NINJAGO: Corrupted

13 - Stranger Danger?

The jeep rumbled violently along the sandy road. Hot beams from the sun shot down like bullets onto Jupiter's bare skin. Her eyes slowly peeled open.

Where the hell am I? What time is it?

Her arm was sore from her bodyweight laying on top of it, and her clothes were wrinkled. She tried sitting up when she realised she was being driven through the desert in a dark clunky jeep. She inhaled sharply with surprise.

The man behind the wheel seemed focused on the road. Jupiter caught a glimpse of the back of his head; jet black hair tied back in a small bun. He was wearing a pair of shades as well. Is that Axel? The interviewer for the magazine? 

Jupiter weakly sat up in the back of the car and opened her mouth to speak until Axel spoke first. 

"Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you." His gaze was still directed onto the dry road beyond. 

The lilac ninja coughed; her throat was dry and she had no idea how long she's been out. She then spoke in a weak hoarse voice. 

"Then-- Then where are you taking me? Why are you taking me? What do you want?" She stared at the driver. Jupiter's hazy vision drifted towards Axel's hand on the wheel. He had the same circle tattoo that Marcus had. She thought for a few moments before speaking again. 

"Do you know Marcus?" She asked curiously. There surely was some link between Axel taking her and Marcus' attack at the news studio. 

"Yes." Axel replied. "The one who was all over the news yesterday? I am quite familiar with him." 

"Quite familiar as in 'I've got the exact same tattoo on my hand as him'?" The lilac ninja retorted. Axel glanced at his hand on the wheel and muttered something under his breath. He turned his head for the first time and looked at the girl in the backseat. 

"I promise I'll explain everything. This will all make sense very soon." He carried on driving. 

Anger and confusion bubbled inside Jupiter. Her body still felt weak; everything was aching. It was only after another 20-or-so minutes before Axel slowed the vehicle down. The jeep was now in the valley of two ginormous rocky mountains. They stood like grand pillars with rocky rubble in-between and all around. The sand was a hot red and there was no civilisation to be seen. 

Axel accelerated the jeep towards a giant boulder that rested between the two peaks. Jupiter noticed that the huge boulder had a large but faint circle marked on it, matching the one on Axel's and Marcus' hands. 

The car was getting closer and closer to the rock yet Jupiter was at unease. 

"Woah-what are you--why aren't you stopping?" She crouched lower in her seat in caution as she glanced at Axel who was driving straight into the rock. She squeezed her eyes shut, preparing for a nasty collision with the boulder but it never came. 

Instead of the jeep blasting into a million pieces, it drove straight through the rocky wall and came out the other end, into a wondrous land of civilisation. It was an extensive city-like land, cleverly hidden from the outside world. Buildings were made of deep red rock and stone, a shimmering river flowed through the village and in the centre of it all, a glorious palace, decorated with flourishing flowers, plants and shiny jewels. 

Axel parked his jeep in a small garage close by and helped Jupiter out. She was still star-struck by the secret city beyond the rocks. 

"What is this place?" She asked, astounded by the majestic beauty of the place. 

"Welcome to Azure Valley." Axel announced. He gestured at Jupiter, urging her to follow him down the steps into the mysterious village.