Outbreak: Ninjago's Dark Dawn

Chapter 8 - A Storm of Shadows

The sky was a sickly shade of gray, heavy with the promise of rain. In the distance, the low rumble of thunder echoed across the desolate landscape of Ninjago City. It was the calm before the storm—before the first major wave of the infected would crash down upon them. Lloyd stood at the edge of the barricade, looking out over the ruined city. His green ninja armor was scratched, worn, and stained with dirt and blood from battles fought. Behind him, the other ninjas prepared themselves for the fight ahead.

The air was thick with tension. Zane's revelation about the sentient parasite controlling the infected had shaken them all, but there was no time to dwell on that now. They had to focus on the task at hand—surviving the impending onslaught. But for Lloyd, survival wasn't the only battle he was fighting. His relationship with his father had been deteriorating since Garmadon's return. Now, it felt like they were standing on opposite sides of a deep chasm, unable to see eye to eye.

Garmadon stood off to the side, arms crossed, his expression hard as ever. His dark, brooding figure was a stark contrast to the vibrant green of Lloyd's ninja suit. They were about to face an army of the infected, but the battle brewing between father and son felt just as dangerous.

"Lloyd," Garmadon's voice was low but commanding as he approached his son. "We need to discuss our strategy."

Lloyd didn't turn to face him. His eyes remained fixed on the horizon, scanning for the inevitable wave of infected. "I already know what you're going to say."

"Do you?" Garmadon stepped closer, his voice carrying a hint of disdain. "Because every time we've faced danger, you refuse to listen."

Lloyd's hands tightened into fists, his shoulders tensing. "It's not about listening, it's about trust. And I don't know if I can trust you anymore."

The words hung in the air like a blade between them. Garmadon's expression darkened, his red eyes narrowing. "You think I don't care about this fight? About you?" His voice was cold, controlled, but there was something deeper underneath, something raw. "I've sacrificed everything for Ninjago. For you."

Lloyd finally turned to face his father, his eyes blazing with emotion. "Sacrificed? You destroyed Ninjago, you nearly destroyed me! And now, after everything, you expect me to trust you with my friends' lives?"

Garmadon's jaw clenched. "You're a fool if you think you can do this without me."

"I'm not a fool!" Lloyd's voice rose, his frustration bubbling over. "I've led this team through more battles than I can count. We've fought for Ninjago while you—while you were the one tearing it apart!"

Garmadon took a step closer, his towering presence casting a shadow over his son. "And yet here I stand, fighting the same fight as you. Whether you like it or not, Lloyd, we are in this together. If you want to survive this, you will need me."

Lloyd's chest heaved with the weight of his anger, his heart pounding in his chest. "Survive?" He shook his head. "This isn't just about survival, Dad. It's about doing what's right. It's about protecting people, not destroying them."

"And what would you know about sacrifice?" Garmadon's voice was low, dangerous. "You're still a boy, Lloyd. You haven't seen what I've seen. You haven't made the kind of choices I've had to make."

Lloyd's eyes flashed with hurt, but he didn't back down. "I've sacrificed everything too! My friends, my childhood, my future—I've fought to be the hero you never could be!"

For a moment, neither spoke. The sound of distant growls and moans from the advancing horde filled the silence between them. The infected were coming. The first major battle was on the horizon, but here, standing face-to-face with his father, Lloyd felt like he was on the brink of a different kind of war.

Garmadon's voice, when he spoke again, was softer, almost tired. "You think you can carry this burden alone, but you can't. This fight will cost us more than you know, Lloyd. And if we don't work together, we're going to lose."

Lloyd's throat tightened. He hated how much of the truth there was in his father's words. He hated that he needed him. But more than anything, he hated the fear gnawing at his heart—the fear that Garmadon might be right.

The low, guttural growls were growing louder. Zane's voice crackled over the comm. "They're close. We have maybe two minutes."

Lloyd swallowed hard, feeling the weight of the moment pressing down on him. This was it. If they didn't work together, the horde would overwhelm them. He glanced at his father, seeing the steely determination in his eyes—the same eyes that had once looked at him with such hatred. And yet, here they were, on the same side. Could he trust him? Could he afford not to?

"Fine," Lloyd muttered, the words bitter on his tongue. "We'll work together. But don't think for a second that I'll let you make the same mistakes again."

Garmadon's mouth twitched, almost into a smile. "I wouldn't expect anything less."

- - - - - - - - - - -

As the infected surged forward like a black wave, the ninjas took their positions. Kai stood beside Cole, his flaming sword in hand, ready to unleash a torrent of fire on the horde. Nya and Jay were stationed nearby, coordinating their strikes, while Zane scanned the area for weak points in the horde's formation. Lloyd and Garmadon stood at the center, leading the charge.

The first wave hit hard. Zombies with hollow eyes and broken limbs clawed their way toward them, their bodies twisted and grotesque. But the ninjas fought back with everything they had.

Kai's flames scorched the ground, burning through the ranks of the undead, but even his power wasn't enough to stop the overwhelming number of the infected. Cole's hammer smashed through the front lines, but with each fallen zombie, three more seemed to take its place. Jay and Nya unleashed coordinated attacks, bolts of lightning and torrents of water ripping through the hordes.

But it was Lloyd and Garmadon who stood at the heart of the battle, side by side. For the first time in years, they fought together, not as enemies, but as allies. Lloyd's green energy blades slashed through the infected, while Garmadon's four arms moved with deadly precision, his dark powers creating a barrier between the team and the horde.

Yet even as they fought together, the tension between them remained. Garmadon moved with a ruthlessness that made Lloyd's skin crawl, his strikes merciless, leaving nothing but destruction in their wake. But Lloyd couldn't afford to question it now. Not with the lives of his friends on the line.

As the battle raged on, Lloyd found himself next to his father again. Garmadon's red eyes flicked to his son, and for a brief moment, they stood together, breathing hard, covered in blood and sweat.

"Do you see now?" Garmadon said, his voice low but firm. "We have to fight like this. There's no room for hesitation."

Lloyd didn't answer. He couldn't. Because even though they were winning the battle, he couldn't shake the feeling that they were losing something else. Something far more important.

Trust. Faith. Hope.

And in the depths of his heart, Lloyd feared that when the dust settled, there might not be anything left to save.