Outbreak: Ninjago's Dark Dawn

Chapter 12: The Unyielding Sacrifice

The stench of decay filled the air, mingling with the distant echoes of groaning zombies. The once vibrant streets of Ninjago City were now a wasteland of collapsed buildings and overturned cars, their surfaces slick with ash and grime. Cole's boots crunched on the debris-strewn ground as he moved with purpose, his heart pounding not just from the adrenaline of the situation, but from the ticking clock inside him—the infection that was slowly claiming his body.

He could feel it creeping through his veins, a dark force that threatened to overtake his will. But he wasn't giving in. Not yet. The others needed him.

As the group gathered in the shadow of a half-collapsed skyscraper, Lloyd was making plans for their next move. His face, pale and drawn from hunger and exhaustion, was a picture of grim determination.

"We head for the tunnels. They're the only way we can avoid the main horde and get to higher ground," Lloyd said, his voice steady despite the chaos surrounding them.

Cole nodded in agreement, but his thoughts were elsewhere. The infection had advanced further than he had let on, and every moment was a struggle to remain in control. His powers, though still strong, felt unstable—like an earthquake waiting to erupt.

And it was then that the rumble of undead filled the air. A horde was approaching, larger than any they had faced before.

"We can't fight them all," Jay said, his voice trembling as his eyes darted toward the mass of zombies swarming from all directions. His hand instinctively tightened around the small device he and Nya had been working on—an unfinished weapon that still needed more time.

Cole could feel the urgency in the air, the rising panic among the team. Time was slipping away, both for him and for their chances of survival.

"I'll hold them off," Cole said suddenly, his voice firm, his resolve unshakable.

The others turned to him in disbelief. Lloyd's eyes widened. "No, Cole, we stick together. You can't—"

"I'm already running out of time," Cole interrupted, his eyes flickering with the weight of his unspoken truth. "You know it. But I'm not giving up on this fight. I can buy you time to finish that weapon."

"No!" Kai's voice cracked with emotion, his fists clenched as he stepped forward, blocking Cole's path. "You can't do this. You're not throwing your life away for us."

Cole's face softened, a weary but determined smile playing on his lips. "I'm not dying, Kai. Not yet. I'm just giving you all a chance. You have to trust me."

Kai's heart raced as his worst fears resurfaced, his mind flashing back to the moments when he had already lost people he loved. His body shook with tension, torn between his loyalty to his friend and the unbearable thought of losing him. His secret affection for Cole, buried deep under layers of bravado, gnawed at him, threatening to break his composure. But now wasn't the time to speak those feelings.

Lloyd stepped forward, his voice low but heavy with emotion. "Cole... we need you with us. You don't have to do this alone."

Cole reached out, gripping Lloyd's shoulder firmly. "You're the leader, Lloyd. You have to get everyone to safety. I'll meet you on the other side, I swear."

A long, tense silence hung between them. Finally, Lloyd nodded, though his heart ached. "Just... come back."

Cole turned toward the approaching horde, the earth trembling beneath him as he summoned every ounce of his elemental power. The ground cracked and split, sending tremors through the air, but even as the power surged through him, he felt the infection fight back, gnawing at his strength.

Without another word, Cole ran toward the zombies, his fists glowing with raw energy. He slammed the ground with an enormous quake, sending chunks of debris into the air and knocking dozens of the undead aside. But more kept coming.

"Go!" he shouted over his shoulder, his voice resolute. "Now!"

Lloyd, Nya, Jay, Zane, Kai, and Garmadon turned, racing toward the tunnels. Kai lingered for a moment longer, his heart hammering in his chest, before finally forcing himself to follow.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Deep in the tunnels, the group paused to catch their breath. The atmosphere was tense, the weight of Cole's sacrifice pressing down on them.

Nya leaned against the wall, watching Lloyd. His face was a mask of stoic determination, but Nya could see the cracks beneath the surface. She stepped closer, her voice soft and gentle. "Lloyd, you need to talk about this."

Lloyd glanced at her, his eyes tired and hollow. "There's nothing to talk about. Cole made his choice."

"You know that's not true," Nya said firmly. "You've been carrying too much on your shoulders. You're barely holding it together."

Lloyd's jaw tightened, but he didn't argue. He knew she was right. The weight of leadership, the constant fear of losing more of his team—it was crushing him from the inside. "I don't know how much longer I can keep everyone safe," he admitted, his voice cracking. "Every decision feels like the wrong one."

Nya placed a hand on his arm, her touch grounding him. "You don't have to do this alone, Lloyd. We're a team. And your health, both physically and mentally, matters just as much as ours. You need to take care of yourself, too."

Lloyd looked away, guilt swirling in his chest. He knew Nya was right, but it didn't change the fact that they were running out of options, out of time.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Meanwhile, Jay sat apart from the others, his hands shaking uncontrollably. He was trying to work on the device, but his mind was spiraling. The pressure was suffocating, and the constant fear gnawed at him, whispering that they were doomed no matter what they did.

His breath quickened, his chest tightening as a wave of panic washed over him. He dropped the tool in his hand, burying his face in his palms.

"I can't do this... I can't do this..." Jay whispered to himself, his voice thick with anxiety.

Zane, who had been silently observing from the other side of the room, approached and knelt beside him. His voice was calm, but filled with empathy. "Jay, you are stronger than you realize. We are all feeling the weight of this, but you do not carry it alone."

Jay shook his head, his thoughts racing. "What if we can't finish it? What if we're too late? What if Cole—"

"Cole believes in you," Zane said softly, cutting through Jay's spiral of doubt. "And we believe in you. You are not defined by these moments of fear. You are defined by your ability to push through them."

Jay took a shaky breath, Zane's words slowly cutting through the fog of his panic. He wasn't alone. They were all struggling, but they were also all fighting—together.

With a final deep breath, Jay nodded. "You're right. I can't give up."

Zane smiled, placing a reassuring hand on Jay's shoulder. "None of us can."

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Back above ground, Cole fought with everything he had. The infection surged through him, but he refused to let it take him. The zombies swarmed, their claws reaching for him, but he stood firm, the earth bending to his will.

And through it all, Cole smiled. He wasn't finished yet.