Before I wrote this A/N, I wondered. Why do I write A/Ns? Then I remembered that I like breaking down fourth walls and saying–
Alex: Enjoy!
Jerk...
"Where's the entrance?" Tove huffed. "It's burning out here!"
"It's not that hot," Kai said.
"Easy for you to say," Cole mumbled. "Lucas, Zane, do either of you know where the entrance is?"
"I only knew there was venge stone by Torch Fire Mountain," Lucas said, almost panting out the words. "I have no idea where the entrance might be."
"I'll scan the area to see if there's a hidden passage," Zane said. He did a material scan, finding a rock that wasn't made from any kind of stone. He walked over to it, placing his hand on it. He immediately pulled back at the heat from the metal door. "Here it is."
Tove ran over, going through it. A moment later the door creaked open. "On the bright side, everything's unlocked for me," she smiled.
The ninja started down into the tunnels. The tempature got a little cooler the further they went down. It only seemed about 80 degrees when they reached a large area. It had a few couches, an AC, a chair, and a television.
"They're running electricity down here?" Lucas questioned. "Where's it coming from? I don't see any wires!"
"It's all magic," Cole said, walking over to the AC. He turned it on, not really caring if anyone heard it running. "Remember the plan. Let's not make any mistakes." He coughed, subtlely saying, "Kai."
Kai crossed his arms and looked at the three corridors. "Which one leads to the cells?"
"You won't find out."
The group turned to see a young boy with blonde hair.
"You! Where's Zoey?" Lucas growled. His eyes flashed teal, but the venge stone kept him from using his powers.
The boy shrugged. "She's…around. I must say, I didn't think you'd find this place. Where's Alex? Isn't she with you?" A smiled crept on his face.
"Where's Alex?" Cole demanded, stepping toward the magic used.
The boy lifted his hands and a black veil came up between him and the ninja. "Ah, ah, ah," he said. "I haven't finished yet."
"Finished what?" Zane questioned.
"Joey!"
The boy tensed up. He turned and saw Alex with Julic. "So you finally showed," he muttered.
Alex walked over to the boy, keeping her distance. "Joey, this needs to stop now," she said firmly. "I'm here, if you want a fight I'll give you one. Just leave my friends and family out of it."
Joey clenched his fists. "No," he growled. "I'm making the rules now. I'll decided what I do, not you. I am not eight anymore."
"I never said you were," Alex stated. "You wanna prove you're grown up? Let Zoey, Jay and Lloyd go."
"Stop telling me what to do!" Joey yelled. The dark veil between them and the other ninja got denser and became a black wall. He turned and took off down one of the halls.
Alex rushed after him, a black wall covering the exit. She stopped and turned to it. There was no going back, but she had to try and reach Joey. He was only hurting from his past, she knew that feeling. She had to save him. She turned and continued down the hall.
Alex stopped at the end if the hall, Joey and Lloyd were there, and Joey was holding Lloyd by the throat. She took a breath and calmly said, "Joey, please just let him go."
"No!" Joey yelled. "You left me! Why didn't you train me?"
"You were too young," Alex said simply. "I wasn't going to just take away your childhood."
Joey let go of Lloyd, loosely cupped his hand in the air and a black light appeared around the gold ninja. "So it's all right for him to be trained so young?" he growled. The light grew darker and Lloyd closed his eyes. "It's not fair. Then my parents die because of you!"
"Joey, that wasn't my fault," Alex said calmly. "I wasn't there when they died."
"Exactly!" Joey exclaimed. "You weren't there! I ask you to train me and you refuse for my sake, then I ask you to stay and you leave for your sake. All of this, is your fault!"
Alex looked to Lloyd. "Joey just let my brother go," she said, trying to keep it together. "Please, I don't want to have to hurt you."
Joey clenched his fist and the black light completely consumed Lloyd, the light was so dense that it was as if Lloyd wasn't there. "Well I want to hurt him."
Alex clenched her fists and turned to Joey. She reached for her swords but two hands grabbed her wrists. Julic stood behind her, smiling. He pulled her hands behind her and forced her down onto her knees. "You know, I've been waiting for this since I saw your powers. They're mine no–"
"Julic!" Joey snapped. "You will not take her powers until I'm done."
"Of course not," Julic agreed. "She'll put up quite a good fight, and I wouldn't want to miss that."
Alex knew they were trying to break her. She also knew she couldn't just let her brother die. She pulled against Julic's grip, trying to get to her feet, but it was no use. She looked to Lloyd and tried again with no luck. "Please!" Alex called to Joey. "He was never apart of it!" Tears were already starting to form in her eyes.
"Never apart of it? I think he was," Joey said, taking a few steps towards Alex. "You don't know where my magic comes from do you? My entire bloodline is cursed with it until we make it our own. My whole family is in Ninjago for one purpose, to serve my grandfather! Even with that, I still would avenge his death, and I'm doing so now."
"Lloyd's never killed anyone!" Alex argued. "Please just let him go!"
Joey shrugged. "Fine." He unclenched his hand and Lloyd's body fell to the ground, unresponsive.
Alex stared at him, tears streaming down her face. She waited, hoping he would move, talk, something! Instead he just laid there, perfectly still. She felt something snap inside of her and she started shaking. She didn't care if there was a chance to save Joey, she wasn't giving him that chance. Her body turned a silver color and the sharp, cold winds picked up.
Julic decided he couldn't wait. A black veil went down his arms and up Alex's. Her body turned back to normal and she collapsed. Julic stood and looked to Joey. "That was interesting," he said. "I didn't realize you could kill. Magic is different from most powers, the way I see it. Sometimes it's capabilities allude me."
"You took her powers and I wasn't done!" Joey snapped.
"You had your fun with the boy," Julic growled. "I'm pretty sure we both knew that if I didn't take her powers, she'd kill us. Now, well I wouldn't be surprised if she was too weak to use Spinjitzu." He looked down at her. "Now let's go. It's my turn to have some fun." With that, Joey snapped his fingers and they vanished.
Alex pushed herself up and crawled over to her brother. She gently lifted Lloyd and held him close. "Please," she whispered. "Please no." She wished she knew what Joey did, and she wished she could do something to make him pay. She pulled herself together and checked for any sign that he brother was okay. There was nothing! His chest was still and he had no pulse. He was gone.
Joey: Finally! You named me!
Oh, you've had a name, I just like building suspense.
Lloyd: Did you just–
Be gone!
Lloyd: *poof*
Alex: WTH!
Cole: Oh, she's allowed to say that but I can't say–
Tove: Review!
