Morro's POV

     Eolas didn't seem like it would hold one of the most important buildings for this journey, but apparently first impressions were wrong. The Cloud Kingdom Temple soared high above the heavy woods, radiating such an impressive aura that it made me see how important the connection between Ninjago and the Cloud Kingdom used to be. I was astonished at the architecture and formality of the whole thing, even if the building was decaying. The lore of the village that accompanied the temple was even more fascinating, I spent hours at the inn talking to the citizens about the old traditions that surrounded the temple. I figured it was good to learn more about anything Cloud Kingdom related (it might help us figure out more of our own prophecy).

     Apparently, Eolas used to have thousands of tourists each year who came to leave their letters in the temple. The people would write their wishes for the future on those letters. Some would wish for good things to happen to people, others wanted a prosperous harvest, and some wanted to suddenly find themselves afloat in riches. The temple caretakers would organize all of the letters each blue moon. On the morning after, all the letters would have disappeared. No one ever saw the phenomenon take place.

     In the place of all the requests there would be prophecies of the future and organized family trees ready for the caretakers to study. The citizens of Ninjago loved to find out they were related to someone famous or were delighted when they knew a bountiful harvest season was coming. There were several more temples other than the one we were visiting now, and they all had the same level of popularity. Ninjago and the Cloud Kingdom were connected intimately through the use of these temples, and it seemed like a very beneficial relationship. The people of Ninjago had their wishes come true, while the Cloud Kingdom received thoughtful insights on the land they were writing about.

     The stories did not get better. People began to abuse the power the Cloud Kingdom's favors gave them and turned on their fellow citizens. When the Cloud Kingdom saw this happening, they severed their ties to the temples and quit sending in prophecies. Even though the letters kept disappearing every blue moon, both those abusing their power and those who didn't were outraged that no more gifts were being sent in and started to tear down the temples. The one standing in Eolas was the only one spared from this outburst.

      After a while, the Cloud Kingdom quit making people prosperous and took away a lot of cultural advancement. Ninjago was left to raise itself properly, without the help of a benevolent neighbor. It was then that the big movement towards the city started and the Elemental Houses dissolved. The truths of the temples faded into legend, and few knew about them anymore.

      It was a sad story, but a fascinating one. Who knew both realms used to be so dependent on each other? Furthermore, the letters still disappeared every blue moon, so the townspeople of Eolas still wrote and dropped off requests there. I scarce had the thought to write my own request when I realized it would be pointless. My future was already decided. I had seen my fate upon my destiny scroll. No one could alter what was written.

     "Are you done daydreaming?" Seliel teased, poking me in the side. I was really getting tired of people doing that. My wounds were sealing up with each day, but all this poking never helped dull the pain.

     "Maybe." I replied, still half-lost in my own thoughts. "Isn't there a blue moon tonight?"

     Seliel shrugged and glanced at Cole, who was wrapped in conversation with Kai and Zane. We had met them here two days ago and all gone to the temple together. They had a head start searching but hadn't found the right documents yet. Kai had apparently messed up the organization of quite a few of the scrolls. Not to mention the caretakers of the temple would only let a private group of people look at the documents a limited amount of time each day. We had found some family tree scrolls yesterday, but that was all we'd been able to accomplish after two days. There were five of us and we'd only gotten that far. It was hard not to feel hopeless.

     Zane broke off his conversation to reply there was a blue moon tonight. "Are you thinking of submitting a letter?" He asked. Suddenly, there were four pairs of eyes on me.

     "It might prove useful. The Cloud Kingdom determines a lot of the outcomes of history."

     The Ninja seemed satisfied with this.

     "Man, if I could get the Cloud Kingdom to do my bidding, I'd—" Seliel trailed off her rant when she looked at the Ninja. There was a slight longing in her eyes that would be missed by someone who wasn't paying attention.

     "You'd what?" Kai raised his eyebrow, tilting his head toward Cole. Seliel made a face, which made both of them start laughing.

     "I'd ask for world peace." Zane had his back turned to the silent jokes between Kai and Seliel. "Or world health."

     "I'd ask that I'd have enough time to get married." Kai crossed his arms. "It seems like every time I have a few weeks to do it, something comes up."

     "I'd ask for cake." Cole's face became dreamy. "A big, moist, chocolate cake."

     Seliel giggled, then nudged my arm. "What would you wish for, Morro?"

     I'd wish that I didn't have to—no, it was already written. It wasn't going to change, no matter how many times I tried to figure a way around it. The days were counting down to my destiny, and I could feel its pressing weight on my shoulders. I took a deep breath to steady myself and attempted to come up with an answer that wouldn't sound as hopeless as my thoughts.

     "I'd wish that... that all my friends could be given the happiness they deserve and remember that there are good things, even when all hope seems lost." I wasn't thinking of anyone other than Harumi, but I refrained from letting them know that.

     "To think you once wanted to curse all sixteen realms." Cole commented. "You've really changed, haven't you?"

     A spark of hope ignited in my chest as everyone else in our small group nodded. There was a chance that if they opened up completely to me, then it wouldn't be long before their hearts changed towards Harumi as well. She needed their support. She needed it more than she'd ever know.

     We reached the temple, were told we had our usual thirty-minute time limit, and were released to wander around. We all went to where we had stashed the family tree scrolls we had found yesterday. It didn't take long for Zane to completely scan the House Ice family tree.

     "Aster Ice's heritage seems to be exclusively made up of intermarriages between House Water and House Ice. There seems to be a few mix-ins with the Masters of Metal, but no gaps."

     "His mother was from House Metal." Seliel commented. She sat cross-legged next to Zane as they went over the previous Ice Master's ancestry. "Maybe that is why he had a fondness for random robots living in forests."

     Zane smiled at this comment but kept looking at the scroll. "I have yet to find anything on Dr. Julien. He doesn't appear to be connected in any genetic way to the previous elemental master."

     Kai let out a groan of frustration as he frantically went through the House Fire family tree. "Why is this thing so long?"

     Cole was quietly scanning the shelves for where he had last put the House Earth lists. I should have been following in his example, but it was easy to get distracted by both the other ninja and the looming possibility of leaving a letter for the Cloud Kingdom. I went back to the scrolls, searching for something to do with my heritage. All I knew was that my mother's name was supposedly Bora. She may or may not have been connected to House Wind. I had to assume she was, because if I didn't, we could be at this temple for an eternity trying to narrow down every Bora who lived in the timeframe Seliel suggested.

     Cole let out a sound of satisfaction from across the temple as he picked out a long scroll that was labeled, Family Tree of the Elemental House of Earth. While Zane went back to the shelves to find Dr. Julien's family tree (something that he would find impossible), Cole sat down next to Seliel and they started going over his scroll.

     The family tree for House Wind was higher above where all the others sat. When I had found it yesterday, it had been set apart from the chaos Kai caused. From what I had learned about the original arrangement of the Temple, the higher the document was, the older the contents were. I reached up to grab it, and slowly let it slide open. The document started with the very first Elemental Master of Wind, who was named Gustavus Rotterdam. His descendants changed their last names to Wind, to celebrate the power of their ancestor. Gustavus had five children, but only three had survived past age two.

     The strange thing was that one of the three children, Elisa Wind, only had one child, and that child only had one child. While the other two children branched off into complex five to twelve member families, Elisa's line stayed true to having only one child each. It got even more surprising when I noticed that each of these only children inherited the Elemental Power. The line continued down and down through generations. I didn't pay much mind to the other two children's descendants since those occupied most of the scroll and none of them had the elemental power. I watched the dates attached to each only child's name get closer and closer to the time I was born.

     Suddenly, one of this line of only children had two kids, a set of twins. The boy, Alistair Wind, took on the power of Wind, while the girl, Bora Lychee, was left powerless. I was so caught up in the sudden change of lineage that I almost missed Bora's name.

     Bora Lychee.

     A woman named Bora who was connected to House Wind.

     The alignments were too significant to be ignored.

     This woman had to be my mother.

     Oddly enough, she didn't inherit the elemental power. It was my uncle that had it. I went back to Alistair's profile. It said he died at age twenty-two by the hand of a Serpentine after transferring his power two days previous to an unknown person. It didn't say much else, other than Bora was his younger twin sister. I traced my finger back to Bora's profile.

     The scroll showed no record of Bora ever having elemental power. It said she ran away from her family when she was sixteen and hadn't been seen since. It didn't list her death. Surprised, I looked back her name. It listed when she was born, but not when she died. That's when my hands slid off the end of the paper.

     I realized how old the scroll was; my birth wasn't even listed in the complex narrative of families. Who Bora ended up marrying didn't even make it in. All I had was a vague last name to go off of.

     But it was enough.

     Enough to give me proof that my father had a name that could be traced.

     Enough to tell me that my ancestors weren't Oni or Light.

     I was safe from the prophecy.

     I couldn't help but be disappointed that the scroll didn't answer all my questions about the past. Why couldn't Bora take care of me? How was I able to inherit the elemental power before I was born? If I wasn't connected to the prophecy, then why include me in the ordeal at all?

     The questions swirling in my mind were interrupted by the temple caretaker re-entering the building. The Ninja and I knew what this meant. We stashed the important scrolls back where we could find them later and hurried towards the front. As the other Ninja made their way out of the front doors, I grabbed an empty slip of paper that sat in the middle of the room. I hastily scratched a message down on the paper and threw in into the letter bin that was already overflowing with requests from the citizens of Eolas. The caretaker glared at me as I jogged out the front doors; he probably thought I was 'up to something' by overstaying my visit by a few seconds.

     I thought back to the message I had left as I caught up to the others. It seemed so futile, leaving a message when the future was already set in stone. However, I was desperate, and I needed help. I couldn't protect Harumi from everything that was to come.

     Please help me always be with her.

     The message was simple; it didn't even have her name in it. Hopefully, Erasmus would find it and know what it meant. Maybe I was just being stupid; maybe my words were nothing more than a plea coming from someone who had to endure a hopeless future. Much violence was to come, and there was nothing I could do to change that. It had been written, then burned.

     This was all by the hand of a thief.

     "Nya says she wants us to look into Jay's ancestry while we're up here." Kai looked down at his phone.

     "Isn't that what she's doing now?" Cole questioned.

     "I asked her the same thing." Kai shrugged. "She said they are looking into something more important to Jay. Unlocking mysteries about his past or something. She didn't say much else about the ordeal, but I trust her. It's not much of a hassle to look into Cliff's history while we're up here. I'm sure they have some records on the guy. He was famous."

     "Another few days in Eolas doesn't sound that bad." Seliel winked. "As long as you can put up with my antics."

     The group laughed, yet I couldn't help but feel my stomach churning. My own past was overshadowed by the horrors of the future. I didn't talk during the walk back to the inn, and I felt too distressed to join in the Ninja's merriment.

    The night came like a slug, slowly and slimily. The Ninja joked around, discussed theories on whether the Oni mean an actual Oni or not, whether Light actually meant dragon, and stayed up late generally having a good time.

     Meanwhile, I sat up in the hotel room, wondering about Harumi. How was she faring out there with only Lloyd beside her? Knowing Lloyd, he would probably rather have her fall off a cliff than actually take care of her. The blue moon rose above the horizon, casting Eolas in a pale light. I stared at the moon for what seemed for an eternity. How much time passed, I didn't know.

    Eventually, I got off the windowsill to go to bed. I had just pulled back the covers when a loud knock pounded on the glass.

     A large white falcon banged his beak into the window, seemingly glowing in the full moonlight.

     I scurried off the bed and opened the window before the falcon broke the glass. Instead of flying in or off, the falcon remained at the edge of the windowsill. It had a large golden pendant around its neck inscribed with the letter E. When I looked at the falcon's head again, there was a glint in its eyes that couldn't be missed. It nodded at me, ruffling its feathers.

     "You're from the Cloud Kingdom," I whispered to it. "Erasmus sent you."

     It pushed a book through the window, then took off into the night. I watched its white shape vanish into the dark as a clap of thunder sounded off from far away. Only when I was sure it was gone did I close the glass panes and pick up the book. It was thick and timeworn, with yellowing pages and a heavy spine.

    From my position on the floor, I gently brushed dust off the front cover, revealing words that nearly made me drop it.

     This was the Cloud Kingdom's answer to my plea. This was my way to always be with Harumi.

     Transferring Elemental Power: The Houses' Guide to the Elements.

>(<>)<

Lloyd's POV

     "Grandfather?"

     He nodded his head and gestured for me to move closer. "Come, Lloyd, there is much to tell you."

     I felt ground under my feet as I stepped forwards, but all I could see was light. When the First Spinjitzu Master recognized I was going to follow him, he began to walk off. I trailed him, watching as with each step the light hardened into a sort of shape. The shapes shifted and moved around me, painting a very familiar scene. Before I knew it, I was following him through the tunnels in which I wandered to find the Ancestea.

     Everything was colored varying shades of gold, but even then I could tell this was different. The tunnel wasn't decaying, and the rooms looked as if someone were actually living there. Flowers wove themselves down the halls, blooming in a burst of golden color. The torches were alit with bright flames. Different wild animals played chase in the halls, emitting squeaks and grunts that sounded almost childlike. The tunnel was not dreary, but full of life.

     "I lived on the Dark Island for many years after fleeing from the First Realm." The First Spinjitzu Master continued down the long hallway to the tunnel's exit. "I built the Temple of Light and this tunnel as a living area. Sadly, man is a social creature, even if that man isn't exactly... human."

     I was confused but too flustered to speak. It was really hard to take this all in, especially with the nagging feeling sounding in the back of my head that I had talked to him before. My grandfather seemed to sense my bewilderment even though he didn't look back in my direction.

    "I am half Oni, half dragon. I am not human like your mother or your grandmother. I took on the human form to seem inconspicuous to my ancestors. It was the humans I took to live in this realm. Eventually, I settled down into their form. I used to look much different." The First Spinjitzu Master pressed his hands against the wall blocking the tunnel from the Temple of Light. "Nevertheless, I needed companions, so I brought several creatures from different realms to inhabit this one. They spread out far and wide. When the Overlord first struck, I cut myself off from the place I used to dwell. That is why my home is here, yet this is where the darkness resides. That is why humans populate Ninjago when the realm was started by a mix of Oni and dragon."

    The wall opened in front of us, smoothly sliding aside like a simple door. When we stepped inside the Temple of Light, everything was different. The couches and bookshelves were still there, along with the torches that illuminated the walls with a golden-white light. Even the portraits had something different on them. I started to see details of what looked to be myself and a girl when my grandfather directed my attention back to him.

     "You are quiet, Lloyd. I was sure you would have more questions for me."

     "I'm... I am still trying to take this all in. It's a bit overwhelming."

     "I have time for only a few more questions before our encounter must reach its conclusion." The First Spinjitzu Master tucked his hands into his flowing sleeves.

      I tried to think of something to ask. I should have wondered about the prophecy and about my future, but I was too focused on the mystery that brought me here in the first place.

     "How do you make Ancestea?" Maybe if I learned, then I could give it to my friends.

     "Ancestea is brewed using special flowers from the Departed Realm. You cannot make it. The two packets you found are the only ones in this realm."

     Again, it seemed like he knew what I was thinking behind the question. It was almost as if he could read my mind. I thought of another question, but this time I didn't say a word.

     "You want to know why I had the Ancestea if I couldn't make it."

     He could read minds!

     The First Spinjitzu Master chuckled. "The dead can see much in the minds of mortals. When we are taken up, our knowledge is perfected. That is why I know your questions and the answers. To answer your last question, Ancestea is not the only way to communicate with people from the Departed Realm. The dead use those other pockets to transfer the Ancestea to you all."

     "Pockets?"

     "We cannot enter the mortal realm from the Departed Realm. It is possible in some respects, because Morro did it, but I cannot do it. That is why the Temple around you is does not look like it did when you first arrived. The Ancestea creates a bubble realm, per se, that involves both Ninjago and the Departed Realm. For a short time, we are allowed to see each other in this bubble. Once that time is up, it will dissolve, and we will return to our original realms."

     The First Spinjitzu Master stepped outside of the Temple, holding the door open for me as I passed. The view was breathtaking. Even coated in gold, the life in the area was splendorous. It was devoid of darkness, full of birdsong, and joy rose with the golden sunrise. Plateaus spread out far in wide dotted with unique trees and magnificent flowers. Even the water flowed gracefully from crevices in the mountain.

     It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.

     "I think of Ninjago as a blessing. It was a home to many people, and I tried to create beauty for them. Even though balance will always want evil in this world, I do believe most of Ninjago's inhabitants will always fight for good." My grandfather sighed wistfully at the horizon.

     "We try our best to protect it." I said.

     The First Spinjitzu Master turned to me and smiled. "You and your friends are a light to this world, Lloyd. A golden light, filled with hope, joy, and love. But your heart is darkness."

     He pointed to my chest, which was completely covered the golden light. When I looked closer at my glowing form, a single spot of darkness sat right in the middle of my heart.

     Right where the throbbing always erupted.

     The First Spinjitzu Master's face became grim as I started to shake from my own rising panic. "Pain is taking over you, Lloyd. The darkness inside of you is growing. Soon, it will be too much for this world to bear."

     "How can this be?" I stared the spot, which was slowly getting larger. "I fight for good; I'm not devoted to practicing evil. I'm not my father!"

     "There's nothing more powerful than a blow to the heart."

     Shock rippled through me.

     I had heard those words before.

     "Harumi is not who you think she is. She has been through so much since that fateful day where she sacrificed herself to save another from her fate. She has hurt you, yes, but she longs to make up for it. Both her pride and your own are holding that outcome back. You must let go of the past if you are to move forward, Lloyd. Face your fears; open your heart. Look at her with new eyes. If you cannot forgive her, then this world is doomed."

     "Why should I forgive her? She'll just change sides and break me again."

     "She was not destined to be brought back to you, but the thief had other plans. They knew you were the key to this world's destruction. They brought her back so she could heal you." My grandfather turned back to me. I noticed the golden world around us was bubbling up and popping. As each tiny bubble popped, darkness spread in.

     "My time is almost up." The First Spinjitzu Master said. "You must remember, Lloyd, you are a light to this world. Face your fears. Open your heart. Forgive. Shine upon those in need and give everyone hope. You are the future of a new, more beautiful Ninjago."

     "Grandfather!" I reached forward as he started to fade. "What about the prophecy? Who is the Oni and Light's son? Is the prophecy actually from the Cloud Kingdom? Please don't go! There's so much more I need to know." Color leeched away from the scene as everything became darker.

     The First Spinjitzu Master merely smiled as he faded away and everything turned to black.

>(<>)<

I opened my eyes to a pitch-black room. I could feel something on top of me, which caused me to thrash until I heard a thump on the floor. I shot forth energy, casting my cell in a temporary glow. I was in a bed, and a heavy comforter was on the ground. The light faded out, casting me once again in darkness. I stumbled out of the bed, my head spinning with the vision and the knowledge that the bed I laid down in did not have a comforter on it.

     I snapped my right fingers to light them up again and waved my hands around the room. I was no longer in the hidden cell behind the kitchen flames. I was in one of the tunnel's bedrooms. When I stepped out into the hall, no torches were alight. Everything was back to being pitch dark, as if I had imagined the changes in the first place. As I walked down the hall to get back to the Temple of Light's interior, no golden sparks followed me. No voices pounded in my ears. I stopped in the kitchen to see if the hidden cell or the flames remained, but there was nothing there but the old, tattered cupboards.

     They were still intact, as if nothing had happened to them at all.

     I walked down the tunnel to the wall that had closed me in. In my vision, my grandfather had put his hands on it, and it opened. I reached for the wall... or where the wall was supposed to be.

     Nothing was there; I could plainly see the interior of the Temple of Light.

     The temple was dark, since it was still pitch black out. When I stepped out into the interior, I heard a sliding noise behind me. It groaned a lot more than the one in my vision. I spun to see the wall firmly in place, like it had been there the whole time.

     When I slowly faced the temple once more, I paused in my tracks.

     The whole Temple had changed. The pictures were back to the ones they were when we first arrived all those years ago. It showed my team finding the Bounty, facing the Great Devourer, and when Cole pointed to the pictures. There was no more Ninjago under construction; there was no more Harumi and Morro. Even most of the furniture that had appeared when Harumi and I arrived was gone. The only trace that it had ever happened was the small desk Harumi was drooped over at the other end of the building. She gave no trace of hearing the wall slide in place or hearing me enter. Either she was really engrossed with what she was doing, or she was ignoring my presence. It was probably the second option.

      As soon as the thought entered my mind, I felt the dull ache in my heart ignite. I rubbed the spot on my chest, not taking my eyes off the white-haired girl, as the First Spinjitzu Master's words echoed in my head.

     They knew you were the key to this world's destruction.

     If you cannot forgive her, then this world is doomed.

     I stepped toward Harumi as the throbbing faded back into my chest. How long had it been there without me noticing the true source of the aching? How long had I allowed the pain to lead to bitterness? How long had I let the wound fester, slowly gathering up all the hopelessness and rage it left behind?

     Harumi had her head tucked in her arms over the top of a thick book. She snored softly, the fading candle on the desk illuminating the dark circles under her eyes.

     I felt sympathetic. She had probably fallen asleep reading. It was when I blew out the dying candle that I realized she was shivering. It was cold in the Temple. I looked at Harumi, then at the doors to the outside world. My mind still needed time to process everything I had seen. I could just go and leave her here in peace.

     I looked back at the white-haired girl. She had fallen asleep reading the book on Ninjago's history. She had worn herself out looking up my ancestry. Something inside me twisted, and before I knew it I had pulled my green ninja embroidered top off. It was only a jacket to be worn over or under armor. I gently wrapped it over Harumi's shoulders and waited a few more minutes to make sure she wasn't shivering anymore before I left the Temple.

     The Temple of Light sat on top of a giant cliff that overlooked the rest of the Dark Island. I had seen the view in my vision, and it had looked much more fulfilling than what stood before me now. The plateaus were not covered in magnificent wildlife; the world was not aglow in a golden sunset. The world before me was dark and bushy, still recovering from the evil that had plagued it for years.

      The island was faintly illuminated by the cloud covered moon. I sat down at the edge, letting my feet dangle over a vertical slope of the mountain. The night wind was chilly, and I was only wearing a thin black shirt without my jacket. Yet, I didn't pay much attention to the goosebumps gathering on my arms. I was too lost in thought; too lost in confusion.

     You and your friends are a light to this world, Lloyd. A golden light, filled with hope, joy, and love.

     I was glad the First Spinjitzu Master thought so highly of us. If he believed we could overcome the Overlord's challenges, maybe there was hope. It didn't stop the nagging feeling inside that my grandfather had used the word light deliberately. Could he have been referring to the prophecy? All of us couldn't be the sons of Oni and Light. The prophecy said son, not sons. There had to be one specific person to do it.

     Pain is taking over you, Lloyd.

     I didn't understand. Was my heartbreak over losing Harumi really going to end the world? I had gotten over that incident a long time ago. It was only recently that the sharp pain of seeing her smile and speak had grown terribly unbearable. I fought with myself every time I saw her. I wanted her to smile and speak to me like she had in the past before her betrayal. I also wanted to lock that face away where I could never see or hear it again. Was it the pain of heartbreak my grandfather was referring to? Was it the pain that came with watching Harumi and Morro confide in each other? Or was it the pain that I felt every time I pushed back her clearly good intentions with an excuse to why she was manipulating me?

     They brought her back so she could heal you.

     If that was this mysterious thief's plan, it was failing. The only thing I knew was happening since Harumi arrived was that my heart was shattering. Harumi wasn't healing me; she was dragging the fragments of my heart further apart.

     These thoughts settled on my mind for what seemed like hours. I watched as the moon dipped below the horizon and the sun poked its head over the edge of the sea. I watched as the stars faded into a beautiful, pink-tinged sky. I watched as the Dark Island become bathed in the golden light of the sun. Each time I saw the sunbeams I could feel myself sinking back into the vision.

     Face your fears. Open your heart. Forgive. Shine upon those in need and give everyone hope. You are the future of a new, more beautiful Ninjago.

     How could I ever live up to that standard? Despair clogged up my throat as my self-doubt grew, until all I wanted to do was scream and curse the Cloud Kingdom for ever placing me in this position. Prophecy after prophecy came, all ending in the same message. The message that I would overcome the villain. It was always me.

     I hated it. I hated having so much pressure on my shoulders each and every day. It was unbearable at times when I was alone. Even if my friends promised to be with me, they always ended up occupied with something else. It always came down to me and the big bad guy. I clenched my fists. This was not the life I longed for.

     We never chose these mantles we hold.

    "Wow, I don't blame you for getting up to see this." A gentle voice sounded behind me as Harumi stepped up to the edge of the cliff. "This might be the most beautiful sunrise I've ever seen."

     She sat down beside me, my jacket still over her shoulders. She didn't seem to notice it was there, looking at the world before her with a childlike wonder.

     Despite the bubbling hurt, pain, and confusion inside me, I couldn't help but feel my heart expand at the sight. The wind gently tossed Harumi's hair as she watched the sunrise expand its reach. Golden beams lit up her face, making her seem almost ethereal beside me. She looked like a princess. She looked like the girl I wanted to love again. She looked nothing like the cruel villain who had shattered my entire life so long ago.

     Face your fears.

     I had to hold onto this moment; I had to remember my grandfather's warnings. So, I allowed myself to half-smile at the sight. And as I did, a warmth ignited in my heart. It was a warmth that came from beyond all the pain and present feelings; it was something I had almost forgotten was there.

     When Harumi glanced back to see if I was cross at her interference, she was met with my kinder visage. Her face flickered through several emotions, surprise being the most obvious. Her cheeks flushed and she turned away.

     "Did you get any sleep last night?" Her voice was gruff, but there was a concern behind it that I had never heard before. "Because you don't look like it."

     "I got enough." I said curtly.

     She didn't reply. A few more minutes passed as the sun rose higher into the sky. The golden light began to fade into the normal light of the sun. I heard Harumi rustle beside me. When I looked back at her, she was holding my jacket out towards me.

     "I don't know why I had this on." She coughed awkwardly. "And unless I'm a master at thieving while I'm asleep, I'm guessing you have something to do with it."

     I hesitantly took it back. It was warm; I hadn't realized how cold I was until I had put the jacket back on. My own cheeks flushed as I mumbled, "You were cold."

     Her face flickered again before she buried her face in her hands. I could hear her muttering something about 'mixed signals' as she groaned to herself.

     I rubbed my arms as a gentle morning breeze glided through the area, only to hear something fall out of the lower pockets. Curious, I reached down to find a single bag laying on the rock.

     "How in Ninjago did this...?"

     The last packet of Ancestea.

     "What?" Harumi's voice was muffled.

     "I left it on the table. There's no way it could have gotten into my pocket, because you certainly didn't put it there. I don't understand why it's here."

     The temple had done some pretty weird things while I was in it. Could it have somehow put the Ancestea in my possession? Or was this the First Spinjitzu Master's doing? Did he want me to have it?

     "A packet of tea?" Harumi skeptically peeked over her shoulder.

     "It is supposed to help you communicate with your dead ancestors."

     She didn't attempt to steal it like I half expected her to, she only returned to her tucked position and stared out at the island. "Are you going to use it?"

     I looked away. "I already have. This is all there is left."

     "Did you find out anything useful?" She asked, a twinge of coldness returning to her voice.

     "I got to talk to my grandfather." I said quietly. "He didn't say anything that would be important to this mission."

     Harumi didn't need to know everything that happened between me and my famous ancestor. I guess what I said was technically true; all he had done was tell me to watch my heart and protect Ninjago. The only important part was about the growing darkness inside of me.

     I looked at the white-haired girl again, wondering how everything would play out if I did allow myself to open up.

     "I guess we'll need to head back to Ninjago, then." Harumi stood up to face the temple. "There's really no point staying here any longer."

     I hesitated as she began to walk away, suddenly feeling the pulse in my chest pound again. My hands went to my heart as my breathing became heavier.

     There's nothing more powerful than a blow to the heart.

     "Wait."

     She turned, and I finally forced myself to look her in the eyes.

     "Back when I first met you, I-I was struggling. I was growing up as a warrior, but there were so many responsibilities. Sometimes I felt drowned by it all. When I met you, you were grieving. You had carried a similar weight; you were drowning. It felt strangely wonderful to have met someone who was... like me."

     Her head tilted at my words. I could feel the throbbing in my chest worsen with each sentence I said as I tore my own heart open. I had to stop running from this, or everyone would suffer.

     "What you did... really hurt, Harumi. More than I'd like to admit. Every time I look at you it all comes back." My voice trailed off as I clenched my teeth to distract myself from the pain. Part of me wished I could take it all back, but somewhere deep down I knew this was for my greater good.

     She initially looked surprised, then sad, but anger quickly covered all of her features. "No."

     "No?" Indignation flared inside of me.

     "You don't get to ask for my apology. I've suffered enough under the pretenses that I did something wrong. I completely and totally understand that what I did was not... suitable behavior. But I'm not going to get on my knees and grovel to make you feel better about yourself. It was your fault my parents are dead and your teams' fault that so many others watched their cities get destroyed because you all weren't fast enough. The whole reason I died in the first place was because I was trying to save someone from your mistakes. You run around acting so high and mighty when in reality you have just as much to apologize for as I do. So, no, I will not apologize to you. No, I will not get all sympathetic just to ease the guilt in your heart. You know I'm right, and I'm not even going to attempt to make amends with you and your crazy mixed signals until you own up to your own mistakes."

     "What?" I spluttered. "You're still not over that? I thought you were trying to—you know what, I don't care—"

     She coldly laughed, cutting me off. "Just because I've made peace with the fact my parents are dead doesn't mean I'm going to excuse the damage you all have done."

     "Harumi, I was just a kid!"

     "We were all just kids, Lloyd! Even your friends were young, but that didn't stop you all from becoming powerful. You still chose to hesitate—"

     "I was a stupid kid who wanted to get even with them. I didn't mean to send the world into chaos when I released the Serpentine—"

     "You what?"

     Her voice had gone deathly quiet. I stopped in my tracks, realizing she hadn't known about that. No one really knew what I had done as a child except the Ninja. I had basically just admitted to directly causing the murder of her parents.

     I groaned in frustration, getting to my feet before she tried to do something stupid. I carefully stepped towards her, but she looked more on the verge of angry tears than on the verge of trying to attack me.

     "And you tried to tell me there was no reason for you to apologize." She spat.

     "Maybe..." My voice lost its conviction and slowly faded into silence. She was right, and I knew it. I never wanted to admit it; it was so much easier just to blame all of my pain on her.

     I had released the Serpentine.

     I had indirectly caused her parents to die.

     It was my plan that caused Skylor to get hurt from controlling the Colossus.

     It was my plan that resulted in Harumi's death.

     She had been hurt just as much by me as I had been by her.

     "Is this what we've become?" I wondered aloud, my anger towards the Cloud Kingdom hardening. "Vessels to cause pain and suffering? I wanted to be good; I wanted to be better than my father before me. Perhaps it's always been pointless." I looked at Harumi, my voice both hardening and cracking open. "I'm sorry I ruined your life, I'm sorry I caused you so much pain, and I'm so sorry that I was a stupid kid wrapped up in candy and revenge. I've ruined everything, even myself."

     Harumi took a step back at my outburst, her eyes widening as she took in my words. I just stood where I was, rubbing the bridge of my nose. After a second her face softened in what looked to be sympathy. She took a step forward, biting her lip as she assessed how much I was going through.

    "Yeah..." Harumi finally said, though she seemed to be putting a lot of effort in to even get the words out of her mouth. "I think that we were both just... stupid kids. If it helps, I am legitimately sorry for what I've done to you and the world. I just get tired of being constantly reminded of it. I wanted to move on, you know? Sometimes I wonder if... if when I die again... if they're just going to take me back to..."

     She was sorry.

     She wanted to be better.

     "We never chose these mantles we hold." I said softly. "I guess we just have to learn to do our best with them."

     "What's that supposed to mean?"

     "I think it means..." I tentatively held out my hand. "I think it means we need to agree to put this all behind us. We can agree to be allies, and um, not betray each other or anything."

     She tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear, still not exactly looking at me.

     "We'll work to get this Overlord situation over with, and then you and Morro can go wherever you please."

     Harumi slowly nodded as she reached out to shake my hand.

     "Deal," She said softly. "I'd like that very much."

     We locked eyes only for a second. But it was enough. Harumi was unsure, but I could see the hope beyond her façade. I was hopeful too, hopeful that maybe this could be the first step towards something better.

     And for the first time since she came back into my life, I could feel the pieces of my heart begin to stitch back together.

     I gently reached out the clasp her hand with my other one, tucking the last packet of Ancestea into her small hands.

    "You can use it to see your parents," I murmured. The ends of her lips twitched upwards as she brought the tea close to her. She nodded her head in thanks and slowly turned away.

     I went back to the rising sun, finally allowing myself to feel its peace. Already I felt lighter from the heavy weight on my heart. I had forgiven her, and she had forgiven me. Perhaps now that the past was behind us, we could maybe work towards becoming friends once more. It would be nice to hear her laugh again.

     I thought back to the First Spinjitzu Master's words as I stood up to go back into the Temple of Light. He had spoke of what would happen after forgiveness.

     You must remember, Lloyd, you are a light to this world. Face your fears. Open your heart. Forgive. Shine upon those in need and give everyone hope. You are the future of a new, more beautiful Ninjago.

     I stopped when his words clicked, feeling my knees buckle beneath me.

     The First Spinjitzu Master hadn't just said my friends and I were a light to this world.

     He had said I was a light to this world.

     And 'a light' wasn't that far from 'the Light'.

     I wasn't the son of Oni and Light.

     Because I was the Light.