The Child of Silver

30

Anirei watch as she and her Grandfather passed through the vortex into Ninjago City, her mind split from good and evil. Since being hit with Lloyd's attack, her darkness and her light were fighting even more, but she bit back the pain. Even so, the pain was increasing by the moment.

Meanwhile, inside of her, Anirei's true self was fighting back the evil venom of the dark matter injected into her by the bracelet around her wrist. Meyer and Nox stood by her side trying to fight it off alongside her, but they were weakening.

"Anirei, I understand your decision. But it is far too dangerous." Nox advised.

"Please, choose a different path." Meyer insisted.

Anirei shook her head, "I have made my decision and I shall stick to it. You said that you would agree with any decision I've made. Please, just allow me this."

"But with this decision, who knows what may happen to you."

"That is why I will begin the process when Lloyd returns. It will be easier to begin with his light by my side." Anirei silently wished that her friends would come soon. For if they didn't, she may be lost for good.

Nox and Meyer continued to shield Anirei, but both felt the same emotions: Fear, and sadness.

~~~~

Lloyd sat on a nearby rock on the beach, Dr. Julien bandaging his injured leg.

"Can I still fight?" Lloyd asked.

"Hmm, I'm sorry. That leg will take weeks to heal." Dr. Julien explained.

"We don't have weeks." Lloyd groaned in the pain from his leg being moved so suddenly.

Meanwhile, the other Ninja were standing at the edge of the ocean shore, all of them having a sense of dread written on their faces.

"The battle between good and evil will be decided today." Sensei Wu said as they all looked out towards Ninjago, which was covered with a dark cloud of the Overlord's evil. 

"And we can't even get to the fight, much less get off this island." Kai grunted in frustration, throwing another stone into the sea.

"Ah. I wonder if I'll ever see Nya again." Jay sighed, "Or if we'll ever get Anirei back."

Zane put his hand on Jay's shoulder in comfort, "Perhaps it's best to think of our friends as we remember them in our hearts, not as they are now."

"But I don't remember my father any other way." Lloyd grunted as he hobbled over to the group with Dr. Julien.

"Your father loved you." Misako assured, "It was the evil of the Great Devourer that corrupted him."

"Sensei, I don't understand. The prophesy said the Green Ninja would defeat the Dark Lord." Kai said throwing another stone, it skipping across the waters, "Why didn't we win?"

"I don't know." Sensei Wu said, for once not having an answer to the problem given.

"Don't know? You're Sensei! You always know. You have a long white beard!" Jay stated.

"There must be some message to learn. A lesson. A word of wisdom. Just a word? Something."

"For once, I'm afraid there is nothing to learn. Only that evil has won."

"If Sensei doesn't have a lesson, then I do." Lloyd said, "I used to be nothing but trouble, but then I met you guys and Rei. You took me in. Showed me the importance of being brave, the importance of being strong. And most importantly, being good." Lloyd tried to walk on his injured leg, but quickly retracted when he felt the pain again.