CHAPTER NINETEEN — TORCHFIRE MOUNTAIN
rise of the great devourer — part one

"We've got you." — iris wu

THE STORM HAD YET TO PASS BUT IRIS HOPED THAT IT WOULD BY THE TIME THEY APPROACHED TORCHFIRE MOUNTAIN. Because destroying the Fangblades, as the wind threatened to tear them from their grip, wasn't going to end well. But they still had time before they reached the fiery pit, so Iris had hope.

She sat with the other ninja peacefully as her Father meditated in his room below. And Iris knew better than to disturb him when he was in states like this. Just minutes earlier, Lloyd had informed her that he wanted to go downstairs and train. With actual fighting this time. And considering what had just transpired at the mountain of a million steps, Iris conceded. It was time that the new Green Ninja learn how to properly fight. 

But first he needed to get himself acquainted with the course. So Iris told him that she would join him later that day. 

If only she knew what was going to happen. She would have changed her decision.

Thunder rumbled and lightning cracked outside in the onyx sky. It wasn't giving Iris the best feeling as the storm continued to rage and rock their ship. She could feel a sort of stone in the pit of her gut, like something was trying to tell her something bad was going to happen.

But considering she did not know what this feeling was warning her of, Iris remained in the dining room with the other ninja as they sat around the four Fangblades on the table.

"Why is it that Torchfire Mountain is the only place we can destroy the Fangblades?" Inquired Nya who cast her eyes to the four weapons anxiously.

Before Iris could speak up from behind her teacup, Kai answered. "Because the Fangblades were made from the original teeth of the Devourer. They're so strong they can only break down in extraordinary heat." He explained.

Iris placed down her empty cup and nodded to confirm the fire ninja's words. "He is right, Nya. Only Torchfire Mountain has what we require to melt down the remnants of the Great Devourer." She told the Samurai as Jay refilled Iris's cup with more tea. "Thank you, Jay." She said before raising her cup back up and taking a long sip. 

"Uh, could someone pass the salt?" Iris went to grab the seasoning container only for the Bounty to rock, sending the salt sliding towards Jay. Which he caught. "Hey, thanks."

The Master of Space chuckled lightly as she placed down her cup.

Then the sliding door opened revealing an earth ninja who was very green in the face. Oh dear. It seemed these rocky conditions weren't suited for them all. 

"Please. No one talk about food."

Iris stared at Cole in concern. "Are you alright?"

Just as Cole was about to answer, the ship rocked once more, almost sending the black-clad ninja off the side. Fortunately he grabbed the door frame before he could slip away. Thank the First Spinjitzu Master for that.

"How much longer until we get there?" He asked.

Glancing at their friend, Jay replied. "Not long." Noticing the pigment in the boy's cheeks as Iris did, Jay wore the same worried expression on his face. "Hey, Cole, you're looking a little green over there. How'd you like a mucous salt sandwich?"

Iris grimaced at his words. 

And she grimaced some more because as soon as the lightning ninja mentioned food, Cole disappeared to the side to throw up what he had left in his stomach. "Cole!" Iris called out. "Are you okay?" She quickly downed the rest of her tea and got up to help him.

"Ha, ha, speaking of green, who would've guessed little Lloyd Garmadon turned out to be the Green Ninja?" 

As Jay laughed, Iris rolled her eyes at the boy. "I knew he had greatness in him." 

And nothing more was said before Iris left the dining room in search of the earth ninja. She hoped that if she could find him, she could make him a special tea that would ease his sickness. Or at least be there to make sure he didn't make such a big mess.

Because at the end of the day, that was what friends were for.

AS IRIS HAD HOPED, THE STORM HAD SUBSIDED BY THE TIME THEY REACHED TORCHFIRE MOUNTAIN. After managing to find Cole, Iris fixed him up a special tea — her Father would be so proud — that quickly put his seasickness? airsickness? to rest. They then spent the rest of the journey to Torchfire mountain watching the Fangblades and theorising as to where her Uncle had disappeared to. 

Nya announced their arrival over the speakers and after a moment, the ninja exited the Bounty, carrying the four Fangblades with them. Iris decided not to place a blade in her hand as she did not like the idea of touching a tooth of the snake that corrupted her Uncle. So the boys grabbed the blades between them and they headed out to destroy them once and for all.

Of course, the first thing they noticed was the overwhelming heat that radiated from the pool of lava at the mountain's peak. As someone used to the cold at the Monastery of Spinjitzu, Iris was not liking the heat that was swamping them. 

"Ah! It's roasting out here."

Kai just responded with a curt laugh. "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen."

"Hey, what's with Sensei?" Jay spoke up, changing the topic. 

And at his words, Iris's gaze sought out her Father and when she finally spotted him at the side of the ship, her lips twisted into a worried frown. Something was wrong. Now she was feeling worried.

Noticing Iris wasn't replying, Zane answered. "I do not know. He's been distant all morning."

She knew that her Father had been meditating earlier and sometimes during those times he would consult the smoke for glimpses into the future. Iris hoped that he was worried about something trivial and not a possible bad future. It wouldn't be good for them all.

As she kept a worried look on her Father, Iris and the other ninja made their way to his side with the Fangblades in hand. "Sensei, we are ready for the destruction of the Fangblades, yet you seem disinterested." Zane pointed out.

"Is everything alright, Father?" Asked the yellow ninja as she went over to stand next to him. Her Father did not respond to her question.

"You do not need my approval to finish the task."

That just made the Master of Space frown more. "Uh, but Sensei—"

"Butts are for sitting." Wu quickly interjected Jay which silenced the lightning ninja. "And besides, there will come a time when you will have to go on without me." What had he seen in that smoke? Whatever it was, it wasn't good.

With a tentative touch, Iris reached out for her Father's arm. But he made no acknowledgment of her touch. "Father, what is it?" Still, he said nothing. Wu knew the consequence of burdening Iris with more than she could cope and wanted to protect her from the truth, so not a word passed his lips. 

"Sensei Wu, you're talking crazy. You've been alive for like... forever."

Kai wasn't wrong about that. And if the situation was better, she would have laughed. But the distant look upon the man's face as he stared into Torchfire Mountain, it worried the Wu girl. 

After Cole hit Kai to shut him up, Zane spoke up with a gentler tone. "What he is trying to say is that you are like the sunrise. We cannot begin a day without you." His words made Iris smile. They were beautiful. She turned to grab the ice ninja's free hand, and squeezed it gave it a grateful squeeze. 

"Ah, but even the sun must go down so a new day begins." Sighed the old Sensei. 

The way he was talking... he thought he was going to die? 

Iris turned to her Father in more alarm than worry but he didn't meet her gaze and that just cemented her view. He had seen the future and in it he wasn't going to survive. Well, if there was anyone who could change fate, it was her and her ninja so they weren't going to let him die. She had just returned from two years without him and now her home was gone so she couldn't lose him too.

"I don't like metaphors." Said Cole as he too wore a worried expression across his face. "What are you trying to say? Are you leaving us again?"

Wu hung his head. "In meditation, my smoke visions have come to an end," Oh no. Iris knew what that usually meant. Tears threatened to spill from her eyes as her Father fully confirmed her fears. He believed he was going to die. "and tomorrow, I cannot see. This worries me."

"But it could be a good omen, you know." Suggested Jay as he tried to make things positive. "We destroy the Fangblades, then everything's gravy."

Iris released her grip from her Father and Zane as she turned and looked at the blue ninja. "I hope you're right, Jay." She forced a small smile as no matter how much she hoped, she did not believe everything was going to be 'gravy' as he put it.

"Let's just get rid of them, for good."

"And make sure the Great Devourer is never unleashed." Added Iris with a smile.

Then the ninja set up a plank off the side of the ship that would have them directly over Torchfire mountain. It wasn't the sturdiest thing in Ninjago, but they wouldn't be long. They just had to drop the blades and never look back. Iris stood by the ninja as her Father made his way up another level on the ship and they both watched as the ninja prepared themselves to dispose of the Fangblades.

But then the ship tossed. 

The engine spluttered and the Bounty dipped and the ninja all turned to each other with matching startled looks. Yet they didn't have long to stand there and worry as the ship tipped on its side, sending them all sliding down the deck. 

Iris tried to grab any plank of wood to stop her descent, but to no avail. She couldn't get a grip. But luckily, the railing stopped her fall. She was held back by the taffrail — as were the other ninja — from toppling straight into the fiery pit of the mountain. 

But when Iris cast her eyes around to check everyone, her Father was missing. And it didn't take her long to find him.

From the end of the flimsy plank Sensei Wu held on for dear life as he dangled over the lava pool with smoke circling him. "Father!" Cried the yellow ninja who immediately went to try and save him.

The others quickly followed suit and discarded the blades in their hands to help. "Sensei Wu! Hang on. We're coming." Cole called out as he lead the other four ninja after Iris.

Cautiously, they walked across the unstable plank to prevent any more damage from being down. But Iris could see her Father losing his grip. No, please no. 

Iris hurried a little more to try and reach her Father as quickly as she could, but she wasn't fast enough. He fell. 

She couldn't lose him. Not after everything. So, Iris Wu cast a look to her boys over her shoulder and then dived from the board. 

Wu stared up at his daughter as he fell, fear rising inside him at the idea of her being taken by the mountain too. But their ninja wouldn't let that happen. Iris reached out with both hands, grabbing her Father's free wrist. As soon as she clasped her hand around him, she felt a pair of hands around her ankles. And they stopped falling.

"You are not allowed to go anywhere, Father." Smiled the girl as relief filled her features. "We've got you."

"Thank you, Iris." 

Kai was at the top of the chain and was struggling to hold them all. He called out to his sister to try and find out what was going on, but she didn't know. Something had gotten into their system. Not good. 

Then Lloyd's voice echoed through the speakers and his words chilled her to the bone.

"Pythor's on board!"

Very not good indeed. Now he was on the Bounty, with access to the Fangblades to unleash the Devourer. Everything that happened at the mountain of a million steps, ended up being for nothing. They had to stop him.

Iris could hear his voice above, but the raging fire below and the wind in her ears muffled it so she couldn't understand. And what surprised her most of all was that he didn't push the plank off the ship and into the volcano. He must have thought there wouldn't be much point as he would set free the Great Devourer that would destroy them anyway.

As a battle occurred above them, the ninja were still dangling over Torchfire mountain, hanging on for their lives. And Iris didn't want to admit it, but she was starting to lose her grip on her Father.

"Don't let go!" She heard Jay yell up to Kai.

"You think I don't know that?"

But as soon as the words left his lips, his feet slipped from the plank above them. They were falling again.

Iris didn't know what to do. Teleporting with another person was incredibly difficult for her, let alone five. And if she were to teleport with another, it would end up being her Father considering that she was holding his hand so it would mean she would leave the ninja to perish. Iris Wu had no idea how she was going to save them all.

And fortunately, she didn't have to. Because the Samurai X suit flew in and caught all six of them before they could make a splash into the scalding liquid below. They were saved.

"Gotcha!"

Jay sighed in relief. "I don't think I've ever been more glad to see you."

"Feel the same." Nya said as she approached the now level Bounty and lowered them down onto the deck. Solid ground, finally. Wu quickly wrapped his arms around his daughter and they buried their faces into each other's shoulders, relieved that the other was alright. "Come on, he's getting away."

The Father and daughter released from their embrace to stand by the railings. In the distance, the Fangpyre infected helicopter was easily spotted as Pythor and Scales caught their ride away from the ninja as fast as they could.

"Look, there!"

Iris grinned with optimism. "We still have time to catch them."

THE BOUNTY RACED AFTER PYTHOR AND THE FANGBLADES AS FAST AS THEY COULD. They still had time to catch up and retake the blades before they reached the formally lost City of Ouroboros to unleash the Great Devourer upon Ninjago. So now they were preparing for a real fight. 

Lloyd went to retrieve the ninja's golden weapon as Sensei Wu climbed into his seat upon Nya's Samurai suit. Meanwhile, Iris stood amongst her ninja and was just finishing assessing them for any injuries from their almost topple into Torchfire mountain. But it seemed they were all okay.

"If Pythor returns the Fangblades to the City of Ouroboros, he'll awaken the Great Devourer."

Nya smirked beneath her helmet. "Well, we're not going to let that happen." She stated determinedly.

Nodding her head in agreement, Iris looked up at the Samurai. "Damn right." The girls shared a look before Nya raised the suit's hand slightly and fist-bumped Iris. 

"Oh, what about me?" Asked Lloyd as he made his way towards them with the golden weapons of Spinjitzu. He was so determined to help and make up for his mistakes of opening the Serpentine tombs that started this mess. And that just made Iris very proud of him. He was owning his mistakes.

Slinging an arm around the small green ninja's shoulders, Iris said softly. "Sorry, Little Monty, but you have to stay here."

"Yeah." Added Kai. "We need someone to stay with the Bounty."

Neither Kai nor Iris's words seemed to convince him to stay behind. "But did you see me kick him in the face?" No, she hadn't. But she wished she had as it would have been very satisfying for them all. "I'm an asset." Iris chuckled in amusement. "I kick butt. And face."

"Patience, kid. You're too important now that you're the chosen one." 

Knowing that that wasn't going to please the young Garmadon, Iris continued from the fire ninja. "And we don't want you to get hurt."

Above them, Sensei Wu was pondering Kai's words as he ran a hand down his beard. "'Patience', hmm?" He mused and cast a glance down at the red-clad boy. "Ah, the student has become the teacher." He was right, those were some pretty insightful words from Kai. The son of a humble blacksmith truly had grown up. 

Iris was so proud. 

Reaching into the case, Jay withdrew his lightning nunchucks and held them aloft. "What do you say we play a little catch-up?" He proposed with a smile.

"It's my favourite game."

The others retrieved their own golden weapons as Iris smirked at the master of lightning. "Did you even have to ask." 

"Ninja, go!"

Then the five ninja spun into elemental tornados and leapt from the Bounty's deck. Feeling the wind blow past her masked face — without the fear of death — it truly was exhilarating. Even though she had no idea where there were going, so she couldn't teleport straight there, she could most certainly save herself from landing on the mountain peak. 

As they fell through the air, the four golden weapons were transformed into their elemental vehicles, filling the sky with bursts of light. They then raced down the mountain side, as if it was a competition to see who would arrive at the bottom first. And Iris kept falling. 

"Sensei Iris, grab on!" Shouted Jay as he zoomed past in his lightning jet. With her quick reflexes, it wasn't too hard for the yellow ninja to grab the jet wing as it flew past. Then she started towards the ground again, this time with Jay leading her there.

The metal was tough beneath her fingers, but Iris still held on. Wind threatened to tear her mask clean off her face yet somehow it managed to stay put upon her head. Upon the wing of Jay's jet, she felt her heart race and her mind clear. She felt free. 

"Thanks, Jay!" 

"No problem, Sensei!"

They somehow managed to communicate over the wind as they flew down the mountain and towards the ground. And there they spotted a runaway bus heading straight for the City of Ouroboros. It was them.

Jay then announced over the comms. "We've got him in our sights."

And so the ninja, the Samurai and the old Sensei raced after the runaway bus in the hope of stopping them before the greatest evil Ninjago had ever known would be unleashed back upon them. Iris could only pray to her Grandfather that they reached there in time.

Otherwise, they were all doomed.

Chapter 19!!! Wow!!! I don't think I've ever written this much for a book before, drafted or otherwise. Shows how much I'm enjoying writing this fic.

And there we have it: part one of the first great devourer episode. Rise of the Great Devourer and Day of the Great Devourer were so good! This is gonna be fun! And we're nearing the end now! Very exciting!

I love Iris's relationship with all her boys. And before I've focused a lot on Zane, Wu and Lloyd and I think this chapter adds some more Kai, Jay and Cole in the mix too. She loves them so much and is so protective of them. They are her boys and she is their Sensei. It's mutual adoration. 

Iris is so not ready to lose her Father. Even though he was basically the one who pushed her to leave, she still loves him and they're healing. She lost her Mother quite young and now her home, she even almost lost Lloyd, so she can't lose her Father. Knowing what's coming next: oops.

Thank you for reading!!!

Sincerely Rosie aka Winter326