The Gold Ninja (A Lego Ninjago fanfic) //Permanent Hiatus//

Chapter Six

(Ravenna)

"Tie her up."

"But, your majesty, she's your daughter?"

"She doesn't know that."

"Do you have to be so cruel?"

"Why are you Shades so... emotional?"

"Your majesty, you're a Shade too."

"Not really."

(Zane)

"Where to?" Brielle asked.

It was strange seeing her after so long. Brielle had not visited us in two months, one week, and five days. I found it odd, considering her relationship with Cole, but I supposed that people get busy. Beside the point, I have overheard them conversing via cellphone often. She does live far away, after all.

"Well, when Wu told me the new prophecy, I immediately started digging around for my old research on the light temple. Of course, this is a different kind of light then what we are dealing with, so I didn't bring them. But, while I was rifling through my files, I discovered this," Misako explained. She reached into the beige canvas bag that was slung over her shoulders, and pulled out a fragile-looking, rolled up scroll. 

In the middle of the sidewalk, she unraveled it and showed it to us. On the parchment was an oil painting of a purple and black temple, surrounded by wispy shadows.Above it was a title; Shadow Temple.

Underneath it, words were quickly scrawled. It was all just random notes jotted down about it, but one thing did catch my eye; the location. It was written in very fine print, vertically, along one edge of the parchment. 

I saved it into my database.

"Hey, look," Dawn said, squinting at the parchment, "it says a location!"

I smiled. Her blue-gray eyes were alight with excitement and new found curiosity. I could tell, that behind that shyness that she wrapped around herself was someone very intelligent and kind. Subconsciously, I made it my job to break that shell. To me, seeing her shine bright would would be the most beautiful thing in the world. 

"Nevermind that," Jay cut in, "what does this have to do with finding Lloyd's long-lost sister?"

That spark in Dawn's eyes faded. Curse you, Jay. Do you not see the harshness of your words? I supposed not.

"First of all," Misako began, sounding slightly irritated, "she is not 'long-lost.' We didn't want her to be involved with all of the darkness surrounding her father, so we sent her away. I still kept in touch with her. Secondly, this temple has everything to do with finding Ravenna."

"Why? Garmadon doesn't deal with Shadow Temples or Shadows," Cole recalled, "he deals with skeletons and stone warriors."

"No, wait," Kai interrupted, "he knows a little bit about Shadows. Remember? It's how he communicated with us here, in the realm of the living. When we first became ninja."

I remembered this, too, and nodded in agreement. 

"Exactly," Misako stated. "I have suspicions that my husband has been dealing with Shadows again, but a different kind; the kind that own this temple."

"So wherever it is..." Brielle exclaimed, then followed by Lloyd:

"...Dad is."

"So the location is important," Dawn realized. The light had entered her eyes again, and I smiled once more. So beautiful.

Wait. Zane, what are you thinking? You are an android for crying out loud! We are not even supposed to feel real affection for others! 

But, then again, I loved my father, and I think of the other ninja as my brothers. So perhaps the rules can be bent.

"Yes," Misako said. "It's going to take some time to get to the mountain where it is, so I suggest we leave now. Does anyone have an especially fast mode of transportation?"

"I have my plane," Brielle suggested.

"Yeah, but I have my jet," Jay countered. 

"Great," Misako smiled, "we'll use both. Onward!"

With that remark, we set off. 

(Ravenna)

Blurry vision; a pet peeve of mine. 

My glasses had been removed, so the world was a bit fuzzy. A small amount of light was trickling in from somewhere to my right, but the rest of the room I was in was dark. I seemed to be tied up.

Well, I thought, this sucks.

Suddenly, a loud CREAK! sounded throughout the room, echoing off of the walls. More light flooded into the room. There wasn't much in it except for a chair across from wherever I was, that looked a lot more comfortable than the seat I was in presently. A figure walked into the room. They were tall, very dark, and masculine looking. A distinct feature that I could see were glowing purple eyes, and little whisps that surrounded him.

"Sorry to remove your vision for a bit, but, here are your lenses," the person said in a vaguely familiar voice. Where had I heard that before?

The man moved closer and slid the glasses onto my face. With crystal clear vision, I was startled by what I saw. 

It was the man from the museum earlier today, that is, if it was the same day. However, he looked a lot more monstrous now. His violet eyes glowed, and shadows swirled around his body. Strange markings were scribbled all over his inky colored skin. And then there was his face. 

It was all to familiar; the wrinkles around his eyes, the creases on his forehead, and the way his lips curled when he saw the little memories I had of him hit me. 

This man, although drastically different looking, was still the same man that had given me up all of those years ago. 

"Dad?"