KaitouKiwi here. I wanted to personally apologize for the severe lack of Neverender lately. Two weeks ago I was overwhelmed with so much schoolwork to take care of before a convention. And then last week I was really sick with something that I caught from said convention. So yeah. My bad.

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Rise of the Golden Master

Heart pounding with excitement, Lloyd continued to walk. The mist began to dissipate, and soon, Lloyd found himself in a small clearing. His hands began to shake, and for a brief moment, he felt lightheaded. He wasn't alone.

The Overlord had changed once more. Instead of his four armed body, he was now a gigantic dragon, standing tall before Lloyd's minuscule figure. It tilted its head, baring its fangs, eyes glowing with blood lust. "I see you made it, little hero."

"It's going to take a lot to stop me," Lloyd shouted, walking closer, focusing his energy into the palms of his hands.

"But you're alone, and you're hurt." The Overlord chuckled, a dark heavy sound that sent shivers through the Golden Master's body. "You can't defeat me. You're nothing more than a mere human."

"We're stronger than you'd think," Lloyd hissed, shooting his golden energy towards the dragon's body. The Overlord staggered back, then growled, shooting his own beam of energy towards the young boy's body. Instinctively, Lloyd raised his arms, trying to cover his face, preparing himself for the blow. It never came.

Slowly, Lloyd risked a small peek. A green wall of energy had enveloped around his body, splitting apart the Overlord's attack, keeping him from harm. Realizing his efforts were wasted, the Overlord stopped, shutting its mouth to contain the beam of energy. The green shield around Lloyd's body vanished into nothing.

"Seems like you've learned a bit more," The Overlord muttered. "Or perhaps, you're just getting lucky."

"Kai. . ."

Her voice echoed all around the blacksmith as he blindly sped deeper and deeper into the thick mist. As soon as the sound would fade enough for Kai to strain his ears, the call came again. Just his name, over and over again. "Nya!" Kai's pace had gradually slowed from a frantic sprint to a quickened walk. He was vaguely aware of how lost he was, but he shoved it to the back of his mind. "Where are you, Nya?"

"Right here, Kai."

The blacksmith spun around and saw his sister's familiar brown eyes. A pang of joy and sadness rushed through him. Kai lunged towards her, ready to pull Nya into an embrace, but she seemed to stay the same distance away from him. Had she moved? Or maybe Kai hadn't moved when he thought he actually had. "I can't believe you're okay! H-How are you alive? I saw the Great Devourer eat you!"

"You killed it though, didn't you?" she asked softly, a small smile on her face.

Kai just nodded, still dumbfounded that Nya was in front of him. "We killed it, yeah. Are you saying that. . . by killing it, you were able to escape?" He blinked, confused. It didn't quite make sense, but it just had to! Kai knew Nya was tough, and if she had survived inside a creature long enough to be freed once it was dead, he'd believe it. "But, I mean, how did you get out of the chasm then?"

"It's their fault this happened," Nya said, her eyes narrowed. She took a single step towards her brother. "If you hadn't put your faith in them then nothing would have happened to me."

Kai's heart skipped a beat. "What are you talking about, Nya?"

The girl crossed her bare arms over her chest and stared down at the ground. "You know what I'm talking about. Pythor was able to get his hands on me and feed me to the Great Devourer. If you had been alone, then you could have saved me. None of it would have ever happened." She paused for a moment to let her brother mull over her words. "You should have been the hero, the Golden Master. You would have been able to figure out your powers faster than Lloyd did. You would have used them better. The others, they just weigh you down too. Kai, it should have been you. They're all worthless."

A smirk formed on the blacksmith's lips. "If I was the Golden Master, I would have saved Ninjago in a single day." There was a slight pressure building in Kai's head and he squinted, trying to rid himself of it. "I'm much more capable than Lloyd is. He's just a kid, but I have more experience on my side. I know how to be a hero."

"So find him. Find the others. Make sure that they won't get in your way anymore, Kai." Nya gestured to the sprawling mist that was beginning to thin. "Show them that you're the one true hero."

The dragon lunged forward, shedding his powers and using his bare claws instead. Lloyd jumped back, escaping with only a small scratch across his chest. It couldn't have been too deep, but blood began to taint Lloyd's green suit. The Golden Master had no time to worry about the wound, however, as the Overlord continued to attack restlessly, swinging his thick scaly arms towards Lloyd, snapping his sharp fangs inches from his weak mortal body. The young boy dodged as best as he could, but simply moving out of harm's way wasn't good enough. Sooner or later, Lloyd would get tired. One slip up would be enough for the Overlord to rip him apart.

No, he would have to take the offensive. The Golden Master tried to focus his energy, but it was useless. Unlike the others, he had not been guided by Sensei Wu to unlock his true potential. The golden energy came and went, leaving Lloyd defenseless when he most needed it.

"You can't run forever," the Overlord chuckled, enjoying the way Lloyd's body shook as he gasped to regain his breath. "Your small mortal body will give away. I have been planning this moment for centuries, boy. Do you really think you'll be able to stop me? You're all alone. You've always been alone."

Lloyd shook his head, refusing to listen to the Overlord's words. They were lies. He knew that now. He'd been through enough with the others to know that he would never truly be alone. Although the others weren't standing by his side, all of their lessons and words stood within the Golden Master, guiding him to make the right choices.

"That won't work anymore," Lloyd smiled. "I'm not alone. Not anymore. Not ever again."

"You can choose to believe whatever you please," the Overlord answered, unshaken by Lloyd's feeble attempt to stay strong. "It won't change the fact that your friends aren't here to help you."
The black dragon growled, whipping its tail in the air, smacking Lloyd's body. The young boy flew back, body skidding to a stop against the cold ground.

He clenched his fists down at his sides as he traversed the unfamiliar area, Nya keeping pace with him. Lloyd couldn't have gotten far. Or maybe he did. Kai tried to think back to the moment when he and Lloyd separated, but he didn't remember. Maybe he'd have better luck finding the others first.

"You have to take care of them," Nya said. "Make sure they can't hurt anyone ever again."

"I know," Kai shrugged, keeping his eyes focused ahead. There was a new sound that spread through the mist around him. Footsteps. "Nya, stay back. I don't know what's coming." The blacksmith held his arm out in front of his sibling, reiterating his point. Nya glanced over at him before conceding defeat. They both stood still, Kai's right hand inching down towards his waist, where his weapon secured. Just as he prepared to touch the familiar metal of his blade, Kai felt his heart sink. It was gone. He couldn't remember when he'd lost it.

"Is something wrong?" Nya asked, eyebrows raised.

Kai shook his head. "No, everything's fine." He pulled his hand back up, closing his fist before opening it again. A flame sprang to life, ready to be utilized as a weapon. "I know someone's there," Kai shouted. "Why don't you show yourself?"

A figure approached, its silhouette wavering in time with the purple haze. "Here I am." Cole moved slowly, his head bowed, obscuring his features behind a curtain of hair.

"He's right there, Kai," Nya prompted, her words fueling Kai's anger. She watched the flame in her brother's hand grow in size. "Destroy him."

The blacksmith rushed forward, throwing the ball of flame in his hand towards Cole.

Coughing, Lloyd struggled to stand. There was a pain in his chest each time he tried to breathe, hinting at one or two broken ribs. The bleeding on his chest had worsened, and a pounding in his head created black dots that pounced in and out of his vision. Shaking, the boy stood, blinking rapidly in order to force the world into focus. Just as the colors in his vision attempted to blend together, Lloyd was thrown back yet again.

For a moment, there was nothing. Then Lloyd's stubborn mind forced him back into consciousness, reminding him of the importance of this battle. He couldn't lose.
"Still alive are you?" The Overlord's voice came from somewhere to his left. Lloyd turned, trying his best to make out the shape of his enemy. This task was harder than it should have been, as his left eye had been swollen shut and his other eye was fighting away involuntary tears of pain. "Why? Do you enjoy this suffering? Wouldn't you rather allow yourself to slip away?"

"I. . . can't," Lloyd muttered, his voice raspy and weak. "I . . . won't."

The answer to unlock his powers had to be inside him somewhere. He remembered back at the monastery, how Sensei Wu had simply pushed forward what was already within every one of his friends. For Zane it had been simple. Once the robot had realized who he truly wanted to be, his icy powers had unlocked.

"I am me. I am Zane," the robot's voice shook. "I am not a weapon. I am a shield. I will protect all of those who deserve it."

That didn't help Lloyd. The young boy knew who he was, and he knew what he must do. And yet, the knowledge gave him no strength. It had to be something else.

Jay. . . Jay had been afraid to be himself. When the puppeteer had finally come to terms with his neverending waves of energy, the power of lightning had flowed freely. Lloyd could almost hear the blue eyed man's happy chuckle.

"I am me and it's awesome!"

Maybe, maybe Lloyd was afraid to be himself. He thought back. . . But he had never hesitated much on doing what he wanted to do. Lloyd knew he wasn't anywhere near perfect, but he'd never let it bother him much.

"Time to say goodbye, little hero." The Overlord's voice snapped Lloyd back into reality. Its claws wrapped themselves around Lloyd's body, pulling the boy up and closer to the Overlord's mouth.

The Golden Master closed his eyes, trying to even his breathing. He had to do something. And soon.

The merchant raised his hands, forcing the ground in front of him to rise.

Kai growled, his eyes ablaze with hatred. "Coward," he hissed, throwing another flame against the sturdy barrier. It fizzled out into nothingness, allowing everything to be bathed in the ominous glow of the purple mist. The blacksmith waited, his labored breaths rasping between his lips. "Come out from behind there, Cole!"

Silence.

Gritting his teeth together, Kai charged in a different direction, hoping to catch the merchant from the side, off guard. Just as Cole's form came into Kai's line of sight the earth rose yet again. Growing more flustered by the second, Kai rushed to Cole's back, only for the same fate to befall him. The merchant had encased himself within the confines of his element, safe from harm.

"Fight me," the blacksmith demanded, thrusting his arms forward. Pillars of flames shot towards the barrier, dissipating into the hazy air after being deflected. Kai felt a wave of weakness overwhelm him, and he took a step back, widening his stance to keep himself upright and balanced.

The encasement of rock exploded, sending debris flying. A large chunk of Cole's barrier met Kai's abdomen, knocking him off of his feet and gasping for air on the ground. Feeling the weight pinning him down, Kai struggled desperately, hands scrambling for the strength to free himself.

"You talk such a tough game," Cole chuckled, surveying the area around him before approaching Kai. "You wanted a fight? You've got one. Though it doesn't look like you'll be able to do much about anything." The merchant loomed over his former teammate. Kai looked pathetic, like a wriggling worm fighting for survival. Without a second thought, Cole placed a foot on the rock that trapped Kai and applied pressure.

Kai felt his stomach and chest bubble with newly found pain. He tried to push harder against the underside of the rock, but to no avail. The merchant was too strong. Just when Kai was beginning to give up hope, his blurry vision focused past Cole. He managed a cocky smile. "You'd be shocked at what I'm still capable of," Kai retorted.

Cole started shaking, his arms and legs growing numb as his chest burned. But his uncontrollable tremors were enough to shatter the rock beneath his foot, freeing Kai. As suddenly as the sensation started, it stopped. The merchant stumbled back, his strength flickering, until he met something hard. Glancing over his shoulder, Cole silently cursed.

"Ha ha ha, shocked to see me, pebblehead?" Jay laughed, his fingertips sparking and violet tinged eyes narrowed.

"Shut up, Jay," Kai hissed, finally getting to his feet. "I already used that."

"The puppeteer pushed Cole away. "You used my joke?" he accused, stalking towards Kai. "Then I guess you'll have to die first. . ."

Cole. . . Cole, what had Cole done? Lloyd's heart was palpitating violently now, making it harder to think. Worry. Yes! That was it. Cole's worry for himself and for others had dragged him down. He'd focused on the negative outcome of things instead of fighting to fix them.

Did Lloyd worry? Yes. A lot. He worried about himself, and whether he'd ever be able to live up to the large destiny forced down upon him. But he'd never allowed that to stop him. Things had looked grim for him for most of his life, and yet, he'd never allowed that to defeat him. Cole's way wasn't the answer.

Lloyd tried to move his body, but the Overlord's claws were pressed far too tight against him. He could feel the warm breath of the dragon's mouth, the stench of death burning Lloyd's lungs as he tried to breathe.

The answer had to be somewhere inside him. What about Kai? What had been the blacksmith's blockade?

It was becoming increasingly hard to remember. The prospect of death sent waves of useless adrenaline throughout Lloyd's body, sending his mind whirring wildly and making it nearly impossible to focus. He had to keep calm in order to bring his memories forward, but how could one stay calm in-

Calm! Yes. That had been part of Kai's problem's. He hadn't been able to stay calm. Hadn't been able to stop and think. Hadn't been able to channel his powerful feelings into one single output.

That didn't help. The Golden Master was somehow managing to concentrate as he inched towards death, and yet that did nothing for him. He was still weak, still useless.
Out of all his friends, he would be the one to let everything crumble. Knowing who he was gave him no power. Accepting his flaws gave him no strength. Fighting through the fear didn't make him any better. Focusing in chaos couldn't save him. He was useless. Broken.

The one gear in the clockwork of destiny that didn't quite work.

Jay shot a bolt of electricity towards Kai. The blacksmith meant to leap across the ground, roll to safety, but he stumbled and hit the ground instead, scraping up his hands in the process. Much to his surprise, the energy traveled over his head regardless, charging the air in its wake. "You'll have to be better than that," Kai laughed.

Scoffing, Jay held his hands together, concentrating on building up his power as much as possible for unleashing another attack. Kai wasn't going to get away from him again. "Isn't that just like you?" the puppeteer spat. "Always underestimating me. Well I'll show you who's better than who today, Kai."

"Always the comedian, huh?" The blacksmith was back on his feet, the length of his arms on fire. "You're not better than me. You'll never be better than me."

As the two stared at each other, sizing each other up, the ground beneath them started to quiver, forcing Kai to his knees and breaking Jay's concentration. His sparks stopped and he huffed in anger. "Now's not the time, Cole. Stay out of this," Jay said.

"You attacked me first, blabber mouth," the merchant stated, lifting his hands. The ground underneath Jay morphed, covering his feet and shins. "It's only fair that you let me land a hit on you too."

The puppeteer struggled to escape from the shackles, but he couldn't do anything. He was a sitting duck. Jay's eyes stared down Cole as he approached. He wasn't going to show any weakness to the merchant. Especially not now. But as Cole cracked his knuckles, a ball of fire exploded right in front of him, sending Jay into a fit of laughter. "Ha! You totally deserved that, you cheater!"

Cole inhaled deeply, trying to compose himself as he looked from Kai to Jay. They were both so annoying. He couldn't believe he had even considered working with either of them. But which one was worse? Which of the two would he take care of first? The voices in his head had just melded into his own conscious thoughts now and he gave a smirk as he decided. Jay would definitely be the first to go.

"Say what you want, but you're still stuck," the merchant said. He had the sudden urge to just bury the puppeteer in a mountain of rock and be rid of him forever. In fact, it sounded like the best possible idea. Cole lifted his hands higher and the ground around Jay's legs responded accordingly, crawling up his body. By the time it reached his waist, the merchant could see the fear blanketing Jay's face. "And don't worry, Kai. I'll be with you shortly," Cole laughed.

But a creeping chill traveled on a slight breeze, making Cole shiver. He turned his attention away from the puppeteer for just a second, back to where Kai had fallen. Zane stood there, his hand wrapped around Kai's throat. Cole could see the frosty ice slowly creeping up Kai's neck, towards his jaw. "Hey," the merchant shouted, catching Zane's attention. "He's mine. Right after I finish with the mouth of lightning over here, I'm moving on to Kai."

The android tossed Kai aside, hearing his heavy body hit the ground. "Do you wish to fight me for him then?"

"My pleasure."

Lloyd kept his eyes closed. What was the point? It was over. He'd tried his best, but as usual, it hadn't been enough.

He'd let an innocent die. He'd tortured his own friends. And now, he was handing over Ninjago, into the hands of an evil entity.

Wait. . . Wait! That was it. That was his problem. Lloyd had never quite had faith in his own abilities. The pressure of becoming the Golden Master had been so great and so sudden, that the young boy had drowned in the responsibility of it all.

Not too long ago, he'd said he believed in himself. For a brief moment, strength and confidence had filled him. It had been slowly chipped away into nothingness as the Overlord pounded him to the ground, however. And now, there was nothing.

C'mon Lloyd. You can do this. It's the one thing you were born to do. The others trust you. If they believe in you, it's because you can do it. Without anyone else to guide him, Lloyd muttered the words in his own head, ignoring the threat of death as the Overlord's jaws closed over him. You've done amazing things already. You helped overthrow the Serpentine. You. A slave that shouldn't have amounted to anything. And now you're here, Everything you ever did led to this point. You could let it fall apart. Or you could look back at how far you've come, and kick this thing's butt once and for all.

Strength flowed through Lloyd's body. He was powerful. He was unbreakable. And against all odds, he was going to become Ninjago's greatest hero.

As the golden energy within him grew, Lloyd felt his wounds healing at its touch. His skin began to emit a soft glow, running through his green suit, fixing the ripped fabric and giving it a new golden texture. The jaws of the Overlord shuddered as Lloyd's power grew. Stubbornly, the dark dragon tried to hold the boy down, tried to crush him and snatch his victory. But the young boy's strength was growing and his was weakening.

In a flash of blinding light, the Overlord's body burst, any evidence of his existence vanishing without a trace. Lloyd's body fell to the ground, his body's glow slowly fading. The Golden Master tried to sit up, but his muscles failed him. Every bit of him was exhausted, and his eyelids had suddenly grown extremely heavy.

The fight was over. The Overlord had gone, and Ninjago was safe. For the moment, Lloyd's responsibilities had ended.

With a satisfied smile, The Golden Master welcomed the darkness.