The day of the Elemental Games had finally arrived, and the atmosphere was electric with a mix of nervousness and excitement. As my classmates buzzed with anticipation, I couldn't muster the same enthusiasm. Lazily, I pulled on the school jumpsuit, my mind preoccupied with thoughts that didn't align with the festivities.
Pluto, on the other hand, seemed to be on edge, his demeanor reflecting the weight of the occasion. I reached out and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, causing him to startle. Meeting his anxious gaze with a smile, I offered some words of encouragement.
"You've put in the work all week," I reassured him. "Trust in yourself, and everything will fall into place."
My words were genuine. Despite my own reservations, I had watched Pluto dedicate himself to training tirelessly, leaving me alone with my own thoughts and the task of hatching the dragon egg. His progress may have been slow, but it was progress nonetheless.
"Why aren't you nervous?" Pluto's voice betrayed his uncertainty as he surveyed the room filled with our classmates. "With all of Ninjago watching us..."
"That's exactly why we shouldn't be nervous," I replied calmly. "We need to project confidence. If we look unsure, how can we expect others to trust us to protect them?"
Pluto nodded, his expression a mix of determination and apprehension, before returning his attention to the bustling room. I followed his gaze, catching sight of Noah and his friends. There was something about them that made me uneasy, a feeling I couldn't shake.
Turning away, I took a moment to close my eyes and center myself. But before I knew it, exhaustion washed over me, and I succumbed to a deep slumber.
When I opened my eyes again, I found myself seated on bleachers in a crowded stadium, surrounded by cheering spectators. Below, two figures stood poised for combat on a dirt-covered field. It was a scene from the Elemental Games, a memory that had slipped my mind until now.
Noah was one of the contestants, but my attention was drawn to the other participant – a brown-haired boy whose face stirred vague memories. I felt a sense of familiarity, yet couldn't place where or how I knew him. His serious demeanor piqued my curiosity, but before the match could begin, everything faded to black.
Suddenly, I found myself engulfed in a dark void, a sensation of falling overwhelming me. It was time to awaken from this dream, but the lingering questions about the mysterious brown-haired boy gnawed at my mind as I drifted back to consciousness.
"Abaddon, wake up," Pluto's gentle shake pulled me from my slumber. With a groggy murmur, I rubbed my eyes, realizing we were the last ones left in the room. As I stood up and smoothed out my jumpsuit, a pang of regret hit me – if only I had slept a bit longer, maybe I could have unraveled the mystery of the brown-haired kid's ability.
Shaking off the lingering drowsiness, I stretched before making my way to the door. "Let's go and show these people who we are," I said with a smile to Pluto as we exited the waiting room.
The stadium was abuzz with energy, and most of the first-year students had gathered in clusters, some appearing to team up for the upcoming challenges. Ms. Lily, the red-headed lady, approached the podium where a large, handmade oak box stood. It had a hole through which one could slide their hands.
"Hello and welcome to the 31st annual Elemental Games!" Ms. Lily's voice reverberated across the stadium, igniting cheers from the crowd.
Taking in the scene, I realized that nearly everyone in Ninjago seemed to be present. My gaze wandered to the first-year students, and I locked eyes with the brown-haired kid from my dreams. His frown caught me off guard, and I quickly looked away, refocusing on Ms. Lily.
She reached into the box, extracting a folded piece of paper, which she then unfolded to read aloud. "It seems our first game is a race."
Projected on the big screen was a vast forest, spanning about 12 acres, and I couldn't help but think of the countless traps it likely held.
Explaining the rules, Ms. Lily announced, "You must race across the forest and place within the top 100 to avoid disqualification."
I turned to Pluto, offering to team up, but he declined, determined to prove himself alone. Nodding in understanding, I gave his shoulder an encouraging pat before refocusing on Ms. Lily, who had finished her speech.
Following her lead, we headed to a tunnel that led directly to the forest. "Beware of traps," she cautioned as we entered.
Without hesitation, I took off running, soon realizing I wasn't alone. The gang and the brown-haired kid were hot on my heels. As we raced through the forest, I encountered numerous traps – tripwires, leg snares, and more – but I effortlessly destroyed them with my ability.
Suddenly, a massive golden-scaled dragon soared overhead, Noah astride its back, racing towards the finish line. I felt a twinge of annoyance – not at losing, but at the thought of Noah winning. Activating my ability, I prepared to level the playing field.
…
Heroes POV
Noah's heart pounded as he surged ahead, his determination fueling every stride. Reaching the second stage of his ability was the key to victory, and he was determined to prove himself. As he maintained his lead, a surge of adrenaline coursed through him. It seemed he was on the cusp of winning this round of the Elemental Games.
But then, without warning, a dark blackish-purple ball of energy whizzed past, narrowly missing him and his dragon. Startled, Noah instinctively turned to see where it had come from, his eyes widening in disbelief.
There, approaching with alarming speed, was Abaddon, riding a dragon unlike any Noah had ever seen. Its scales were a deep purplish-black, its wings tattered and full of holes, yet somehow it maintained flight. The sight of it sent shivers down Noah's spine, and he couldn't help but notice its forked black tongues, protruding menacingly.
For a moment, Noah was frozen in shock. He had heard rumors of Abaddon's prowess, but witnessing it firsthand was a whole other experience. As Abaddon closed in, Noah's mind raced, trying to process what he was seeing and strategize his next move. It was clear that this race was far from over, and Noah braced himself for the challenge ahead.
Noah felt a surge of frustration as he watched Abaddon streak past, seemingly poised to claim victory. How had Abaddon acquired this newfound power to create? His ability was supposed to be destruction, not creation. It didn't make sense.
As Abaddon approached, riding a dragon with purplish-black scales and damaged wings, Noah's disbelief turned to anger. "When could you create?" he demanded, his voice laced with frustration. "I thought your ability was destruction."
Abaddon shot him a surprised glance. "I can create anything that can be used for destruction," he explained casually. "But can I ask how you reached your second stage?"
Noah's jaw tightened. "I just found inner peace," he retorted. "Isn't that how you advance?"
"There are many paths to advancement," Abaddon replied cryptically, his dragon's mouth beginning to emit a stream of energy. "But it looks like it's the end of the road for you."
Noah's heart raced as he realized he was facing a formidable opponent. The teacher hadn't prohibited attacks between participants, leaving them to their own devices. Abaddon's dragon unleashed another destructive energy ball, forcing Noah to maneuver his dragon to avoid it. The blast struck a nearby tree, obliterating it. If Noah's dragon took a direct hit, it would be over.
"Kaida, take them down!" Noah commanded, urging his dragon to retaliate with a burst of yellow energy.
But Abaddon easily deflected the attack, demonstrating his superior control over his ability. "You need to be more creative," he taunted, as he conjured flames to ignite the trees, creating a fiery obstacle course.
Struggling to evade the flaming trees, Noah's dragon was pushed to its limits. Despite his efforts, Noah found himself on the defensive, his breath coming in ragged gasps. Abaddon, who had never trained like Noah had, seemed to effortlessly overpower him.
Suddenly, Noah felt a presence beside him, a voice whispering in his ear. Startled, he lashed out, but Abaddon dodged the blow with ease. As Noah turned to confront him, he saw Abaddon still riding his dragon, chasing them down.
"I told you, I can create anything that causes destruction," Abaddon said with a sinister grin, pointing to his other self. "Even people, like how you made Kaida."
Noah's heart sank as he realized the gravity of his situation. It was three against two, and with Abaddon's ability to create duplicates, they were at a severe disadvantage. Before he could react, Abaddon shoved him off Kaida, sending him hurtling through the air.
In a daze, Noah managed to summon a cushion to break his fall. As he watched Abaddon soar ahead, his chances of winning slipping away, he knew he had lost this round.
…
Villains POV
Skales watched Pythor humming to himself while he stared at the map for the four Fang Blades. Skales found it creepy, everything was going smoothly too smoothly. Every serpentine knows that Pythor is crazy but they follow him because he at least gets things complete.
"Why are you so happy?" Skales finally asked having enough, "We didn't get all four Fang Blades yet."
Pythor looked at him before smiling widely, "But we will soon since the information I have with me speeds everything up."
"Information?" This isn't something Skales knows about. "Why on earth would anyone give you such valuable information?"
"Oh just a fellow human," Pythor replied straight forward. "He freed me from my tomb in exchange for an egg that was lying around."
Skales didn't like what he was hearing, why on earth would the same being that imprisoned them in their tombs would help them? Pythor didn't seem wary at all but Skales knew better.
"We should get the other three Fang Blades before any more humans try to stop us," Skales suggested. "We came so far to be stopped now."
"Don't worry unloyal second-in-command everyone is too busy with this weird annual event," Pythor explained as he slither closer to Skales. "We can release the Great Devourer very soon."
Pythor slithers away from Skales who looks at him with disgust, he thinks that he could release the Great Devourer like it is nothing. Maybe this is the chance for him to become the new Snake King, all he needs to do is make everyone distrust Pythor and he will swoop in and overthrow him. He smirked to himself, Pythor looked at him like he was a madman.
"What are doing?" He asked. "Let's get to work."
Skales bowed down, "Your wish is my command."
Skales couldn't shake off the feeling of unease as he observed Pythor humming to himself while studying the map for the four Fang Blades. It was unsettling to see the Snake King so content, especially considering the task at hand was far from complete. Skales had always found Pythor's demeanor disturbing, but there was something particularly eerie about his demeanor now, as if he knew something the rest of them didn't.
Unable to contain his curiosity any longer, Skales finally spoke up. "Why are you so happy?" he inquired, his voice tinged with skepticism. "We haven't obtained all four Fang Blades yet."
Pythor's gaze shifted to Skales, and he flashed a wide grin that sent shivers down Skales' spine. "But we will soon," Pythor declared confidently. "I have information that will expedite the process."
"Information?" Skales echoed, taken aback. He had not been privy to any such development. "And who would be foolish enough to provide you with such valuable intel?"
Pythor's smile widened even further. "Just a fellow human," he replied casually. "He freed me from my tomb, and in return, I promised him an egg that happened to be lying around."
Skales's mind raced with suspicion. It didn't make sense – why would a human aid their cause, especially after imprisoning them in their tombs? But Pythor seemed unfazed by the notion, his confidence unwavering.
"We must secure the remaining three Fang Blades before any interference," Skales insisted, attempting to redirect their focus back to the task at hand. "We've come too far to let anything derail our plans now."
Pythor chuckled dismissively, his slithery movements bringing him closer to Skales. "Fear not, my disloyal second-in-command," he taunted. "Everyone is preoccupied with some frivolous annual event. Our path to releasing the Great Devourer is clearer than ever."
As Pythor slithered away, Skales's mind raced with possibilities. Perhaps this was his opportunity to seize power for himself, to become the new Snake King. All he needed to do was sow seeds of doubt and discord among the serpentine, and Pythor's downfall would be imminent.
With a smirk of determination, Skales masked his true intentions as he bowed before Pythor. "Your wish is my command," he acquiesced, his mind already plotting his next move.