Chapter 2 - New Girl
The Skullkin army that kidnapped Nya were in a huge, dark, underground chamber. Torches hugged the wall and kept the chamber dimly lit, and pools of lava would glow as well, making it hot and steamy in the chamber.
Samukai, the Skullkin Lord, and two other Skullkin warriors were with him. And with the three skeletons had a female lithe figure wrapped in chains with them, and she was struggling to break free of the skeletons' grip and the chains, but to no avail. The woman in chains was none other than Nya. Her amber eyes were full with worry and she was panting and sweating.
"Where am I, who are you, why am I here, you giant Halloween decoration?!" Nya exclaimed.
One of the Skullkin that was holding Nya gasped, and just burst out crying and sobbed as he ran away.
"Oh great, now you've offended him," the other Skullkin warrior growled.
"You are dismissed Knuckle—I'm taking her to see Him," Samukai said with a grin to the Skullkin holding Nya who's name was Knuckle.
"Him, him who?!" Nya asked in shock.
"You know you ask too many questions, and I don't like that—so be quiet the rest of the way and be a good little girl for me, hmm?" Samukai said as he grabbed a dagger, grabbed Nya and put the blade up to her neck, and they began to walk further into the hot chamber, "but I guess I like your curiosity, so I'll tell you a little something about my boss—he doesn't like cowards, and he doesn't like it when he doesn't get the answers he's looking for, so I suggest you cooperate with the dark lord and future ruler of Ninjago," Samukai instructed harshly into Nya's ear and he gripped with his claw bone hands onto Nya's arm. Nya winced with Samukai's death grip as they kept walking.
Eventually, Samukai lead Nya to the top of a spiraling staircase that lead down a dark hole in the ground.
"Watch your steep, little lady," Samukai warned sarcastically. Nya carefully made her way down the long flight of spiraling stairs while still in Samukai's grip. When the two got to the bottom, Samukai grabbed a stray lit torch nearby on the wall, and used it to light the way.
After walking into a separate and smaller chamber and walking over a bridge that was made of nothing but bones and ropes, they stepped onto a giant stone platform, and then they stopped. Nya was confused.
"Why are we stopping?" Nya asked quickly.
"Because the boss is in here," Samukai sighed.
"Here? Where?" asked Nya.
"Shut it!" called an echo like and male voice.
Suddenly, on the other side of the room, a giant black, yet transparent shadowy figure appeared up against the wall. The shadow was shaped like a man, and it looked like he wore a Mongolian hat with a bone crest atop his head, and he had glowing red eyes, and the shadow towered by many feet tall. Nya gasped and whimpered.
"Oh, sorry, I forgot about my horrible appearance that always has an affect on people when it comes to first impressions," the shadow said sarcastically, "leave us, Samukai—I'll deal with her on my own," the shadow growled. Samukai nodded.
"Yes, Garmadon," Samukai said to the shadow named Garmadon, and left the room, leaving Nya with the terrifying shadowy Garmadon.
"I hope the Skullkin treated you well," Garmadon said sarcastically, "but you're here so I can ask you a question, so tell me—where is that map?" asked Garmadon. Nya had a look of shock and confusion.
It was a starry night over a forest. An old and unused trail cut through the forest. A deer, a doe, began to make a few graceful steps across the path, until she froze and her ears shot forwards towards five creatures that were walking towards her, but she stood there staring. The creatures were actually full grown horses, and they took big clomping hoof steps across the trail as they were each carrying a ninja or Sensei Wu. Cole noticed the deer and stared at her, but then the deer left the staring contest and turned into the forest.
"Ugh, I'm so hungry, I think I'd kill to get that deer and have me some deer meat chili," Cole groaned.
"Shut it Cole, you're not the only one at the verge of boredom and death here," Kai groaned back at Cole.
Suddenly a loud snore emerged from Jay who was trailing behind, apparently he fell asleep in the saddle, but managed to sit up. At least, until Jay couldn't support his tired body and he leaned out of the saddle and fell off his horse, but his foot was caught in the stirrup, so he was dragged. While Jay was dragged, he still didn't wake up, and his horse just kept walking. Everyone looked back in surprise at this.
"Uh, maybe we should stop and set up camp here, besides, we've made up a lot of ground already, so we might not need to travel as much in the morning," said Sensei Wu.
A while later, it was still dark, but now the ninja team had dismounted their horses and tied them up to a nearby log, and built a campfire.
"As tempting as it is, don't ask me to sing The Campfire Song Song," Kai said sarcastically. It was quiet the next moment. "So, how'd all you guys come to meet Sensei Wu and all that, I mean, you know my story, so you tell me yours," Kai said, breaking the silence.
"Well, actually we're all here because we owe Wu our lives," Zane replied.
"Really?" asked Kai.
"Yeah, I was out mountain climbing once and my rope snapped, but just when I thought I'd fall to my death, Wu came out of nowhere and gave me a hand," Cole explained.
"Yes, and I was merely taking a stroll in the frigid Birch Wood Forest, when I suddenly realized I was walking over a frozen lake, and it wasn't until I walked onto a weak spot that I realized it, but before I fell in, Sensei Wu came in unexpectedly, like Cole said, and saved me," Zane explained in his soft voice.
Suddenly footsteps were heard, and they guys turned to find Jay awake, and he was scratching himself for some reason.
"Weren't you asleep?" asked Kai. Jay sat down next to Cole.
"Yeah, but 'someone' put me down by an ant hill, and they're itching like crazy," Jay complained as he scowled at Cole, and Cole chuckled.
"So Jay, how did you meet Wu?" asked Kai.
"Huh?" Jay asked because he was to busy scratching.
"How did you become part of the team?" asked Kai.
"Oh, well, you never would've guessed, but I always loved tech and inventing stuff, and I was trying to make a homemade lightening rod for my parent's place, and I tried to do it before a storm was going to hit, but I had bad timing, but lucky for me, Wu warned me just before a lightening bolt came down and fried me," Jay explained with enthusiasm.
"And yet—here I am just trying to learn this Spinjitzu fighting style just to save my sister. I don't owe him anything," Kai sighed.
"Perhaps not—but he is willing to help you retrieve your sister, truly, you must be thankful for that," said Zane.
"Well—I guess that's true," Kai admitted as he and the other three looked over at Sensei Wu who was rather distant as he stood many feet away and stared at the moon.
Suddenly, a low and deep growl was heard. Cole clutched his stomach, meaning his stomach was growling from hunger.
"Ugh, I'm so hunger—if I ever see that deer again, I'm making deer meat chili out of it," Cole growled.
A light thud was heard from behind everyone, but they paid no mind.
"Huh, well, judging by the lack of civilization, you aren't getting such a fancy dish," said a feminine voice. This made the boys, even Wu, turn to look behind them, and there standing was a girl, who was maybe about thirteen or fourteen years old, she was about five feet tall, and for some reason she wore sunglasses over her eyes, and though she wore an old and beat up looking brown cloak with the hood up, a bit of long brown hair streamed out from the sides of the hood, under her cloak were some more old, raggedy clothes.
Lying in front of her was the doe from earlier, except it lay dead in front of her and had an arrow that was driven deep into its chest, and on the girl's back she wore a bow and quiver filled with arrows. The girl pulled her hood down, and the boys just looked confused at her.
"Who are you, ma'am?" asked Zane.
"Usually I don't just tell people my name," the girl replied as her smile went away.
"Ok—well, then how 'bout we call you—Hunter?" asked Jay, with a smile. The girl pondered this, and then smiled.
"Not too bad, I like that name," the girl, now known as Hunter, said, "now, are you gonna take this offer or not?" asked Hunter as she pointed at the dead deer.
"Uh, wait, why are you giving us this deer, anyway?" Cole asked as Hunter leaned down and clutched the arrow in the deer in her hand. And Hunter ripped the bloody arrow out of the animal.
"Because I don't want people to live the terrible and lonely life I live—so whenever I come across a desolate and wandering soul out here, I help them out—you guys for instance," Hunter explained sadly. Hunter began to turn and leave into the dark forest.
"Wait, you aren't leaving, are you?" Jay asked with shock. This got Hunter's attention, so she stopped and turned to look at them.
"Yes, young Hunter, why don't you stick around with us for a while? You seem to know how to use that bow," Sensei Wu said as he suddenly walked up to the conversation.
"A-are you sure? I mean, I don't want to impose," said Hunter.
"Certainly not—you have captured us a meal, the least we could do is offer you some hospitality," Zane said with a smile. Hunter began to smile softly.
"Oh, ok, but I won't stick around for too long—now I'll be right back, I've got an arrow head to clean," Hunter said as she held up the bloody arrow head.
"Wait, hold up, Hunter, clear me out on something here. Why are you wearing sun glasses at night?" Kai asked, causing Hunter to stop in her tracks again.
"Oh, well, you see, I-I'm—blind," Hunter said sheepishly.
"But if you're blind, then how did you see to shoot this doe down, huh?" Kai asked as he began to scowl. Hunter chuckled awkwardly, and turned around.
"I guess I'm just that talented," Hunter replied, but the others didn't know she wasn't smiling, she wore a look of fear on her face, and then she finally left the camp site.
Hunter walked a few yards, until she stopped. She heard nothing but wind and swaying leaves, until she heard faint running water.
"Ah, a river due east," Hunter said as she smiled and continued on.
When she finally arrived at a nearby stream, she leaned down and began to clean the dry blood and fur off the arrow head. But Hunter leaned her head down to the point where her hair was blocking most of her face, she took off her sunglasses, but from her eyes that were not visible because of her droopy locks, a light purple glow meekly shined from where her eyes would be.
After a few minutes of cleaning, Hunter placed her sunglasses back on her face and stood up with a clean arrow. Hunter smiled at the clean arrow.
"Much better," Hunter muttered.
Suddenly a light caw was heard from a tree above Hunter. Hunter looked up, only to find that a falcon with dark feathers had swooped down from a tree, and she held out her arm and the falcon landed on her arm.
"Hey, there big guy, how are you?" Hunter asked the falcon softly as she stared into its piercing eyes. The hawks stared at her for a moment, and then looked past her to look at the distant campfire light coming from the ninjas' camp. Hunter noticed this, so she looked at the light, and then back at the bird with a smirk.
"Something with them have to do with you?" asked Hunter. The bird looked at her again, and blinked as it cocked its head. Then the bird began to flutter its big feathery wings a little.
"Alright, alright, don't get your feathers ruffled, no pun intended—I won't hold you back," Hunter chuckled, and with that, she jerked her arm up so the bird could fly away, and it did so as it disappeared into the night sky.
Hunter then continued back towards the camp.
Meanwhile, back with the ninja and Wu at the campsite, the guys were laid back and relaxed as they ate pieces of campfire cooked deer meat, and Sensei Wu sat cross legged close to the fire and just stared at it.
"What the heck does Sensei see in that fire anyway?" asked Kai.
"Well that's ironic, coming from hot-head, here," Cole said with a smirk. Jay chuckled at this, but Zane still had a straight, and also confused, face. Jay's laughing died down when he faced Zane and noticed he wasn't laughing.
"Uh, Zane, you don't find that funny? You see, that's what's called a lack of sense of humor—you need help," Jay said as he face palmed.
"Oh no, of course I found it funny—ha, ha," said Zane, and he laughed very awkwardly and terribly, as if it was a fake laugh, but he kept on smiling.
"I'm gonna go see what's up with him," Kai said, and with, he got up from his spot and walked up to his meditating mentor. "Uh, Sensei, earth to Sensei Wu," Kai said in a sing song voice as he tried to get Wu's attention by waving a hand in front of his face.
"Just because one does not look the other in the eye, does not mean they are not aware of what is happening around them," Sensei Wu said without looking up at Kai.
"Uh, oh, well—why are you staring at the fir? You'll ruin your eyes doing that, and I know, I've worked with enough fires before," said Kai.
"Ah, Kai, you must learn to be more keen. You see, I am not staring at the fire—I am staring into the smoke arising from it," Sensei Wu replied.
"Why?" asked Kai.
"Because experienced people, like myself, know a special tactic—it is known as 'Reading Spirit Smoke'—when this is practiced, people who can clear their mind enough can see things," Wu explained, "things like the future," Wu continued as he finally looked away from the fire and up at Kai.
There was a long pause.
"Uh, ok, that's a bit creepy, but-," Kai began, but only to be cut off by Hunter who just got back.
"Creepy?!" Hunter yelled in anger, "you should have more respect in supernatural things like that, it's not creepy at all!" Hunter snapped, causing everyone to look confused at her. Hunter realized the scene she was making, and she looked down as her face softened. "Sorry," Hunter apologized.
"Why do you care about what Wu and I were talking about?" Kai asked, as Wu stood up beside Kai.
"Uh, nothing, don't worry about it," Hunter replied quickly.
"No, you know what, no more secrets, I may be over reacting right now, but I don't care. I mean, you don't tell us your real name, you wear sunglasses in the dark, and now you're starting a debate team about magic and stuff. What is wrong with you?!" Kai raged as he walked angrily up to Hunter.
The whole time Kai was yelling, Hunter was panicking, and she was panting in fear.
"Stop!" Hunter finally snapped, and everyone, even Kai, looked at her with wide eyes "you're right, I'm keeping secrets from you guys about who I am, and I shouldn't do that—and I've been feared before, so why stop now?" Hunter said with her voice raised at first, but then her voice began to soften. Everyone waited for Hunter's explanation, and she inhaled and exhaled before speaking.
"I wasn't lying to you when I said I was blind, but that's not why I wear sun glasses all the time—you see, I was born blind in both eyes—but my story is a tad different," said Hunter, and she sighed as she took a hand and slowly took off her sunglasses.
Everyone gasped when they saw her eyes. Hunter's eyes weren't normal, their irises were a, literally, sparkling light purple color.
"I was also born with colored irises—throughout my life, every time people saw my 'special' eyes, they saw me as a freak, even my parents rejected me, and they never wanted to get to know me, so I never had any friends. So when I was able to get these sunglasses, I figured I couldn't be around civilization anymore, so I ran away and lived a life of solitude ever since—and I never wanted to tell people my name because I thought because of all the fear I've caused I thought couldn't trust anyone," Hunter explained sadly.
The others looked at each other sadly, and then back at Hunter.
"Look Hunter, all you had to do was tell us you didn't want anything to do with us and we would've let you go—we trust you," Cole spoke up. Hunter pondered this.
"Well then, can I trust you all with one last piece of information?" asked Hunter, everyone nodded in reply. "I also lived my life alone because of this—'talent' I have," said Hunter.
"Talent?" asked Jay.
"Yeah—it's like what Wu said about the Spirit Smoke—I have these flashes that let's me see things like good things, misfortunes—or even the up comings deaths of people—and whenever I tried to warn or tell people about the flashes I had of them, they thought I was deranged and people always flee from me," said Hunter.
There was a long dead silence as this was taken in. Cole walked up to Hunter and put a hand on her shoulder, causing her to look up at him.
"Hunter, we understand perfectly, I mean, do you even know who you're talking to—I'm afraid of dragons, Kai's sister was kidnapped by the undead, Jay acts like a child twenty four-seven, and Zane has no sense of humor—and you think you're different?" Cole said in between chuckles, causing Hunter and everyone else laugh, but when they heard their name, they scowled.
"You mean none of you care about my eyes or my powers?" asked Hunter, and everyone shook their head in reply.
"Oh, of course not, Hunter, in fact, I think this power of yours makes you special, not scary—which is why, if you would like to, you could join us on our adventures," said Sensei Wu.
"Really?" Hunter said as she smiled, "I'd love to—I never thought I'd live the day that I'd have something I never had," Hunter sighed.
"What's that?" asked Cole.
"Friends," Hunter replied, causing everyone to smile. Hunter stretched her arms and yawned. "Well guys, I'm going to bed," said Hunter.
"Sleep well, Hunter," said Wu, as he walked away towards the ninja.
"Good night, Hunter," Cole, Kai, and Zane almost said in unison.
"Yeah, what they all said, 'night Hunter," said Jay. Hunter seemed to stare off into space as she nodded lightly and then she looked at the boys again.
"Kate," Hunter simply said.
"What?" asked Kai.
"My real name is Kate," said Hunter, now Kate. Everyone grinned. Kate took out her sunglasses and stared down at them in her hand. Kate smiled and took both hands, and she snapped the pair of sunglasses in two, and then eventually threw the pieces away into a bush.
As dawn covered the horizon, the ninja, Wu, and Kate woke up and were packing up. But Jay was still asleep, and his head rested close to the fire that wasn't completely out, so Cole took a bucket and poured water onto the fire, causing loud splashing and singeing noises to wake Jay up. Jay scowled at Cole, and then stood up. The ninja mounted their horses, and Kate rode behind Wu on his white horse. The group made their horses walk, and began their trek began again. Kate had an unsettling look on her face. Wu noticed this as he looked at Kate and then in front of his horse again.
"Something wrong Kate?" asked Wu. Kate was reluctant to answer.
"Yes, something is wrong, very wrong. I don't just have flashes, I also have dreams that tell me the future—and last night I had a dream about the ninja," said Kate, and she paused when she heard laughter and indistinct conversation coming from the ninja trailing behind them, "a dream where one of them will meet their fate," Kate continued sadly.
"Hmm, that is depressing and shocking news—but when you believe the time is right, you may tell them what you dreamt," said Wu, and Kate nodded.
"But that's just the point, that's all I can do to help, that's all I've ever been able to do, even if people won't listen," said Kate.
Suddenly, Kai trotted up next to Sensei Wu's horse. "Hey Sensei, where are we going? You never told us what this trip is about, too," said Kai. Wu didn't say anything, he simply grabbed out a rolled up parchment. The map. Wu handed it to Kai, and Kai unrolled it.
On the map were indistinct pictures of a giant land mass with indistinct land structures.
"Kai, do you see the Caves of Despair on that map?" asked Wu.
"You mean the land form that looks like a bunch of caverns?" asked Kai as he stared at the paper.
"Exactly, that's where we are going," said Wu.
"But why there in particular?" asked Kai.
"Because in the caves of despair is the first item on our list that we are looking for: the Scythe of Quakes," Wu said sternly as Kai handed the paper to Kate, who handed it to Wu, and he put it away. The group traveled on their horses for a few peaceful moments, but that peace was not to last.
As they traveled through the wood, a canister making a high pitched squealing noise as air flowed out of its nozzle was thrown from behind some thick brush and landed in front of the group. Everyone slowed their horses as they approached the canister. Kai's eyes went wide and he began to slowly shake his head.
"Why me?" Kai mumbled.
But in the blink of an eye, the can exploded and white clouds of toxic air filled the air and surrounded everyone one. The gas that filled the air was a knock out gas. The ninja were becoming very dizzy and sleepy. After everyone fell from their saddles and collapsed onto the ground, the horses got scared and reared up and ran off together and were never seen again, and things began to go black and fuzzy. The sound of haggish cackling was heard as it approached, and the haggish behind the cackling was all too familiar. It was Samukai and his Skullkin army again.