Chapter 13- A Rough Plan

Lloyd stopped struggling as soon as the ship drifted away from the island. Cole released him, and Lloyd fell to his knees, eyes shut tightly. For a moment, he'd had a home. Somewhere to belong. Someone that cared. But now it was gone. He stood slowly, walking to the edge of the ship. The temple was in flames now. There was no doubt that Sensei Wu was gone.

"Great," Kai sighed, trying to keep his anger under control. "This is just great. I...I hate the Serpentine. I can't wait to just-"

Kai shot a burst of flames skyward, releasing the tension that had been tightening his muscles.

"We'll be fine," Cole said, his eyes focused on Lloyd, making sure the young boy wouldn't do anything crazy. "We just need a plan. Sensei was able to unlock our abilities. We're powerful now. We can do anything. We can't let doubt and fear control us..."

"Yes, we're strong. But they're still stronger. There's like...billions of them. And we're four. I mean the odds of us staying alive are ...some kind of small number I don't even want to think about." Jay created a small spark, his slender fingers playing around with his newfound powers. "I feel pretty awesome now that we've got these powers but I'm gonna admit it. I'm still pretty terrified of messing around with Pythor."

Zane kept his hands steady on the wheel as he continued to steer them all away from the Temple of Light, feeling a sense of dread overwhelm him. "We must continue to keep our wits about us, even with our newly found abilities," he stated, keeping his gaze on the horizon. "Jay is correct though, the Serpentine will be formidable foes indeed."

"We have you though," the brunet interjected, crossing his arms over his chest. "You know how they work, Zane. You know their weaknesses and their strengths. With you on our side, our elemental powers, and the kid, we'll be absolutely unstoppable!" His spirits were soaring extremely high despite the loss they had all befallen.

With a solemn shake of his head, the android disagreed. "Once again, I say they will be a very tough enemy to fight."

"But we have to do it," Lloyd turned away from the temple, his bright green eyes looking at the faces of his new companions. "I don't want to go back to being a slave, not knowing where I'll sleep or whether or not there will be food for me that day. And I don't want other people to have to go through that. We've been chosen...and we have to see this through to the end. I don't know what will happen. I don't know what sacrifices we're gonna have to deal with. But let's just remember that everything will be worth it."

"Hear hear!" Cole smiled, placing his arm around Lloyd. "We just have to stay positive."

"Look, this is nice and all, but we need a plan. We can't just wander back into Ninjago hoping that faith and trust will keep us away from harm." Kai pointed out. "Where will we hide? Where will we get provisions from? And most of all how are we going to bring down a whole kingdom of corruption?"

Jay drummed his fingers against the railing of the ship, watching small sparks flash and quickly dissipate in the wind that refused to be caught in the sails. The blacksmith's words had destroyed the bit of confidence he had been able to form. Now he felt weak and queasy all over again "Kai's right. We have no plan and we're probably just gonna be followed by the Serpentine that attacked the island." It was difficult for Jay to see exactly how Lloyd and Cole were able to keep such a positive attitude in the light of everything that was happening. If he had to sacrifice himself for the greater good of Ninjago, would he be able to do it? Shaking the thought from his head, the puppeteer decided that everything would fall into place eventually. They would figure something out, they always did. Maybe he just needed a distraction.

"So...you were a slave, huh?" Jay said suddenly, leaning his back against the polished, wooden railing of the ship and spreading his arms out. "How did that happen, Lloyd? How does the Golden Master end up as a slave?" Yes, they all needed a distraction, and a time to get to know each other a little better. Especially the blonde boy they were now responsible for.

"Well...I was always a slave I guess," Lloyd shrugged. "I don't remember much about anything else. I've always had a master and I've always had to follow orders. There's really nothing interesting about me. Except..."

The Golden Master paused, reaching into his small satchel to pull out the book that was so precious to him. "I've always had this with me. I think it's the last real book in Ninjago. It talks about the Serpentine I think. Can't really be sure though, I wasn't exactly taught how to read."

"Whoa...would you look at that," Cole said, his eyes widening at the sight of the golden book, the binding reflecting some of the sun's rays. "You've always had that with you? It looks...so old and important."

Nodding, Lloyd clutched the book a little tighter in his grasp. "Yeah, I can't remember a time when I didn't have it. Almost like I can't remember a time when..." He trailed off, thinking about the ghostly figure that always followed him no matter where he ended up moving to. Across the entire land of Ninjago, the emperor had always trailed behind, being a voice of both reason and comfort. "Never mind," the Golden Master finished, choosing to withhold the information for now. If he was supposed to be a great hero and even a leader, then he had to be sane to do it.

"Hey, Zane," Kai called out, hurrying over towards Lloyd and reaching out to grab the book from the boy's hands. Withdrawing from Kai's grasp automatically, Lloyd nervously eyed the man before him. "Sorry," the blacksmith apologized, realizing he had been too hasty. "It's just...Zane use to work really closely with Pythor and he knows a lot more about stuff like this than we do. Cole had a map that led us to the Temple of Light, but we would have never known it was a map if Zane hadn't told us. Maybe he knows about this book. Would you show it to him?"

Lloyd held the book closer against his chest, childishly holding on. It was hard for him to part from the book even for a minute. It meant a lot to him. It was the only thing that had always been there. Well that, and the emperor's ghost.

He turned to Zane, who seemed to be studying him. It was a bit unnerving. Sighing softly, he held the book out to the pale man, his arms still shaking with reluctance. "Here...just...be careful alright?"

Zane took the book, gently flipping through its pages. His eyes moved left and right rapidly, a small smirk forming on his face. "I do think the Golden Master has saved us. This book contains the Serpentine's every weakness."

"No way!" Jay smiled sparks flowing around his arms. "They'll never know what hit 'em! No wonder those ugly guys were trying to destroy every book out there! Good thing our little buddy kept this book safe for so long."

The robot closed the book, clearing his throat in order to regain attention. "It will not be easy. Getting close to the Serpentine leaders will be a challenge in itself...and knowing their weakness doesn't necessarily grant us victory."

"It...doesn't?" Jay, who had been doing a small victory dance, allowed his arms to drop down to his sides. "Oh fiddlesticks, why can't things just be easy?"

"If it was really that easy, then people would have tried to overthrow them all years ago," Kai replied stubbornly. It was amazing to him nonetheless that Lloyd had such a book in his possession. Yet again, destiny was only revealing small portions of a greater plan. A plan that, hopefully, lead them all to a successful victory. Despite knowing that there was a long road ahead for each and every one of them, Kai could not help but feel at ease for the moment. This book was going to aid them in ways they could have never imagined. True and unyielding freedom was slowly coming into reach, something Kai thought he would never live to actually see.

"We should have no problem getting close to the Serpentine leaders now though," the blacksmith continued, solely addressing the latter of Zane's last statement. "We have powers now. Yeah, sure, we'll have to practice with them a little bit, but we can just barrel through all the low ranking snakes now and head straight to the top dogs."

Cole shook his head gravely. "Hold up there, hothead. Just charging into the different kingdoms can be really messy. We might be specially chosen by the Creator, but that doesn't mean we're invincible." The merchant shifted his satchel from one shoulder to the other, gripping the leather strap apprehensively. "We have elemental abilities. Sure, that's a plus. We have this book that can tell us the best way to defeat each leader. That's a good asset too, but it doesn't mean we will always win. It doesn't mean we won't face tribulations or hardships along the way."

"Being a hero is never easy," the android chimed in, handing the lusciously bound book back to the green clad boy. Lloyd graciously accepted the book and quickly stuffed it back into his own satchel, obscuring it from sight. "There is a multitude of ways that our continued rebellion will end in crushing defeat." He had been consciously running the numbers and odds in their favor. Zane never really liked the results. "We must keep our wits about us and stay focused on each task we undertake. A small slip up could mean our demise and I am positive that none of you would want that."

"Yeah, no, demise is not something I'd want on my plate," Jay agreed nodding vigorously. "But seriously, Zane, spill the beans! How do we kick the Serpentine's butts?"

"We are nearing the kingdom of the Fangpyre once again, so I suggest we start off there," Zane said, already forming a small plan in his mind." They can turn whoever and whatever they please into one of their own. The weakness of these treacherous Serpentine is their fangs. Without them, they are useless in battle, and can easily be overcome."

"Now, out of all of us, I will have to admit that Cole has the greatest strength. Physically at least," the robot continued. "We will need to sneak inside the castle, only using our powers when it is absolutely necessary. It would be much better if they only knew we were there when it is too late. Once inside, Jay, Kai, and I will wait outside the courtroom, getting rid of any guards that might try to stop us. Cole, you will go into the throne room, get rid of the Fangpyre leader by punching out his precious fangs, then take his staff. It's not much of a plan, but it is a rough idea of what we must do."

"Take the staff?" Jay questioned.

"What about me?" Lloyd protested.

Zane turned to Jay. "If we take the staff, the other Serpentine will respect us. By defeating their leader, they are bound to obey our orders. And Lloyd, you will remain behind and wait for us in the ship. We can't risk to lose you."

"No way!" Lloyd shrieked, stomping his foot. "I'm the Golden Master! You have to take me!"

"You heard the robot, kid. Stay put and you'll stay safe," Kai agreed wholeheartedly.

He inhaled sharply, feeling very immature. "First Sensei Wu shows you guys how to harness the elemental abilities inside of you and then he doesn't even get a chance to teach me anything. Now you're just gonna leave me behind while you try and take out the Serpentine leaders? I can help too!" Lloyd felt his face flushing with anger as he tried to argue his case to the people that surrounded him. None of them seemed to be budging on Zane's verdict.

"If we fall in combat, you will need to be the one to pick up the pieces and continue on," the android explained, continuing to split his focus between steering the seafaring vessel and his companions. "As I stated previously, victory is not guaranteed for us. If you came along and ended up injured, or possibly dead, what would we do then? There would be absolutely no chance of victory." A solemn hush fell upon the ship as the salty sea breeze continued to pound against the alabaster sails. "You are the central cog of this machine, Lloyd. Sensei Wu told us to nurture and protect you. I am certainly not willing to break a promise like that. Are you willing to jeopardize the future of this land just so you can roughhouse with a few serpents?"

"Whatever!" Lloyd growled. "You guys are idiots anyway."

The Golden Master sulkily marched into the lower deck slamming the door close behind him.

"Well...being a babysitter is going to be harder than we thought," Jay said, looking at the place Lloyd had stood. "He's got a bit of an attitude doesn't he?"

"Ugh, yes he does." Kai massaged his forehead, trying to cool down his irritation. "I know he's going through a lot right now, but honestly, so are we. He could try to act a little better."

Cole shrugged. "He's just a kid Kai."

"He must mature fast if he is going to be the one to save Ninjago," Zane stated, frowning at the horizon. "On another note...he seems strangely familiar to me. It is as if I have seen his face before...somewhere."

Cole raised a bushy brow in confusion. He knew he'd never laid eyes on Lloyd before. In fact, he had been positive that none of them had ever seen each other until their paths had crossed in this whirlwind of unforeseen events. So how could Lloyd look familiar to Zane? The guy worked for the Serpentine, genius, he thought begrudgingly. He's traveled all over the country. Probably saw Lloyd once in passing or something. He's a robot, he's gotta have the best photographic memory anyone could ever have. Setting that aside for now, the merchant moved on to the one thing that was truly bugging him.

"So, back to this plan you're trying to construct, Zane. You want me to punch the Fangpyre leader in the mouth and...break his fangs? I mean, I guess I'm strong, but I don't think I'm that strong." A cloud of doubt settled over the raven-haired man's mind and he shifted anxiously on his feet. "That's dangerous, isn't it? Punching a fang? Wouldn't it just pierce my skin and turn me into a...serpent too?" That was the absolute last thing Cole wanted to happen. Becoming a Serpentine was not on his list of things to accomplish before he died.

"If you thought about it hard enough, maybe you could just make your hand turn into a rock or something," Kai snickered, rolling his eyes lightly. He had to admit that Cole got the lamest abilities out of all of them. Using earth to fight? Definitely not as cool as fire, that much was certain.

Cole turned to Kai, unamused by the blacksmith's tone. Still, the guy might actually be onto something. Even if he had meant it as a joke. "Great idea Kai, let's see how well it works."

Focusing to redirect his energy towards his left hand, Cole created a thick armor of stone around his skin. Before Kai could react, Cole swung a punch at his chest. Not as hard as his strength would have allowed him, of course, but hard enough to wipe the smile away from the cocky blacksmith.

Kai involuntarily fell to a knee as the precious air that had been resting peacefully in his lungs was forced out. Glancing upwards to see Cole standing over him was almost painful. The merchant extended the hand that had previously been enveloped in the strong granite and Kai took it, swiftly returning to his feet. It was obvious that Cole had not even been trying with his punch and, in that case, the blacksmith was positive that when the time came for Cole to bash in some skulls, he would do it with ease. Breaking teeth wouldn't be much of an issue.

"Touche," Kai replied, giving a small cough as he regained his composure. "Looks like you'll be just fine then. So now it all rests on us and our ability to sneak into the castle undetected." It seemed like an impossible feat to be sure. The Serpentine outnumbered all of them greatly and Kai was well aware that stealth was not an area of expertise for him. "We get in, let Cole do his thing, take their staff or whatever, and then move on."

"It's set then!" Jay shouted, throwing his hands up in celebration. "This is going to be great! Everyone in Ninjago will be talking about us!"

"Not sure that's a good thing..." Cole sighed.

Pythor slithered back and forth through the length of the throne room, muttering to himself.

"I didn't order anyone to go to the Temple of Light. Why would I want supplies delivered there? I was planning to starve the old man!" The Emperor banged his fist against the marble walls of his room. "My soldiers would surely have taken care of the problem. Not even the old man would be able to beat such an army."

"But...the boy. I knew I recognized him. I should have swiped him away right then and there, should have fed him to my precious Devourer. He's behind this, I'm sure of it. He looks just like Ninjago's old emperor," Pythor sighed, slithering towards his throne and crumpling down against it. "Oh I should have been more careful. I should have made sure to wipe away every heir to the empire. Now it's all coming back to haunt me."

Pythor closed his eyes, a queasy feeling forming within his stomach. Maybe his Serpentine had killed all the threats that had suddenly emerged. Maybe they had been defeated. There was no way to know for sure.

All the emperor could do for now, was wait.