Hello everybody. You miss me? Anyway, before we begin, I would like to clarify a few things. For those of you who follow the Ninjago show and have seen the Possession arc finale, you will find some slight AUs to my story. Such as Garmadon, which I already clarified; you will also find some other alterations, such as Cole NOT being a ghost.
Anyway, that's done, let's get started. I do not own Tangled or Ninjago
Ch. 7 a Dark Collaboration
It was dark within the forest of the mainland just outside Corona. The darkest of all nights this forest has had, not a single star in the sky. The reason for this darkness was the presence of the most evil being that has ever entered this world; the blackest of all darkness that existed since Ninjago first began, the Overlord.
The Overlord's once terrifying appearance had been reduced to that of small dark purple orb that continued to soar through the forest. The Ninja thought they had seen the last of him after his defeat in New Ninjago city courtesy of Zane. However, the Overlord is the sources of all darkness in Ninjago, so as long as evil still exists, so will he.
After his defeat he had been reduced to this pathetic state and had been lurking throughout Ninjago in hopes of finding a means to regain his power; he thought he saw potential when Chen and his Anacondrai cult tried to steal the powers of all the Elemental Masters; but was utterly disappointed when they we're banished to the Cursed Realm. He thought he saw another chance in the form of Morro and his ghost soldiers with the Preeminent. Once again, he was frustrated by failure at their defeat, but he did find one benefit. During Lloyd's fight with Morro across the various 16 realms, he managed to slip through a portal and has been lurking through the 16 realms to find a means to restore his own power since; and now he has found it.
Rapunzel's power is the key to restoring his own; however, in his present state, he could not access it; and with the Ninja now befriending her, it would be impossible to get to her if they discovered his presence. Fortunately for the Overlord, there exist small traces of the power, which he can access. He was coming close; he can feel the power drawing him closer and closer.
He made it, he passed through a small cave, and once he exited, the Overlord had come upon a tower in the middle of a small valley surrounded by large rock walls. This was the tower Rapunzel once stayed in, for most of her life.
The Overlord slowly flew up the outside of the tower and into the only window. The room was completely dark. It was riddled with cobwebs and dust covered everything. Not surprising, since no one has come here in over a year. Regardless, the Overlord was here for only one thing, and he found it. Just below the orb that was the Overlord was a long strand of brown hair, sprawled out all over the dust-riddled floor.
Any human could see that the hair had no real value, as all the magic appeared to be gone. But, the Overlord has beyond human; he could still sense stray traces of Rapunzel's magic in her severed hair. It's time to finally make use of it.
"At last" the Overlord spoke in his spine-chilling voice. "Now, how did it go again? Oh yes." He recalled how to use the magic, to sing a certain song, which he learned while searching through her memories. He had begun to sing, but the way he sung it made it sound more like an evil cultish chant.
"Flower, gleam and glow. Let your power shine"
As he sung, some small streams of gold light began to slowly flow up from the air and to the orb.
"Make the clock reverse. Bring back what once was mine."
The streams of gold light circled around the orb and it began to grow in size; size equivalent to that of a human.
"Heal what has been hurt. Change the fate's design."
The orb began to take shape in the form of a humanoid. Arms began to grow and form, hands took form as well with long fingers.
"Save what has been lost. Bring back what once was mine. What once was mine!"
At that moment, the streams of light stopped flowing and disappeared; the last of magic had been extracted from the hair. The Overlord took a look at his new form in a nearby shattered mirror. His appearance was that of a purple cloud, in the form of a humanoid with soul burning red eyes. He grunted in frustration.
"It's not enough." The Overlord spoke to himself "I need more of the child's power if I am to ever become whole again." He sighed and allowed himself to think. He had hated how he mostly existed in pathetic looking bodies and had laughed for forms that would instill terror into the souls of all living beings; bodies like that of his dragon form and the Golden Master.
"I may have learned about her from her memories, but I do not know her. And with the Ninja now guarding her, should they learn of my survival… I need help." He hated when he had to rely on others, but he knew it was necessary. An idea formed; there is one who might be able to help him. He looked out to the window into the dark of night and narrowed his eyes.
The Overlord flew outside the window and slowly hovered down onto the ground. He looked around and saw a small black robe lying on the ground, with some dust riddled on it. It was not the kind of dust that sticks to furniture; it was the dust that slowly forms after a person's death. The Overlord raised his hand and small streams of purple energy flowed into the dust and it began to glow purple and hover.
Even though he was only at a fraction of his true power, he still had enough for this. The purple glowing dust began to take shape. The black robe began to fly and attach itself around it, and the dust began to take the shape of a person. The glowing dust came together and it looked as if a body was forming. It glowed brighter and brighter, until there was a large purple flash.
A loud human female gasp was heard. The woman felt all around herself fanatically, as if she had just woken up from a terrible nightmare. She felt around her own face and looked as if she had just gone completely insane. This woman had raven black hair, a red dress, a black robe worn outside like a dark cape, and dark grey eyes. She appeared to be around the age of late 20s or early 30s. Mother Gothel.
Gothel fell to her knees and looked into a small pond. She saw her own reflection. Always seeing herself young made her mind calm down. She took long deep breaths to try to collect herself. When her mind finally caught up she spoke. "I'm… I'm alive?"
"Indeed you are." A voice spoke from behind, the sound of it sent chills down her spine, never hearing a voice so sinister before. "So long as I allow it." She turned around to the source of the voice. "Hello Gothel, we meet at last." The Overlord greeted.
"Who or what are you?" Gothel asked, never seeing anything like the present state of this being.
"History has given me many names, but you may call me 'Overlord'"
"'Overlord'?" Gothel questioned "An unusual name. Was I…?"
"Dead?" The Overlord finished "Yes you we're. Centuries caught up to you rather quickly my dear."
Gothel's eyes winded when she remembered the moments before her death. "Rapunzel!" She exclaimed. She ran past the Overlord to the other side of the tower, hoping not to loose her greatest prize ever. Gothel had gotten to the secret entrance to the tower and had begun to quickly pry the stones from it.
"What are you doing?" The Overlord questioned
"I have to get to Rapunzel before…"
"You're too late." The dark being answered "More than a year too late."
Gothel stopped in her tracks after hearing that last statement. A year? She had been dead for more than a year? "Where is Rapunzel?" She asked, not even bothering to turn around to the Overlord.
"Living in the kingdom of Corona with her parents; her true parents."
Gothel sighed in contempt. "Well, at least I have the satisfactory of knowing the good-for-nothing Flynn Rider is probably dead."
"He's alive." The Overlord said
Gothel's heart skipped a beat. "What?" She asked as she turned around.
"Flynn Rider, or as his real name states, Eugene Fitzherbert is alive and well. Living happily with Rapunzel."
"No. That's impossible. I stabbed him." Gothel began "He cut her hair, her power was gone!"
"No, its still there, she has not lost her power." The Overlord stated. That got Gothel's attention "The power is still very much in play."
Gothel gave a light laugh. "I don't know what you are, but you don't know anything. Allow me to enlighten you. You see the power…"
"Originally came from a golden flower." The Overlord interrupted "A flower that could heal and restore youth, provided you sung a certain incantation; which you already know as you horded the flower for centuries. That is until, the pregnant queen of Corona became ill and was dying. The kingdom searched and found your precious flower and made it into a medicine. The queen was healed and a healthy baby was born named Rapunzel; with golden hair. Rapunzel inherited the flower's power to heal; seeing this, you stole the child and raised her as your own in this very tower. Keeping the power for yourself."
To say Gothel was surprised would be an understatement.
"Do I have your attention now?" The Overlord asked simply.
"How do you know all that?"
"I am a great and powerful being. I was once the most feared and dangerous being to ever exist; I am the very essence of evil and darkness. I am the Overlord." He sighed "However, recently I was dealt a devastating defeat; most of my power has now been vanquished, but now I have found a way to restore it."
"Rapunzel" Gothel said
"Yes." The Overlord confirmed. "The child does have the power, I searched through her memories and discovered it; her power was never just in her hair, it was merely a conduit to transfer the power, it still exists inside her, it is for that reason she saved her beloved Eugene."
Gothel sighed in disappointment. Yet at the same time relieved, Rapunzel still had her power, she could still keep herself young. However, there was one question that was in her mind "I died." The Overlord nodded "But you resurrected me." The Overlord nodded again "Why?"
"No one knows the child better than you, you raised her, and you know how she thinks. You can get close to her." The Overlord stated
Gothel merely grunted "Hmph. If you're so strong and terrifying, than why don't you retrieve her yourself?"
"Even in my current state I am able. However, recently the Flower Child has made new friends; who just so happen to be my mortal enemies and are the ones responsible for my current state." The Overlord's transparent fist clenched tight in contempt "Should they discover me, it will be impossible to get to her. That is where you come in my dear. You are deceitful, manipulative, vile, all the things I treasure of in the worst of humanity."
Gothel gave an amused smile "Well, I am flattered that such a powerful being thinks so highly of me; but there's something else you need to know about me, I don't share." The Overlord's eyes narrowed a bit "Thank you for bringing me back, but I'll just get Rapunzel for myself thank you, so now if you will excuse me." Gothel than began to walk away.
"Perhaps I didn't make myself clear." The Overlord stated simply. His eyes began to glow an even brighter red; causing Gothel to stop in her tracks. She tried to move but found herself unable.
"What? What is…"
"I'm not giving you a choice in the matter."
As soon as the Overlord said that, Gothel felt an aching pain all over her body. She fell to the ground on her knees. She looked at her hands to find them turning pail and wrinkled; she felt for her hair, and it was growing stiff and shaggy; she felt wrinkles all over her face. She stumbled to the puddle from before and looked in horror. She saw a reflection of herself becoming much older; she had the appearance of someone pushing 100.
"No. No! NO! NOT AGAIN!" She clutched her face in attempt to hide it.
"You we're brought back to life by my power; and my power alone." The Overlord firmly stated as his tall transparent form hovered toward her. "I can decide how long you will stay alive, and how old you will be." The Overlord lowered his head to her ear and whispered "I can decide whether you live or become as the pile of dust that I found you."
"Alright! ALRIGHT!" Gothel shouted.
The Overlord's eyes ceased their glowing and Gothel felt a great sense of relief form all over her body. She looked at her reflection to see herself in her youth once again. She sighed in relief. But her smile faded when she realized her fate was no longer in her own hands.
"What do you want?" She asked as she turned around to the Overlord.
"All I ask is that you help me to retrieve the child so that I may use her power to regain my own. Rest assured that I will compensate you accordingly. If you help me, I will grant you eternal youth. You shall immortal and young forever, without having the need to recite the incantation from her." Gothel smiled at the thought of that. "However, should you make any attempt to undermine me in even the smallest way possible; I will make things excruciating for you."
The Overlord stared down at her with his red eyes; Gothel had felt something she never did in her long life; the fear of another being, this one to be specific.
"So to clarify, until my power is restored, you are nothing more than a dog on a leash." He continued. "If I say 'stay', you stay. If I say 'bark', you bark. If I have to kick you, you had better not bare your teeth. Now then, do we have a deal?"
Gothel gave a long sigh "You haven't really given me much of a choice. Very well then, Overlord."
If the Overlord had a face, he'd be smiling.
Damn. That's not good. The Overlord and Gothel together, that just spells all kinds of trouble.
What happens next for our heroes? Find out next time on "Tangled with Ninjas"