The Return of the Wind Book 2

CHAPTER 2- ITS TIME FOR STATUES

Hey again! Glad to be already starting Chapter 2 (really wanna get this book complete).
Hope you enjoy!

Lloyd's POV:

She burst in looking like a ragdoll thrown around in mud. Her hair was loose and her eyes were filled with fear- genuine fear.

But that wasn't all that worried me. Morro wasn't there. He wasn't in his room either- he would never-

"Morro's gone...Illustra...Land...of...Dead", she panted.
Jay stepped out- he had become "frenemies" with her and gripped her shoulders.
"Deep breath in...and out", he said, but Harumi wouldn't stop.
"That's not gonna...work Jay- Morro's gone....have to...find him",  she said.

Me and PIXAL shared a glance.
"Harumi, it would be much easier for us to understand if you calmed down and told us what happened", she said.

Harumi looked up and nodded reluctantly.

"Lloyd", Nya hissed, nudging me.
"What?", I hissed back.
"Go help her", she gestured her eyes to Harumi.
"Why me?!", I crossed my arms.
"Because she trusts you more than anyone here".
"She'd trust her toothbrush more than me".
"..."
"Whaat?", I said again- this surely was getting somewhere.

I sighed and walked over.
Cole and Kai gaped and looked at each other, and then turned to Zane to find some relatability, but he showed no emotion- typical Zane.
"Harumi...where were you and Morro tonight?", I asked her and turned to PIXAL.
"Take some notes, Pix", I whispered.
"You know I can here you right?", Harumi said, stifling tears.

I wanted to sigh but stopped myself- that would make her think like she was being a nuisance...no matter how true that sounded. 
"I know you can, I just want to know the details before we make a next step", I said softly.
She looked up and nodded.
"Then come to the living room- it's better than standing here", she said.

I looked at the rest of them and they all nodded, but before we could get any further, Wu and Mom came in.
"What in the name of the-"
"First Spinjitzu Master", Kai said with a mischievous grin on his face.
Master Wu grimaced disapprovingly but kept talking- "Why's everyone standing here...and where's Morro?", he asked an ominous expression clouding his face.

We all looked at out feet then turned to Harumi.
She blinked at first and opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. However, after a second the whole story tumbled out.
"Master Wu...Morro and I wanted to escape so we decided to go to the Land of the Dead. I wasn't sure about it at first, so he decided to show me at Lake Illustra. However, when the lake created the vision...he kept his hand out, and got pulled in to the Land of the Dead", Harumi said.

It was a lot to take in.

Wu seemed to think the same thing.
"Lake Illustra...the Land of the Dead?...How long have you both been planning this?", Wu said, widening his eyes.
"...he revealed his plan about going to the Land of the Dead like a few hours ago, but who knows? Maybe ever since he made a deal with your fruit colored Ninja that he would return back to the Departed Realm and things would end happily ever after?!", Harumi said menacingly.

"Tell me what fruit is titanium?", Zane muttered.
"You Zane", Cole joked.
"I'm not a fruit for the record", Zane said blandly.
"Oh yeah? Tell me what fruit is black?", Cole punched Zane.
"Blackberry", Zane blinked.

Cole gawked.
"I- I...", he stuttered.

I sighed. There was more bigger fish to fry. Or rather bird.
On the other hand, it sounded like we were the bad guys. First asking Morro to save Nya when it was clearly not his business, then not allowing him to go back to his home- Wu even grounded him for messing up an interview.

It was all our fault.

Wu and Mom shared a glance.
"What are you going to do Wu?", Mom asked him patiently.
"There is only one thing left to do...", Wu sighed with worry edging his face.
This was an omen. Something bad was stirring up right beneath their noses, but miles away from their reach.

Wu walked towards the gate.
Harumi, the Ninja and Pix and Mom all watched him turn around with his staff.
"Where are you headed, Sensei?", Nya asked.
"It's time...for some statues", he simply said and walked away from us.

Great. First Morro leaves us- wait, no. He was never a part of our team. Stop thinking that, Lloyd!
Now our Master leaves us for  some statues- wait, I can handle this.

I've done this before. I'm like mini Sensei Wu. Well maybe I look a little different, but I've got that Master thing all under control...I hope as I watch Kai dare Jay to stick his finger up Cole's nose.
"Guys, cut it out!", I chided and they all laughed shamelessly.
"Sorry Lloyd- it was Kai's fault", Jay chuckled.
"...Okay, but I just realized something...Harumi should be with Morro right now", I said to them, hoping they would understand.

"What?", Harumi raised an eyebrow.
"I hate to admit it, Harumi, but you're right...for once. We did promise Morro that we'll let him go back home after Nya was saved", I sighed.
"You don't get it- the place he's in isn't the Departe Realm...It's the Land of the Dead we're talking about and that place is hell over there", Harumi said, frowning.

"Maybe she's right, Lloyd- maybe we should stop talking and go to wherever this lake is", Nya said quietly- did Morro's disappearance have that much of an effect on her?
I looked at them all again for some answer- some plan...

Anything.

"It's time for statues...", I murmured.
"What was that?", Cole asked.
"That's what Master Wu said...", I pondered over the words.

Where in Ninjago would you find...statues?
A plan was starting to cook up in my brain- like old times.
I smiled- a rippling effect that made everyone else feel more like the Ninja we were born to be.
"Zane- pull up all the locations in Ninjago where there are statues", I ordered, racing towards Pixal's Samurai X Cave.

Everyone else followed and on the screen we saw a sight that made our faces fall.
There were thousands of them- it would take us days in fact to know what Master Wu had in mind.

"I hate to admit it- but are we just trying to crack one of Master Wu's cryptic codes?", Kai asked.
"You're right, Kai", I said to him, my fists clenched.
"Why would your Master go in search of statues when we have Morro at stake?!", Harumi fumed.
"Calm down, H- Master Wu has a plan...we don't", Jay said.
Harumi looked at him blandly.

"We'll just wait for him until dawn- which is like only a few hours away...and if he isn't back by then, we leave", I told them.
"Leave where?", Cole asked.
"The Land of the Dead", I breathed.

Meanwhile in the Land of the Dead:

Two lost, sea-green eyes looked up to the desert in front of him. It was cold, but golden red sand filled the endless land in front of him.

Jagged, deformed pillars carved by the wind rose up like a canopy above him, leaving large cracks to bleed a fiery, sunset pink sky.

It smelled of chalk, dust and roses. Wine, campfire wood, and unpleasantness.

But most of all it smelt of blood.

And that's how the chapter comes to an end.

See you guys in the next chapter!

Until then, have a great night/ afternoon/ or day!

-Flaneur<3