Morro scrutinized the ghosts that encircled him and Cole. There wasn't time to fight them all off while Yang escaped to do his ceremony.

"I'm impressed," the old ghost said. "I didn't think you would be able to tolerate each other long enough to get this far." He turned a thoughtful gaze on Morro. "I should have known that I'd met my match when you came to my temple, Morro. You're every bit as cunning and skilled as I heard. Perhaps I've been selfish . . ." Yang held the Yin Blade out for them to see. "What you boys may not realize is that the Rift isn't single-use. As long as it's open, any number of ghosts can pass through and become human."

Out of the corner of his eye, Morro saw Cole tense, his gaze flitting between him and Yang.

"I want to make my offer again," Sensei Yang said. "If you help me, we can pass through the Rift together. I know there's already bad blood between you two; if you defeat me, you'll still have to fight each other. But if you and I worked together, we could easily go our separate ways once this is over. What do you say? Many of Ninjago's greatest are taking back their thrones tonight in place of a ninja. By night's end, there will be no one left to oppose us."

Morro could sense the Earth Ninja's tension, like a wound-up coil ready to spring. But Morro wasn't interested in Yang's offer. He had already made up his mind tonight. Cole and Yang kept trying to tell him what he wanted, but they didn't know a thing about it. Morro wasn't interested in trying to get his life back, he wasn't going to make the same mistake a third time.

"Forget it, Yang. You can't talk your way out of this one."

Yang's smile vanished, curling into a sneer. "No? Then you won't mind if I let my students talk for me."

Cole turned back to Sensei Yang. "What's the matter? Too afraid to take us on by yourself?"

"Too busy," Yang answered coolly. "The eclipse is beginning to fade. Just like the two of you. You couldn't even fight together when I was unarmed and right in front of you. What makes you think you'll be able to defeat my students?" Without waiting for an answer, he addressed the other ghosts in the room. "Take them!"

Cole made an attempt to skirt around the ghosts, but they swiftly cut him off. Yang was already disappearing out the window. Morro tried to follow, but completely lost sight of them both as the ghosts closed in. He struck out against them, his moves precise. Normally they would be lethal, but all he could hope for was that it would be painful enough to get the ghosts off his tail for a moment. But even when Morro managed to knock a couple out, they were back up before he could finish the others off.

And yet, both sides were at an equal disadvantage. The weapons forced their wielders to remain solid as they held them. They still provided a better method of fighting than trying to use fists, but they limited the fighter almost as much as the deepstone cuffs did.

Almost. Yang's students still had the freedom to hover through the air. Morro couldn't catch every ghost as they swarmed over his head, out of his reach. What's more, Morro could feel himself physically starting to grow tired. His strength was fading along with his soul, and he and Cole had been fighting all night. He could keep going, but for how long? Yang would complete the spell at any moment – they could win if they just had time, but they didn't!

"This isn't working!" he shouted while blocking a blow with both blades. "They're just stalling us – we need to get to the roof!"

"If one of us could get outside –" Cole was cut off. Morro shot a look at the window. He took steps backward as he fought, trying to find the Earth Ninja in the chaos. The ghosts pressured him on all sides until they finally forced the two together. They stood side-by-side, backed against a wall. Morro swiped at the swarm as they hovered only a few feet away.

"Alright, guys," Cole said. "Time to take a break."

To no one's surprise, the ghosts weren't very attentive. They were worse than inhuman, they took every blow as if they didn't notice the pain.

"They haven't responded to you once since you got here," Morro said, grunting as he deflected a strike. "What makes you think they'll answer now? Let it go already."

Cole grit his teeth, hefting the bo staff in his hand. "I'm optimistic!" There was a hollow thunk as he whacked one of the ghosts over the head. It stumbled but dazedly held its ground.

"One of us needs to get out there," Morro said.

"I'll go."

"No, I'll go, you hold them off!" He sprang to the side. A few ghosts tried to block his way and he ducked around them. But there were still more that jumped between Morro and the exit, grabbing him by the shoulders, pushing him back.

Morro fought to get out of their grip. He sliced his swords through the air in a flurry. Then he skirted around a tall crate just as a sword glanced off of it. He sprang out from the other side and threw a ghost into the wall.

He heard Cole call out, "This is ridiculous – they just keep coming!"

"Nothing affects them," Morro said, dodging a ghost that swept down from above. "They don't even feel pain."

While he fought, one of his swords had started to come loose in its handle. He thrust it at a ghost, who let it pass through them. Their own sword fell from their hand, and Morro kicked it up and traded it with the broken one.

He spotted Cole, who was backed into a corner again. "I don't think I can do this much longer . . ."

"You're gonna have to!" Morro dove under a blade, trying to make a break for the window again. But a one of Yang's student's popped out of no where and stabbed him. Morro staggered, pain exploding in his chest. The ghost tried to strike him again, but more grit his teeth and cut it across its torso. Blinded by pain, he was forced backwards, and before he knew it, he and the Earth Ninja had been herded together once again, back-to-back.

"Okay, how about that break?" Cole asked hopefully.

Morro's hands ached from the iron grip he kept on both swords, and though the bite of his phantom wound was fading, it was hard to ignore. But they weren't getting a break no matter how many times they asked, and Morro was determined to push through.

"How long do you think it takes to do that spell?" he asked.

"How should I know? You don't think he's already finished, do you?"

Morro didn't answer. He really didn't know either.

"If he's not, we're still the only ones who can stop him." Cole hesitated. "We both need to get out there."

Morro turned his head slightly, before looking back at the enemies in front of him. "We can't defeat all of them."

"We can't hold them all back, either. But if we stick together – " Cole broke off when a ghost leapt at him. He stumbled into Morro, pushing him closer to the surrounding enemies. As Cole blocked the sword with his staff, he strained against the pressure. "Yang knows we're more dangerous as one, he's trying to keep us apart!" He shoved the ghost away. "But we'll be stronger together. I don't care what he says, if we're going to stop him, we have to put our differences aside."

It takes others to make us stronger.

More of Yang's students rushed them. Morro blocked a sword and kicked a ghost in the stomach. "Fine," he said. "You want to work together? Then follow my lead!"

Another ghost appeared and tried to push them apart, but Cole intercepted them. As he took a sharp step to the right, Morro did the same, and they remained back-to-back. When Cole moved again, Morro moved with him. When Morro turned to swipe at another ghost, he was surprised at how quickly Cole kept up. They moved fluidly, exchanging blows based on each other's choices.

As Cole started to move backwards, Morro took a step forward, throwing his opponent into a crate. Cole was caught in a struggle with another ghost, so Morro held his ground and defended them from all sides. He felt energized again, he almost didn't notice his fatigue wearing away. Without even trying, as he gave a mighty swing of his sword, it was backed by a powerful gust of wind that sent a dozen ghosts flying.

Morro gaped. He looked down at his wrists, but the cuffs were gone, and his arms were glowing with a white-ish green light. The metal rings lie in pieces on the ground, sliced clean through.

At that moment, Cole cut his opponent down. "What just happened?" he asked. He almost turned, but seemed to think better of it.

"I'm not sure . . ." Morro couldn't explain it, but he could feel his power coming back to life. The air stirred as it drifted in from the window, familiar and reassuring.

"Well whatever you did, could you do it over here, too?" A metallic clang brought Morro back to the battle. With a sweep of his arms, he tugged a stronger blast of air into the attic and wrapped it around himself and Cole. Yang's students were blown this way and that. Morro threw them to the ground and, arms still glowing, he tossed gusts of wind that sliced through each of the ghosts, ripping apart the contents of the attic. Within seconds, all of Yang's students had collapsed, and the attic was still.

Morro looked around at the ghosts lying unconscious amongst the debris and junk. As the glow faded, his fatigue returned. His legs felt weak, as if they might give out at any second, but he lifted his sword and remained at the ready.

"We did it," Cole said, weak with relief.

Still wary, Morro turned slowly to take in the entire room. His eyes landed on the window. One ghost remained standing between them and their exit.

It was just one more. Morro could deal with one more.

Cole spotted the ghost as well, and despite his exhaustion, he pointed his sword. "Don't make me hurt you, too," he said with very little authority.

With a shout, Morro dove toward the ghost, swords slashing. But he only feigned striking before he grabbed the ghost on their exposed side and flung them out the window. Finally, he dropped his sword and leaned heavily against the window.

"I had him right where I wanted him," Cole said.

"So did I."

"And how did you . . ."

"No idea."

"Well that doesn't seem fair," Cole said, regarding his own cuffed wrist. Squatting down, he laid his weapons on the ground and put his head in his hands. "Just give me a minute . . ."

"Feel free to take your break now, but I'm going to find Yang." Morro stuck his head out the window, looking for a good way to climb up.

"Oh, come on, how are you not totally exhausted after all that?"

"I'm used to it," he said bluntly. He turned around, ready to pull himself through, but Cole stopped him.

"Wait, hang on for just a second."

Morro paused, watching the Earth Ninja gather his weapons and approach him. His gaze was shifty, and he was hesitating a bit too long. Morro didn't know what he wanted, but they really needed to get moving or Yang could go through the Rift at any second . . .

Cole cleared his throat. "What Yang said doesn't have to be true. We don't have to fight once this is over. I won't try to fight you. Even if we get a chance to go through the Rift, I'll still take you to Sensei Wu if you want, and . . ." He took a deep breath, his gaze wandering again before it came back. "And you'll be free to go. I won't try to stop you."

Morro remained silent. He recognized the risk Cole was taking. It was a foolish risk, but given the circumstance it was likely the only thing Cole thought he had to bargain with. Morro didn't really care one way or another, though. He had already made up his mind.

Ducking back through the window, he said, "Break's over." He reached out to grab hold of the roof and pull himself upward. He heard Cole following as he heaved himself onto the roof tiles. The wind churned wildly around them. Morro could sense its agitation.

Above, half the moon glowed green, the other half covered in shadows. Yang stood on the roof, Yin Blade in hand as he waved it expertly through the air. Even more striking than the moon was a line of bright light that shone like a scar in the open sky.

"Stop it, Yang!" Cole shouted once he had gotten up beside Morro.

But just like everyone else in that cursed temple, Yang refused to listen. With the power of Airjitzu, jumped into the air and rose in a yellow whirlwind toward the rift.

"No!"