Aria Lord is the daughter of Empress Layla and the Overlord. She is known to her mother and the citizens of Ninjago as the unwanted princess. Unwanting to see her daughter's face, Layla sent her off to live with Lord Garmadon, who taught Aria about...
Aria and Reika continue their journey through the Shadowlands. They soon came upon a large village, it looked like it was about the center of the kingdom. The girls looked around the village in excitement, it was nothing like Ninjago. Everyone here seemed happy but they weren't all exactly human. They were more like different races of monsters or demons. She saw ones that were witches/wizard hats, their were some that looked like werewolves, etc.
"This is insane." Reika says "It's like we're in some kind of alternate reality."
Aria looked around to see people staring at her and whispering.
"I think we're attracting unwanted attention." Aria whispers
Reika looks around, noticing as well, "Not us, you."
They make their way through the village, people around them seemed happy to see her actually, some waved. Aria smiled to herself, it was so nice to be there, even if the people were not human. Reika stopped and patted her head before pointing up a mountain where an old castle sat on top.
"Look at that." Reika says "You think that's where our destination is?"
"My old family home.." Aria stares at it "Or at least, my dads."
"Let's go check it out." Reika tells her before rushing up to the mountain
Aria quickly follows after her. The air seemed to be colder up there, it made it almost creepy. Once she made it to the top she looked up at the giant doors. Their was dust covering the door and everything.
Aria pushed open the doors with all her strength and the giant doors opened slowly with a creaking noise. Aria grabbed a nearby candle and lit it using her purple fire. She stepped into the old castle, she could hear her shoes clicking against the floor as she walked.
Dead center of the giant ball room was a stair case. She slowly walked up the stairs and once she reached the top she shone her candlelight on the giant hanging portrait.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"I don't understand," Reika looks confused, pointing at the portrait "Is this supposed to be your family?"
Aria glides her hand across the baby resembling herself "..I don't look like my dad.."
"Huh?" Reika looks at her
"I.." Aria looks back at Reika "I look like my mother.. my silver hair is from my mother."
"Indeed it is."
Aria and Reika look behind them to see Layla approaching them, they never head anyone enter the castle.
"Mother" Aria bows to her
"Yes," Layla makes her way up to the girls "You resemble me."
"I don't understand." Aria says "You've always hated me and Zero cause we look like father.. but.."
"No," Layla sighs "You two remind me of the person I was.. a time in my life I wished to forget."
Layla walks over to a bench and sits on it, she pats the place beside her. Aria slowly makes her way over and sits beside her mother.
"You're old enough to know now," Layla began "It was long ago back when we first came to this realm, your father and I were engaged."
"Svern look at this place!" Layla looks at him "It's way better then the dump we call home."
"I know," Svern smiles to her "It'd be a good place to raise a family."
"Yes," Layla smirks "we should conquer it, and raise our family to rule this place for thousands of years."
"Uh.." Svern looks confused "I don't know Layla, you know me and him are friends. I can't just steal his own creation from him."
"Hmph." Layla crosses her arms and turns away from him "I didn't know my man was such a coward."
"I'm not," Svern tries to reason "It's just-"
"I thought you said you loved me!" Layla shouts at him "That I could have anything I wanted! I want this place! I want Ninjago!"
"Yes.." Svern sighs "Whatever you want my dear."
"My insatiable greed for power, is what drove the war."
"Svern how could you?" the first spinjitzu master faces him "I thought we were friends? Don't you know how hard I've worked to create this place of peace?!"
"What can I say old man?" Svern chuckles "You can never have too much."
"Your father raged the war with the First Spinjitzu master for hundreds of years, no victor in sight, but that changed when I was offered a deal."
"Layla, please, if you want the throne you can have it." The First Spinjitsu Master pleaded "I'll make you Empress, you can rule for as long as you want, just leave him please. You're turning Svern into a powerful being of darkness."
"Seriously?" Layla asks "You'll make me Empress?"
"..if that's all you care for" The First Spinjitsu Master replies "Yes."
"Your father was deeply in love with me, but I only cared for his power. If I ruled over Ninjago, then their was nothing else that mattered, the power I wanted was in my hand. In return, I broke a poor man's heart."
"How could you do this Layla?!" Svern shouts, his eyes flickering purple "Everything I did was for you! You traded me for a seat on the throne?!"
"You took your sweet time conquering this realm, of course I took the easy route." Layla replies cruelly "You pathetic excuse for a man, get out of my sight."
"What about our children Layla?!" Svern shouts "You're there mother."
"Send them off to some distant realm or something, I don't care." Layla sighs "They'd just be in my way, waiting for me to roll over and die so they can have the throne."
"You heartless women!" Svern's eyes turn completely purple, dark power surged through his body, shifting him into his dragon form "You used me!"
"Well duh," Layla replies turning to the First Spinjitzu master "Ok, talk over, you can banish him now or whatever."
"I was the true monster.."
"My old friend," the First Spinjitzu Master approached the Overlord "Look what has become of you" gold surrounded the Overlord as he shrieked "It's ok.. I'll only banish part of you.. the remaining half can survive to raise your children.. they will need their father."
"I had turned your father into the beast he was.." Layla finishes as a single tear falls down her face "I regret everything.." she looks at Aria "I regret leaving my family.. I traded what should've been important.. for this meaningless power I hold to this day. I turned my back on a man who loved every part of me" she put her hand on Aria's cheek "I turned my back, on my children.."
