A/N

I've strayed away from author's notes for most of the book, mainly because I want it to look more professional. However, this chapter calls for something a little different. As you might have noticed, I have a link to a song at the top of the page instead of the usual chapter heading. I think this song really goes well with one of the characters in this chapter, and I recommend that you listen to it AFTER YOU'VE READ THE CHAPTER.

Once again: if you do not want spoilers, then please listen to it AFTER you've read the chapter. I hope you find it endearing; I certainly was surprised a song that good came out of a straight-to-DVD Swan Princess movie. Anyways, thanks for reading, and onto the battle!

<><><><><>

Harumi's POV

     It hurts to be slammed against the ground by a warrior; but that's nothing compared to the force that accompanies a missile discharge. My chestplate protected my back from most of the blow as I slid backwards across the rough soil. An inhuman wail accompanied the blast, nearly shredding everyone's eardrums.

     In the midst of the bright light shone sparks of golden energy. As the force faded, the Overlord came into view, panting and clutching his chest. He glared at the rising ninja in front of him, who had used his golden energy to protect himself from the blast.

     "Protected by the prophecy, I see." The Overlord said, his voice so low one could barely hear it. "So, the son finally reveals himself."

     He lunged towards Lloyd so fast I was afraid the next sound I would hear was the cracking of bones. Lloyd was miraculously able to maneuver out of the way at the last second and started matching the Overlord blow for blow.

     That's when it hit me. The reason why there weren't as many Vermillion as usual. The reason why this attack was so uncoordinated and weak.

     The Overlord wasn't concerned with winning. He was concerned with finding the identity of the son. And he thought Lloyd was the son. He wouldn't stop attacking until Lloyd was dead.

     I yelped when a dagger buried itself into my boot. A Vermillion was slowly reforming on the ground, holding up the bloody weapon to stab again. I used my other foot to kick its helmet off. The dagger clanked uselessly against the ground as the snakes disassembled.

     I pulled myself to my feet, noticing several more small snakes slithering for armor. I kicked the nearest helmet as far as I could and searched for the harpoons, which had to be on the field somewhere. We had to secure the Overlord again if we were going to kill him.

     Yet, there the ropes were, dangling broken off of the Overlord's body as he launched himself into the air to join the hovering Lloyd. Lloyd's energy looked more ethereal than usual, each green spark turning gold the minute he ignited it.

     I rushed as well as I could with a hole in my foot through the slithering masses towards Cole and Zane, who were trying to keep the helmets away from the snakes. Zane froze the helmets, then Cole would launch the encased armor into the sky with earth. Both of them looked like a hurricane had hit them. Their hoods were gone, leaving their faces coated with dust. I'm sure I looked the same way. The mud had clogged any scratches the rocky soil had inflicted, covering my face with filth.

     "The harpoons are broken!" I called to them, ripping another piece of armor out of the snakes' reforming bodies. "Do we have a backup plan for how we're getting the Overlord back on the ground?"

     Zane yanked a giant orange snake off his chest and threw it as far as he could. "The only harpoon left is mine, and one isn't enough to hold him for very long. He will have figured out our strategy by now."

     I grunted as another Vermillion attempted to stab me. I quickly grabbed ahold of the pipe it was carrying, shoving it forward so it slammed into the snake's chest. The Vermillion stumbled back, and I punched the helmet straight off its face.

     PIXAL zoomed over our heads in her mech, joining Lloyd in fighting the Overlord.

     "Does Lloyd's energy look golden to anyone else? I thought he gave all his golden power up." Cole called out as he blocked a Vermillion who was preparing to jump on my back.

     "It is possible he still has some left inside of him, and the Overlord's presence is bringing that out." Zane said, throwing one of his shurikens at an incoming warrior, which immediately caused it to deform. "But that is not the issue right now."

     "It looks like the amulet it still intact. We'll need another missile shot at it. Zane do you think you could create enough ice to freeze him down here?" Cole's arms lit up, signaling an incoming earth punch.

     Right as Zane nodded the sky exploded.

     The Samurai X mech crashed onto the ground, the cannon arm following the beat-up body soon after. The Overlord landed beside it, picking up the mech as PIXAL struggled to get out of it. I was forced to look away to fight off more Vermillion.

     "You ninja really need to be more creative. Haven't you learned by now?" The Overlord ripped the thrusters off the mech, causing the whole machine to spark up and malfunction. PIXAL screamed as he started to reach in for her.

     I kicked the warrior away, turning to run towards the spectacle of horror—

     At that moment, Kai launched himself onto the Overlord's back and drove a sword straight into his head.

     The sword's blade snapped clean off.

    "Weapons don't hurt me." The Overlord abandoned his quest to crush PIXAL so he could pluck Kai off of his back. "Your powers aren't going to hurt me. Why do you think the First Spinjitzu Master couldn't defeat my true form?"

     His grip on Kai tightened until Kai's face was paler than the moon. Nya screamed for her brother.

     The last harpoon fired.

     Zane yanked his weapon as hard as he could—Cole and I latched on to help—and together we caused the Overlord to drop the Samurai X mech. PIXAL scrambled to safety as the Overlord yanked the rope now hooked in his horns.

     Cole let go and ran forward, calling the earth to rise around the beast. Kai was able to free himself of the Overlord's grip and fell onto the rising ground.

      "I can't hold him." Zane strained against the Overlord's pull. He was also trying to protect us with an ice shield, which made his job a lot harder.

      "Wait a minute," I said, as the Overlord's soul-container became visible. "The amulet. It's completely fractured. It looks like one more hit could break it."

     The air around us sizzled, then outside of the ice snakes exploded with lighting.

     "Then break it." A familiar voice sounded behind me as Morro hopped over the ice to help Zane pull. He flashed me a confident look. "We'll hold the Overlord back."

     "I can't break the chain holding the amulet to him." I said. "I don't have the powers to get close enough."

     "Zane, this sounds like your job." Jay grabbed a hold of the harpoon, with Nya following soon after. She summoned a giant wave in her wake, washing Vermillion armor away.

     I didn't even want to look at Jay's foot, which had swollen to a size that would make any normal person heave. The right side of his face looked just as bad, but the features I could see were filled with courage. Nya looked about ready to pass out, but her eyes were filled with the same determination as her brother's. Both of them would rather die than give up on their team.

     Zane nodded at me, slowly releasing the rope into his teammates' hold. "Follow my lead."

     He started running towards the Overlord. I clenched my fists, preparing to bear the pain in my foot, and jogged after him.

     The Vermillion were almost done reforming, so Zane used Spinjitzu to clear a narrow path. I almost slipped on the frost, but somehow my grip remained steady. In front of us, the Overlord struggled against Cole's moving earth and the rope yanking his head forwards. Lloyd was using his powers to keep the Overlord from falling too far one way while Kai protected Cole from the incoming snakes.

     "Keep the Vermillion out of the way!" Zane called to me, tossing back his last shuriken. I caught it just in time to nail an incoming Vermillion in the head. His helmet flew back into the crowd of warriors, which caused him to explode into a hundred tiny snakes.

     Zane started using his ice to create a path through the air, a path I would not be able to navigate. I stayed at the base of it as more and more Vermillion attempted to follow him.

     I only had one throwing knife left, and I couldn't use that or I'd be weaponless. My only option was to back up onto the ramp, simultaneously trying to keep my balance and fight off the swarming warriors.

     Kick. One Vermillion fell off the ramp from behind me, but I quickly had to turn my attention back to the front, where one stood ready to strike me down with a slab of wood.

    Dodge. I slid to the side, the blood in my foot staining the slippery ice beneath me and elbowed another incoming Vermillion. With an elegant swipe, I used the dagger to cut off the helmet.

     Thrust. Helmet in hand, I nailed another Vermillion in the face. It spluttered backward, but my attention was immediately brought to the snakes trying to climb up me to get to their armor. I shook off the reptile, throwing the helmet before trying to evade another attack.

     They never stopped coming, no matter how many times you knocked them down. I knew I would probably feel like I was in a hopeless situation, but somehow my perseverance remained. A gentle breeze reminded me of the bright sky above us, and it reminded me of Morro's ceremony before the battle. The ceremony that showed me there was power and confidence in the wind. A power I only had to believe in.

      Right above me, a path of ice formed as Zane raced closer to the Overlord. I turned just in time to see him jump off of his path, fly through the air, and land on the opposite side of the Overlord, holding a fist up. Everything slowly paused as everyone realized what just happened.

     Zane held the nearly broken amulet in his fist.

     The Overlord grasped at his neck. The chain had been frozen off. The force of Zane's speed had allowed him to break the brittle chain. Right as the Overlord screeched for the Vermillion to get it back, Zane slammed the amulet against the ground as hard as he could.

     The ancient artifact hit the rocky ground, shattering into a thousand little glass pieces. The magenta glow inside swirled into the air—then hit the Overlord so hard he fell over. All of us felt a magical barrier disintegrate as the soul returned to its master.

     Before anyone could react, the Overlord conjured up a black haze and cast the world into darkness.

>(<>)<

It was thicker than any smoke. The Overlord's darkness made me want to smother myself with a blanket just so I could breathe better. Everything was lost to its power. I could hear nothing, I could see nothing, I could feel nothing. While some might find it suffocating, I began to feel its merits. Nothing could bother me here. There was no pain or suffering. In fact, the more I started to relish the pitch-blackness around me, the more I realized that it was starting to feel... familiar.

     Like I had seen it before.

     The air started to clear. It was a completely natural shift, like steam clearing away from cooling water. In a few seconds, the darkness was completely gone.

     The Overlord was gone with it.

     Right as I yelled to not let him get away, a knife grazed where my neck used to be. The Vermillion behind me hissed, its eyes glowing a violet color. I spun and punched its jaw, causing it to stumble backwards.

     "Where did he go?" I shouted out of frustration, trying to fight my way through the swarm of Vermillion. A blast of fire erupted around me and the warriors scurried back.

     "Get back to the Bounty!" Kai ordered, shooting down more Vermillion as they tried to cut him open.

     I darted in the opposite direction, shouldering through the snakes. "Not until I have his head on a spike," I hissed. My foot throbbed with each step, but luckily for me my boot was thick. The dagger hadn't gone down far enough where I couldn't walk. When I reached a point of higher ground, I realized the Vermillion had stopped following me.

     I scanned the battlefield. The Ninja were fighting off the last of the Vermillion, either oblivious or not caring that the Overlord was escaping. His amulet had been destroyed. The Time Twins weren't here. The Vermillion could just sliver back to their master and reform into an army. The Overlord could just come back, over and over. We had to finish this now.

     Behind me, something roared. It was faint enough where someone not paying attention wouldn't have heard it.

     But I was paying attention.

     I turned back to the remains of the battle, counting the colors of the Ninja who were fleeing towards the descending sky-ship.

     Red, Blue, Gray, Black, White, Dark Green.

     I sighed in relief. Everyone was here.

    Then came the faint and distant yell.

     A yell of pain.

     A yell of anguish.

     That's when I realized not everyone was here at all.

     Lloyd.

     There was no time to get the others. I picked up one of the discarded, bloody Vermillion swords on the ground and started running towards the noise. I had to save him.

>(<>)<

"It's pathetic how you think you can hide this from me." The Overlord's voice rang clear in the abandoned side of the rocky hill. I ran towards his inky figure in the distance, blood pumping through my head.

     Sounds of agony rang out loud, echoing off the tall, stony slopes and into the field behind it. I pushed myself to go faster, despite the pain in my foot. Lloyd came into view as I came closer. The Overlord had him pinned up between his claws, lifted high up in the air to keep Lloyd from gaining any momentum. Blood covered the front of Lloyd's gi, and the ninja was in obvious agony, heaving for breaths. Yet, determination shined through the anguish when Lloyd gasped out, "It doesn't matter if you kill me. I will not tell you who the son is. The same thing with my friends. They would rather die than let you win."

     He lapsed into a hacking fit, blood spraying out of his mouth. My hand flew to my mouth to stop myself from screaming out his name.

    Neither of them had noticed my presence. If I could get close enough, maybe I could use my sword somehow. I knew it would be a fruitless attempt. We had all seen how weapons did no damage to the Overlord.

      "You fool!" The Overlord screeched, slashing at Lloyd once again. Horrified tears started dripping from my eyes as Lloyd sucked in shaky breaths. I could see the sweat and tears shining on his bleeding face. I inched closer, trying to hold the sword steady.

     "You obviously don't know who it is, yet you and your insolent friends challenge me. How humiliating is it to know you are going to die by the hand of one you stupidly thought you could beat?"

     Lloyd was panting too hard to answer. His eyes wildly glanced around the battlefield, desperately trying to find a way out of his situation. Then, he saw me.

    It was only a quick glance, then he turned back to his captor, resistance shining in his eyes. "Not humiliating at all." He wheezed, craning his neck towards the hill.

     To the Overlord, it looked like Lloyd was trying to wiggle out of his grasp. But that was not at all what Lloyd was doing. He was trying to tell me to run away and hide where the Overlord could not find me.

     He knew I was the Oni. He knew that if I died, then the whole world was doomed. Yet, if Lloyd didn't try to use me as a distraction to break free, then the Overlord would kill him.

     He was willing to die so that I could be saved.

     "Very well; I see you are of no use to me." The Overlord hissed.

     Resolve burned through my body as I watched Lloyd stand firm in the face of death, a resolve stronger than any anger or loyalty I had ever felt.

     The Overlord grinned wickedly and raised his arm to give Lloyd the final blow.

     "I KNOW WHO YOU ARE LOOKING FOR!" I screamed, throwing the sword as hard as I could at the Overlord's head. It bounced off harmlessly, but I did get his attention.

     His magenta eyes glowed with malice as he took in my stance behind him. He grasped Lloyd so tight I could hear the green ninja wheeze. "Ah, so the allies finally have information."

     "I will tell you on one condition." I projected, trying to calm my shaking voice.

     "You are not in a position to bargain with me." The Overlord stepped closer, his grip on Lloyd tightening. Lloyd looked close to passing out, yet he was shaking his head at me, his eyes glazing over with grief and pain.

     "You forget what Lloyd said. No one else will tell you. They would rather die than let you win. So, listen and listen close. I am the only one who will tell you who to destroy. And if you refuse my one and only term, then I would rather fall on a sword than tell you what you wish to know." Venom carried the words loud and clear.

     The Overlord snarled at me. "What is your term then, princess?"

     "Let Lloyd go. You will not attack him any further. You will leave him here to rot and die."

     A shaky plan was forming in my head. Morro would surely have noticed I was gone by now. He would have rallied the other Ninja to come look for me. If I could stall the Overlord long enough, we could get Lloyd to a hospital. But, in order for my stalling to work, I had to make the Overlord believe Lloyd would die anyway. Otherwise, he would just kill Lloyd once he was done with me.

     "What about yourself?"

     "Kill me if you wish, but you will not harm another hair on his head." I glared right back at the Overlord, trying my best to put on a mask of confidence. Little did we both realize how close I was to breaking down right there. His soulless eyes softened with amusement.

     "Very well." He dropped Lloyd on the ground. I could hear the crack when the limp ninja hit the rocky ground below. I bit my lip to keep from sobbing; I was trembling so hard the world looked fuzzy. The Overlord stalked dangerously close. "Who is the son?" He yelled at my face. The blast of saliva coated breath did nothing to dampen my resolve.

     "There is no son. Not yet."

     The Overlord knocked me backwards with his tail. I fell against the dirt, scrambling quickly to get back on my feet.

     "Quit lying to me," He hissed, flexing his claws. "Or I can just kill your little ninja friend right now. He's lost too much blood for you to be toying around with deception, princess."

     I squared my stance. "I am Oni from the prophecy. I will mother the son that will destroy you. There is no point to killing Lloyd; he has no part to this prophecy. But, killing me will stop it all." I swallowed down the heart in my throat.

     "Kill me and kill any chance to your defeat."

     The Overlord looked taken aback. Then, slowly, he understood. This time I let the tears fall. I could hear no Bounty rushing to our location, no Ninja yelling their war cries. My plan had been futile. There was no stalling the Overlord any longer. Perhaps they could still find Lloyd in time. I knew he was strong; I knew he could survive longer. If the Overlord thought Lloyd and I were dead, then he would leave. The Ninja could fight him later on.

     Perhaps there could be another Oni. Perhaps the Light could complete the prophecy with someone other than myself. I had to hope. But I couldn't just let Lloyd die.

     What if I can't change? What if I can't, and you have to choose between me and the chasm? I'm not your friend; we're barely even allies. Why would you have any reason to choose to stay with me?

     Because I'm trying to hold onto what I still have left.

     Lloyd was my ally.

     And allies always had to be there for each other.

     Even if it meant falling into the fires of the chasm with them.

     Even if it meant dying over and over again.

     "You have the blood of an Oni and the cunning of one too."

     With a flash, the Overlord whipped around, knocking me backwards with his tail. I slid across the rocky ground, the sharp pebbles tearing up the rest of the chestplate that remained after the explosion. I tried to get to my feet; tried to fight, but it was all hopeless. The Overlord slammed me against the ground with his foot, pinning me in place. I gasped for air as he picked the Vermillion's sword off of the ground.

     "This will do nicely." He smirked a devilish grin, pointing it at my throat. "Killed by the weapon you hoped to kill me with." He leaned close. "So much for prophecies, Oni."

     The Overlord lifted the sword high and struck down with all his might.

     I saw a flash of armor, and felt the weight of something falling against me, but it all was a bloody blur as I felt the sword sink into my abdomen. Pain exploded through my senses, drowning me in it. It pulled me under, beckoned me to be brave enough to try to endure it. I couldn't. I wasn't that strong.

     My last hope was that Lloyd could be saved. Everything I had just sacrificed was for him. So he could continue on and be the hero Ninjago needed. This was atonement for my wrongs in life. This was my final debt to pay.

      As I let the agony take over, somewhere in my heart I was at peace. What I had done was the right thing to do. Somewhere inside of me, I was content to die for Lloyd. For the boy that I had loved long before I knew it. For the boy that would change everything. I let the fogginess of death spread through my mind and heart, until all that was left was the same suffocating darkness that had called to me when the building collapsed. Slowly but surely, all my senses faded when the darkness touched them, until all the pain was gone, and everything turned to black.

>(<>)<

Morro's POV

     I felt no pain, no suffering, no anguish. I did not feel the sword, nor hear the squelch of it cutting through a willing heart. The only thing I felt was the adrenaline running through my mind, yet even that was quiet now. As quiet as the darkness that surrounded me. I had seen this darkness time and time again. I was not afraid of death.

     I expected to smell smoke as my fingers twitched and I opened my eyes.

     The battlefield was still there.

     What?

     I pulled myself to my feet, feeling a surprising amount of strength pulsing through me. I looked down at my hands. The blood covering them was gone. I examined my chest. The dents in the armor had disappeared and the scratches shined with a glossy finish. I did not ache when I stretched. I was without pain. It was like I had never fought at all.

     Somewhere in my examination, my fingers grazed my neck. I couldn't feel a pulse. Panicking, I checked the other side of my neck and my wrists. No pulse. That's when I noticed my skin paling back to a greenish hue. That's when I noticed myself becoming translucent, like a spirit.

     Somewhere within me, I knew the truth.

     So, when I turned around, I wasn't surprised to see my body. It was sprawled out on the ground, a gruesome sight to behold. Its face was still covered in blood; its armor dented and bruised. The ghastliest sight of all was the long, jagged sword sticking straight through its heart.

     I leaned down. The blood had stopped flowing in my body and its skin was pale. I doubted it was still warm. I clenched my teeth, trying to feel angry about what I had to endure. But all I could find was peace.

     I couldn't feel angry at this destiny when I chose it. It had taken me a while to discover what the second piece of my destiny scroll meant when it said, "He will show the greatest love to the princess."

     I had spent days trying to figure out what that meant. What was the greatest love? A wedding? A loyal soul? It had bothered me simply because I didn't understand it. I wanted to ask Harumi what she thought, but then I realized since the scroll was speaking about her, matters may have grown extremely awkward between us. 

     When we entered Ninjago, the meaning became clearer. I saw the Ninja make sacrifices for each other; I noticed the loyalty that existed between them. Their love was not filled with hormone induced feelings, it was built on submission to each other. Jay and Nya especially. Where sometimes they would act like goofballs, most of the time they were doing things to support each other. Each of the ninja would devote so much time to keep Ninjago safe. Each ninja would work hard to help each other out.

     It made me think about my own love towards Harumi. Was that built on my unreturned feelings? Was that built on emotions?

     It hit me the day after Lloyd saved Harumi's life.

     Love was not an emotion. Emotions were fleeting and futile. Love was a choice. A choice to put someone else above yourself. To submit to their well-being. That was when I knew what was inside me towards Harumi wasn't a form of attachment. Maybe it started out as much, but then it grew. Grew into something stronger. Grew into a place where no emotions could shake it. My love for her grew into a willingness to do whatever it took to keep her safe and happy. That's when I understood what the thief required of me.

     The greatest love was to give up everything for someone. Not all your possessions, not all your words. The greatest thing to give up for your friends was your life. That was when the intensity of the thief's words hit me. I would die for Harumi. Not just die for her but die to save her. That's when I understood that I could never tell her what the scroll said. I was the last thing she had left. If she knew I was going to die, she would shatter into a thousand angry, scared, and bitter fractions.

     My gaze wandered over the body until I saw Harumi, less than a foot behind it. She had passed out. Her skin was pale and the deep wound in her stomach was still bleeding, soaking the front of her gi with its scarlet touch. I crouched down next to her, trying to check for a pulse, but my fingers just went through her. Her shoulders hitched with a small breath as my fingers grazed her cheek, though she could not feel me. I was a spirit now. I didn't exist among the living any longer.

     Her breaths gave me hope. The sword had not pierced anything that could not be fixed. As long as the Ninja came for her soon, she would live.

     With that thought came the distant sound of the Bounty flying above. The Ninja would find Harumi and Lloyd soon. Against the will to stay with my love, I made my way over to the green ninja, who was also unconscious. Somehow, I knew he had seen Harumi's sacrifice for him.

     It was strange, my mind, because it felt like it was changing. Suddenly I knew things I did not know before. It felt as if it were growing and expanding with new knowledge every time I wondered. This hadn't happened to me the last time I died.

    The ground beneath Lloyd was so thoroughly soaked with blood, one might assume he had collapsed on a pile of red clay. His skin was so pale it was almost albino, and he was barely breathing at all. While I understood that Harumi, with some good surgery, could survive the attack, with the amount of blood Lloyd had lost, I assumed he would already be dead. Yet, again, I could feel my mind expand until I knew why he would survive this.

     He was the Light.

     Any other person with his wounds would be dead. Lloyd was protected by the prophecy. When I asked myself why he wouldn't tell people he was part of the prophecy, I realized I already knew the answer. He was scared. Scared of who the Oni might be. Scared of what being the Light would mean.

     I knew he couldn't hear me, but I at least had to say the words, "Take care of her."

     I stepped away from the green ninja and went to sit back by Harumi as terrified shouts echoed from the Bounty above. I watched as the Ninja brought down stretchers to carry the bodies up in. Jay and Nya stayed in the Bounty; I assume because of their injuries. It was touching to see the remaining ninja run to Harumi first, but she was the first one they saw. When Lloyd's condition caught their eyes, the wails were almost inhuman. I remember the exuberant shouts of "he's still alive!" as they dragged Lloyd onto a stretcher. I watched Cole help Kai staunch Harumi's blood flow before lifting her onto another stretcher.

     They left my body behind. I understood why. My body wasn't going anywhere, and they had to make it to a hospital now if either Lloyd or Harumi were to live. They would come back for it later. They would bury me, and Harumi would attend the funeral. She would be so sad. I could almost clearly see the scene and the thoughts going through her head. It was overwhelming, how broken she was. I could feel tears start to gather in my eyes at the vision. When I blinked, I was back in the present.

     I stayed by my body as the Bounty disappeared from view and the light in the sky started to fade.

     Let her be the one you were able to save.

     I did save her; I fulfilled my last promise to Bansha. Now, I could finally join her and my other companions like I had intended the first time I sacrificed myself for Harumi.

     I waited to go to the Departed Realm. I waited to open my eyes and see the smoky city once again. I waited to leave this cold world behind. But nothing came to take me away.

     I figured it was some sort of blessing that the spirits of above allowed for me to stay and make sure Harumi was safe. I knew she was safe now, so why couldn't I return to the Departed Realm? It was beyond torturous to have to stare at my battered form for all eternity, forever having to look upon the crushed hopes and dreams of a naïve boy from so long ago.

     She was the one I was able to save, but it hurt so much to let her go.

     I loved her.

     "Morro."

      A kind voice sounded from behind me. It was old and young at once, with a very familiar accent. I turned slowly to see a full face, large, luminous green eyes, and a gentle smile. My hand pressed against my mouth in surprise. Last time I had seen it, it had been strained with pain as it held against Malevolence's evil. It was a face that knew its fate, and there was nothing I could do to save it from death. Now, it was in front of me, full of life and love.

     Mika held out her arms. "We meet again."

     Within the peace of my heart came a relief—a joy so pure I couldn't express it. I had been furious with Malevolence at how she treated the innocent Garmadon sister, and furious at myself for being able to do nothing to save her. I could not feel anger anymore, only jubilance that Mika was now safe among the spirits of light. Mika's form was illuminated by a starry glow that made her somehow even more otherworldly than she already appeared.

     She was safe and happy.

     Just like Erasmus promised.

     "Do not be concerned, Morro, I can see you are confused."

     I tilted my head, and my mind expanded once again until I understood her. She was talking of my confusion over why I wasn't in the Departed Realm yet.

     "You made a request in the Cloud Kingdom's temple. You bound yourself to that request upon the transfer, and you will be bonded until her time is up. Do you understand?"

     Somehow, I did.

     Mika smiled once again, her form starting to disappear into the night air.

     "Your time has not yet come."