Onyx and the Way of the Ninja

Of Shadows and Men

The ninja had stopped for the night, planning on adding the Sword of Fire to their inventory  the next day. They were all gathered around a fire, each participating in their own activities. Kai and Jay danced around as Cole banged on a set of bongos he had somehow got ahold of. Wu was meditating, Zane watched the other boys with slightly confused eyes, and Onyx seemed to be having an argument with the writer of a book she was reading, scribbling something into the margins every ten seconds.

"Come on Sensei, join us!" Kai invited the elderly master. Wu shook his head. "There is still one weapon left, we must get our sleep!" He ordered. "Aw, Sensei, you've got to admit, we're beating the skeleton's bony behinds." Jay offered. "Yeah. Get up here and show us some moves!" Kai agreed.

Wu paused for a moment, then nodded slowly. "I suppose I could. Now this move is very special." He said as he stood up and started striking poses that the ninja never thought a man his age would even consider doing for more reasons than one.

Onyx looked up from her writing, pen frozen over the paper. It was obvious that she was slightly freaked out but couldn't look away. Zane piped up in response to Wu's words. "But if done incorrectly, will it lead to disastrous consequences?" He asked. The other boys burst into laughter. "Zane, is that a joke? A sense of humor... you found it!" Kai said through his snickers.

Zane blinked, confused, and closed his eyes in meditation. Onyx looked at him as Wu started up a chant that kind of freaked her out. She could handle pretty much anything except Wu, it seemed. "Was that a joke?" She asked.

Zane shook his head and dove back into his own little world as the others continued to keep up what they were doing until the stars shone brightly overhead.

Onyx was curled up into a small ball on the ground, trying to sleep. Every night she had the same problems with falling asleep. She stared at the dying embers of the fire, entranced by the way they flickered and glowed. Then, just as her mind had started to slow down, she heard a whisper.

"Kai...." It said. Onyx tensed, listening. Kai mumbled something, and she heard him sit up. "Kai," the voice said again. It was female, probably belonging to a teenager. Onyx heard Kai stand up. "Kai, I have to go," the voice said. "Nya, wait up!" Kai called softly. His footsteps ran off. Onyx quietly got to her feet and followed. Whatever he was chasing, it wasn't his sister. Whatever it was, it hadn't had footsteps.

Onyx ran silently through the woods, pursuing Kai and the thing. His footprints led her to the mouth of the Fire Temple. She slipped up to the entrance and peered in, just in time to see the thing, which had taken the shape of a dark-haired teenage girl, morph into a huge shadow with the words, "I'm right here, brother." It's voice deepened into a man's on the last word. Onyx's eyes widened. She knew what she was looking at.

"Garmadon!" Kai shouted. Garmadon's shadow tilted its head. "Forget something?" He asked. Kai stared him down. "You can't hurt me. You're banished. Trapped in the Underworld. You're just a shadow," he said. Onyx winced. She knew perfectly well that shadows could do a whole realm of harm. Garmadon laughed. "That's why you're going to get the Sword of Fire for me," he said. Kai snorted. "I don't think so," he said. "Are you sure about that?" Garmadon asked. As his shadow vanished, a girl dropped from the ceiling, suspended over the lava by chains wrapped around her torso. "Nya!" Kai shouted.

If you don't remove the sword, how else will you save your precious little sister?" Garmadon's voice asked.

Nya struggled. "You know it's a trap! I can free my...self!" She wriggled for a moment, then stopped. "Okay, that's tight." She muttered. The chains dropped another foot towards the lava. Kai glanced desperately between the sword and chains, struggling to make a decision. "Tick tock, tick tock." Garmadon murmured softly in the background. Finally Kai grabbed the sword and spun into Spinjitzu, flying at Nya. He sliced the chain with the sword, but he hadn't thought things through, and Nya was now plummeting towards the lava. 'Move now!' "No!" Kai cried, spinning towards Nya. But he knew that he wouldn't be able to make it in time.

Onyx dashed out from her hiding place and lunged for Nya, praying that she would be flying fast enough to knock her onto the platform. Onyx collided with Nya hard enough to knock the breath from her lungs. The two of them tumbled onto the stone next to Kai, each panting for breath. "Who-?" Kai realized who it was mid-word. Onyx jumped to her feet and started stamping on the smoldering ends of her pantleg. When she was sure the danger of catching fire had passed as much as it could in a fire temple, she turned to try and help Nya up and summarize the situation.

"Hello. I'm Onyx, the Ninja Darkness. The giant shadow on the wall was Garmadon, and he wants to either destroy or take over Ninjago," she said quickly. Garmadon's laughter suddenly filled the room. "What a clever child!" He laughed. Onyx gritted her teeth and drew her katanas, having set the daggers aside. She liked the power they lent her, but she wasn't quite used to wielding them yet.

"Stay close," Kai murmured to the two of them. Nya nodded. "I'm not going anywhere," she said, an edge of fear creeping into her voice. "Me neither. I'm not going to run," Onyx said. "You can't hurt us! You're just a shadow!" Kai shouted into the empty room. "Shadows actually can hurt-" Garmadon interrupted Onyx. "Even shadows have their uses," he said. A black silhouette of Kai appeared in front of them, harsh red eyes piercing into them. Kai poised to strike. "Stay back," he said. Nya huffed in frustration. "Stay close, stay back, make up your mind!" She snapped. "I think we should let Kai handle this. The shadow is focused on him right now," Onyx said softly.

Nya showed signs of wanting to ignore her and help her brother, so Onyx grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back. She watched as Kai took a swing at the shadow, only for his fist to pass right though it. She watched, intrigued. Kai peppered the shadow with blows, only for his fists to pass right through it without doing any damage every time. After a minute of this, the shadow suddenly whirled around and kicked Kai, sending him flying back. "That's not fair!" Nya shouted. "Yeah, it should at least be a fair fight!" Onyx agreed. Garmadon laughed in mock pity. "Oh. Am I being to hard?" He asked.

The moment Garmadon finished speaking, the shadow multiplied, splitting into doubles. They all attacked the fire ninja, who tried valiantly to fight back, but his efforts were in vain. He struggled to stand back up for the dozenth time, wiping blood from his mouth. The moment he regained his stance, one of the shadows kicked the sword from Kai's hand. It skittered across the rocks with a tinkling clatter. The shadow closest to the weapon reached to pick it up, but before it could, the shadow  of a certain Sensei dropped in front of it, striking the creature away.

They can only be fought by their own kind!" Onyx realized aloud, turning to position her shadow among the others. As she piloted her shadow, Wu retrieved the sword. "Brother. I see you protect two, but what about the other three?" Garmadon's voice called.

"They are safe, far from your grasp, Garmadon!" Wu cried. Onyx's stomach twisted nervously. Why did he ask? Garmadon cackled harshly. "I wouldn't be so sure."

An image appeared in the center of the room. The skulking warriors had captured the other ninja and stolen the weapons. Onyx's eyes widened in alarm. "My brother cannot unite the Weapons! We must keep them apart!" Wu shouted, charging for the entrance. The other three followed. "Yeah, let's broadcast our every thought to the villain because it totally won't cause problems!" Onyx said, voice dripping with sarcasm.

But before they reached the entrance, which was also the only exit, Garmadon decided to add one more problem to the mix. Awaken, Guardian of the Deep! They're stealing the sword; you must not let them escape!" He shouted.

"No!" Wu shouted in anger. "You sick, twisted-!" Kai wasn't able to finish his sentence. The ground began to shake, and a head emerged from the lava, blocking the entryway. "And here comes the dragon." Onyx said.