Taking Control. (a Ninjago fanfic)

Chapter 22- The jewel of the labyrinth

L L O Y D

The little tune Nya was humming under her breath was the only thing keeping me from completely losing my mind.

We'd been walking for hours—literally four hours. My legs ached, my shoulders were stiff, and the endless maze of trees and vines was doing nothing to keep me sane. The labyrinth seemed designed to confuse us, twisting and turning until every path looked the same. We'd had no choice but to abandon the land bounty near the mountain's edge; the jungle was far too dense for it to squeeze through. That left us to navigate the maze on foot.

"So where exactly are you leading us?" Zane asked, tilting his head questioningly.

"To the Jewel of the Labyrinth," I replied confidently, picking my way through the undergrowth.

It had been years, but I still remembered the spot. Back when I was training to be the Golden Ninja, Dad and I had rested there one night. It was the one clear thing in this place, the one haven I knew we could trust.

"And how do you know where you're going?" Nya chimed in, her tone skeptical but curious as she brushed a vine out of her way. She raised an eyebrow, clearly trying to see if I was lying.

I smirked and pointed to myself. "I'm the Master of Energy, of life, remember? The trees are alive—they're connected. I can feel it. They're telling me."

Nya snorted, shaking her head, but I caught a small grin tugging at her lips. "Well, that's creepy as hell. Cool, though," she admitted, her eyes glinting in the dim light.

"Thanks," I said, smiling warmly back at her.

The trees whispered to me again, faint and quiet, but their guidance was clear. We were close. The sun was dipping below the horizon, its final rays casting a warm, golden glow over the forest floor. We had to keep moving—darkness was coming fast, and this really wasn't a place you wanted to be caught unprepared. Who knows what happens here at night.

~~~

"Wow," Nya whispered, her voice soft with awe as we finally stepped into the clearing.

I had to admit, even though I'd been here before, it still took my breath away. Waterfalls tumbled from jagged cliffs, their water so clear and blue it looked like liquid crystal. The sound of rushing water filled the air, a soothing rhythm that washed over us like a song. Trees with graceful, willowy branches arched above us, forming a natural canopy. Their branches drooped low, enclosing the space in a protective embrace. Safe. Very safe.

All around us, flowers bloomed in vibrant colors—reds, blues, purples, and yellows—each one more dazzling than the last. The air smelled fresh and alive, like the jungle itself was welcoming us.

Fireflies danced lazily in the growing twilight, their glowing bodies adding a warm light to the scene. It was peaceful. Dreamy. Perfect.

"This is... incredible," Nya said, her voice barely above a whisper as her wide eyes took it all in.

"I'll admit," Zane said, his icy blue eyes shimmering as they reflected the scene before us, "this place exceeds expectations."

I grinned, the exhaustion of the day catching up to me all at once. "Told you it'd be worth it. We'll rest here for the night and start fresh tomorrow. We've got a lot of ground to cover, and we'll need our strength."

The idea of finally stopping, of finally sleeping somewhere that didn't feel like it wanted to kill us, was too good to pass up. As the fireflies buzzed around, casting their gentle glow over our little haven, I let myself relax, just for a moment.

This place—this Jewel of the Labyrinth—felt like the first good thing to happen in days.

~~~

I sat by the fire, trying to keep myself awake by staring at the flickering flame. Its glow reflected off the trees, casting shadows that danced and shifted like restless spirits. Nya was off by the waterfall, forming little floating orbs of water that glided through the air before bursting with faint splashes. Zane sat across from me, fiddling with the communicator, his brows furrowed in frustration. By the look on his face, it wasn't working.

"I miss him." Nya spoke quietly. So quietly I nearly missed what she said.

I missed him too. So much. But I can't even imagine what she must be feeling right now. Her ying, her other half.

Stripped away.

In the blink of an eye, in the bat of a birds wing.

Gone.

"Me too." I whispered, holding her hand comfortingly.

Memories flashed through my mind. His smile, the way it could light up a whole room. His freckles, that danced along his cheeks. His eyes, that shone so brightly with energy and life- I missed him, I missed him so much.

She didn't look at me. Her gaze was fixed on the water, her fingers clenched tightly onto the pendant she kept around her neck. Her yang.

"You're like a waterfall, Nya- stunning, powerful, and so full of energy that you make everyone around you feel alive." She sniffed, staring at the water again.

"He used to say that to me a lot." She mumbled, wiping tears away from her eyes.

That somehow made my heart hurt even more.

"Why did this have to happen to him. He's been through enough." The water ninja spoke through gritted teeth, letting the bubble dissipate and fall to the ground with a quiet splash.

"He's so strong, and brave. And I miss him so fucking much. I don't know what to do, there's just this ache in my heart and it won't go away-"

"It's ok, Nya- it's-" I tried to reassure her, listening to her hiccuping breaths as she tried not to cry.

"No, it's not- it's not ok. None of this is ok." She said, her voice breaking. "I don't even know where he is, or what he's experiencing, or.." she ran a hand through her hair, the sentence clearly being too painful for her to finish.

"We are gonna help him. He's not gone. He's just.. missing. We will get him back. We always do." Zane whispered reassuringly.

She nodded, but that miserable look in her eyes never left.

I looked around the clearing, but ever colour, every blue flower that stood out only reminded me of how he wasn't here to share this moment with us.