First, let me apologize for taking almost a month! Now, here's the new chapter!
Lucine's P.O.V.
I grit my teeth shivering as Lord Garmadon increases the freezing chill of the ice wasteland. "Concentrate!" He barks.
Nodding, I slash the two Serpentine in front of me and knock out a third. My session ends, and I exit the simulation room, greeted by warmth and Master Garmadon holding a blanket and hot chocolate. "Well done. You have improved."
"It's the same as always; not enough." I protest, sipping the hot chocolate. It warms my skin, but not my ice heart and soul.
Two months have passed since the ninja murdered my parents. Every day I train until I'm exhausted, pushing my limits. Master Garmadon had me train in various scenarios, from fiery volcanoes to barren wastelands and lightning storms. The last test was in a frigid blizzard, when I could barely see anything. It's all in preparation for the ninja and their powers. More often than not I come back with horrible injuries; the last 'simulation' ended with terrible burns up my arms and the other time I was knocked out by blasts of lightning, something Master was not pleased by.
Personally, I find my days are hard, but my nights are when I'm most vulnerable. In my slumber my parents visit, and the ninja continually slaughter them. More than once I wake up in a pool of tears before hitting myself and reminding myself to be stronger. The night before last was one of the worst; their faces swam in front of me, so close, yet hauntingly across a veil.
"You must take more pride in yourself, Lucine. Now, we are going to visit the Serpentine in the City of Ouroboros." Master Garmadon tells me.
I raise my eyebrow. Since the ninja took away Master's Mega-Weapon, I feel the snakes are not as loyal. But not me; I'll remain loyal to the end. He'll give me revenge, the very thing I live for. Though, there are times when I wonder what will come next.
On the ride over, I notice Skales down below mumbling something. Of all the Serpentine, he seems the least loyal, and Master has told me more than once to keep an eye on him. Master Garmadon goes down, explaining his idea to visit the Dark Island of legend. I remain in the shadows, watching Skales. He doesn't appear to be doing anything wrong, so I focus on the others.
But once we're searching, I hear Skales talking with the other Serpentine leaders. "He'ssss without hissss Mega-Weapon! He'ssss vulnerable!"
"But how do we get rid of him?" The Constrictai leader asks. Master Garmadon is busy with the pilot, so I draw out one of my throwing knives, just in case.
Unfortunately, I'm too late, and Skales pushes Master Garmadon out of the helicopter. But as the Serpentine celebrate, I push Skales and the Constrictai leader down so they also fall. "One word against Master Garmadon and you two follow them." I growl to the other two Serpentine leaders. They have brains, so they nod. "Pilot! Take us down to the water."
Once we're on the surface of the water, I pull Master Garmadon back inside. "Traitors." He mumbles under his breath.
"Are you alright, Master?" I insist.
"I am fine." He turns to the other Serpentine on the helicopter. "Betray me, and I will have Lucine take you out as painfully as she knows how." He threatens.
Still, the Venomari leader makes another attempt, giving me a reason to flip him over and out of the helicopter. The Hypnobrai leader trembles and I push him over as well. "You'll also have a watery grave unless you obey. Understood?" I ask the pilot.
"Y-yessss misssss, ma'am." He stammers.
Eventually, we give up on the island. Returning to Ouroboros, the Serpentine are surprised when none of their leaders are with us. "Serpentine!" Master Garmadon yells. "Your leaders tried mutiny, and discovered something." He motions to me and I walk forward. "This is my protégé, and as seen by your now dead leaders, is quite skilled. Any attempts on my life will result in her taking action."
The Serpentine actually tremble in fear now. I smile grimly and a few look terrified. Master and I return to the woods, where he gives me a folder.
"Lucine, it is time. The first target I give you is the ice ninja." Master Garmadon tells me.
"His name is Zane, correct?" I ask, looking through the file.
"Yes, and it he is a robot. The hardest to defeat, as he cannot die." Master sighs, but I purse my lips.
If he's a robot, he's likely programmed to do what the ninja say. Not worth killing. "We can change him. Have him serve you." I suggest. Master Garmadon grins.
"Truly, Lucine, I am surprised you are not my own daughter. Yes, do that." He urges. But inside, I know if I have lost my pity, I have at least not lost my mercy.
Two hours later...
I position myself in the trees, remaining silent. Before I left, Master gave me a small jewel which I tied around my neck.
Remember, when you wear this, you will appear however you wish. Use this to your advantage in the field. Master Garmadon had told me.
Right now, even as I'm in jeans and a regular shirt, the gemstone conceals me with a cloak. The Serpentine are drawing out the ninja into the area. They effortlessly defeat the snakes, and I continue to wait.
"Well, we're done here!" The blue says cheerfully, but the red shakes his head.
"It was too easy. Something's not right." He replies.
Smart boy. I praise silently before speaking. "You're right."
The ninja try to find me, but I laugh. "You won't see me unless I want you to."
"Zane, can you track her?" The black ninja asks. The white ninja's eyes change to red, and I grin.
Taking out the special gun Master gave me, I aim and shoot the white ninja. The others are surprised, but the blue snorts.
"That won't hurt Zane!" He insists.
Just wait and see. I promise. Sure enough, the bugs from the bullet short-circuit the white ninja and he falls over.
"Zane!" The other ninja run over, but I pull out a small tube and fire once for each standing ninja. They groan and sink to the ground.
Once everyone's passed out, I jump to the ground. "A little help, please?" Two Serpentine immediately pick up the robot ninja, and we get him onto the helicopter. "How long will the bugs last?" I ask the Serpentine who designed them.
"A few hourssss, misssss." He says.
"Then let's get back quickly." I tell him. The sooner his programming is re-written, the sooner he will be free from the ninja's control.
In the lab...
Master Garmadon and I are in the Serpentine's underground lab, where the robot ninja in lying on the table. His panel is open, revealing all sorts of switches.
Carefully, a Serpentine flips the robot's 'memory' switch to off position. The robot relaxes from its tense state, but just to be safe, I clip off the switch from the wires, sticking it in my pocket. They also attach a switch which will turn him off if his panel opens.
"Now, when he awakens, this is what you will tell him." Master Garmadon hands me a file, and once the robot is in a room, sleeping in the bed, I read the papers, and prepare myself for the act.
Sorry for no updates, took awhile for me to get this done.