Phoenix Fading

Ashes, Ashes

In the middle of the night, everyone should've been asleep. It was only logical. Night was for sleeping, after all. But this didn't seem to be the case now, as one pair of eyes slid open, squinting at the small beam of moonlight that hit them.

He carefully sat up. Lloyd was asleep, just like the others, but he was a light sleeper. He'd have to be careful.

Anytime someone shifted, he instantly froze. Stepping over the sleeping bodies was hell, especially with an uneven floor, but he managed. He let out a breath as he emerged from the hideout they'd found - an abandoned schoolhouse in the forest outside of the city.

Honestly, being near so many people made him panic, as much as he hated to admit it. With his clauster- and agora- phobia, it was hell. Reminded him of... Let's not go down that thought path, Morro.

The noirette closed his eyes, taking a breath. Even in this warped not-really-Ninjago Ninjago, everything was the same. The scent of pine clear through the woods. The cool breeze. The quiet chirps of night animal-

Wait.

Woth his sensitive hearing, Morro should have been able to hear the insects. But he could hear nothing. Perhaps Nadakhan had missed a few details?

Or, worse yet, they were being silent for good reason. A hunter was near.

"The Master of Wind. Your element has always intrigued me."

Morro spun around quickly. Before him stood - floated? What the hell? - the human-turned-Djinn, Nadakhan. His lower set of arms were crossed, and a sly grin was on his face. A grin Morro did not trust.

"What do you want?" he spat, covering his wariness. For Nadakhan was between him and their hideout - between him and Lloyd.

"You see, I need your help," Nadakhan hummed. He shifted, floating around Morro in a slow circle. "I may have the appearance of a Djinn, but this world is not my own. It was created from the wish of another. What I can and cannot do is - was - influenced by him. I can grant wishes, but only for others, and I cannot directly harm you or your companions... yet.

"So, Morro, perhaps you'd like to make a wish?"

Morro had issues swallowing suddenly. What Nadakhan was offering... he could save everyone.

He could save Lloyd.

"I wish for the others to go home."

"Your wish is yours to keep." He could hear the smug grin in Nadakhan's voice. A quick glance in proved the entire group... not the entire group....

"You son of a-"

"If you wish to get exactly what you wish for, you cannot leave it vague," Nadakhan shrugged. "You said 'the others.' Not 'all of the others.' And you simply asked for them to go home... which would be the college. Yet you did not specify which."

Morro scowled at him. So this bastard's gonna be twisting my words.

"I wish that you won't be able to hurt anyone in any way, shape or form!"

A grin spread onto Nadakhan's face. "You seem quite eager to waste your wishes, Morro. I have already said I cannot hurt them."

Last wish. He had to make it count. He couldn't waste it.

"I wish-"

Pain.

Blinding pain.

He wasn't sure if he screamed or not. Everything was white; he didn't know where the pain was coming from. But it was all over, and he screamed in his mind.

When he came to, Lloyd and Tamine were awake. The latter held the former securely in his arms; the blond was struggling, shouting, but Morro couldn't hear him, only Nadakhan.

"You could wish it all away," the Djinn whispered. "The pain, the misery... everything."

"Morro!"

"I... I wish..."

He could see tears reflecting the moonlight on Lloyd's face, making his cheeks glow. His mouth opened again, a soundless cry for the noirette. He was taller than Morro... and sideways... It took him a few moments to realize he was laying on his side. Tamine's expression was grim - this was something Morro must do alone.

"...I wish... for a way to defeat you, Nadakhan..."

A glimpse of an idea formed in his mind. No, not idea... A... A memory...

For several moments, he thought the man before him was Clouse. Long black hair, eyes that sparked bright with ideas. But the eyes weren't the same - they were dark brown, not hazel. A grin slipped onto the man's face, and he reached out a hand towards Mo- no, not Morro. Towards someone out of his sight.

"Dekara!"

And pain ended the memory.

-

"MORRO!"

Seeing the one you love on the ground, writhing and screaming, is truly terrifying.

Lloyd eventually tore free from Tamine's arms. Something was... off. Morro's body... It was glowing.

Behind him, Nadakhan was laughing. "The fool. He has an idea, yes, but he cannot use it!"

"Son of a bitch!" Lloyd screamed. Energy sparked in his hands as he launched over Morro's body at Khan. Two hands of four lifted, catching his wrists easily. The other two rested on his shoulders, alarmingly close to Lloyd's neck.

"I simply interpreted his wishes in my own way," Nadakhan said calmly. One hand extended up, brushing the blond's hair from his eyes. "Wishing for the others to be home. Wishing I cannot hurt anyone. And wishing to know how to defeat me. All granted. Everyone else is back at the college. I couldn't hurt anyone from the start. And he knows... yet won't be sharing it anytime soon."

Lloyd was struggling in his grip as he spoke. The hand on his shoulder tightened, keeping him from pulling away. "And though I am unable to harm you or the others in your group, nothing has been said about others... Those I brought with me from the true Ninjago... And your little lover, as well."

A cry sounded from Morro again.

"What are you doing to him?!"

"Simply making his name as an Anacondrai accurate. His code name? Ghost."

Khan finally let go, and Lloyd spun in horror. Before him, writhing still from pain and screaming, was a now transparent and sickly-green glowing... ghost.