NINJAGO: The Beastmaster

CHAPTER TWELVE - All The Same

 Nya carefully stood up and as she did, tried to summon enough strength to put the lava out with her water. She only managed to get part of it before she collapsed again, but it gave Unagami time to think of an idea.

"Here, climb onto my back and I'll fly you to help," he said, reaching an arm down.

"But the others need me to help with the volcano," Nya remarked, clutching her leg. It hurt pretty badly. "We can't just leave them."

"They'll be fine, Zane has Taiki," Unagami assured her. "And with you being hurt, it doesn't seem like you'll be able to help them as much as you want."

Nya looked up at him with question.

"Come on, let me help you," Unagami asked, hand still in offering.

"Okay," Nya said, taking his hand and carefully standing up, favoring her hurt leg.

Unagami transformed into his dragon form with Nya upon his back. With a roar, he took off for the skies, keeping his eyes peeled for any Griffies they may have missed.

Meanwhile, on the mountaintop, the Ninja scurried to slow the lava and reverse the eruption. Zane shot ice at a few patches of bubbling lava, and Lloyd and Jay took it upon themselves to use their powers to return the mountain to its inactive state.

"Are you ready, Jay?" Lloyd asked.

Jay gave a quick but strong nod.

"Okay--now!" Lloyd shouted.

With their combined abilities, they pressed their hands to the terrain and strained as they compromised for Cole's missing element. They just had to hope that their efforts alone would be enough to stop Mount Bunco from exploding.

Ryo watched them, then looked at Zane as he kept sealing the lava in ice as it came up. She wanted to help, but didn't know what she could do. Even then, she wasn't sure if her help was wanted by the Ninja anymore.

The earth kept trembling, and it slowly got faster, and faster, until it suddenly stopped.

Jay looked at Lloyd and Lloyd looked at Jay, then the others looked at them, also. Had they done it?

As Zane covered the final spout of lava with ice, he then turned to Ryo, and frowned in disappointment. Ryo couldn't help but feel shunned.

"I don't know what kind of person you saw me as in your dream, but it's just that, a dream," Ryo said. "I'm not that person."

Zane just shook his head at her, and Lloyd saw him do this.

"Zane, come on," Lloyd said. "Ryo wouldn't work with Medua, maybe that part of your dream is just superstition."

"But you don't think that Lloyd, you were the one that brought this all up," Zane remarked. "And it's not superstition if she's wearing a necklace she never had before."

Lloyd looked at Ryo and saw it too, then Ryo looked down and grabbed hold of it.

"She's not bad--she wants to change," Ryo started. "Please, you have to believe me."

They heard the earth rumble again, but it didn't seem to be part of the volcano. Then they saw the four-headed and dark scaled dragon they thought they never would've again. Mukatta climbed the side of the mountain, and lowered one of its heads for Medua to walk down on.

"My ears are ringing, I hope you weren't speaking poorly of me," Empress Medua said as she set foot atop the mountain. The Ninja jumped to drawing their powers as she approached. "Oh, so impulsive of you all."

"What are you doing here?" Lloyd asked.

Medua seemed surprised by the question. "Me? Well, I'm here to set things right, of course..."