Ninjago: Ripped World

1: The Beginning of the End

The air compressed and the world distorted. The pull of the vacuum of space and time clawed at their bodies. An inescapable force propelled them through the portal. For a split second their actual existence seemed in question as their every fibre mingled with the inter-dimensional coupling of worlds.

The explosion violent and spectacular, catapulted them back to where the two worlds collided, days, weeks or months before they did not know. Laying discarded amid the expelled debris of The Forgotten Realm, the softly glowing Moss of Ninjago City Bay dunes reclaimed their battered bodies. As if chewed up and spat out, they had made it back and lived.

With just the stars to remind her of her place in the universe, Nya's still eyes watched her breath snake into the cold dark night. It felt like a lifetime before she was able to move and her heart cried out for her friend. With the smallest of movements, tentative fingertips felt the moss beneath her as she reconnected with the world. Slowly she turned her head, searching the night for a sign of the darkest Ninja. The soft phosphorescent glow of the moss threw its welcome light onto a familiar shape. He was here, he had made it back too.

'Cole' Nya released his name in a long sigh of relief.

Barely meters away, Nya's sigh roused him and in that moment he felt the distance was too great. He rolled to pull himself up, pushing through his muscular arms and unfurling his body slowly he stumbled, clamping his hands onto the rocks to steady himself he slowly reoriented himself after the impact of the realm jump. But he could not wait any longer, the draw was too strong. His dark eyes bore through his dishevelled black hair. Having managed to rise onto her knees he could see Nya ahead and looked towards him. Her breathing was laboured and bearing the marks of her ordeal, her body was bruised and her clothes torn. From the rocks that steadied him Cole felt a surge of energy flood through his hands. Back on home soil the power he channelled from the world itself reactivated him and as if recharged his reflexes were razor sharp once more. The Black Ninja was back.

Nya was strong, but did not have the Earth Ninja's hit of power to invigorate her. As the Water Ninja, she took comfort from the dew in the moss and it refreshed her senses. Looking up at Cole, he took her breath away. So much about their time away had changed them and Cole's powers had transformed immeasurably, so much that she could see the charge emanating from his body. She met his intense gaze and knew. She knew nothing would be the same between them. She could feel the vibrations in the ground and she knew his intent. She rose to meet him and almost collapsed, but he was there, pulling her to him. Her face tilted up as Coles arm wrapped around her back and his body arched over hers. As their bodies surged together, their lips met and the elements around them exploded in a constellation of rock and water. 

Cole felt Nya's body relax as exhaustion overcame her and the water drops that glittered like stars around them dropped to the ground. He watched her eyes roll and felt her body go limp. He took her weight as the darkness of sleep overwhelmed her. 

NEXT: CHAPTER 2 - The Aftermath

Nya falls into an exhausted sleep. Cole punishes himself through guilt. Jay has suspicions and looks to Zane for answers. Perhaps we'll have to go back to the beginning for all the answers and find out how our favourite Ninjas have ended up in this predicament. Please come back to read more.