Ninjago: Amplified - The Illusive Labyrinth [Halloween Short Story]

[5] - Resolution at Last

The six moved in unison, rocketing away from their attackers as fast as their legs would allow. Their clones immediately swerved in their direction, refusing to let them go...

Much too fixated on their counterparts, the clones hadn't been paying attention to one another.

In a blur of movement, the six clones tripped over themselves. They tumbled to the ground in a large heap, disoriented.

"NOW'S OUR CHANCE!" Gold bolted for the opposite path, their friends following close behind.

"GOLDIE, YOU'RE A GENIUS!" Eris cheered as they ran.

"ERIS, YOU MIGHT WANNA SAVE THE CELEBRATION," Onyx reminded as bustling footsteps sounded from behind. "THEY'RE NOT TOO FAR!"

"KEEP GOING!!" Aurora encouraged. "WE HAVE TO OUTRUN THEM!"

The six continued to rush through the labyrinth. They didn't try to speak as they ran anymore, much too focused on escaping. Aurora's lungs began to burn after a while, her muscles begging for rest, but she didn't dare stop.

Just when Aurora thought she was going to collapse, Akiri abruptly ceased her movement. The group halted together, concerned.

"Akiri!" Aurora called, out of breath. "W-why'd you stop–?!"

"We aren't... being followed... anymore." Akiri could barely get the words out, much too exhausted. She rested her back against the nearest wall, sliding down to the floor with a huff.

The others didn't need to be told twice. They leaned against the stone walls at their sides, taking a moment to breathe.

As Aurora slid down to sit beside Akiri, dropping her sword into her lap, she realized that her girlfriend was right. She could no longer hear their pursuers' footsteps– they'd lost them after all.

"Okay... NOW I get it." Onyx confessed, tugging her fingers through her hair in agitation. "That merchant was right about this place!"

"It's so strange!" Yuri agreed, her tail drooping.

"He was right about that, but WRONG about this place being haunted!" Eris whispered sharply, throwing her arms out to gesture to their surroundings. "THIS is NOT ghosts!"

"What even WAS that back there?!" Gold stressed, planting a hand on their forehead. "Just when I think I understand this place, it throws ANOTHER CURVEBALL!"

Akiri rested her head against Aurora's shoulder, too tired to add her own input. While the rest of their friends debated on what they'd seen, Aurora lifted her palms in her lap, studying her glistening silver veins with a frown.

Come on... There has to be an answer somewhere.

Aurora thought back to the beginning, from the moment they'd stepped into the palace. The surface looked so normal in comparison, as if the palace's ancient residents had no idea the labyrinth even existed. And, yet, there had been a trapdoor, and a torch seemingly waiting for them on the other side...

Aurora turned to the torch that was still held loosely in Akiri's grasp. She lifted it from her girlfriend's hand, giving her a rest. Akiri groggily peeked her eyes open, watching as Aurora studied the torch's flickering blue flame.

This had lighted on its own... Hadn't it?

When they'd first arrived in the labyrinth, Gold assumed that its purpose was to mislead trespassers. And, although that seemed like the most reasonable explanation... A torch was still left for them to find, helping them to navigate through the maze...

Aurora gasped, finally connecting the dots.

"This place..." She began slowly, lifting her gaze to her friends. "It isn't trying to trick us."

"Oh... Riiiight," Eris forced a smile before pointing over to Aurora in worry. "Well, there's your next curveball, Gold. Aura's gone crazy."

"Eris, I'm being serious," Aurora insisted. She rose from the ground, helping Akiri to her feet as she went. "Think about it. The palace, the trapdoor, the torch?"

"I remember..." Gold nodded. "But what about that relates to the labyrinth?"

"This place isn't haunted." Aurora explained. "It's enchanted with elemental magic."

"That's why this is happening," She lifted an arm into the air, nodding her head towards her silver veins. "We only saw one shadow before, right? After my powers kicked in, we saw six."

"That... Actually makes a lot more sense." Gold sighed, relieved.

"But there's still one more thing," Yuri interjected. "Why is this place enchanted?"

"And what about those clones?" Onyx added. "Why would an elemental use their powers to create something like that??"

Aurora was quiet for a long while, stuck. Her friends had a point– why would an elemental go through all of that trouble?

"Wait..." Akiri spoke up, having come to her own conclusion. "What about what we actually saw?"

"The clones?" Aurora guessed, and Akiri nodded.

"We didn't face any usual attackers." She elaborated. "They seemed much too... personal."

"Well, you're right about that..." Onyx rubbed at the back of her neck awkwardly. "Last time I had long hair like that, I was still living in the sea..."

The merlopian froze, realizing what she'd just said.

"Wait... was that supposed to be ME if I hadn't left?!"

"I wouldn't doubt it." Akiri scowled. "Those weren't just clones."

"They were representations of our greatest fears..." Gold followed her trail of thought.

"They show what could've happened." Akiri affirmed. She and Aurora looked to one another in understanding, and Aurora rested a reassuring hand on her girlfriend's arm.

Picturing the clones in her head, Aurora had no doubt that Akiri's words were true. But why would an elemental try to replicate someone's worst fear...?

At last, all of the pieces of the puzzle merged into place.

"It's a training ground." Aurora blurted, her frown lifting into a smile. "This was where ancient elementals unlocked their true potential!"

"Incredible..." Gold breathed. "So this labyrinth is just trying to... test us?"

"That's comforting and all, but it doesn't answer how we get out of here." Onyx pressed. "Now that we know that, what do we do?"

"Well... Most elementals unlock their true potential once they've overcome their fears..." Aurora considered. "I doubt this place is any different."

"So... We have to face them?" Onyx rose a brow. "As in... Literally?"

"If this place really is enchanted, it should be able to sense if we've beaten its challenge." Aurora spun back around, facing the closest dead-end. "And, if that's the case..."

She stepped over to it, pressing a palm against its stone surface. Her confidence wavered as her hand made contact with a solid force; had her assumption been incorrect, after all...?

But it only took a second longer for the wall to seemingly give in, allowing her passage. Aurora's limb faded through the stone, now on its opposite side.

"That's an illusion element!" Gold beamed, ecstatic. "So the walls weren't moving at all!"

"Exactly!" Aurora grinned, moving back to their side of the hall. "We shouldn't have any other trouble getting through. Now, we just have to find our fears again, and we can get out of here."

"Don't need to tell me twice!" Onyx slammed a fist into her palm. "I've got a few choice words for mine..."