NINJAGO: Eternal Masks

VII

The air in the Oni Temple was thick with tension as the ninjas stepped cautiously through its ancient corridors. The stone walls echoed with their footsteps, and the flickering torchlight cast ominous shadows around them. The musty smell of age and secrets lingered in the air, making every breath feel heavier than the last.

"There it is!" Kai exclaimed as they entered a grand chamber. In the center of the room, a dark pedestal loomed, seemingly waiting for its next occupant. The pedestal was intricately carved, with purple flames engulfing the Mask of Hatred.

"Stay alert," Zane warned, scanning the area for any potential traps. "We don't know what kind of defenses it might have."

Nya stepped closer to the pedestal, her eyes wide with curiosity. "Do you think the mask is really here? Or this is a fake" she asked, brushing her fingers against the cool stone surface, before being repulsed by the flames.

"It has to be. We've come this far," Jay said, looking over his shoulder as if he could feel the eyes of unseen guardians watching their every move. "But we need to be careful. The last thing we need is to trigger something we can't handle."

As they approached the pedestal, the Quiet One emerged from the shadows, his presence commanding and terrifying. Cloaked in darkness, his mask concealed his identity, but his emerald eyes glimmered with fierce intensity, holding a light that felt both familiar and foreign.

"Did you really think you could just waltz in here without consequence?" he taunted, his voice deep and resonant, echoing off the stone walls like a warning bell.

Kai stepped forward, fists clenched in defiance. "It's you again! I won't fear you this time, Quiet One!"

The Quiet One grinned, his eyes narrowing. "Fear is not what I require. Let's see how brave you are when faced with reality." He shifted his weight, and the air crackled with the promise of violence.

Before the ninjas could react, he lunged forward, his movements swift and precise. He delivered a powerful kick to Cole, sending him sprawling to the ground with a heavy thud.

"Cole!" Nya shouted, instinctively rushing to her teammate's side. But the Quiet One was relentless. As Jay moved to help, the Quiet One countered with a flurry of strikes, knocking them both back with a series of quick, calculated blows.

"Stay together!" Kai shouted, attempting to rally his friends, but the Quiet One was too quick. He sidestepped Kai's attack, spinning to deliver a devastating blow that sent him crashing against the stone wall, the impact reverberating through the chamber.

With the ninjas disoriented, the Quiet One continued his assault, moving with a fluid grace that incapacitated each member of the team one by one. Zane fell next, unable to counter the barrage of blows that struck him down, and with every fallen ally, the confidence of the remaining ninjas waned.

"Why fight?" the Quiet One taunted, his voice echoing in the chamber as he turned his attention to Nya. "Join me instead." His eyes held a magnetic pull, as if he were offering more than just an alliance.

But before she could respond, he disarmed her with a quick twist of his wrist and knocked her out with a swift kick, her body collapsing to the ground. With the entire team now defeated and unconscious at his feet, the Quiet One took a moment to catch his breath, surveying the fallen heroes.

"That was almost too easy," he mused, glancing at the incapacitated ninjas. "You've all grown soft." The echo of his words lingered in the air, a haunting reminder of their failure.

Harumi emerged from the shadows, her eyes gleaming with admiration as she watched Lloyd, the Quiet One, conquer his opponents with ease. "You did it, Lloyd. They didn't stand a chance." She stepped forward, her expression a mixture of pride and excitement.

Lloyd turned to her, a smirk playing on his lips. "Now to claim what I came for." He approached the pedestal, lifting the Oni mask from its resting place. The mask felt heavy in his hands, its dark energy pulsing with a life of its own. He could sense its power, the promise of strength it held.

With a satisfied nod, he turned back to the unconscious ninjas. "Help me drag them to the Bounty," Lloyd ordered, the adrenaline still coursing through him.

Together, they hoisted the ninjas, dragging them towards the exit of the temple. The quiet of the temple felt eerie as they moved, the weight of their actions settling in. Each step they took echoed the betrayal of the once-united team, and for a moment, doubt flickered in Harumi's eyes.

"Are you sure about this?" she asked, glancing back at the fallen ninjas. "They trusted us."

"They were never going to understand," Lloyd replied, his voice steady. "I need this mask, and they would never let me have it. They would never let me do what must be done."

As they reached the entrance of the temple, the outside world greeted them with the stark contrast of sunlight and the sounds of nature, a reminder of everything that was at stake. The Bounty sat waiting for them, its silhouette a beacon of their next move.

Once they reached the ship, Lloyd heaved the ninjas aboard, securing them in the cargo hold. He paused for a moment, looking at their unconscious forms, a pang of regret briefly surfacing before he steeled himself. "We'll leave them here until we decide what to do next," he said, his tone resolute.

Harumi nodded, a smile of approval on her face as she observed Lloyd's determination. "What's our next move?" Her excitement was palpable, and it sent a thrill through Lloyd.

"First, we need to head to the Temple of Resurrection in Ninjago City," he said, glancing at the mask in his hand. "That's where I'll use the mask along with the others to bring my father back. We have to move quickly before they wake up."

Harumi's eyes widened in realization. "You really think you can do it? Bring him back?"

"I have to try," Lloyd replied, the fire of ambition burning brightly within him. "I can't let the past repeat itself. I need my father's strength to fight against the chaos that awaits."

As the Bounty lifted off the ground, the ship's engines roared to life, and the familiar sights of Ninjago faded beneath them. The city sprawled below, alive with its hustle and bustle, oblivious to the impending storm brewing just above.

Lloyd's heart raced as they approached the Temple of Resurrection. A place of hope, a place of despair—this was where he would either fulfill his destiny or face the consequences of his choices.

As they landed, Lloyd stepped off the ship, his eyes fixed on the temple. "Get them ready and place them in the cells," he instructed Harumi, nodding toward the unconscious ninjas. "We need to ensure they can't interfere."

Harumi moved quickly, securing the ninjas in the vengestone cells while Lloyd took the Oni masks and prepared for their next steps. The air was charged with anticipation as they approached the temple entrance, each stone a reminder of the power it held.

"Do you think they'll come after us? Others?" Harumi asked, her fingers deftly tying off the last knot.

"Let them come," Lloyd replied, his voice steely. "I'll be ready for them. With the Oni masks, We'll be unstoppable."