Ninjago: An Elemental Curse

Chapter 4: The Whole Story This Time

Stunned. That's what the ninjas and Pixal were... utterly stunned.

They all just stood there, tensed up, momentarily frozen in the shock of Master Wu's words. None of them had expected him to say that. Their wide eyes and puzzled, startled expression all stared at Master Wu as an uneasy silence overwhelmed the hangar bay.

"The master of wind."

Those words seemed to be echoing around the entire room, seemingly filling the silence that had resulted from them. But in Lloyd's mind, those words sunk deeper.

All the color drained from Lloyd's face. Just those words alone forcefully resurfaced all the painful, blocked out memories of when Morro, the master of wind, had possessed him. All at once the memories seemed to flood his mind. He just watched them flash by, far too shocked to even stop it.

He felt Morro's possession over his body. That cold, powerless, helpless feeling... having no control of his own body, of his own actions.

Lloyd couldn't do anything. He didn't know what to feel or what to think. It had been so long since he had any reminders of Morro... of what Morro had done to him.

Kai almost immediately noticed Lloyd's tenseness. He looked over at him, his gaze softening into sympathy. Gently, he placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

At his touch, Lloyd snapped out of the flood of memories. The two shared a silent look filled with worry and concern. Yet Kai's russet brown eyes also had this reassuring, protective look deep within them.

"The master of wind... as in Morro, the master of wind?" Jay uneasily asked the question on everyone's mind, finally breaking the tense silence.

"But Morro's... you know... gone," Cole cautiously inputted, giving Master Wu a look of confusion and concern.

They were all so confused and concerned.

"Yes...," Wu quietly sighed. His pale blue gaze still held that remorseful look in them.

"Since Morro is... g-gone," his voice softened at the painful memory, "his elemental power must've found a new host," he informed them.

"Oook, but that just means we're in the same boat as we are with finding the other elemental masters," Kai remarked, crossing his arms.

"Yeah, since Morro didn't have any family, his elemental power could have gone to anyone!" Jay exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air.

"And we can't exactly just go knocking on every door in Ninjago and ask, 'Oh hey do you happen to have the elemental power of wind by any chance?'" he exaggerated.

Wu went completely silent again. His bushy eyebrows furrowed even more, the distress his expression held seeming to grow even more distinct. He tightened his grip on his staff, squinting his eyes shut.

He knew he had to tell them. He had to tell them the truth. But was this the time? He had kept it hidden for so long... kept them hidden for so long. They were safe as far as he knew, but now... were they? Would they remain safe with this mysterious threat out there?

Misako gave Wu a concerned glance, then placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Only then did he open his eyes, the two sharing a brief glance.

Wu closed his eyes again, a long defeated sigh following.

"No... You are wrong," he softly told them.

The ninjas and Pixal just raised their eyebrows in confusion.

"Wrong about what?" Nya asked curiously.

Wu forced himself to meet his students' anxious gazes.

"Morro he... he...," he paused, taking a small deep breath before reluctantly admitting, "he did have family."