The Serpentine War~
"Yes, now keep at it!"
Garmadon glanced at Chen, then continued to land blows to the training dummy, harder and faster. Ever since Chen had started training him, his fighting skills had steadily improved.
"Good, good!" Chen clapped.
He paused, panting. The wooden dummy had multiple dents in it, the wood cracked and splintered.
"Don't stop! You want to win this war, don't you, Garmadon?"
"Yes." He stared at the training dummy.
Chen walked over. "Remember, I can teach you. You'll win this war in no time."
He nodded, then looked at him. He remembered the conversation he'd had just a few days ago. Somehow, Chen and Clouse had figured out that Wu and himself were half breeds. And now, Chen wanted to train him. He said he saw potential in him.
Garmadon had no idea what he was talking about. Or, how he'd found out he and his brother were half breeds.
"Chop chop, now!" Chen patted him hard on the back. "Get back to training!" He stepped away, watching again.
Garmadon was still uneasy about the man. Something was off. But he appreciated the extra training, which he needed for the war. He turned back to the training dummy, landing a solid punch to it, and then another. The wood scraped his knuckles a little, but he ignored it.
They needed to win this war.
Current time~
Each challenge would be held in a separate place, each either boosting the contestants' elements or stifling them. Jay fiddled nervously, swallowing. He would be going against Papier Mâché, the Master of Paper. He wasn't sure where they would be fighting yet.
"Zane, Jay, you will both be going against an elemental master." Wu held his bamboo staff, standing straight and serious like he usually did. "Zane, I know you have your element mastered already, but Jay, I know you do not."
Jay stared at the floor. It was a little odd now when Wu lectured them, knowing that he was a half breed. He wasn't sure what to think of him now.
"Therefore, I want you to remember everything I've taught you. You've gone against oni and half breeds and nindroids and the Emperor. You will do fine."
He glanced at him. "But…I…she has elemental powers. How am I supposed to beat her?!" He threw his arms in the air. "She's way more powerful than me! I can barely get lightning in my hands!"
"Use your wits and your speed. You're smart. Besides, like I have said, you have fought oni before. They have elemental power remember."
Jay stared at the floor again, fiddling with his sleeve. I have to win this.
"Master Wu, I will do my best." Zane patted Jay's shoulder. "And I know Jay will as well."
He bit his lip.
Wu nodded, smiling a little. "I know you will. That is all I will ask for."
Zane bowed a little. "We should get going. The first battle is starting in a few minutes."
"Yes…" Wu's mood lowered. "Morro versus Jacob."
"Indeed. Then Basalt and I."
Jay sucked in a breath, then started walking to the arena—or wherever Morro and Jacob would be battling. And then it'll be me and Papier Mâché. He swallowed.
The room was silent. Lloyd peered over the railing, looking at the still, dark room below. His friends sat beside him, holding their breaths in anticipation. The other contestants were silent, waiting.
He couldn't make out the room below, it being pitch black, but the place they sat was slightly lighted. Red benches lined the place, with dull lights above.
Lloyd looked at his uncle and father. They were tense, though he felt for different reasons. Wu looked almost…worried? And his father's eyes were narrowed, watching the room below. He didn't like Morro very much, as far as he knew. Especially after Morro had told the people that Lloyd was a half breed.
"The fight will begin in a few moments!" Chen giggled, sitting atop his fancy chair in the highest row of seats.
Garmadon shook his head.
Lloyd bit his lip. "Who do you think will win?"
"No idea." Cole shrugged. "I guess we'll find out."
A gong suddenly sounded.
"The challenge begins…now!" Chen sat straighter. "The Master of Wind versus the Master of Sound!"
The room below remained pitch black.
"Hey, why can't we see anything?" Kai crossed his arms.
A faint brush of wind came from below, then the string of music. They were down there…they just couldn't see them.
Lloyd bit his lip again. "How are they supposed to fight like this…?"
"They can use other senses then just sight," Garmadon said.
Silence permeated the area below. There was the occasional string of an instrument, the occasional float of wind…
BAM!
Someone grunted, then scrambled to their feet. A blast of wind buffeted up.
Lloyd flinched—at the sound, and at the sudden gust. His hair blew in his face briefly, and he quickly swiped it away.
The gentle plucking of music sounded again. It paused, then happened again.
Wham! There was a loud thud. Wind wrapped around the room, blowing everywhere in a circular motion, around and around.
Lloyd tensed, staring wide-eyed. His hair blew into his face again.
The lights flickered overhead, finally giving them a visual of the room. It was small, with plain concrete walls. Nothing was in the room. But in the brief flickering of the lights, he saw Morro approaching Jacob, wind swirling in his hands. The short Master of Sound gasped on the floor against the wall, looking a little terrified. His instrument—he was pretty sure it was a guitar, Cole had said something about it—had one string detached.
The Master of Sound scrambled to his feet, quickly playing at the guitar again.
Morro smirked.
The lights flickered wildly now, seeming to be more for show than anything. It added to the suspense, quickening people's hearts so the fight seemed more dramatic.
It just made Lloyd feel sick.
The Master of Sound backed away, swallowing.
"They need a Jadeblade, right?" Kai said.
"Yes, to win." Zane nodded. "Whoever grabs it first moves on. The other loses."
"Then where is it?"
Lloyd frowned, examining the room. There was no blade that he could see.
"There! Look!" Nya pointed to the flickering light above the room. "It's up there!"
"Why's it up there?" Kai frowned. "No one can reach it."
"Morro could…" Wu said quietly.
Garmadon leaned close to Wu. "Do you think this match is rigged?" he whispered.
"I don't know. But I wouldn't put it past Chen. Jacob is no match for the Master of Wind."
Lloyd bit his lip. This wasn't good. What if their own matches were rigged too?
The Master of Sound swiped at his guitar hard. The buffet of sound sent Morro skidding back.
"Maybe he does stand a chance…?" Nya sat straighter.
Morro flipped back, his black cape billowing. He sent a funnel of wind at Jacob.
Jacob dodged, rolling to the right.
"The short guy's blind, right?" Kai asked.
"Yeah, now stop talking." Cole shook his head. "We're trying to watch."
"How's he this good, then?"
"Kai!" Nya elbowed him.
He yelped.
Lloyd bit back a sigh.
Morro advanced again.
Jacob backed away, glancing up. He must have spotted the blade, because he straightened. He adjusted his odd looking star sunglasses, then strung his guitar towards the Jadeblade. It wobbled a little.
Morro looked up. He smirked. "You lose, Master of Sound." He leapt up, blasting wind out of his hands, and shot towards the blade.
Jacob blasted a wave of sound at him, sending Morro slightly off target.
Morro grabbed onto the chain that held the light, the blade secured tightly in it. He gripped the handle, giving it a hard tug.
It came free—and so did the chain, and the light. It crashed down with a loud clang!
The other contestants gasped as the room below went dark. Lloyd was glad the place he and the contestants sat had its own separate lighting.
A grunt came from below, then stringed music.
Thud!
Silence.
One of Chen's guards shone a light down.
Below, Morro had placed a foot on Jacob's back. He held the blade proudly above his head, smirking. Jacob's guitar lay a few feet from him. The light was smashed, the chain unwound.
Chen grinned, standing and clapping. "Bravo! Master of Sound loses! Master of Wind moves on!"
Jacob groaned.
Morro grinned, a dark glint in his eyes.
Two guards came into the room below. Morro stepped back. Both guards grabbed Jacob, then dragged him away.
"Next match will be the Master of Ice verses the Master of Lava!" Chen clapped again. "Also known as, Zane and Basalt! Everyone, hurry there! The match will begin soon!"
The contestants started filing out.
Lloyd swallowed, looking at Zane. "You have to win this."
Zane smiled. "Do not worry about me."
He was worried. What happened if they lost? Where had the guards dragged Jacob off to?
