely a means to an end. I will lead us to peace in the only way there has ever been!
A new roar split the sky as the Ultra Dragon launched itself through the Dragon's ranks. They dodged out of the way and soon the four headed beast had a clear shot for the Elder. It hit hard and their battle was begun anew.
"We have to get Wu away from him!" Jay yelled, but he turned to see that Kai and Zane were already on their dragons. He scrambled to his own dragon and the three of them took to the skies.
"How are we gonna do this?" Kai asked as they approached the two warring creatures. They could make out the glint of Wu's armor…he seemed limp. "I think Wu is passed out up there!"
A blast of lightening hit the Elder and he roared as it coursed through his body. Kai and Zane spun to glare at Jay.
"Yeah…you're really helping Wu with that…" Kai said, and Jay smiled sheepishly.
"What? He's already passed out…"
The Ultra Dragon slammed the Elder up against a rock formation. Zane called out to his companions.
"Now's our chance!"
The Elder tried to fight back but an ice blast froze his arm to the rock. He ripped it off only to have the Ultra Dragon pin it back down with its own claws
The Guardian Dragons moved in and Zane looked at Kai.
"Aim for the wrist…it should cause a spasm that will force the claws open…"
"Whatever you say metal man," Kai replied, and then yelled as his dragon charged. When he was within range he fired a shot that hit the Elder in the wrist. The Ancient creature howled in pain and the claws open enough for Wu to slip out.
"Got him!" Jay called out as Wu landed on the blue Guardian. "Now what?" His dragon, however, was already flying back to the rock formation where the army waited.
The ninja landed on one side of the formation, next to Keyda, Cole, and the Earth Dragon. Seconds later the Ultra Dragon threw the Elder on the other side. He was looking even more haggard than usual, but his eyes burned with loathing.
The Ultra-Dragon turned to the army, which had been watching to see how this all would end. He roared in anger. The dragons all bristled, including the elemental guardians.
"What's he saying?" Kai asked, turning to his Guardian.
The Elder violated our code. A Dragon's word is law but he attacked the Ultra Dragon after agreeing to yield.
"You know…that doesn't even surprise me," the fire ninja muttered, looking at the worn-down Dragon leader.
The Ultra-Dragon continued to address the crowd of dragons. The ninja gathered around Wu, who seemed to be coming to. He sat up with a groan, taking in his dented and mangled armor.
"Well…we're all alive at least…" he looked over at where the Ultra-Dragon was. "What is he saying?"
He's calling a vote. The Elemental Guardians all spoke at once. The ninja passed on the message and Wu frowned thoughtfully.
"Then it will soon be decided…"
64
"There's no way that the dragons would pick him over Wu now, right?" Kai asked, looking over at the Elder dragon while the Ultra continued to roar at the reptilian crowd. "I mean…who would willingly pick a corrupt leader?"
"There is more to the decision than just morals," Zane said, trying to calculate how the vote would go down.
"What do you mean?" Cole was standing again, one arm around Keyda for support.
"The dragons aren't so much choosing between a good and bad ruler, they are choosing between following their destined leader or following a leader who would allow them to accomplish their centuries-long goal of Oni eradication," the Nindroid continued, wishing that Dragon expressions were not so hard to read.
Cole's arm tightened protectively around Keyda's shoulders. She looked over at him, thinking that he must be on the verge of collapsing again. His expression was serious.
"Hey…you ok?" she asked. He glanced over at her and then back at Zane.
"What happens if we lose? And they chose the other guy?"
"Then we go back to being super hooped!" Jay answered, glowering at the dragons in the crowd above them. Was there really any way to survive if they decided to attack? He felt a hand on his arm and turned to see Wu. The Golden Samauri was smiling but Jay could see the worry behind the expression.
"We must hang on to hope, Ninja…it may be the only chance we have left,"
"Oh yeah…real comforting, Wu…" Jay muttered. The Ultra-Dragon had stopped speaking and had come to stand behind Wu, signaling its vote. The blue ninja bit his lip; this was the moment of truth, then.
The crowd of dragons looked between the Elder and Wu. Jay nudged his sensei.
"Say something…make them pick your side…" Wu shook his head and turned to his students.
"Neither I nor the Elder can say anything more at this point. We must wait to see what the decision is,"
"…I hate waiting…" Jay groused.
The Elemental Dragons moved to stand behind Wu as well, causing the dragon army to become more conflicted. A few dragons drifted closer towards the Golden Samurai, but their movement caused a few more angrier-looking dragons to land decidedly on the Elder's side.
"Not looking good…" Kai murmured. His fists clenched and started smoldering.
"Cut that out," Keyda snapped. "If you attack them, hothead, I doubt they'll come join our side…"
Kai glared at her but his hands extinguished. Cole glanced between the two; there was enough tension in this situation without them trying to kill each other again. He hoped that Kai would calm down; he wasn't sure he would be able to step in again if they started going for each other's throats. Besides… he already knew who would win if they did.
Those first few dragons seemed to have broken the spell over the army and they began making their decisions. Jay let out a sigh of relief as he watched dragons choose their side. Zane's face was unreadable as he kept count of the dragons going in either direction.
"Are we winning?" Jay whispered loudly to the nindroid. Zane didn't answer, not wanting to lose count.
"It's not going to be enough…" Keyda muttered. There seemed to be a lot of dragons joining the Elder's side, and each seemed to be glaring at her specifically. She wondered if Wu's plan would have worked if she hadn't been such a blatant part of his side.
Cole squeezed her shoulder and she looked at him, unamused. He gave her a small smile back.
"You've really got to try thinking more positively…I didn't narrowly escape death all those times just to die now…"
He waited for a sarcastic reply but the Oni's face just became more troubled and her supportive grip around his waist grew tighter.
The final dragons landed and the ninja all held their breath, looking at Zane. He ran through the algorithms in his mind one last time. He physically relaxed as he turned to them.
"We won…there are more dragons on our side…"
Everyone let out their breath. Jay glanced over at the Elder. "So…what now? We don't still have to do battle…right?"
The Elder has been outvoted. Dragon Law goes by majority. The Elemental Dragons talked at once. The Dragons on the Elder's side looked angry, but also resigned. They hated the Oni. However, to go against the Dragon law was more of a betrayal of Dragon Nature than the decision not to destroy the pale monsters. Those in the front of the Elder's group went to move towards Wu, but the Elder lashed out with both fire and tail and his supporters balked. He turned towards the ninja and Keyda felt a stab of fear as she saw the calculating malice on the Ancient Dragon's face…it was the same expression that had been haunting her her entire life.
I will not allow you to destroy everything I have worked towards. I will not stop fighting until every Oni is dead…
Wu was not fazed. "You have been defeated…you no longer lead this nation. It is time for you to align yourself with the Dragon Laws or we will be forced to destroy you,"
The Elder laughed at this. You may have won the vote…but Dragon law or no, there is no way the Dragons would a fight for a human and his Oni pet against one of their own… He took a few threatening steps forward.
Cole used his supported arm to push Keyda backwards.
"Get behind me."
She just shook her head. "Why? So you can collapse in some stupid attempt to be a gentleman?"
"I'm serious…" he looked back at her with a determined expression and she shook her head at his stubbornness.
"Seriously stupid." She muttered.
Meanwhile Wu was standing his ground while the dragon nation seemed to tense up.
"You cannot win," he yelled at the Elder, who roared back. He had made it halfway between the two groups. There was a sudden flash of color and the Elder found himself surrounded by the four Elemental Dragons.
Fools…what are you doing?
But the Elemental Dragons had witnessed enough of their previous ruler's treachery. They were bound to protect and never harm their leader…but this ancient beast no longer could claim that role over them. The Elder snarled, turning to his supporters behind him.
You must not let them do this…if those colorful vermin win then the Oni will never be destroyed! The dragons looked away, causing him to roar in frustration. He turned to Wu one last time.
It will never work…you will never find peace your way. Your interference has spelled doom for this entire realm!
The Elemental Masters began firing into the center of the circle and the Elder screeched as the four elements combined around him.
"What are they doing?" Jay asked as he watched the elements splash and combine in transfixing ways. "Are they killing him?"
"The elements combined form pure power…if the Elder was pure than this joined attack would not harm him," Wu explained, eyes on the display. "But he has allowed hate and revenge corrupt him…"
"Then the effect will be much as it was for the Baron," Zane mused. Wu's frown deepened.
"It will either purify or destroy him. To save himself from destruction he must be willing to release his desire for revenge and destruction. It is his choice to make."
The ninja watched as the Elder thrashed against the light. The dragon army looked away, not wanting to watch the destruction of their former leader.
Keyda watched, feeling numb. She would have thought she'd feel happy…or at least relieved. But as she watched the Elder fight against the light she felt strangely distant.
The Elder released one last incensed cry and even the Oni looked away. Then suddenly there was silence.
The Elemental Guardians closed their mouths; there was nothing left to fire upon. As the light faded everyone realized that the sun had gone down at some point; the ninja looked at each other in the dusk lighting.
Wu walked over to the guardians and gazed sadly at the empty spot surrounded by Guardians.
"Stubborn old reptile…" he muttered. But it seemed that the Elder had been past saving. Hate was a destructive force…no matter what race you were part of.
"I think this means we won!" Jay yelled, laughing with relief. He immediately turned to the nearest person to start a group hug.
Unfortunately for him the closest person was Keyda; having never experienced a hug before she punched him in the face and neatly stopped the attack she was sure he was launching.
Cole burst into laughter, though his amusement was tainted by the pain in his ribs. Zane chuckled as well and even Kai was laughing.
"Well I'm glad my pain gives you all so much joy!" Jay yelled bitterly from the ground, where he had promptly dropped after the point-blank blow. He struggled to his feet with a hand over one eye and glared at Cole, who was doubled over.
"Stop Jay…it hurts…" Cole panted between laughs. His friend glared at him.
"Well it serves you right!" He turned and glared at Keyda, who was looking at all of them like they had gone mad.
"What was that for?!"
She rolled her eyes. "You attacked me…"
"Attacked?!" Jay was dumbfounded, and Cole started another round of laughing. "Haven't you ever heard of a celebratory hug woman?!"
"Calm yourselves, ninja, it is not quite time for celebrating yet." Wu had come to stand by them, sounding serious. The ninja turned to face him, everyone's expressions serious except for Cole, whose deadpan slipped into chuckles every time he glanced at Jay.
"What is left to be done, Sensei?" Zane asked. Wu looked around at all of the Dragons, who were still watching him warily. They had voted him as their leader by majority, but only because of the obvious corruptness shown by the Elder. They were still unsure of these strange colorful outsiders.
"I thank you for your loyalty…I know that change is not easy. But I would hope that under all your hope of revenge is a deeper hope for peace, because it is peace that I am fighting for. The final battle has been fought…though I believe it's safe to say that it was a little different than we were all expecting," Wu's tired voice betrayed his true age despite his youthful appearance.
"You are all free to head back to Dragon Haven...the rest of what must be done is not something you can help with."
Some of the creatures looked affronted at Wu's dismissal, though many of the dragons looked relieved. Peace was the ultimate goal…and the dragons couldn't help but feel that maybe this strange golden outsider of legend would be the key to it after all. At this point, he was their only hope.
The ninja watched as the dragons flew away.
"You never answered my question…" Zane pointed out and Wu turned to face his students.
"We may have won over the dragons…but there is an entire other side to this war," he stated simply. His gaze travelled into the distance and the Ninja turned to see what he was looking at. Little campfires dotted the horizon as the Oni made camp.
"Wait…we have to win over the Oni too?!" Jay asked. There was always some catch! "We wanted to break up the battle…we did that by sending the Dragons home!"
"True peace will never be accomplished until both nations are joined as one," Wu said, his tone making it clear that there was no room for argument.
"But how on earth are you going to win over the Oni?!" Kai asked. The Golden Samurai turned to face Keyda.
"Why are you looking at me?" She asked, shaking her head a little.
"The Oni are not going to listen to me on my own, Keyda. They need someone else that they can trust. You are the first Oni in a long while to connect with the powers of the past…"
"That doesn't mean that any of them will listen to me!" she pointed out, voice rising. "I was just the Baron's puppet, someone on the lowest rung of power. I'm the last person…"
"I think you would be surprised," Wu said. His voice was calm but his gaze was piercing; Keyda found her arguments trail off.
"You said you would be willing to help…and this is where we need it the most," the Dragon Master pressed gently. "Without your help, everything will fall apart. But together I'm sure we can do what Antirock and Echo had dreamed of centuries ago. The Oni will listen to you…"
"Or things could get out of hand," Cole stepped in, defensively. "It's too risky; she's not going."
"That is not your decision to make," Wu turned back to the Oni. "But you are free to decide, Keyda."
She stared at the ground, thinking. She didn't want to face the Oni; surely they would never listen to her. But she had already seen enough impossible things happen with these outsiders…and wasn't change what she had been fighting for all along?
"Alright…" she said quietly.
Wu smiled in relief. "We must act quickly." He pulled himself up onto the Ultra Dragon and held out a hand for Keyda. She went to take it but felt a tug on her other hand and turned to see a determined looking Cole.
"Then I'm coming too," he said resolutely. She sighed.
"To do what? Slow us down?" she asked dryly. She didn't make eye contact as she pulled her hand free. "You're in no shape to come."
"I'm sorry Cole," Wu called from his higher perch. "This is a mission I cannot take you ninja on."
Cole was not pleased as he watched Keyda board the Ultra-Dragon.
"Just…just try not to hurt anyone." he called up to her. She smiled a bit as the dragon spread its wings.
"Why don't you try to stay out of a coma?"
He laughed without humor and ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah…bad habit of mine…"
The Dragon took off and headed towards the Oni camp. Jay, Kai, and Zane watched it go and then looked at Cole, who seemed frozen as he watched the creature grow smaller. Jay leaned over to Kai.
"You know…at first it was funny…but now I don't really know how to feel about it…"
The fire ninja shuddered and looked away.
"Quite frankly, I just try not to think about it…"
65
Zane poked at the campfire, rotating small sticks around. There wasn't much firewood in this realm, but they had scrounged up enough for the night. They had decided to stay on top of the formation…mainly because Jay was afraid something would sneak up on them in the night if they stayed on the ground. It had been a long while since any of them had gotten a decent night's sleep and Zane had offered to stand watch for Wu as his three friends caught up on some much needed rest. He turned and noticed that the spot next to Kai and Jay was empty. It took the nindroid a few minutes to pick out Cole since his dark hair and Gi blended in with the night. Zane made his way over to the edge of the formation and took a seat next to him.
"Considering everything you have been through, I don't think you are doing yourself any favors by staying awake…"
Cole gave a little shrug. "I feel like I've spent more of the last few days out of consciousness than in it…I guess I'd rather just spend some time awake for once."
They sat silently, looking out to where the campfires dotted the horizon. There was no sign of a returning dragon.
"You could probably go get some sleep, Zane. I can keep an eye out."
"Sleep is nice…but being nindroid, I don't necessarily need it. I will stay up too…we can keep each other company."
Cole gave another half shrug. "Suit yourself."
The nindroid looked over at his friend. "You are worried about her, aren't you?"
"Who, Keyda?" Cole scoffed. "Nah…it's the other Oni I'm worried about…"
"She means a lot to you." It was statement, not a question. Cole bristled.
"Are you kidding? If she isn't insulting me she's physically hurting me…."
Zane did not look convinced as he continued to stare at his friend. Cole ignored his gaze for a while but finally sighed.
"Fine…I'm worried about her. Happy now?"
"I do not know why you are being so defensive. It is clear she has feelings for you as well," Zane said matter-of-factly.
"What tipped you off? The fact that she hasn't killed me yet?" Cole asked dryly. Zane shook his head.
"No. The fact that she wouldn't leave your side the whole time you were…in limbo,"
Cole went quiet. Finally he sighed. "Yeah…well I wouldn't know. I was too busy floating in a grey void of nothingness with…" suddenly he straightened up, as if remembering something.
"Wait…you were conscious of the fact you were in Limbo?" Zane asked, but Cole turned to him in almost a panic.
"ZANE…I just remembered who I was with in Limbo….quick, how did you guys wake me up?!"
Zane blinked, caught off guard. "It was Wu…Wu and Keyda did it. But Cole…who were you with?"
Skylor
P.I.X.A.L's processors were functioning at a rapid rate as she tried to figure out a solution to their new problem.
"Pix?! Have you found the panel yet?" Skylor called out. P.I.X.A.L looked up with a firm expression.
"It is not in here…"
"What?!"
"…so it must be up there somewhere. You will have to find it…"
"ME? Pix, I have no idea how to…"
"We don't have time for you to doubt yourself," the android replied sharply. "We must find the panel…" she scanned the room again and located the small ducts that no doubt would release gas in a few more minutes. She pinpointed the duct in her mental scanned map and did an in-depth scan of the walls near the ducts. She found the pipes connected to the gas.
"Maybe we don't have to hack the control panel to stop the gas…if you can find where the gas itself is being held and neutralize it at its source, it should still get rid of the threat."
"Ok…" Skylor tried her best to sound more confident. "Any idea where the gas is?"
P.I.X.A.L did her best to scan and trace the pipes in the wall and the path they took.
"Wait…but if I leave I'll have to drop the rope. Is it safe for you to be down there on your own?" Skylor asked, interrupting P.I.X.A.L's thoughts.
"Quickly lower me to the floor, there does not appear to be any other threats…" P.I.X.A.L instructed. When she reached the ground she untied herself.
"Now hurry Skylor, based on my analysis, the pipes are leading to a room a few halls away from here. You will have to get there on your own, hurry, but be wary of traps…"
"Um…yeah, ok," Skylor said, heading to the end of the hall. She paused.
"P.I.X…do I turn right or left?!"
"Turn Right, head down the hall, then make the next two lefts…" P.I.X.A.L's voice called out from in the room. Skylor turned right and began running down the hallway. As she ran she dodged the random blow-darts and swinging axes that came her way. Seriously…Borg had gone way too overboard with this security! She grunted in pain as one dart grazed her shoulder and decided to slide down the rest of the hall. She rounded the corner of the "second left" from P.I.X.A.L's instructions, hoping to find some kind of door or sign…but instead she was faced with another identical hallway. She groaned; had she followed the directions wrong? Or had P.I.X.A.L miscalculated? Or was the room there… but hidden? She began hitting the walls and yelling, but nothing happened. Adrenaline and frustration were battling for control; they were going to fail because she didn't have any idea what to do next. She hit the wall one last time, hard, and stopped yelling. It was silent for a few moments as she breathed heavily and tried desperately to think of what to do. She could get back to Pix, but by then the gas would probably be released…
She suddenly heard a hissing noise and looked up, trying to figure out where it was coming from. She put her head against the wall and could hear something hissing on the other side. More snakes?
"The gas!" she muttered under her breath. Could the room be behind a fake wall? But the hissing meant that the gas was starting to get released. And how would she know where the room was? If the piping was on this side of the hall, the room probably was too…
She ran over to the other side of the hall way, pulling out her crossbow. She fired a line of bolts at the wall. Each bolt struck the wall and stuck out. She continued to make her way down the hall, continuing the line of bolts until one finally went all the way through. She smiled slightly; there was the fake wall.
She realized with a start that she was feeling light-headed; was the gas going through the whole stronghold rather than just the armor room? She held her breath and ran over to the hole in the wall, peering through. She was relieved to see that there was indeed a room; she could see a few flickering lights. She took a step back and began ramming her good shoulder up against the wall until it finally gave way. Black dots danced in the corner of her eyes as she quickly scanned the room; there was a large machine that resembled a water heater in the corner. She staggered to the machine; this had to be what was pumping the sleeping gas…surely there was some kind of valve or something she could twist to turn it off, right?! She was desperate for air by this point and she spotted a little turning valve near the small pipes branching off from the machine. She grasped it, but then panicked as she realized she didn't know which direction she should turn it…one would release more gas, the other would shut it off. She knew she should have asked P.I.X.A.L before she got to this point. She also figured she was on the verge of passing out…she needed to pick a direction…and fast.
Keyda
Keyda was already regretting her decision. Convincing the Oni to join with the Dragons was an impossible feat...and the fact that she was supposedly the one who would help do it made it all the more ludicrous.
"It will work out…I promise." The Dragon Master said from in front of her, as if reading her mind.
"How do you know?"
He was quiet for a minute before turning back towards her. "Because it has to."
She didn't really feel like that was a qualifying reason, but she didn't push it more. They were approaching the campground when another thought struck her. She talked quickly, wanting an answer from the Golden boy before they landed and she lost her chance.
"Let's say everything you're planning works out. Will…will you all head back to your own realm then?"
Wu was silent and she wanted to shake him and make him answer her. They would be landing soon.
"You're the leader of the Dragons now…surely you guys can't leave…"
"I really do want to bring peace to this realm. But that doesn't mean that I am not also dedicated to bringing it to the one I left."
She wasn't sure if he was being ambiguous on purpose or if that was just the way with him. Either way it was extremely annoying. The Ultra-Dragon landed silently and she found herself looking around for Oni. It didn't take her long for to find some.
"Well, well….looks like the Dragon Master has come to pay us a visit…" one said bitterly. The Dragon was surrounded by Oni with expressions that betrayed both loathing and fear. Keyda realized that they wanted to destroy Wu…but they were also terrified of him.
"Indeed," the Dragon Master replied, dismounting. "But I come in peace…"
"Peace?!" Another Oni, heavyset, spat. "That's certainly not what the legends say…"
"And Legends are not always as they appear to be," Wu interjected. He turned to the growing crowd of Oni, which were gripping weapons uncertainly. "Please. I am now the leader of the Dragons…"
"Then we ought to capture ya!" A Oni yelled from the front line. This one looked less afraid than her neighbors. "We control you, we control the dragons…"
"Wrong." Wu said firmly. The Ultra Dragon growled threatening with all four heads as the Oni took steps forward. "The truth is that I am the only thing standing in the way of the Dragons destroying you. I meant what I said before…true peace will only ever be reached if the two nations join together. If you capture me…or even kill me…it will only mean that some other Dragon will take my place. And chances are they would be in favor of destroying you."
"Why should we trust you?!" A voice called, its owner lost in the crowd. "The Dragons do nothing but lie!"
"Hear hear!" Another voice agreed.
Wu considered the crowd, growing more rowdy by the minute. He clenched his jaw; they had come too far to fail now.
"Did you not see the Dragons leave? They are headed back to Dragon Haven…"
"A dirty dragon trick!"
"What on earth could I gain from tricking you?!"
"You're just trying to get our guard down," it was an Oni Keyda recognized from the Baron's fortress.
Wu shook his head, incredulous. "The dragons could have destroyed you, guard down or not. I assure you, this is no trick." He decided to change tactics. "Am I to believe that there is no one among you who would want peace? Who is tired of being forced to cower and obey?"
"The Baron was a monster…but I still would have followed 'em than join with those dragons any day of the week!" an Oni yelled angrily.
Keyda was still sitting on the Ultra-Dragon, frozen. He was losing…he wasn't making any headway at all. Wu turned and looked up with her, like he wanted her to say something. But what on earth could she say?
She dismounted, trying to keep her hands from shaking as she faced the crowd. Most of them were from the Baron's army, but there were also armies from other fortresses, and groups from villages. The Oni had all come together for this final battle. Those who knew who she was jeered and those who didn't looked skeptical. She tried to stay calm.
"So that's it, then? We just keep on fighting the Dragons until they or we are destroyed and the whole realm is in ruins? We grow and live in a world of constant war and fear? Instead of the world of peace that he's offering us?" here she gestured to Wu.
"Why would we ever listen to you…Dragon Lover?!" one of the Baron's henchman spat at her and the crowd became angry once again.
"Because she is the only Oni among all of you connected to the true power from your past," Wu pointed out. The crowd could not disagree; they had witnessed her in action, whether in the battle itself or on the rock formation.
A few more of the Baron's Dragon Masters approached menacingly. One gave her an unctuous smile.
"But the Baron has shown us how we can use that power for ourselves…all it will take is a few more hours in the extraction chamber, eh Keyda?"
She took a small step backwards as the crowd of Oni pressed closer. She glared at the one talking and clenched her fists.
"Don't…threaten me…"
The crowd slowed at the sight of her glowing fists. The speaker wasn't totally cowed, however.
"You should have brought more backup…both of you. What could you possibly hope to accomplish with your empty words?"
"You'd prefer I show up with dragons?" Wu asked angrily. The speaker laughed without humor.
"It would have at least ensured you'd make it out of here alive…"
Keyda took a step towards him. He was an oily character that she recognized from the Baron's inner circle. No doubt he had taken it upon himself to fill the void left by the Baron's death.
"Go ahead and try something…give me a reason to wipe that smirk off your face…" Her fists glowed brighter. He glanced down at them with a hint of concern, but he quickly masked it.
"You think you're so special, huh? You think that we haven't figured out your little secret? Let's go track down those colorful friends of yours…maybe if I kill one I'll unlock some fancy powers…"
In seconds the oily man was pinned up against the side of the Dragon by his throat; Keyda noted briefly that this was beginning to be her signature move. She glared at the man, fists and eyes fully flaming now. There was terror in his eyes now…true terror. She grunted disgustedly and threw him back into the Oni crowd. She turned and began yelling at all of them, aura pouring off of her.
"Is this what you want?" She asked, throwing blasts at them. "Someone to be afraid of?! Someone who terrorizes you into obeying, who manipulates every aspect of your life through fear?!" She launched a few more orbs and the Oni were cowering now. She shook her head; it seemed that the Baron was right. Nowadays Oni only fear or are feared.
"Well…if that's all you want than fine. I can blast you into submission…control you…you can all go back to the lives you had before, groveling in the dirt!" She threw more power at them. Wu was suddenly next to her, grabbing her arm.
"Keyda…that's enough…."
"NO." She gestured to the crowd as she bitterly addressed the Dragon Master. "This is what they want, 'Chosen One'. It's all they know; they don't want change. They can't handle change!"
"We have to give them that chance…"
"They won't give themselves that chance! They finally have the option to be more than mindless puppets and sycophants…to have a chance at real life and at happiness and they are going to throw it away!" Furious tears coursed down her cheeks. This is what Wu got for bringing her along…he should have listened to her when she said she couldn't do this. Suddenly a voice called out from among the Oni.
"Maybe Not."
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