The clock is only a few hours away from finishing its countdown toward the final battle between good and evil, Garmadon. Why are you so sad?
The dark entity noticed something in him. Moon, beside him, kept her hands behind her back, not looking directly at anyone, only forward, and didn't seem to be listening to anything.
"Me? Sad? Ah, nonsense!" He turned his face away and waved his hand "I couldn't be happier. It's just that..." He looked at the dark entity.
Lloyd.
"Will I really have to fight my own son to reshape Ninjago in my image?" He truly didn't seem willing to. His paternal instincts would never allow him to harm his own child.
Fight and defeat, evil must prevail.
"And what about her?" Garmadon looked toward Moon.
Oh. At this very moment the Purple Ninja is no longer herself... Let's say that sometimes force must be used. Now, she is Moon, the Guardian of Aura who serves me directly.
"Guardian of Aura?" Garmadon remembers "Like... Aaron?"
Precisely. But she is weaker than he is at the moment. Aura is an energy of nature that, one could say, possesses consciousness. Aura cannot be used if its wielder is insecure or forced.
Lord Garmadon looked at her for a moment. That wasn't Moon... It was just another soldier.
Lord Garmadon remembered what she was like when younger.
"Garmadon! Garmadon!" A small white-haired child approached a younger and less corrupted Garmadon.
At that time, Garmadon had not yet become what he eventually became; he was still human — or as close as possible. He looked irritated and sighed.
"What is it, brat?" He raised an eyebrow.
"Guess what! Aaron and I are going to the Jungle Realm! He said I'm going to finish my training there!" Her smile shone so brightly it annoyed Garmadon.
"Cool. Try to enjoy it and stay there, you uncontrollable little pest." Garmadon gave a sideways grin.
Moon laughed before running off.
Seeing her like that... It made him feel... Bad? No, must just be the impression of not being used to seeing her as an almost perfect soldier anymore.
o0o0o
"Every gear. Every piece of equipment is important." Zane's father was finishing adjusting the Falcon "If a part is missing or out of place, the invention won't work." He explained as he successfully powered the Falcon on."Come on, little one. Time to fly."
Lloyd watched with tired eyes.
"It's just like you ninjas. Each one plays a very important role." Sensei Wu approached him "And each one is part of a magnificent fighting force."
The Falcon flew around. The ninjas were training, and Cole nearly hit the Falcon by accident, but Zane saved it.
"It's not a coconut!" Zane exclaimed as he extended his arm and the Falcon landed "It's good to have you back, old friend."
The Falcon cawed before flying again; it seemed happy —even for a robot.
Back to Lloyd.
"So, if we're all gears... What if I'm the gear that doesn't work? What if I don't do my part? What if I can't rescue Moon? What if I can't defeat my father?" Lloyd seemed more and more worried.
"How about we stop asking 'what if?' The final battle is almost here. Moon is very capable of taking care of herself; we must have faith in her. When the time comes, we'll know the answers to everything, whether we like them or not." Sensei Wu tried to calm Lloyd's anxiety.
"I know you don't want to face your father, but there's no choice — especially if we want to save Moon." Nya said, removing her protective mask.
"But maybe there is a choice. I used to think it was inevitable, but then I found this." Misako appeared and placed a scroll on the table.
"You mean Lloyd might not have to fight? Great! Then we can focus on rescuing Moon!" Cole approached along with the others.
"The scrolls say: 'When the Helmet of Shadows is passed to its rightful heir, the celestial clock will begin counting down toward the activation of a weapon unlike any other. The first sign that the battle between good and evil has begun.'" Misako explained.
"Wait a second — a weapon unlike any other?" That worried Kai a bit.
"I'm still thinking about what 'passed on' means. Man, it'd be so great to have Moon here to explain." Jay remembered the moment she surrendered herself.
"You can go on, Misako. We won't interrupt you anymore." Cole said seriously. "How do we stop the final battle?"
"There's nothing here explaining what will happen if the Helmet of Shadows is returned." She explained, showing the scroll.
"Interesting. Removing the helmet moves the clock. Putting it back stops the clock." Sensei Wu theorized.
"And then the final battle never begins!" That cheered Lloyd a little.
"'Passed on'— what does that even mean?! Someone help me with that word?!" Jay complained.
"Okay, everything's great, everything's fine. I know we have new powers, but did you expect us to go through the entire Stone Army and rip the helmet off his head?!" Kai frowned.
"My brother is right. They're good —but not as good as Moon." Nya said.
"I know. And that's why I'll do it. I just need a little help." Misako called them aside.
This time, Lloyd wouldn't be included. They were trying to avoid the final battle, not accelerate it.
o0o0o
In the Stone Army camp, Moon walked behind Lord Garmadon and the Stone Army General. She still had those dead eyes and emotionless expression; her red eyes glowed faintly.
"To counter the ninjas' new powers, we followed your request to reinforce the defenses." The General presented the new defenses.
Lord Garmadon smiled, pleased.
"I like what I see." He gave a friendly punch to the General's shoulder, laughing.
Lord Garmadon approached further, Moon following, acting like a security guard.
Why increase forces when all your attention should be on completing the ultimate weapon?!
The dark entity seemed irritated.
"What good is an ultimate weapon if I'm not here to use it?! Don't question my motives!" Lord Garmadon snapped.
It's not your motives I question, but your determination. I fear you're hesitating with the countdown to facing your son.
When his shoulders relaxed, the dark entity confirmed its theory.
So it's true...
"Never doubt my evil! Not if you want to be my ally when I rule!" He exclaimed angrily. "Return to building the ultimate weapon and don't stop until it's complete." Garmadon ordered the soldiers, his gaze terrifying.
Excellent. This is the Garmadon I'm counting on.
Moon glanced at the dark entity before returning to her vacant stare.
o0o0o
Moon was standing guard in front of Lord Garmadon's cabin. Ninja mask on, hands behind her back, posture straight.
She saw the General arrive with a prisoner.
"Moon...?" Misako said in total confusion "What happened to—?"
"I have a prisoner who knows the location of Lord Garmadon's rebel son." The General announced, expecting a response.
Moon said nothing and didn't move. The General interpreted this as permission to enter.
"Your eyes..." Misako noticed the obvious pain.
Moon didn't pay attention. She was focused on the command she had been given: "Guard my cabin during my rest."
Not even when Misako came out with the helmet and the alarm sounded did Moon move. She always followed the last order given to her.
"Why are you standing still?! Get her! Recover the helmet!" Lord Garmadon pointed at Misako "But don't hurt her!"
Moon dashed forward and began to catch up to Misako, ready to immobilize her when... Bam! She blocked a punch from the Black Ninja.
"Moon! I don't want to fight!" Cole said quickly.
The Purple Ninja said nothing as she kicked him back with great force. The ninjas appeared and stepped in front of Misako.
"Moon!" Kai exclaimed, somewhat relieved to see her alive "Are you okay—?!"
He was interrupted as he had to dodge an Aura Sphere that nearly struck him in the face.
"What was that?!" He asked in shock.
She advanced again, engaging in close combat — and Kai was truly losing. Moon had extensive combat training far beyond the ninjas'. Kai tried to block, but it was getting complicated, and worse — he didn't want to hurt her.
"Moon! Please! I know you wouldn't attack us like this! Aren't we friends?!" He used the blunt side of his blade to block.
She paused for a moment. Maybe it was working—!
No, forget it. She just swept his legs, making him fall. Moon stepped on his chest, pressing hard.
Kai was starting to lose his breath.
"I'm sorry for this, Moon. Please don't kill me later!" Jay exclaimed as he launched a wave of lightning at her with his sword.
Moon was caught off guard and took the full shock, thrown backward into a Stone Warrior. But that still wasn't enough to stop her; she got up, ready to continue.
Then Lord Garmadon arrived in his giant mech.
"Finish them!" Garmadon laughed wickedly.
He struck with his sword — poorly — since the ninjas and Misako dodged easily, and the sword got stuck in the ground.
"If we don't return the helmet before the clock hits zero, we won't be able to prevent the final battle or save Moon!" — Misako warned, holding the helmet.
"No worries, I got this!" Jay charged forward, jumping after gaining momentum.
Unfortunately for him, Moon ran, also gained momentum, intercepted him mid-air, and threw him to the ground.
"I... deserved that..." He murmured weakly. "Better... someone else try..."
Cole took his sword and turned toward Moon.
"Listen, Moon, I don't want to hurt you." He frowned and raised the sword "I'm armed. Please, come to your senses. I really don't want to hurt you." He begged.
Moon pulled something from her back — a dagger or similar. She swung it lightly, and aura extended from it into a staff (similar to the ninjas' elemental blades). She spun the staff, making a few flourishes to show she, too, was armed.
"Okay. Now we're both armed." Cole huffed.
Cole launched a rock attack toward Moon, but she sliced everything with Aura-Cut Blades.
"You gotta be kidding me." Cole raised an eyebrow.
Lord Garmadon laughed. Kai rushed in and created a wall of fire, which Garmadon crossed effortlessly. Moon climbed onto the mech's shoulder to pass through the flames safely.
It seemed nothing would work, until Nya appeared in a vehicle with a drill, digging a tunnel underground. That gave them a chance to escape.
"What are you waiting for? After them!" Garmadon ordered.
You fool! You let them escape with the helmet?! Don't you realize that if they put it back, they'll control the army?!
The dark entity approached furiously.
"I'll handle this myself. My turn." Garmadon affirmed. "Moon, you—"
No! I already have plans for her. She will receive instructions soon.
Garmadon growled, but had little choice. When Moon and the dark entity were alone, he spoke the new orders.
You are the only one in all Eighteen Realms capable of doing this, as the only Aura Master. You can reveal Aaron's secrets to me. Follow me.
The dark entity led her to a hidden cave. Deep inside, they found a stone with the following message carved into it:
"For the blessed, riches to gather.
For the lost, a light to show the way.
For those with ill intentions, only the Guardian's wrath shall find them.
Be careful what you wish for, travelers from distant lands.
Do not wake the Guardian from its rest."
This stone was cursed to answer only to Aaron's associates and those who possess aura. Many traveled here in search of his secrets, but... As you can see, none succeeded.
There were many very old skeletons of travelers.
But with you here, this won't be a problem. Now, do it! Open this stone and show me Aaron's secrets!
He growled the order, eager to discover what Aaron had hidden.
Moon stepped forward and touched the carved stone. Nothing happened, so she used aura.
The stone seemed to recognize it, and the entire cave began to glow. Bright neon-blue lines appeared like veins in the stone and then across parts of the cave. The light was so strong she had to close her eyes and shield her face.
What is this?
When the light faded, only a small pebble remained. A pebble the same color as aura.
These are Aaron's secrets? A useless little pebble?! Quick! Use aura and see if it contains anything!
Moon obeyed, charging the pebble with aura, but... Nothing happened.
Ugh. Waste of time. Let's go!
The dark entity seemed furious as it began leaving the cave. Moon looked at the pebble and slipped it into her pocket. She hadn't been ordered to leave it or take it... Did she make a choice? She shouldn't have — it was wrong — but strangely... She couldn't resist the urge to keep it.
o0o0o
Moon arrived where the dark entity had been minutes earlier. She saw a beam of energy strike the center of the pit where the Ultimate Weapon lay. The energy completed it — completed the Garmatron.
The Stone Warriors made way for Moon to pass. She stood observing in a rigid stance. The Final Battle was near, and everyone's fate was one step away from checkmate.
_TO BE CONTINUED_