Garmadon stumbled, slowing. The woods were familiar, moss and lichen growing on trees. It was humid, with the small stream trickling quietly. Dark brown, moist sticks lay around, with tall trees surrounding the area. It was growing dark, shadows creeping up like fingers.
He swallowed. He hadn't been back here since…since he'd gone to rescue Ochre. Since he'd noticed his dog was missing, and had gone after him, following his prints all the way to Jamanakai.
It seemed everything was connecting, suddenly being turned around to how it'd been before. Maybe this was how it was supposed to be. Maybe he was supposed to live here, away from everyone, alone.
Maybe even without Ochre.
Garmadon sighed. He was such a fool.
A stick snapped behind him.
He whipped around. Then his eye widened, and he stumbled back.
Ichor smirked. "Hello, Garmadon."
His breath caught in his throat. "W-what do you want? You already told him. Everyone knows what I did now."
"Indeed they do." He took a step towards him. "But I still haven't gotten my revenge fully yet."
"Fully? When will it be full? You've already taken everything from me."
Ichor grinned darkly. "I told you everyone would turn on you. Don't you remember my words?"
Garmadon frowned.
"I'll let you suffer—let you realize how much you've hurt your family. See how much they hate you now. Watch as you sink further and further down. Eventually, you'll come running to me, begging for me to punish you for what you've done when you fully realize the pain you've caused." Ichor turned, walking away. "Enjoy your stay at the monastery. I'll be watching. Waiting back at the lab as you crumble under their judgment and pain."
"You do remember it. Good." Ichor walked towards him. "Because now, you're alone again, and they've all turned against you like I said they would all along."
Garmadon backed away, swallowing. "What are you going to do?"
He grinned. "Do you remember how you escaped me once before?"
"Yes…"
"Well, I let you go. To watch everyone turn on you. To let you realize how much of a monster you are."
He frowned, blinking. "What?"
"Did you really think you could escape me so easily? That the code box really just broke, opening the door? That I didn't know you'd snuck into my room, stolen clothes, and stole one of my gloves? Funny you'd only take the one, actually." Ichor shook his head mockingly. "Now I'm without a pair. Tsk."
Garmadon subconsciously felt his glove, remembered his mad dash—
The guards didn't think he needed chains anymore. He'd become so submissive to them, so pathetic and weak.
Garmadon lay on the cold floor, shivering, eye wide in terror. He didn't dare to move. The room around him smelled of dried blood and chemicals, stale, frigid. The single light shown brightly, illuminating the space.
He trembled, sucking in a breath. The metal table sat to his right, the counter along the wall in front of him. Ichor stood by the machine that sat on the counter, fixing it, screwing something in. His men stood around, looking bored.
Garmadon's gaze flicked to the door. It stood wide open, revealing the dark, barely lit hall. He breathed, chest rising painfully, watching it.
Maybe—
What was he thinking? Ichor would catch him! He'd…he'd do something to him, probably worse than what he'd already done.
He shuddered, recalling the saw and the ice cream scoop. The electricity, the "surgery", the cutting.
"Aha. Finally." Ichor grinned, setting the screwdriver down. "Maybe this voltage will do better. Finding the right one is so difficult. Get him up."
Garmadon froze, eye widening. What?
The guards approached him—
He couldn't do this anymore. He couldn't DO this! Garmadon scrambled to his feet so fast he almost collapsed again. His leg screamed at him, his ribs aching.
The guards stood on either side, a few feet away, nearing him.
He stumbled back, sucking in a breath. The door sat open behind him.
"Hey—!"
Garmadon bolted out.
"Boss! He ran again!" The guards pelted after him.
He sucked in a breath, tripping, and then made a sharp turn down another hall. They were chasing him!
Ichor would catch him again! What am I thinking?! He grit his teeth, urging himself to keep going. He had to keep going.
He ran a little longer, then felt his leg start to give way.
No no no—
Garmadon sucked in a breath sharply, air seeming to evade his aching lungs. He stumbled, then caught sight of a metal door. He didn't think he'd ever seen it before. Or been in it.
Was it worth it?
He heard rapid footfalls behind him, getting CLOSER—
Yes. It was. It had to be.
He ripped it open. Garmadon tripped, nearly slamming the metal door behind himself. He sucked in gasps, though air never seemed to enter his lungs. He leaned against the door, his back to it.
The adrenaline still pumped through him. The place was still, silent.
"I told you not to try that again."
He put his head in his hands, gripping his hair. "No, no, no—"
Ichor would find him. Like the last two times he'd tried to escape. He would. He knew it. Why did he…? How could he have been so STUPID?! Trying it again? Did he have a death wish?!
That…didn't sound too bad right now, actually. Peace.
He shook his head. He'd done it now. When he'd seen the chance, he hadn't been able to let it go. The thought of no more pain—
He couldn't. He couldn't take it anymore.
He took another shuddering gasp. Breathe. He choked, feeling his throat close up. A sob threatened to escape.
He looked up, seeing that he was in a small room. A table lay at its center, different…plans? set on it, along with…tools.There was a desk to the side, bya small bed that lay in the corner, a mahogany blanket on it. The room was dark, but he could see well enough. A closet lay in the corner, open. Black gi's lined it—Ichor's.
I can't go out like this…
He found his eyes traveling to the gi's.
He couldn't.
…Right?
Garmadon shook his head. "No…" he whispered, his voice sounding hoarse and worn, dry. He—
When was the last time he'd had any water?
He found his feet suddenly moving towards the closet. He reached out his hand, feeling one of the black outfits.
If I go out like this, he'll find me. These… They're harder to spot. Wearing darker clothing will be harder to find.
He frowned, then bit his lip. He tasted blood. He bit down harder.
I have to… I have no choice.
Making up his mind, he grabbed the gi, quickly changing into it. He tossed his old gi in a drawer in Ichor's desk, almost starting at the ice cream scoop that lay inside.
Breathe!
He slid the drawer closed, stumbling back, and then hurried to the door, almost ramming into the table.
Wait—
He turned around, blinking. On the table sat a pair of black gloves, looking like they covered the wrist as well. Straps would hold it in place on the wrist.
Garmadon subconsciously rubbed his robotic hand, his fingers tracing the metal and wires. He shivered, blinking.
It works.
He swiped one of the gloves, slipping it on over his metal hand, strapping it tightly. He pulled his sleeve down, then stared. He bent his fingers.
He found a quiet sigh escaping him—relief.
Garmadon opened the door again, peering out. The guards had probably run right past, unknowingly. He sucked in a breath, then quickly exited the room, looking both ways down the hall again.
He bolted.
Garmadon almost face-planted into the metal door. He looked behind his shoulder quickly, then started trying to crack the code next to the door.
It beeped, a red light flashing.
No no no—
Garmadon bit his lip. He tasted blood, metallic and salty.
The thing beeped again.
No! Garmadon slammed his fist against it. It beeped again.
He sucked in a strangled, choked gasp.
Breathe. Breathe, Garmadon. He'd make it. He would. This time would be different—
He was so close!
He ripped the whole outer cover off the code box, instead staring at the wiring behind it. "I can— It's just wires. Jay can do it—"
He blinked rapidly, shaking his head. He shoved the thought away. "How hard can it be…?"
Garmadon awkwardly pulled some wires out, touching them to different ones, hoping—
He choked, blinking. No no NO—
You can do this. Just focus.
"Yeah, FOCUS, Garmadon." Wu huffed, eyes still closed, sitting cross-legged away from him.
Garmadon huffed as well, once more shutting his eyes tightly. "I am!" he hissed.
"Quiet, both of you."
Garmadon could practically feel their father's disapproving stare—at him. Wu was the good boy, the favorite. Garmadon almost growled under his breath. Stupid Wu.
Garmadon suddenly blinked, jerking back, finding himself back in Ichor's lab. He growled, then shook his head. He didn't have time for this. He punched the whole locking mechanism, causing it to spark rapidly. The whole thing glitched, then—
The door creaked, then opened a crack.
Garmadon clenched his jaw, vision blurring. He blinked, feeling his chest loosen slightly. He quickly swiped at his face, then bolted out.
It was dark. Crickets chirped nearby, and woods were all around. Shadows crept along the ground, up roots and trunks and foliage.
He was finally out.
Garmadon let out a breath, chest heaving. He'd been running around Ichor's lab for the past hour, evading guards, hiding, running into room after room after dead end after dead end.
He'd been starting to think he was trapped for good, that were was no way out.
He glanced behind him, at the door, at the stairwell that led deep into the ground. He gently, quietly, shut the door, then stumbled back.
It looked like an ordinary door, in the middle of nowhere. Surrounded by trees. But underground…that's where the horror was. The machines, the tools, the equipment, the nightmare.
Garmadon turned, bolting for the woods. He stumbled, leg screaming in fiery pain and sharp needles, but he didn't stop.
He couldn't.
Garmadon tripped, stumbling. His leg immediately throbbed in pain, pins and needles shooting up it. He winced, but kept going.
He couldn't stop. Ichor would find him.
He almost rammed into a tree. Then he tripped again. His side ached. His face hurt. His arm hurt. His leg hurt. Everything hurt.
He took a shuddering gasp. His lungs were burning. How long had he been running? An hour? Two? He couldn't remember…
But he was finally free.
Free? No. Just away from Ichor.
Garmadon shook his head, stumbling. He abruptly halted, his hand on a tree, sucking in strained gasps. His vision swam, black dots appearing. Trembling, he slowly lowered himself to the ground, wincing as his leg and ribs ached like fire.
He pressed a shaking hand to his side, closing his eyes. He let out a slow breath, trying to calm the adrenaline down.
He couldn't go any further.
I have to.
I can't.
He curled in on himself, shuddering.
Alone.
Ichor would find him here.
He shook his head, blinking rapidly, and looked up. Birds chirped around him. Leaves rustled in the soft breeze. Greenery surrounded him, moss and lichen growing on trees and logs. It looked so peaceful. Calm. Quiet.
He sighed wearily. He carefully pushed himself back up, stumbling a bit, but then kept going—this time a slow, aching limp.
Wow, he felt old. Like Wu.
He winced, shoving the thought down.
Eventually, he came upon a clearing. Moss was everywhere, and here and there, sticks lay, moss covering them as well. The trees were tall, moss growing on them too. They provided good cover, and blocked out much of the sunlight, leaving it to look cloudy and shaded. A small stream trickled behind the area, small rocks on either side. The creek traveled down an incline, like a mini waterfall, before evening out.
He paused, gazing at it, chest heaving with every strangled breath. His legs suddenly buckled, and he fell to the ground, curling into himself. Blinking, he tried to push himself back up, but his muscles wouldn't listen to him. Darkness pulled at the edges of his mind, and eventually, he gave in to it.
Ichor stepped closer to him. "So, you do remember. Good."
Garmadon stumbled back, swallowing, everything suddenly connecting, coming full circle.
He was going back to the lab. Just like before.
No wonder he hadn't been caught that time…no wonder Ichor hadn't taken him back. The race through the lab, to the woods where he'd found Ochre…it had all been a trick.
He had never been truly free. He'd never actually escaped. He was just a pawn in Ichor's game. A tool. And Ichor had been in full control all along.
"And now, it's time to go back." Ichor took out his dagger. "Come quietly, so this doesn't get too bloody, hmm?"
Garmadon's eye widened. Back? He…he couldn't go back. He could never go back to that place.
But what choice did he have? Ichor had won.
He had to give up. He had to give in—
Lloyd's face flashed through his mind. Everything they'd been through together, the volcano, when Kai had discovered his True Potential, when Garmadon had helped in saving Lloyd, when he'd hugged his son for the first time in…years. Sine he'd been an infant. There was the Final Battle, when he'd thought there was no hope, but somehow Lloyd had pulled through anyway—and saved him from the venom in the process. All the moments they'd had together after that, like the candy shop, his monastery, the Art of the Silent Fist demonstration, the Overlord returning, Chen's island. Seeing him in the Cursed Realm.
Then waking up as a completely different version of himself, when he'd hurt his son, almost killed him, taunted him. But Lloyd had taken him down anyway. Then Garmadon had helped with the oni, broke Lloyd's photo of them… And then had left again.
Then he'd once again helped the ninja defeat the Overlord. Helped Lloyd. Faked his own death to get his son to use his the Oni Form…
And then, Ichor had kidnapped him. He'd "escaped", and ended up at the monastery. And the past month, he'd grown closer to his son, started to repair things. He remembered his awkward smile, the same one Garmadon had, his heartbroken look over his jealousy of Ochre, his excitability over reading Starfarer comics.
And then there was Misako, too. And Ochre.
Ichor walked towards him slowly, taking out some Vengestone handcuffs. "Stay still."
Garmadon watched him, heart beating faster.
I made a promise to Lloyd. To not leave him again.
But now he was going back to Ichor's. He had no choice.
…Didn't he?
Did Ichor really have complete control? He'd claimed his family would hate him. Which was probably true, but Lloyd…he wasn't sure if Lloyd would hate him for committing murder. He already knew that Garmadon was a murderer.
He frowned.
Ichor was almost to him, cuffs in one hand, dagger in the other.
Garmadon stood frozen, undecided.
Ichor suddenly lunged at him, grabbing his arm. He still held the dagger in his hand, the hilt digging into Garmadon's skin.
He flinched, crying out in terror. His power flickered into his hand before he could think, and he sent it full-blast at Ichor's scarred face.
Ichor clearly hadn't been expecting it. He grunted, blown back a few feet. He blinked dazedly on the ground, shifting. His dagger lay a couple feet from him, but he still clutched the handcuffs.
Garmadon bolted. He didn't look back. Branches smacked against his face, roots almost tripping him, but he didn't dare slow down.
This time would be different. He wasn't going back.
He continued to run for a long time, not slowing once. He thought he'd heard footsteps behind him a few times, but they had disappeared.
Maybe he'd lost him?
No. He wasn't risking it. But where could he go?
Garmadon panted, slowing, gasping for breath. The trees had thinned out a little. He stumbled to a stop, staring ahead.
Ninjago city sat there. It was large, lights flashing, with cars driving by. People would be everywhere.
But, he could blend in from Ichor. He glanced back. He was probably still on his tail.
Garmadon headed into the city.
"Has anyone seen Ochre? Garmadon's dog?"
"No. Why?"
"Well, we can't find him."
"He probably went with Garmadon." There was a scoff.
"That would make sense, as he is his dog."
"Zane, he may be his dog, but why would he want to go with that jerk?"
"I would not call Garmadon a 'jerk'. That is not very nice."
"Please refrain from calling my brother names, Kai."
There was another scoff, then a mumbled, "He deserves it…"
Lloyd stared down at the table, almost in a daze. His friends and mentor spoke around him, but he barely heard them. Only one thing was on his mind.
His father.
He had left, again. After he had specifically promised Lloyd that he wouldn't. His fists clenched. He quickly moved his hands to his lap, sucking in a slow breath. His vision blurred.
I need to leave.
Before he broke down in front of everyone. That would be embarrassing.
Lloyd shakily stood, taking another breath. He headed for the door.
"Hey, Lloyd, where are you going?" Kai asked.
"To bed. 'Night." He left the kitchen, going down the hall. No one followed him, thankfully. Lloyd blinked, feeling the sting starting in his eyes, his throat tightening, vision blurring. He held his breath, swallowing, as he tried to hold in a sob. Don't break down, don't break down now. He had to at least reach his room first.
He reached his door a minute later, and he quickly slid it open. Lloyd slipped inside, then shut it behind him, a little harder than he'd intended to. He sank to the floor, pulling his knees to his chest, and buried his head in his arms.
He choked out a sob, shoulders shaking. He clenched his fists, sucking in a breath. More sobs came anyway, choked and shuddering and…broken.
Why did he leave me? Again?
Was he coming back? Would he come back? Or would he be gone for who knew how long, off somewhere, doing who knew what?
Lloyd sucked in a breath, wiping at his face. It felt just like when Garmadon had left after helping defeat the Overlord, when he'd disappeared for seven months. Or when he'd been banished to the Cursed Realm, or when he'd drowned inside of it.
Lloyd felt broken. Just like then.
But he couldn't shake the feeling, the hope, that his Dad might come back. Maybe this time would be different.
It didn't stop the sobs from coming, though.