Salt: A Ninjago story

44: Pull Yourself Together

The urgent call to arms was all he needed. It snapped him out of his reverie and into reality. Whatever it was he had forgotten it can't have been important. Lloyd was ready. The Quiet One would be silenced once and for all. She had wounded him one too many times and would not pull him or any of his friends under again. His life was accounted for, his wound healed. He was at peace with his past and the future was now his concern.

'Where are you?' he asked Zane.

'Follow me' the drone shot off.

Lloyd was fired up. His body shimmered, emotion heightening his power. The drone was far into the distance and Lloyd needed to move fast. Releasing a shout he threw out energy to propel himself upwards in a great leap. The energy followed him like a comets tail, warping, flicking and twisting. As his inertia slowed the writhing power trail re-formed and Lloyd's dragon roared beneath him. It bucked its neck, happy to re-join it's other worldly rider and as Lloyd fell, he stretched to grab hold of the beasts' plumes. He wrapped his legs around its neck and felt the raw elemental power coursing beneath him. He needed this; it had been a long time. The symbiotic pairing enhanced his elemental power. Re-charging him it sent long pulses through his body and eradicated his tiredness. Leaning forward onto the dragons' neck he whispered into it 'I should have called on you earlier' the dragon snorted in derision 'oh! Been busy have you?' Lloyd joked and bounced off the dragon's neck as it rippled a wave through the length of its body. Lloyd laughed and held the dragon tighter, he could feel it was happy to be with him. He appreciated it and felt the weight of his past melt away.

The Drone was now in plain sight. Lloyd edged the Dragon to glide alongside but still had to shout over the rush of the wind 'Zane! Where are we going? What's happened?'

A single light blinked on the drone and Zane's voice came through 'we are at the Shadow Settlement'

'What? What do you mean? Why did you go there?'

'Lloyd...I am sorry to tell you, but The Temple was attacked and Kai disappeared'

'What? Holy crap! I should have been there... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have left'

'What will be will be Lloyd. But fate is back in your hands, you can influence the outcome now'

A strange sensation came over Lloyd; A feeling of deja vu, but for what? Fate? Not possible, after all, fate is what's to come, not what has been. He shook his head free of the feeling, but the word fate resonated within him. He spurred the dragon forward and sped away from the drone, which rolled and turned in the wake of its powerful wings.

'Lloyd!' Zane shouted and pushed the drone faster to catch him up.

Lloyd knew exactly where to go. He had followed a shadow by foot and the route was etched within his body. He had been stupid, tired and stupid. He had approached the settlement, followed the shadow to the very door it entered and knocked! Yeah, Nya had let him have it! Cole had calmly reprimanded him, but he had got away from the shadows that attacked and there had been many. He didn't think anything would come of his intrusion, but if he'd stopped and thought about more than his own needs, they could have prevented the attack on the Temple, taken the fight to the Shadows and Kai would not now be a prisoner there.

'A penny for them?' Zane said into his ear. The drone was speeding at his shoulder 'I can see your furrowed brow you know'

'Oh well, you know. I've caused this to happen... blah blah blah, angst, the usual!' Lloyd slumped and rubbed his brow 'I'm kind of getting sick of feeling like this'

'You made a mistake. Nobody blames you. Except you'

'Really?'

'Really... Did you find what you were looking for?'

'Sorry?'

'On your trip?'

'Oh. Yes. I did... I think. I feel better for it, that much I know'

'I am pleased for you Lloyd, to understand ones past will afford a strong future'

Lloyd smiled wide. He loved Zane's ability to sound like a wise sensei without even trying. He felt better. He wasn't a surly child or a confused teen anymore. He did know who he was. He knew his calling in life, he accepted it and accepted fate 'are we going to have to fight?' he asked.

'Without a doubt'

'Well hooray for that! I could do with a good fight!' Lloyd said with slightly more relish than he should have admitted. But Zane did not question him on it, which was odd. Zane was a pacifist and would be the first to advocate a peaceful solution over a fight or indeed just take a few words to reproach Lloyd's aggressive desire 'Zane?' Lloyd questioned, searching for his friends voice 'Zane?' Now he was worried.