NINJAGO: The Beastmaster

CHAPTER THREE - Tracing The Stone Path

Zane parked his bike outside of the small store built on the edge of Ninjago City. Out front was Scott, standing with his arms crossed, impatiently eager to put an end to the destruction going on in his shop.

"Great, they don't even send one that I've already met," Scott said with a sigh.

"My apologies," Zane responded as he walked up. "The others were busy, and this seemed like a problem that only required one of us to be present. My name is Zane."

Zane offered his hand for Scott to shake, but Scott just looked at it, then back at Zane.

"I think you're going to have to go back on saying that after I show you what's already gone on." Scott replied, then turned around and headed into the Masonry.

Zane just lowered his arm and followed after him.

"So, is this place yours?" Zane asked.

"Well no, that's why this is kind of a problem," Scott explained. "I promised my dad I'd look after the place while he took his vacation. He's been working alone since I got stuck in Prime Empire, so he won't be here for a month."

"That's a long vacation," Zane said. "That should be plenty of time to resolve the issue before things can escalate."

Scott just looked back at him as he reached forward toward a curtain, then he shook his head at Zane.

"It's just somebody going around and defacing statues--I don't think it can escalate any further beyond that," Scott commented, then pushed back the curtain. "These are the statues that were messed with. Is it just me, or do those markings look like bite marks?"

"Like something was eating them?" Zane asked, walking over to one to get a better look.

"Someone," Scott said. "I got some City Officials to pull video off some cameras on the block, and they showed who did it."

Scott then walked over to a nearby computer that had the video already loaded on it. He hit play, and the footage showed a man with a toupee walk past the store, only to turn back around and take a massive bite out of one of Scott's statues. He later kept on walking as if nothing even happened.

"That's impossible," Zane said. "Humans cannot process minerals in that form, much less take a bite out of them."

"Well, no kidding, Sherlock," Scott remarked and crossed his arms.

"I don't think we're dealing with a bizarre human," continued Zane. "I'm afraid that this will escalate into something far worse if we don't do anything if my theories prove true."

"What theories?" Scott asked with worry.

"There's this book that was written by a civilization cataloging each of their native creatures," explained Zane. "I think we may be dealing with one of those creatures. The Tera Griffiquus, specifically."

Scott just squinted.

"You know, out of all of the ninja, you're easily the weirdest," Scott stated bluntly. "But do continue, I'd like to hear what you have to say that'll humor me to that idea of yours."

Zane grimaced.

"For being trapped inside a video game for thirty years, I expected you to be a little more lenient on the possibility," he remarked. "The Tera Griffiquus--more commonly referred to as the Griffie--has a remarkable set of abilities that match the criteria of the statue devourer. For one, they eat only earthly stones and pebbles..."

"So?" Scott said impatiently.

"And second, their ability to shapeshift," replied Zane. "The only thing that I'm having trouble understanding is how a Griffie could be in the city. They're from far away islands and were considered extinct several years ago--after the Serpentine War."