Heroes POV
Noah walked in silence toward his father's newest tea shop, his footsteps echoing softly on the cobblestone street. The pale light of dawn was just beginning to break, casting a soft glow over the quaint buildings of Ninjago City. He hadn't been there for the opening, a fact that gnawed at him with a mixture of guilt and regret. But he'd been told to meet up here, and after everything that had happened, he couldn't refuse.
As he approached the shop, its traditional architecture standing out among the more modern buildings, Noah pushed away thoughts of recent events. The faces of his friends flashed through his mind – their shock, their pain, their confusion as he'd walked away. He'd made the right choice, he told himself firmly. If he hadn't acted then, something deep inside warned him he might never have been able to walk away. The fate of Ninjago, perhaps even the world, depended on his decision.
The shop's bell chimed softly as he entered, a gentle sound that seemed to cut through the noise of his troubled thoughts. The air was thick with the aroma of herbs and tea leaves, a comforting scent that reminded Noah of quieter times. Ornate teapots and delicate cups lined the shelves, and soft traditional music played in the background. For a moment, Noah allowed himself to be transported to a simpler time before the weight of destiny had settled on his shoulders.
Shaking off the nostalgia, Noah scanned the crowd. The shop was busy, filled with a mix of regulars and curious newcomers. He saw a few familiar faces from the neighborhood, but none paid him any special attention. His eyes finally landed on a familiar blonde head in the corner, partially hidden behind a large potted plant.
It seemed N had made it out of the Dream Coma unscathed and was here to stay. The sight of his older self, sitting calmly in his father's tea shop, struck Noah as surreal. How many times had he imagined a scene like this, only to wake up to the harsh reality of his situation?
"How are you doing?" Noah asked as he approached, his gaze inadvertently drawn to N's metallic leg. The prosthetic gleamed dully in the soft lighting of the shop, a stark reminder of the battles they had both faced.
N looked up, eyes widening in surprise. He stood abruptly, knocking over his chair and drawing unwanted attention. The sudden movement caused several patrons to turn and stare, their conversations halting mid-sentence. Noah raised a hand, silently urging N to calm down. The last thing they needed was to cause a scene.
Realizing his blunder, N cleared his throat and righted the chair, sitting back down with a sheepish expression. "Sorry," he muttered, his cheeks flushing slightly. "I guess I'm still a bit jumpy."
Noah nodded in understanding as he took the seat across from N. It was clear they both needed a break after their recent ordeals. The weight of their experiences hung between them, an unspoken acknowledgment of the trauma they'd endured.
N pushed a cup of black tea towards Noah, the steam rising in lazy spirals. "I took the liberty of ordering for you," he said, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips. "I figured I'd know what you'd want."
Noah accepted the cup gratefully, wrapping his hands around its warmth. The familiar aroma helped to ground him, reminding him of countless afternoons spent in the monastery with his father and friends. There was much to discuss, but for a moment, he allowed himself to savor this small comfort.
"How did you escape the Dream Coma?" N whispered after a moment, leaning in close. His fingers fidgeted nervously with the handle of his cup, betraying his anxiety. "More importantly, how are you still alive? The Shadowy Being isn't known for letting people go."
Noah studied his older self, pondering the question. The memories of his time in the Dream Coma were hazy, like trying to recall a nightmare upon waking. He remembered the suffocating darkness, the feeling of being trapped in his mind. And then... nothing. He remembered dying on Dr. Alexander's floor, the cold seeping into his bones, his vision fading to black. Yet he'd woken up in the school infirmary, perfectly healthy as if nothing had happened.
He wasn't even sure if it was the Shadowy Being who had freed and healed him. Usually, the moon colliding with Ninjago signaled the Shadowy Being's involvement, but that hadn't happened. It was strange, but did it matter in the end? He was alive, and he had a chance to change things.
"I'm not sure either," Noah replied, staring into his tea as if it might hold the answers. The dark liquid reflected his troubled expression at him. "One moment I was... gone, and the next, I was waking up in the infirmary. No explanation, no nothing."
N nodded slowly, his brow furrowed in thought. "That's... unusual. The Shadowy Being always has a reason for its actions. We'll need to be cautious moving forward."
Noah took a sip of his tea, letting the warm liquid soothe his nerves. "But I followed your advice," he continued, his voice low. "I left my friends behind so they wouldn't hold me back."
The words tasted bitter, more so than the tea. Images of his friends' faces flashed through his mind again – Kai's anger, Nya's tears, Zane's confusion, Cole's hurt, and Jay's disbelief. Sensei Wu's disappointment had been the hardest to bear. But he knew they couldn't have helped him, not with what he needed to do.
N nodded, absorbing the information. His expression was a mixture of approval and something else – regret, perhaps? "It was for the best," he said softly, as if trying to convince himself as much as Noah. "They... we... tend to get caught up in saving Ninjago from immediate threats. We need to think bigger, and plan for the long term."
Noah nodded, pushing away the guilt that threatened to overwhelm him. It was for the best, he thought. His friends were often too busy trying to save Ninjago from the crisis of the week, even with a hero school that could handle such tasks. They couldn't see the bigger picture, the looming threat that Noah now understood.
He shook his head, refocusing on the present. "So, what's our next move?" he asked, leaning forward. "Now that we're free from the Shadowy Being's grasp and I've regained my abilities, we can begin training in earnest."
N's expression turned serious. "We need to start immediately. The future I come from... it's not pretty, Noah. We have a lot of work to do if we want to prevent it."
As they began to discuss their plans in hushed tones, Noah couldn't shake the feeling that he was standing on the precipice of something monumental. The path ahead was uncertain, fraught with danger and difficult choices. But as he looked at N, at the determination in his older self's eyes, he felt a spark of hope. Together, perhaps they could change the future, and save not just Ninjago, but everything.
N's voice trailed off mid-sentence, his eyes widening in disbelief. Noah tensed, startled by his older self's sudden change. What had N seen? Noah hesitated to turn around, a chill running down his spine. Could it be the Shadowy Being's past self? Surely they wouldn't try anything in public...
The early morning bustle of the tea shop seemed to fade away, leaving an eerie silence. Noah's hand instinctively moved toward his pocket, where he kept a small device for emergencies. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest, each beat seeming to echo in the quiet room.
"Well, well. Looks like you pulled it off," a rough, low voice cut through the silence, shattering the moment of tension.
A shadow loomed over their table, blocking out the soft morning light streaming through the windows. Noah looked up, his eyes tracing the outline of a muscular figure before focusing on the man's face. Dark hair, piercing eyes, and a presence that seemed to command attention. The nasty scar running down his cheek was striking, a jagged line that spoke of past violence. But it was the missing arm that caught Noah's attention, the empty sleeve pinned up neatly at the shoulder. Whoever this guy was, Noah had a feeling he wasn't connected to the Shadowy Being. There was something different about him, an air of weary determination rather than malevolence.
The stranger's eyes flicked to Noah, his expression unimpressed. Noah felt himself being sized up, measured against some unknown standard. He straightened his posture, refusing to be intimidated. The tension in the air was palpable, like the calm before a storm.
Before anyone could speak, N blurted out, his voice a mix of concern and disbelief, "Your arm! What happened? Who did this to you? Why are you—"
"Hold up," the man growled, cutting N off with a sharp gesture of his remaining hand. His voice was gravelly as if he'd spent years shouting orders on a battlefield. "Aren't you going to introduce me to mini-you first?"
N cleared his throat, looking sheepish. The familiarity between N and this imposing stranger was evident, making Noah even more curious about their relationship. "Right, sorry. Noah, this is the Enforcer. He's... an acquaintance from even further in the future."
Noah nodded, trying to appear unfazed. At this point, time travelers were becoming the norm in his life, each new arrival bringing more questions than answers. He studied the Enforcer more closely, curiosity warring with wariness. The man's posture, the way his eyes constantly scanned the room, the tension in his muscles – everything screamed 'dangerous'.
"Damn, you were a runt back then," the Enforcer muttered, talking to N but staring at Noah with a mixture of disdain and something that might have been pity. "Are you sure you can whip him into shape?"
Noah bristled at the comment, instantly disliking the man. He opened his mouth to retort, but N spoke first his tone firm.
"I can handle it," N said, a hint of steel in his voice that Noah hadn't heard before. It was strange to hear his older self speak with such authority. "But what happened to you? We need details."
The Enforcer pulled up a chair, his movements betraying exhaustion. The scrape of the chair legs against the floor seemed unnaturally loud in the quiet shop. He sat down heavily as if the weight of the world rested on his shoulders. "Got summoned by some idiot cult. Turns out the Shadowy Being's lackey was there too."
Noah leaned in, intrigued despite himself. He noticed N's eyes narrow, equally interested. The mention of the Shadowy Being sent a shiver down Noah's spine, memories of past encounters flashing through his mind.
"Looked like they were about to wipe out the cultists," the Enforcer continued, his voice low and intense. "Figured I'd take the chance to end things. The guy seemed weak enough, but then he busted out that... thing."
N's sharp intake of breath told Noah this was serious. He glanced between them, confused and frustrated at being out of the loop. What "thing" were they talking about? The tension in the air seemed to thicken, making it hard to breathe.
"Let me guess," N said grimly, his face pale. "That 'thing' had your arm for lunch?"
The Enforcer nodded, scowling. His remaining hand clenched into a fist, knuckles turning white. The pain and anger in his eyes were raw, making Noah wonder just how recent this encounter had been.
"Sorry, but what exactly are we talking about here?" Noah finally asked, unable to contain his curiosity any longer. The frustration of being left in the dark bubbled up, overriding his caution. "What kind of 'thing' are we dealing with?"
N and the Enforcer exchanged a look as if just remembering Noah was there. There was a moment of silent communication between them, leaving Noah feeling even more excluded.
"It's... complicated," the Enforcer said after a pause, his voice gruff. He seemed to be choosing his words carefully. "Think of it as a blob that eats anything it touches. Harmless until it gets hungry."
Noah nodded slowly, trying to process this new information. A blob that could devour anything? The implications were terrifying. He looked at N, hoping for more explanation, but his older self's face was grim and closed off.
The atmosphere in the tea shop grew tense as the implications sank in, adding another layer to their already daunting mission. Noah realized that the challenges ahead were far greater than he had imagined. He was just beginning to grasp the depths of the dangers they faced, and the weight of responsibility settled heavily on his shoulders.
Noah's eyes traced the light patterns on the ceiling, his mind spinning. This wasn't what he'd bargained for. He'd thought getting strong enough to beat the Shadowy Being was the endgame, but now there was this new player - someone working directly for his enemy. Knowing the Shadowy Being's love for twisted games, Noah figured this assistant would be one hell of a challenge.
He glanced at the Enforcer, taking in the guy's worn-out, irritated vibe. Even from across the room, Noah could feel the raw power coming off him. If this assistant had managed to take down someone as tough as the Enforcer with that weird "thing," Noah knew he didn't stand a chance right now.
A hand on his shoulder made him jump. "Don't get lost in your head," N said like he'd read Noah's mind. "The Shadowy Being likes to play with its food. It won't let its lackey touch you... at least not yet."
Noah frowned, not buying it. The Shadowy Being hadn't held back with the Four Generals before. Why would this assistant be any different? He almost smacked himself, realizing he needed to focus on getting stronger instead of worrying about what-ifs. If N thought the assistant wouldn't come after him, maybe there was something to it.
"Yeah, you're right," Noah muttered, feeling his resolve harden. "We need to start training so I can take on both the Shadowy Being and this assistant when the time comes."
"That's the spirit," the Enforcer cut in, getting to his feet. "I'm out of here. You deal with your mess, I'll handle mine."
N stood up, looking like he wanted to say a proper goodbye. "Don't go after the assistant again," he warned. "You're lucky that... thing... didn't kill you."
The Enforcer glanced back, his face unreadable. "Wasn't planning on it." With that cryptic remark, he walked out of the tea shop, leaving an uneasy feeling in his wake.
Noah stared into his empty cup, the whole encounter feeling surreal. He knew he had to get serious, push his feelings aside, and focus on training. It was the only way to give Ninjago a shot at a future.
Looking out the window, he watched the city come to life, the start of a new day. The weight of what he had to do settled on his shoulders. This wasn't just about him anymore - it was about everyone in Ninjago.
"So," Noah said, turning back to N with fire in his eyes, "where do we begin?"
N smiled, looking a bit proud. "First, we figure out what you can do now. Then we push your way past that."
As they started talking about training plans and strategies, Noah felt a mix of excitement and nerves. The road ahead would be tough, but he was ready for whatever came his way. For Ninjago, for his friends, for the future he was fighting to protect - he'd give it everything he had.
…
Lloyd POV
I couldn't take my eyes off the Abyssal Devourer as it swallowed the apple whole. The black blob pulsed and rippled like it was digesting its snack. It was wild - this thing would eat anything I told it to, no questions asked. I scribbled notes in my beat-up journal, trying to make sense of it all.
My attention drifted to the weird, smoky thing floating around the library. It gave me the creeps, even though we had a deal. The air got colder wherever it moved, and the old books seemed to shy away from it. I sighed, knowing I'd have to get used to this freaky stuff if I wanted my plans to work out.
As I put my pen down, the blob slid towards it. I yanked my hand back, still not trusting that thing's appetite. My head was spinning from everything that went down last night - creating this monster, learning about my future self, fighting the Enforcer. It felt like some messed-up dream. How the hell did future-me cook up something this powerful? Guess I'm not as lazy as I thought, but man, it's unsettling.
"Why worry about that small stuff?" The entity's creepy voice came out of nowhere, making me jump. I looked up to see it right in my face, all swirling shadows and half-formed features. "Who cares how you made me? We've got bigger fish to fry."
I leaned back, trying to play it cool. "It's just weird, you know? I made this super-powerful thing that's gonna wreck all 16 realms, and I still end up dead. That's... crazy."
The Shadowy Being tilted what I guess was its head. "That's why I sent you back in time," it said, sounding weirdly fatherly for something so creepy. "So you wouldn't die for nothing."
I froze, then spun to face it. "Wait, what? You brought me back seven years ago?" My mind was reeling. All this time, the answer had been right under my nose.
The entity rippled like it was confused by my surprise. "Yeah," it said, sounding almost amused. "I'm not all bad. I know when to pay someone back, especially the guy who made me."
I was too shocked to think straight. The mystery was solved, but something felt off. The voice I heard when I first came back was all angelic and soothing - nothing like this creepy thing. Was there more going on here?
"Is it that hard to believe?" it asked, cutting into my thoughts. "Let's focus on the plan." It waved its... hand? Tentacle? Whatever. Suddenly, there was this ghostly image floating between us, showing a bunch of items and what looked like different powers. "The blob can eat and copy items, and you can copy powers. I'll give you a list of stuff to grab. We'll both level up and then no one can touch us."
I nodded slowly, looking over the floating display. My eyes landed on something familiar - the Golden Weapons. They stood out, glowing even in this weird ghost image. If I had to feed these to the blob, did that mean stealing them again? It wouldn't be too hard, but it'd be a pain, especially with my "good" clone hanging out with my old buddies.
I got lost in thought, thinking about how things stood now. With Noah gone, Good Lloyd would take his spot with the Ninja, keeping them off my back while I got stronger and put our plans in motion. Seemed like a sweet deal, but I knew keeping that clone stable would be a full-time job.
As I mulled it all over, a big question popped into my head. I looked back at the Shadowy Being, feeling worried. "Wielder's still messing me up when I use it," I said, remembering the killer headaches and nosebleeds. "And I'm still beat up from fighting the Enforcer." I flexed my hand, wincing at the pain. "How are we gonna deal with that? I can't exactly go on a power-collecting spree if I'm not at 100%."
The Shadowy Being seemed to shrink down like it was thinking hard. I waited, on edge, for its answer. Whatever came next would set the course for our crazy time-bending power grab.
"I could fix it," the entity finally said, its voice a discordant whisper that seemed to echo from everywhere and nowhere at once. "I can make it perfect and heal your wounds without much trouble."
The answer surprised me, sending a chill down my spine. This thing was more powerful than I'd expected, its capabilities seemingly boundless. A small surge of pride filled me - of course, it was, I'd created it. The thought both thrilled and terrified me.
The entity reached out, its form shifting and rippling like a smoke-given substance. It touched my injured arm, and I felt its essence spreading over my skin. It was cold, almost icy, and yet it burned like fire. Panic rose within me, a primal fear of the unknown, but I forced myself to stay calm. This thing wouldn't hurt me, I reasoned. It needed me. At least, that's what I hoped.
I watched, transfixed, as it continued to envelop my body. The entity's substance crept up my arm, across my chest, almost reaching my neck. This wasn't how it had healed Noah - it had just touched him, and he'd healed on his own. So why did it seem like it was trying to consume me? As it inched towards my face, tendrils of darkness ready to swallow me whole, I started to panic.
My heart raced, pounding so hard I thought it might burst from my chest. I tried to free myself from its grasp, my muscles straining against the otherworldly force. But no matter how hard I struggled, it wouldn't let go. Its grip was like iron, unyielding and cold.
Soon, it was forcing its way into my nose and mouth, cutting off my oxygen. The taste was indescribable - like ashes and ozone and something older, something that didn't belong in this world. My eyes watered as I clawed desperately at the tendrils, fingernails scraping against a substance that felt both solid and intangible at the same time.
If this continued, I was going to die. The realization hit me like a physical blow, and I redoubled my efforts to break free. But it was futile. My entire body was consumed, and I found myself inside the entity.
Opening my eyes, I saw glimpses of destroyed realms within. It was like looking through a kaleidoscope of nightmares. Shattered worlds floated in an endless void, each one a testament to unimaginable destruction. I saw cities crumbling, mountains collapsing, entire oceans boiling away into nothingness. And through it all, I sensed a hunger - vast and insatiable.
Something deep inside warned me that this thing was dangerous, that it would cause more trouble than solutions. A voice in the back of my mind screamed that I was making a terrible mistake. But isn't that what I wanted? Power always came at a price, and I had always been willing to pay it.
Before I could black out from lack of oxygen, my lungs burning and my vision starting to fade, it finally spat me out. I found myself gasping for air on the floor, bewildered and shaken. The cold stone beneath me felt reassuringly solid after the nightmare I had just experienced.
I stood up abruptly, my legs shaky but holding. I was ready to give the entity a piece of my mind, anger bubbling up inside me. But then I noticed my hand - wasn't this my injured arm? The pain that had been my constant companion was gone. Looking down at my body, I lifted my shirt with trembling fingers. The bruises and broken ribs that had made every breath agony were gone, my skin unmarked and whole.
"What did you do to me?" I asked, my voice hoarse and barely above a whisper. I was stunned, caught between gratitude and fear.
The entity seemed unamused, its form swirling lazily in the air before me. "I healed you while removing the side effects," it said, its tone matter-of-fact. "I told you ahead of time what I was going to do."
I shut my mouth, realizing there was no point in arguing. The entity had done exactly what it promised, even if its methods were... unconventional. "Okay, thank you," I said, trying to keep the tremor out of my voice. "So when do we start?"
The entity's form shifted, and a tendril extended, pointing at the spectral image of the Golden Weapons, still shining brightly in the air between us. "We'll deal with the Golden Weapons first since they're among the strongest artifacts in existence."
I nodded, my mind already racing with possibilities. "Alright, we can make a quick trip to the museum and steal them. Security shouldn't be a problem with our combined abilities."
The entity shook what I assumed was its head, its form rippling with the motion. "We can't," it said, its voice taking on a note of urgency. "They'll need them in the future. Taking them would mess up a lot of things, and create paradoxes we can't afford. So we're going to improvise."
It gestured to me and the Abyssal Devourer, which had been quietly pulsing in the corner of the room. "You two are going to an alternate universe to steal from there."
"What?" I muttered in disbelief, my eyes widening. The implications of what it was suggesting were staggering. "You want us to travel to another dimension just to get the Golden Weapons?"
The entity continued explaining, its form growing larger as if to emphasize the importance of its words. "It's better this way. If they didn't need them, I wouldn't suggest it. We don't want to attract his attention."
"Whose attention?" I asked, sensing this was important. A chill ran down my spine as I considered the possibilities. "Are you talking about Noah's future self?"
Instead of answering, the entity shook its head again, its form rippling with what might have been frustration. "No, he's much stronger than Noah. You could say he's on equal terms with me, maybe even stronger. That's why I'm asking you to get those skills and items. We need every advantage we can get."
I nodded slowly, the weight of the situation settling on my shoulders. I realized I needed to lay low, to be more careful than ever. Whatever game we were playing, the stakes were higher than I had imagined. "Okay," I said, steeling myself. "When do we start?"
"Now," it answered, its voice filled with a finality that sent a shiver through me. Before I could react, a portal appeared beneath my feet, a swirling vortex of energy that made the air crackle with power. "Good luck to both of you," the entity said as I felt myself falling. "I hope an inverted universe is okay with you."
I plummeted through the portal, my stomach lurching as reality seemed to twist and bend around me. Colors I had no name for flashed past my eyes, and for a moment, I felt like I was being torn apart and put back together.
Then, with a bone-jarring thud, I landed. The Abyssal Devourer fell onto my head a moment later, its weight nearly knocking me over. Grabbing it off, I looked around, trying to orient myself.
What I saw made my blood run cold. Ninjago was in ruins, but not like the entity's timeline - this was absolute chaos. Buildings that I recognized were either destroyed or warped beyond recognition. The sky was a sickly green, casting an eerie light over everything. People were committing crimes openly in the streets, their laughter maniacal and chilling.
A frown formed on my face as I understood what the entity had meant by "inverted universe." Everything I knew, everything I had fought for, was turned on its head here. Heroes were villains, order was chaos, and destruction reigned supreme.
As I watched a group of people gleefully setting fire to what looked like a school, I realized the full magnitude of what I had gotten myself into. This wasn't just a mission to steal some weapons. This was a journey into a nightmare realm, a twisted reflection of everything I knew.
I took a deep breath, trying to center myself. The air tasted of ash and something metallic - blood, perhaps? I clutched the Abyssal Devourer closer, feeling its pulse sync with my racing heartbeat.
"Well," I muttered to myself, a grim smile forming on my face, "I guess I'm in for one hell of a ride."
As I took my first steps into this inverted Ninjago, I couldn't help but wonder: In a world where everything was backward, where did I fit in? And more importantly, how was I going to find and steal the Golden Weapons without losing myself in the process?
The adventure had just begun, and I had a feeling it was going to test me in ways I couldn't even imagine.