Birthright | Ninjago

𝟎. THE DARK ISLAND

PROLOGUE

LOOKING AS THE ISLAND FROM an outsider's perspective, you may find the wild, overgrown jungle environment charming, or the soft, light sand of the beach refreshing to relax on. Sure, the island was small, barely visible from the sky, and there was no way of finding it unless you were destined to, but it was, all things considered, a paradise. That is, until you learned the truth about the island, starting with its name—the Island of Darkness. And true to its name, the small land held a dark, terrible power that had been thought to be locked away countless years ago—the Overlord, a being of pure evil and darkness, who waited in the shadows until his day of triumph came. But it was not the Overlord, the source of all darkness in Ninjago, that Lord Garmadon, the destined host of the Overlord, would first meet on the island.

Instead, Garmadon laid his eyes on a boy when he first looked toward the trees.

A teen boy, by the looks of it, one with dark hair who stared at Garmadon with wide eyes, which were just a shade darker than his hair. His clothes looked normal enough—pants, a black shirt. Certainly, nothing you would expect a boy who seemed to live on an island to wear. They were miles from Ninjago, Garmadon figured, so how had the boy gotten such clothes? How long had he been stranded on the island? Garmadon couldn't tell—his best guess would be at least a day, but looks could be deceiving, and he had no clear idea what someone living on an island for their whole life would look like.

The sun was shining down brightly on the sand, turning the soft ground hot. When Garmadon raised his sword at the boy, pointing it directly at him, the light glinted off the reflective metal, nearly blinding Garmadon for a moment. "You! Boy!" he called out, blinking the spots from his eyes. When the spots disappeared, it seemed that the boy had, too. Garmadon looked around wildly, expecting an attack of some kind, but there was no one in view. Could the boy have the power of invisibility? Garmadon, though he wouldn't admit it, wasn't at full strength—defeating an enemy he couldn't see would be nearly impossible, even if he was at his peak.

His vibrant red eyes scanned the trees for any sign of life other than vegetation. He was met with little more than a few birds crying out. There was no boy. There was no disturbance. Was it possible that he had imagined the teen? He had just woken up from nearly drowning. Perhaps he was dehydrated. Yes, that's it! He just wasn't in the right state of mind!

A voice, raspy and dreadful, took root in his mind. Ah. I've been waiting for you, it told him.

Garmadon gasped, looking around. It wasn't the voice he would expect from someone so young. "Who are you? Where are you?" he questioned. The voice couldn't have belonged to the boy—where the boy had looked innocent, naive, and curious, this voice was dark, full of evil. "What is this place? Where am I?" He reflected on Skales'—that damn Serpentine!—words. "This isn't Ninjago!" he exclaimed. As hopeful as he had been to find the fabled Dark Island, he knew it had been a fantasy, a fairy tale that he had chased blindly. Skales was right—there was no land outside of Ninjago! But . . . then where was he standing?

It is the place you were always meant to find, the voice rasped. Destiny brought you here. The tops of some of the trees shook like something was moving between the leaves.

"This . . . this is the Dark Island! The one mentioned in Captain Soto's log!" Garmadon exclaimed. He picked up a handful of white sand, wondering how something so bright could be a part of a place called the Dark Island, and frowned. "But . . . who are you?" he asked.

I go by many names, but you may call me 'Overlord,' the voice said.

The name struck a nerve. Garmadon tried to remember where he had heard it, but it had been so long since he had. But if he couldn't remember it, then surely the name must not have been important? He shook his head, scanning the island for any sign of the boy.

"And what of the boy? Are you him?" he asked.

Silence followed. Then, angry, the voice snapped, There is no boy. There never has been a boy! Garmadon took a step back, though there was no physical threat. It seemed he had pushed too hard—he needed to backtrack.

"I order you to give me the power to defeat the Ninja," he demanded. "Give me the power to turn Ninjago into my own image!" The Overlord began to laugh. Garmadon scowled, eyes glaring into the distance as anger swelled in his chest. "Why do you laugh at me?"

Soon, you will have everything you desire, the Overlord promised. But first, there is something you must do for me. From behind the trees, a glowing purple and pink orb appeared, floating down toward him.

"And what would that be?" he asked.

. . . Follow me, the Overlord ordered.

Garmadon took one last look around the island. No boy appeared to give him a warning sign. No life could be spotted beyond the jungle and the ocean. Without much of a choice or better option, Garmadon began to follow the Overlord into the jungle.