Villain POV
Pythor couldn't tear his gaze away from his altered form, once a majestic purple Anacondrai serpent, now a pale, ghostly white. The transformation wrought by the Great Devourer's stomach acid left him feeling hollow, a mere shadow of his former self. But there were more pressing matters at hand than his appearance.
He shifted his attention to the Overlord, now manifest in a physical form thanks to the power bestowed upon him by Lloyd. The sight sent shivers down Pythor's spine; the Overlord's presence was ominous, his silhouette cast in darkness with only two piercing red eyes cutting through the shadows.
The Overlord's anger was palpable, his fury directed at Noah for the destruction of the Mechdragon. Even Pythor, renowned for his cunning, was taken aback by the magnitude of Noah's feat. The supposed weaker twin had defied all expectations, proving that life was indeed full of surprises.
As Pythor pondered their next move, he turned to the Overlord for guidance. "What are we going to do now?" he inquired, his voice tinged with uncertainty. "With your physical form restored, what is the next phase of your plan?"
The Overlord's gaze shifted to Pythor, his expression inscrutable. "I want you to summon Overborg," he commanded, his voice dripping with authority. "Tell him to prepare for construction. I have a crucial task for him, and I expect you to oversee the entire operation."
Pythor suppressed his curiosity, unwilling to risk offending the Overlord. Survival took precedence over pride, and he knew better than to question the Overlord's intentions.
"I will handle it," Pythor declared, his voice betraying none of his inner turmoil as he slithered away. "I trust your plan will succeed this time."
"Of course, it will," the Overlord replied, his tone dripping with confidence. "Success requires patience, and patience I have in abundance."
…
Lloyd POV
I observed the container on my desk, watching as the blob inside wriggled and squirmed, its movements unsettling. Placing it next to the dragon egg, I couldn't help but marvel at the odd collection of items I had acquired. Glad that I hadn't volunteered to help find Cyrus Borg, I focused on my pressing matters. Despite Eugene's efforts, no information had surfaced about the blob, and Mister Glasses remained an enigma. It seemed I would have to conduct my investigation.
Before I could delve into my thoughts further, a knock echoed through the room, interrupting my contemplation. I tensed, wondering who it could be this time. If it was Mister Glasses, I was ready to slam the door in his face and move on with my day. Approaching the door cautiously, I cracked it open to find my father standing there, looking surprisingly youthful despite his age.
"What do you need?" I inquired curtly. "It better be important."
"Why did you help the Overlord?" My father wasted no time in getting to the point. "You even assisted me with the Dark Matter back on the island. What's wrong with you?"
I regarded him with a blank expression, inwardly cursing myself for slipping up. "What are you talking about? I never helped the Overlord," I insisted. "I haven't even seen him since I defeated him."
My father's gaze held a mixture of anger and sadness, unsure of what to believe. Despite his lack of knowledge about his own son's actions, he felt a responsibility to guide me away from the path of evil.
"The Overlord has returned, and somehow he has grown even stronger. It appears he has tapped into your power to achieve this," my father explained gravely. "And he has done so, despite your absence."
My father's words hit me like a punch to the gut, his accusation slicing through the air with a bitter sting. "The Overlord is back and somehow he has gotten stronger, and for him to do that, he needs your power," he explained, his tone weighted with concern. "And he's acquired it somehow, even though you weren't there."
I regarded my father with cold detachment, his sudden display of concern ringing hollow in my ears. Where was this care when I needed it most? Neither he nor my mother had been there for me during the darkest moments of my life, so why pretend now? If I were still the naive child I once was, perhaps I would have welcomed their concern, but now it felt useless, even insulting.
"I used my power extensively at the hotel while dealing with the Order of Assassins," I lied through gritted teeth, masking the true extent of my involvement. "Given the abundance of technology there, it's possible the Overlord absorbed it somehow." I held his gaze steadily, daring him to challenge my words. "Why would I ever help the being I'm preparing to kill all over again?"
My father recoiled slightly, his expression a mix of disbelief and concern. I knew he was still grappling with what had transpired at the temple, but I was already too far gone to backtrack now. My heart, hardened by years of betrayal and pain, knew only one purpose: revenge. I would make everyone pay for the suffering they had inflicted upon me.
Turning away from my father, I dismissed him with a curt nod. "If that's all, you can leave now."
I closed the door with a firm click, shutting out my father's lingering presence. Gripping the dragon egg and the container holding the mysterious blob tightly, I felt a sense of urgency pulsing through me. It was time to return to the First Spinjitzu Master's library; surely, within its ancient tomes and scrolls, there would be answers to unravel the enigma of the strange entity in my possession and how to combat the resurgent threat of the Overlord.
Stepping out of my room, I cast a cautious glance around, half expecting to find Mister Glasses lurking in the shadows. The hallways stretched out before me, deserted except for the faint echo of distant voices drifting from the classroom. With a sense of urgency gnawing at me, I wasted no time in making my escape.
Navigating the labyrinthine corridors of the school, I kept to the shadows, my footsteps silent against the polished floors. The air was heavy with the scent of chalk and ink, a reminder of the academic pursuits that consumed the lives of my fellow students. But today, my concerns lay elsewhere.
Pushing open the heavy wooden doors, I emerged into the crisp air of the courtyard. The tranquil atmosphere enveloped me like a comforting embrace, offering solace amidst the chaos that plagued my thoughts. I longed for a quiet place to clear my mind and respite from the turmoil within.
As I wandered through the serene surroundings, my thoughts turned to Noah and his friends. I wondered what they were doing, whether they were aware of the dangers that lurked in the shadows, ready to pounce when least expected. But for now, they were far from my mind as I sought refuge in the stillness of the moment.
…
Standing before Koko's house, my grip on the phone tightened, my knuckles turning white with frustration. Anger simmered beneath the surface as I struggled to comprehend her actions. What could she possibly be thinking, defying the city's orders and remaining in the city despite the looming threat the looming threat of the Overlord?
Taking a deep breath to calm my racing thoughts, I raised my hand and rapped firmly on the door. The sound echoed through the quiet street, but there was no response from within. My frustration grew with each unanswered knock, my patience wearing thin.
Raising my voice, I called out her name, the words laced with urgency and concern. But still, there was no sign of movement from within the house. With each passing moment, my worry deepened, fueling the fire of determination burning within me.
Summoning all my resolve, I pounded on the door once more, my frustration boiling over into a torrent of anger. "Koko, open the door!" I demanded, my voice ringing out in the silence of the deserted street. But still, there was no response, no indication that she had heard my pleas.
Frustration and fear battled for dominance within me as I stood on the doorstep, uncertain of what to do next. With every passing second, the sense of urgency grew stronger, driving me to find a way to reach her before it was too late.
Frustration surged through me like a tidal wave, overwhelming my senses as I stood before the battered door. With a surge of pent-up anger, I lashed out, delivering a powerful kick that sent the door hurtling inward with a resounding crash. The sound echoed through the disheveled interior of the house, a testament to the chaos that reigned within.
As the dust settled, my eyes swept over the scene before, taking in the devastation that surrounded me. It was as if a tornado had torn through the house, leaving destruction in its wake. Furniture lay overturned, shattered remnants of belongings scattered across the floor like pieces of a shattered puzzle.
"Koko!" I called out, my voice echoing off the walls of the ravaged room. The silence that greeted me in response was deafening, broken only by the creaking of damaged wood and the sound of my ragged breaths.
With each passing moment, my concerns deepen, a knot of fear tightening in the pit of my stomach. I moved cautiously through the wreckage, my footsteps muffled by the debris that littered the floor. Every corner held the potential for a grim discovery, every shadow seemed to conceal a hidden threat.
"Are you in here?" I called out again, my voice tinged with desperation. But still, there was no response, no sign of life amidst the ruins. Dread coiled in the pit of my stomach, a cold hand gripped my heart with icy fingers. With a sinking feeling, I realized that Koko was nowhere to be found.
The adrenaline coursing through my veins fueled my rapid ascent up the stairs, each step a desperate bid to find Koko safe and unharmed. As I reached the top landing, my heart pounded, a frantic rhythm echoing the tumultuous thoughts racing through my mind.
With trembling hands, I flung open the door to Koko's room, the hinges groaning in protest at the force of my urgency. My eyes swept over the familiar surroundings, searching for any sign of the woman who was my adopted mother.
And then. There she was- a small figure huddled in the darkness of her closet, hidden in view like a fragile bird seeking refuge from a storm. Relief flooded through me like a wave crashing against the shore, washing away the fear and uncertainty that had gripped me only moments before.
"Koko," I breathed, my voice thick with emotion as I rushed to her side. "Are you okay?"
She looked up at me, her eyes wide with fear yet shining with an unmistakable glimmer of hope. Without a word, she threw herself into my arms, seeking solace in the warmth of my embrace. I held her tightly, a silent vow echoing in the depths of my soul to protect her from whatever dangers lurked in the shadows.
As Koko's tears flowed down her cheeks, her voice trembled with relief and an underlying sense of guilt. "Oh thank God you are okay," she choked out, her words heavy with emotion. "When Misako and Wu told me that you were missing, I thought I failed as a mother."
Her vulnerability struck a chord deep within me, a painful reminder of the weight of my shortcomings. Despite my best intentions to be better than my best intentions to be better than my past self, I had again fallen short, causing unnecessary worry and distress to the one person who had shown me nothing but unconditional love.
Guilt gnawed at my conscience like a relentless beast, urging me to apologize and make amends for my thoughtless actions. But as I looked at Koko's tears-strained eyes, I knew that there would be time to apologize later. Right now, our priority is to ensure her safety and get out of harm's way.
"I don't have time to explain," I said, my voice urgent as I gently removed her from my embrace and took her hand in mine. "We need to get out of this city."
Koko's voice trembled with confusion and concern as she asked, "What is going on Lloyd? What happened to you?"
Ignoring her questions, I continued to drag her through the wreckage of her home, my mind consumed with the urgency of our situation. Despite my internal turmoil, I couldn't ignore the nagging sense of responsibility I felt toward her safety.
Finally reaching the living room, I released Koko's hand, causing her to stumble and fall onto the floor. As she landed with a thud, I watched her in silence, my emotions swirling within me like a turbulent storm. Despite my efforts to shield her from danger, I had inadvertently caused her distress, adding to the burden of guilt that weighed heavily on my conscience.
For a moment, I simply stood there, my gaze fixed on Koko's form as she sat on the ground, her eyes filled with a mixture of confusion and fear. But as the gravity of our situation settled over us like a suffocating blanket, I knew that we had no time to waste.
Gathering what remained of my resolve, I reached out to Koko, offering her a hand to help her to her feet. "We need to leave," I said, my voice laced with urgency. "Now"
"I am not moving an inch until you tell me what is going on!" Koko's voice rang out, filled with frustration and fear. "You lied to me and disappeared and now you're a grown boy, and I don't know anything."
Her words struck a chord within me, stirring up a mix of guilt and regret. Koko deserved to know the truth, but the danger looming over us left me with little time to spare. "A very bad person wants to take over Ninjago," I explained hastily, "This place is not safe, but I know where we can go. I promise I will tell you everything but you need to listen to me."
Koko regarded me with a mixture of apprehension and determination, eventually nodding her agreement. Relief washed over me momentarily. But it was short-lived. In an instant, everything changed.
Before I could react, a hand pierced through Koko's chest, freezing me in shock. Horror gripped me as she crumpled to the ground, grasping in pain but miraculously still alive. I hadn't sensed the presence of the Nindriods, their silent approach catching us both off guard.
Staring at the Nindriod responsible for Koko's injuries, my heart twisted with anguish and rage. Another plan had unraveled before my eyes, leaving me feeling helpless and defeated.