Ninjago:Rising

CHAPTER ELEVEN

After the fight with the murderer, it was clear that they needed to get a better handle on Lyra's powers. The fact that she could both give and take power was something none of them had anticipated, and that made her abilities even more dangerous—and unpredictable.

Jay insisted that they run more tests, just to see what exactly she was capable of and to help her learn control. He set up a makeshift lab in the training room, surrounding Lyra with energy sensors, monitors, and various pieces of tech that only Jay could make sense of.

"This should give us a better idea of how your energy works," Jay said as he adjusted the sensors on her arms. "We need to understand the limits of your powers before something like that happens again."

Lyra nodded, though her expression was tense. "I don't want to hurt anyone else," she said quietly, her voice laced with unease.

"You won't," Lloyd said, trying to sound reassuring. "We're here to help you, Lyra. This is just so we can figure it out together."

She gave him a small nod, but he could still see the fear in her eyes. He exchanged a glance with Harumi, who stood beside him, her own worry clear on her face.

"Alright, ready?" Jay asked, adjusting the final pieces of equipment.

Lyra took a deep breath and nodded again. "Ready."

Jay started the test, and immediately, the energy in the room shifted. The sensors flared to life as Lyra's dark power began to pulse through the air. Tendrils of shadowy energy swirled around her, wrapping around her arms and legs like living things. The monitors beeped and hummed, displaying spikes of energy that were growing more erratic by the second.

Jay frowned at the screen. "That's... odd. Her energy levels are fluctuating more than they should be."

"Is that bad?" Harumi asked, her voice tight.

"Not necessarily," Jay replied, still focused on the readings. "But it's definitely unusual. Let's push it a little further, just to see what happens when she taps into that giving and taking power."

Lyra hesitated, but then she closed her eyes and focused. The tendrils of dark energy thickened, swirling faster now. The air around them grew colder, and the lights in the room began to flicker. Her breathing became more labored, and Lloyd could see the strain on her face.

"Lyra, you okay?" Lloyd asked, taking a step closer.

"I... I'm fine," she whispered, but her voice was shaky.

Jay pushed a button on the console, and suddenly, one of the machines emitted a sharp, high-pitched sound. Lyra gasped, her body convulsing as the energy around her spiked dangerously. The sensors went haywire, flashing red warnings on the screens. Her power flared out of control, lashing out like a wild animal.

"Jay, shut it down!" Lloyd shouted.

"I'm trying!" Jay yelled back, frantically pressing buttons on the console.

But before he could stop it, Lyra screamed in pain as a surge of dark energy exploded from her body. The wave hit all of them like a physical force, sending them stumbling backward. Lloyd slammed into the wall, feeling the chill of her power seep into his bones.

And then... something changed. Lyra stood there, trembling, her eyes wide and unfocused. She wasn't in pain anymore—instead, she started laughing. It was a soft, almost nervous giggle at first, but then it grew louder, more twisted, more manic.

They all froze, watching her. The laugh became a cackle, and her body shook with it. The sound was chilling, echoing through the room like something out of a nightmare. Lloyd felt a cold knot of dread forming in his stomach as her laughter grew louder and louder, reverberating off the walls.