Children of Destiny
Get ready guys. This chapter's gonna be a big tearjerker. I've always thought of this twist since I began writing the 2nd half of this story. I did get a little teary-eyed while writing this. Anyway, I hope you enjoy my latest wham chapter.
Chapter 76: One Last Hope
The ninjas were completely mortified by the terrible realization that they caused their world's downfall by helping the Overlord get what he wanted. They had fallen right into his trap and he can now take over the world unopposed and it was their fault.
"I can't believe it…" Leon whispered for the umpteenth time, summing up his fellow ninjas and their families' sentiment.
"How can we even call ourselves ninjas if we ended up falling for the Overlord's every tricks?" Being ashamed of herself was an understatement for Amy as she wallowed in despair.
Their parents weren't faring better either. They also felt partially at fault for failing to stop the Overlord permanently during their final battle with him. They could've done more to ensure a safe future for Ninjago but all they did was delay the inevitable and even then, they eventually caused the downfall of everyone and everything they were meant to protect.
Meanwhile, Lloyd and his relatives still checked on Garmadon, who still hasn't woken up.
"Brother…" Wu checked on his sibling.
Garmadon's breathing was slow but stable and Lloyd can still detect his pulse. The green ninja understood that his father may be in bad shape but all he can do now was stay by his side. His father had gone through way too much and the one thing he needed now was someone who'll help mend his wounds.
Many minutes passed before Garmadon finally stirred and everyone backed away as the former turncoat slowly regained consciousness.
Garmadon's silver eyes were filled with sadness while he stared at the people looming over him in concern. Just the sight of them brought great shame knowing what he just did. He shouldn't even be close to them, no matter how much he wanted otherwise. Wu approached his brother but the broken man flinched as if his touch was dangerous to him.
"Leave me…" The old man's voice was very feeble and sad.
"I'm not letting you go… Not for a second time…" Lloyd refused to abandon his father.
"I… don't even deserve to be here…"
"But why?" Haruka asked, "Why would you think distancing yourself would help us?"
"Lloyd… when you purged the venom within ourselves… their effects stayed with me… It's been too long since the darkness within my soul had surfaced… Nothing… nobody, not even you can get rid of all evil so easily…"
"You can't give up on yourself. We all care about you and we know you have it in you to move on from your past and do the right thing. Please try to find that courage." Misako too pleaded Garmadon to accept his loved ones into his life again.
"It's too late… for everyone…" Garmadon continued lamenting.
"No."
The ninjas were astonished by Willow's refusal to give up.
"Willow, you're still too young to understand that nobody can have everything they want, not even us." Lloyd told his young daughter grimly.
"I know… but it's not that…" She replied.
"What do you mean?" Kyle asked.
"Remember when those prophecies say 'It's darkest before the dawn'? Great-Grandpa must've strongly believed in it if he hadn't written that quote many times." The pink kunoichi reasoned with her brethren.
"But that was when the Overlord didn't have total control over everything." Liana retorted.
"What if there was some other way to defeat him we never thought about?"
"How can we do that!? The Overlord's now an omnipotent being and whatever he wants goes! There's no way to defeat him if he has even law and order in his control!" Alex snapped.
"Great-Grandpa must've known that if he kept the essence of balance here, then there will be a chance for evil to get its hands on it. Maybe he didn't intend for that to be the key if he placed it where evil can also reach it. He may have had some greater plan."
Wu and Garmadon contemplated their father's reasons for leaving so many relics in this world he created. He always said he never did anything without reason and it was all part of a bigger plan for Ninjago's future just as Willow theorized.
"Still… we failed you… we failed everyone…" Akira sighed.
Despite knowing he can't win everything, it's never easy for him to accept failure.
"Akira…" Kai laid a hand on his son's shoulder.
"You probably think I'm a disappointment, aren't you?" The fire ninja's successor sulked.
"It's never easy accepting loss but from what I've learned over the years, all that matters is that you never gave up and kept fighting for what is right. Being a ninja isn't solely about winning or glory. We defend Ninjago and you did just that to the very end. You weren't perfect but neither was I. You never betrayed your beliefs and that's what matters most, at least to me." Kai said.
Akira was
"If defeat is inevitable, then the least we can do is face it head on rather than cry and run away like a bunch of whiny cowards." Forrest answered.
"Yes," Zane sided with his son, "As humiliating as it can be, accepting loss and defeat still has its dignity and it's all we have. I won't let the Overlord have the satisfaction of taking the one thing we have left away from us."
"What matters more than victory is that you never betrayed the way of the ninja.
Before the ninjas can make their next move, small shuffling noises echoed above them and they braced themselves for the worst…
"Is anybody there?" A familiar voice echoed above them accompanied by footsteps.
"Mom…!?" Jay was bewildered by his parents following them.
The old couple caught up with the group, accompanied by their granddaughter.
"Mom! Dad!" Sayuri clung to her parents.
"How did you get here?" Nya asked.
"There's nothing that'll stop us from staying by your side, not even the dark lord himself." Edna said, her voice still carrying the slightest hint of motherly pride.
"Me neither!" Dareth huffed once he finally caught up with the Walkers. Even if he was getting on in years, there was no way he'd leave his friends, no matter how dire the situation was.
"Sayuri, you shouldn't be here. It's too dangerous." Jay warned his daughter.
"Then you have to save the world." She responded.
"How can we save the world if it's under complete control of the Overlord? Nothing we can do will help." Kyle retorted, developing a slight envy for his little sister's innocence.
"But you're a ninja and Uncle Kai always said that a ninja never quits."
Jay felt something in his heart, as if there was something tiny in there that was rejuvenated by his daughter's words. As naïve as Sayuri is, she was still a very determined girl, perhaps more so than anyone else in her family. The ninjas can't run from their fate forever and if there truly was no other way, then at least they won't betray the way of the ninja.
"But if you're still here, is something going on at the surface?" Iris asked.
"You'll have to see for yourself…" Ed answered with slight fear in his voice, which his son knew was a bad sign.
Despite the sense of despair hanging over them, the ninjas raced up the stairs and back in the museum. Although they were still inside, they can tell something horrible was going on outside. The building was eerily silent since they first entered it but this time, an ominous feeling hung over the ninjas like a storm cloud. The silence was like a prey hiding from its predator until the inevitable chase, just like them.
The ninjas braced themselves for the worst and stepped outside.
The sky was almost literally blood red and the empty buildings gave off a more foreboding air.
"I see something…" Aria peered towards the distance.
There was something moving by the horizon. The ninjas prepared for the worst as it inched ever closer until it was apparent it wasn't just one thing.
Much to the ninjas' horror, the civilians were returning to the city but something was wrong.
They looked completely normal but the way they moved… they were more like zombies. Their eyes also appeared dull and lifeless, as if they weren't truly alive. They were more like puppets whose movements were controlled by a higher-up pulling the strings and the ninjas had a good idea who that person was.
"This is terrible…" Luna was shaken by the bleak reality created by the Overlord.
"Wait! What the hell is that!?" Dareth pointed and the ninjas followed his direction.
What was once Ninjago Tower was a grim minaret surrounded entirely by a vile aura. There was no doubt this was the Overlord's doing and even without it, the tall turret was still intimidating with all the spikes and bleak grey material that reminded the ninjas of a prison. Atop the tower was the Overlord's once floating fortress, now fused to the tall building. The ninjas can quickly tell this was the Overlord's new seat of power.
"This is bad… Even if we find some other way, the Overlord still has many advantages. We can't stand a chance." Heather shook and not even her husband can comfort her.
"We may not have a chance against the Overlord but at least we're not gonna go down without a fight." Chris attempted to keep his chin up despite the bleak situation.
"The Overlord still has complete control over everything. He could even bend our powers to his will. Knowing him, he'll render us powerless by doing so much as just thinking about it and he'll overwhelm us in a heartbeat." Leon still felt apprehensive of facing the dark lord with his new omnipotent abilities.
"But what still bothers me is why the First Spinjitzu Master would leave something so powerful out in the open. It would've been too obvious if he kept it in the old monastery or a temple. It just feels strange that he would do such a thing…" Aria mused.
"I also wouldn't rule out the possibility that it's all part of a greater goal…" Nya theorized.
Wu and Garmadon reminisced on everything that had happened and why their father had done what he did since the beginning. Despite the dangers it could have, he left the embodiment law and order that kept Ninjago balanced was still within reach, even to those with evil intent.
It all reminded them of one of the most poignant lessons he taught them…
"My sons… I have done so much for you and Ninjago… But as much as I want to, I can't be here to protect this world forever… One day, perhaps by the time you have become old and withered like me… you will finally understand why…" The First Spinjitzu Master said from his bed when his days in the mortal realm became scarce. Standing by his side were his sons who were still naïve despite all the training they went through.
"Understand what?" Wu asked.
"Some of the things I have done… I know dark times will come long after I leave this world… but I want to leave everyone with the most important thing of all…"
"And that is…?" Garmadon responded and expected his father to answer for him.
(*) "Kibou…"
"What's so important about hoping? It's just delusional fantasies." The older son dismissed his father's answer as childish ramblings.
"Nii-san!" Wu hissed at his sibling for his bad attitude.
He may have changed since that snake bite but that didn't excuse him from being disrespectful to their father.
"My sons… Your bodies are fully grown yet your minds have yet to mature…"
Garmadon grew agitated but his younger brother shushed him so their father can continue.
"Hope is much more important than it seems. Back then, when it seemed that the Overlord was going to succeed with his evil plans, I was able to defeat him because the hopes of everyone for a world of harmony strengthened me. There will always be darkness as long as there is light but they are what keeps the balance of this world. If one overpowers the other, chaos will reign but if only one side existed, then there will be nothing. Even our hearts are a balance between light and darkness. But no matter what, hope is important to keep that balance, even when it seems like all is doomed to fail. My triumph over the dark lord was the answer to everyone's hopes and I want you two to become a beacon of hope one day. Our lineage will always deliver hope, even in the darkest times."
"How will we be able to do that?" His younger son was still unsure if he'll be able to fill the huge shoes his father will leave behind.
The First Spinjitzu Master's face was filled with knowing… and regret…
"In a way… I used you…" He sighed.
"What do you mean?" Garmadon questioned his father with slight suspicion.
"I don't want this world I created to fall into chaos. I knew that if I were to have a family, they'll do whatever it takes to ensure a bright future for Ninjago. I know you'll do great things but even if you willingly walk down this path, it doesn't justify the way I forced you into this role…"
"No. We also care about Ninjago, not just because of you. The kindness of the people we've met and the wonders yet to be explored inspired us to keep these times peaceful." Wu said.
His father gave the tiniest of smiles but it also hinted at the sadness deep in his heart…
"I can see the potential in both of you. You will continue my legacy and one day, you will come to a full understanding of the world. Perhaps long after I'm gone. My time will soon come to an end. I want you two to never forget what I told you."
"We won't… Father…" The brothers bowed.
The sons of the First Spinjitzu Master were now old men when they finally began to understand what he truly meant for them to bring hope to Ninjago.
Wu had seen and experienced a lot in his lifetime and he still learned from them even as an old man. His biggest role in Ninjago's destiny has yet to come and all the pieces of his father's plan came together for him.
Garmadon was still filled with remorse but at least through the determination he saw from his grandchildren, he started to realize even he had a future. It was time to put his past behind him and move forward. His father did everything for the future, even bringing him and Wu into this world. His bloodline will always have that and he succeeded with Lloyd and his grandchildren.
"Brother… Remember what Father told us about hope and our purpose?" He asked Wu.
"Yes." Knowing exactly what his older brother meant, Wu nodded. He remembered how crucial something as simple as hope can be. Even the smallest and simplest of things are all it takes to make a big difference. It was funny in a way how small such things were to the naked eye.
The old brothers knew it was time to put the past behind them and create a new legacy for this world their father had built.
"My students…" Wu started, getting the original ninjas' attention, "My father, the First Spinjitzu Master, had done everything for a very important reason. I may be old but I had also grown up and learned much alongside you. Garmadon and I have come to understand our purpose in this world and it's time to fulfill it."
"What are you talking about?" Kai asked but let his teacher's brother answer.
"Lloyd… I can never forget what I've done in the past but we still have a future to build. It is all decided by our actions. Everything we have done led us up to this point and the outcome of this battle will also be determined by us. The hope of everyone is also the key in restoring balance to the world. I can feel it radiating within your children. You will continue the legacy of the First Spinjitzu Master." Garmadon spoke to his son.
"Father…!" Lloyd was also stunned by his parent's decision.
"We are the sons of the First Spinjitzu Master. Our lineage was meant to bring hope when the world needs it most. We must also maintain the balance of order and chaos. That is the reason why his bloodline shall continue." Wu added.
Garmadon gazed at his son and his family. It pained him to see them like this, knowing what he planned to do and wanted to let them know how important they were to him.
"Lloyd, you were always so important to me. Even when I was corrupted, my love for you never did. And my grandchildren, Leon and Willow. I am also glad to have had you in my life. I too love you very much. You will carry on our legacy and that's all I could ever want. The fate of Ninjago will be in your hands… I love you…"
Lloyd had no idea what to say but he took in his father's words. He respected his decision but it didn't make it any easier to take in…
"Garmadon…" Haruka cautiously approached her husband.
"Haruka, throughout the ages, I still truly loved you. You were always a gentle and loving soul. You still are to this day and I will never forget the time we've had together." He embraced her for what she felt could be their last.
Haruka was speechless but her tears showed more emotion than any words could.
"Please do not mourn for me. I'm choosing my own path and I want you to do the same." The somber man gently wiped away some of the tears from his wife's face.
"Please… don't leave me again…" Haruka cried.
"I will never leave you ever again… I will live on in your heart and memories… I will always love you, Haruka." Garmadon kissed his wife one final time.
"My students," Wu addressed the ninjas, "I've said it before but I want you all to know it was an immense honor to train you and watch you all grow up. I will never forget those times and all I want is for you to remember that."
"Sensei, don't tell me you're…" Cole had a feeling Wu and Garmadon were going to do what he was thinking they'll do but was too afraid to ask out loud in case they really were.
"Misako," The sagely man turned to the intelligent woman, "I always wished things had turned out differently but still, you were a very important woman in my life. You have a gift and you've done well leading the new generation. I will forever cherish our time together."
"Wu… I promise I'll never forget you." Misako's eyes hinted towards a deep sadness as she gave a solemn nod.
"It's time for the new generation to come forth and succeed the first. It is time to write the next chapter for this world. Light and darkness will always exist side by side but as long as they stay balanced, there will always be hope for the future."
The brothers looked at each other.
They now truly understood their father's actions.
It was time to fulfill their true destiny.
Wu and Garmadon tapped into the sacred power passed down from their father. Having finally known all he had done, they were now able to become much more than his sons. Their bodies began to glow, the former in gold like the sun and the latter in dark hues like the night sky.
"Father!"
"Sensei!"
The ninjas stared in both awe and grief as the sons of the First Spinjitzu Master were engulfed within their aura until they couldn't see anything anymore. Wu and Garmadon felt their bodies go numb. All they saw besides pure white were each other. Then the silhouette of a third figure appeared before them. As they fulfilled their destiny, the face of that person became clear.
"Father…"
(*) Kibou = Hope (Japanese)
Wow…
I'm sorry to break it to you but unlike Zane & Kai in the prequel, Wu and Garmadon are really gone & aren't coming back. Just like within the story, it's all part of my big plan for the finale.
If you want a break from all the tears, I have an announcement for my Zane/Heather poll. The winner is… A WEDDING! But before I can write it, I would like some advice so it wouldn't be a carbon copy of Ninjago Nuptials.
As always, reviews are appreciated!