Ring of the Artisan

Act I Ch. 1: A Bone to Pick

Content warning:
- occasional strong language
- mild to severe injury
- major and minor character death
- mental illnesses (specifically ptsd)

Extra notes:
- i do not own ninjago: masters of spinjitzu nor any of its characters and plot.
- edit 13-2-22: i've added a mature warning due to some serious injury and descriptive deaths

~ ~ ~

Kenshibetsu was one of the most forgettable villages in the world of Ninjago. It was so tiny, compared to the rest of the busy world. Just a speck of dust in the vast sandstorm of the world.

And you were okay with that. You've lived within Kenshibetsu your whole life, from birth until now.

Life in Kenshibetsu was slow, yet peaceful. It was a place where you could do whatever you wanted freely without judgment. You grew up working as a painter and an architect, and you often spent your days either creating gorgeous portraits or repairing your neighbors' homes until they seemed like new. Despite the seemingly monotonous schedule, every day brought a unique experience to your small world.

Life was simple and easy in Kenshibetsu.

Today, however, as you walked down the rugged, gravel pathways of the village, something felt wrong. A small storm appeared within the distance, one that surely seemed unexpected. It held an aura of darkness within it. You adjusted your grip on the large portrait you carried beside you, wrapped within a woven blanket to protect it from any damage. You picked up the pace.

The heavy clouds rolled along as you continued to your destination. You could see the home you were heading towards. Though, as the clouds hovered above your small village, no rain came down. Instead, the sound of engines revved in the distance, echoing loudly through the air as the screams of your people erupted.

You had fearfully turned towards the sound of trouble. Just outside the village, you spotted large vehicles made of bone and metal riding towards Kenshibetsu. The vehicles plowed through small fields of wheat and vegetables as they entered the village's border. Aboard every monstrous vehicle were living skeletons, each equipped with various sharp weapons.

You spun around and ran. You took off towards your destination, hoping that you could hide with your client. Things seemed bleak, however. No one within Kenshibetsu was well-versed in combat. No one stood a chance against the skeletons.

The engines neared. You glanced back for a moment. You shrieked as a large claw soared right toward you. You dove to the side and landed right on your back. The large claw pierced into the ground, its sharp claws easily digging into the gravel.

You threw yourself to your feet, careful not to break the covered painting within your arms. You can again. You could hear the engine of the pursuing vehicle blast once again.

A skeletal truck zipped right past you. It sharply turned and slid to a stop right before you. You dug your heels into the gravel and came to a stop. Skeletons dropped from the truck and approached you.

You glance back the way you came. The other truck braked before you, and more skeletons dropped. One of them bore four arms, each decked with a razor-sharp knife.

"Nowhere left to run, Artisan!" The four-armed skeleton called. "Give it up now!"

"What do you want from me?!" You hysterically shouted. You had nothing of value. You were just another face in the village of Kenshibetsu. You were just a villager that lived a simple life one step at a time.

Right?

"Ready the cannon!" The four-armed skeleton shouted back.

The large claw clicked into place, and the skeleton behind it aimed.