Thunder cracked overhead as the young girl ran through the forest, the rain mixing with her tears.
She didn't look where she was going, she just had to get away. From them. Feelings of betrayal, jealousy, and crushed hope filled her heart, blinding her and making her oblivious to her surroundings. She had no idea how she'd escaped unnoticed, especially with the sentry. It didn't matter. She was gone now.
After a long while of running, the girl collapsed at the base of a cliff. She bent over her knees sobbing, pressing one hand to the cold rocks. Why, why, why?
Why couldn't she be a normal person? Why did she have to be born into this family, unable to carry on its legacy? Why did no one understand, or seem to care?
For what felt like hours, the girl remained motionless, save her heaving chest as she sucked in air between sobs. She didn't notice the freezing cold, pelting rain, or crash of thunder. Her mind was a maze of emotions, and she couldn't solve it.
Finally the girl ran out of tears. She shuddered as she twisted so her back rested against the cliff, closing her eyes and tilting her head up to the rain.
Somehow, despite the noise, she heard a small whisper.
The girl's eyes snapped open. She didn't want to be found. She'd return before they woke up, so they wouldn't look for her, but she wasn't ready.
The whisper came from behind her. The girl turned to peer at the cliff, the dark of night hindering her vision. The slick stone flickered as lightning flashed, but there seemed to be one small spot that sucked in the light.
Curious, the girl leaned closer to the spot and pulled out a high-tech phone. She shone the flashlight onto the spot and blinked in shock.
Her initial suspicion was correct — the spot did not reflect any light, instead seeming to absorb it. It was blacker than black, like a void in space.
More whispers came from the spot. Even though they formed no words, the girl understood perfectly. They told of unimaginable power and control. This is perfect, the girl thought gleefully. I can finally protect my family's legacy! One way or another, I will make him proud.
Heart pounding, the girl slowly reached forward. As her hand neared the spot, she felt a chill wash over her. She shivered, but not from cold. From excitement.
As soon as she touched the spot, everything froze. The girl saw visions of a bleak desert landscape with reddish sand and occasional mountains. A line of poles stretched from horizon to horizon with dragon skulls atop them. Then the girl saw a different mountain with a small, flat building on top with a steep staircase leading down. Clouds covered the landscape.
The girl felt anger, frustration. An attempt to power that almost succeeded except for this specific building and the people inside. The girl's own anger shone through, too. Her family put too much pressure on her to be like him. But she wasn't like him, she couldn't do what he did.
The two frequencies of anger intertwined. The girl felt the other being embrace her in a cold hug, but she couldn't see anyone. Her body refused to move as she trembled with cold and anticipation.
"Be my conduit," the whisper hissed, almost inaudibly. "Take my power and help restore me."
"Who are you?" The girl demanded. "Why should I trust you?"
"You crave power," the voice replied simply. "I can give you what you seek, if you help me into your existence."
Even though the girl still did not know who spoke to her, she couldn't resist that offer. Who cares if she helped someone escape? Wasn't that the right thing to do?
"I accept," she murmured.
The whispers suddenly turned into a shriek. The girl covered her ears, but the sound penetrated her hands. She screamed as something plunged into her chest, numbing all her senses.
When the girl came to, she was back in the forest, laying on her back. She gasped for breath, blinking rapidly against the rain.
As soon as she sat up, the girl retched clear bile. Clutching her stomach, she tried to stand, but failed.
"This isn't power!" She cried, betrayed. "You used me!"
She heard the voice in her head. "I gave you what you wanted," it rasped in a scratchy voice. "But your body could not handle so much power all of a sudden. Just wait."
The girl groaned as her stomach churned. She leaned against the cliff, squeezing her eyes shut and panting as the pain worsened.
Then, as quickly as it had come, the pain vanished. The girl opened her eyes and bolted to her feet, flinching as a blast of thunder shook her. "Now what?"
As if in response, she heard a crack! She looked up in alarm as a huge boulder crumbled off the cliff, plummeting straight for her.
The girl screamed and covered her head with her hands. She felt the boulder coming closer...closer...
The girl jumped as the boulder sailed over her head and landed a safe distance away.
"What?" She gasped, shaken, and looked at her hands.
The girl yelped. Black mist seeped from her hands, dissipating shortly after leaving her hand. The same mist surrounded the base of the boulder, before fading.
The girl shook her hands, and the mist disappeared. "What was that?" She whispered.
"The power I promised." The voice calmed the girl's nerves. "You moved the boulder."
"I...did?" The girl gasped. Then she grinned, her hands tightening into fists. "I did!"
"Quiet," the voice snapped, and the girl immediately clamped her mouth shut. "You must train until dawn, and the others cannot know. You must never tell them."
"Fine," the girl scoffed. "I wasn't going to, anyway. They'd probably try to take it."
"Now focus. Create a staff."
The girl blinked in surprise, but nonetheless held her hands in front of her and concentrated. She imagined the cold metal feeling of a staff in her hands, then grinned when one appeared in her grip.
"Good. The staff is your most powerful asset. It can multiply your powers tenfold. If you slam the end into the ground, you can do many things."
With newfound energy, the girl did as told. Black mist shot out from the impact, circling around her. An unfortunate red squirrel chittered as the mist neared, but as soon as it enveloped the animal, the cries vanished.
The mist faded away, exposing the squirrel. It stood rigid and a stone gray color, black cracks visible on its tiny body.
"Interesting," the girl heard. "You have more power than we did before. The first time, when the mist went away, the status of the trapped creatures returned to normal."
"'We'?" The girl echoed. "Actually, never mind. I don't want to know." She looked to the sky, which started to lighten. "I need to get back. Can anyone else hear you?"
"No. Just you."
The girl smirked. "Perfect." She made the staff disappear, clenching her fists.
The others would pay for mistreating her. She would finally make her family proud. And it was because of her, not him.
YOU ARE READING
Return of Doom (Ninjago in the future)
FanfictionIt's been 300 years since the time of the Ninja. The heroes became legends, then myths. But some, like myself, think they're alive. But I've been told that a great evil is coming, and there's nothing we can do to stop it...unless we free him. Hi! I'...
