Chapter 12: Blackout and the Curse of the Golden Master
WARNING: BIT OF DARKNESS ON N THIS CHAPTER
—
"We've been digging for so long, I think I forgot what we're looking for!" Cole groaned as he searched through a pile of junk
"A jiggly compact compress converter. Or was it a compress compact jiggly converter? Whatever it is, if it can get us back to New Ninjago City any sooner, it's worth finding." Kai said but pulling a piece out causes the piles of junk to crush them both
"Ahhhhhhhh!" Kai and Cole yelled in surprise. Cinder shook his head at them, watching them going through the junk piles at Jay's parent's junkyard. It has been a few days since they shut down the power to the city, disabling the Nindroids, but left them stranded with no ride. But apparently Nya told the team that Jay's parents might have the parts to convert one of their vehicles to using solar energy to get them back to the city. So right now Cole, Kai, Jay, and his dad were scouting for parts for the conversion. The dragonet was sitting near the elderly couple's caravan where Jay's mom, Nya, Zane, and P.I.X.A.L. were inside. He knew what the white ninja was doing: he was giving up half his power source to get her back online. But wasn't sure it was going to work, but hoping that it would worked.
Cinder shook his head again and enter the caravan to see the female android waking up.
"Where am I? What happened?" P.I.X.A.L. said in confusion but then sees Zane's open chest panel. "You gave me half your power source. My processor does not compute."
"You are the only one who knows Borg's system. You are vital to the mission. And, you are vital to me." Zane said with a smile
"Ooh. Robot love. Call me a sucker, but if they have half of what you and Jay have—" Edna was then cut off by P.I.X.A.L.
"Nya and Jay? Judging from Perfect Match compatibility, perhaps Nya and Cole would be a closer comparison."
"Nya and Cole are a better match?" Edna said in shock
"Don't you mean Jay? Perhaps her processor was damaged." Zane questioned with a puzzled look on his face. Cinder looked at the situation and eyes widened when Jay entered when nobody heard him.
"My processor is fully operational. The Perfect Match for Nya isn't Jay, but Cole." P.I.X.A.L. confirmed
"Cole's her perfect match?!" Jay said in shock
"Jay..." Nya said and before she could explain what happened Cole came in with Kai.
"Ha, it's so quiet in here. What did I miss? Another signature Jay Walker gut buster?" He said not knowing what would happen next.
"Oh, you backstabbing, no good...! YAAAAH!" Jay yells and leaps at Cole.
"What's wrong with you?!" Cole shouts in surprise and the two begin to fight. They both went out the door and to the yard of the junkyard. Cinder ran after them to see if he can get them to stop fighting and calm down.
"Oh, you know why you're the Black Ninja? 'Cause it's the color of your heart!" Jay said angrily and grab his Techno Blade
"Oh yeah? Well what's the point in being a Blue Ninja? Unless you're trying to hide out in some goofy clown college!" Co.e said back angrily and grabs his Techno Blade
"Ooh! You take that back! There are reputable performers that attend clown college!"
"I don't see why you want to settle this arm wrestling! You know I have super strength!"
"Oh yeah? Well I'm super hooped! And I haven't brushed my teeth in a week!" Jay said and breathes on Cole who scrunch his nose in disgust and moved back.
"Guys? Can you please calm down and talk in a civilized manner?" Cinder plead to the two but they didn't listen and continue to fight. But it seems like their fight will end in a disastrous way.
"Jay! Cole! PLEASE STOP FIGHTING AND LISTEN TO— ROAR!" Cinder saids but roars in pain as he was struck by his brother's Techno Blade and landed in a pile of junk. Cinder rose up shakily and stared at his brother, who was yelling at Jay, and started shaking.
"My... own... brother... attacked me. That's impossible, he—he's my brother, he wouldn't do that. No he wouldn't he's—" Cinder thoughts continue to spiral downwards. Causing his emotions to act up and something within broke and forced him to lose control over himself.
"Why did you started this!?" Cole said angrily
"Me?! I didn't do anything. It's all on you for that Nya loves you!?" The blue ninja shot back
"No, you attack me first because I was in love with Nya? Dude, I have zero interest in her at all. Besides, the only love I'll give will be my brother and right now he's hurt." Cole yelled back
"Well, if you didn't have to backstab me, we wouldn't have been—-"
"ROOOAR!"
The two ninja stopped arguing and turned and their eyes widened in shock and fear. In front of the two was Cinder, but he looked... different. His purple and magenta scales were replaced with black and gray scales. His golden horns, wingtips, claws, and tail blade were covered with grease. His green eyes were replaced by glowing white orbs and his markings were chalk-white. But the scariest thing the two ninja saw was the black shadowy aura around the dragonet's body. Cole looked at Jay in fear then back at Cinder.
"Cinder?"
No reaction was shown on the dragonet's face. Cole makes a move and slowly made a few steps before the dragonet did something.
"ROAR!"
Cole then dodged as a beam of dark purple energy shot out of the dragonet's mouth. Cole watched as it disintegrated a pile of junk like it was nothing. Cole turned to Jay who saw it as well and look at him.
"Get the others out here now! We need to snap him out of this." He said and Jay nodded and ran to the caravan. Everyone looked shocked as he barged in, panting.
"Jay? What's wrong, and what was that roar out there?" Nya questioned worriedly
"You... need... to come... help. Cinder... is in... trouble." Jay said in between breaths.
"What do you mean son?" Edna questioned
"Just come... and look... for yourself. It's not good."
Everyone followed the blue ninja outside and were shocked to see the dragonet's new look. He looks terrifying with the glowing eyes and shadowy aura. They then saw Cole dodging the attacks he's doing, attacks they never seen him do before with ease. Nya looked at Jay.
"What in Ninjago did you guys do to him!?"
"I don't know?! Me and Cole were fighting at each other and Cinder was trying to defuse the situation. But Cole accidentally hit Cinder with his Techno Blade and after that we don't know because we started arguing again till he roared." Jay explained nervously as Cole kept maneuvering his brother's attacks.
"Guys? I don't know how much longer I can keep this up. Need to figure out how to get him out of this state." He said
Nya looked at the situation and then got an idea.
"Ed! Edna! Do you have a mirror that's big enough for Cinder's size?"
"I don't know? Why? What's your idea dear?" Edna questioned
"Have him look at his reflection and hope he snaps himself out looking like that." Nya explained
"Ok dear. Ed! We need to find a mirror, hurry!" Edna said and the elderly couple ran off into the piles. Nya looked at her brother, Jay, Zane, and P.I.X.A.L.
"Kai, you help Jay and Cole on distracting Cinder. Zane, P.I.X.A.L., come with me. We're going to go help Ed and Edna find that mirror."
"Got it sis." Kai said with a serious look while Jay nodded silently. Nya, Zane, and P.I.X.A.L. went off after the couple. Jay looked nervously at the uncontrolled angered dragon. Kai looked at him.
"What's wrong?"
Jay sighs, mentally kicking himself for this. HE was the cause of this, and he'll do what he can to save him,
"This is my fault. I started this fight and made Cole hit Cinder, causing him to go into this state. So I'll have his attention on me so you and Cole can strategize a plan."
"Uhhh alright then. Cole! Swap with Jay now." Kai shouted and the black ninja nodded and rolled away from a lunge and Jay entered into the dragonet's eyesight. Jay looked at him with a bit of fear but calmed his nerves.
"Cinder, can you hear me? If you can, then good. If not, then I want to say I'm sorry." Dodging to the side from a blast "I'm sorry for causing this. Making you go into this state." Rolling to the right and jumping up onto a pile of junk. "It was unjust for me to take my anger out on you and your brother, I should have listened to what Nya was going to said an.. and I... I... I SHOULD HAVE BEEN A BETTER TEAMMATE TO YOU!"
That last remark halted the dragonet in his tracks and Jay saw to his surprise, Cinder's eyes coming back but were straining hard to stare
"Ok, it looks like he has control. But for how long? I hope they hurry up on this."
"Jay!"
Jay turned and saw Nya with his parents, Zane, and P.I.X.A.L. with a big mirror and they stop next to Cole and Kai. Soon the mirror was set up and Zane silently motioned Jay towards it. He nodded and slowly walked over and stood next to it. Cinder followed his gaze but froze.
"Th... That's me? Wh...what happened when I was within my mind? I looked terrified and scary. I hated this look, get it off, get it OFF! I want to be myself again!" Cinder thought scared but wanted to get out of this mess. Then suddenly he felt the darkness's claws fading away and its chill call dispersing. His scale color came back, the greasiness on him was non-existent, and his eyes were back to normal. He slowly shook his head, getting rid of anything else that was still clinging onto him. He then looks at the others, mostly Kai, Zane, Nya, and P.I.X.A.L. Not paying much attention to Jay and Cole. He lay down on the ground and yawned, exhausted from whatever energy he used.
"Cinder?"
Cinder looks to see Cole sitting criss-cross on the ground across from him. He looked away, not wanting to see his brother's reaction.
"Bro? Is it because what happened a few minutes ago? I'm sorry for that and I felt so terrible for doing that to you. You were trying to defuse the situation but I made it worse. I—"
"Cole, hush." Cinder said and he did. Cinder sighed
"I know it's not your fault because I was with Nya at that machine in Borg Tower. It was showing you but remember that the Overlord was in there. I think he was trying to get her emotions on the frisks on picking between you and Jay."
"Oh."
"Yeah, well now we know that we shouldn't do anything to me or this happened again."
"Agree. I believe we should continue looking for parts now." Zane said
"Agree." P.I.X.A.L. said
"We'll take Cinder inside to rest while you all get searching for more parts." Edna said and picked him up and went inside. The dragonet curled into a ball and purred softly. Nya followed as well, leaving the elderly man, three men, and two Nindroids out.
—
"Outsiders must answer to the Postman!"
Cinder looked confused at the situation. After the ordeal he had what he found was his "darker side" when he met Ignitus in his dreams. Apparently both his parents have this but how it came was unknown so he asked if there are any new moves he can learn. So far he has learned new secondary attacks to Fire, Electricity, Ice, and Earth. Particularly Electricity and Earth, which he got to used when they were attacked by Nindroids
Flashback
"What was that?" Kai questioned with surprise as the caravan was lifted up into the air
"The machines haven't worked since the outage. What's powering it?" Ed said confused but then all looked up to see what they feared
"Nindroids! Better question is, what's powering them?" Kai questioned
"They're after the Techno Blades." P.I.X.A.L. gasped as then General Cryptor appears and starts shooting the caravan.
"Hahaha!"
"Yeah, well, they almost hit my mother!" Jay said angrily
"Ooh, don't worry about us, sweetie. We prepare for every type of situation." Edna said
"You make one for me?" Jay said in hope
"Uh, sorry, honey. You hardly ever come to visit." She says with an apology and hands Cinder over to Nya.
"Yeah, good luck, kiddo. And watch over the junk while we're gone, will you?" Ed said and blinds the general with bubbles
"Argh!"
"I blame you for this!" Jay growled
"What did I do? You were the one who wanted to stay in a scrapheap full of Nindroids!" Cole said with annoyance. Cinder sighed, even after the ordeal with him they're still having their petty argument. Cinder snorted smoke in an attempt to relieve the flames within him to cool.
"Enough, you two! We may not have our Elemental Powers, but we still have our Spinjitzu!" Kai said and turned to P.I.X.A.L. "Are you gonna be okay?"
"I may not be built to fight, but my protective reflexes should suffice." P.I.X.A.L. said and the red ninja nodded
"Great! Cause you're gonna need 'em!" Nya said to her
"Ninja, Go!"
"Uh-oh!" Cryptor shouts in surprise. Before Cinder jumped out as well he saw Zane trying to do it but couldn't.
"I couldn't do Spinjitzu!" He cried out
"Your heart. Dividing it must have inhibited your fighting ability." P.I.X.A.L. said in concern.
"I guess I have poor timing." Zane said a little put off.
"Here, let me help you two out." Cinder saids and grabs them and does Spinjitzu and gets them out. But then have to dodge as Cryptor shoots at him, Zane, and P.I.X.A.L. He got away from him but had no way to move back in without hurting them.
"Whoa!"
Cinder turned and saw that the junk compactor was shut and heard his brother and Jay in there. Then heard it starting and heard them yell in fear of being released from the compactor.
"I'm too cute to be squashed!"
"Hey, someone stop this thing!"
"Bad Nindroid, bad Nindroid!" Nya saids as she beat up Min-Droid. Cinder kept himself on the defensive and used his elemental breaths to do as much damage as he could to them. But then hears a shout of exclamation.
"Sensei, what have they done to you?"
"Hiyah!"
Cinder turned his head and eyes widened to see his Sensei, but not his normal self. He was slightly robotic with a metallic straw hat with red eyes and a black beard. The dragonet sees Kai was fighting him but was struggling to keep up the fight against him.
"Nya, you have to stop the junk compactor." He screams
"I'm on it!" She said but almost got captured by Nindroids. Cinder then releases a ball of condensed Lightning and once she is far away releases it, causing a massive shockwave to knock the nemesis out. Nya runs to the compacted and stops when seeing what she saw. "Oh, no!"
"Someone stop this thing!" Cole grunts in strain
"I can't override it!" Nya cried out
"Well you'd better, because if you don't, Cole and I are gonna get real close. You said we belong together, but not permanently!" Jay said nervously
"I'm not... strong enough!" Cole groans
"Seriously? A blue or black wire. I have to cut one of these wires to shut it down, but cut the wrong one and it may crush you guys instantly!" Nya exclaims
"Ooh, choose blue, Nya! You know blue! You're comfortable with blue!" Jay said
"Choose black! Black is not blue!" Cole contested
"Oh, I'm gonna turn you black and blue!" Jay growled
"No time for that!" Co.e said
—
"I thought you were supposed to be strong." Jay said mockingly
"And I thought we were a team." Cole shot back in anger.
"Black or blue? Uh, why is it so hard to choose?" Nya exclaims to herself.
"Need any help?" Cinder asks as he runs over and she nods.
"Well... I'm not good with tech. But... I know how to open this lid up." Cinder said and Nya smiled.
"Alright, what's the idea?"
"This." Cinder and walk onto the hatch and focus. His body was then surrounded by green energy and with a ROAR he jumped up and slammed back into the ground. The hatch shuddered from the force but was bending. Cinder did it again a few more times and with a loud groan the hatch gave way and Cinder fell into the hole. Jay and Cole looked god-smacked at him but Cinder shook his head and flew up, both ninja following after.
"Uh...?" Jay looked to be in disbelief.
"How...?" Cole questioned but was interrupted
"Come on!" Nya exclaimed and runs over to her brother
"Ah!"
"Sensei Wu!" Cole exclaimed
"What happened to him?" Jay exclaimed as well
"He's turned evil! Help me!" Kai exclaimed as he kept holding him off.
"Yah!"
"But he's our Sensei!"
"Not anymore."
"More like Tech Wu." Cole said
"Oh! Bad Sensei, bad!" Jay scolded as Wu hit Cole. "I hate to say it, but you deserved that a little."
But was also hit by Wu as well
"Haha! Right back at ya." Co.e laughed with Cinder sniggering but calm down to focus on the battle
"I got this! Aaah!" Nya said but also got hit by him. Cinder growled. "Time to end this." He thought and went towards the evil man. Wu tried to hit him but the dragonet shot a flail out of green energy. He swung it around like a whip and forced Wu to back up from getting hit. Giving enough time for Zane and P.I.X.A.L. to appear in a crane in the junkyard.
"Sorry, Sensei." Zane apologizes and grabs Wu.
"Ha! I always knew those two had a magnetic attraction." Kai exclaims
"Really?" Nya questions with a look at the red ninja but then Wu gets released somehow and everyone looks to see a mysterious figure on top of a pile of junk.
"Woah! Who is that?" Jay asked
"Yah!"
"Enough! The Overlord will be pleased." The stranger said
"Grrr..." Wu growl and the two disappeared
"Hmm. Uh! Seriously, who the heck was that guy?" Jay questioned in confusion
"Or gal." Nya contested
"Whoever it is, they turned our sensei against us." Kai said angered
"And if we want to save him, we'll need to find out who this stranger is." Cole said
Flashback Ends
"Return... to... sender!" Postman shouts with a weapon in his hand but then the team sees a familiar man in a wheelchair coming up.
"Ah, you finally made it. Don't mind the savages. Since power went out, everyone here has grown a bit bored. Their imagination knows no bounds." Cyrus said then sees P.I.X.A.L. "P.I.X.A.L., amazing! You're...powered."
"You need to stay in character, Borg. This is no fun if we're not all committed." The Postman said annoyed
"Oh, I'll have you committed if you don't all leave us at once. Now shoo!" Cyrus said sternly and the civilians left. "We have real problems to address. P.I.X.A.L., what's powering you?"
"Zane gave me half of his heart." P.I.X.A.L. stated ;$ Cyrus looked amazed and turned to the white ninja.
"Thank you, Zane. I am greatly indebted. Unfortunately, the hard drive was stolen with the digital imprint of the Overlord. You'll be unable to erase him with your Techno Blades until we find it."
"Aw, don't worry, we already had a little run in with the red-handed suspect. Or, should I say white-handed? He left behind a white scale. Get this, he's Serpentine." Jay exclaimed
"Unh." Cole grunted, with Cinder aiding him, the two took off the cover for a manhole. "Lucky for us, the last Serpentine was sealed within a tomb right under the city, so it's about time we pay them a little visit."
"Approach with caution. I've also lost a few valuable prototypes. He may be armed and extremely dangerous." Cyrus said with caution as the team went down one by one in the manhole, with Cinder entering first.
"We know, and uh, ahem, just for the record, when those prototypes are made available to the public, could you let me know? They're just the coolest gadgets." Jay said with some excitement and went down with Zane being last to enter.
"Watch your step, Nya. We don't know the last time this ladder was used." Cole said as the team went down the ladder.
"That's thoughtful of you, Cole." Nya said and Cinder knew an argument was about to happen so he let go and went down and landed on all fours and sighed. He thought those two won't fight but it seems like the two haven't forgotten their issue with who Nya loved.
"Uh, aah!"
Cinder was cut out of his thoughts when hearing Nya scream. Listening to what happened, it sounded like Nya was dangling on a rung that had broken and was holding on by one hand. Then hearing his brother and Jay bickering at each other, not noticing her distress.
"Uh, guys. A little help?"
"Oh, is that a threat? 'Cause coming from you, it sounds like some of your best material."
"Hahaha! There's a reason nobody liked you."
"Aah!"
Nya came falling from the hole and towards the ground. Cinder growled then crouched and launched himself into the air, catching the Samurai and landing back on the ground. Nya smiled gratefully at the dragonet.
"My knight in shining scale armor."
"He he... your welcome." Cinder said blushing and the others came. Jay and Cole looked at Nya and then pointed at each other.
"It was his fault!"
Nya sighed
"Well... I don't know which is at blame here. But thanks to you two bickering, I nearly injured myself from that. Fortunately Cinder was down already and caught me from that. So can you please just hold the bickering after we get done with this mission?"
Cole and Jay looked at each other and nodded silently.
"Let's keep our eyes peeled. Our mystery suspect could be anywhere down here." Zane said
"Serpentine. Never thought I'd see them again." Kai said as he brought out a flashlight and everyone followed together and began walking.
—-
A while later the ninja, Nya, and Cinder approached
the Serpentine village inside the tomb. They have transversed through the sewer system, wondering how they managed to get here.
"Tomb of the Stone Army. It's been sealed since the Serpentine were trapped here." Kai said in surprise
"It appears the seal has been opened." Zane stated and they heard whistling coming behind them and turned to see a familiar blue scaled serpentine.
"Aah! Not you again!" Skales yelped in surprise and anger and dropped the bags he was carrying.
"Skales. Something told me you'd be behind this. Search his bag." Cole said and him, Jay, and Kai
"Aah! This is harassment. I've done nothing wrong." Skales said in fear. Cinder noticed this and knew Skales wasn't the culprit. But waited for their reactions.
"Except steal the hard drive. Where is it? What are you hiding?" Jay questioned
"He's hiding...groceries? And the latest issue of Ninjago Times." Kai said confused
"What can I say? I'm a sucker for the crossword. Sorry, you've got the wrong snake." Skales said and Cinder growled
"Guys! He's not the culprit. Also, why would he be stealing groceries and the news when he bought them?"
"Oh... sorry Cinder." Cole, Kai, and Jay said and the dragonet just sighed.
"Daddy? Are you okay?" The first voice, a child's, said as a young serpentine child came out behind the door. The child saw Cinder and eyes widen in wonder.
"Stay inside, Skales Jr." The second, a female, said as a pink Hypnobrai slithered next to him and saw the ninja but saw her child looking at the dragonet.
"Skales Jr.? Uh, you have a son?" Kai said awkward
"We've been busy since you left us. And we prefer to keep it that way." Skales said
"Is this about the Golden Master? Is he going to hurt us?" Skales Jr. said with worry and fear after seeing Cinder. Skales bent down and gave him a hug.
"That is only a story, son. They were just leaving."
"Golden Master? Is this about Lloyd?" Zane questioned
"Like you, we have our own legends. But I guess in ours, you are the bad guys." Skales hissed in malice
"What legend?" Nya said
"They have a right to know. If we're going to shed a new skin, we must open our home to others." Selma, the pink Hypnobrai, said and Skales sighed
"Oh, all right. Let's go, surface dwellers. If you'd like to hear of the Curse of the Golden Master, follow me."
"I don't like Serpentine, but I don't like curses either. If this has anything to do with Lloyd, we need to know. Kai said and the group followed Skales inside the tomb. Cinder looked at what he saw when the group entered. It was a huge village, tinkling like other villages he had seen but underground. There were small streams of water going through the cracks of tne stone floor of the tomb. Instead of light, there were stones that were glowing throughout the area giving light to the civilization in here.
"After a rather humbling scrap with those indestructible Stone Warriors, we've made amends with our warring past and found ways to help better ourselves." Skales explains
Cinder turned his head to hear a serpentine child say "You're not thugs, you give hugs." to other children and they gave hugs to each other. Then sees a venomari helping the former Fangpyre general with speech lessons.
"Try again. "It will be our pleasure.""
"It will be...our pleasure." Fangtom said
Cinder was amazed by the turn of events the serpentine have done since last seeing them. He noticed that the children have seen him coming in with the others with wonder, awe, and curiosity on their faces. He chuckled, it wasn't hard to be spotted with bright purple scales and gold horns. He also saw a few female serpentine looking at him as well, seeing his looks were more deceptive than being a young dragonet.
"So you got a few snakes to go straight. Doesn't mean there's not one bad apple. Fangpyre have white scales, don't they?" Kai questioned
"A few. Is this about the missing hard drive?" Skales answered
"This is about the Overlord." Cole said and Skales sneered
"Ah, the Overlord. Glad we weren't around for that mess. No, we have no desire to meddle in the affairs above. As you can see, we stick to our own. We only want what's best for the next generation. Have a seat. You could learn a thing or two about your beloved Golden Master."
The ninja, Nya, and Cinder sat down with the young serpentine around them in a circle. Skales Jr. sat next to the dragonet and looked at him with his eyes. Cinder huffs in amusement and stretches a wing over the snakling, not noticing Skales and his mate smiling at the small affection.
"Hello, hatchlings, and camouflaged land dwellers. Do you seek to learn about the Curse of the Golden Master?" Acidicus said, the former Venomari general looking over the small crowd.
"Tell me! Tell me!" Jay said but was slapped on the head by Cinder with his tail blade firmly. The Venomari serpentine smiled gratefully at the dragonet. Knowing this one has power beyond what the First Spinjitzu Master has.
"Ugh. Then come closer everyone. When the First Spinjitzu Master created Ninjago, deep in the ground, he created the Serpentine. Since the first dawn, our elders knew of the Curse of the Golden Master, when he who had the powers equal to the First Spinjitzu Master would rise and usher in the last of the setting suns. With no equal adversary, his power will go unmatched. His destructive rule will change the face of the world, and he will not stop until every man, woman, and Serpentine are enslaved under his control." He spoke
"Is he referring to Lloyd?" Zane whispered and Kai shrugged. Cinder, on the other paw, was listening but decided to draw. Using his claws he drew in the dirt and stone, drawing a picture of Ultra. He noticed Skales Jr. watching him and seeing he was curious about the drawing.
"This is a drawing of a dragon named Ultra."
"Ultra?" Skales Jr. whispered curious
"Yes, he helped me with training my powers along with flying. Also he was sorta a father to me, but overall was great to be around with." Cinder whispered as the former Venomari general continued his tale.
"The Serpentine tried to warn the land dwellers, but they wouldn't listen. They thought we were the enemy, though we were only trying to prevent the prophecy of the Golden Master's terrible reign. After the Great Devourer failed to scare the unbelievers below ground, it is we who retreated beneath the soil, promising to never return, even now that the end is inevitable." Acidicus said, finishing telling the prophecy.
"I can't believe they think Lloyd could become the Golden Master." Kai said
"Well, he is the son of Lord Garmadon." Jay said
"What I want to know is, if none of them took the hard drive, who else could it be?" Nya said but were interrupted
"We're under attack! Protect the young!" A Venomari yells and everyone screams and runs. Then coming in—-
"Nindroids!" Cole shouted in anger
"Ugh! These toasters never know when to quit." Jay said frustrated
"I can't believe I'm saying this, but... protect the Serpentine!" Kai said
"Ninja, go!" Cole, Jay, and Kai shouted as they did Spinjitzu. Cinder took off into the air and did air strikes from above. He could see Zane still couldn't do Spinjitzu with his power halved.
"If only I could use Spinjitzu. Without P.I.X.A.L., my technique is barely adequate." Zane said dejected
"What evil have you brought here?" Skales said enraged
"Sorry about that! We didn't know we were being followed!" Zane apologized
"Junior? Junior!" Selma shouts for her child.
"Mommy! Aah!" Skales Jr shouts in alarm as Cryptor trips him and grabs him.
"So you're the future of the fearless Serpentine?" He laughs, but then a screech was heard and a hand made of shadow appeared and grab the general. The nindroid tried to escape but couldn't.
"Release him NOW!"
Selma and Skales turned to see Cinder, whose eyes glowed faintly as he glared at the Nindroid. The general glared but released the snakling from his grasp. After he did he was thrown up into the air and then was hit by a green flail and flung into the wall. Skales Jr. ran over to the dragonet and hugged him.
"Th...thank yo...you."
"You're welcome." Cinder said then looked at the situation and thought up a strategy. "Skales! We need to get the young ones to a safe area as quickly as possible. Right now there's too many of them and I don't think we should have the young ones be in different spots. Get the children to one spot and I'll be on guard to make sure they're safe."
"You sure dragonet? You're not even an adult yet you are doing advanced attacks like it's nothing?" Skales said but Cinder laughed
"Well, because I'm not an ordinary dragonet. I'm a Purple Dragon of Legend. A dragon that can wield all the elements they know so far. For me I have eight under my foreleg."
Before Skales could say anything Cinder took off super fast and in a few mins all the snaklings were safe and unhurt. After that he stood guard in front of them, using his elements when needed. The females have come over to be backup if he falls. But he didn't need to because it seems like his brother found the solution and now the team were taking down the Nindroids with ease. A few mins later all the Nindroids were down, except for one, but its eyes were purple, not red like the others.
"Foolish Nindroid, you are helping the wrong side." Cinder recognized who it was immediately.
"The Overlord! You'll never succeed. Not if we have anything to say about it." Zane said
"I already have." He Laughs. "You've unknowingly led me straight to the Golden Ninja. And this was merely a diversion to keep you busy." The Overlord laughs, but Zane unpowers him.
"The boy holds too much power. I fear the Curse of the Golden Master is upon us." Skales said with grief
"The dawn of the end of times is near." Acidicus said mournfully
"We have to get to Lloyd before they do. Are you sure you won't help us?" Nya said and Skales nodded
"I'm sorry. We made an oath never to return to the surface. Good luck. Oh, one more thing. There's only one Serpentine who's had a history of being so fond of using Electro-Cobrai."
"Who?"
"Pythor."
—-
Chapter 13 edited and spell checked