happy Ninjaween

chapter 2 narrow escape

Cole, Lloyd and Nya ran through the village refusing to stop at all, once they were finally out they sighed in relief but soon regretted stopping. "We have to go back for the others.."

"Right now? We could get ambushed again by that freaky warlock! We need to head back to the bounty and come up with a plan." Nya shouted, running with the other two hot on her heels as they fled back to the bounty. Looking behind, three new gravestones emerged, these ones had the other ninjas names.

Nya teared up when they saw what they got turned into chasing them, but the creatures stopped chasing once they got out of the forest. "What are we going to tell Wu?" Cole asked, "I don't know, but we'll have to tell him the Overlord's back and is turning people into monsters." Lloyd replied as they walked into the bounty. "Master Wu, we need to tell you something important!" The water ninja shouted nervously looking at every shadow, "what's wrong? Where are the others?" Master Wu asked.

"They... They.. We were just chasing after Ronin when we came across this old graveyard. All the headstones had the names of every villain we ever faced, no matter if they were dead or not." The earth ninja explained as best he could. "Then these.... Things just came out of nowhere with this creepy song about Halloween."

"Oh? Are you certain they weren't projections meant to scare you away from Ronin's loot?"

"They felt way too real to me, especially Clouse. That glop coming out of his eye socket was the grossest thing I ever saw. The three of us managed to get away, but the others.. They weren't so lucky."

"What happened to them?" The old sensei asked, his eyes wide with worry.

"They were turned into these creatures, Jay, Zane and my brother.." Nya mumbled, looking away on the verge of tears.

"Don't worry we'll find out what happened to them and stop whatever is happening in that forest! Tell me everything you saw, draw every creature."

"Zane looked all gooey and see through, like he was made of jello. Kai had eight eyes and spider legs coming out of his back, he had a tail with a stinger on it too and sharp fangs in his mouth, we didn't get a good look at Jay, he was basically all shadows with how covered up he was."

"As for the others, we saw some ghosts, some skeletal beings, but no one like Clouse. He was like something out of a nightmare, I don't even want to describe him.." Nya shivered at the thought. "Could he have done this to them?"

"He couldn't have done this alone, even with all the dark magic he knows there's no spell that can mutate this many people that badly. Did you see any other graves besides his?"

"Yes, a grave for each creature and the largest read the Overlord. It stood beside Clouse's grave" Cole replied as Wu looked through each drawing, almost dropping them when he saw the creatures. "We'll have to find out how this all started.."

Wu was deep in his thoughts until the door suddenly opened. Everyone jumped before they realized it was just Misako. "What's got all of you so spooked?" She asked, setting her bag down, "we saw something... Everytime we close our eyes we see it.." Lloyd whimpered, voice shaking lightly.

"See what?"

"It's horrible, I don't want to talk about it." The green ninja mumbled, his head down. "I can't imagine what's happening to the others right now."

Back at the graveyard, Clouse was being waited on hand and foot by the rest of the monsters, all catering to his every whim. He was treated like a king and didn't want it to stop anytime soon. He leaned back in the Overlord's lap where he always sat, feeling the large dragonlike creature hold him, whispering into his ear. "This is why you're the most loyal out of them all." A clawed hand felt every part of his body between every bone and joint before stopping at his middle, poking the melted skin and bone.

"Why don't you bring them to me? I shall make you appear human, how you truly look just this once." The Overlord whispered. "It's a blood moon tonight after all, you'll automatically be brought back to me once the light of day hits, however." He continued, feeling the smaller man shudder lightly leaning against him once more before nodding. The dark lord smiled, wrapping an amulet around Clouse's neck. "This will grant you a human form every blood moon. I will be able to hear and feel everything you do, don't ever lose it. It's your only way to eat and drink without it dripping down half your face."

The blood moon shone high above the warlock, its soft light now giving him his old human appearance. It had been years since he could see his full face, and even longer since he could taste real food. He wandered through the woods without a care in the world, just wanting to enjoy this moment before he had to return. "After all, I'm sure the rest wouldn't fall apart without me around." He chuckled.

However his thoughts were stopped short when he heard a rustle in the bushes. At first he figured it was just a stray pet and moved on, only to be pinned down by the very ninja he was looking for. "We've got a few choice words for you, Clouse." Nya growled, readying her element. "Don't forget what water can do to ghosts."

"Oh I'm so scared," upon being hit by Nya's blast, the warlock mock screamed, holding his chest until he broke down cackling. "I'm not a ghost, but I could make you one." He smirked, but it didn't last as Cole and Lloyd grabbed his arms.

They were relieved that he was solid to touch, but his skin was cold and clammy like a corpse. Clouse was chained up tight as he was dragged onto the bounty. "Tell us everything!" Lloyd demanded, slapping his neck, making the amulet jingle. However the warlock refused to say a single word. After ten whole minutes of no talking, Cole got fed up and ripped the amulet right off.

The smell of flesh being eaten away by a strong smelling acid filled the room, the "man" began to laugh as he turned back into how he really looks now. Green ooze dripped from his eye socket and stomach causing the chain to hiss and dissolve immediately, as they tried to keep him from getting out he continued to laugh, bones rattling and popping. "Clouse.. What have they done to you?" Wu uttered out.