In an Alternate World (NINJAGO)

Chapter 16

"Are you two finished yet?!"

Lord Garmadon's booming voice startled the arguing generals. Kai and Cole glanced at each other before quickly brushing themselves off, standing straight and tall. "Yes, Lord Garmadon." They both answered, scared out of their minds.

"Then use your golden weapons to obliterate these powerless traitors!" Garmadon ordered through clenched teeth.

The generals reached behind their backs, only to discover their weapons weren't at their hilts. They glanced back at Garmadon, his bleeding eyes seething with rage.

Wu had turned from his fight with Samukai to guide his students, only to discover his opponent had vanished once he looked back. "No..."

The former Skulkin General overpowered Jay and Zane, catching them off guard and grabbing their weapons from behind. He cackled as he ran towards Garmadon, his other two arms still free.

"Gah! How the hell did I not see that coming?!" Jay growled, reaching for an extra weapon.

"How do you think I feel?!" Zane groaned, facing the other way. "I'm a robot!"

"Guys, stay focused!" Nya shouted, using her spinjitzu to knock out a skeleton. "We have to find the other two- oh no..." Her eyes widened as she immediately identified the sword and scythe, placed in the hands of the bumbling skeletons that guarded her door. They were rushing towards Samukai, holding the weapons out to him.

Kai gasped, rushing towards the skeletons. "What are you doing?! You boneheads!"

"I'm sorry?" The skeleton with the higher-pitched voice cackled, tossing the sword to Samukai. "Who's calling who a bonehead here? You're the one that let us take your weapons!"

"Except I won't let you take them!" Kai let out a yell in fury, charging towards them at full speed.

"No, Kai!" Lord Garmadon called out, creating a cloud of pure darkness to slow him. "Let Samukai take the weapons!"

Wu's eyes widened. "Ninja, you must not let him-" Darkness covered Sensei's mouth, cutting him off.

"What are we waiting for?!" Nya cried out. "We need to get your weapons back!" She spun towards the skeletons, taking them out.

"How the hell are you doing that?" Jay called from far behind.

She spun to a halt, slightly dizzy but her heart racing with the same excitement from the night Jay helped her train. Speaking of... "Remember that night at the training course? I know you never ran through it, but do you kind of remember the parts to it?" She grinned and went through the steps slowly to demonstrate. "It's just like it!"

Jay's eyes sparkled. "Of course I remember! What was it? Dodge the planks, over the swords..." He jumped over a group of skeletons, his generic nunchucks aimed for a skull. "Aha! Here comes the dummy!" Nya watched in amazement as he spun into a tornado of bright blue energy, electricity crackling at its every movement. "I'm doing it!"

Nya watched Zane scan and copy Jay's movements, instantly spinning into a blinding white tornado of ice. Lucky robot. He can probably learn anything in a snap just by looking at it. "Come on, guys!"

The three of them fought their way towards Samukai and Garmadon, bones flying everywhere. Kai watched them past the darkness, fading away but still containing him, and growled in frustration. "Cole! Do something!"

Cole was watching everything unfurl, a panicked expression clouding his face. He backed away, obviously overwhelmed. "I can't... I can't..." He was covering his face and shaking his head. "It's too much. Too much. Too much..."

Zane grabbed Nya's shoulder. "I know him well. I'm going to get him to safety. Stay with Jay and stop Samukai."

Nya opened her mouth to speak but closed it, knowing it was probably best to trust the robot. Besides... he was already running towards the Earth General at full speed.

"Come on, Jay, it's just you and me." She took his hand and rushed towards Samukai and Garmadon, only to skid to a halt.

The skeleton with the lower voice had finally gotten to Samukai, placing the Scythe of Quakes in his remaining hand. Samukai cackled, his bony fingers closing around the handles of each weapon. He turned to Garmadon slowly. "Bow to me, young fool." He ordered. "You have lost. I hold the most powerful weapons in Ninjago, and you have nothing!"

"Master, don't let him do this!" Kai called out, rushing towards the skeleton. "He's going to kill us all!"

"NO!" Nya cried out, starting to run towards Samukai and her brother. Just one, I just need to grab one-

Jay grabbed her from behind and dragged her back. "Nya, don't go near him! It's too late!"

She fought him desperately, clinging onto the last strand of hope she had. Hope to save her brother. Hope to save her home. Hope to even turn Garmadon. Jay eventually overpowered her, knocking her to the ground and crawling on top of her, shielding her from the white light beginning to glow at Samukai's fingertips. He held onto her tightly, refusing to let go.

The hollow spaces that once held Samukai's eyes widened, illuminated only by the white aura. "Wh-What's going on..." He croaked, his body suddenly lifting into the air.

Lord Garmadon reclined casually in his throne. "You power-hungry fool. I was merely using you and your useless army to possess the weapons for me. I knew only you would be ignorant enough to believe you could wield all four without perishing."

The white glow around the panicked Samukai grew brighter by the second. Nya gasped, clinging onto Jay's shirt and averting her eyes. Sensei was released at this time, now backing away from the light with his eyes covered, but still facing his brother with courage. "You came here only to grow stronger... and then use the weapons' power for-"

"Yes, brother." Garmadon hissed. "And once I escape this damned place, I'll be able to only grow stronger, so that one day I may possess the four weapons and create Ninjago in my own image!"

Terror seized Nya's heart as she watched Samukai's bones tear apart, repeatedly breaking away until they were only dust. The weapons spun out of control, the light growing into a large circular vortex. The last thing she saw before she closed her eyes was-

Oh my god...

Kai leaping for the weapons, grabbing the sword... only to get hit by the blinding white light on the side of his face, blasting him away.

Nya had caught a glimpse of his face before the darkness. He was crying... crying out in pain...

His eyes were open.