(UNDERGOING EDITS) Gift of the Future (Ninjago au book 8)

Chapter 7: The Dark Mage

Any italic text may be from either the past or future in its specific chapter. Use context clues to figure out where each event is placed.

"Wake up. You have work to do."

Frightened eyes snapped open. Well, one eye. The other was laying on something soft and cold.

The man sat up and looked around him. "Then where-"

"Get up. I have something to show you." A figure crossed his line of sight. He made out robes that seemed to flow behind the figure.

The man pushed himself up and let out a low groan. He looked down at what he'd been laying against. "What is-"

"My pet."

The man turned to his side seeing the figure out of the corner of his eye. "And... who are you?"

"The High Mage, Cedric." Maura explained.

"He looks an awful lot like Clouse did." Acronix spoke softly.

"I take it Clouse is the man Kairos couldn't name. It would match up." Kronos suggested.

Thre more bubbles appeared next to the ones already up. Krux and Acronix took their places in the first and last ones. Cedric's sick smile seemed to grow as Clouse took his spot in the bubble next to him.

Cedric shared the facial hair with his brothers, the small, thin beard that stretched across his jaw. Even the eye markings matched on the two.

Eyebrows matched up with everyone as well, which Jay found strange. "It's almost as if you are those three. You said the legend spoke of Kalo going to Ninjago?"

"Yes." Kronos' voice shuddered.

"What is it, my king?" Brennan asked.

"Clouse, as you called him, reminds me of what I've heard of those who hold the element of darkness. Those marks around his eyes aren't natural." He paused. "They made themselves to look like Cedric's. The power will control you, your urges."

"Perhaps Cedric had more of an influence than we initially thought." Maura looked at the two.

"Cedric is certainly a name." The man replied.

"As if Clouse is any better." Cedric replied snarkily.

Clouse furrowed his brows. "Say it to my face and I'll believe you."

Cedric shook his head. "Far too much to do to be stuck with the petty things. Would you like to see what she can do?" The figure in the dark turned and pointed a hand toward the shadowy blob.

Clouse looked at the mass. It was shapeless. "Doesn't look like much of a pet to me."

"Yours was crushed beneath rocks. She has more shape than your little serpent did."

Clouse turned back to where the figure was. Or had been. His anger quickly turned to confusion as the figure was nowhere to be seen.

"She can take many forms."

Clouse turned to the voice, startled that it was now behind him. "How did you-"

Cedric flashed a grin, though Clouse couldn't see it. He rolled up his sleeves and crouched before the shadow mass.

"You're a- Can't there only be one?" He asked.

"Only one can be in control of the... 'element' at a time." Cedric seemed to hesitate to call it an element.

"What do you mean?"

"Not only has she been feeding off his power, but it's enough to render him useless."