TW for mentions of death and depictions of gore.

Lloyd Garmadon was dead.

The elusive, legendary, adored green ninja, was dead.

Ninjago had never been so eerily silent, so mournful.

The tragedy was fresh.

His ashes were sealed in a newly erected temple, amply named Temple of the Green Savior, overlooking the city on an incline. City officials announced there would also be a new statue in the Corridor of Elders, along with a few smaller ones in less significant places across the city.

An elementary school tacked "Lloyd Garmadon Memorial" to their name.

The name "Lloyd" for newborns skyrocketed over the past few days, since it all happened.

Murals of the unusual green eyes and overall kind face the citizens came to love painted every wall on the corner.

All channels, radio, television and others, broadcasted different dedications through the day.

The land itself was sad. Those more religious found comfort in thinking the gods were mourning the death of their champion. The sunset was a gorgeous painting of yellows and oranges, together basking the people in gold. One remark, could be heard, that it was the First Spinjitzu Master welcoming his grandson to the heavens.

"I can't believe he gets a temple. A whole temple, dedicated to him."

Nya elbowed her husband.

The remaining, retired, team of highly trained and highly powerful men and women stared at the sight. In the dim light their only illumination were the parade of candle light from the citizens, lined up to deposit their respects. And the unnatural green flame dead ahead.

Sitting, floating, in the palm of the gold replica of their leader. Draped in the gi and armor he died in, hand outstretched in the glowing green fire. "To light the way for this city going forward," was inscribed.

Forever ingrained was a peaceful expression, warm eyes half-lidded and staring directly at the group, with the softest of smiles on his lips.

"They got his nose wrong."

"I was just about to say that."

Pixel pinched the ears of the best friends, who whined about it. "For two men who are almost forty, you act like toddlers," she chastised, adjusting the traditional white cloth she was draped in. She scanned a critical eye over the statue. "It isn't as flat as it should be, isn't it? They made it too pointy."

Cole snorted.

The funeral was full of ancient traditions, to honor how the Garmadon lineage stayed with the people all the years. It was their very start of creation after all. Now it was so rudely halted from ever continuing.

Poking fun at his own statue is what he would have wanted.

"Brother," Zane greeted Kai warmly, as he hobbled up the slope to greet them, away from news crews. "How is your leg? No trouble, I hope."

The master of fire dryly chuckled, pulling his weight on the crutch he was provided. "I think what I just announced will give me more trouble than an injury.."

"What'd you do?" Nya inquired slowly, eyeing him.

"Retired."

Cole's eyes went wide. "I thought you were waiting till after..?"

"Dante asked Skylor if Daddy was gonna die too," he sent a guilty look to his youngest, squished in Mommy's arms as they watched the somber march together, politely declining interviews. "There was no fucking way I could continue."

"You have decided not to tell them?" Zane asked, quietly. Seeing the weighted looks on his friends faces, even he knew the answer. "Us too." Their reasonings went unspoken.

"Dad!"

The master of fire scrambled from his seat, met with a worried call from his wife as his leg buckled and made an awful crackle. A flurry of blond slammed into his chest and knocked him back. He struggled to keep the girl back. "Calm down, calm down," Kai's comforting words were drowned out by her furious cries.

Skylor watched on, her own face messy with tears at the pitiful scene.

"Outta my way!" she pounded her fists on his chest, sobbing.

"Min.."

"I said, outta my way!" Min Garmadon grabbed her honorary uncle by the soiled gi and flung him across the hall. He cried in surprise, and presumably pain. He landed and scattered waiting chairs, thumping against the wall. Blood stained the pale and floral wallpaper. Lightbulbs sparked overhead. She couldn't find it in herself to care from the chaos that followed as she bolted down the corridor.

"Min!" Skylor screamed, dropping to her husband, feet away.

"I'm okay, sweetheart, I'm- I'm okay.."

Min Garmadon was a closely guarded secret. Throwing her keepers around like ragdolls probably wasn't the best, but she didn't care. The one thing in her mind was the thought of her father.

The calls of worried adults and the occasional blocking, just obstacles in the way. Like a nightmare the illuminated hallway seemed to stretch on for eternity, the door to open just a miniscule blip at the end. A course with no end. Similar to the merry-go-round of weapons back in their training course, only escapable by jumping off track. Maybe this was only that? Her imagination wondered, and soon her father, perfectly fine, would call for dinner. Catfish, her favorite.

Imagination couldn't save her as she swung the doors open, breaking the hinges. The doors thumped against the floor.

"She shouldn't be in here!"

"Da-ad!"

Min choked.

When Misako moved to catch her, the child was much more placid, falling into her grandmother's arms.

Barely twelve was certainly not old enough. Lloyd Garmadon lay on the table before the two, if one could call the maimed man in front of them by that name. Blood, sweat, and grime covered his body, the green gi was gone and left was the thermal undergarments the team typically wore, though even that was torn and soaked.

Min whimpered as the half-lidded but wild eyes found her. Lloyd always had a sort of natural glow to his green eyes, that was just a staple feature of the man. The glow flickered, swinging from unbearably bright to depressingly dim. Min couldn't help but catch glimpses of gold drowning in the color. Her fathered opened his mouth to speak and wheezed something inaudible, followed by horrifying gasps of pain. Only then did Min notice the gash across his throat.

"D.. Dad..?"

His hand slowly made its way to her cheek, cupping it with great effort. It was wet.

Lloyd's lips curled into an exhausted smile, trying to shush his daughter before curdling into a silent howl of pain. He reeled back as workers tinkered with the pipe piercing his other hand. The news got that part right, Min's gut twisted, his body fell on sharp debris wanting to tear him apart and swallow every bone.

"She really shouldn't be in here.." Their eyes were pitying.

"No!" Min wailed, dropping to her knees and squeezing her father's hand. "No no! I'm staying! You can't make me go, you can't!"

A silent conversation was held between the elder Garmadons. "You don't have to go anywhere, darling," Misako's ever calming words told her. Her old hands pushed the hair away from her eyes. "But let's step back, and look away. You won't want to watch," she pulled Min's face into her chest.

The girl simply nodded. Her fingers numbly let her father's go and followed her grandmother's steps a few away. The room dove into chaos from there, sounds of machinery and discussions on best courses of action. Most horrifyingly was the animated squels of Lloyd. Min squeezed her eyes shut and desperately forced her hearing on the radio instead.

"We interrupt this broadcast to bring you shocking news... Lloyd Garmadon.. the green ninja, is dead.."

Finally cross-posting this story because I love my kids so you all must be forced to love them too. /j