Ninjago Oneshots

the spirit who chased the wind

after many years of hard work and training, destiny turned its back on him. that was it, everyone said. that was his only chance and he was never going to get another one again, even with the wind by his side and guiding him through his life. when he wakes up in a palace of cursed spirits, he realized he might have another chance after all. he will train, and he will prove everyone - even destiny - that they were wrong about him.

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Clouds of poisonous gas filled the air, closing in on him from all sides as he laid on the ground. The wind, his trusted companion throughout his life, was nowhere to be felt. He was alone... and he was stupid. So stupid and naive to believe that he was the legendary Green Ninja.

He should've been the Green Ninja. He was training for that moment his entire life, and he was made to believe that he was the saviour. It was Wu's fault. It had always been his fault. He made him believe and now he was slowly dying in a cave while poison gas filled his lungs.

His eyes watered and for the first time since he left the monastery, he cried. Tears streamed down his face, clearing away dust and grime and blood. They dripped onto the ground, steaming as the water evaporated and the smoke crept closer.

Since he was this deep into the Caves of Despair, no one could hear his cries for help, his uncontrollable sobbing as he collapsed. He gasped for breath, reaching out desperately to grab the silver dragon medallion that he'd dropped earlier. With all his remaining strength, he pulled the medallion closer to him. The only reminder of home he had left.

He desperately reached out, hoping to snag a stray gust of wind to just keep himself alive for a moment. Hoping that he'd be saved, but...

Smoke filled his lungs, closing off his trachea and causing black spots to dance in his vision. He never noticed his body, falling limply to the ground as the first few waves of lava burned away at his skin.

"My my, I've never seen such a young spirit here before," a soft female voice whispered. "What happened to you?"

"Where am I?" he asked, his voice rising with panic. "WHERE AM I? SHOW YOURSELF!"

"Calm down, young one," the woman whispered. Smoke slithered around him, coiling at his feet. "You're in the Cursed Realm, inside my palace."

"I don't want to be here," he snapped.

"Would you rather burn in the Caves of Despair?"

"Well..." He looked around, taking in the elegant curtains and long green carpet that stretched into the distance. There were tall windows with slightly shattered glass panes and large metal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.

It was a nice place, if it weren't for the fact that there was the voice of a random woman echoing around him.

"Who are you?" he asked, trying to calm his racing heart. Well, he would be trying to do that, if he could feel his heartbeat. Was he... no, that was impossible.

"I am the ruler of this lovely realm," she said. "The realm of the cursed souls." When he didn't react immediately, she continued. "You're dead, child."

"D-dead?" he stammered. His eyes widened and one of his trembling hands raised to cover his mouth. "N-no... I-I can't be."

"News flash," the woman said impatiently. "You're dead. Get it into your head."

He remained standing there, even as smoke condensed at the spot in front of him and took the shape of a woman. He couldn't see her features or her body, but occasionally, he saw the flash of green fabric. He still didn't react, even as she moved closer and held out two sets of sheathed tanto swords.