Flames of the Past #7: Seeds of Deceit (Ninjago Fanfiction)

Chapter 1

A blast of his own magic flung Sleete backward.

The Dark Lord hit the wall of the tunnel, seething with frustration. Grunting, he looked down at his shaking hands and felt his fury only grow. Mustering all his strength together, he conjured another ball of magic between his fingers and shot it forward. The blast forced him backward again and he gasped as he fell against the wall. Purple sparks fizzled at his fingertips and his body shuddered from the pressure of his power. His purple veins faded underneath his pale skin and his cloud of mist dissipated around him. Goop puddled around him, and with a sigh of defeat, he slid to the ground.

Beside him, the Overlord Crystal inside That Sword flickered with green sparks. Sleete gazed at it in exasperation. Thanks to his human side, his power was completely dependent on the Overlord Crystal. Because he was half Overlord, he could unlock the Crystal in ways no one else could, but it still limited him. Having his strength tied to an object was frustrating. Ever since he'd met Lloyd's element in their battle in Doxton, and then fought against the Energy Crystal in Mistfort, the Overlord Crystal had been weakened... and himself along with it. That had been a number of days ago, and he still hadn't regained his full strength.

The door opened silently, and Clouse's cloak draped over the floor as he walked into the room. His body slumped tiredly, but he hid himself under his hood to conceal any other signs of fatigue. "It is done," he announced.

Using That Sword for balance, Sleete heaved himself back to his feet. "So the experiment worked?" he asked hopefully.

Clouse dipped his head. "The Shadow Stone accomplished what I couldn't alone," he said. "But it will take a few days for the gang to recover from the process." He eyed the trembling Dark Lord. "And perhaps, you as well."

Sleete gritted his teeth together, observing his human face in the reflection of That Sword's blade. "It's my human side," he growled. "It weakens me. I can't become stronger than my father and rule Ninjago like this! The ninja know of my weaknesses. Can't I get rid of them somehow?"

Clouse took thoughtful steps sideways. "You wish to get rid of your human side?" he asked. "To become fully Overlord?"

Excitement sparked inside of Sleete. "Is that possible?" he pushed.

"Anything is possible, with the right magic." Clouse turned back to face the Dark Lord as he pulled out his spell book. "Do you remember how the green ninja defeated your father? He used the Overlord Crystal against him. The same concept must be used to permanently quench your mortality. I would need a large amount of life to gain the power to make you fully Overlord. It's contradicting, isn't it? But magic wouldn't be magic if it wasn't so complicated."

Sleete tapped a finger to his chin, thinking over the Mage's words. Life? He had a feeling they would need more than someone's life essence, such as Clouse took from Brutus and Marissa when putting Ninjago under his curse. They would need life itself, like...

"The Energy Crystal," he finally realized. He crossed his arms and pouted. "But the ninja and those pesky Guardians took it from me, and I bet they have it hidden somewhere we'd never find it without the map. How in Ninjago would we get it back?"

Underneath his cloak, a sly grin could be seen stretching across Clouse's face. "The Energy Crystal will be difficult to get our hands on," he agreed, "but there is another way to obtain the same element. You told me you took Lloyd's blood, didn't you?"

Sleete blinked, thinking back to when he fought the green ninja in Doxton's castle. He had been able to secure some of the hero's blood in a small vial, which he still held in his pocket. He pulled it out and blinked at the drops of red liquid. "You think we can get the power we need from the green ninja himself, by using his blood?" he wondered in confusion.