Ring of the Artisan

Act IV Ch. 7: "I Never Meant For it to End This Way."

i wrote a small part of this on my phone lol like my other story let me know if there's typos / weird autocorrects just in general because i make typos all the time

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Your ankle healed almost perfectly within the hour.

Only almost. It felt a bit odd walking around. It was as if your ankle was... misaligned.

Mystake told you that your body was still attempting to heal itself. The tea she had given you helped your body heal much, much faster than it normally did, though it would frequently cause your body to heal incorrectly at first. It would only take more time for your ankle to properly fix itself. You had to keep waiting.

You didn't listen. You were able to walk and even run again. You couldn't wait any longer while your world was in danger.

You had tested your arm, as well. It still buzzed with pain, though it wasn't as bad as it was previously. You left your split on your arm. Your ankle, though, was free from its restraint.

So, against the better judgement of all those around you, you headed off back into the world of Ninjago. With a backpack of supplies and your friends-turned-dolls along for the ride, you made your way to the great gateway that sealed the Serpentine from the outside world.

Guards stood at the gates. They regarded you rather harshly. "What do you want, Ninja?" One hissed at you.

"I'm need to leave," You calmly replied. "Will you two let me?"

"Only if you don't return!" The other Serpentine shouted.

You exhaled and nodded. "Yeah, I won't come back," You said. "Tell everyone my thanks."

The two Serpentine seemed suspicious of your final request, but they relented eventually. The duo went for the gates and pulled them aside.

You began walking through the gates. The moment you stepped to the other side, though, you heard someone call for you.

"Art Ninja!"

You had quickly turned to see Skales heading your way. Before he could reach you, though, the gates shut before you.

You couldn't hear anything through the doors. You tried to step closer and listen, but still nothing. You waited for only a handful of moments before you eventually left.

You turned and stopped for a long moment. The walls of the cave up ahead were lined with fabric and paint. There were small glass orbs of light scattered around like fantastical mushrooms in a dark tunnel.

The infection managed to reach all the way down here, and it's getting worse.

You quietly walked forward into the fair darkness, your only light being from the strange mushrooms along the wall. Some of your friends left your borrowed backpack to hug your shoulder. You didn't look back to see who.

You needed to reach the end.

You found a tunnel heading up. You climbed the steep hill and quietly peeked over the edge. Not a single creature lurked around in the darkness. The silence was so overbearing, you were starting to hear your own heartbeat.

Where has the world gone?

You left the tunnel and looked around. You were in a part of the sewers. The fabric seemed to grow thicker. Each step you took as your left the gaping hole sunk into the ground. You were terrified that something would reach out and pull you downwards.

You drew your Elemental Blade and continued forward. Your Blade offered a minimal amount of light within the cave. You didn't move fast. You were terrified that those creatures of art were hiding, waiting for you to let your guard down and strike. You could hardly take on one by yourself. For you to head right towards the heart of the situation was a death sentence.