The Silent Man's Whisper [ninjago]

19 | resurrected

"Harumi?"

He recognized that devilish smile that was revealed once the mask was taken off slowly, but his brain had to make sure it wasn't playing any tricks on him. Not again.

"Missed me?" Her voice was somewhat deeper, more antagonizing.

More painful to listen to.

Lloyd was beyond baffled. "But you—" He stuttered, "You're supposed to be gone! I watched as the building..." He couldn't bear listening to his own words. They caused him to relive the imagery he'd tried so hard to forget for many years.

Harumi chuckled, and Lloyd hated the way her laughter still managed to affect him. "Again, Lloyd." She slowly leaned in until they were face-to-face. "You were wrong."

The Green Ninja scowled. "How did you survive?"

Harumi straightened up and began to pace back and forth in front of him, all the while the other villains stood around and listened in on their conversation. None of them admitted to it, but they were curious as to how she had survived a building crashing on top of her as well.

"Although I don't owe anyone an explanation." She side-eyed Lloyd. "I'm feeling generous today."

She slowly knelt down to his level, her smile vanishing. "I was meant to die that day, Lloyd. I was meant to pass away and leave this cruel world behind." She stood up, inspecting her bloody red nails. "But I survived. Or better yet; I was saved."

"Who saved you?"

Harumi tilted her head. "Why'd you ask? Jealous it wasn't you?" She smirked when she saw his scowl deepen. "But don't worry that blond head of yours. You'll find out soon enough."

Now it was Lloyd rolling his eyes. "Just tell me. Spare us the boredom, please. I'm about to burst with curiosity," he said sarcastically.

Harumi chose to ignore his snide comments and turned to the other villains. "Are you ready?"

"Ready for what?"

Harumi screwed her neck slowly, sparing him only a side look. "Shut up, Lloyd."

When Lloyd opened his mouth, she sighed and turned back to him. She stepped over to him, lifted her hand, and slapped him across his face, sending his head to the side, effectively silencing him due to the shock of the slap. She then turned back around and continued to do what she meant to do.

"Are you ready?" she repeated for the other villains.

The four past villains all looked at each other, silently asking the same question. A few seconds later, they nodded at each other, a confident spark in each of their eyes, and turned back to Harumi to nod at her as well.

"Very well." She smiled devilishly and stepped forward. "Then stretch your arms out and let the ritual begin!"

The villains came to stand in a circle in front of the crystalized pedestal and stretched their arms that were holding their weapons in the air. A pink and purple mist started to fog their places as Harumi started to chant ancient words Lloyd did not know the meaning of.

"Ritual?" Lloyd asked, on high alert. "What ritual? Harumi, what the hell are you doing?"

She either couldn't hear him or ignored him as she continued to chant foreign words to the fog.

Lloyd moved against the chains in rapid motions, trying everything in his power to free himself. He needed to stop whatever was going on.

He didn't need to know who was being resurrected to know it was bad. Horribly, terribly bad.

Before he managed to get free, an ear-deafening explosion sent him flying across the room. He didn't have any time to celebrate his freedom when the result of the finished ritual was the one freeing him.

Groaning, Lloyd peeled himself up from the dirty ground and blinked several times to wake himself up, the explosion having messed with his senses. He stood up, rather shakily at first, and looked at the foggy pedestal.

The villains, including Harumi, were all on the ground as well, but the Golden Weapons of Spinjitzu were floating in the air, spinning around someone who was now standing on the pedestal, the mist surrounding their body, emitting from it. Purple crystals were forming on the weapons and making them appear unbreakable.

Lloyd tried his hardest to figure out who was standing there. It didn't take long for him to do so; the evil laughter he knew oh so well gave it away quickly.

His heart seemed to stop beating the moment realization hit him.

It was the Overlord, back in human form, stronger than ever.