Darkness from Within #7: A Promise Broken (Ninjago Fanfiction)

Chapter 20

Lloyd grunted as Ariana tightened the bandage around his stomach. He was back in Baddie Bend, seated on the edge of their bed. Ariana huffed as she drew back again, folding her arms. "What is wrong with you?" she demanded. "Running straight into danger like that! Lloyd, you're getting more reckless by the day. You're not invincible, alright?"

Lloyd kept his gaze on the ground, unmoved. He felt empty for some reason he didn't understand. He felt bored and emotionless, his thoughts unable to drag away from his fight with the mountain man. The scene replayed in his mind over and over, getting more and more frustrated at his puzzlement. He had run into Raymond at the bottom of the mountain, and it had only taken a few words before the man realized who he was. Cole must've told him about me, he thought.

Lloyd had attacked him when the man wouldn't let him pass. But somewhere during the fight, Raymond seemed to have realized he was losing and began to back off. But Lloyd hadn't. He fought harder.

Raymond had struggled to live, but Lloyd realized it hadn't been for him. It had been for Cole. With the last of his strength the man had staggered toward the cave, which not only pointed Lloyd in the right direction, but showed him that Raymond would've used the last of his breath to protect Cole.

But it had been too late.

He had collapsed before he had gotten very far. Lloyd remembered standing over him, watching the man breathe his last. It threw the Baddie off. Confused him. Why would Raymond focus all his will to protect Cole, rather than to protect himself? He didn't have to had resisted Lloyd. He could've let him pass. But he didn't. He wanted to defend the black ninja, and he paid the price with his life. But that was something he was clearly willing to give up.

But why? Lloyd wondered. The idea had been nagging at him ever since. They weren't even related. How could he have loved Cole enough to do that? The Baddie rested his cheek on his fist, deeply pondering all this. He tried so hard to stay alive... for Cole. But why? Can someone really have that much love?

But he had taken away that love when he killed the man from the mountains. He killed him. He watched him bleed to death. He had watched with a satisfied grin on his face. But now, many hours afterward, that satisfied feeling was gone.

He had killed many people—Baddies—before. But Raymond had just been so innocent, and for some reason, killing him felt... different. Killing him... made the Baddie think. He had taken away a life. A human life—and one that had enough love and strength to face Lloyd as he had. Does that mean someone loved him that much? Did I unintentionally take away two lives—the second only yet to come?

He didn't understand what he was feeling. But it was cold and empty, and he wasn't sure he liked it.

"Did you hear what I just said?" Ariana's voice jolted him back to the present.

Blankly, Lloyd dragged his gaze from the floor up to her, quieting his thoughts as best he could. With a sigh, Ariana came and sat beside him. "You could've been killed," she whispered. "Then what would I have done?"

Lloyd gritted his teeth in bitterness. "Like you'd care," he grumbled without much thought.

Ariana's eyes widened and she stared at him. "Lloyd, what are you talking about?" she breathed. "I don't know what I'd do if I never saw you again."

Lloyd looked at the ground again. "But you..." He struggled to get the words out. "I thought you were done with me."

"Let's be honest, you've been a real idiot," she huffed. "But I still love you, Lloyd." She shook her head. "You dummy, of course I do!"