Ninjago: the Daughter of the Overlord

Chapter 2: Master of the Valley

Aria sighed as she leaned against a tree, the forest she entered seemed almost endless. Soon after she entered the place was covered in thick fog, who knows how many days it's been. She swears that she's just been going in circles.

Aria sat down and took an apple out of her bag. She took a bite and heard rustling in the bushes. Aria turned her head to see a wolf through the thick fog, watching her from the bushes.

"What?" Aria looked at it "you wanna attack me?"

The wolf growled at her. Aria sighed and held out her apple to it.

"Do you want it?" she asks

The wolf took a step forward and stared at her.

"take it" she says and moved it forward

The wolf growled again and she stayed still. The wolf carefully took another step forward, watching Aria with careful eyes, ready to attack at any time. Aria just stared at the wolf as it slowly inched forward, it quickly grabbed the apple out of her hand and ran back to the bushes.

Aria sighed and stood up, she slung her bag over her shoulder before continuing her journey. After awhile she stopped and turned around to see the wolf following her. upon seeing her look at him, the wolf's ears went back and he growled.

"What are you growling at?" Aria asks annoyed "you're the one following me"

The wolf just kept growling. Aria shrugged and continued walking forward. She took another apple out of her bag and ate as she walked. Every once in awhile Aria would glance back to see the wolf still following her.

"Hey" Aria turns to it "Is their something you want?"

The wolf's eyes look at her apple.

"You're still hungry?" Aria asks

The wolf just stood there.

"fine, have it" Aria tossed the apple and it landed in front of the wolf "you probably need it more then I do"

The wolf looked at the apple then to her before reaching down and taking the apple. Aria smiled a bit before turning back around and continuing to walk forward. Aria kept glancing behind her to see if the wolf was still following her, but it was gone.

"guess it ate enough now" Aria told herself

The sun slowly started going down and it was getting colder once again. The fog always seemed to get thicker at night too. Aria quickly found a nice place to make a fire and camp for the night. Once the fire was ablaze she settled against a tree and dozed off.

Hours seemed to pass before Aria was awoken by the sound of rustling. She opened her eyes to see the fire was now out, their was a figure in the fog not too far away from her.

"w-who's there" Aria stood up and lit a purple fire in her hand

The figured turned out to be the wolf from earlier.

"huh.." Aria stared at it "what are you doing here?"

The wolf grabbed her backpack from beside the tree and ran away with it.

"hey!" Aria shouted

She put out the flame in her hand and ran after the wolf. She followed it through the dense forest and across an old bridge that looked like it could fall apart at any moment. Aria was almost out of breath when the wolf started jumping from ledge to ledge up a mountain.

"I haven't seen this before" Aria gasps for air "where did this mountain come from?!"

After a quick breather she quickly followed up the mountain. She soon reached the top where the fog seems a whole lot lighter. She gasped at the beautiful scene in front of her. Their was a monastery surrounded by giant oak trees.

Aria slowly walked into the monastery and looked around. She heard the sound of the wolf's paws against the floor and she quickly went to the room. Their was an old man, about around Wu and Garmadon's age, sitting on a chair petting the wolf who had Aria's bag in it's mouth.

"Excuse me" Aria calls out as she enters the room

"Princess Aria" the man speaks "I have been expecting you"

Aria's eyes widen in shock "you.. what?"

"I see you've had some trouble making your way through the Valley of the Lost" the old man chuckles "it's a good thing I sent Maximus out to find you"

"The Valley of the Lost?" Aria looks out the window at the forest covered in thick fog

"That's the forest you were in, it's been a couple weeks since you've entered so I assumed you were lost" the old man pet the wolf "you're lucky you didn't encounter any of the lost souls, this valley contains the souls of the dead that had died with regret"

"...so why do you live up here then?" Aria asks turning to him

"because I'm the master of the Valley" the old man replies, he smiles "and I'll be your trainer, young princess"

"you?" Aria looks confused "how did you know i'd be here?"

"that'll be my own secret" The old man chuckles "but for your information I happen to be the one appointed by your father to train you, the next Dark Lord"

"...daddy did?" Aria asks as she sits in front of him

"Welcome to your side of Ninjago princess" the man smiles "this is the entrance to your kingdom, the Valley of the Lost keeps outsiders out. Fate has brought you here, to me, to begin your training"

"Can you train me to be super strong?" Aria asks eagerly "so I can defeat the ninja"

"Perhaps" the old man strokes his beard "but you must be the one to determine that for yourself, after all you are the one using the power, not me. You must have the ability to learn and grow. To be able to pass any challenge given, are you ready?"

"yes Master" Aria stood up "I'm ready"

The old man stands up "good, let us begin"