Chapter Text
The air hung heavy, a chilling stillness pressing against them like a tangible weight. Each footstep echoed ominously in the oppressive darkness, a stark reminder of the dangers that lurked unseen. Driven by the flickering ember of hope for escape and the burning imperative to save their fallen comrade, they pressed onward, their resolve a fragile shield against the encroaching dread.
The passage twisted and spiraled, a labyrinthine descent into the mountain's bowels. Ancient carvings, like ghostly apparitions, adorned the walls, narrating silent sagas of epic battles and long-forgotten deities.
The stone felt cold beneath their fingertips, each touch a connection to a history both grand and terrifying. After what felt like an eternity, the passage began to widen, and a faint, ethereal glimmer beckoned from the distance, promising respite from the suffocating gloom.
"There!"
Kai exclaimed, his voice a triumphant surge of elation that cut through the oppressive silence as he pointed towards the light.
"I see something ahead!"
Rounding the final bend, they stumbled into a small, circular chamber. In the center stood a colossal stone door, its surface veiled in a tapestry of moss, lichen, and tenacious vines, as if nature itself sought to reclaim this forgotten place. A sliver of sunlight pierced through the edges, hinting at the vibrant world that lay beyond, a stark contrast to the subterranean darkness they had endured.
As the ninja hurried to prepare for the arrival of the Bounty, Lloyd wrestled with a growing unease, a sense that their ordeal was far from over.
The mountain itself seemed to observe them, its silent presence amplifying the weight of their situation. Nearby, the ancient temple loomed—a stone monolith guarding secrets yet unfathomed. Suddenly, Kai pivoted, his gaze drawn back to the temple, his face a canvas of worry.
"Nya..." he whispered, the name lost in the wind's mournful cry.
Lloyd's hand grounded Kai, a firm reassurance on his shoulder as their eyes met.
"We will find her, Kai," Lloyd declared, his voice a beacon of resolve against the encroaching despair.
"I promise you, we won't leave her behind. But now, we need to focus on getting Jay to safety. Nya would want us to do that."
Kai nodded, a slow, deliberate movement, his eyes still clinging to the image of the temple.
"You're right," he conceded, inhaling deeply to steady himself. "Let's get Jay out of here." Just then, the distinct thrum of the Bounty's engines cut through the air. Pixal, ever the precise pilot, expertly maneuvered the ship, lowering a winch line towards their precarious perch.
"Ninja, prepare for transport," her voice crackled over the comms, a voice of calm amidst the storm.
"I'm lowering a harness for Jay. Secure him, and then prepare to ascend."
The team moved with practiced efficiency, encasing Jay in the harness, their movements gentle around his injuries. Lloyd meticulously checked each connection, ensuring Jay's safety was paramount. Kai, his anxiety a palpable presence, assisted with unwavering hands, momentarily pushing aside his fears for his sister.
"Alright, Jay's ready," Lloyd announced, his voice clear in the comms. "We're clear for ascent." Pixal acknowledged, and the winch whirred to life, slowly raising Jay towards the sanctuary of the Bounty.
The remaining ninja watched, their breaths held captive until Jay was safely aboard, a wave of relief washing over them.
"Now it's our turn," Zane stated, his voice a steady anchor.
"We must proceed with caution. This mountain holds many secrets, and we cannot afford to be caught off guard." One by one, the ninja clipped onto the winch line, steeling themselves for their ascent.
Lloyd cast one last, lingering look at the temple, a profound sense of foreboding settling in his heart. He couldn't shake the feeling of being watched, of unseen forces aligning against them. "Let's go," he commanded, his voice resolute, masking his inner turmoil.
"We have a friend to save."
With that, he signaled Pixal, and the winch pulled them upwards, spiraling them away from the treacherous mountain and into the uncertain embrace of their destiny.
A chilling premonition clung to Nya's heart, a torment she desperately sought to bury in the deepest abyss of her mind. Agony detonated within her like a supernova, an icy tsunami of despair threatening to drown her very essence. Each breath felt like inhaling shards of glass, a brutal reminder of her shattered resolve. The metallic tang of blood flooded her mouth, a bitter taste mingling with the rising tide of fear that clashed violently with her defiance.
They were fools to believe they could ever stop him. They had forgotten who had granted them the illusion of control. A dark, sinister chuckle slithered from the shadows, each syllable dripping with venomous intent, like poison slowly seeping into a wound.
"Did you truly believe I regarded you as a genuine threat?" The voice purred, smooth as silk yet laced with mockery.
"Perhaps Ninjago and your precious Sensei have overestimated your significance. Do your companions even pose a challenge, or are they as woefully predictable as you?"
He reveled in her suffering, savoring it like a rare, intoxicating vintage wine.
The horrifying reality twisted in Nya's gut: this was not merely a battle for power; it was a sadistic game aimed at breaking her spirit. Amusement danced in his voice, reminiscent of a predator toying with its prey, prolonging the inevitable demise.
"I must confess—you were always my favorite. Your fiery spirit, your unyielding resolve… they intrigued me. But every hero has a breaking point, and even you will falter in time." Stripped of her elemental power, her Ninja Gi torn and tattered, Nya felt utterly exposed and vulnerable, like a ship without a sail in a raging storm.
This was no ordinary villain; he was an insidious puppeteer, orchestrating chaos from the shadows, and she was merely one of his marionettes.
He tsked, his eyes narrowing as he took in her bare shoulders, the strap of her torn Gi slipping down to reveal a hint of her collarbone.
A cruel smile spread across his face as he pondered how the blue one would react to her humiliation. Kayden’s grin widened, a predatory gleam igniting in his eyes, promising nothing but pain and devastation.
"Wu? Oh, Wu and I share a history—brothers, some might say. But he was always the goody-two-shoes, wasn’t he? Blinded by his own moral compass, he could never grasp the true power that lies in chaos."
He paused, savoring her fear like a delectable treat.
"Where is your precious Sensei Wu? Hiding, perhaps? Does he even know what you've gotten yourself into?"
A dark chuckle escaped his lips, unaware of Wu's true fate.
"Or is he finally realizing the futility of his teachings?"
His gaze fell upon the necklace Jay had gifted her, a token of their bond. With a sneer, he snatched it from her neck.
"Sentimental trinkets. A memento of a love that means nothing in the face of true power."
He crushed it in his fist, the metal twisting and breaking, the gems scattering like fallen tears.
"Just like you, Nya, easily broken."
Closing the distance, his voice was a menacing purr that sent shivers down her spine. "Your powers... they're fluctuating, aren't they? The Ocean within you is a storm, untamed and unpredictable. You have no control, do you? It's consuming you, turning you into a puppet."
He saw the flicker of fear in her eyes, the vulnerability she tried so hard to mask.
"That's the beauty of elemental power. It can elevate you to greatness, or it can destroy you utterly. And in your case, it's doing both."
He gestured to his masked enforcers, their eyes glinting with malicious intent.
"Break her. Break her spirit, her will, her body. Show her the price of defiance."
As they advanced, he leaned in close, his voice a venomous whisper that promised unimaginable torment.
"Let's see how long you can hold on when everything you value is stripped away."
Nya could hear the nearby water, its gentle lapping a chilling reminder that they were far from Ninjago, in a place where hope seemed to drown with every passing moment.
The green, dimly lit surroundings cast long, dancing shadows across the worn wooden floors, creating an atmosphere of dread and foreboding that seeped into her very bones, a suffocating blanket of despair.
His steps echoed ominously through the warehouse, each one a deliberate herald of Nya's impending doom. She recoiled against the shadow goons restraining her, their grip an unfair match for her weakened state. Her heart hammered against her bruised ribs, a frantic drumbeat of fear, as anxiety coiled in her stomach, tightening with every echoing footfall.
He halted inches from her face, his shadow stealing the remaining light. A cruel smile twisted his lips as he traced the purple and blue bruises marring her cheek, a grotesque mockery of affection.
Dark locks framed his face, accentuating piercing blue eyes that radiated chilling emptiness. Leaning closer, he pressed a soft, sickening kiss to her neck, stifling a scream in her throat. His gloved fingers tingled against her bare, cut shoulders where her Ninja Gi had been torn, the exposed straps a painful reminder of her vulnerability.
"But don’t worry, little ninja," he whispered, his breath hot and repulsive.
"I'll break you yet."
Nya coughed, the metallic tang of blood filling her mouth. She glared at him, her eyes blazing with defiance.
"Conquer? Is that what you call this? Hurting innocent people?" He straightened, eyes ablaze with fanaticism.
"I will reshape Ninjago, cleanse it of its weakness. And you, Nya, will have a front-row seat to its glorious rebirth."
His words echoed, bouncing off the cold stone walls, a haunting refrain of twisted sentiments, distorted echoes from a certain Lord Garmadon. With each breath, she steeled herself, refusing to succumb to despair.
"You sound just like Garmadon, and he didn't scare me. At least he actually cared for his son."
Nya spat, the saliva a pathetic attempt at defiance, her throat already a parched wasteland. His blue eyes darkened into a stormy abyss, a muscle twitching in his jaw.
The silence shattered with a sickening crack as Nya's head snapped violently to the side, a scream tearing from her lips. Nausea surged, threatening to overwhelm her, but the unforgiving grip of his goons held her upright, their coarse laughter grating against her ears as she whimpered.
Cruel fingers clamped onto her chin, yanking her head up, forcing her to meet his gaze.
"Garmadon was a pathetic fool, blinded by sentimentality. Do not insult me by comparing me to such a wasteful excuse for a villain. I am far worse than you could ever comprehend."
He traced the line of her cheekbone with a disturbingly gentle touch, a predatory smile twisting his lips.
"I am no mere villain, little dreamer. I am something far more terrifying than any villain you and your naive little friends have ever faced."
He pressed soft, taunting kisses against her bruised skin, each one a brand of ownership, while Nya squeezed her eyes shut, a silent groan of pain and revulsion escaping her lips.
"You see, little dreamer," he whispered, his voice a low, menacing purr, "Garmadon sought power, conquest. Petty ambitions, easily thwarted. I seek something far more profound."
He paused, his fingers tightening on her chin, forcing her to meet her gaze once more.
"I seek to break you. To unravel the very essence of who you are. To shatter your spirit and leave you a hollow shell, a mere echo of the hero you once believed yourself to be."
He leaned closer, his breath hot against her ear. "And once I have broken you, little dreamer, I will turn you against your friends. You will become my instrument, my weapon. You will be the one to tear their world apart from the inside out."
A strangled sob escaped Nya's lips as she thrashed against his goons. "Don't even think about it, bitch," one of them said, laughing as the metal digging into her skin burned her wrists.
She was trapped, helpless, at the mercy of a monster who sought not to conquer her world, but to destroy her very soul
Lloyd exhaled slowly, the weight of his guilt a crushing burden on his young shoulders. He should have foreseen this, erected an impenetrable shield of vigilance around his team.
His gaze, sharp and emerald, lingered on the ninja clad in blue—Jay, a figure he cherished, one who had been instrumental in his chaotic upbringing.
The electric ninja now lay broken, a testament to Lloyd's failure.
Within the Destiny Bounty's infirmary, the rhythmic beeping of a heart monitor sliced through the tense silence, its sterile cadence echoing in the confined space like a morbid metronome.
A breathing mask, cold and unyielding, was strapped against Jay’s ashen face, each breath a labored, whistling testament to his profound suffering.
Lloyd tightened his grip on Jay's trembling arm, the tremors beneath his fingers a stark reminder of the terror the lightning ninja had endured. The lingering scent of ozone clung to Jay, a ghostly echo of his elemental power, now subdued and flickering like a dying ember.
The memory of Jay's frantic screams in the mountain temple echoed in Lloyd's mind, a chilling prelude to the grim reality of Nya's capture.
The mountain loomed outside the Bounty's viewport, its jagged peaks clawing at the sky, a silent sentinel guarding the dark secrets hidden within its shadowed depths. It was a formidable fortress, a monument to evil that dared to hold one of their own captive.
"Easy, Jay," Cole murmured, his voice a soothing balm against the storm of panic raging within their friend.
With gentle but firm guidance, he helped Jay settle back against the pillows of the infirmary bed. The air was thick with the metallic tang of blood, the cloying sweetness of the antiseptic Zane had meticulously applied to Jay's numerous wounds, and the coppery tang of fear.
"Guys, a little help!"
Cole's urgent call galvanized the others. Zane moved with his usual precise efficiency, his movements economical and graceful even in the cramped space, while Kai's impatience crackled in the air like static electricity, threatening to ignite the already volatile atmosphere.
Lloyd rushed to Jay's side, his heart pounding in his chest, a frantic drum against his ribs. Jay thrashed weakly against the makeshift restraints, his cerulean eyes wide with a fear that cut Lloyd to the core, a raw, animalistic terror that spoke volumes of the horrors he had witnessed.
His face, usually so animated and expressive, was now a pale mask of bruises and cuts, a grotesque caricature of its former self. The pristine blue of his gi was marred by tears and stains, a testament to the brutal struggle he had endured. Matted strands of brown hair clung to his forehead, framing a visage of utter despair, a portrait of broken heroism.
"You don't understand," Jay gasped, his voice hoarse and ragged, each word a painful rasp.
"He took her! I tried... I couldn't..." A fresh wave of panic washed over him, and he squeezed his eyes shut, as if trying to block out the horrifying images that haunted his mind, the visions of Nya's capture replaying on an endless loop.
"He has Nya!"
The words were a strangled cry, a desperate plea that reverberated through the room, a sonic boom of anguish that shook them all to their core.
"We know, Jay," Lloyd said softly, his voice laced with compassion, a soothing balm against Jay's raw terror.
"But you need to breathe. We can't help Nya if we lose you too."
He gently brushed a stray lock of sweat-drenched hair from Jay's forehead, his touch as reassuring as he could make it, a silent promise of vengeance and rescue.
The weight of responsibility pressed down on him, the crushing knowledge that he was the Green Ninja, the leader, the one they all looked to for strength and guidance. But beneath the surface of confidence, doubt gnawed at him, whispering insidious questions about his ability to protect his team.
"Just focus on us, Jay. We're here."
Zane offered Jay a vial of steaming tea, its herbal aroma a stark contrast to the sterile scent of the infirmary, a small comfort in the face of overwhelming despair.
Kai, unable to contain his restless energy, paced back and forth, his fiery gaze darting around the room as if searching for a target to unleash his fury upon, a burning need for retribution fueling his every move.
"What did you see, Jay?" Kai demanded, his voice a raw rasp, barely leashing the storm of emotion within. His fiery gaze bored into Jay, seeking answers, seeking Nya.
"Who took her? What did he want?"
Jay recoiled, Kai's intensity a physical blow. His eyes, wide and haunted, darted nervously around the room, as if expecting the very shadows to reach out and ensnare him once more.
"It was... a shadow," he whispered, his voice trembling. "
A figure woven from darkness itself... pure malice given form. Unlike anything we've ever faced. It moved like smoke, blurring the edges of reality... too fast to track, too silent to anticipate. I tried, Kai, I swear I did, but I couldn't stop it. It simply... snatched her away. When I awoke, she was gone, leaving only the chilling echo of its presence."
Cole's calloused hand tightened around Jay's trembling one, a silent anchor in the sea of his fear. "We'll get her back, Jay," he vowed, his voice a low, resonant rumble that promised retribution.
"We always do. But we need you to tell us everything you remember. Every detail, no matter how insignificant it may seem. It could be the key to finding her, to bringing her home."
Jay coughed, a ragged, painful sound that wracked his thin frame. "He trapped us... down in those forsaken tunnels. First, in that chamber... the walls... closing in with agonizing slowness, the stone grinding, an inescapable tomb threatening to crush us. Then... the water... a frigid, black torrent, freezing us to the bone, almost drowning us in its icy depths." He shuddered, the memory a fresh wound.
Zane's brow furrowed, his mind already dissecting Jay's fragmented account, searching for logic in the chaos, patterns in the fear.
He made a mental command to access the temple's architectural schematics, to dissect every corridor, every chamber, seeking hidden passages or forgotten rooms that might hold a clue, a whisper of their enemy's plan.
"He wouldn't tell me what he wanted," Jay choked out, his voice cracking with despair and self-reproach.
"Or what that... that monster wanted with her." Another violent cough seized him, leaving him gasping for air, his face pale and slick with sweat. "But if I ever see him again, I swear..." The words died in his throat, choked by the raw, burning rage that consumed him.
The unspoken threat hung heavy in the air, a palpable presence that resonated with the determination etched on each of their faces. They would find Nya.
They would bring her home. And whoever had dared to take her would face the full fury of their combined power.