The Master of Dragons

Chapter 2

                The two made it out of the monastery without anyone noticing that they were leaving. Daniella predicted that the others wouldn't notice, but still felt a pang of sadness. Garmadon noticed the change in his daughter's mood.

"The moon is beautiful tonight," he observed, looking up at the full moon.

"It really is. I've never liked the daytime. The sun is too bright, and you can't see the moon or the stars. And it's too noisy. Everyone bustling around, not taking the time to stop and enjoy the simple things," she agreed.

"Yes. But in the darkness, evil lurks."

"True." Daniella took another glance at the moon.

"Wait. If the Purple Ninja is supposed to keep their identity a secret, how do you know so much about so much about what grandmother did?" Daniella asked. Her father chuckled softly, gazing out to the horizon.

"My mother thought that I was the next one destined to fight for the Great Library. She taught me what she could before I was bitten by the Great Devourer. Once I was bitten, she knew that I was not the one. The evil coursing through my veins had set me on another path, I could not hold the Staff," he answered.

"Oh," she said, deciding it was best not to push.

"But I am glad that you are the next Purple Ninja. You always fight for what is right, no matter what anyone else thinks. Remember, you are the one who saved me from The Overlord. Your brother only banished him," Garmadon added, turning to look at Daniella.

"I remember. I took a weeklong nap," she giggled.

"Hmm, that you did. Quite an impressive record."

"Where are you guys going?" a voice asked from behind. The Garmadons turned to see that they had not left unnoticed. There stood PIXAL, who had not left her room since Zane's memorial.

"Would you believe we were just going for a walk?" Daniella asked.

"No," PIXAL answered simply.

"We were just going for a walk," Garmadon stated warily.

"I said that I did not believe that," PIXAL argued.

The bushes beside the path rustled. All three whipped their heads around to stare at the bush. After a second, the bush stopped rustling, only to grow a pair of curved, black horns. Daniella, Garmadon and PIXAL slowly backed away from the bush and grouped together. A large demon lumbered out of the bush and into the moonlight. He was well taller than the group and had cloven hooves for feet. His muzzle sported four large tusks and oozed with what looked like venom. He slowly pointed his finger at Daniella's hair pin and opened his mouth.

"Give me the Staff of Light, or I shall make you pay dearly," he demanded.

"What do we do?" Daniella whispered.

"You fight," her father answered, backing the group away slowly.

"Oh, okay. I should have known it was that easy," she said sarcastically.

"Take your inner Jay and shove him deep down where he can't be heard. Transform the Staff and defeat this demon. You can do this Daniella. I believe in you," her father instructed.

Daniella nodded her head, drew a deep breath, and closed her eyes. She envisioned the way she had always imagined the Purple Ninja when she was little. A brave warrior in a Purple Gi, armed with the Staff of Light. When she opened her eyes, she tightened her grip on the Staff and launched herself at the demon. The demon blocked the first blow but missed the second one. When the Staff made contact with the demon's skin, it quickly burst into flames. In seconds, the large demon was reduced to a small pile of ash. Daniella looked down at the Staff and gasped when she saw that her clothes had been replaced with the intricate gi that she had envisioned. Her hands ran up to her hair and felt that her hair had been tied up into a ponytail. She pulled her mask away from her nose and mouth and turned to face her father and her friend.

"Okay, that was awesome!" she gasped.

"Very impressive. I knew you could do it, my darling," her father praised.

"What just happened?" PIXAL asked in confusion.

"I defeated a very big, very scary, demon. I am the next Purple Ninja. But you can't tell the others!" she answered quickly.

"I don't think they would believe me even if I did," PIXAL remarked, staring at the pile of ash.

"We must be going. Where there is one demon, there will be more," Garmadon said, ushering the girls down the path.

They walked down the path quickly, barely making a sound as to not attract anymore attention. They came to the large pond that was fed by a waterfall, very similar to the other that powered the water wheel of her father's monastery. Garmadon led the way behind the waterfall to a small cave. The floor was veined with lavender material that cast the cave in a warm glow. Garmadon opened his arms and gestured to the cave.

"Welcome to the Moon Cave. Here is one of the few places in Ninjago where you can access the Dragon Veins. Just listen to what the Staff tells you and you will begin your journey."

Daniella looked from the Staff to the floor. It hummed, guiding Daniella to the center of the cave where the Dragon Vein came to an intersection. The Vein glowed brighter as she grew closer. Daniella looked from the veins to the staff and raised it to touch the two together, but hesitated.

"I go alone from here, don't I?" she asked, turning to face her father.

"I'm afraid so. But this is the path you are destined to take. You wouldn't have this destiny if you were born for it. You will succeed, I have faith in you," Garmadon answered. Daniella took a deep breath and launched herself at her father, embracing him like it would be the last time. Garmadon wrapped his arms around her shoulders and gave her a reassuring squeeze.

"Do not be scared, my darling. We will see each other again," he whispered before pulling away. He smiled as brushed her hair out of her face and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. Daniella smiled softly as she turned and gave PIXAL a hug. Daniella pulled away after a second and held PIXAL's shoulders.

"You aren't alone. We all miss him, but I don't think that he is gone completely. Not after what happened at your father's lab. After I complete this quest, I will help you find him. I promise."

"Why make a promise like that?" PIXAL asked as Daniella turned and walked towards the center of the cave.

"Now I have two reasons to come back," she answered. Daniella raised her staff and touched the Dragon Vein. There was a blinding flash of lavender. When the light died down, Daniella was gone leaving Garmadon and PIXAL alone in the cave.

"Where has she gone?" PIXAL asked.

"She has traveled to the realm of the Great Library. Her journey has just begun, and I believe that she will lean on us when she returns. We must be ready for her. Come, we must hurry before someone notices that we are gone," he answered, leading the nindroid back the way they came.

"But what will we tell the others?" she asked.

"We will tell them that she is on a quest to find out who she really is. The others are not ready for the whole truth yet."