"No." Skylor whispered, her amber eyes fixated on the Stronghold in the distance. "We don't have enough time."
"I agree." Replied Harumi, glancing back to woods. "Shouldn't be too far away for us to run. We can always come back."
"But what if-" Nya started, her voice desperate.
"We can come back later." Skylor argued. Nya hesitantly closed the door with another press of the button and turned the Dragon Cruiser around just as a pair of soldiers came running towards them.
"Let's go then." She whispered, tapping
her finger nervously on the steering wheel.
She had no idea what was going to happen now. Lloyd could be in there, captured and chained for the however many years that he spent in this forsaken realm.
——
Everything was so so different.
For the first time in years Lloyd actually felt scared. His ears twitched at any noise that there was, making sleep a pain. Nothing was ever quiet. Nothing was ever loud either.
It was just, new.
The connection he had with Striker was new. And scary. And strangely familiar. Striker's loud laughs filled Lloyd with some hope that the war would end soon. That maybe, just maybe, they could live in peace for longer than a year or two. That peace would finally reign supreme over the kingdoms and that he could finally rest at last.
But here he was, laying in bed with so many fresh stitches across his left arm. It burned like hell, but luckily the pain killers the nurses had given him were finally kicking in.
And his other arm, well, it was no more.
Lloyd had never really come into contact with grenades or any types of bombs in person so he had absolutely no idea that they could be that powerful.
Yet again, with the Echo Realms intelligence and the Prince's availability to the more dangerous magic that the kingdoms had to offer, Lloyd wouldn't be surprised if the grenade that took his arm was magically tampered with.
He let out a sigh and shut his eyes, trying his best to ignore the shrieking of pain inside his arms, even if one of them wasn't even there.
——
They had to practically run back to the Dragon Cruiser, as the sun was setting faster than anticipated.
Skylor whipped her head around. "Border patrol. We need to go, now."
A troop of soldiers were just below the hill they were standing on, looking around for the "unregistered vehicle."
Hordes of soldiers were just behind them, not aware that there was three humans so very close in front. Nya told herself that was a good thing and faced forwards, almost smashing her face into the Dragon Cruiser's metal hide. Harumi put a finger to her mouth, and climbing to the top of the vehicle. She put out her hand to help the others. Skylor nervously darted her eyes from Nya to Harumi before taking hand and climbing onto the top of the ship. Nya followed, slipping down the hatch and into the driver seat, hitting the gas.
"Lloyd could of been in there!" Nya murmured.
"There's no way he could have been in there." Skylor replied. "Whatever that place was, it's completely underwater."
"It's probably just a tunnel anyway." Harumi sighed, leaning back in her chair. "I mean, if Aquarians are fish-people like the Merlopians, then they would be able to breathe underwater right?"
"I guess. But what about in the stronghold?" Nya voice filled with desperation. She didn't want to spend anymore time in this awful realm. The people here were brutal. Thieves, murderers, cannibals. No, if Lloyd was here then they would have to rescue him as quickly and as swiftly as possible.
"We'll check as soon as we can. We can camp out in the forest and then wait for darkness." Skylor prompted.
"If they have border control at sundown, then it wouldn't be too far fetched to think that they would have another check at midnight, right?" Harumi questioned.
Skylor nodded. "We'll park the Dragon Cruiser about 30 minutes into the woods, 30 minutes by foot I mean, and then we'll walk back, and get into the stronghold by stealth."
"…fine." Nya agreed. "But I don't think that-" She was cut off by the sound of static from the radio.
"It's Jay! We've found someone who knows Lloyd and where he is! She was even hired by him to come and find us!" He said through the speaker. Harumi gasped and smiled.
"Really?!" Nya screamed. "And it is him? Do you have it confirmed?!"
"No need to shout, Master of Water." Garmadon's rough voice came through. "And yes. We have confirmed that it is my son."
————-
"So this Stronghold was built to protect the Queen of your Kingdom?" Lloyd asked.
"Where is she now?"
"Dead." A ginger-haired woman from the corner of the room grimaced. "Killed by one of the only people she trusted."
Lloyd flinched as she came closer. Striker shifted nervously on his feet.
"I thought you said you were on duty today?" Striker asked, his mouth dry.
"I thought you said that the rando you found in the Prince's cells was an awesome fighter." The woman smirked. Lloyd looked at her nervously. She was taller than the duo with broad shoulders, pointed ears and had two fangs that could be easily missed. She also had a scar over her lip.
Her eyes were a rich hazel with specks of a more orangey-brown. She wore a uniform plates with steel like any other soldier but had a leather belt around her waist that carried two long swords. Her hair was neatly tied into a ponytail.
"Lloyd, this is Callista. She's been my friend since I was a child. Callista this is Lloyd, the guy I've already told you about."
Callista bowed her head for a second.
"Nice to meet you. I'm General Callista of the East Wing. But most people call me Cal."
"I'm Lloyd. Most people call me stuff I don't want to repeat so uh… yeah."
Callista chuckled a bit. "You're going to be just fine here Lloyd. Don't worry, me and Striker will make sure of it."
Lloyd freezes, his mind turning backwards and haunting him with memories of Kai and Nya telling him the same thing. He swallows thickly.
"T-thank you." He whispers.
——
Wow. Uh-sorry for kinda disappearing for like a fuck ton. School is an asshole~
But I hope you enjoyed! I will actually be updating this fic soon so uh yeah!
I'm on Ao3 now so I've also been posting some works there instead of here and I'm sorryyyy :(
Leave a comment if u like 3
