The Splinter in the Blind man's eye (español)

Capítulo 3 (inglés)

I keep having these strange, surreal glimpses of a luscious, prestigious world far beyond that of Ninjago. A world I've never been to, yet one that feels so familiar. One I have absolutely no prior knowledge of, yet one I feel I have voyaged to only very recently. It's frustratingly tough to remember even the slightest detail of whatever these flashes are. One second, I remember a peaceful, vibrant green landscape that covered miles and miles of ground, further then the eye could see. The next, my eyes are pulled up to the deep, mesmerising blue skies, filled to the brim with clouds unlike anything I have ever seen. Between these clouds lay floating sections of the landscape, yet are occupied far too high up for anyone to reach. I remember a gentle and comfortable breeze filling the air, one that graced my surroundings with golden flower petals. Something so divine and so mystical, being manifested right in the palm of my hand. Every time these glimpses become even just a little clearer, it's like they cease to exist entirely only a short amount of time later. Like my mind has become an endless cycle of a world not known to anyone but myself, and every time I begin to see through the mysterious mists within my head, a new, blurry glimpse presents itself, and just like that, I'm right back at square one. What is it that I'm not remembering? What is it that my mind is burying so deep that it has become a mental toll to remember even just the slightest detail of?

I feel as if my mind is at constant war with itself. If it isn't these memories keeping me from sleeping at night, it's the night my father was brought back from the dead, and I did everything within my power to help him remember who he truly was. That night in Kryptarium Prison, where his powers were far stronger then I had ever seen them before. The night the Green Ninja lost the fight, and the Sons of Garmadon had won. The night my own father claimed he had no son. These memories-turned nightmares have just about broken my very spirit, and have made it near-impossible to be the protector of Ninjago I am destined to be. Even now, only shortly after the defeat of the Oni, I fear for my father's eventual return. While we may be on steady ground for the time being, I'll never place my trust in that of which is only a mere twisted shadow of the good man my father once was. For the past so many weeks now, I haven't been able to close my eyes without reliving some traumatic past experience from my life as the Green Ninja. Some nights, I'll be staring straight into Harumi's eyes, standing on the canals of Ninjago City. It all seems peaceful and serine, until the moment I'm warped onto one of Ninjago's tallest skyscrapers, and am forced to watch Harumi's plumet time and time again. Sometimes I wonder if this is what I deserve. For being the one responsible for unleashing the Serpentine back onto Ninjago all those years ago. Is this my karma? My ultimate punishment for playing a vital role in the Devourer's rampage upon Ninjago City? No matter how many lives I save, nothing will change how many were lost on that day...

Some nights I'll dream of Harumi, others I'll dream of a series of horrific events that have plagued my mind for far too long. My father sacrificing his own life in the Corridor of Elders, while I'm left helpless, forced to be the one to banish him to the Cursed Realm. The Overlord imprisoning me in a small, claustrophobic space, draining my Golden Power from my body. Being left to burn in the boiling pits of the Temple of Fire. Being abandoned at a dangerous, degrading boarding school at such a young age. Battling the Overlord while my friends and family fell to his dark influence. The list goes on and on, but none haunt me more than that of Morro's possession. The things I was forced to do without the slightest ounce of control. The nightmares I was forced to witness within his mind. The absolute and utterly powerless and helpless state of not being able to do a thing while your hands are responsible for the bringing of pain and suffering... it's enough to keep anyone from sleeping at night. Ultimately, I'm praying that this ascent will provide some much-needed closure to the things that keep me up at night, and that once this journey has reached its conclusion, my doubts on whether or not I am able to fulfil the role of the Green Ninja will be laid to rest.

It's been just under an hour since leaving the tavern now, and I've finally reached the base of the mountain. Looking all the way up to the legendary Blind Man's Eye, I only now realise the unimaginable ascent that lays ahead of me. I'm starting to think I've slightly underestimated just how high the Wailing Alps reaches. Before I left, I remember Zane saying it was something along the lines of three leagues and twenty-eight fathoms', though it looks significantly taller in person. Last time we were here, the others were at least equipped with a series of mechs that greatly aided their ascent. To his credit, even Morro had the bright idea of using Nya's old Samurai X suit to make the climb a lot less strenuous. I asked P.I.X.A.L. if she would be able to start designing a new mech for this mission, and to her credit, she didn't hesitate to start building it up. Yet it would take far too long for it to be completed, and I don't have much time to waste.

The kind barkeep informed me that several camping sites and tents had been planted along the mountain path, set up by those who made the climb before me. Whether they are still occupied or not is a different story, yet my gut tells me I won't be encountering too many faces on this journey. If the whispers that have circled back through the handful of travellers who have survived the climb are true, I may not return the same young man I am, rather one uplifted from night terrors and endless flashes of pain and agony. This journey is one I've both needed and wanted to take for some time now, specifically when Master Wu was lost to time. Though at that time, both the team and Ninjago needed me to be the grounded master I vowed to become. Master Wu was gone, Cole was experiencing his own personal struggles, P.I.X.A.L. was no where to be seen... it felt like we had fallen apart as a team. So, I put my journey on hold, and instead focused on fulfilling my role as the Green Ninja once more. Now that Master Wu is home and is back to his same-old self, my temporary absence won't be felt as much by the rest of the team. We haven't exactly been up to much since the Oni's defeat anyway, and with all that has occurred over the past few months, this time away is needed now more then ever.

Realising I am stalling from beginning the ascent, I pull up the hood from the back of my cloak, hopefully preventing my hair from blowing in my face during the climb. I check my newly acquired golden blade gifted to me by Wu, making sure it's up to the task of dealing with any potential threats atop the mountain. I place my blade back in its holster and take one final look at the remote village before embarking on one of, if not, my most perilous quest yet. Though something catches my eye before my departure. It's hard to make out with complete confidence, but I see what I believe is a trail of footprints laid deep in the snow right behind my own. If somebody is deciding to follow me on this journey, then I wish them the best of luck, as this particular journey is one that will test even my fate.

I look ahead at the mountain and commence my ascent, wondering just how long it will take me to reach my destination of the Hanging Temple.