I gasped as I heard the cry of the Ninja arriving. I didn't think they'd be here this soon but better sooner rather than starting a revolutionary war with the General and Skales. The platform beneath my feet did a violent shake, causing me to loose my balance with a yelp. There were only four strings that held this place up. I knew this because I was the one who told them to do it that way. Claimed it was a Moonblood way to build things. Skales looked furious.
"You said it was safe!" He hissed as he grabbed my arm.
"Do you want to make it look like you're trying to kill me in front of your tribe?"
"I might," he snapped back.
"Just do the plan!" I barked.
My ear twitched at the sound of the Ninja landing on the roof. We were running out of time.
"Skales!"
"Fine!"
Skales stared into my eyes and they started to glow. I could feel my mind start to fuzz, losing control over my mind and my body. I felt panicked at first but somehow, it went away as quickly as it appeared. I felt different somehow... like everything was right, and there was no wrong.
I looked up to see... Skales. Yes. My master. He was towering over me with great might, I'd do anything he said.
"Go to the Ninja that are on top of the roof and kill them. Don't let them get the last vine."
Ninja? Why did that feel wrong to do? I didn't care enough to think about it any longer and ran up to the said roof where four colored Sunbloods were. They were talking and the black one was running towards the vine. I growled and sprinted to him and with my back to the others, I shifted to my wolf body and pushed the Ninja down. Cole. His name was Cole.
"Liz?" the others called.
I snapped my head to see the others in what appeared to be shock and disbelief.
"She's been hypnotized!" Jay cried out.
I snarled and spotted a pole to my right.
"Come on Liz," the red one said. "Friends don't hit friends!"
I locked on my target and pounced towards the pole where I shifted back to use my arms and grabbed it. I raced around the side to get behind the Ninja and went to strike Kai in his back, successfully hitting him right in the spine, earning me a cry of pain from him.
"That's gonna hurt tomorrow," he groaned.
"Nobody is leaving." I purred. "Not until you deal with me."
"Shit, we're screwed!" Jay exclaimed.
I bared my teeth as the Ninja raced towards me and I used all that assassin knowledge I knew and was able to block every blow, every blow but one.
I yelped in pain as I was hit by a large sum of lightning and energy. I could feel it go into my veins, fueling me. I quickly was back up on my feet within seconds with another strong growl vibrating my throat. Their faces terrified at the sounds I was able to create.
"Welp, that didn't work," Jay whimpered.
My wolf form emerged once again and I sent the strongest stare I possibly could towards the blue ninja.
Jay gasped as his mind went blank and I used his stutter to pounce onto him opening my jaw over his throat where I started to bite. Jay pushed as hard as he could against my chest but I knew I'd over power him. However, I hesitated. Not because it was my first kill or anything, I'd killed many before. But because of a sound. A melody. A flute?
I started to feel the fuzz on my mind leave as I saw the caring, funny Jay underneath me, staring up into my eyes in fear. The sharp smell of rust from the ninja proved I'd gone a little too far and he was bleeding just slightly around his neck. He was lucky he was able to push me around so I missed his major arteries.
I gasped and immediately got off of him and shifted back to my Sunblood form. "Jay! I'm so sorry!"
Jay groaned as he sat him, wiping the blood from his neck. "It's ok, Liz. At least you didn't kill me ya know?"
I panted as I looked up to where Wu was. He was flying Flame and holding a beautiful flute in his hand that saved Jay's life. I recognized that flute somehow...
It was jarring going from pure rage to full on guilt for almost killing the blue ninja. If Wu wasn't quick enough... would I have killed Jay? I couldn't imagine doing that to Lloyd. Wait. Lloyd!
I immediately bolted without saying goodbye and went on a search for my companion, trying to smell where he could've been.
"Lloyd? Lloyd!"
"Liz?" asked a shaken voice.
"Lloyd!" I ran towards the sound that my ears picked up and came across a giant pit with my friend sitting inside.
"Liz! Watch out!"
Shit!
Before I could react, I felt a strong force push me into the pit down towards Lloyd where he tried to catch me. I felt Lloyd fall back and while I was grateful for the cushion, I would've been just fine if I fell without hurting Lloyd.
I looked up with wide eyes to see Skales and a few other Hypnobri gazing over them, the General's staff in hand.
"We've been fooled for the last time," he hissed. "We're taking you back with us."
"How did you get the staff?" I asked with a panic.
"Lets just say we lit a few things that got in our way." Skales said with a smug look on his face while the snakes begun a chorus of laughter. "Tie them up."
He must have seen my mind and my thoughts when he hypnotized me. He knew I wasn't really with the snakes.
"Sorry, but we have to do what we have to do. Don't we, Anur?"
___________
I wanted to fight. I wanted to leave and go back to the Ninja and get my power already. But I had something holding me back. My... friend. I didn't know what else to call him at this point. Lloyd's body shook against the cold as his bound hands tightened together.
My writs were bound as well. I could easily escape, but I didn't.
Skales carried the General's staff with an extra bit of pride in his step as he walked ahead of the crowd. The ropes that were around my wrists were burning to be ripped away. That's what I was taught back home. Save yourself. Lloyd was holding me back but I couldn't let him go...
I felt strong fear for the first time in a long while but it wasn't all mine. Lloyd was trembling and his eyes were unfocused. A part of me wanted to comfort him and it hurt me to see him like this but I had to be strong, to be our rock. It was the only way we would get out of here alive.
Lloyd looked up towards the General who was slithering by his side. "Do something General!" Lloyd whispered, loudly.
Slithera glanced down towards the boy with his deep red eyes.
"You... are still in my command, right?"
Slithera narrowed his eyes, seeming to realize how ridiculous it was that Skales had the staff in his hand and now Slithera's, and looked back towards the other snakes and let out a roar.
"Enough!" he hissed.
The snakes gasped and halted at the call of their general. Skales looked smug as he turned to face Slithera who was booming with rage.
"I am the General! You will return my staff to me at once!"
Skales glanced down to the staff in his hand, then at the general. "No," he hissed back.
More gasps filled the room as the last little bit of my hope died. We were about to lose the only protection and lead we had. We're fucked.
"You dare challenge my command?"
The Hypnobri tribe watched as the tension grew between the General and his second.
"I guess we'll just have to fight for it," Skales suggested. "In the Slither Pit."
My eyes widened. Surely they can't be serious? You got your leader, stick with him!
Slithera narrowed his eyes at Skales and flicked his tongue. "Very well. Aspen, ready the pit."
The Hypnobri next to Slithera, nodded and started to lead the way to said pit.
I then looked over towards Lloyd who looked very confused. I tried to thrash when a Hypnobri tugged on my bound and it was Boa with a somber expression as she led Lloyd and I towards the Slither Pit.
The so called pit was giant and so open. I couldn't help but gawk at the size of it, how had I never been in here before? Lloyd and I eventually were tied to a pillar in the back and then left alone as the snakes gathered around the pit. Skales and Slithera approached the middle as Aspen emerged from the top that overlooked the arena.
"Winner gets the staff and leads the tribe!" His loud voice boomed. "You know the rules, there are none! But in the Slither Pit, whatever I say goes."
The snakes nodded and Aspen grinned. "Alright, fight!"
I stood there, helpless as I watched the two snakes starting to circle each other. Instead of watching, I turned my attention to all the spectators and concluded that nobody was watching us.
"Go, General!" Lloyd cheered when Slither hit Skales to the ground.
"Two weapons!" Aspen announced.
Just then, the playing field tiled and opened to a large pit that seemed bottomless. I suddenly gasped when I felt a nudge but relaxed when it was just Lloyd.
"Look, Lizzy!" he loudly whispered.
My gaze followed Lloyd's, and then she saw it too... It was a rolled-up scroll... in the open? By the prisoners? I couldn't think of what it could be if they just left it inside this wall. Lloyd grinned, reached for the scroll, and tucked it in his pocket. The two of us faltered when we heard the snakes erupting in cheering and booing.
"He used fang-quando!" one shouted.
Lloyd and I both gasped as we saw Slithera on the ground, unable to get up. Skales and Aspen held up the staff and I thought I was going nuts from not eating food for the past few days. The 2nd in command was transforming. The General lost his tail and exchanged them for Skales's legs and Skales now had a new scale pattern and he looked smug, his feet merging into a giant tail. Skales looked down at the previous General and smiled.
"You will obey me now!"
"Yes, General," Slithera hissed.
Skales then turned towards Lloyd and I, my expression steady. "You two, leave and never return!"
I then took the opportunity to chew off my ropes and ripe Lloyd's off, pushing him towards the tomb entrance as Skales's commanding voice hissed through the halls.
Liz took the opportunity to chew off her ropes and rip Lloyd's off, pushing him towards the tomb entrance as Skales's voice hissed through the halls.
"Good luck out there, Little Anur. Thanks for the one-up."
______________________________________
Lloyd and I were sitting in the sand, finally getting out of the winter snow as we watched the Ninja enjoying a new ship they found and now their new home. After I learned that Skales burned the monastery getting his staff back, it made sense that the Ninja needed a new headquarters. Lloyd sighed beside me as he picked his nails. A bad habit I've noticed he has.
We had overheard that Zane found it because the falcon told him and that he felt a connection to the bird, just like I felt with the wolf that haunts my dreams.
I playfully nudged Lloyd's side. "At least we have the scroll."
Lloyd immediately brightened, pulled out the Hypnobri scroll, and opened it, but what was in it surprised us. It was a map, but not any map.
"The location of every Serpentine tomb," Lloyd whispered.
"Where to, Garmadon?" I asked.
"The Fangpyre, the Hypnobri's sworn enemy."
"Let's cause some chaos."