Darkness from Within #4: Fading (A Ninjago Fanfiction)

Chapter 27

The ninja were gathered in the meeting room, discussing their next plan.

"As we all know, the Overlord has three elemental weapons," Wu began.

"He'd be stupid to try again for Kai's sword!" Jay exclaimed. He gave Kai a friendly nudge. "Kai sure showed him!"

Embarrassed, Kai looked at his feet as the others laughed and nudged him.

"Still, he owns our weapons," Wu went on, "and that's too much power for him to hold. We need to get them back."

Cole scratched his head. "But how?" he questioned. "We already searched for Baddie Bend high and low, and it's nowhere to be seen!"

As Wu rubbed his beard, Kai looked up again and caught his eye. The red ninja gave a short nod and Wu understood. The sensei looked down at his communication device, then back at the ninja in front of him.

"Get me Lloyd," he told them.

* * *

Lloyd shut his bedroom door behind him with a sigh. He tugged at his bangs, feeling miserably conflicted. Everything Joseph said to him had confused him, and now there was Cree to be thinking about. The Top Ranker had given him many offers, even a place in the Top Rankers if he could prove himself. Lloyd had been exhilarated, but then he remembered Joseph's look. That intense gaze... the unfinished statement. He didn't know what Joseph was trying to tell him. Probably something along the lines of 'if you do this people will know about you and Ariana... blah blah blah, you'll cause trouble for the others... blah blah blah', he thought dryly.

What was the point of all of it, anyway? He knew most of what Joseph told him about Ariana were lies, but they did get him thinking. He remembered the quick look Ariana had given him in the tavern earlier. She had looked hurt and rejected. I don't want to hurt her, he thought. I just want to create distance so that people won't suspect things about us.

Even as the words passed through his mind, guilt weighed on Lloyd's chest. What kind of an excuse is that? he wondered. He furrowed his eyebrows. Oh, who cares if people suspect things? It's true, isn't it? Me and Ariana love each other, and I don't care who knows it!

Warmth filled Lloyd. He knew he loved Ariana, and he knew Ariana loved him. And that's good enough for me.

"Lloyd!"

Lloyd froze. He swept his gaze over the room, but none of his roommates were present. Instead he turned and opened the door, but no one was in the hall. Puzzled, he closed the door again and glanced around the room.

"Lloyd, are you there?"

Lloyd's gaze fell on his bed, where the sound was coming from. Suspicious, he headed toward it and crouched beside it. He reached his hand under the bed and pulled out his communication device.

"Lloyd?" it called.

Lloyd furrowed his eyebrows as he recognized Wu's voice. He rose to his feet with the device in his hand, anger forming inside of him.

"What do you want?" he snapped furiously.

Wu flinched at the harsh tone. The others gathered around the computer closer at the sound of Lloyd's voice.

"At least he picked up," Garmadon muttered.

"Lloyd, please, listen to us," Wu pleaded.

A growl sounded from the communication device. "You can save it!" Lloyd retorted. "I already know what you're going to say, and I don't wanna hear it!"