Vision of Ninjago

The Stone Army

I am so sorry that it has taken me over a year to publish the next chapter. This past year has been crazy with both good and bad things, from several part-time jobs, some good and other horrible, to also graduating from community college and starting university, life has been hectic. 

I want to start writing again, especially because I feel that I owe all of you an ending to the season. As I said, I'm in University and have a lot of new family drama that I don't want to get into, so I am extremely busy and most of my days are packed. However, I want to keep writing, so while the next chapter, hopefully, won't take as long to come out, it may still take a bit of time. Finishing this chapter did give me a lot of motivation and re-sparked my love of writing this story.

Thank all of you for all your kind words, it really does cheer me up in these trying times and makes me so much happier to write. If it's any consolation, this chapter is over 10,500 words, so it is nearly a thousand words longer than anything else I've written.

"Captain Soto's journal mentioned they have been looking for a fabled dark island," Garmadon's voice creeps in the darkness, "created out of evil itself."

Sand fills my vision as Garmadon stands in front of the four remaining Serpentine Generals, no Mega Weapon in sight. "Once we find it, its concentrated dark powers will help me—" Garmadon quickly corrects himself, "I mean, us! We could rule Ninjago together!"

"Oh, please," Skales sasses, "You're having us chase after fairy tales, now?"

"Not fairy tales, but a real place that existed long before any of us were around," Garmadon snaps back, "A place full of untold power."

The world starts to fade into the darkness around them. Hisses of approval swirl around me as Garmadon adds, "A place dripping with evil!"

The sound of the blaring alarm clock snaps me from my vision. I jolt up, nearly hitting my head on the bump above mine.

Steading my ragged breaths, I see Cole wasn't as lucky, rubbing the fresh bump on his head. Above him, Jay has rolled out of his bed and onto the floor with a shout.

Groaning, Kai tosses the nearest object at the annoyingly loud device. Only instead of stopping the clock, it lands behind the gramophone, echoing its noise even louder. Our annoyed groans are drowned out by the clock as we all try to cover our practically bleeding ears. Zane seems to be the only one unaffected by the situation, still peacefully asleep in his bunk.

Despite the ringing, I notice Lloyd shifting in the bunk above me. Two hands stick out over the bed and aim across the room before they start to glow. A green sphere of energy forms in his hands and he sends the blast at the alarm clock, effectively stopping it.

"Is it Wednesday already?" he groans, tiredly slumping over the bed railing. I give a sleepy nod to Lloyd's question, brushing some stray hairs from my face. The purple dye in my hair has faded quite a bit, so has all the others. It's still somewhat noticeable, just not as vibrant as it once was. It'll probably fade completely in another couple days or so.

"Sunrise exercise," Jay groans, slowly rising from his spot on the floor, "I hate sunrise exercise."

I might have to agree with Jay. Sunrise exercises aren't anything new, I've been doing them for as long as I can remember. As the team grew everyone had different training needs and then with the Serpentine it gradually became a Wednesday only thing. As a result, I've gotten used to staying up later with everyone and sleeping in a bit longer.

"Good morning, morning, morning! Up, up!" Sensei yells, bargaining into the room with a grin as the rest of us climb out of our bunks. Taking a sip of tea, which I can only assume is caffeinated by his level of energy, he smiles back at us, "It's a new day, students."