"You foolish scientist!"
Doctor Cyrus Borg looked in fear at The Overlord's angry monitor. Though he had warned The Overlord of the imminent failure that'd befall their plan to retrieve the technoblades, The Overlord was angered nonetheless. "F- foolish?!- you told me to use P.I.X.A.L as the basis regardless of efficiency! I only did what you told me to do!"
The Overlord took a second to consider that. "Hmm. You speak the truth… Oh well. I have enough machinery to make real use out of you." He said menacingly as the robot wu, 4 P.I.X.A.L Nindroids, and several robotic arms from the roof appeared, all cornering the helpless scientist. Unfortunately, nobody else was there to hear his screams, for The Overlord had long since established control of the city, preventing anyone from leaving their homes, and severely punishing anyone unfortunate to have broken out regardless.
As Cyrus Borg was being roboticized, The Ninja crept alongside the shadows. Borg's plight had interested The Overlord so much that he left his cameras unnoticed. Once The Ninja realized they weren't being actively watched or pursued, they began to talk.
"So uh.. What do you think happened to Wu? I don't think The Overlord has much of a reason to keep him around any longer than he has too." Nya said nervously. She had held off her question until now in an attempt to keep Kai calm.
"Maybe he got turned into one of those guys! You know- like the robots we saw back at the monastery?- Poor Wu…" Jay replied. Kai was starting to get profusely bothered.
"Can we drop the subject? We'll talk about it later. Or… When we find him."
"Pfft. You talk about him like he's your dad." Harumi joked. It'd turn out to be a mistake.
"Yea? Well some of us aren't as lucky as you are to be scooped up by some big celebrity. My dad's been gone way longer than yours."
"My dad is DEAD! Yours could still be alive! But what do you care about, Kai? You only care about yourself!" That was enough. Kai gave Harumi a shove. "What was that for!?"
"That was for setting me up earlier. This is for insulting my parents!" Kai said. The two were about to get in an actual brawl when Nya got between the two.
"Guys! The Overlords definitely gonna know we infiltrated Ninjago if you keep fighting!" Nya says despite Kai desperately grasping at air trying to attack Harumi!
"Technically speaking, our outbursts aren't going to alert The Overlord necessarily so long as we don't exceed a certain-" Zane said, before Kai interrupted him.
"You've been spoiled ever since Garmadon adopted you!" Kai said. That started the fight up. From his fortress above Borg Tower, The Overlord noticed the group from outside.
"Grrr… I didn't account for this. They must've left the other 3 fools at their temple. No matter… I'll have plenty of surprises for them if they try to ascend the tower." Said The Overlord, who sent the roboticized Wu and Borg, alongside 30 Nindroids to the elevators and stairwell.
As soon as The Ninja saw the hoard, they were already back to back as they looked in horror at what had happened to Wu.
"Master Wu!- what have they done to you!?" Kai gasped. The robotic Wu had an expression of malice and determination. His black beard swaying alongside his darkened staff. The Ninja were forced to fend off Wu as he swung at each of them. Cyrus Borg and The Nindroids were distracting enough that the group was pushed back. But resistance was strengthened after Nindroids started dropping. The Ninja dashed past Borg and Wu, entering Borg Tower.
The Overlord would send more and more of his Nindroids to be destroyed. Wu and Borg were formidable when surrounded by Nindroids, but on their own, they could barely do anything more than trip over each other. Eventually he received an error message on one of his monitors. "ERR_014. Units '180-200' not complete. Reassign existing units to floor 4? Y-/N-"
The Overlord growled again. He realized that his impatience and overconfidence had cost him another victory. No matter. He thought. I'll return. Eventually… He thought. He was truthfully angered he would have to spend yet another eternity volleying for power in The Departed Realm. But as he watched the battle unfold below, he realized he might not have to wait for an opportunity to strike, when he could set in motion a new plan. He finally started responding to the error message.
"No. Have Cyrus Borg and Wu leave them to their own devices. They'll likely die after the power is shut off regardless… Unluckily for The Ninja, they can't simply be reactivated after the fact. Let them access The Digital Realm. Just be sure to prevent Nya from interfering with my new plan." He said, as the error message popped up. The 7 out of 20 freshly made troops prepared to jump Nya upon their completed ascent to the top floor of Borg Tower.
When they managed to get to the top floor, Jay looked around in confusion. "Hey wait a minute. This has been WAYYY too easy! We've fought like 40 Nindroids and now we're already here?" He said, walking in.
"Shhh! Don't be so loud! He could be right behind that-" But before Nya could finish, all 6 of them realized the room was empty. Zane walked over to the 4 empty chairs on one side of the room.
"These are where we need to plug into the security system and enter The Digital Realm. But… There are 4 blades, but 6 of us. Harumi and Nya will have to stay behind." Zane said. Harumi rolled her eyes.
"Figures I couldn't have gotten one! Everyone's picking on me today." Harumi whined, when Nya put a hand on her shoulder.
"Hey. If it means less stuff to look after, I'm sure it's for the best. Cmon. Let's get everything setup before The Overlord does anything else!" She said, strapping all of The Ninja in with their blades, as they were sent into The Digital Realm.
Before Nya could get a chance to say anything else in response to what had been said, 7 Nindroids appeared from the darkest corners of the room. She was pulled away from Harumi's grasp. Screaming for help, Harumi tried to grab onto her friend before it was too late. She was unsuccessful, as Nya was hoisted out of the room by the Nindroids.
From a projection unit in the middle of the room, a dark figure appeared. The Overlord, having accepted his imminent defeat, took his final form. His holographic image shared resemblances to the previous forms and appearances across myths and legends. The only difference being is that both Harumi and The Overlord were separated by realms.
"You are Harumi I assume. Harumi Jade… Harumi Garmadon. Which one do you prefer?" The Overlord said menacingly.
"I- i- g- give me my friend back now! Or ill-" Harumi stuttered before being interrupted.
"Yes yes, of course. You share the determination of your late stepbrother. He was a challenge for the ages. But not even he could hold a candle to the one who kept me entrapped on The Dark Island."
"T-the First Spinjitzu Master?"
"The one who started it all. Now… I believe you asked something of me. What was it, girl?"
Harumi cleared her throat. "M-my friend. I want you to give back my friend."
"Alright. I'll give you the girl. She would've made a fine assistant… perhaps next time."
"There won't be a next time! My friends will stop you! You- you aren't going anywhere!"
"Hmph. Don't be so sure if that. I'll give her back, if you sit down. There are matters I need to discuss before my apparent 'death'. Are those agreeable terms?"
Harumi considered The Overlords offer. She knew, or at least assumed it to be a trick. "I can stand- thank you."
"Forget I offered then." Said The Overlords Hologram, as it got up and walked to the window. "So, Harumi. What are your aspirations?"
"I don't- know that word-"
"Your dreams for Ninjago. Regardless of what your father may push you to believe… Surely you have other views."
"I guess- dad- or as you call him 'Garmadon' wants us to be all passive. Not really doing a whole lot… It gets people hurt. Or worse." Harumi said, eyeing the floor.
"I know, I know. The great Devourer was a terrible tragedy. I am sorry your old parents had to be a casualty of The Ninjas failure…"
"Yea.. I- hey wait. They did what they could! Besides, Who are you to act like you haven't done just as much damage-?"
"Oh I'm sure they did what they 'could' in the moment, Harumi." The Overlord nodded to himself, still staring into the oblivion that was the quiet dusk. "But even you know what they 'could've' done wasn't enough."
Harumi looked down again. She missed her parents dearly. Her quiet and cunning demeanor faded the moment she met Garmadon. But this conversation was starting to have her regress, and to question her loyalties. "So? Why do you care?"
"You've made it clear you have Ninjagos' best interest in mind, Harumi. It's only a matter of time before something… or someone arrives more powerful than I. And by association, more powerful than The Ninja. What'll you do then? How many little girls and boys will be crushed under rubble, all so you can please your idol?"
"I-" She was going to respond had she not realized that she had almost completely forgotten about her idolization of Garmadon. "He's… different now. I don't idolize him anymore. "
"You miss his power. His brute strength… his vast array of dark abilities. Abilities that can save your friends. Your loved ones. Ninjago."
"He only had them because he was evil!"
"That power was derived from deep inside of him. It was never a burden for him to simply lift a finger and watch a life flash before his eyes. He killed The Great Devourer before all of Ninjago suffered the fate of your parents. Have you forgotten?"
"Of course not. I just- don't want to end up like-"
"Like Lloyd?"
"What? Well no, I mean my parents. But I don't want anyone else to suffer that fate also."
"Don't worry." The Overlord said. His voice was so alluring to Harumi. "I hear you are to be the greatest ninja in all the land someday. And with a power like that. You won't need Garmadon. Well… not like he would even be around at that point."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Harumi said, getting defensive. The Overlord simply pointed at the knife that was now sheathed at her side.
"You know what to do."
"Me?!- I can't-! How could you-"
"Don't act so surprised. You've considered it before. In your dreams… in your nightmares. You know what you need to do in order to bring back the true Lord Garmadon."
"I- I won't!" Harumi took her knife out of its pocket in a feeble attempt to threaten The Overlord. "Give my friends back now!-"
"I'm afraid at least 2 of them will be impossible to save now. I enjoyed our chat though… Consider my offer. I'll be around." Said The Overlord, who's Hologram began to flicker, then disappear. Nya ran into the room, looking around.
"Where'd he go!? Are you ok Harumi-!?"
"Yea I'm ok.." Harumi said. The 4 Ninja all retreated back into the physical realm, looking around.
"I am guessing our efforts in The Digital Realm were successful?" Zane asked, jumping out of the chair.
Harumi nodded. "I guess he's gone. But- The Overlord said something concerning Wu and Borg… That they'd be impossible to save."
Zane was lost in thought for a quick moment as he tried to figure out what exactly Harumi was talking about, before he slapped his head in shock. "Of course! Once Garmadon and the others shut down the power, the mechanisms that have been placed inside Master Wu and Cyrus Borg will be fried. There won't be any saving them…"
"W-what- but we can just reactivate them after right?" Kai asked hopefully. Zane looked deeply concerned.
"I'm afraid we cannot. They aren't like normal robots that can be switched back on. They'll have had several of their vital organs be inactive for hours by the time we could even reactivate their circuitry. Let alone remove it."
"We need to warn them!" Kai screamed, as he started running downstairs, but it was too late. Misako, P.I.X.A.L, and Garmadon had faced little resistance in the grid. With the power shut off, P.I.X.A.L herself was briefly knocked out, alongside the few Nindroids that remained in Ouroborus, and finally, Wu and Borgs cybernetic implants. Within an instant, they would both find themselves on the floor, slowly dying as a result of the system failure. The Ninja would run to his side, as he sputtered out his last words.
"Ninja-... Be strong… So much I couldn't tell you- So much I couldn't teach…" He said, as Kai laid a hand on his chest.
"Don't speak Sensei! Your gonna be ok!-"
Wu couldn't say anymore. His lungs had finally given out, and he perished on the floors of Borg Tower. His departed soul would be lifted to the heavens above in the realm of the deceased, where his family waited for him.
The Ninja all stayed there in silence until the trio of Garmadon, Misako, and the unconscious P.I.X.A.L would emerge in the building.
Upon the sight of Wu's body, Garmadon would collapse to the ground. "H-how could I have let this happen!?"
Misako was inconsolable, as were Kai and Garmadon. Everyone Sat and grieved until help arrived to clear the bodies and prepare for the funerals.
(2 weeks later)
It wouldn't be long before the people would once again call Ninjago home. A safer Ninjago, but a sadder Ninjago. Not only had Ninjagos greatest innovative thinker, Cyrus Borg, fall victim to The Overlord's return, Master Wu had fallen as well. Preparations would soon begin for the funerals to be held. Grief stricken, Garmadon remained secluded from everyone else until the service.
People from all across Ninjago lined the seats as 2 grand statues were unveiled on city grounds. One of Wu striking a heroic pose, another of Cyrus Borg in his wheelchair. Once the crowd was silenced, Garmadon would walk up to the podium and give a short, but meaningful speech.
"The events that have transpired here are of a greater evil than I can describe. For we have had two wonderful lives taken from us. Cyrus Borg, innovator, inspiration, and servant to the people. And Sensei Wu, friend, teacher, and brother…" he said, letting tears fill his eyes.
"While I did not have the pleasure of knowing Doctor Borg personally, I know how much he meant to Ninjago, and what he was able to achieve in such a short amount of time. As for my brother… Well, his sacrifices for Ninjago are too numerous to count. I hope I speak for all of Ninjago when I say they will both be dearly missed…" He finished, returning to his seat.
Ninjago mourned their losses that day. The Ninja, Nya, Misako, Garmadon, P.I.X.A.L, (who had been reactivated with the use of Zanes own power source), and Harumi, who felt more conflicted then anything.
The Overlord had reminded her of the reason she cared for Garmadon in the first place. But after the tragic loss that befell the team, she was starting to reconsider everything. Thoughts raced in her head over and over. I couldn't stop it. I couldn't save anyone. I broke my promises…
She looked down to her side. "Jades Edge" still sat at her side, sheathed and ready. There was so much a weapon could do. So much she could do, and wanted to have done. But none of it mattered. A new Era was beginning. New choices, new allies, new threats, a new motivation to see The Overlords worldview to its logical conclusion, and above all, to save Ninjago.
"Whatever has to happen…" She mumbled. "I'll save you Ninjago." But nobody could hear her over the winds of a saddened winter.
To be continued in Act 3 . . .