Darkness from Within #6: A Team Divided (A Ninjago Fanfiction)

Chapter 19

Without allowing Nya to help him anymore, Cole's both physical and mental health began to slide downhill all over again. He didn't talk. He barely moved. Jay continued to traumatize him, and he couldn't do anything about it. He would spend every day curled up in the darkness of the corner of his room, responding only with whimpers when someone would try and talk to him. He isolated himself from the others during meals and excluded himself from any sort of meetings they had. Although it seemed like he was just being cold, deep down, he was terrified. Terrified of anyone who walked by him. Terrified of anyone who even looked at him. Terrified of everyone all the time. And it was torture for Nya to watch him.

She tried to help, she tried to patch the tension between them. She tried everything, but Cole was almost as terrified of her as he was of Lloyd, and she didn't know what to do anymore. She started to back off as she realized how much he dreaded her, not wanting to upset his mental health more than it already was. What else was she supposed to do?

There was nothing else she could do. Cole was scared of her, and it was too late to go back and change that.

The rest of the monastery grew even more muted than before. Conversation was barely made anymore. Everyone stayed away from each other when they could, and when they were together, the room was thick with tension. No one knew who to trust anymore.

But as the days dragged on, one thing became certain. Whoever you were, you had to pick a side, and there were only two choices to pick from. If you weren't with Wu and the ninja, you were with Lloyd and the Baddies.

Zane had finally converted from Switzerland to America with Wu, and it was now clear that Kai and Jay had joined Lloyd in England. Garmadon took over the Switzerland title as he was conflicted between his brother in one country and Lloyd and Kai in another. Nya had been all-for America until that one moment with Jay at the bottom of the staircase. She still sided with Wu, but it was clear she was uneasy, which only resulted in more distrust from the other Americans.

Then there was Cole.

Poor, poor Cole, stuck in the middle. Obviously, he wasn't living in England, but he also wasn't living in America. Strangely enough, he wasn't in Switzerland, either. He barely paid attention to the sides in the monastery anymore as he was trapped in his own, dark, frightening world. Since his mind clearly wasn't all there right now, it was pretty safe to say he was on Mars.

The world was divided. The countries were turning against each other. But far, far away, completely oblivious to the shattered monastery, wedding bells were chiming—and a certain groom was kissing his newly-wed bride.

* * *

Garmadon stared after Kai as the red ninja trudged up the stairs behind Jay. He had given up on trying to bond with the ninja again. It broke his heart, but he knew Kai wanted nothing to do with him anymore. He still cared for the red ninja, of course, but he figured it would be best to keep his love hidden. Kai was following Lloyd now. My son, he thought dreadfully. First, he had lost his son, and now he had lost the boy he loved like a son. Was he doomed to watch every person he loved fall into the darkness of the world?

Heaving a sigh, Garmadon turned and headed out into the courtyard. No one tried to stop him to ask where he was going. And why would they? The monastery was just like that now; everyone on their own, minding their own business and dealing with their own thoughts. Did Lloyd mean for this to happen? Garmadon wondered. Maybe it had been the green ninja's plan all along. Divide the team and make it easier to conquer. Well, if it was, it seems to have all gone wrong. We sure are divided, but Lloyd isn't even here to take advantage of it.

Resting his chin on his hand, Garmadon sank onto the porch step and stared at the icy ground. He sat there in silence, head throbbing as he tried to make out what he was going to do next. He sat there for so long and was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn't notice as the courtyard gates opened and someone stepped inside.