14. Nowhere to Run
Alex practically dropped her stuff and spun around. Echo just smiled and turned to the voice, and, as she had guessed, it was Rattla. "I'm glad you didn't turn on us as well," she said, then her smile faded. "What happened to them?"
"Zane, Zoey and Kai esssscaped. I didn't see where Lucassss was though," Rattla said.
Alex's eyes widened. She looked in the direction of the desert. "Which way did Zane, Zoey and Kai go?"
"West! East? Which way does the ssssun rise again?"
"East."
"Then they definately headed east!"
"Is there even anything out east?" Echo asked. "I know the kingdom is north of home and Ouroboros was south. This place was north west. As far as I know there's nothing east."
"East is the Birchwood Forest," Wilson said. "It's one of the barren waste lands that Garmadon didn't take over since no one lived there and there were no resources."
"They'll be fine," Cole mumbled. "I think out biggest concern is the serpentine now."
"The biggest concern is my youngest brother is practically alone and now we don't even know where my older brother is!" Alex exclaimed. "My dad will manipulate Lloyd, and without Lucas no one pure can take the thrown!"
"Calm down, Princess," Ryan said. "One problem at a time. Lloyd isn't able to take the throne for another…seven years?"
"Nine," Joesph corrected.
"Right, cameras," Alex mumbled.
"We need a way to figure out what's going on inside the kingdom," Echo thought aloud.
"That's where I come in."
Rick tensed. "That voice!"
"Yesterday," Nicholas agreed. "Come out!"
Everyone walked out if the shack and a boy, about sixteen, appeared behind Rattla. "Hello, Ninjago's Rebellion."
Rattla jumped and crashed into Echo, knocking them both down. "Ssssorry," he said.
"Who are you?" Cole demanded.
"Names are meaningless," he said, "but you can call me Majikku."
"That's the ancient word for magic," Wilson said. "Don't tell me you believe in that."
"I won't," Majikku said. He snapped his fingers and a notepad appeared in his hands. "Let's see…I could make one of you appear different. You could sneak in the kingdom, but it's a bit permanent."
"Next," Joesph said.
"I could summon anyone here, but you realize that cost is high," he said.
"Like how high?" Alex asked.
"Too high."
"I'm the princess, I'm sure I'll be able to pay for it!" Alex snapped.
"Except it doesn't cost gold," Majikku said, his indigo eyes glancing to Alex. "To summon someone here, it costs something you can't put a price on."
"A person," Nicholas said. "Alex we shouldn't be messing with this. It's dark magic."
Majikku tossed the notebook and it vanished. "Then I'll be going now. I'm sure the king would accept my services."
Echo's eyes widened. "Don't!" she squeaked, running over to him. He smiled and they both vanished.
Lucas kept the cloak on him as he walked through the kingdom. He glanced to the sky. Sunless for years. He could just barely see the sun from his uncle's ship. The clouds that cursed the kingdom were too thick. Too spread out. Now it seemed as if they were getting thicker.
"Get up!"
Lucas stopped and turned. There was a young boy on the ground and two guards standing over him. He could tell the boy was crying, but it was so soft he couldn't hear it. As the boy started to get up, a guard kicked him. They both had laughed.
Lucas couldn't stand seeing this and ran over, forgetting he was suppose to be undercover. "Knock it off!" he growled.
"This is none of your concern," a guard said. "This little brat needs to learn respect. He's an orphan and even though he lives in the orphanage, he runs away just to rob people."
"He'll grow up to be a dangerous criminal and we're just taking care of it now," the other said.
"I don't care why! You will not hurt this young boy!" Lucas said in a high-and-mighty voice.
"Who are you to say we can't?" a guard asked.
Lucas pulled his hood down. "Prince Lucas of Ninjago. Now leave him alone."
Both guards instantly bowed and backed away. Lucas nodded and walked over to the boy. The boy made a few hand signs that made no sense.
"You're a mute," Lucas said, picking the boy up. His mouth opened, but the scream never came. "Don't worry, I've got you now."
"Lucas, sir, what are you doing outside of the castle?"
"If you escaped the rebellion you should've returned."
Lucas turned to the guards. "None of your concern!" he said. "Oh, and the rebellion didn't kidnap me. The serpentine did." He knew the snakes would probably hate him and want to eat him or something, but he had to break the alliance between them and his father.
"Would you like an escort to the castle?" a guard asked.
Lucas nodded. "Yes. Perhaps our doctor will help this boy."
"But he's a thief!"
"That doesn't matter! He can't be any older than nine! If he's an orphan obviously he doesn't know any better!" Lucas said. Then he thought of a way for the guards to be satisfied and for the kid to stay out of trouble. "He can earn his keep at the castle once he's healed, as a slave."
"A gift to your father," the guard suggested.
Lucas shook his head. "To my mother."
Wu was pushed to his knees before his brother. He looked up, meeting his brother's gaze before seeing the golden sword beside him.
"Leave us!" Garmadon commanded.
The guards obeyed and left.
"Brother, we can end this before it goes too far," Wu said. "You have the sword, what more do you need?"
"The other weapons!" Garmadon snapped. "Nothing more matters!"
Wu looked down. He almost regretted his next words, "Nothing huh? So I suppose that means your children and wife."
"How dare you! After what you did, you're lucky I didn't kill you back then!" Garmadon hissed. "You're only alive now because you know where the other weapons are."
Suddenly a boy appeared, and beside him was Echo. Wu stared at his daughter, trying to pull on the shackles that kept his wrists behind his back.
"Joey! I see you've gotten who I asked for," the king smiled.
"I never back out of a deal," Joey shrugged. "I assume you have my payment."
Garmadon tossed a bag if gold to the magic user's feet. "Spend it wisely."
Joey picked it up and nodded before vanishing again.
Echo saw Wu and ran over, putting her arms around him, obviously terrified.
"It's okay," Wu whispered.
"Daddy, you told me never to come here," she sobbed quietly. "I'm sorry."
Garmadon got up and walked down to them. "Rise!" he commanded his brother. "Do not make me do something you might regret." He glanced to Echo.
Wu stood cautiously. "I won't tell you where the weapons are. The elemental ninja are the only ones who can find them."
"Kai, and who else?" Garmadon asked.
"I do not know."
"Lies!"
"Zane!" Echo cried out. "Just don't hurt him."
"The other two?" Garmadon asked, crouching down to Echo.
Wu stared at his daughter. He'd know Zane was special, but he didn't know he was one of the ninja. How did Echo know?
"I don't know the others. I could only feel heat and cold."
"The Shurikens of Ice!" Garmadon said. "But Joey said the nunchucks would be found next."
"Maybe he lied," Echo said, "or maybe he was wrong. Or maybe knowing Zane is the Ninja of Ice means nothing."
"Which do you think it is?" Garmadon asked.
"First let my daddy go," Echo said. "Then we talk about my theories."
Garmadon stood and glared at Wu. "Why should I let him go?" he growled.
"Because I know where the weapons are."
"Echo!" Wu hissed. He didn't want her to get mixed up in this. Not for him.
Garmadon walked behind Wu and undid the cuffs. He leaned in and whispered, "Try anything, and it's her life you pay." He went back in front of them. "So what is your theory? Where are the weapons?"
"Okay, so I don't know their exact location. No one does. It was with the serpentine's help that anyone who helped hide them forgot immediately where they hid them. That's why only the elemental ninja can find them, their powers are like magnets, the weapons being south and the ninja being north…or I suppose it could be vies-versa. Oh, and my thoughts on your other question was I think it doesn't matter whether you know who the Ninja of Ice is or not, the Nunchucks of Lightning will be found first."
"And where specifically?" Garmadon asked.
Wu didn't know what to do. He knew Echo didn't know, but he didn't remember either! He looked at his brother. He was actually speaking calmly so that was a good sign. Maybe for once he'd be able to talk Garmadon out of something.
"The Nunchucks of Lightning…I don't really know. I'd assume a cloudy area with lots of storms, but that actually describes anywhere you set foot in Ninjago," Echo said. "Obviously the weapons are in their element, but I don't know how the sword ended up here."
"It was never hidden," Wu said. "When I went to hide them, I practically tore the castle apart looking for it, but since I couldn't find it I figured no one could and left it at that."
"I bet I know who hid it," Garmadon mumbled. "How old was Alex when you were banished?"
"Thirteen," Wu mumbled. "I should've known."
"Why would Alex hide it?" Echo asked.
"She wanted to help me," Wu said, knowing this part was something Garmadon was unaware of, but he didn't want to lie to his daughter. "She always claimed the weapons wanted her to use them, but of course just one touch has enough power to make you say and do crazy things to possess one." He looked up to his brother. "Isn't that right?"
"Enough!" Garmadon snapped. "I need to decide what to do with you two."
"Father!"
Wu turned as Lucas burst into the throne room. He looked back to Garmadon to see a shocked look on his face.
"Lucas?" he questioned. "H-How did you escape the rebellion?"
"Okay, one, I'm a natural fighter. You've told me so repeatively during my sword training. Two, it wasn't the rebellion who kidnapped me. It was the serpentine."
Wu nodded glaring down. Lucas obvious put some thought into what he would say. He was glad he was protecting him and Echo.
"The serpentine?" Garmadon gasped. "But I just made an alliance with them! If they kidnapped you then why would they become my allies in battle?"
"I don't know, maybe so you wouldn't suspect them or believe me," Lucas said.
Garmadon hummed in thought, but Wu could tell it wasn't about what Lucas said. The king looked up and asked his son, "Did you know Alex wanted to possess the elemental weapons?"
"She what?!" Lucas gaped, eyes wide. "No, she promised me she would never let their power influence her!"
"I suppose she lied," Garmadon said. "Just as she lied when she said the rebellion wasn't trusting her. She's gone now, with them. Perhaps she believes they can lead her to the weapons."
"Garmadon, what are you getting at?" Wu asked, narrowing his eyes.
"That maybe Alex is planning to over throw me with the weapons. She always hated the way I ran things," Garmadon said.
"Um, Father," Lucas said, "Alex probably said that because of the dark cloud shielding the sun from Ninjago. Alex always loved the warmth it brought."
Echo shook her head. "No, too hot," she mumbled. "The desert with small clouds is warm enough."
Garmadon turned away for a moment. "Wu, you will be sent to the dungeon. I know how heart broken my children would be if you died, so I won't kill you. As for Echo, she will work as a slave. Lucas, you are to go retrieve your mother. I must speak with her."
"No!" Echo cried out.
"Echo, it'll be fine," Wu promised, holding her close. "I'll be fine and you'll be treated decent."
"Don't leave me," Echo whispered.
"Hey, Echo," Lucas said softly. "You can be my slave. I won't make you do much. I promise, okay?"
Echo wiped her eyes and nodded, though she obviously still wasn't happy.
"What are you waiting for?" Garmadon snapped, turning back to them. "Go!"
Then the three hurried out of the throne room.
Late update, I know. This will try to be a regular thing on Tuesdays, but my iPod won't keep the edits I make. I'll try and fix that, but just no there is no guarantee until I do. Thanks for your support and for following this story. It is the best AU I've ever written. :)
