Hello~

How are you guys? Sorry that it's taken me so long. I've been busy with school and soccer and writing a novel and sh*t.

But anyways! Enjoy this chapter!

(Also, is it just me, or do I say 'anyways' in my Author's Notes ALL the time?)

Kai: She doesn't own Ninjago.

Chapter 13: Defeat

(Lloyd's POV)

Very slowly Cole turns around, his eyes wide as he sees the sight that was once behind him. The figure's twisted smile sent shivers down my spine, and his red eyes bored into my soul.

"Cryptor..." Cole says slowly.

"Ah, hello," Cryptor grins. His lit eyes find Jay's lifeless form crumbled on the floor. "I see that my army has done well, even if in the end it was...disposed..."

"YOU!" screams Nya, lunging forward. To my surprise it's Kai that holds her back, preventing her from attacking the Nindroid.

"Nya, he's trying to make us angry! We'll get our vengeance later!"

"Oh, it's you!" Cryptor looks at Kai with mock admiration. "You're that one...the one I couldn't get information out of."

"You say that like you did get info out of someone!" Cole says, his tone sharp.

"Oh, I did," Cryptor responds slyly.

"From who?!" I cry.

"It was almost too easy...in fact, all of you were tricked by it."

"Tricked by what?" Kai shouts angrily.

"It's okay..." Cryptor laughs. "Drop the act now..."

"I obey, Master," a robotic voice says from my left. Gasps echo from my friends' mouths.

"I KNEW IT!" Kai screams.

"P-Pixal?!" stammers Nya.

"You will all surrender," Pixal replies, monotone.

"If this was all a trick, then why did you free us?!" shouts Cole.

"It was all a trap..." Cryptor smirks. "We were only trying to get you all in one place."

I suddenly feel a pinching sensation on my wrists as Pixal stands behind me. Handcuffs.

"You..." I whisper, my voice cracking. "I just met you and you're already betraying me...you don't even know me..."

"I know you are dangerous and that my Master wants you imprisoned," she responds. "Besides, any enemy of my Master is an enemy of mine."

I'm about to snap back, a witty retort on my tongue, when she walks away to cuff the rest of my friends one by one.

No one struggles. We all know that it's over.

Even with giant car-tank, Julien, and my father, we are helpless... We're bloody, cut, and bruised. We're broken in every way, and we're crumbling still. There is no way out of this cave...and it's collapsing.

"Now..." Cryptor smiles. "You will come with us to your destiny.

I look over at my friends, their hopeless looks mirroring mine. Cole looks dead. Kai looks broken. Nya looks drained. My father looks tired. And Julien looks helpless. But the look in everyone's eyes is the same...

'Yes, it's over.'

So I step forward, my legs shaking. I feel sick to my stomach, and my palms are sweating like crazy. Tears threaten to spill from my violet eyes, and I blink them away. I bite down so hard on my lip that I taste blood.

I'm the Green Ninja. The Golden Ninja. The Ultimate Spinjitzu Master. That's who I'm supposed to be. It's a part of me, a part I can't hide or neglect or forget. But look at me now... Helpless. Broken. Defeated. I'm supposed to be the winner, not the loser. I'm the hero, the icon of hope for the people of Ninjago... What have I become? Who am I now? Why am I a nobody?

The worst part is...I have no choice. I have to give up. Refusing and trying to be the hero will do nothing now. It will only cause us all more pain and suffering than we're about to get.

No doubt that is what Cryptor plans for us. I can see that twisted look in his eyes and smile, taunting us. Whatever he has in store for us, it will hurt more than anything. Or...will it?

Could it be that we've gone numb? Have we become completely calloused so we can't feel pain? Has the amount of losses slowly increasing made us stronger? We appear to be weak...so, so weak...but are we really? Is this weakness only temporary? Will it disappear and leave undying strength in it's place?

So many questions...so little time. If only...I could answer these questions. If only I could predict my fate...

But I can't. I'm no god, no supernatural being. I am a human, with flaws and imperfections like everyone else.

And that is why...I must give up.

I steady myself, trying to stop the shaking. The blood pooled in my mouth is salty, yet in a way...it helps. I taste my own pain...but I don't feel it.

"Cryptor..." I look Cryptor right in his crimson eyes. "Lead the way."

Sorry for the short chapter. I just wanted to finally get one up, you know? I don't want to keep you guys waiting.

But oooh! The suspense! What's Cryptor going to do?

Anyways, I've got good news and bad news! The bad news this fanfic is starting to come to a close. Probably...eh, 1-3 chapters left?

The good new is...I'm planning a sequel! Most likely it will be called "Revolution", but I'm not sure.

Do you want a sequel to this story? Or would you rather that I start something new? I'd love to hear your opinion, sooo please review!

~ForeverDreamer12, signing out.