Children of Destiny
Hi guys! Now that the human servants are gone, there's just one more left for the Garmadon family to deal with. But there's gonna be a bit of a twist in this chapter & I have an important announcement after this chapter. This chapter is a bit on the short side but hopefully the action can make up for it. As always, read on!
Chapter 69: Here Comes the Finale
The battle that will decide the true fate of Ninjago drew near but there was one more person to get rid of before that can happen. Ronin still stood in the green ninja's way, deadset on taking what he believed should've been his. However, Lloyd and his family still won't let him have it.
Ronin was right to assume fighting the original green ninja himself was going to be difficult.
Lloyd was just as strong as he had been when he fought against the Overlord. Wielding only his golden powers, the green ninja gave Ronin hell and Leon was definitely following in his father's rather big footsteps. The power of creation times two was almost unbearable but Ronin refused to give in. He didn't want to break his end of his bargain with the Overlord.
Lloyd aimed another mass of gold and green energy at Ronin but he used his katana to swiftly deflect it. Iris can sense that there was something unnatural within the turncoat but there was no time to warn her husband about it.
But at least time was something she can control…
Ronin started relying on underhanded tactics to gain the upper hand. When Lloyd surrounded himself in a tornado of green energy, the treacherous man swung his sword towards him. The blade was met with resistance but Ronin was too stubborn to give up just yet. Once the twister grinded to a halt, the zealot swooped in on thrust his sword. The green ninja narrowly avoided getting stabbed but the blade grazed his torso. Lloyd hissed in pain but this wound was nothing compared to the brutal battles he's already been through.
Lloyd was prepared to use his golden powers against Ronin but his enemy suddenly froze.
It didn't take long before he deduced it was his wife's doing. While Ronin was stuck in time, Iris reversed her spouse's wound but it wasn't long before the enemy broke free from her powers, no thanks to the Overlord's 'gifts' and lunged at the former kunoichi and viciously beat her.
Leon and Willow were quick to rush to their mother's aid. A beam of green light shot forth from the former's hand to knock him away, giving room for the latter to rush to their mother's side and heal her injuries. But they were still subpar compared to their father, who was now beyond furious at Ronin for hurting his wife.
The enemies cast their powers aside and fought with only brute force. Punches and kicks were thrown and their hands were stained with each other's blood. Lloyd's mouth was filled with the coppery taste of his own blood and had cuts and bruises all over his body and Ronin didn't look any better. They both breathed heavily with exhaustion but as much as their bodies hurt, their minds refused to give in.
"We can go on all day," Ronin glowered, "I don't care if I have to kill you to prove I am worthy of all the secrets your grandfather knew. Just get this over with and tell me where Wu is."
"You continue to believe being a ninja is as glamorous as your delusions of grandeur tell you?" Lloyd asked in a sardonic tone.
"I don't care about fame! Just tell me where he is so I can get this over with!"
"And then what? What do you plan on doing once you get what you want?"
"You know there's such thing as asking too many questions…"
"So you were up to no good since the beginning. My family was right about you. You're a selfish turncoat who just wants to have power for the sake of having it. You were never fit to learn the way of the ninja and you never will."
Ronin's body finally gave in and he collapsed in an utterly humiliating defeat.
Before Ronin could get up, he felt a vice grip on his ebony hair yanking him upward. He could've sworn Lloyd may have even torn off his scalp if he wanted to but instead, he opted to have him at eye level so he can see the wrath in his emerald orbs.
"You've met my father since he joined the Overlord, no?" He asked in a calm voice that served to intimidate his enemy rather than put him at ease.
"What about him?" Ronin managed to choke out.
"You despise him just as much as my mother and uncle. You had plenty of opportunities to get your revenge by killing him and if you want it so badly, then why don't you?" Lloyd glowered.
"Lloyd…!" Iris was shocked by what her husband was saying.
It was as if Lloyd wanted his father to die for betraying him…
"I thought you of all people would know how the Overlord takes to dissenters." Ronin spat.
"Do I look like I care?" Lloyd retorted icily.
"Then trying to make me talk will do you no good. Now let me go."
"I'm still not done with you. Tell me what you know about the Overlord."
"You should know by now or does that thick skull of yours have a bad memory?"
"That doesn't matter. What do you know of his motives? Why would he come back even after all the suffering he went through because of him?"
"Aren't you supposed to know by now? You are his son."
"May be but we are not the same." Lloyd shoved Ronin aside.
Rather than respond, the green ninja yanked Ronin's hair again so hard he yelped. Lloyd's eyes never strayed from his enemy and made it clear he wasn't done with him yet.
"If you're not going to say anything about my father, then at least tell me about your master's plans. What exactly does he plan on doing?"
Ronin hated to admit it but Lloyd caught him in his trap. If he reveals anything, the Overlord will undoubtedly punish him but if he remains silent, Lloyd still won't show any mercy. He was now caught in a situation where there's no way he'll get out in one piece. Now he can either choose squealing and pay the price with his life or be on the receiving end of the green ninja's wrath…
"This is your last chance, Ronin. Tell me what the Overlord's planning and I might let you live." Lloyd tightened his grip on his black locks.
"If you want to know that badly… then be careful what you wish for…" Ronin warned him.
"I'm ready for what's coming. Now get it over with."
"The Overlord… his target… is not any of you…"
"Then who?"
"It's not who he's after… it's what he wants… He merely wants you out of the way…"
Lloyd pondered over Ronin's words for several moments before tossing him aside. He already knew it was no use trying to get any more info from him. Before he can get up, Ronin could feel his body become weaker by the second but the green ninja was already through with him. But the realization suddenly hit him like a metaphorical brick.
The Overlord made it obvious he was quick to dispose of anyone who failed him, got in the way of his goals, or merely grew tired of.
He didn't want to die. Not yet.
"No! I can't die!" Ronin clung desperately to what little life he had left but it was too late.
His skin started to wrinkle and the ebony hue of his hair shifted into a dull grey. Even his voice became thin and frail while wailing and desperately struggling to stay in the mortal realm. Even after Ronin's death, his corpse dissolved into bones that quickly turned to dust.
Lloyd did nothing but watch silently, his face inscrutable and apathetic to Ronin's fate. Iris also looked on and felt something familiar watching Ronin's body disintegrate. Images of Serpentine rapidly aging and collapsing into dusty bones because of her replayed in her mind. It still jarred her to know how dark reality truly is, especially compared to the way she was raised as a child.
Lloyd looked on with a somber expression at the pile of dust where Ronin stood mere moments ago. He was now aware that his father could suffer the same fate if he wanted to take back his decision of rejoining him… or if the dark lord simply wants to dispose of him.
Their children also stared in astonishment, too stunned to say anything for several moments.
"Is he gone…?" Willow whispered upon finding her voice again.
Lloyd only answered his daughter with a solemn nod.
"We may have an idea of what the Overlord really wants but we still don't know much on why Grandpa would leave us…" Leon sighed.
"But what's important for the moment is that you're safe." Iris embraced her children.
"We… should head back to the Bounty…" Leon suggested.
"Iie. You still need some time to recover and I must say the same for myself." Lloyd winced, still feeling painful stings from his larger wounds.
Iris tried to reverse time on his injuries but the green ninja denied her help.
"You can't heal all our wounds. Not in the state you're in." Lloyd peered at his wife's injuries.
"But it's the least I can do with the final battle coming so soon…"
"We don't have time for complaints. Let's go back."
The former kunoichi felt guilty for being unable to do much but time was running out.
Leon and Willow arrived at the familiar sight of a small house amidst a barren landscape. They recognized the humble abode as their grandparents' home during the few visits they've made before this whole mess started. Greeting the family were the familiar faces of Wu and Haruka.
"Leon! Willow! What happened to you!?" Haruka rushed to her grandchildren's side.
"I'm guessing you've won this battle." Wu correctly assumed.
"Ronin's gone. He'll never bother you again." Lloyd said calmly.
"Did he say anything about your father?" The wise old man still asked.
"I didn't get much from Ronin… I'm sorry…"
"There's no need to apologize for something you couldn't help."
"At least you're all safe. That's all that matters right now…" Haruka said, tending to Willow and Leon's wounds but they can tell she was still hurt from her husband's sudden departure.
"Grandma, do you still miss Grandpa?" Leon asked, knowing he would regret asking.
Haruka only let out a deep sigh but her grandson can hear the sorrow in her quiet voice. He can tell even after all those years since they first got together, she still loved Garmadon, even when he was a corrupted dark lord. The new green ninja felt bad that he may never fully understand the pain she went through and his sense of guilt only grew larger.
"Don't worry, Mother. We'll find him." Lloyd consoled his bereft parent.
"You sound just like Wu and Misako back then…"
Lloyd felt like a failure not only to his father but to his mother as well. Not only did his efforts to maintain the peace failed to fully reform his father but his mother only seemed more distraught by all the terrible things life has thrown at her and he still can't do anything to stop it.
The family took their time recuperating from their wounds and catching up with one another. Lloyd was proud that the new generation were getting closer to achieving their destiny but they will need a lot more than his approval to prove themselves ready.
"I wonder if the others are doing alright…" Willow mused while staring out the window.
"If they're struggling, they would've contacted us by now." Leon tried reasoning with her.
"But if they still haven't, then they could still be fighting their battles or worse..." Lloyd started but his daughter was only further dismayed by his words.
The twelve-year-old kunoichi started whimpering, causing her father to feel bad for disparaging what little hope she had left.
"Willow, listen to me," He attempted to placate her, "By now, you should know that the world is not that simple. We can't win every single battle in this war but that's not the most important thing about being a ninja. You still have your integrity and you never gave up, no matter what."
"Did you ever feel that way? Thinking it was impossible to save Ninjago."
"Countless times. It didn't help that I was… a different person before the Overlord was sealed… But the point is that even when things look the bleakest, remember… it's always darkest before the dawn. I first heard that saying when I was little and my young mind didn't truly understand how important that saying was until the final battle proved it… One day, you'll go through the same thing and save this world."
"And what about Grandpa? Will we be able to save him?"
"I don't know… I still think he survived the final battle only because I sealed the Overlord…"
Lloyd's expression only grew darker just thinking of the possibility…
"Let's not revolve our minds on something that already happened." He shook his head, as if he was telling himself rather than his family to stay focused.
"But- " Leon tried to speak but his father halted him.
"As my uncle said, there's no use dwelling over a situation out of our control. But you can't let that stop you from doing what you still can to make a difference. There's the final battle coming soon and we can still at least prepare ourselves for it."
"And what if we have to face Grandpa?"
"It's going to be hard, even for me, but a ninja must endure, no matter what."
Even after having their wounds healed, the Garmadon family didn't have time to relax. With the hints Ronin gave him, Lloyd discussed the Overlord's true plans with his family. If the Overlord wasn't after them but something else, they could still be at a disadvantage.
"With everyone loyal to him out of the way, I doubt the Overlord wants to delay any longer. He will make his motives clear before long. It wasn't easy for you the first time and I also doubt it will be any easier even with a further advantage in numbers. The enemies you just defeated are merely a small fraction compared to their master." Wu concluded after being told everything.
With the battle of destiny very close, Wu wanted to make sure everyone gathered like the team they were meant to be when Ninjago truly needs them.
"Haruka, would you mind contacting Misako?" He asked his old flame.
The green ninja's mother only shook her head and made a grab for her phone.
"Misako…?" She sought out her best friend.
"Haruka…! It's been a long time." Misako finally greeted her across the line.
"I wish we reunited on better terms but there's something I must tell you." The old green-eyed woman cast aside all desires for small talk.
"Go on." The intelligent scholar got straight to the point, already knowing this was serious.
"Bring the ship towards my house and if you can, tell the ninjas and their families to come too. There is a lot we must discuss and we don't have much time left."
"I understand. I'll contact them as soon as I can."
"Until we meet again." Haruka bade her friend a quick farewell.
With the hour of destiny closer than they would like, the ninjas will have to unite to even stand a chance against the Overlord and Garmadon.
Whether anyone liked it or not, the true battle for Ninjago was about to begin…
Okay! No more fillers! We're finally on the last leg of this story! Though this story is nowhere near as long as the prequel, I'm still glad you all put up with this one & all your support means so much to me!
But here's my announcement… I'm gonna take a bit of a mini-hiatus. I know this may be badly timed but I want to fine-tune and lay out how the final battle will run but hey, at least that'll make the bittersweet day the story is complete come a little later.
As always, your support means so much to me & review!