Chapter Text
Lloyd stared in dismay at the advancing army. The Oni, demons from another Realm, had arrived, and Ninjago had already nearly fallen. They’d covered Ninjago City in their dark petrifying smoke. Now the only thing keeping them from conquering the whole Realm was him, his team, and his father. At least they’d destroyed the Realm Crystal, one of the few ways of traveling between Realms. Now the Oni wouldn’t be able to spread their influence outside Ninjago.
The Oni were nearly at the top of the mountain where Lloyd and the defenders stood. A few more minutes, and they’d arrive at the Monastery gates. Hopefully they’d spare the few civilians the ninja had rescued and hidden in the Monastery, but it was unlikely.
His thoughts were broken as he realized the gates behind him hadn’t been closed after his mother ran to the Monastery. He looked up in confusion. Had Misako returned to help the fighting? If so, he would need to usher her back up. His mother was incredible, but she was no warrior.
But no. At the top of the steps stood Faith, the woman from the Realm of the Oni and Dragon. If it hadn’t been for her, they’d never have known of the threat of the Oni. She was injured, however, and shouldn’t be fighting.
“Faith!” Jay exclaimed, his form covered by his electric blue ninja gi.
“You should be resting, Faith,” Kai said in his matching red outfit, agreeing with Lloyd’s internal thoughts. “You’re not fully healed yet.” Lloyd absently noted the little embers appearing and disappearing at his feet.
Faith shook her head as she approached down the stairs, sword in hand. “If the end is coming,” she replied, “I will face it on my feet.” Her eyes, one black and one red, were determined.
Another figure appeared in the spot where Faith had vacated. “As will I.” Master Wu, their mentor, followed after Faith, staff in hand. Lloyd was somewhat concerned that his age, shown by his long white beard, would cause difficulties for him, but he knew their mentor was far more powerful than he looked. He would be fine.
Lloyd’s father, Lord Garmadon, grunted. His appearance, with black skin, red eyes, and four arms, was eerily similar to that of the Oni. It still gave Lloyd a fright when he saw him in his peripheral vision. “I did not expect to fight alongside you again,” Garmadon noted, referencing their long standing… issue. Garmadon had been constantly infected with evil, and forced to fight against them. For the moment however, he was their ally.
“Nor I you,” Master Wu responded. “It seems life has a few surprises left for both of us.” He looked at the approaching army, then called up to the monks still at the top of the mountain. “Close the doors! Quickly!”
Lloyd returned his attention to the Oni and flipped his ninja hood up over his face, absently noting the other ninja doing the same. He quickly ran through his standard pre-battle check. As the leader, it was his job.
Lloyd stood near the mountain steps, where Faith had taken position to his right. Master Wu was behind them both. Kai stood to Lloyd’s left, glaring at the Oni, his Golden Sword held out. Jay shifted next to him, brandishing his Nunchucks, electricity crackling around them. Next to him was Zane, his white gi almost completely covering his face, although a glint of metal remained. He held his shimmering Shurikens in hand, frost creeping along them. Right beside him was Nya, Kai’s sister and Jay’s girlfriend. She awkwardly held the Scythe of Quakes in front of her, her grip too tight and unwieldy. And Lloyd’s father loomed at the end. He’d intentionally left a large gap between him and the ninja.
Lloyd felt an involuntary panic. Where was Cole? As the black ninja and Master of Earth, he should be the one with the Scythe. Then he shoved down the emotion. Cole… Cole was gone.
Focus! He thought to himself. You can’t do anything for Cole. Save the others now. Grieve for Cole if we survive this. When. When they survived this. He couldn’t give up hope.
Lloyd pulled on his own green ninja hood, and stared down at the terrifying sight in front of him.
The Omega stood at the head of the army, only a few dozen feet away. His purple eyes glinted menacingly, his huge horns only adding to the sight as his black form seemed to consume the sunlight around him, granting him a dark aura. He brandished his twisted, dark staff with both of his hands on the right, leaving the two on the left free to motion to his army.
“The time of endings has come,” The Omega ground out, his voice coming out unnaturally. Behind him, his seemingly endless line of smaller Oni growled and hissed.
Lloyd forced himself to focus, putting his brain in full “leader mode”. “This is it, guys,” he said quietly. “Pick your targets.”
Garmadon narrowed his eyes. “I’ll take the big one.” he said, gesturing towards the Omega.
“He’s all yours,” Jay replied, and though his face was covered in his hood, Lloyd could tell he was forcing out a grin.
The Omega snarled out a command in the Oni tongue, and the army behind him charged the ninja.
Garmadon yelled as he threw himself down from his perch, slamming into the Oni, his dark energy blast removing the creatures who he’d hit. Above him, Jay jumped down as well, his Nunchucks whirling. He threw one Oni off the mountain, then another.
Higher up on the staircase, Kai blocked and deflected an attack, throwing this one off the edge as well. He warded the demons off with his Sword, the Golden Weapon sparking unease in them. Faith charged down behind him, her ordinary sword not doing as much damage to the creatures, but still effective. She bodyslammed one of them, causing it to fall onto a lower portion of the mountain, dropping two others off the edge with it like bowling pins.
Back up on the ledge, Zane saw an Oni trying to heave itself up to him. He spun, pointing one of his Shurikens at it, encasing it in a block of ice. It rolled away from him, nearly hitting a few of the other demons as well.
Lower down, Garmadon and the Omega dueled. Garmadon hurled a blast of his purple destruction energy at the Omega, but the creature dissipated the attack with his staff. Garmadon growled, surrounding the Omega with his energy, and using his telekinesis to throw the Oni into the air and slam him back down onto the ground.
Further up the mountain, Kai turned around just in time to see an Oni directly behind his sister. “Nya, look out!” he cried in warning.
Nya started, turning around and using the Scythe to block the attack. The Oni kept pushing, growling above her.
Lloyd jumped from above in his Spinjitzu tornado, the swirling green energy throwing the demon away from her. He dissipated the tornado, dropping a few inches to the ground in front of Nya. Lloyd spun around, kicking the Oni away. “Use the Scythe!” he yelled to her, blocking another attack.
“I’m trying!” Nya cried, turning away from him to avoid a blow from another Oni. “But I’m not the Master of Earth! It’s not responding!” The Oni she was attacking pushed her back, nearly knocking over Lloyd. The two went back to back, dodging blows and kicking the demons away.
“There are too many!” Lloyd cried, his heart racing as he searched for a way out. The Oni approached them, crowding them together, restricting their attacks. Lloyd heard the sound of metal against metal behind him and he hoped Nya was fine, but he was too preoccupied to see how she was doing as he ducked another attack.
Rescue came as a golden Spinjitzu tornado came from above, revealing Master Wu as he knocked the demons away with his staff. Lloyd nodded to him in thanks, but they had been backed against the cliff.
All of a sudden, a rumbling sound came from the ground. Oni and ninja alike stopped and backed away from it as the tip of a metal drill emerged.
It grew from the ground, quickly getting larger as whatever was pushing it emerged from the surface. It shot out of the newly formed hole, revealing… the Earth Driller?
What in the world? Lloyd thought. Hadn’t that been left in Ninjago city? The only way it could be here is…
The car landed on the ground, the top opening up as the driver climbed out. Lloyd’s heart, and jaw, dropped as he saw who it was.
“Hey guys!” the Master of Earth said, casually leaning against the windshield of the driller. “Couldn’t wait for me, huh?”
Lloyd flew into a Spinjitu tornado to knock the Oni away, and then dropped out of it as Nya took a hesitant step forward. When she realized she wasn’t imagining it, she ran forward.
“Cole!” she exclaimed, voice sounding shocked. Lloyd was equally stunned, but even more than that was his joy.
“H-how? Where? I-” Lloyd spluttered, only to be cut off as Jay nearly knocked him over in his effort to get to Cole.
“I- we- we thought we lost you, you- you jerk!” Jay yelled, voice trembling.
Cole grinned, hood off as he playfully put his hands on his hips. “You can’t get rid of me that easily.” He paused as Zane arrived as well, then Cole pointed at the item in Nya’s hands. “Is that my old Scythe?”
“Yes,” Nya replied, heartfelt emotion in her tone. “And you can have it back.” She tossed it upwards towards him as he pulled on his hood, then leaped into the air to grab it.
He landed on the stone of the mountain, slamming the tip of the Scythe into the ground. A shockwave burst from the impact, knocking away all the nearby Oni, including the Omega. He pulled it back out of the ground as Kai cheered, raising his Sword into the air, then Spinjitzuing into the Oni as Jay did the same on his side of the stairs. As Lloyd, Nya and Master Wu attacked the ones approaching them, the remaining Oni nearby were driven back, tumbling down the mountainside.
The Omega, who had recovered from the shockwave, practically radiated fury as he stood up. Garmadon approached him, scowling. He threw another blast of his destructive energy at the Oni leader.
Only this time, when it hit the tip of the Omega’s staff, the energy was absorbed into it. The Omega stood up from his crouch, snarling. “You only delay the inevitable. We cannot be defeated.” He leaped into the air, arching towards where the Earth Driller was still sitting, Cole having left to attack more Oni. The Omega slammed his staff into the car, knocking it off the mountainside. Lloyd winced as he watched. Nya always got mad when she had to repair the vehicles because the other ninja had smashed them again. This time though, there wouldn’t be a chance for repair.
Garmadon growled, slamming a fist into an open hand. “This grows tiresome. I think it’s time we evened things out again.” He growled again, but this time in pain as he was surrounded by his own dark energy.
His body grew even larger than it had before, his face gaining the mask-like shape of the Oni. His dark metal helmet disappeared, being replaced by two large horns, and a staff like the one the Omega carried materialized in his grasp. He charged towards a nearby Oni, easily knocking it off the mountain with a brush of his arm. Lloyd felt a shiver as he realized what had happened. His father had embraced his Oni form. While it would make him more powerful, it could lead to even further corruption.
Garmadon stood up again, glowering down at the Omega. “Now that I have my own stick, let’s try this again.” He leaped forward, landing in front of two more Oni. As he struck his staff in front of them, they evaporated into the same dark energy that Garmadon had been throwing previously. He spun around and slammed his staff into them, causing the same result. Lloyd stared, terrified of what would happen to his father. He tried to get near, but his enemies kept him back.
He then saw something that made his mouth dry in fear. The Oni they’d knocked down had survived - and were climbing back up toward the Monastery. They were almost at the walls, where the civilians hid inside. Jay, having also seen this, yelled out. “They just keep coming!”
Garmadon, paying no heed to this, charged at the Omega, yelling the whole while. They slammed their staffs together.
Lloyd was forced to pull his attention away from the duel as he, Kai, Nya, Master Wu, Jay, Zane and Cole were forced into a bunch. They made a circle, their weapons outward.
“The Weapons!” Zane cried, a robotic reverb in his voice. “They are not enough!” Indeed, while the Golden power gave the Oni pause, they were quickly pushing past their fear as they surrounded the ninja.
“We can’t hold them much longer!” Kai cried, saying a truth they all knew.
Lloyd kicked away another one of the creatures. Down below, he could hear the Omega growling at Garmadon, but Lloyd was too preoccupied to pay attention.
But then, he heard the unmistakable sound of metal on metal, and a body hitting the ground. Suddenly terrified for his father, Lloyd risked a glance over his shoulder. Garmadon was on the ground, the Omega stalking towards him.
“Part of you longs to understand these pitiful beings,” the Omega grit out. “To be one of them.” The Omega’s twisted morality must have viewed it as weak. Lloyd scowled behind his mask, anger brewing.
Lloyd risked another look. The Omega was right above his father, the staff positioned threateningly above him. Fortunately, he seemed to be too busy talking to do anything else, at least for now.
“Your hopes weaken you,” The creature hissed, and Lloyd felt his blood boiling. His anger was brought to the tipping point as he heard a blast of energy, and he turned to see Garmadon flying backwards into the air.
“Father!” Lloyd yelled, abandoning all sense of cautiousness as he left the other ninja to fend off the army, running towards the prone figure of his dad. He’d somehow lost his Oni form, and was lying collapsed on the ground.
Lloyd knelt above Garmadon. He was still breathing.
Lloyd started as he heard energy being formed behind him. He turned to try to deflect the Omega’s attack, but he was too late. The blast hit him square in the chest, launching him into the air. The whole battle had been progressing steadily closer to the Monastery, and Lloyd slammed into the gates. The wood shuddered, but it held.
Gasping, Lloyd regained his footing. His ribs burned and his ankle was already swelling, but he had to protect his father.
Using the adrenaline of the fight to push through the pain, Lloyd stood up, only to realize that the Oni who had been climbing the cliff had reached the top, and were only a couple dozen feet away from him.
The Omega growled out another command, and Lloyd realized they had no choice. “Fall back!” He shouted down to his team. “Everyone, fall back!”
They did so, turning away from the Oni. They had gained the upper hand in their respective battles, but immediately disengaged from them to do as Lloyd had said. “Copy that!” Nya called up to him.
The whole team rushed up to the top of the stairs, standing in front of the gates to the Monastery. Lloyd ran down to grab his father, and pulled him up along with them.
Kai and Faith pushed open the gates, and the rest of the ninja ran to follow them inside. They would make their stand in the Monastery courtyard, hopefully keeping the civilians inside the actual building.
Kai and Jay pushed closed the doors, which along with the wall of the courtyard, would hopefully keep the Oni stuck outside. The demons were not deterred though. They piled up against the Monastery gates outside, forcing Kai and Jay to use all their strength to keep it closed.
Thinking fast, Lloyd grabbed the bar that would go across the door handles and latch in place, hopefully keeping the gates shut. He limped towards the gates, dragging the heavy piece of wood behind him. “Cole!” he called to the black ninja. “Help me!”
Cole slammed his fists together, activating his super strength as an orange glow flooded up his arms, making them look like they had cracks of lava in them. He rushed forwards, easily hefting the bar and settling it into place.
The four ninja - Cole, Lloyd, Kai and Jay - leapt away from the heaving doors. The bar held, for the moment, but who knew how long that would last.
Lloyd glanced at the actual Monastery. The civilians inside were peeking out, Faith and Pixal, Zane’s robotic girlfriend, standing in front of them with swords pointed at the shaking gates.
“That’s not gonna last forever,” Cole warned, removing the Scythe from where he’d strapped it to his back.
Jay froze, as if the words meant something to him that the others didn’t grasp. Lloyd frowned. What was he..?
Jay turned towards Nya. “Nya,” he said, pulling off his ninja hood. “I have to ask you something important.” He walked towards her.
Nya paused, clearly confused. “What? Now?” she asked, pulling off her hood as well.
“Yes,” Jay replied, smiling. “Now.” He knelt down, setting his Nunchucks on the ground as he pulled something out of a pocket. He inhaled, then started speaking quickly. “Nya, you make me so happy every day. When we’re not together, it feels like I miss you so much that part of me is missing.” He showed her what he’d been holding - a Yang token, to match the Yin one in his hand. “Will you be my Yang?”
Nya gasped, reaching forwards to accept it.
Cole appeared behind Nya. “Now you’re asking?” he demanded.
“We seriously need to talk about your sense of timing, Jay,” Kai agreed, standing next to Cole.
Jay shook his head. “There may not be another time.” He looked towards Nya, waiting for her answer.
Nya jumped towards Jay, dropping her spear on the ground. “Yes!” she cried, landing in front of him and hugging him. “Of course! Yes, yes, yes!”
Lloyd smiled at the heartfelt scene, only to be interrupted by the sound of creaking wood behind him. He turned to see the doors bending inwards.
He stared, a moment of numbness striking him. He pulled off his hood, turning around to look at his surroundings. He paused as he saw the mural on the wall. It showed pictures of all the enemies the ninjas had defeated, including Garmadon himself. He stared at the image that represented Garmadon’s first defeat, which had happened before Lloyd even joined the team.
In front of Garmadon, the picture showed the Tornado of Creation. It was made when the four Elemental Masters who controlled the Elements of Creation - Ice, Fire, Lightning and Earth - combined their Spinjitzu tornadoes. It was the ultimate representation of Creation, even more so than the Golden Weapons. The Golden Weapons had helped against the Oni with their power of creation. Could this even more powerful force be of use? He frowned. But would it be strong enough..?
Distantly, he heard Cole saying something to the other ninja. He sounded mournful. Lloyd refocused himself on the present.
“...it’s been fun, guys,” Cole was saying. Was he giving up? That didn’t sound like something Cole would do though.
Zane took his hood off, revealing his titanium skin and glowing blue eyes. “It has been an honor,” he agreed.
Jay held his Nunchucks in front of him, the lightning that connected the two handles crackling. “Let’s go out with a bang.”
Kai nodded, removing his hood as well. “Yeah. Let’s give ‘em-” He was cut off by Lloyd.
“A tornado!” Lloyd exclaimed.
“Yeah!” Kai agreed, completely missing the point. “Let’s give ‘em a tornado!” He stepped forward, then paused, registering the words. “Wait. What?”
Lloyd grinned, determination pulsing through him. “What’s the opposite of Destruction?” he asked, standing in front of the mural. He motioned to the picture he’d been looking at earlier. “Creation!” The other ninja blinked. “Don’t you get it?” Lloyd continued. “Creation! The Tornado of Creation! It’s the one thing that can defeat the Oni - the power of Creation! But all of us this time, or it won’t work.”
Jay frowned. “How do you know?” he asked, desperation in his tone.
“Yeah,” Kai agreed from behind Lloyd. “It was a miracle it worked the first time!”
“Okay, I’m guessing,” Lloyd admitted, still smiling. “But what do we have to lose?”
Zane nodded. “He is right. We have nothing to lose.”
Cole shrugged, walking forwards. “What the heck. I’m in.”
Kai nodded behind him. “I love crazy ideas. Let’s do it!”
Jay turned to Nya, a smile on his face. “We’re one now, Nya. Care to join?” He held a hand out to her, and she took it, smiling back.
Lloyd nodded, then walked up to his father. “It has to be all of us.”
Garmadon shook his head. “I am not one of you.”
Lloyd stepped forward. “No. But you’re as much a part of the history of Ninjago as the rest of us.”
Behind them, the gates shook, and the black mist of the Oni began leaking tendrils into the Monastery courtyard. Lloyd took another step forward, standing right in front of his father. Lloyd stared at him, face grim. His father stared back.
Then, to Lloyd’s horror, he walked away.
The gates finally burst open. The Omega stood outside, the remainder of his army right behind him.
The Omega kicked aside the one portion of the gate that still hung limply, knocking it off its hinges. The Oni army growled and snarled, and they advanced forwards into the courtyard.
“Here goes nothing,” Cole said, hefting his Scythe. “Ninja-GOOO!” He burst into his Spinjitzu tornado. The rest of the ninja, along with Sensei Wu, did the same.
Lord Garmadon watched. His entire life had been a war of opposites - brother and enemy, sensei and destroyer, man and Oni… father and conqueror. Each time he thought he understood what he was, his role in life, something tore it away.
But through it all, one thing remained unchanged. Even in the darkest of times, even when he was so corrupted he couldn’t remember his former life, even though he sometimes pushed it down and denied it…
He had always tried to protect his son.
He looked out on the ninja. Perhaps they were foolish to try this. But perhaps…
Perhaps they were just brave. Perhaps they were just trying their best. Maybe… Maybe, if he stopped opposing them, he could do the same.
He stared at the mural, and watched as the dark mist covered a picture of Lloyd. He took a deep breath.
Then Lord Garmadon, half Oni, Master of Destruction, spun into Spinjitzu and joined the Tornado of Creation.
All eight Spinjitzu tornadoes converged, forming an enormous golden tornado. It crackled with its energy, growing larger and larger.
The Oni panicked. They saw it, and realized it was their opposite. And their doom. They tried to run, scrambling away, shielding their eyes from the light. Even the Omega backed away, terrified.
A mighty crack sounded out. And everything went white.
Lloyd groaned. Everything hurt. At least it seemed like the Tornado had somehow healed his ribs and foot. While they ached, it wasn’t the same striking pain as before.
Suddenly, there was a strange noise, like that of a growling animal. Startled, Lloyd sat up, wincing against the bright sunlight. He stood up, looking around.
His surroundings were some of the oddest he’d ever seen. He stood in a grassy field, with numerous yellow flowers scattered around. In the distance, low-hanging clouds drifted just above the ground. Above them were several odd rock spires, floating with nothing to support them.
But the most important thing at the moment was the dragon. Large and golden-orange, it was situated only a couple dozen feet away from Lloyd. As he watched, the dragon growled again and stood up, approaching Lloyd. Lloyd almost panicked, but then noticed the dragon’s saddle. Clearly it was already well-acquainted with humans.
Hesitantly, Lloyd took a few steps forward. The dragon made a strange snuffling sound, but didn’t growl again. Growing bolder, Lloyd kept walking until he was only a foot away. He reached out, gently setting a hand on the dragon’s snout. The dragon pulled its head back, but didn’t react violently. Lloyd smiled.
Out of nowhere, a deep, resonating voice spoke. “Hello, Lloyd,” it said. Lloyd turned around to see a figure approaching. He was completely shadowed, despite the bright sunlight, all except for his bamboo hat. “Do you like my dragon?” The man kept walking, stopping in front of Lloyd.
Lloyd gasped as he finally recognized the man. “You!” He knelt down on the ground. “You’re the First Spinjitzu Master!” This man was a famous mythological figure who had created Ninjago. He was the father of Garmadon and Wu, which meant he was also Lloyd’s grandfather. He was also supposed to be dead.
The First Spinjitzu Master shook his head. “No, no please. No kneeling.” He reached out and helped Lloyd to his feet. “You have done so much for Ninjago - if anyone should kneel, it should be I.”
Lloyd straightened his back, but didn’t fully stand up as the First Spinjitzu Master passed him and walked towards the dragon. “What is this place?” Lloyd asked. “What happened?”
“You faced destruction with dignity and courage, and you responded with creation and love.” The First Spinjitzu Master pet his dragon. “There is no greater response.”
Lloyd walked forward, feeling stunned. “But… Why am I here?”
“I brought you here to say thank you, for all you have done.”
“But… I…”
“Yes?” The First Spinjitzu Master inquired, walking again.
Lloyd rushed to catch up with him. “I don’t understand.”
The First Spinjitzu Master knelt down to touch a flower. “Life is balance. Endings are never really endings, only new beginnings.” Lloyd started as he vanished, but continued speaking. “And you have given us all a new beginning.” Lloyd turned to see the First Spinjitzu Master standing behind him, only to vanish again. “The future is what we make of it, and you refused to let our future end in darkness.” Lloyd turned around again, and saw the First Spinjitzu Master pacing behind him. A soft wind sparked up, gathering the flower petals and moving them to encircle Lloyd. “Well done, Lloyd Montgomery Garmadon.” The petals blew away. “Well done.” He knelt down to Lloyd, taking off his hat.
Lloyd stared as the strong yet aged man displayed the sincerity of his previous comment. “Thanks, but… Well, I really don’t understand any of this.” He turned to see the First Spinjitzu Master standing, once again stroking the dragon.
“You will soon.” The First Spinjitzu Master climbed onto the saddle on the dragon’s back. “If you choose to come with me.”
Lloyd frowned. “Come with you… Where?”
“That is a secret. But you will be happy there. Or, you can return to your friends, and take up your duties as the Green Ninja again.”
Lloyd glanced away, uncertain. On the one hand, this was the First Spinjitzu Master, and he was asking Lloyd to come with him. On the other… Could he really abandon his friends? “And if I go home?” he asked. “Will I remember this?”
“You will think it was a dream,” the First Spinjitzu Master replied. “In time, you will forget all about it.” He reached out a hand to Lloyd.
Lloyd smiled and reached for the hand, and everything once more went white.