Lloyd POV
I couldn't fathom what had happened in the kitchen. Sure, Elijah and I had nearly come to blows, but Kai had stopped us before any real damage was done. So, how did all those dishes break just from me placing a pot down? I could feel the eyes of the other contestants boring into me, making it difficult to concentrate. It seemed like everyone had heard about the incident with the dishes. God, this was hilarious, in the worst possible way.
Despite my earlier suspicions of Elijah, he had looked just as shocked as I was when the dishes fell. It didn't add up.
Mr. Pale cleared his throat, bringing us back to the present. "We are going to do our next task," he explained, scanning the paper in his hand. "And this time, we'll do something simple that doesn't involve anyone breaking things."
Everyone stared at me, their eyes filled with a mixture of suspicion and curiosity. I nodded slightly, trying to convey a sense of calm, but inside, I was exhausted. I wanted this challenge to be over with. I never imagined it would be this difficult. The days when I was Abaddon seemed so much simpler. Using my ability, Destruction, I could have easily dealt with any obstacle. But now, hiding from Noah and playing this game was wearing me down.
My thoughts wandered to Noah, and my blood began to boil with anger. Maybe I should have killed him when I first saw him instead of dragging out his suffering. The rage was a familiar feeling, a dark comfort that I used to rely on. I clenched my fists, trying to push the thoughts away.
"Um, Lloyd, your nose is bleeding," Mr. Pale pointed out, his voice tinged with concern. "You should get that checked out."
I looked at Mr. Pale, confused by his concern. Reaching up, I touched my face and felt the warm, sticky blood. Great, just another thing to deal with. I wiped my nose with the back of my hand and forced a smile. I shouldn't have used Neuro's ability twice. It looked like I was still weak, and pushing myself too far was taking its toll.
"I'm fine," I said, trying to sound nonchalant despite the annoyance in my voice. "Just tell us the challenge and let's hope I don't break anything this time. I'm tired of dealing with this challenge."
No one spoke, and I was pleased. I was too exhausted to deal with everyone's crap. The silence was a small mercy in the chaos of the day. Mr. Pale must have noticed my mood swing because he finally spoke up, his voice cutting through quiet.
"It's nothing special, just sweeping the mechanical room," he explained, his tone deliberating calm. "It's said that there is a lot of charcoal dust."
I couldn't help but groan. Something told me that this was going to be more complicated than just sweeping up some dust. I glanced up at the ceiling, trying to steady my thoughts. I just had to think of a plan while I swept.
The group made its way to the mechanical room, the dimly lit, with only a few flickering lights casting long shadows across the walls. The air was heavy with the scent of grease and machinery, and the floor was covered in a fine layer of black dust. I picked up a broom and surveyed the space, already dreading the task ahead.
…
I had to blink a few times as I stared at the dust swirling in the air. No matter how much we swept, the dust just seemed to lift into the air before settling back down again, creating an endless cycle of filth. I readjusted my face mask to ensure I wouldn't breathe in the fine particles. After ten minutes of this frustrating task, everyone decided to take a break. Of course, I chose to use the time to think, even though I knew it might not be the best idea.
Every time I was alone, nothing bad happened- unless someone else was in the room with me. Mr. Pale would have made a good suspect, but he would have to sneak around unnoticed, and I didn't even want to imagine that. I sighed and ran my hand through my hair. Nothing made sense. How could you frame someone without being present? Or maybe someone had come here before and sabotaged things earlier, but that didn't add up either. They'd have to leave the group to do so and not wander off. The more I thought about it, the more convoluted my theories became. I got a feeling that this so-called spy might not even be a spy at all.
"What are you doing here alone?" Elijah's voice broke through my thoughts as he entered the mechanical room and picked up a broom. "Are you planning on breaking the brooms?"
I looked up, startled out of reverie. "Just thinking," I replied, trying to keep my voice even. "And no, I'm not planning on breaking anything. Unlike some people, I don't go around causing trouble on purpose."
Elijah scoffed and started sweeping, his movements almost as aggressive as his words. "Yeah, right. You've got trouble written all over you, Garmadon."
"What did you approach me for?" I sighed, looking at Elijah. "Why don't you just leave me alone?"
Elijah looked at me in annoyance before walking towards me. "I know that you are not the spy, but if you were, then you're probably the worst one I've ever seen."
"Okay," I replied, my eyes narrowing. "At least I'm not the person who's harassing someone because of their father."
Elijah shut his mouth for a moment and stared at me with disgust. I knew that I had angered him again, but I had tried to deal with this dude. I walked past him, about to leave the room.
"If you don't like me, just don't interact with me," I simply said.
"Why are you so damn cocky?" Elijah said, his voice laced with irritation. "I guess this is why everyone is planning on getting you eliminated."
I just shrugged, refusing to let his words get to me. "It's not my fault that they have such weak abilities."
Elijah's eyes narrowed further, and I could feel the tension in the air thickening. "Weak abilities? You think you're better than everyone else because you're Garmadon's son? Because you have some fancy powers?"
I stopped and turned to face him, meeting his glare head-on. "It's not about being better, Elijah. It's about surviving. This tournament isn't a game; it's a life or death. If they can't handle that, then maybe they shouldn't be here."
He stepped closer, his fists clenched at his sides. "You talk like you everything, but you don't. You've had everything handed to you because of who you are. You don't know what it's like to struggle."
I felt a flash of anger, but I kept my voice calm. "You think I haven't struggled? You think I haven't had to fight for everything? Just because I'm Garmadon's son doesn't mean my life has been easy. You don't know anything about me, Elijah."
He scoffed. "I know enough. I know that you're just like your father, using people and tossing them aside when they're no longer useful."
I took a deep breath, trying to steady my emotions. "I'm not my father, and I'm not here to use anyone. I'm here to win, just like everyone else. But if you want to keep seeing me as the enemy, that's on you."
Elijah's face twisted with a mix of anger and frustration. "You think you're so righteous, don't you? But deep down, you've been just as selfish as he was."
I shook my head, turning away from him. "Believe what you want, Elijah, I don't have time to convince you otherwise."
As I walked towards the door, I heard him mutter under his breath, "You'll get what's coming to you, Lloyd. One way or another."
I paused for a moment, feeling the weight of his words. I knew that this tournament was testing than just our abilities; it was testing our resolve, our will to survive. And I was determined to prove that I had what it took to come out on top, no matter what Elijah or anyone else thought.
I noticed how hot the room was; it wasn't this hot a minute ago. With a final glance over my shoulder, my eyes landed on the furnace, which was huge and glowing an unnaturally bright red. My eyes widened as I opened my mouth, and I managed to get only one word out before it happened.
"Elijah…!" I shouted as I ran toward him.
…
Heroes POV
The contestants exchanged worried glances as they observed the situation in the situation in the mechanical room. The cloud of charcoal dust hung thick in the air, making it nearly impossible to see more than a few feet ahead. Lloyd and Elijah were somewhere in the midst of it, trying to clean up, but the task seemed daunting, to say the least.
"Is it a good idea to leave Lloyd by himself?" one contestant voiced their concern. "Every time he's by himself, something terrible happens."
Another contestant shook their head grimly. "With Elijah with him, it's a recipe for disaster. That boy's like a magnet for misfortune. His entire life has been a series of unfortunate events, so I wouldn't be surprised if bad luck follows him wherever he goes."
Kai approached Skylor, his heart beating a little faster as he tried to muster up the courage to speak to her. He noticed her removing her face mask and taking deep breaths, likely trying to shake off the effects of the challenging task they were facing. Taking a deep breath himself, he finally spoke up.
"How are you holding up?" he asked, offering her a warm smile. "This challenge is quite the challenge."
Skylor turned to him, a small smile playing at the corners of her lips as she glanced at his school uniform. "You can say that again, Kai. Anyway, you came here to make small talk?"
Kai chuckled nervously, feeling a bit self-conscious under her gaze. "Yes, can I not?" he replied, trying to play it cool with a wink. "I want to get to know you better."
Skylor's laughter was like music to his ears, and he felt a surge of relief wash over him. "You're quite an interesting guy," she said, her eyes sparkling with amusement.
Kai felt a rush of conflicting emotions as he stood before Skylor. He was drawn to her, captivated by her presence, yet he was hesitant to fully open up, fearing the vulnerability that came with it. He wanted to ask her what her type of guy she liked, but he held back realizing it would be too forward given their limited acquaintance. He resolved to build a genuine friendship before laying bare his feelings.
The moment was abruptly shattered by a deafening explosion that rocked the entire building, sending tremors coursing through its structure. Kai's heart raced as he watched Skylor sprint towards the source of the explosion, her voice filled with panic and desperation. He followed closely behind, his mind racing with worry for his friends. The air was thick with dust and debris, making it difficult to see or breathe properly.
As they burst into the room, the scene before them was chaotic and terrifying. The once orderly mechanical room was now a scene of destruction, with debris scattered everywhere and flames licking at the remaining structure. There was no sign of Lloyd or Elijah amidst sinking at the realization that something terrible had happened.
"Lloyd! Where are you?!" Skylor's voice echoed through the room, her frantic search intensifying as she scanned the area for any sign of her friend. "Don't tell me you are dead?!"
Kai's throat felt tight as he joined Skylor in searching for any trace of their missing friend. The fear and uncertainty hung heavy in the air as they desperately called out Lloyd's name, hoping for some sign of life amidst the devastation.
Amidst the chaos and destruction, Kai and Skylor frantically searched through the rubble, their hearts with dread as flames threatened to engulf the room. The urgency of their search was palpable, knowing that time was rapidly slipping away. Kai could feel tears welling up, the weight of impending loss bearing down on him like a crushing weight. It seemed as though another funeral was on the horizon, and the thought filled him with a profound sense of grief.
Amidst the crackling flames and shifting debris, a voice cut through the chaos from behind them, snapping their attention away from their desperate search. Turning in surprise, they found Lloyd standing there, a green energy force field surrounding him as he held up the unconscious form of Elijah. Despite the dire situation, both Lloyd and Elijah appeared unharmed, though they were covered from head to toe in ash, their once-light school uniforms now a stark contrast in pitch black.
Relief flooded through Kai as he took in the sight of his classmates, spared from the worst of the devastation. Lloyd ran a hand through his hair in a futile attempt to rid himself of the grime, his feature smudged but unmistakably intact. However, as Kai looked at him, a strange realization dawned upon him- the way Lloyd's blackened hair framed his face bore an uncanny resemblance to Abaddon. Yet, such a comparison seemed impossible, considering Abaddon's current state of blindness.
Kai winced as Lloyd flicked his forehead with a playful yet forceful gesture, the unexpected contact catching him off guard. Rubbing his forehead in discomfort, he shot Lloyd a quizzical look, trying to shake off the sensation of deja vu that lingered in the back of his mind.
Lloyd met his gaze with a smirk, a glint of mischief dancing in his eyes as he observed Kai's reaction. "Why are you staring at me like you've seen a ghost?" he teased, the corners of his mouth quicking up in amusement.
Shaking off the strange feeling, Kai quickly composed himself before responding, "It's nothing, just a passing resemblance to someone I knew."
Lloyd waved off Kai's comment with a casual shrug. "Well, no time for ghost stories now. I've got a favor to ask," he said, his tone turning serious. "I have a feeling I'm on the chopping block for elimination, so I need you two to pull through and win this thing for me."
Kai furrowed his brow in confusion, puzzled by Lloyd's cryptic remark about being eliminated. The notion seemed premature, especially since there was still time to uncover the identity of the spy. He glanced at Lloyd, searching for answers in his friend's amused expression.
"What do you mean, eliminated?" Kai asked, his voice tinged with uncertainty. "The challenge isn't over yet. We still have time to find the spy, don't we?"
Lloyd chuckled softly at Kai's confusion, a knowing glint in his eyes as he began to explain. "Master Chen might not have mentioned it, but after the third task, we're allowed to vote to eliminate whoever we suspect is the spy," he clarified. "And since suspicion seems to be pointing my way, it's likely they'll choose to eliminate me."
Kai's bewilderment lingered as Skylor approached Lloyd, her demeanor resolute as she took Elijah from Lloyd's care and passed him to Kai. With a firm shake of Lloyd's hand, she conveyed her solidarity and determination.
"Rest assured, Lloyd, we'll fight on your behalf from here on out," Skylor declared, her voice unwavering in its commitment. Taking Kai's hand in hers, she led him away from the scene, her grip steady and reassuring amidst the uncertainty that loomed over them.
Kai's mind raced with confusion and concern as Skylor led him away from Lloyd, who remained amid the burning room. Snatching his hand from Skylor's grip, Kai's thoughts churned with questions, desperate for answers amidst the chaos.
"What's our plan?" Kai's voice betrayed his urgency. "We can't just abandon Lloyd. I thought you were his friend."
Skylor met Kai's gaze, her expression grave as she handed him a note. "Do you think Lloyd meant what he said?"
Kai's finger trembled slightly as he unfolded the note, revealing Lloyd's cryptic message: "Go to the kitchen or the basement and you should find a secret passage. I hope you find the spy before I get eliminated." A secret passage? The realization dawned on Kai, reminiscent of the hidden chamber he had discovered in his room. If there was one passage, there could be more.
"We need to move quickly if we want to help Lloyd," Skylor urged, her hands planted firmly on her hips.
Kai nodded, a surge of determination coursing through him. "Let's go save Lloyd."