Hi everyone. Did you miss me? Well, enough with all the pleasantries. Let's continue, shall we?
Ch. 14 Sinister Workings.
It's been two days since the heroes had left Corona. The seven Ninja each kept a careful eye out for any signs of the Overlord; while Eugene, Max, and Pascal stuck close to Rapunzel. Zane would send his falcon out to overlook the area for any signs of any bad guys, no telling what the Overlord had in store for our friends.
When it came to night, they would make camp. While Rapunzel and Eugene got the most sleep, each Ninja took a two hour shift to keep watch; first was Kai, then Cole, then Nya, followed by Jay, next was Skylar, followed by Zane, and Lloyd with the last shift. Now they we're on their third day, and so far, they had yet to encounter any trouble.
However, they we're being watched from afar. As the heroes came close to a mountain with a canyon near it, they we're being observed by our favorite group of villains, who we're far enough away not to be caught by Zane's falcon.
"It would seem we have found them." Pythor observed as he, the Overlord, Gothel, and the Stabbington brothers we're on top of their living, massive, stone gargoyle; that hovered in the air.
"Well what are waiting for, let's get em!" One brother exclaimed.
"We've got a score to settle with those guys." The second brother stated.
"No, you fools! We cannot simply charge them!" The Overlord yelled.
"Why the heck not? We'd have the element of surprise." The brother with the eye-patch questioned
"You underestimate the Ninja." Pythor explained. "If we attack now, they will most certainly defeat us."
Gothel then realized something that made her give a wicked smile. "Well there's our solution right there."
"What are you talking about, you old hag?" The brother without the eye-patch asked.
"The Ninjas are protecting Rapunzel; in a sense, they are her guardians." Gothel explained. "We cannot get her if they continue to watch over her, which is why they are protecting her."
The Overlord knew where she was going. "You are suggestion we find a method to separate them from her."
"That's right, mighty Overlord." Gothel replied. "Without the Ninja, she'll be all ours."
"Aw Gothel, I love the way your foul and sinister mind works." Pythor remarked as they all smiled evilly; minus the Overlord who didn't have a mouth at the moment.
Down below, the heroes we're walking across the side of the mountain. Jay kicked a large rock and he stopped to watch it tumble down into a dark abyss below.
"Man, I'm sure glad we know Airjitsu." Jay remarked. "That's a really long way down."
"My sensors indicate that to be an approximate three hundred and forty foot drop. It would kill any one who fell down there." Zane said.
"Thanks for the info Zane." Jay replied sarcastically.
Rapunzel looked down the abyss and got a little nervous herself. "Are you guys sure this is the only way to go?" She asked worriedly, with Pascal comforting her on her shoulder
"We wouldn't be going if there was another way." Cole replied.
"Well, I've never been to this mountain pass, so I don't know any safety tips or anything." Eugene stated trying to stay close to Max who is staying as far from the edge as possible.
"We shouldn't be too far from the end of this, so stay strong everyone." Nya told the group.
Kai soon noticed something that was bothering Lloyd as the green ninja appeared deep in thought. "Something wrong Lloyd?" Kai asked.
"Just wondering something." Lloyd answered. "The Overlord being here; I can only assume he got to this realm when Morro and I we're fighting. But how did Pythor get here?"
"Yeah I've been wondering that myself." Kai replied.
"Maybe it was Traveler's Tea?" Skylar suggested. "I mean that's how we got here."
"I don't think so." Lloyd replied. "Pythor would need something that can create some kind of portal or something and he could use regularly; as opposed to Traveler's Tea which only has a limited use."
"You think he could be using the Realm Crystal?" Cole thought.
"It would make sense." Kai assumed. "With that he can travel to any realm; which would also explain how those Nindroids and that Stone Giant got here to."
"But I thought that thing was safe." Jay said. "Didn't that thing get locked up in the Ninjago Museum?"
"Hold on, let me stop you right there Jay." Eugene spoke up. "You said that thing was located in Lloyd's Grandfather's tomb; which was at the bottom of the ocean, with dozens of traps and an labyrinth right?"
"Yeah?" Jay said.
"But that was broken in to, by a narcissistic ghost." Eugene continued. "And if a place that secure can't keep a crystal locked up, how's a museum gonna be any better?"
Jay then face-palmed.
"I did suggest that we lock that thing up in a vault under the monastery." Kai said nonchalantly.
"In retrospect, that would have been a far more secure location." Zane added.
"Okay, I get it." Jay grumbled.
Rapunzel gave a light smile at her friends' antics; as it did seem to fit for those that take place between siblings. She was glad that this team was more than just a team, a family; one she was glad to be with. However, she stopped her walking for a second and her smile faded.
"Rapunzel?" Eugene questioned as he and everyone else stopped.
"You guys feel that?" She asked
Everyone stopped to try and "feel" what she was feeling.
"I don't feel anything." Jay said.
"Guys wait. Listen." Kai stated. They all stood quietly to try and hear what Kai was now hearing. Max looked to the ground and saw that pebbles we're shaking on the ground; soon everyone heard some sort of rumbling sound coming from above. They all slowly looked up the mountainside and noticed what appeared to be a large amount of rocks and boulders sliding down the mountain towards all of them.
"AVALANCHE!" Kai, Lloyd, Cole, and Eugene yelled.
"RUN FOR IT!" Jay screamed.
With that, all the heroes ran down the path hopping to escape the oncoming rockslide that would flatten all of them. As they kept running, they noticed the avalanche coming closer. Not enough time to escape it.
When it was close on them; Kai and Lloyd stopped; they blasted Fire and Energy towards the encoming boulders. Several fireballs and energy beams hit and exploded much of the larger rocks but they still kept coming down.
Zane created an ice dome that encompassed the whole group. As the rocks then hit, they began to crack away at Zane's shield; he blasted more of his energy to keep it from breaking. Cole decided to step in and made an earth-roof over the ice dome to reinforce it.
"Where the heck did this come from?!" Nya exclaimed.
Summit of the Mountain
The Overlord blasted a series of purple electric bolts from his transparent hands at the summit of the mountain as he, and all his minions rode on top their Gargoyle steed; while said group of minions couldn't help but smile at this.
Back on the pass
The ice-and-earth barrier that Cole and Zane made was managing to hold against the oncoming avalanche.
"Tell me this is gonna hold." Skylar hopped.
"I sure hope so." Kai replied.
Rapunzel heard a small sound from below and looked towards her feet and became frightened at what she was seeing. "Uh guys?" She spoke up. "We got a problem."
They all looked down and saw the pass they we're currently on was breaking apart and about to give.
"Oh crap." Kai uttered before the path then fell apart.
The heroes all screamed as they fell; Rapunzel especially screamed. Lloyd blasted energy from his hands and was able to catch Rapunzel, who immediately clung onto him. "Hang on!" Lloyd shouted as he begun to spin and formed his green Airjitsu vortex, enabling him to fly.
Kai was able to catch up to the falling horse known as Maximus. He got onto the screaming horse's saddle and formed his red Airjitsu vortex; enabling them to fly.
"I haven't done this with large animals before, so just hold on tight." Kai advised the horse.
Skylar used her Wind to glide and she was able to catch Eugene. "Hang onto me and do not let go!" She instructed.
"No argument here!" Eugene quickly replied.
Jay used lightning from his hands to stabilize his fall and was able to catch Nya bridal style, as she was above him. He then formed his blue Airjitsu vortex, while still carrying her.
"You okay babe?" Jay asked Nya with concern.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks." Nya responded.
Zane formed his white Airjitsu vortex, and Cole formed his brown Airjitsu vortex; the heroes tried to gather together as they all hovered.
"Everyone all right?" Lloyd called to the others; each of them gave nods and shouts confirming it.
"Well, that was… unexpected." Jay guessed. "What the heck was…"
Nya looked up in horror. "JAY LOOK OUT!"
Jay looked up towards an incoming boulder; but wasn't able to avoid it in time as it hit his vortex, causing the two to fall.
"NYA! JAY!" Kai shouted to his sister and friend.
"Zane! Cole! Help them!" Lloyd yelled to the two.
"On it!" Zane replied as he ceased his vortex and created an Ice-Ramp. Cole ceased his own vortex as well and jumped on with Zane as he used the Ice-Ramp to ride down below.
"Kai! We have to set down!" Skylar stated.
"Okay, alright." Kai responded.
The remaining heroes then had begun their descent closer to the ground, and further away from the mountain.
Jay lifted a large rock off of him, and then pulled up Nya, who was coughing.
"I'm okay, I'm okay." Nya assured before Jay could ask. "Where are we?"
Jay looked around and found themselves stuck in a small chamber made from the rocks that recently fell around them. "Looks like we're in a bit of a jam."
Zane finished boarding onto the ground with Cole. They looked at the baron trench riddled with dust and broken rocks.
"Zane…" Cole began.
"Already scanning for bio-sings." Zane began as his eyes began to scan the area. He looked around a bit and found two-hear-beats coming from a large pile of rocks. "There." Zane stated, pointing to the pile.
The two wasted no time running to it.
"Jay! Nya! You guys in there?" Cole called to inside the pile.
"Yeah, we're fine." Nya answered from under the rocks. Causing the two to breath a sigh of relief.
Cole then accessed a comn link. "Kai; Nya and Jay are fine, don't worry."
Kai, Rapunzel, Lloyd, Eugene, Maximus, and Skylar had landed near a river. They we're each taking a breather from the recent stress-filled event they just had.
Kai then answered his comn and breathed deep in relief. "Okay, meet you guys later." Kai spoke into the comn.
"Kai?" Skylar began.
"They're oaky; everyone's okay." Kai stated; causing all of them to breath a sigh of relief as well.
"That's good." Rapunzel said. "What was that all about?"
"One hell of a rockslide." Eugene observed.
"Somehow I doubt that was random." Lloyd began. Before anyone could respond to that, Maximus noticed something down the river and pulled on Skylar's sleeve, causing her to look down the river as well.
"Uh… guys?" She began.
"Now what?" Eugene questioned.
They all looked and saw a massive tidal wave surging across the river and straight for them.
"Aw come on!" Kai yelled.
They we're all soon swept up by wave and into the rushing river. It was hard for anyone to get a grip on anything as the waves kept them all bouncing up and down in the water. As the river continued to carry them; Maximus tried to swim up to Rapunzel, with Pascal barley hanging onto the horse's maim. Rapunzel noticed and wrapped around Max's neck.
She noticed a certain someone next to her. "Eugene!" She called, trying to reach for him. He noticed her and was able to grab onto her hand and she pulled him closer to her, and he grabbed onto Max as the river continued to rampage downstream.
Kai was able to grab onto Skylar who latched around him, and she grabbed onto Lloyd's hand. However, Lloyd noticed something further down the river; a fork. Unfortunately; both parities we're on opposite ends, none of them could react quickly enough as Rapunzel, Eugene, Pascal, and Max we're swept down the right side, which curved through a series of rapids.
Kai, Lloyd, and Skylar we're taken down the left side.
"Rapuzel!" Lloyd called out, but the river already split far away.
"We have to get out of the river!" Kai exclaimed.
"You think?" Lloyd guessed sarcastically.
"Guys! WATERFALL!" Skylar shouted; the three ninja looked and saw said water fall. They all screamed as they fell down the large set of falls and into the lake below.
The water was calm enough for them to get to the surface and treed.
"Is everyone… okay?" Kai breathed; Lloyd and Skylar nodded.
"Where's Rapunzel?" Skylar asked.
"Separated." Lloyd responded. "We have to find her! Now!"
The three ninja then swam towards the shore.
The river was much calmer now as the soaked princess, reformed thief, horse, and chameleon climbed onto the bank and onto the ground.
"You alright?" Eugene asked Rapunzel as he helped her up.
"Yeah; I'm soaked but yeah." She confirmed.
Pascal immediately climbed onto her shoulder and Maximus shook his whole body, shaking the water off.
"First a rockslide and now a tidal wave? What the hell is going on?" Eugene questioned.
"Well, it's like Lloyd said; I don't think this was random." Rapunzel figured.
"Got that right sweat heart."
The group turned to the forest they we're nearby and saw the Stabbington brothers walk out again.
"Uh oh." Eugene and Rapunzel said at the same time.
"Uh oh is right." One of the brothers stated as they both drew their swords.
"Rapunzel, get on Max and go." Eugene instructed.
"But Eugene…" Rapunzel tried.
"Go now! I can handle these guys! Go!" Eugene exclaimed.
Before Rapunzel could say anything else; Pascal nudged her and pointed her to Max who gestured for her to get on. She sighed before kissing Eugene on the cheek and handing him a frying pan and then got onto Maximus.
"Just be careful." She said before Max took off into the forest.
Eugene then glared at the two brothers. "It's been a while." He said. "Last time I saw you two, you we're locked up again. I take it you weren't released on good behavior."
"No. But we did get an early bail." One of the brothers replied.
"Let me guess; the same old hag you knew before, a giant white man-snake, and a ghost who's pretty much the incarnation of evil." Eugene guessed.
"Yep." The second brother confirmed.
"Okay, just making sure." Eugene replied.
Both brothers swung their swords toward him, but he blocked both their strikes with his frying pan.
Maximus rode through the thick forest with Rapunzel and Pascal riding him. He ran at a fast pace, while Rapunzel took this time to think. Lloyd was right, this was not random; the ninjas we're gone, and Eugene is now dealing with some old friends. Could this have been the Overlord's doing?
About three minutes later, Maximus came out of the forest and to a small clearing but stopped when they saw a large drop twelve feet away from them; the drop leading to the ocean below. Rapunzel got off Max and looked in surprise to what slowly rose above the cliff.
A giant stone gargoyle, which hovered in the air. Her look of surprise turned into one of shock; as did Max and Pascal as they both saw who was on it. Eugene was being held tightly by both Stabbington brothers.
"Eugene!" Rapunzel called.
"Rapunzel! Go! RUN!" Eugene yelled to her.
As soon as he said that, a certain transparent figure rose from the gargoyle. "Leave, and the one you love falls!"
Rapunzel could only guess that was the Overlord; but she looked in dread as both brothers we're ready to toss Eugene overboard.
She didn't know what to do. There was no way she wanted to use her powers to help someone like the Overlord, but if she did anything, Eugene… She was more conflicted now than she had ever been in her life. She was snapped out of her thoughts at the sound of a horse shrieking.
She looked to see an invisible force lift and throw Maximus down the cliff, with Pascal still on them.
"MAX! NO!" Rapunzel screamed, but the same invisible force gripped onto her and something wrapped around her.
Said force turned fully visible in the form of Pythor as he laughed and his arms wrapped around her.
"Pythor!" She grunted as she glared.
"In the flesh my dear." He greeted back to her.
"Aw, hello Rapunzel."
She turned to the forest and saw Gothel come out, waving to her.
"You!" Rapunzel glared at her with anger evident in her eyes.
"Oh, don't look at me like that my dear, you knew this would happen eventually. See what happens when you disobey your Momsy?" She teased as she pecked Rapunzel's nose.
The Gargoyle hovered downward a bit, and allowed Pythor, Gothel, and the unwilling Rapunzel to climb onto its back with the other passengers.
"Finally." The Overlord stated. "The Flower Child is mine. Now, I can finally make my return!"
Rapunzel soon found herself filled with guilt. "Eugene, I… I couldn't leave you… I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
Eugene tried to comfort her as best as he could. "It's okay, it's okay, don't worry. We'll get out…"
"This one is no longer of any importance to me." The Overlord spoke, referring to Eugene. "Throw him off!"
"NO!" Rapunzel screamed as the Stabbington Brothers threw him off the Gargoyle. "EUGENE!"
He hit the water. Rapunzel could only look in horror as tears fell from her eyes and streamed down her face.
The Gargoyle then began to fly out towards the seas. "It's time to go." The Overlord spoke as he held the Realm Crystal in his transparent hand and opened a portal in the sky.
Eugene was able to pull himself out of the water, and he swam towards Maximus, with Pascal on the horse's neck. He held onto Max, and all three could only look in dread as the villains entered the portal with their prisoner, and the portal closed.
Done. This is bad. Bad guys got Rapunzel. What's gonna happen next? Find out next time on "Tangled with Ninjas".