The group continued down the tunnels, looking for the fork in the path to follow the way they came. But so far, it felt like they had been walking in circles.
"Are you sure this is the right way?" Nya asked.
"It has to be," Lloyd replied. "This was the tunnel we took. I know it was."
"The tunnels could have changed," Jay commented. "Who knows where we could be?"
Lloyd groaned, knowing Jay was probably right. The tunnels had probably changed while they'd been down there. The path they were on may not even lead out anymore. It could just put them in an endless loop for all he knew.
Just as they were about to give up hope, the tunnel they were in opened into a small intersection.
With four more break-off tunnels.
The group groaned as they realized the tunnels had changed.
"Help me set him down," Nya whispered to Jay. "Let's give him a break."
Jay nodded, helping Cole to the ground. The earth ninja winced as he shifted to the ground. He sighed in relief after finally being able to take the weight off his injured leg.
"So, now what?" Nya asked. "Which tunnel do we use?"
"We could use the same logic as last time?" Jay suggested.
"And just what logic is that?" Cole asked, trying to keep up with the conversation.
"Kinda, look at which way the tunnels go and take the one that goes towards the surface," Lloyd answered.
"That would work if only one tunnel went up," Cole pointed out. "Three of these tunnels go up."
"So, do we just pick one and hope?" Jay asked.
"I don't think that's a good idea," Lloyd said.
"Well, we can't exactly split up," Nya countered. "What other option is there?"
The group was silent, pondering their options.
"Maybe two of us run ahead, see if they find a way out, and come back if they do?" Jay suggested.
"I just said we aren't splitting up," Nya turned to him.
"No one else was saying anything," Jay argued. "It's just an option."
"That may be our best idea, though," Lloyd countered. "Someone stays here with Cole, and the other two scout ahead for a way out."
"So we split up, leaving us vulnerable to an attack?" Nya asked.
"The Senseis and Kai are holding off Lilly," Lloyd reasoned. "Surely, we have some time to get out of here."
"Even then, you don't know if there is anything else down here," Nya argued. "Something else could find us first."
"I highly doubt that," Lloyd frowned.
All four froze, tensing up as footsteps sounded from the tunnel.
"Or maybe not," Lloyd mumbled, taking a defensive stance.
"Where do we go?" Nya panicked, looking around.
"We don't," Lloyd replied. "Stand your ground. It's one person. We can take them."
"Sure we can," Jay grumbled, standing between the tunnel and Cole.
All three stayed tense, ready to jump on their intruder. They watched as Garmadon appeared from the shadows, looking amongst them.
"Dad?" Lloyd questioned, stepping back. "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be helping Wu and Kai?"
"They'll be ok," Garmadon assured him. "I saw your friend was hurt and wanted to ensure you were alright."
"We're ok, Sensei," Cole nodded. "I'll be ok."
"We just can't find the way out," Jay added.
"So the tunnels changed again?" Garmadon asked.
"Yeah, they did," Nya pointed at the different paths around them as if it should have been obvious.
"So, back to the problem at hand," Jay sighed, "which path do we take?"
"The second one is closest to the path we took to get down here," Nya suggested. "Maybe we try that one first?"
"And we'll just drag Cole up the path and then back down if it doesn't lead us to the right place," Jay grumbled. "This is a great plan."
"Do you have any other ideas?" Lloyd asked.
"I gave my idea, but no one else liked it," Jay argued.
"So we'll go with Nya's," Lloyd countered. "If it doesn't work, we'll go ahead and scout the other two like you said."
Jay sighed, agreeing. He and Nya got Cole back on his feet, and the group started down the tunnel with Garmadon following them.
Lloyd ran ahead of them, staying in their line of sight as he did so. They followed the path, getting closer and closer to the surface as they climbed.
Relief washed over them as Lloyd rounded a corner, and the sunlight illuminated the caves.
"We're almost there," Lloyd called back to them. "Just a little further, guys."
The tunnel joined with a wider one ahead of them. Light poured in from the right, where they path led to the surface and their safety.
As the group approached the intersection, they stopped, stepping back.
Lilly walked into their view with a smirk on her face. She twirled a dagger in her hand, her eyes scanning the group as she blocked their path.
Garmadon pushed past Jay, standing in front of the group with a challenging glare.
"You almost made it out," Lilly taunted. "Almost."
"Move aside, Lilly," Garmadon ordered. "Your business isn't with them."
"It isn't?" Lilly pondered. "I think it is."
"If you don't move, I will make you," Garmadon warned.
"You? Make me move?" Lilly laughed. "If your brother couldn't stop me, what makes you think you can?"
Garmadon froze, tensing up. The ninja exchanged looks, worried for their sensei and brother.
"What did you do?" Garmadon growled.
"Just took care of a few little problems," Lilly smirked. "Why? Did you still need them?"
"Where's my brother!" Nya shouted.
"Your brother? I thought Wu was his brother," Lilly pointed to Garmadon. "Wait, you're talking about that boy in red."
"Where is he?" Nya demanded. "What did you do!"
"He'll be fine," Lilly shrugged her off. "That old man, on the other hand."
"You vile monster!" Garmadon snapped. "How dare you!"
"Dad, wait!"
The ninja watched Garmadon charge at Lilly, blinded by rage. Lilly stepped aside, easily avoiding Garmadon and tripping him in the process. Garmadon twisted, kicking Lilly's leg from under her as he fell. Both landed on the ground with a thud.
Lilly laughed as she watched Garmadon slowly stand, clenching his fists.
"I always wondered who was stronger," Lilly taunted. "The older or younger brother?"
Garmadon cried as he threw a punch towards Lilly. She ducked under it, sending her fist into Garmadon's stomach. The sensei doubled over, glaring at her as he stepped back.
Lilly smiled as Garmadon wound up to punch her again. He easily dodged each of his punches, smirking as she watched the sensei grow increasingly infuriated.
Garmadon threw one more punch, narrowly missing Lilly's head. Her hands wrapped around his forearm, holding him in place as she kicked him in the gut. Garmadon groaned, his free arm moving to try to block another kick.
Only instead of kicking him again, she punched him in the nose.
She released his arm, letting the sensei stumble back in shock. She then ran at him, grabbing the side of his head and bashing it against the wall.
The ninja watched in horror as their sensei toppled to the ground in a heap. Lilly watched the man fall, then looked up at the ninja with a grin.
"So, are we doing this the easy way or the hard way?"
"We aren't going with you," Lloyd frowned.
"Hard way it is," Lilly sighed.
Lloyd took a defensive stance, standing between Lilly and the others. Lloyd made the first move, pushing into his spinjitzu in the tunnel. Lilly jumped back, whipping out and throwing a dagger at the green whirlwind.
Lloyd yelped, dropping to the ground as the dagger flew over him. The three behind him ducked as the dagger dug into the rock.
"Maybe don't do spinjitzu if she's going to throw daggers at us!" Jay snapped.
"I wasn't trying to!" Lloyd snapped back.
"Such great teamwork," Lilly rolled her eyes.
"You need to shut up already," Lloyd snapped, charging at her.
Lilly smirked, pulling out another dagger. Lloyd grinned, dropping to the ground. His momentum kept him moving as he slid into her legs, sending her toppling over him. As she fell, her dagger slipped from her hand, landing next to Lloyd. He quickly picked it up, crouching on the ground with a smirk.
"Neat trick," Lilly laughed, getting to her feet. "Now it's my turn."
Lloyd gulped as Lilly flicked her wrists, two new daggers appearing in her hands. He stepped back, his eyes catching the movement behind Lilly as Nya grabbed the dagger above them and ran at Lilly.
"Take this!"
Lilly cried out, dropping a dagger as Nya shoved one into her shoulder. Nya stepped back, grinning as Lilly winced in pain, turning back to her.
"Little brat," Lilly growled. "You'll regret that."
Lilly spun around again, blocking Lloyd's attack and kicking him back. She spun, blocking Nya's attack before trying to stab her. Nya stepped back, out of reach before charging again.
Jay and Cole watched as Lilly fended off Lloyd and Nya easily, yet never landed a blow on either. She'd block and deflect Nya, then have to turn and stop Lloyd before she could attack. The two were relentless with their attacks, hoping to wear Lilly down to the point she'd mess up and they'd be able to land an attack.
But that moment wouldn't come.
Rather, Nya stumbled as Lilly pushed her back. In her attempt to regain her balance, her dagger slipped from her hand, flying back to Jay and Cole.
Lloyd panicked, turning to attack. Lilly turned, kicking Lloyd back and sending him flying into a wall. He landed with a grunt, his dagger clattering on the floor.
Jay raced to pick up Nya's dagger, running at Lilly before she could attack Nya again. He jabbed the dagger at Lilly's stomach, only to miss. Lilly kicked him, making him drop the dagger before she grabbed his arm. She spun Jay around, pulling him to her and bringing her dagger to his throat.
"Alright, enough of this," she barked.
Everyone froze, staring at the scene in front of them. Jay stood against Lilly as she held one arm behind his back. He gulped, frozen in place, as he felt the cold blade against his skin. His eyes flickered between Nya and Cole, panic setting in as they looked up in fear.
"Now, all of you listen," Lilly commanded. "If you want your friend to walk away from this, you'll return to those cells and accept that you can't leave."
"No."
All eyes turned to Cole with panic, confusion and anger.
"We won't go with you," Cole snapped.
"Cole," Nya warned, knowing her boyfriend and their teammate was being held inches from death.
"No one is on your side, Lilly!" Cole snapped, stepping towards her. He winced as pain shot up his leg, but he ignored it. "You are in the wrong here, and you refuse to see it. Even if we go with you, we won't stop resisting you. We won't stop fighting against you or trying to stop you."
"Cole, enough," Lilly snapped.
"No, you've done enough!" Cole snapped back. "Stop hurting everyone around you and open your eyes! How do you think your son would feel if he came back now, seeing you holding someone against their will like this."
"He'd know why!"
"Would he!" Cole cried. "Or would he see you for the psychopath you are!"
"Take it back!"
"Why, so you can continue to justify all of this?"
"Take it back!"
"You can't keep hiding the fact that you need help!"
"Stop it!"
"Just accept it!"
"I don't need help! I need people to listen and do what they're told! I'm supposed to be in charge! Everyone is supposed to follow me!"
"No, they aren't," Cole argued.
"You'll never listen," Lilly shook her head. "You'll never learn or understand."
Lilly didn't get the chance to move.
She couldn't do anything as her son's arms glowed with power.
She could only stare at her son's pained face as the dagger fell from her hand.
She could only watch as the blue ninja stumbled away in shock.
She could only let out a soft cry as her hands felt the jagged rock poking through her abdomen.
She looked up, staring at her son as she started to laugh.
"You surprise me, yet again," she stuttered, struggling to breathe. "I didn't think you had it in you."
"To stop you?" Cole asked, stepping towards her.
"To kill me," Lilly grinned. "You killed your own mother."
"You were never my mother," Cole growled. "You're just a monster in my mother's shell."
"At least," Lilly huffed, her head swaying as she started to pass out, "at least you made me proud."
The ninja watched as Lilly went limp, her last breath escaping her as she passed.
Cole stepped back, taking a shaky breath before his legs buckled beneath him. Jay was quickly at his side, offering his friend support.
"Take it easy, Cole," Jay hushed. "It's ok. I'm here. I've got you."
"Lloyd, can you check on Sensei G," Nya called, getting to her feet.
"Yeah, go find your brother," Lloyd nodded. "Make sure he's ok."
Nya nodded, racing down the tunnel they came from. Jay helped Cole to the ground, kneeling in front of his shaking friend.
"I just-" Cole stammered. "I couldn't- She would've- I-"
"Hey, hey," Jay called, taking Cole's hands in his. "It's ok. It's over. You're ok."
"I killed her," Cole gasped. "I actually killed her."
"It's ok, Cole," Jay hushed. "She didn't leave you any other options."
"I killed my mom," Cole hiccuped, tears forming in his eyes as the realization sank in.
"No, that's not your mom," Jay assured.
"She's someone's mom," Cole cried.
"Cole, it's alright."
Jay looked up as Garmadon knelt next to them. The redhead glanced back at Lloyd, who was staring at Lilly in disbelief. He turned back to Cole as the earth ninja pulled his hands back. Jay stood, leaving the sensei to calm their friend as he went to check on Lloyd.
"You ok?" Jay asked. "You took a pretty bad hit there."
"I'm alright," Lloyd nodded, turning to Jay. "Just a little shaken up."
"Same here," Jay sighed, glancing at Cole. "Hopefully, Cole's going to be ok."
"I'm sure he will," Lloyd hummed, looking back at their friend. "He'll just need some time. And a lot of therapy."
"We all will after this," Jay grumbled. "Except Zane."
"Right, Zane," Lloyd gasped. "We don't even know where he is."
"I'm sure wherever he is, he's much better off than us," Jay huffed.
Everyone looked up as Nya came running.
"I need help," she panted. "Kai and Wu are hurt. Hurry!"
"Jay, get Cole to the Palace and bring help," Garmadon ordered, quickly getting to his feet. "Lloyd, you come with us."
The boys nodded. Jay ran to Cole's side, helping get the Earth ninja to his feet, and the others disappeared down the tunnel again.
