The Dark Heirs: Ninjago

Whispers

Even though Garmadon had unknowingly started a butterfly effect of thwarting destiny, sending the scholars of Cloud Kingdom to frantically rewriting a new destiny for them and the Ninja to catch up, merely by raising his son.

But, the monks were not letting their original destiny go without a fight and the last Anacondrai finally found a way to escape the tomb his people had been trapped in with a new goal in mind.

***

A few days later Lloyd was beside himself with excitement, running around the backyard with his little cape flapping from the wind.

His dad was going to make him a treehouse! Dad said so, he said that the check from mom had come and now they could make a treehouse!

Earlier his dad had shown him how to cut down a tree and make measurements to cut it into slabs.

In the matter of a few hours thanks to his dad's abilities, he had a completed treehouse that actually looked like a little cottage with a balcony.

The final thing his father added was to carve a protection spell at the door, telling Lloyd that no one intending harm could enter.

Though, after carving it onto the treehouse's door, Garmadon went and did the same to all the house's entrances.

"Next time I go into the city I'm going to get some embroidering thread to add a protection spell to your hoodie." The Dark Lord said

Llyod nodded, before asking, "The one that sent you away?"

"Yes, my father embroidered it onto the gi he gave me and your uncle and it sent those who sought to cause us harm to the Underworld." His father explained, "So, the same will happen to anyone seeking to harm you."

"Then why are you getting the thread from the store? Isn't it magic?" The ten year old asked

"The thread itself doesn't matter, it's what it writes." Garmadon cleared up, "Now, let's go start on dinner. Can you clean the rice while I put the tools away?"

"Okay!" The blond said, running back towards the patio door

Once his son was presumably on the way to the kitchen, Garmadon put the tools back in the shed, beginning to head into the forest by his home.

***

Cole and Jay, who were taking the nightshirt today since the former had gotten into a fight with Kai, we're surprised when they saw the Dark Lord disappear into the forest.

They practically jumped out of their skins when he picked them up from behind, asking what they were doing here.

Jay began stuttering out excuses, his face pale from the shock of being found.

Cole was shocked as well, but he was not as freaked out as his friend, "We're just keeping watch."

"Don't you have better things to do besides watching me take care of my son?" Garmadon asked, dropping them and crossing both sets of arms

"I think so but Sensei wants us doing this." The Master of Earth shrugged

"Cole-" Jay began

But the black haired boy cut him off, "So we have to watch you babysit your kid until something else starts terrorizing Ninjago."

"It's not babysitting when it's your child." Garmadon said, "Babysitting is what my brother is doing with you overgrown children. Get out of my property or else I won't be as friendly next time."

The two ninja then left, leaving the Master of Destruction alone.

Garmadon then went inside, making dinner for his son.

***

The following day, Garmadon woke up before the sun rose and left the master bedroom.

He went across the hall to Lloyd's room, seeing his son still deeply asleep, happy and warm in his bed.

The warlord smiled at the sight, watching his beloved child sleep for a few moments before walking to the kitchen to start on Lloyd's breakfast.

As he began to rehydrate the powdered milk, the venom began to whisper in his mind.

"Lloyd lives in squalor when his abusers live in luxury." It hissed

"It's only temporary." Garmadon whispered to himself, "My mission is merely on the back burner."

"You lie~" It mocked in a sing-song tone, "The true emperor of Ninjago is starving himself to fed his heir garbage no one else wanted."

"I can't steal." Garmadon spat, putting the milk pitcher in the fridge, "They'll take Lloyd from me."

"Then don't let them, kill them if they try to steal your treasure." The venom suggested

"Yes-" Garmadon began, starting to give in

"Dad? Who are you talking to?" A voice behind him asked

The Dark Lord turned around and offered his son a smile, "No one, blossom, just thinking aloud. Good morning."

He reached into the cabinet, getting a bowl and a spoon from the drawer, offering his son the box of sugar cereal they had gotten the other day.

Lloyd poured as much as he wanted into the bowl, letting his father top it off with milk from the pitcher.

The ten year old began to eat, asked when his father would eat too.

Garmadon brushed the question off, saying he would eat later, that he had a coffee earlier —a coffee that didn't exist— so his son didn't ask questions.

When Lloyd was full, he went off to play in his room, leaving his father to clean the few dishes.

Once Lloyd was out of sight, Garmadon drank the leftover cereal milk from the bowl, that was his substance for the morning.

He then cleaned the bowl and spoon, putting it back away.

***

Kai and Zane watched the Garmadon Cottage from the forest, far enough away to say they were off of property lines.

Or at least they had been when they had been called off when news that an army of Serpentine were amassing.

So they returned to the Destiny's Bounty for more information.

***

A month passed and Garmadon was in the garden pulling weeds while Lloyd played in his treehouse when the Dark Lord suddenly stilled.

The venom in his veins sang as it recognized its source.

The Great Devourer had been freed.

He looked towards the treehouse, seeing his son laying on the floor coloring.

Garmadon knew he needed to kill the snake before it could hurt his son.

So, he told Lloyd to hide in his room. He then covered every space of the wall on every protection spell he knew and told his army to guard the house and they were not to leave until he returned and if the snake arrived they were to guard his son to a safe place.

He then made his way to Ninjago City; knowing his brother's trainees were not going to be able to defeat the Devourer...