Cherreads

Chapter 38 - Season 4: Spellbound

[ Warning of self harm]

Nova earned three more points for things she has destroyed, even though she didn't get a kitchen ban for once. [+3] (the count is from each explosion that was made from her luck.)

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*The Elemental Masters and Garmadon ride on a blimp above the island.*

"What are you looking at, Zippy?" Jay asked.

"The next one out of the Tournament." said Griffin.

"Uh, heh."

"Why so scared to show us your back, Shadow? Worried we're gonna find a tattoo and know you're working for Chen?" said Kai.

"I hope this next fight is between you and me, because I'm gonna put you on your back." said Shade.

Mr. Pale whistles.

"Do you mind?" said Skylor.

"Would you guys just shut up already?" [robotic] said Nova glaring at the others.

"Tensions are high." said Garmadon.

"Yeah, not as high as we are now. Can hardly see the island from up here." said Lloyd.

"I've had enough of this. I can't stand heights. Where's Chen?" Neuro opens the door to the control room, but no one's piloting it. "Ugh!"

Chen appears on a screen. "How do I know if this thing's on? Oh, oh, oh, I see, the light. Oh, oh, I'm on? Right now? Ahem, ahem. Hello, final nine. I see you are all eager for the tournament to commence so one of you can win my Staff of Elements. Instead of fighting for a Jadeblade, today you will be fighting for something different." He shows them a video of Nya.

"Nya." said Kai worried.

"You know her?" Skylor asked.

"It's my sister." said Kai.

"We have an uninvited guest on the island." said Chen.

"And she must be holding the proof that will stop Chen." said Kai.

"Find her and you will automatically move on..." said Chen.

"The spell he plans to use when he takes our powers." said Kai.

"...to the final round!" said Chen.

"He wants us all to hunt her down? She won't stand a chance." said Jay.

"Then we have to find her before anyone else does." said Lloyd.

"In ten seconds, the bottom will drop." Everyone gasps. "But to show you I'm not a bad man, I've given you nine parachutes." Everyone but Garmadon rushes to grab a parachute. "Sensei Garmadon is there? Shoot, that makes ten. Oh, well, I was never good at math. Heh. Toodle-oo."

"Garmadon, take my parachute." [robotic] said Nova walking over to him with hers.

"No, you would need it more than I do." said Garmadon, not taking it.

Nova narrowed her eyes at him. "Sensei. Take. The. Parachute. I'll be fine." [robotic] She said in a low and annoyed tone, shoving it into his hands before walking away.

"That guy's love for trapdoors is seriously getting on my nerves!" said Lloyd as everyone falls off.

"Lloyd, use your Energy Dragon!" said Jay.

Lloyd tries to, but fails. "I can't! I can't get it to work!" Jay lands on top of Griffin's parachute.

"Get your own chute, Lead Foot." said Griffin.

Jay catches one. "I got one! I got one! Hahaha!"

Nova was shaking her head watching the others and she used her gaming ability to slowly float down without any worries.

"Your powers don't work because you aren't controlling your fear. Focus." said Garmadon as Mr. Pale steals Lloyd's parachute. "Control your fear. Don't let it control you. Center yourself."

Neuro takes Kai's chute. "Whoa!" Kai takes another parachute. "There's only one parachute left."

Lloyd summons the dragon just as he hits the trees.

"Huh. He made it!" said Kai.

"Haha! Of course he did!" said Jay.

"Atta boy!" said Garmadon.

Nova smiled happily that he was able to do it, even though she gave Garmadon a parachute a little earlier than in the actual show.

Nya sees the parachutes. "This doesn't look good."

Kai almost lands in a volcano and moves away from it. "Whoa!" He sighs but then sees his parachute in the lava. "Ow! Ow, ow, ow, ow!"

Jay frees himself from a tree, but falls. "Oh, that did not feel good."

Nova landed somewhere in a forest, but wasn't sure where she actually was. [robotic] "I should have observed the show a little more, at least that way I would know where I am."

Chen on speakers. "Hail, combatants, I have left a few treats to help you in the hunt." Shade grabs some bow and arrows. "I hope you use them wisely." He turns to Clouse. "Clouse, why have I never had a mobile base? It's my new favorite toy. Hoo, hoo. There's so many buttons and surprises."

"Like I'll ever trust a treat from you, Chen! Ouch, ouch, ouch!" Jay gasps when he sees a mech. "Okay, maybe just a small treat. Ouch, ouch, ouch!" He gets on the mech.

"Welcome, Master of Lightning." The mech changes to blue.

"Aah. Suddenly, my leg feels much better! I'm on my way, Nya!" said Jay.

Nova found a few weapons and other tools for her to use but she decided against it. "I still have my own weapons, though I should probably change them out with some new ones at a later date." She left without taking any of the items, and just hoped she would run into someone.

"Hmmm now that I think about it, would my luck affect Chen's noodle factory? It's not an actual kitchen but it is still a place that makes noodles.....if my luck does affect. It might help Cole and the others with getting more parts. But if it doesn't work, it probably wouldn't be that bad getting rid of my stupid powers." Nova had stopped walking, as she was in deep thoughts about whether she should let herself get captured or not.

Nova kept thinking until an idea came up that could work, but she hadn't had much time to practice it. "Might as well give it a try while I still have time." [robotic] She turned towards the shadows and held out a hand as she tried to focus.

At first nothing happened for at least fifteen minutes, but then something started moving from the shadows slowly. But surely the thing from the shadows began coming out of the shadows, in a more solid form though covered in smoke like darkness with two purple glowing eyes.

"By the First Spinjitzu Master, it actually worked." [robotic] said Nova surprised as right in front of her, stood a shadow clone of her in the form of what she once looked like, back on the Dark Island when the ninja attacked her.

"This is so awesome!" [robotic] Nova cheered jumping up and down like an excited child, and her clone very much did the same thing, though didn't make any sound.

Nova tried to calm herself down as she now had to get on with her plan. "Since you can't speak I need to find a way for you to deliver a message, but how." [robotic] She looked around trying to find something she could use.

She looked at the bandages on her arms and bit her lip as a small idea came to mind though it wasn't one she was gonna like.

Nova removed the bandages on her right arm and then summoned one of her dual blades, and used it to cut into her right arm until purple blood began running down, and she had to fight back the tears because of how painful it was.

After a good enough of blood was running down her arm, she used the blood to write a message on her removed bandages. When she finished writing she gave the bandages to her clone who had watched with worry when she hurt herself to make a message.

"Bring this Lloyd, and help him until Kai leads him into a trap. Then you go back to the shadows. Understood." [robotic] Nova told her clone in a painful voice because of the pain coming from her still bleeding arm.

The clone gave a short nod, after that they both went into the shadows and went their separate ways.

*Jumping to Lloyd and Garmadon still looking for Nya.*

"You said before that Master Chen was your Sensei, but nothing else." said Lloyd.

"Son, there are things from my past that I am not proud of. Perhaps it's time for you to know the truth. After the Devourer bit me when I was a child, it took years for all of the evil to fully consume me." said Garmadon.

*In a flashback, Garmadon and Clouse are dueling each other.*

Past Clouse uses Dark Magic on some training equipment, but Garmadon counters with Spinjitzu. "He cheated, Master. You told us Spinjitzu was forbidden."

"He did what he had to do to win. Congratulations, Lord Garmadon." said Past Chen.

"It was a time in our history when man and Serpentine were not getting along. As our sides clashed, we hoped for a truce. But not Chen." Garmadon explained.

"Oh, peace is so boring, but conflict and turmoil is so unpredictable and exciting." said Past Chen.

"But, Master Chen, even the Anacondrai are making concessions. There could be a truce. There could be—" said Past Garmadon.

"Never trust a snake, Lord Garmadon. Remember that. Oh, don't look so sad. I've intercepted something that will make you feel better." Past Chen pulls out a paper. "A love letter. Apparently your pathetic brother feels the same about that girl you admire."

"Misako."

"His words are so heartfelt. They could sway how she feels about one of you." said Past Chen.

"I didn't write this...I shouldn't be reading it!" said Past Garmadon.

"Didn't you? It could be your name on it. Certainly you feel the same." said Past Chen to Past Garmadon who signs it with his name, unaware Clouse is watching them.

"Mom thought that letter was from you!" said Lloyd.

"As I've told you, there are things in my past I'm not proud of, but I have no regrets. You wouldn't be here otherwise. My fear of losing Misako controlled me and led me down a dangerous path. A path I hope to one day make peace with." said Garmadon.

As they were talking they quickly noticed some movement in the shadows.

Lloyd got in a fighting position getting ready for a fight, but was a little surprised at what came out of the shadows.

"What is that!?" He shouted in surprise getting ready to attack but was stopped by Garmadon.

"Stand down son, I don't think it means any harm." said Garmadon looking at the shadow-like being, that looked very much like Nova when she had turned into that form by the dark matter on the Dark Island.

The shadow clone slowly came out of the shadows and walked over to them before it stopped in front of Lloyd.

"W-what do you want?" Lloyd asked, eyeing it carefully.

The shadow clone pulled out some bandages it had and gave it to him, who looked very confused until he noticed something purple and still kind of wet on it.

It didn't take long for Lloyd to figure out it was blood but he wasn't sure who, though he had an idea but he was more surprised to see that it was a message for him.

"Hey Lloyd,

You are probably wondering who or what I just had sent to give you this message.

You can just call it clone, shadow clone, or shadow whatever sounds best but that aside.

I know Chen is up to something, so while you and everyone are busy looking for Nya. I'm going to find Cole, and the other masters to hopefully help them get out from where they are being held captive.

With everything going on they shouldn't notice that I'm gone, as they will most likely believe my clone is just a new form I took with my powers.

After you've read all this please destroy, or at least get rid of the bandages so no one else can read this message.

From Delta."

Lloyd just stood there for a second taking in what he had just read. "What the fuck, are she crazy! She can't just go and do that alone. What if she gets captured or worse!?"

"Language Lloyd." said Garmadon.

"Sorry dad." said Lloyd with a heavily annoyed sigh. "I just can't believe she would do that on her own, does she have a death wish or something."

"While it is a risky idea, she is a thief. So I'm sure she at least has some idea on what she is doing...I hope." said Garmadon.

The clone simply gave a small nod but nothing else, since it couldn't really speak or anything like that.

Lloyd looked at the bandages with a sigh before he and Garmadon went on to make a small bonfire, and threw the bandages in the fire burning the message away. After that they all went on their way.

*Some time later Garmadon, Lloyd and the clone find another Samurai X symbol.*

"Father, I don't understand. You trained under Chen, yet you fought beside Wu in the war. What happened to the truce?" said Lloyd going back to what they were talking about earlier before the clone showed up.

"When Chen said "Never trust a snake," he was right. The Serpentine struck first. The alliance of the Elemental Masters fought back. But they had never seen the likes of an Anacondrai warrior. They were bigger, smarter, natural leaders on the battlefield. The Anacondrai were a proud tribe who fought with every ounce of venom. There was no greater warrior in the land. And with them in command, they proved to be too much for the alliance to handle." Garmadon explained.

*The past.*

"Charge!" Past Gravity Master flies over and hits some Anacondrai. The Anacondrai serpent then rises from behind the Master of Gravity and attacks him.

"We've taken the village, General Arcturus." said Past Venomari general.

"Good. Only one can remain." said Past Arcturus.

"Chen stood to gain more if he sided with the snakes and wanted me to help him. Though the evil in my veins tempted me, I wouldn't fight a war for him. I would only fight to see Misako again. From then on, Chen and I went our separate ways so that I could join my brother in battle. We were the sons of the First Spinjitzu Master. And together, with the Elemental Alliance, we stood a fighting chance. But Chen's influence changed all that. He found a way to turn the alliance against each other. The battle was all but lost. But in our darkest hour, we found hope." Garmadon explained as his past self saw a man hypnotizing a snake with a flute. "And hope found a way to end the war."

*The Unknown Elemental Master hypnotizes the Anacondrai with a Sacred Flute.*

"The Serpentine were divided and locked away in tombs." told Garmadon.

*Maya and Ray hypnotizes and lock the Venomari and Anacondrai in their respective tombs.*

"Chen and Clouse were exiled." said Garmadon.

*The Anacondrai generals appear before Wu, Garmadon, and Mystake in a courtroom.*

"We ask for mercy." said Past Arcturus.

"Mercy? Never heard of it." said Past Mystake.

"And the Anacondrai generals were given the strictest sentence: banishment to the Cursed Realm so that they will never set foot in Ninjago again." Garmadon said.

*A portal opens to the Cursed Realm. The Anacondrai generals float into the portal.*

"Even after all this time, you never told Wu about your past with Chen?" asked Lloyd.

"What would I have said? I would have lost your mother, as well as my brother, not to mention—" said Lloyd.

"Someone once told me you need to control your fear, and not let fear control you." said Lloyd.

"Hm, you're right. Once we put all of this behind us, I'll make things right. But first, we need to find Nya. Come on." said Garmadon.

*Cole draws out a plan, but throws it away.*

"Arrgh. Okay, so maybe rolling ourselves up into giant egg rolls isn't the best plan. Anyone else have another idea?" said Cole.

"Karlof used to be aeronautical engineer back in Metalonia. Work on Roto Jets. Just one could take out entire army." said Karlof.

"Oh, great idea. But two things: we don't have a Roto Jet, and what good is a jet if we're underground!?" said Cole.

"Okay, don't mind me, carry on whatever important business you're all doing." said Dareth.

"Sure, we were only using that to hatch our escape. Dareth, what are you doing?" Cole asked.

"Well, if there isn't a machine that makes Puffy Potstickers, by golly, I'm gonna make one." said Dareth.

"That's it! Dareth, you've solved it." said Zane.

"How are Puffy Potstickers gonna help us?" asked Cole.

"We'll use machine parts to build the Roto Jet. Karlof, do you still remember the schematics of it?" said Zane.

"Of course." said Karlof.

"Then it's set. Karlof and I will create a blueprint. Everyone else, find parts." said Zane.

"But we're underground!" Cole complained.

"Well I see you guys are doing well." [robotic]

"Argh!!" The group screamed when something spoke from the shadows, only for it to be Nova who came out of the shadows.

"D-Delta what are you doing, and where did you come from?" Cole asked, looking confused.

"Cole, who is this?" Zane asked confusedly before he noticed her arm. "Oh no you are hurt!"

Nova looked at Zane with a small smile they couldn't see. [robotic] "I'll be fine, and to answer your question I'm Delta Master of Darkness and a thief."

"Master of Darkness, then wouldn't that mean—" said Zane but didn't get to finish.

"That I'm the Overlord's shadow, yes but can we drop that now and get back to the plan." [robotic] said Nova.

"I don't know boys, I don't trust this guy....and wait weren't you the one who stole my tea book?" Dareth said with a questionable look.

"Oooh, it was your tea book I stole that time. To be honest I thought it was someone else's tea book." [robotic] said Nova as she had thought it was Wu's tea book he had left behind since he loved tea so much.

"Anyway, I'm here to help. I can stick to the shadows, without anyone knowing I was even here." [robotic] She said while ignoring Dareth complains about her stealing from him.

*It wasn't long until there was the sound of three explosions in the factory.*

"What happened!?"

"The Noodles became lava!?"

"Why is it raining acid!?"

"Huh, it lasted longer than I thought it would, looks like my theory was right. Well I guess that makes what? Three more marks on my list with those explosions." Nova thought as she quickly went back to the shadows, while everyone was panicking. Though some of them used the panic to find what they could use for their plan.

*While with Garmadon, Lloyd and the clone they run into Nya.*

"Nya!"

"They took Jay. They took everyone." said Nya.

"Slow down, Nya." said Garmadon.

"You're the only one left, Lloyd. You're the only one who can stop it." said Nya.

"Stop what?" Lloyd asked.

"A transformation spell. It can't be." said Garmadon.

"Transformation? Transform into what?" Lloyd asked.

"An army of Anacondrai. The tournament may be over, but the next Serpentine War may have just begun." said Garmadon.

"Wait! what is that!?" Nya asked, pointing at the shadow clone.

"Oh that's Delta's shadow clone. She was able to sneak away to help the others, while her clone is here helping us. And be a cover up so Chen and Clouse, doesn't know that she is gone." Lloyd explained.

The Clone simply nodded to that but didn't give any other reply.

"She?" Nya questioned looking at Lloyd.

"Oh yeah I kind of found out that Delta, you know the infamous thief, is a girl and that she is also the Master of Darkness." Lloyd explained.

Nya looked at him for a minute taking it all in. "Master of Darkness? but I thought that No—" she was cut off from finishing her sentence by Garmadon.

Garmadon quickly cleared his throat. "I don't think this would be the best place to be standing out for this long. We should find a place to hide."

"Oh yeah that's probably best, then let's get started." said Lloyd as he went on to find them a place to hide.

"Why did you stop me from mentioning that Nova is the Master of Darkness?" Nya whispered to Garmadon.

"Because she said it herself that she wasn't ready to tell him yet, let alone that she is alive." Garmadon whispered.

"Nova is alive!?" Nya whisper-yelled in surprise.

Garmadon nodded. "At the moment her cover name is Delta, so until she is ready we don't say anything about who she actually is." He whispered.

"Lloyd is gonna be mad when he finds out she has been alive all this time, and used a cover name to hide who she was when the time comes." Nya whispered.

"That may be true. But he will get over it with time, just as Nova needs time to discover her true potential and heal from her wounds." whispered Garmadon.

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