Heroes POV
Noah's eyes scanned the scene before him, taking in the sight of his friends gathered outside the dilapidated storefront, their arms laden with supplies salvaged from the ruins of the mall. It was a small victory amidst the chaos that engulfed their world, a glimmer of hope amidst the encroaching darkness. But their moment of triumph was short-lived, as Noah's gaze fell upon another group of people, their hostile demeanor evident from the outset. There were about fifteen of them, a ragtag band of survivors who exuded an air of danger and menace. Noah's heart sank at the sight of them, their presence casting a pall over the already bleak landscape. With a heavy limp, he made his way over to his companions, his injured leg a constant reminder of the perils they faced.
As he approached, the leader of the other group stepped forward, a smirk playing across her lips. She was a woman in her thirties, her hardened features betraying a lifetime of hardship and struggle. She carried herself with an air of authority, her gaze cold and calculating as she surveyed Noah and his friends.
"Well, well, well, look what we have here," the leader said, her voice dripping with condescension. "What brings you all the way out here to our neck of the woods?"
Noah's stomach churned with unease as he regarded the woman and her band of followers. They were clearly trouble, and he had no desire to entangle himself in whatever schemes they were brewing. With their group outnumbered and Noah's injured leg rendering escape impossible, diplomacy seemed to be their only option. Steeling himself, Noah stepped forward, his every instinct screaming at him to tread carefully. He knew that he had to choose his words wisely if they were to avoid escalating the situation further.
"We're just trying to survive, same as everyone else," Noah replied evenly, his voice betraying none of the apprehension that churned within him. "And what brings you to us?"
His words hung in the air, the tension between the two groups palpable as they stood on the precipice of conflict. Noah prayed silently that their encounter would end peacefully, though deep down, he knew that the odds were stacked against them.
The leader's predatory gaze lingered hungrily on the supplies clutched tightly in Noah and his friends' hands, her intentions unmistakably clear. Noah's heart sank as he realized the true nature of their encounter—a desperate struggle for survival in a world consumed by chaos and despair. His mind raced with the memories of countless movies depicting similar scenarios, each one a grim reminder of the harsh realities they faced.
Glancing at his friends, Noah saw the recognition dawning in their eyes, a silent acknowledgment of the danger that lurked in the leader's intentions. They were outnumbered and outmatched, their only advantage lying in their determination to stand their ground against the looming threat.
"Just leave your things here, and we'll let you go," the leader commanded, her voice dripping with malice as she pointed towards their bags. "You don't want problems, do you?"
Noah gritted his teeth in frustration, his hands balling into fists at his sides. How dare this stranger treat them as mere pawns in her twisted game of survival? They had risked their lives countless times to protect the people of Ninjago, and now they were being repaid with betrayal and deceit. Anger burned within Noah's chest, his resolve hardening as he searched for a way to navigate this perilous situation.
"I apologize, but I don't think we can do that," Dream Zane spoke up, his voice calm yet resolute as he stepped forward to confront the leader. "We need these supplies to survive. If we give them to you, we won't last long out here."
The leader's expression remained unchanged, her eyes narrowing in disdain as they flickered towards Dream Zane's prosthetic arm. Undeterred, Dream Kai stepped forward, his own fury evident in the fire that blazed within his eyes.
"Bold of you to assume that we'll give you anything," Dream Kai retorted, his voice dripping with contempt as he positioned himself beside Noah, a silent display of solidarity. His gaze flickered briefly to Noah's injured leg, a silent reminder of the urgency of their situation.
"Let's go back quickly so we can tend to your wound," Dream Kai continued, his tone urgent as he addressed Noah. "We can't risk an infection out here."
The leader's lips curled into a cruel smirk, her words dripping with menace as she issued her ultimatum. "Yes, it would be a shame if we had to resort to drastic measures," she sneered, her gaze flickering towards Noah's injured leg. "If you don't give us your supplies, then I guess we'll just have to take them by force."
Noah's heart pounded in his chest as he braced himself for the inevitable confrontation, his mind racing with thoughts of escape and survival. They were facing an enemy unlike any they had encountered before, driven not by honor or justice, but by the ruthless pursuit of power and control. In the face of such adversity, Noah knew that they would need to stand together, united in their determination to overcome whatever challenges lay ahead.
Before either group could make a move, a deafening roar pierced the air, freezing them all in their tracks. The sound reverberated through the desolate streets, sending shivers down their spines as the ominous noise washed over them like a tidal wave. It was a sound they all knew too well—a sound that spelled imminent danger and certain doom. As the roar echoed into the distance, Noah's heart sank like a stone, his blood running cold as he recognized the familiar dread etched across the faces of both groups.
The leader, once brimming with confidence and arrogance, now wore a mask of pure terror, her eyes widening in horror at the impending threat. Across the road, a horde of Shadow Wraths emerged from the shadows, their eyes glinting with hunger as they fixed their gaze upon their prey. Noah's breath caught in his throat as he beheld the spectral creatures, their twisted forms looming ominously in the dim light. But what sent a chill down his spine was the sight of the Shadowy being, lurking in the distance like a malevolent specter, its presence casting a pall of dread over the already dire situation.
Noah knew they had no time to waste. With a sense of urgency coursing through his veins, he clutched his supplies tightly to his chest and turned to his friends, his voice trembling with fear yet commanding in its urgency.
"RUN!"
Without hesitation, they bolted into action, their feet pounding against the pavement as they raced through the desolate streets. Dream Kai swiftly passed the supplies to Dream Zane before scooping Noah up into his arms, his muscles straining with the effort as he propelled them forward with all his might. Their breath came in ragged gasps as they fled for their lives, the adrenaline coursing through their veins drowning out the cacophony of screams that filled the air behind them.
The other group, caught off guard and outnumbered, fell prey to the ravenous horde of Shadow Wraths, their anguished cries mingling with the sounds of chaos and despair. Noah squeezed his eyes shut, willing himself to wake up from this living nightmare, to escape the horrors that besieged them on all sides. But deep down, he knew that there was no waking from this dream—they were trapped in a world of darkness and despair, where every shadow held untold horrors and every step could be their last.
…
Noah's anxiety gnawed at him like a relentless predator, urging him to keep a vigilant watch through the tattered curtains that barely shielded them from the ominous world outside. Every ten minutes, he found himself peering anxiously through the thin fabric, his heart pounding with the fear of imminent danger. Did they follow them? Were they safe from the clutches of the Shadow Wraths and the lurking presence of the Shadowy being? Despite his trepidation, they managed to make it back to the hotel unscathed—a small victory in the face of overwhelming adversity.
As they gathered within the confines of their makeshift refuge, Noah couldn't shake the feeling of guilt that weighed heavily upon him. He couldn't help but mourn the fate of the leader from the fallen group, her brutal demise serving as a grim reminder of the unforgiving nature of their reality. Meanwhile, his friends, along with Frank, meticulously inspected the gathered supplies, assessing their provisions for the days ahead. Dream Zane's estimation brought a glimmer of hope amidst the darkness that threatened to engulf them.
"This should last us about two weeks," Dream Zane projected optimistically, his voice tempered with cautious optimism. "Even about three weeks if we ration our supplies wisely."
But for Noah, the passage of time held a different significance—one that filled him with an overwhelming sense of dread. He couldn't care less about the duration their supplies might last. His mind was consumed by a far greater fear—the fear that time flowed the same in this cursed dream as it did in the real world. With each passing moment, he wondered about the fate of his loved ones, his friends, his family, and even his adversaries.
As he sat in silence, lost in the labyrinth of his thoughts, a gentle hand waved before his eyes, drawing him back to the present moment. He looked up to find Dream Nya gazing at him with concern etched upon her features, her eyes probing his troubled soul.
"What's happened to the Noah we used to know?" she inquired softly, her voice filled with genuine concern. "You've been distant for months."
Noah's gaze shifted from Dream Nya to the rest of his companions, a pang of guilt stabbing at his heart. She was right. Ever since their encounter with Abaddon, his perception of the world had shifted irrevocably. The realization of his own vulnerability, coupled with the revelation that he was not the chosen one, had shattered his sense of self. With a heavy sigh, Noah struggled to find the words to articulate the turmoil raging within him.
"The world I once knew has descended into chaos," he confessed, his voice laced with a mixture of anguish and resignation. "I'm plagued by insecurities, haunted by the fear of watching everything I hold dear crumble before my eyes."
The weight of their collective silence pressed down on Noah like a suffocating blanket, their pity palpable in the air around him. He could sense their concern, their empathy for his plight, but he knew all too well that they couldn't afford to pause their efforts to comfort him—not when their duty to save Ninjago weighed so heavily upon their shoulders.
"I understand how you feel, but are you going to give up on your duty?" Dream Kai's voice pierced through the heavy silence, his words a stark reminder of the gravity of their situation. "We need to figure out a way to defeat that thing and save Ninjago."
Noah's head sank deeper into his knees, exhaustion weighing heavily upon him. The burden of their mission, coupled with the relentless onslaught of their reality, threatened to crush his spirit. Why did they always have to bear the weight of the world on their shoulders? Why did their sacrifices often go unnoticed and unappreciated? A bitter laugh bubbled up from deep within Noah's chest, his frustration and despair threatening to consume him. What made them think that they stood a chance against the Shadowy being?
The odds were stacked against them, and the specter of defeat loomed ominously on the horizon. With a heavy heart, Noah lifted his head, his gaze drifting towards the tattered curtains that barely shielded them from the horrors outside. Through the thin fabric, he caught sight of a few Shadow Wraths lurking in the shadows, their malevolent presence a chilling reminder of the dangers that lurked beyond their refuge.
"Let's not venture outside for a while," Noah suggested, his voice tinged with a sense of urgency. "I don't want a repeat of what happened today." He glanced down at his leg, now encased in a makeshift cast—a painful reminder of their narrow escape from death's clutches. "Never again."