Loss of Hope (A Ninjago Story)

Chapter 10 Cleo

Lloyd was kneeling before me, holding out his hand. I looked at it. "This guy hurt me, and now he's trying to help me?". I was so confused, why? Why would he try and help me? Unexpectedly, I found myself reaching out to him, my hand shaking. My hands were still chained, which meant that he could see my other hand, and its wound on the palm of my hand. I began to feel calmer, and stared down at our hands touching, and pulled away, holding both of my hands to my chest. 

"Wait, I only want to help." Lloyd said. I began to glare at him, he had hurt me, now he was trying to help me. "If you truly want to help me, leave me alone!" I said, filling my voice with ice to intimidate him. He looked at me, before bowing his head to me, "As you wish." he stood up to leave, before he looked back at me, and continued to walk off. 

I was amazed, he listened to me, and left me alone. Why would he keep me around, even if I had the only thing that could stop him. Why would he even do this to me? Soon, I fell asleep against the cold hard stone. Blood was still rolling down my cheek, and the pain was everywhere.

I was alone. In a room that looked different than anywhere else I had been. Well, it seemed like I was alone. A beautiful woman appeared in front of me. She was completely white, with blonde hair, and a long white dress. "Cleo." she said, bowing her head to me. "Who are you?" I asked. The woman smiled at me, before answering me. "My name is Aderes, and I am the guardian of the wearer of the Compass of Dalza. I have helped you through your times of need, as long as you have worn that necklace." She replied. 

I was awestruck. I remember times where I was in danger, but managed to get out just fine. "You were the one that protected me. All of these years." I said, amazement everywhere in my voice. She nodded again, "So, you were the one who told me that I have to save Lloyd?" I asked. "Of course. Destiny has chosen him to be the Green Ninja. And now, Destiny has chosen you to save him." Aderes replied to me.

Aderes continued to tell me about what would happen if Lloyd were to become the new Cursed Realm. "All of Ninjago will be cursed, just like the Preeminent wanted. Unfortunately, the only way to stop this, is for it to have already begun." she said, looking down at the floor. "But how do I stop it?" I asked. 

I was determined to help Lloyd, even if I had just met him. "Do you still have the orb?" Aderes asked. I nodded, and pulled it out of my pocket. "You control it, by using your powers to activate it. The orb sends out a shockwave that gets rid of all ghosts, within its reach." she responded. I looked at the orb in my hand, "But..." I started, "Yes?" Aderes asked. "My brother, he's a ghost, and I don't want him to leave me. Not again." I said, looking down at my hands. 

My brother had left when I was younger, around 14, and now that he had finally come back into my life, I didn't want to lose him. Aderes smiled at me. "As long as he is good, and shows that to everyone, he should not disappear. Do not worry, Cleo. You will be able to save Lloyd, and your brother will be fine." Aderes said, holding her hand out to me. 

I took it, and she helped me up to my feet. "I am helping you now, by teleporting you and your friends away from here." she said. A white mist surrounded me, and I soon blacked out from how bright it was.

"Cleo!?" I heard someone shout my name, and groaned, opening my eyes. I was surrounded by sand. I lifted my head, sitting up. I saw Jay and a girl helping Zane get his head out of the sand. I tried to stand, seeing Cole and Kai looking around for me, trying to see if I had been teleported too. I was able to get up onto my feet, but then collapsed to the sand. "Cleo!" Cole said, turning and running over to me. My eyes closed shut in pain, and I blacked out.

When I woke up, Cole was pacing back and forth, with Zane looking over me. "She's waking up." Zane said, looking over to Cole. He rushed over to me as I tried to sit up. "Cleo, don't. You've lost a lot of blood, and we don't want you to move too fast." He said. The two helped me sit up, just as the others came into the room. "What happened?" I mumbled. 

"We don't know. We were just sitting in a jail cell, then we just appeared in the desert. We found you covered in blood, and brought you back here to Wu's recently repaired monastery. Then we bandaged up your face." Zane explained. "What about my hand?" "What about your hand?" Kai asked. I had kept my hand close to my chest, and finally held it out for them to see. 

There was blood running down my hand, and all over my shirt from where I was holding it. Cole gasped as he saw the large cut running along the palm. "CLEO!" he shouted, grabbing my wrist so that Zane could look at it. He grabbed a large roll of bandages, and a cloth that he dipped in water.

Zane began to clean my hand up as I explained everything that had happened. I finished telling them the story, and all of the other ninja were gaping at me. I shrugged, and Zane smiled, "Your hand is all bandaged now." he said, standing up. Cole and all of the other ninja kept on barraging me with questions, until Zane stopped them. "Guys, she needs to sleep. She has had a long day, and her wounds will only heal if she rests." he said, dragging all of the other ninja out of the room. 

I stayed on the bed, lying down. I was staring at the ceiling, thinking about the cave. There was a flash, and I was back in the cave, but no one noticed me. Lloyd was kneeling before where I had been, holding up the chains. A group of ghosts floated into the room. "Are you alright sir?" one of them asked. 

"She's gone." I heard Lloyd whisper. I walked over to him, placing my hand on his shoulder. "I would never leave you." I whispered. He tensed, sweat rolling down his face, his eyes wide. His skin turned back to the regular color from when I had first seen him. "I'm not alone in this fight anymore?" He whispered, looking back up at me, hope filling his eyes. I smiled, "No, you aren't. I'm here for you." I whispered, leaning down next to him. 

He smiled at me, his eyes a beautiful green. We looked into each other's eyes, when the ghosts repeated his question. Lloyd didn't respond for a moment, and smiled, shutting his eyes. I did the same, and when I opened my eyes, the ceiling was back. I kept on thinking about Lloyd. I didn't realize that I was starting to have feelings for him.