Hey everyone, happy Friday and time for an update. I also have a great soundtrack to place the mood of this chapter. Type up the link watch?v=awgAzxysyu0 and set the time at 2:30 and when you the mark,*, enjoy. Also sad to say that this story is almost over. I know I'm upset about it too, but every story has to end right? Anyway, enjoy and can't wait to see the reviews


Chapter 27: Rise of the Storm

Z-i-i-i-p. I tossed my backpack onto my bed and lifted the flap to pack. It was time to head back to the Underworld. I packed my jeans, shirts, and other articles of clothing I have such as socks and boxers. I packed my extra suits into the deep bag and felt a heavy heart swell up and sighed. I was leaving the people that treated me like family. Oh how I hated to do this to them, but I have to go back.

I brought myself back and slipped my normal sai's into my bag as Garmadon still has my others after he defeated the Great Devourer. Mystake told me what it does. A snake that consumes endlessy. After I slipped my sai's into my bag, I looked at my flute and thought about the fun times I had when I played to the kids. Even to when I placed third in the talent contest. I had fun though. I brought myself back and carefully slipped my instrument without damaging it. "I guess this is good-bye then." Mystake's voice chirped.

I struggled to zip my bag close as I didn't have much to pack when I escaped the Underworld. I somehow managed to when my arm was dislocated, but struggled still. I finally managed to shove everything in well as it was my only suitcase I brought and zipped it close. I turned my head to see Mystake leaning against the doorway of my room with a small smile. I gave her one back and grabbed the top strap of the bag and walked over to her. "I guess it is." I agreed. The day was almost over and it was time to go.

Mystake moved herself away from the door to stand in front of me and looked up. I'm five foot and eleven inches tall and she had to crane her head up to meet my gaze a little. She still smiled at while tucking strands of her grey hair behind her ear as it was in a bun. "I hope your path is safe." she said comfortably. "But I know deep inside you have a heart that is good and never evil as your uncle."

What was she talking about? She doesn't know about my path. Sure she knows my secret and past, but she doesn't know if I'm good or evil. I'm neutral, I guess. I still smiled at her. "Mystake, I know my path will be fine." I said. "I may not predict the future, but it's best to find out as it takes its course. I still can't thank-you enough for everything you've done for me. You brought me in to tend to my arm. Let me stay with you to work for you. Kept my secret hidden from my father. And best of all, you were like a second mother to me. I may have lost mine when I was little, but you were a second one for me. I thank you for everything." I smiled.

A single tear ran down her cheek as she still smiled and pulled me to a hug. I was stunned by this affection and remembered something. I'm like a son to her. For her to have her niece and Logan, her only two daughters were with her. And since I came along, I was like the son for her. I didn't mind though. She lets go of me and reached behind her back to grab something and pulled out an envelope and handed it to me. I looked at her confused and slowly opened it to blink in surprise as it was filled with twenty dollar bills. I was speechless to speak and looked at her confused. "I thought that this should be your last paycheck since you're leaving now." she said. "It's a bit more than usual." I'll say. It's almost like a hundred dollars or over. "But it'll help you survive later in the future. Also, normally I wouldn't call this tea, but I know it's your favorite when you mix it behind my back."

I watched her reach for something out in the hall and retreated her hand back with a mason jar and handed it to me. I looked at the murky colored liquid inside and smiled to what it was. It was tea with lemonade mixed inside. A sweet and cool refreshing drink. I slipped the envelope in my back pockets and slipped the jar in the pockets where my backpack can hold drinks on the side and pulled her to a hug. "Thank you." I said and kept myself from crying. I let go of her and slipped my backpack on and walked down the halls and down the stairs with her behind me.

As I walked down the last wooden step, I looked around the back to find a person. There was one last person I had to say good-bye to. I looked around to find Logan and found him on the wooden ladder. His head was drooped while he kicked his legs in boredom. He lifted his head to stare at me. "Is it really time for you to go, Lucas?" he asked sadly. "Do you have to go?"

I looked into his depressed blue eyes to nod. He looked at me and turned his head back to his feet. I hate to leave them like this. But it is time. I walked up to Logan and knelt to one knee. "Hey it's alright." I said to comfort him. "I'm sorry that I have to leave, but you know my secret and I have to go back. I am an apprentice to my uncle and I have to go as he returned." He didn't look up. I came to an idea and reached into my pouch and fished out an old gold coin. I gently grabbed his hand and rested it in his palm. "Do me a favor and keep this coin in your heart." I said while closing his fingers over the coin. "A friend of mine gave me these coins to keep them close to my heart and I want you to do the same for me. Can you do that?"

Logan looked up at me and slowly nodded with a smile. "I will." He said quietly and wrapped his arms around me for a tight hug. I smiled back and wrapped my arms around him and patted his back. "And to remember you better, I'll train everyday like we usually do."

I chuckled and let go of him to look into his blue eyes. "I'm sure you will." I laughed a little and stood up. I headed for the door to exit the shop with Mystake and Logan behind me. Everywhere I looked, green slime covered the streets and shops like at Ninjago City. The Devourer's whatever this is was spread throughout Ninjago and every resident was cleaning it up. It's been warned as hazardous though. What was this stuff anyway? I walked down the streets to reach the entrance and to Storm and found him being smothered by the kids. They didn't want him to go as much on me too. I sighed. "I'm sorry guys." I said to them. "But we have to go."

"Do you have to?" Ben asked.

"Yeah Lucas, really?" Kat added.

I nodded. "Yes." I replied quietly. I walked up to my dragon and stroked his hooked snout. "It's time for us to go." I looked at the kids as they slowly climbed off of him to clear a path. I looked at them and stretched my arms out, one last hug. The kids including Logan ran up to me and wrapped their arms around me. I hugged them and felt my heart swelling with sorrow with stray tears escaping my eyes. I haven't cried since Kuzca's death. "I promise you that whenever I get the free time, I'll come visit you all." I said to them and let go of them. They all looked up at me with teary eyes as I climbed onto Storm's back. I gripped the reins and looked at all of those waving good-bye. "Good-bye all of you." I said heartbroken and gave my dragon a gentle whip on the reins. Storm roared while extending his wings and took flight. I directed Storm east as we headed to the Underworld.

...

"And then it all leads up to how we met in the alley." I finished. I handed Lloyd the last plate and pulled the plug to let the soapy water drain. Once Lloyd finished drying the last plate and placed it on the rack, I gently took the drying rag from him and dried my hands and tossed it in the sink. I turned to the others and leaned against the sink. "That's my past." I said. "I ran away, trained, obtain Storm, escaped death many times, and went back to apprenticeship for Garmadon. My past is the past. But now the rest is with all of you as we all have our own stories. Any questions?"

Everyone looked at each other until Jay raised his hand like he was in school still. "So what happened then?" he asked. "You just went back and then later meet us and put your sai through Lloyd's shoulder."

I looked at my cousin as he looked at his right shoulder. The one where I pierced with my weapon. But the sai turned to water to only break skin and not do any more damage to his muscles and bone, but still bleed very bad to have stitches. I still feel bad though for harming him without knowing he was my cousin. The one I saved from the sign and saw him unleash the Serpentine in the village. But I still love him as family. I looked back at the others to nod. "Yes that's about it." I said. "I went back to him, trained, and two weeks later I meet you guys. For Laurie it's about five or six months till we see each other as cousins."

They all looked at me and shrugged their shoulders. "Well I guess we train now." Kai stated plainly. "We now know about Lucas' past and basically leads to everything here and now."

"Hold on for a minute, Kai." Zane interjected. "There's something I want to know." The ice ninja turned his head towards me. "Lucas, I am curious to know what it was like for you when you returned to the Underworld. What exactly was it like for you to be back there?" he asked.

Good question. Truth be told, it was nerve racking. I had the entire skeleton army trying to kill me in the past and had to go back to their home. But now that Garmadon returned, I was like safe. I tapped my chin while feeling around in the pockets of my sweatpants and felt my journal. I thought about the last few pages and came to an idea. "I'll tell you what happened, but I've got to do something after it." I said. "Then I'll join you in on training." They nodded as they understood my...little business. I drew in a deep breath to collect my thoughts. "So... It went like this..."

...

After a long flight and teleportation, Storm and I returned to the Underworld. Everything was still the same after we escaped. Floating isles to different areas. Giant spiders on the ceiling with no queen. The fortress where I lived for seven years was repaired from when Storm ripped a hunk off like it was meat. The entrance to Sherra's lair was still caved in from my adventure. And the skeletons were still glaring at me for my return. Home sweet home.

Once Storm landed to the center of the courtyard, I patted his neck to calm him down as I heard a rumble in his throat. Can't blame him if he's mad at the skeletons. I glanced around the skeletons gathering around us while leaving a pathway to the fortress unscaved. I slid off of Storm's back to hear a soft thud when my shoes made contact to the stone floor and glared at each skeleton as I walked down. I heard murmurs and soft whispers of my return as I crossed the stone bridge and watched Storm head back to the keep. I glanced one last glare to the skeletons before I slammed the large wooden doors behind me.

Silence clung into the empty air of the grand hall of the fortress. The bone chandilier blazed brightly with the dark hues of purple flames. The stone walls were bare with no potraits as I walked down like when I was ten. But no longer tied up and gagged with Samukai carrying me to my fate. I was alone and free from his escort. I looked up ahead to see the hole in the ground and knew those steps would lead me to him.

I stared down to the spiral stairwell and jumped down. As I landed, I didn't feel any shock absorbed as I landed light as a feather with still a thud to land safely. Ninjas must be light on their feet and can land without harm. I approached the two large doors and stopped as I looked at the seam on the floor lighten up followed by a shout of anger. Something was wrong. He was mad. Without knocking, I pushed the doors open and entered. "AHHH! I was so CLOSE!" my uncle shouted to the top of his lungs.

I shutted the doors behind me and quickly ducked as a ball of fire was hurled towards me. A cool rush of adrenaline ran through my veins. That was too close. What was that all about? I carefully stood up to see Garmadon storming in the center of the throne room and looked at the door. The smell of wood burning filled my nostrals as I saw a black scorch mark on the door where my head used to been with embers still burning. Again that was too close. I looked away from the door to look at my fuming uncle. "Master?" I asked.

My uncle turned to face me of my presense. His red eyes grew wide with fires of hatred. He was mad about something. But what? "I had them, my apprentice." he replied angrily. Had what? "The weapons were in my possession until I lost them after I vanquished the Devourer. I lost all of them except for yours and what I had in my case." He clenched his four hands into fists to make his knuckles pop in anger. And suddenly, purple flames engulfed his palms. Where did he learn to do that?

*So that was his anger then. He lost the weapons to the ninja. Except for mine. I still have them. But what about the other thing then? I shook it out of my head to worry about it later. "What happens now?" I asked.

The flames dispired in the air and he turned to me. "Now it's you and me to take over Ninjago." he said. "I shall finish your training so you can destroy your father and students. But leave the Green Ninja to me." I nodded in reply. My uncle smirked and reached underneath his chest armor to pull out a wrapped package. "I have a new uniform for you." he said and handed it to me.

I took the package, set my backpack on the floor, and spun around to change into my new suit and stopped to show my uncle my acceptance. I looked at my body to smirk underneath my easily breathable mask. Gold rugged shoulder armor pads like I seen from the ice and fire ninja. A silvery grey belt with my leather pouch over my right leg. I removed my mask to see the three-pronged gold piece like the others have. I tucked my mask into my belt and fell to one knee with my head bowed. "What is your bidding, my master?" I asked.

I can feel my uncle smirking as he stood in front of me. He approved my acceptance. "Rise." he commanded. "My apprentice."

I slowly stood up and did not raise my head yet. It was like being ten again when I first trained under him. And now seven years later, I was back and it was happening again. I'll never know what Mystake meant that I'm good and never evil as my uncle, but I'll find my place one of these days. Today was not the day though. "As you wish." I said while raising my head with a smirk. "Master."


So Lucas now returns to Garmadon and it's how we start his new adventures in my other stories. As the Ninja of Water for Garmadon. But again, this story is almost over and all I have left is the epilogue which I'll post some this weekend. I hope last night was a safe Halloween and see you all sometime this weekend to finish off my story. :)