Darkness offspring

A time of traitors

The ninja grunt as Jay tries on a Vermillion helmet.

Jay: Sorry, guys, nothing.

Cole: Darn, I was sure trying on the helmet was gonna help us figure out who those samurai snake guys were.

Nya: Me too. Jay, are you positive the helmet doesn't do anything?

Jay: Ha! Besides make me look cool? What? I know how to accessorize.

Acid: it doesn't.

Jay: well how does yours fit?

Acid: it fits fine.

Kai: Hm. Something about this is familiar, though. I just can't place it. Perhaps Master Wu knows. (They go find Wu, who is resting on a bed.) Master Wu, this helmet. I feel like we've seen it before. Can you tell us anything?

Wu: Curious. Time...

Kai: Time?

Wu: Time waits...

Nya: Time waits...

Wu: Time waits for no... (He falls back asleep.)

Kai: Uh, Master?

Wu: (He wakes up.) Did someone mention lunch?

Lloyd: No, Master, no one mentioned lunch.

Wu: Then why did you wake me? (He sleeps again.)

Lloyd: He isn't himself.

Jay: Clearly. Lunch isn't for three more hours and Acid just ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Ahh, this is just perfect. Mysterious snake samurai, uh, things attacked Ninjago, Cyrus Borg is missing, Acid feels pain when we attack those snake samurai, and our team is down one master and one ninja.

Lloyd: We've got to get Zane back online. He was the last one to see Cyrus Borg.

Cole: Yeah, except Cyrus Borg is the only one who has the equipment to get him back online.

Nya: I might be able to reboot Zane with the computer in the Samurai X Cave. Although I could use some help.

Cole: Well, I'm in.

Jay: You know I am.

Lloyd: I'll stay. One of us should keep an eye on Master Wu.

Kai: I'll go to the museum and talk to Dr. Saunders. He's an expert on all things Ninjago. Maybe he knows what Master Wu is too weak to tell us.

Acid: I'll go with you.

Lloyd: Good thinking. Go and see what you can see.

The Vermillion bring Cyrus to the museum and traps him in a golden sarcophagus.

Krux: The Vermillion warriors have done well, brother. Borg is captured and the first step of our plan is complete. It's time to begin phase two.

Acronix: How? Phase two requires many more Vermillion than we have.

Krux: We'll have them shortly. With even more growing in the swamp. Soon, there will be a force of thousands.

Acronix: Okay, but how do the two of us control a force of thousands?

Krux: I've had forty years to develop this plan, brother. Do you not think I took that into account? May I introduce...Commander Raggmunk, Commander Blunck, and Commander Machia. Hand selected from the most genetically superior Serpentine. Their superior intellect allows them to communicate telepathically with the Vermillion warriors and control them to the hive mind.

Acronix: You've thought of everything.

Krux: Indeed. I bred them to be strategic thinkers. In fact, they've been working out the details for phase two.