Ninjago: The Cursed Spirt Arc (5)

Chapter 96: Stiix Showdown Phrase II: Finale

Nya sat up, her hand pressing against her pounding head as pain throbbed fiercely. Panic seized her momentarily as she scanned the area, eyes darting to Kai nearby, but Anna was nowhere in sight.

"Where's Lloyd?" Anna's voice cut through the chaos as she stormed into the pawn shop, breaking through the wooden wall with just one punch. "Gone!" Morro hissed, parrying another of Anna's furious attacks with his sword. "But don't worry, soon you'll be with him!" He lunged, aiming for her throat, but Anna conjured a shield just in time, deflecting the blow. The clash continued, each attack was fueled by frustration and determination.

"Why can't you just stay dead?! Why are you always obsessed with being the Green Ninja?!" Anna's voice rang out, her words dripping with exasperation.

"Easy for you to say! You're the Master of Magic, powerful, respected, and feared. You have no idea what it feels like to have something so precious torn away from you!" Morro retorted angrily, his sword slicing through the air as Anna deftly dodged, though not without a cut to her side. "I do know how that feels!" Anna shouted back. "But I don't hurt others because of it!"

"Shut up!" Morro screamed, unleashing a gust of wind that knocked Anna off balance, sending her flying out of the shop.

Nya sprang forward, catching Anna before she hit the ground. "Are you okay?!" she asked urgently.

"Not really," Anna admitted as Nya helped her up. "What about Lloyd?"

Anna hesitated, unable to find the words. "I... I don't know," she finally managed.

"Move!" Anna shoved both herself and Nya backward as a tentacle erupted from a portal beneath them. More tentacles followed, heralding the emergence of a massive orb-like creature from the portal. Anna's eyes widened in horror and disgust as she beheld the monstrous entity.

"Whoa!" Jay exclaimed in disbelief. "What is that thing?"

"She's the Preeminent. The physical embodiment of the Cursed Realm," Zane explained gravely, his voice tinged with concern as he scanned the colossal form of the monstrous entity before them.

"I know one thing: She is not pretty," Cole remarked dryly.

Jay gagged involuntarily as ghosts poured out of the creature's gaping mouth-like opening. "Ew, gross! I think I'm going to lose my lunch," he muttered, his face turning a shade paler.

"It doesn't matter what she looks like. If we can't stop that, Ninjago is doomed!" Nya declared resolutely, her eyes narrowing in determination. With a swift motion, she conjured a massive water ball and hurled it at the Preeminent, only to see it dissipate harmlessly upon impact. Each Ninja followed suit, unleashing their elemental powers with all their might, but the monstrous creature remained unfazed, its eerie presence casting a shadow over their efforts.

"Nothing's working," Anna stated grimly, frustration evident in her voice as she exchanged a glance with the others.

"She didn't even flinch," Zane added, his analytical mind already racing through potential strategies.

Jay groaned in frustration, kicking at a loose stone on the ground. "I hate these unbeatable creatures. It's like we're fighting a mountain!"

Anna clenched her fists, her resolve hardening. "I'm going to kill Morro again," she vowed through gritted teeth.

-

Morro grinned devilishly as he surveyed the scene before him. The once serene town, now a battleground of chaos and destruction, lay in ruins. His master had finally arrived, tipping the scales of power in their favor. Amidst the mayhem, Lloyd, the prophesied Green Ninja and his longtime rival, was nowhere to be seen.