Liz ran across the platform as she heard the cry of the Ninja. She didn't expect it to be this soon but better sooner than starting a revolutionary war with the General. The platform she was on did a violent shake, causing Liz to fall onto the floor with a yelp. There were 4 strings that held this place up. She knew this because she was the one who told them to do it that way. Claimed it was a Moonblood way to build things. 

Skales was furious. 

"You said it was safe!" He hissed as he grabbed Liz's arm.

"Do you want to make it look like you're trying to kill me in front of your tribe?"

"I might," he snapped back.

"Just do the plan!" Liz barked.

Liz's ear twitched at the sound of the Ninja landing on the roof. They were running out of time.

"Skales!"

"Fine!"

Skales started into the young assassin's eyes and they started to glow. Liz could feel her mind fuzz, she no longer had control. Liz felt panicked but calmed as soon as she regained the control of her body. She felt different somehow. Like everything was right, there was no wrong.

She looked up to see... Skales. Yes. Her master. He was towering over her with great might, she'd do anything he said.

"Go to the Ninja that are on top of the roof and kill them. Don't let them get the last vine."

Ninja? Why did that feel wrong to do? Liz didn't care enough to think about it any longer and ran up to said roof where four colored Sunbloods were. They were talking and the black one was running towards the vine. Liz growled and sprinted to him and with her back to the others, she shifted to her wolf body and pushed the Ninja down. Cole. His name was Cole.

"Liz?" the others called. 

Liz turned her head to see the others in shock and disbelief.

"She's been hypnotized!" 

Liz snarled and spotted a pole to her right.

"Come on Liz," the red one said. "Friends don't hit friends!" She pounced towards it was she shifted back and grabbed it. She raced around the side to get behind the Ninja and went to strike the red one in the back. Kai.

"That's gonna hurt tomorrow," he groaned.

"Nobody is leaving." Liz purred. "Not until you deal with me."

"Shit, we're screwed!" Jay exclaimed.

Liz showed off her teeth as the Ninja raced towards her and she used all that assassin knowledge she knew and was able to block every blow. Every blow but one.

Liz yelped as she was hit by a large sum of lightning and energy. She could feel it go into her veins, fueling her. She didn't know why, but either way, she was back on her feet within seconds.

"Welp, that didn't work," Jay whimpered.

Her wolf form emerged once again and she sent the strongest stare she could towards the blue ninja.

Jay gasped as his mind went blank and Liz used his stutter to pounce onto him opening her jaw over his throat where she started to bite. Jay pushed as hard as he could against her chest but Liz knew she'd over power him. However, she hesitated. Not because it was her first kill, she'd killed many before. But because of a sound. A melody. A flute?

Liz could feel the fuzz and the fog leave her mind as she saw the caring, funny Jay under her staring up in fear. The sharp smell of rust from the ninja proved she'd gone a little too far and he was bleeding just slightly around his neck.

Liz gasped and immediately got off of him and shifted back to her Sunblood form.

"Jay! I'm so sorry!"

Jay groaned as he sat him, wiping the blood from his neck. "It's ok, Liz. At least you didn't kill me ya know?"

Liz panted as she looked up to where Wu was. He was flying Flame and he was holding a beautiful flute in his hand that saved Jay's life. She knew that flute somehow....

All Liz could feel was guilt for almost killing the blue ninja. If Wu wasn't quick enough, would Jay have died? She couldn't imagine doing that to Lloyd.

Wait. Lloyd!

Liz bolted without saying goodbye and went on a search for her companion.

"Lloyd? Lloyd!"

"Liz?" asked a shaken voice.

"Lloyd!" Liz ran towards the sound her ears picked up and came across a giant pit with her friend sitting inside.

"Liz! Watch out!" 

Shit!

Before Liz could react, she felt a strong force push her into the pit down towards Lloyd where he tried to catch her. Liz felt Lloyd fall back and while Liz was grateful for the cushion, she would've been just fine if she fell without hurting Lloyd.

Liz looked up with wide eyes to see Skales and a few other Hypnobri gazing over them, the General's staff in hand.

"We've been fooled for the last time. We're taking you back with us."

"How did you get the staff?" Liz asked with a panic.

"Lets just say we lit a few things that got in our way." Skales said with a smug look on his face while the snakes begun a chorus of laughter. "Tie them up."

He must have seen my mind and my thoughts when he hypnotized me. He knew I wasn't really with the snakes.

"Sorry, but we have to do what we have to do. Don't we, Anur?"

___________

Liz wanted to fight. She wanted to leave and go back to the Ninja and get her power already. But she had something holding her back. Her... friend. She didn't know what else to call the boy she traveled with. Lloyd's body shook against the cold as his bound hands tightened together. 

Liz's writs were bound as well. She could easily escape. But she didn't.

Skales carried the General's staff with an extra bit of pride in his step as he walked ahead of the crowd. The ropes that were around her wrists were burning to be ripped away. That's what she was taught back home. Save yourself. Lloyd was holding Liz back but she couldn't let him go...

Liz felt strong fear for the first time in a long while but it wasn't all hers. Lloyd was trembling and his eyes were unfocused. A part of her wanted to comfort him and it hurt her to see him like this but she had to be strong. It was the only way they would get out of there alive.

Lloyd looked up towards the General who was slithering by his side. 

"Do something General!" Lloyd whispered, loudly. 

Slithera glanced down towards the boy with his deep red eyes.

"You... are still in my command, right?"

Slithera narrowed his eyes and looked back towards the other snakes and let out a roar.

"Enough!" he hissed.

The snakes gasped and halted at the call of their general. Skales looked smug as he turned to face Slithera who was booming with rage.

"I am the General! You will return my staff to me at once!"

Skales glanced down to the staff in his hand, then at the general. "No," he hissed back.

More gasps filled the room as Liz's hope died. They were about to lose the only protection and lead they had.

We're fucked.

"You dare challenge my command?"

The Hypnobri watched as the tension grew between the general and his second.

"I guess we'll just have to fight for it," Skales suggested. "In the Slither Pit."

Liz's eyes widened. Surely they can't be serious? You got your leader, stick with them!

Slithera narrowed his eyes at Skales and flicked his tongue.

"Very well. Aspen, ready the pit."

The Hypnobri nodded and started to lead the way to said pit.

Liz looked over towards Lloyd who looked very confused.

Liz grunted when a Hypnobri tugged on her bounded hands and it was Boa who helped a somber expression as she led Liz and Lloyd towards the Slitherpit.

The pit was giant and so open. Liz and Lloyd were tied to a pillar towards the back and left alone as the snakes gathered around the pit.

Skales and Slithera approached the middle as Aspen emerged from the top that overlooked the arena.

"Winner gets the staff and leads the tribe!" His loud voice boomed. "You know the rules, and there are none! But in the Slither Pit, whatever I say goes."

The snakes nodded and Aspen grinned. "Alright, fight!"

Liz watched as the two snakes started circling and going at each other.

Liz turned her attention to all the spectators and concluded that nobody was watching them.

"Go, General!" Lloyd cheered when Slither hit Skales to the ground.

"Two weapons!" Aspen announced.

Just then, the playing field tiled and opened to a large pit that seemed bottomless.

Liz gasped when she felt a nudge but relaxed when it was just Lloyd.

"Look, Lizzy!" he loudly whispered.

Liz's gaze followed Lloyd's, and then she saw it too...

It was a rolled-up scroll... in the open? By the prisoners? Liz couldn't think of what it could be if they just left it inside this wall.

Lloyd grinned, reached for the scroll, and tucked it in his pocket.

Liz and Lloyd faltered when they heard the snakes erupt in cheering and booing.

"He used fang-quando!"

Liz and Lloyd gasped and saw Slithera on the ground, unable to get up. Skales and Aspen held up the staff and Skales started to transform.

The General lost his tail and exchanged them for Skales's legs and Skales now had a new scale pattern and he looked smug.

Skales looked down at the previous General and smiled.

"You will obey me now!"

"Yes, General," Slithera hissed.

Skales then turned towards Liz and Lloyd. "You two, leave and never return!"

Liz took the opportunity to chew off her ropes and rip Lloyd's off, pushing him towards the tomb entrance as Skales's voice hissed through the halls.

"Good luck out there, little Anur. Thanks for the one-up."

______________________________________

Liz and Lloyd sat in the sand, watching the Ninja enjoying their new monastery. Except it was on a ship... After Skales burnt the monastery, it makes sense that the Ninja needed a new headquarters.

Lloyd was sad as he watched and picked at his nails.

They had overheard that Zane found it because the falcon told him and that he felt a connection to the bird, just like Liz felt with the wolf that haunts her dreams.

Liz nudged Lloyd's side. "At least we have the scroll."

Lloyd immediately brightened, pulled out the Hypnobri scroll, and opened it, but what was in it surprised them.

It was a map, but not any map.

"The location of every Serpentine tomb," Lloyd whispered.

"Where to, Garmadon?" Liz asked.

"The Fangpyre, the Hypnobri's sworn enemy."

"Let's cause some chaos."