Ninjago: Where Heroes Come From

Chapter Nineteen: The Awakening

The ninja arrived too late.

The Bounty all but crashed in the desert, spraying sand everywhere and causing them to bounce and skid alone until they came to an unceremonious stop against the jagged outcropping that stuck out of the sand. Nya, who had been at the wheel, had abandoned her post in order to race to the side to join the others in staring at the massive statue that loomed over them, and at the serpentine that were already climbing it.

"Come on!" Kai cried, ignoring the others protests and panicked screaming (this was coming predominantly from Jay) and jumping down onto the sand, "we have to stop them!"

"So much for your plan," Lloyd remarked, as he and Lexi joined Kai on the ground. She bristled, sticking her chin in the air.

"Guys," Cole called from above, "this is pointless, we can't stop them now--"

"Look!" The ninja did as the voice said, although it had been directed at the serpentine, "it's the ninja! Get them!"

There was a sudden mini sandstorm as dozens of snakes stampeded towards the ninja, half of whom were standing in the sand, the other half hanging their heads over the side of the ship. This half quickly joined the others and began battling their way through the tidal wave of enraged serpentine warriors, which was easier said than done. Out of the corner of her eye, Lexi caught sight of Pythor, slithering towards the head of the statue, holding three of the five fang blades in his arms, followed closely by Skales, who was holding the remaining two. Neither one of them looked like they realized what was about to happen. They couldn't understand that this would kill them, as well as humans. They trusted the Oni.

"Pythor!" Her voice was to small; it didn't carry to his ears, or else he simply chose to ignore it. Lexi tried again, but the sounds of battle, of screaming and thundering footsteps and bodies hitting the ground, was all too loud. She was drowned out, and Pythor continued towards the statue's head, where the slivers of space would hold the blades, and the Devouror would be unleashed.

She didn't see him putting them in; she was too busy trying to avoid having her head smashed in by a screaming Constrictai, but Lexi knew what was happening. She could feel it, like ice running through her veins, that everything was wrong. This wasn't supposed to be happening, and yet...

She felt right. She could almost see the world, coming together like one giant puzzle. This was but a single piece, sliding into place. This was meant to be. This was the unavoidable fate the awaited the world.

There was a sudden rumbling sound, and the earth shook so violently that Lexi was thrown to the ground. Spitting sand and scrambling to regain her footing, Lexi realized that everyone else had been felled, and were all staring up at the statue, which was crumbling to dust before their eyes.

Pythor and Skales, along with the other serpentine who were unlucky enough to have been atop the statue as it collapsed, fell to the earth with the pieces of crumbling debris. Unfortunately, neither were killed, and the statue had fallen away to reveal nothing but empty air.

"Where's the Devouror?" Lexi wondered aloud. No one had moved; ninja and serpentine alike lying stunned beneath the cloudy air, gazing at the place where they had all thought the Devouror would be. Then the ground began to fall away beneath them.

Lexi screamed, scrambling to her feet and retreated back a few steps. She didn't make it far before she felt someone grabbing her around the middle and hauling her back bodily. She looked up to see Zane, clutching her tightly, racing back towards the Bounty. The ground was crumbling, serpentine were running in all directions, cast into a mad panic by the sudden event. Pythor was screaming at them to stay, Skales was screaming at them to follow him as he ran, trying to get as far away from the sinkhole as he could, and there was a deep, throaty growling coming from beneath the earth...