Ninjago: Earthly Origins

Chapter 9

Cole

Zane and I left Lloyd and Nya behind as we braved the final few flights of stairs, nearing the top. I look behind me at Zane. He seems to be doing fine. Then again, he is a nindroid.

We finally reach the top of the building, out of breath and exhausted. Before us lies a door. I turn back to Zane. "You ready?" I whisper. Zane nods, his face set with a look of determination. "Let's kill a god." I punch my fists together, activating my earth powers, with my fists and a jagged streak running down the side of my face glowing a warm orange. I take a deep breath, and kick down the metal door with a bang. 

Before us, on the flat roof of Borg Tower, lies a jagged stone throne with bodies intricately carved into it, which makes it look like Hypnos is sitting on a throne of bodies. Vines with acidic-green flowers weave around the stone, and spread out over the floor. A black, shadowy hurricane-like storm swirls around us, and at Hypnos' feet... "PIXAL!!!" Zane yells. "Hypnos, you tyrant! What have you done to them?" Master Wu's frail body lies sprawled next to Pix's metallic one. Hypnos smiles calmly. "Oh, my dear Zane, I have shown them true peace! And soon you..." He points his stone sceptre at Zane. "...Shall know it too." A bubble of black energy grows at the tip, and fear chills me. I try to throw my body in front of Zanes, but it's too late. The bubble hits Zane's chest, and I expect him to drop to the ground, but instead he looks down at his chest, then back at Hypnos with a smile. "Strange. That worked on your little girlfriend," Hypnos says, mildly confused. "However, I was created by Dr. Julian." Zane lunges forward, releasing a flurry of icy wind directed at Hypnos' torso. All I can do is watch as their fight unfolds. Hypnos jumps to the side, and jabs at Zane, but Zane easily deflects the move with his own blade. They swipe, thrust, and jab at each other, but each manage to avoid getting hit. Soon, Hypnos' smile is replaced with a dark sneer. "I tire of this." He kick Zane to the ground, and holds him there with his black boot. He presses the tip of the blade to Zane's chest, and the glowing blue light from Zane's eyes dims as somehow, the robot falls asleep. "No!" I cry.

Hypnos turns to me. "Ah, I've beaten you before. This shall be easy." I laugh. "But you're forgetting, old man... it takes more than that to take down a master of earth." I punch the ground with both my fists as hard as I can, and a ripple of stone rises from the ground, heading for Hypnos. But it misses him, and instead Hypnos' throne crumbles. I dash and throw Wu's and Pixal's bodies to the side so they don't get hit by the rubble.

Sweat drips down the side of my head, and I pant. That trick uses up at least half of my energy. I'm gonna need to work on that.

Hypnos lunges for me, and the next few minutes are a blur of fists, blades, kicking, and glaring. At one point, Hypnos hits me with a black energy bubble, but I barely weaken at all. 

Thank god for the Never-Realm.

I jump up, and cry, "Ninja-Go!" I erupt into a flurry of brown energy and rocks, and head for Hypnos. I manage to push him to the edge of the building, and I'm his feet are on the rough edge of the building.  The only thing keeping him alive is me, gripping the collar of the front of his robe. I smile at him. 

"Any last words?"

Hypnos smiles, and speaks his last words.

"Three. You never learn."

What?

What does he-

Oh.

Oh, I remember.

His little sword trick.

Where he can conjure them... out of thin air.

I look down.

There's a shiny, black point protruding from my stomach. 

I let go of his collar.

I barely register his fall, and his broken body tens of floors below me on the pavement. All I can do is look at the blade stuck into me.

And fall.