NINJAGO: The Fray Of Crows

CHAPTER FOUR - The Great King Toromor

Kai and Zane were playing with a deck of cards they asked for from Squatton, but Jay and Cole were talking--well, bickering for the most part.

"Y'know, this is not how I planned spending the weekend before Christmas--but the warm Island air is pretty nice!" Jay said, leaning back as if he were sunbathing.

Cole looked over at him and chuckled.

"You had plans? Lemme guess, they were to play video games all day, and then on Christmas Eve, you were going to try and stay awake all night to see if you could spot Santa Claus," he said, then looked back at Jay. "Was I close?"

Jay got nervous and sat up, scratching his head.

"Cole, do you have some weird ability that lets you read people's minds?" Jay asked.

"No, I just know you so well that you're predictable," said Cole.

Jay scoffed, crossing his arms.

"I am not that predictable..." he mumbled, then glanced over at Squatton who was next to the guards steering the boat.

"Arriving at Dolelorn!" Squatton announced.

The boat pulled into a canal that led right up to a dock made out of white stone, which turned into a path up to a giant cathedral with a statue of an iron man with the head of a bull with chains around its wrists appearing to keep him tied to the building.

The Ninja were astounded by the architecture, but were bewildered by what lay ahead for them. The boat tapped the edge of the canal dock and one guard hopped off to tie the boat in place while the Bullheaded captain walked along with Squatton to collect the Ninja.

They gathered up the chains and the Ninja all walked out in a single-file line. Squatton followed behind them as they headed toward the cathedral, walking underneath the statue and into a magnificently large building that was made of the same white stone used for the dock and pathway. The material seemed to glow among the dark and dying wasteland of the Islands.

In front of the Ninja was a throne, and in that throne was the one they called Toromor. He thrashed at his chains as they kept him at his chair, then roared upon seeing Kai's red outfit. Jay laughed nervously, but Kai held his breath. Even though they were a few feet away, the breath of the beast was as putrid as a month old sushi roll, just as Jay described Cole similar to be.

"O'wise Toromor, these theives-s have come to rid you of your Islands' great treasures-s," said Squatton, bowing as he greeted the beast.

"Hey--we're not theives!" said Jay.

"Yeah, we're Ninja! And we're here to kick your butts!" added Cole, springing into a pose quickly, only to stop and reach for his foot. "Ah-ah! Oww... cramp..."

Toromor raised an eyebrow and then laughed. The Ninja looked at each other, not entirely sure of what he found so amusing.

"I knew that already, Sire Squatton just pretends to be brunt," Toromor said, surprising the Ninja that he could speak and had a deep, accented voice. "And so does Empress Medua."

"Tss, don't s-speak ill of the Empress-s!" Squatton hissed to Toromor, who looked at him and snorted through his nose ring.

"You locked me up here, how do you expect the words I have for both of you to be nice?" he asked, then sat down on his throne. "Medua forced me to be King, and as King, I dare to say whatever I please--especially about her, or you."

Squatton looked appalled, but then silenced himself after that. Toromor looked upon the Ninja, particularly at Kai.

"I enjoy the sight of your color, Red One." he complimented.