NINJAGO: Corrupted

21 - Into The Palace

It was late into the night before the streets of Azure Valley had quietened. It was past midnight and the sun was yet to come up from beyond the horizon but the ninja decided that they weren't staying any longer. 

"Okay, we're done waiting." Cole bellowed from the cell's barred door. "Can you open this door and let us go in peace?" 

There was no answer from the security guards - the detainment centre was almost completely quiet. All the celebrations from a few hours ago seemed to have burnt them out as well. 

Cole turned back to the team and shrugged. "Do you think it's safe to escape?" 

They all looked at each other and nodded. Nya stood up from her spot in the corner and examined the metal bars.

"Zane, do you think our elemental powers can go against this metal?" She asked the nindroid. Zane scanned the bars and gave a disapproving look. 

"They appear to be made of an alloy of vengestone and other various metals, rather than pure vengestone. If we all use our elemental powers, we could overcome the bonds in those metals and break the bars." The ice ninja answered. So with that being said, all six of them huddled by the cell gate and exerted their elemental powers onto the door's lock. 

Eventually, the lock cracked and allowed them to escape from the dim cell. 

"Wow, I can't believe that worked!" Jay whispered excitedly. They immediately rushed out into the dark misty streets. The city was asleep, and the palace was in the ninja's sight. 

They ran through the confetti-covered streets, parkouring over stone buildings and swinging their way to the palace, when Kai stopped abruptly on top of a building. 

"Kai, come on, we're so close - the palace is right there!" Jay urged at the red ninja. 

"Are you guys absolutely sure Jupiter is in there? I mean, we were stuck in that cell the whole night, how do we know she's the Empress?" Kai asked tentatively, looking at his teammates. 

Lloyd removed the green mask over his face and responded; 

"Well, all our evidence does lead to just that - it's not like we have anywhere else to look first." 

They were about to leap over to the palace's walls when a voice emerged from under them. 

"I wouldn't recommend trespassing into there." said the voice. 

The ninja looked at each other again, confused. They hopped down to the sandy floor to see who was offering their advice. Sat by the small building's doors reading a newspaper was a boy dressed in a brown jacket and dark tattered jeans. He was guarding the few animals that were inside the drab building. 

"Hold on...I recognise you. Have we met before?" Lloyd questioned, stepping closer to Hector.

The servant boy put down his newspaper and stood up to lean against the doorway. 

"Indeed we have. I'm Hector, if you don't remember." He eyed each of the ninja. 

"Aren't you a friend of Jupiter? What are you doing all the way out here?" Zane stepped forward too. 

"Long story short, I was captured and forced to work as a servant to the palace. And I can tell you, Jupiter is in there-" 

"Great! All we have to do is talk her out of this whole 'ruling over Azure Valley' thing and everything will be back to normal!" Cole announced. Hector hushed at him for speaking too loud too early in the morning. 

"I don't think it would be that easy..." Hector said disappointingly. "First of all, the guards here are super rough. Then there's her royal advisor, Axel." 

The ninja exchanged looks. 

"What's with that guy, anyway? There's something fishy about him, from what we know." Nya asked, clutching her spear. Hector thought for a few moments, then responded;

"I agree. I overheard him talking with his brother a few days ago, about the Sky Jewel and how legit it really is." 

"Woah, what's a Sky Jewel?" Kai interrogated. 

"Apparently, it's a one of a kind jewel that's powered by stars or something. Axel gave it to her when she became royalty. But what I heard was that he and his brother didn't find it, like he told everyone. Someone gave it to them. Just a few days ago; there never was a prophecy." Hector informed them. 

"Do you know who gave it to them? Or why?" Nya asked again. 

Hector looked at her and scoffed. "I'm not a detective - how should I know? A few moments after I heard, he saw that I was eavesdropping and sent me out. That's all I know."

"Well, we have to go in there and find her, before any trouble starts," Lloyd affirmed. "We need a discrete way in." 

They all began brainstorming ways to enter the palace, when Hector cleared his throat. 

"I can help you get in. But only because I want to see my friend again too." 

* * * 

"Hector," A guard grumbled at the boy. "What are you doing here so early in the morning? It is still dark - the advisor ordered that you stay outside the palace." 

The servant boy stop pushing the wheeled industrial bin and hesitated. The guard inspected him closely. He then eyed the industrial bin he was trying to bring into the palace. It was covered with a dingy tarp.

"What, may I ask, is in the bin?" He challenged.  

Hector did a fake cough and replied; 

"The fabric trader came early - too early, in fact. He saw me outside and asked me to deliver these cloths as soon as possible. Yeah." He did a nervous chuckle; if this backfired, it would definitely be the last straw for him.

"Fabrics, huh?" The guard reached over to pull the tarp away - he lifted it and gazed into the bin. Hector's heart pounded as the guard peered into the plastic box. After what seemed like forever, the guard stood up straight again. 

"Next time, tell the fabric trader that we don't particularly require... multicolored materials. Go on then - leave it in the laundry room." The guard finally said. Hector smiled awkwardly and shoved the bin through the palace's back gates slowly. Once they were well out of the guard's sight and earshot, he lifted the tarp away to let Lloyd, Jay and Nya out of the bin. 

"Ouch, my neck..." Jay mumbled, after crouching in a tight space for a while.

"It's a good thing I didn't have to push all of you - I'd be stuck there." Hector told them. Beside them, Kai, Cole and Zane arrived too; they had just leaped over the wall, whilst the guard was still distracted. 

"Okay, Jupiter is probably in her room right now - let's just hope Axel isn't patrolling the halls." The boy said to the ninja. They proceeded into the palace, searching for the grand bedroom. Lamps were still alight within the halls; no guards were spotted yet. 

After minutes of cautious wandering, the group eventually arrived at the door of the Empress' room.

"We're lucky we didn't bump into anyone getting here," Cole murmured.

They were about to open the doors before Hector interrupted them.

"I- uh - forgot to tell you guys," he looked around before continuing to speak. "She's been acting a bit weirder than normal - I don't know if it's her being nervous or something else..."

"Acting weird how?" Lloyd asked, hands on the door, prepared to open them.

"She's more...impatient. Distracted. A bit more aggressive than I normally see her."