Ninjago Pilots

Pilot #6: The Jade Blade in the Stone

When I started writing fanfics, I had loads of (admittedly really rubbish) ideas that never even made it to the draft stage.
This story here was the very first one I actually dared to publish... it is based off Disney's 'The Sword in the Stone'.

Prologue: The Prophecy

The First Spinjitzu Master was dead.

The wise ruler of Ninjago and leader of the elemental alliance had passed away peacefully in his sleep, leaving the country without an heir. Sure, he had two sons, but they had been told – and had accepted – that neither of them was destined to take their father's place. Still the two brothers swore to fight side by side to protect their homeland. They kept the alliance of elemental masters united and together would defeat the Serpentine tribes who tried to take over the country. So for many years following their father's passing they maintained a level of peace and security in Ninjago.

One dark night, however, they both disappeared, as did the older brother's family. Rumours went around that the older son, Garmadon by name, had been consumed by an ancient evil and was banished to the underworld by his brother, following a long and fierce battle. And Wu, the younger son, simply vanished afterwards, because he was unable to deal with his feelings of grief and guilt. As for the older son 's wife and infant son, no one even wanted to imagine what might have happened to them... Neither of the four had been seen in Ninjago ever since.

But not all hope was lost. During the same night, a sword with a blade of jade mysteriously appeared in a stone, right in the centre of their capital Ninjago City. And on the golden hilt it was written "Who so pulleth out this blade from this stone and anvil, is rightwise green ninja and ruler born of Ninjago."

The people of Ninjago had heard of the ancient prophecy of the legendary green ninja, a powerful elemental master and the rightful heir of the First Spinjitzu Master. He or she was destined to defeat all evil in Ninjago once and for all and lead the country into an era of peace and prosperity. Many men and women tried to pull the blade from its stone, elemental masters as well as non-elementals, but no one would succeed.

Without the two brothers, the elemental alliance quickly broke apart. Master turned against master and, without their guidance and protection, soon the country fell into a dark age.

And with time, the blade was forgotten.

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Chapter 1: The Servant Boy and the Sensei

11 years later

After a long, steep climb Lloyd had finally reached the peak of the mountain. He was quite surprised to find himself in front of a red wooden door, he hadn't known that a building – a monastery by the looks of it – was located at this unusual place. Panting heavily, the eleven-year old boy sat down on the top step and decided to take a little rest before continuing his quest. While trying to recover his breath, he enjoyed the splendid view over the country. Lloyd was quite impressed by the dimensions of the dark and eerie Birchwood Forest that he had crossed on his way here. In the distance, he could spot his master's Castle of the four Winds, as well as the nearby village of Ignacia. And he was even able to see places way beyond the lands of his master – and way out of reach for a poor servant boy such as him.

Still, Lloyd was not one to complain, he was grateful for his position with Sir Morro. As an infant, he had been left at the doorsteps at Darkley's Boarding School for Bad Boys, with nothing but his name and a photo showing himself in the arms of a smiling and, despite his blood red eyes, very handsome and kind looking middle aged man, presumably his father. Lloyd had spent most of his early childhood at the school until, a few months ago, he found himself expelled. According to his teachers, he was lacking the immoral ambition to be one of tomorrow's masterminds that would be required to continue his education at Darkley's.