Children of Destiny
I'm so sorry everyone! Even though I was very busy with real life stuff & I've been sick for the last few days, that isn't an excuse to let you all down! I may not be able to make up for it but I managed to finally get this chapter up so I hope you enjoy!
Chapter 73: Reshaping the World
Leon knew this was going to be his most difficult battle yet. His father told him of the ordeals he went through during his training to become the green ninja and it never crossed his mind that history was now repeating itself. The one he had to face was the last person he ever expected.
His grandfather stood at the opposite end of the chamber. The new green ninja can see hints of deep sorrow in his old grey eyes hidden by his hollow expression.
"Grandpa… is this really what you want…?" Leon still tried convincing Garmadon to return one more time before the inevitable battle.
"I have no other choice." The jaded man stood his ground, "Light and darkness are trapped in a neverending cycle. One side wanes while the other waxes. Balance between the two is fleeting, no matter how much anyone strives for it. You belong in the light and I in the shadows."
"Enough nonsense! I don't want to hear any more of this!
"I-I'll help too…!" Willow tried to step forward but her brother spread his arm before her.
"Willow… you prophesied this was going to happen, no?" Garmadon asked her.
"B-b-but… B-but I didn't… I didn't w-want it to…!" The pink kunoichi cried.
Even if he was on the side of darkness, Garmadon wanted to comfort his granddaughter but he reminded himself that he approached the Overlord so he wouldn't drag her down with him. He knew he was forever marked a traitor for his actions and Willow didn't deserve to be dragged away from her own path because of his actions.
"Willow…" Despite knowing she was now his enemy, Garmadon approached his grandchild.
However, she backed away. She didn't want to deal with her nightmares becoming reality. The old man felt something small but painful in his heart seeing his granddaughter
But Leon wasn't doing this as part of his duties as a ninja.
He swore to free his grandfather, even if it meant having to do some things he'll regret…
'Grandpa… I'm doing this not for Ninjago… but for you…'
Leon still wished he didn't have to fight his own family but he wanted to free his grandfather.
The green ninja summoned his powers yet again and had no intentions of running away. If this is the only way to save his grandfather, then he'll follow through. The naïve boy who thought it was all going to be a glorious adventure full of victories was gone. There was much more than he ever imagined that was at stake and it all depended on what he'll do from here.
Garmadon sent another dark shockwave towards his grandson but the young ninja conjured a shield of golden energy, repelling the attack. Leon used his powers again, this time to create a golden sword also made from his energy to fight head-on with his own grandfather. He used his newly crafted blade to ward off the darkness surrounding him. The light surrounding the green ninja made him appear as if he will truly restore the light in this doomed realm.
'You've grown so strong…' Garmadon felt a tiny tinge of pride seeing how far his grandson had come since he was a mere child.
If only he wasn't the one the new green ninja was facing right now…
Garmadon hasn't forgotten that he and his grandson were on opposite sides. His mind kept telling him this will be for the greater good, even if he'll have to do the unforgivable deed.
The elemental ninjas really wanted to help Leon but something in their hearts told them not to intervene. They felt like they were letting him down by staying back yet at the same time, they knew this was something the green ninja had to overcome himself.
But Akira's patience quickly waned and he punched the wall to vent his anger.
"Kuso! Why the hell are we just sitting here and let Leon fight by himself!?" The red ninja hated himself for shirking his duties.
"This battle is for Leon alone, not ours." Liana coolly told him off.
"W-why are you letting Leon do something he probably can't by himself!? Are you crazy!?" The fiery young man argued with his girlfriend.
"Believe me, I want to help him as much as you but this is his own personal battle. He needs to stand on his own feet to truly grow up." The white kunoichi said firmly.
"That's not an excuse for us to abandon one of our own!" Akira countered.
"Akira, we each have to face our own issues ourselves. Now it's Leon's turn. He knew he'll have to go through some unthinkable stuff but that's to be expected as the green ninja. We all have a part in Ninjago's destiny but it's mainly his actions that will decide its fate, whether you like it or not." Chris said sternly.
Leon's heart continued to waver but his fortitude didn't. He mostly used his powers to defend himself from his grandfather's attacks. Like the other human zealots, Garmadon had powers he never saw before, no thanks to his allegiance with the true dark lord. This Garmadon must have been the one the ninjas' parents fought a long time ago and can only begin to wonder what his true powers are like when he's on the dark side.
Now he's going to find out...
Outside, Iris suddenly cried and clutched her pounding head.
"Iris…!" Lloyd was immediately by his spouse's side.
"It's him! He's in there!" The former kunoichi eyed the Overlord's stronghold above them.
"Obviously…" Kai muttered, thinking the kunoichi of time was talking about the dark lord.
"No! It's him!" Iris shook more violently, sensing the darkness from within the fortress.
"Garmadon's in there…!?" Haruka shook upon finding out her husband's whereabouts.
"Shit! As if the kids already have a lot to worry about!" Jay still felt terrible for leaving the brunt work to his young sons.
"There's nothing we can do about Garmadon right now. We have to make sure everyone's safe once the Overlord decides to show up." Wu cut him off.
"But he's your brother dammit! How could you forsake him at a time like this!?" Kai talked back at his former teacher, another trait he still had in his advancing age.
"He chose this path himself and none of our actions would've made a difference. His fate is not of concern at the moment. There are many more who need us more than him."
The wise man's former students hated to admit he was right. There were some problems in the world even they were powerless to solve, even after all they've been through. Lloyd knew this all too well. Not even his powers alone was able to keep the Overlord sealed away forever and now, his children were paying the price for his weakness.
'Father… why do you keep doing this…?'
"NINJA-GO!" A brilliant green tornado spun towards Garmadon but the former dark lord sent a dark shockwave, dispersing the rapidly spinning energy surrounding Leon. The green ninja was exhausted but he wasn't going to give up just because he was facing his own grandfather.
"There's no use in fighting anymore. We are two sides of the same coin. We can only live apart if you want to preserve the balance, if only for an ephemeral time."
"Not if I say anything about it!" Both sides' blades met with a loud clang and the light bursting from the swords nearly blinded everyone else.
Even if he was on the opposing side, Garmadon still wanted his grandchild to win, even if it will be at the cost of his life.
"Leon! Your time fast approaches! Accept your destiny, free everyone, and defeat me before I become consumed!"
Despite his powers still even with his grandfather's, Leon's fervor wavered and Garmadon soon gained the upper hand. The dark emotions deep in his heart resurfaced and the bloodlust from the past started to take over his mind. With several swings of his blade, Garmadon pushed Leon back and threw him across the chamber before he could recover. Despite his allies' cries for him to get up, the green ninja gave in to his internal turmoil.
'I can't do it… I just can't hurt Grandpa…' Leon crumpled over in defeat.
No matter the circumstances, he can never bring himself to harm his family.
Garmadon's mind was stuck in a mantra telling him that putting Leon out of his misery was for the greater good. All his suffering will be over in one blow. He rid himself of all the memories of seeing his grandson growing up for just a single moment and surrounded himself in a dark aura, preparing for the cruel final blow.
The dark wave closed in on Leon, who shut his emerald eyes and lowered his head, awaiting the inevitable pain…
But he instead felt the sensations of hot and cold at the same time.
In front of him were Akira and Liana, using their elements to protect him. The former repelled Garmadon's dark attack with a torrent of flame while the latter created a protective barrier of ice to shield the green ninja.
"Leon! You can't give up just yet! Garmadon's not the one you should be concerned with! Don't exhaust yourself before the Overlord shows up! You must stay strong not for yourself but for all of Ninjago!" Liana goaded him.
"But- "
"No more buts!" The fire ninja cut Leon off, "The cycle of light and darkness has gone on longer than anyone would like! We'll find a way to end it but only if you don't give up!"
"I can't do it by myself!"
"So that's why we're here! We've grown up and won many battles together and that's also how we'll finish off the Overlord once and for all!" Liana added.
Leon struggled but eventually got up on his own, taking in his teammates' words. He had come so far thanks to his bonds with the ninja. They all had their destiny to fulfill and even if it won't be easy, at least he had that.
"I will not lose!"
Leon's entire body glowed in gold and green. The ninjas felt themselves heal from the warmth of the light but Garmadon's body felt like it was burning. The image of a dragon bathed in gold filled the room with Leon mounted upon its back. The green ninja's eyes were sealed shut so he won't falter at the sight of his adversary.
'I'm sorry Grandpa…'
Leon fought back his tears before making his decision absolute.
'Dad… forgive me for doing this…'
With a fierce battle cry, Leon aimed all his power at Garmadon, resulting in an explosion. Even Leon can't see anything before him, not even his own hands. The smoke cleared and on the far end of the chamber laid Garmadon's body, appearing as if the old man was actually dead.
'H-he can't be…!'
Willow cautiously approached her grandfather's still body. The old man struggled to even open his silver eyes and was surprised to see his granddaughter hovering over him with a concerned look in her amethyst orbs. She looked so sad but he had no right to be the one to comfort her.
"Why…? After all I have done to you… why do you still try getting close to me…?" He managed to whisper through his weak lips.
"No matter what you've done, then and now, you'll forever be our Grandpa. We'd never leave you behind." The pink kunoichi tried to heal Garmadon but he shifted away from her.
"…No… I can't… not after betraying you…" He groaned.
"But you still have a chance of redeeming yourself! Please come with us!"
"…I'm… proud seeing how far you've come… but the greater threat still lingers…"
"The Overlord…" The elemental ninjas still haven't forgotten the one who started it all.
"…He came here… to find the one true power… Only with it… he may succeed with his plans…" Garmadon coughed.
"Then we'll have to beat him to it."
"…There's no point… in doing something if it eventually… gets erased…"
"Don't talk like that! We'll find a way to free everyone! Even you!"
Garmadon lost his will to fight and he didn't want to interfere with his family's lives more than he already had since his days as a dark lord. They still had their lives ahead of them. He on the other hand had wasted it all. There was nothing left for him.
"…I have nothing… but you still have a chance… Take it… because… everything that you do… will have consequences… It's up to you…"
Leon and Willow felt conflicted, still wanting to help their grandfather but at the same time, the Overlord must be stopped. With heavy hearts, they followed the elemental ninjas deeper into the fortress to seek out the true enemy. Garmadon was too weak to do anything but watch his grandchildren distance themselves further away from him and towards their destiny to restore order and create a better world. A world without him.
'…Leon… Willow… Lloyd… I'm… so… sorry…' His lips moved to say it but no sound came out.
And just as it had been when the Overlord possessed him, Garmadon's mind fell into the lonely abyss of silence.
I've said it before & I'll say it again. I'm really sorry for not updating in a while. Since the final battle will have drama, there's gonna be a lengthy amount of time between each update but believe me, I have a lot planned for the finale.
On another note, I realized I haven't done a Zane/Heather story in a LONG time & I decided to make a story about them for the 3rd anniversary of this series. I just put up a poll my profile so if you have time, please check it out.
In the meantime, tell me what you think & please review!