Ninjago… A world of various environments and wildlife. From the tops of the snow-covered peaks, to the windy island shores, this is a beautiful realm covered by nature. And long ago, before time had a name, a being known as The First Spinjitzu Master entered this world. He gave life to two sons as well as 18 other people who had the ability to control the elements. Fire, lightning, ice, earth, water, wind, speed, time, metal, light, shadow, gravity, mind, nature, form, smoke, poison, and sound. He created creatures large and small, some able to shape-shift, some big and furry, and others just humble people. However, creatures from other realms intruded the harmonious land and pillaged it. They called themselves the Anacondrai; snake people that were hell-bent on destroying the peaceful world. The First Spinjitzu Master had passed away only days before the invasion, leaving his two sons to defend the land. The other gifted people, called the Elemental Masters, aided in the fight. The two sons were named Wu and Garmadon, and were both fairly young. Regardless, they were both skilled fighters, and fought valiantly in the war. But rumors began to spread within the elemental masters, and they began to turn against each other. Leading some elements to be lost, along with their users. With the allies breaking apart and vowing to never join forces again, the brothers made a heartbreaking decision. Well, one did. The younger brother, Wu, was able to banish the Anacondrai from the realm, but at the price of his life. The young master died, and his brother grieved, but stepped up as the leader of the remaining survivors that had decided to stay with him. Garmadon set up base in a jungle that his father had called Hiroshi’s Labyrinth. The other elemental masters did the same far away from each other. Hundreds or more years passed, and now each elemental camp had become a tribe of people all lead by the decedent of the elemental masters. Because he was the son of the First Spinjitzu Master, Garmadon's lifespan is incredibly long, so he was still around. He and his son Lloyd both led the Jade tribe together. That honor used to be shared with his wife Misako, but she was lost when a rival tribe attacked. That was only a few weeks after little Lloyd was born. Garmadon raised his son to be a powerful warrior, and in doing so, a great future leader. The young boy showed great potential at only 4 years old, and was revealed to carry an elemental power shortly after. Now, it was his 16th birthday, and the everyone under the jungle canopy was over the top excited. The birthday boy in question was far from his village. Lloyd raced through the lush jungle, feeling the wind in his face. The fresh air was refreshing, and the ground beneath his feet was cool and damp. He hopped from the ground to a tree branch and leapt from that tree to another. Like a leopard, he made his way across the canopy in leaps and bounds. The boy finally came to a stop as he perched on a branch that overlooked a large waterfall. It created a pearl mist as it crashed down. Lloyd looked up at the marvel as he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then something caught his attention. Someone was down by the river that the waterfall flowed into. Two younger people stood below; a boy and girl. The girl looked to be collecting water in a pot, and the boy was talking with her while carrying his own pot to help her. Lloyd recognized them as his two close friends. The girl’s name was Harumi. Her long, braided white hair was tied up at the end with a green string, and her outfit was primarily green; as was everyone’s in the village. They were known as the Jade Tribe for a reason. The boy wore a guard’s uniform; which honestly just meant he wore more clothes and armor than the rest of the tribe; and had his sword sheathed on his hip. He had messy blue-black hair that was mostly medium length, like Lloyd, but had a single longer braid that came from behind his ear and drooped over his shoulder. His name was Bradley, or Brad for short. He was two years older than Lloyd, but he was his best friend. Lloyd jumped down, using the foliage and rocks below. “Harumi! Brad!” He called out as he bolted towards them. “What’s up?”

The two turned to him. “Lloyd? What are you doing here?” Questioned Harumi. “Aren’t you supposed to be at the village preparing for the ceremony?”

Brad looked around then back at Lloyd. “Yeah dude. You’re turning 16 tonight. Doesn’t that mean your father will want you to help get everything ready? You do know if everything goes smoothly tonight, ya can become a guard, right?”
Lloyd had wanted to become a guard ever since he could remember. He remembered the day that Brad finally turned 16 and was accepted as a village protector. The thing was, he wasn’t exactly as strong as his older friend. In fact, Brad could probably kill him if he really wanted to. Regardless, being a protector was his dream, and he was very excited about finally fulfilling it. “Well… you know. Just a little noisy over there, so I figured I’d unwind for a moment before heading back.”

Harumi shook her head at Lloyd with a smile. “Your father’s gonna go all Oni on you if ya don’t hurry.” She nodded her head toward the direction of the village.

“Yeah. You’re probably right.” Lloyd chuckled nervously. He said goodbye and ran off. After a few minutes, he reached the village. The late spring sunlight shown down through the jungle canopy and speckled the ground. The village consisted of tree houses made from the surrounding woods. Rope bridges sprawled overhead, connecting the various sized huts, and torches were placed in multiple locations throughout. Each house was made from bamboo and wood, with the roofs being primarily wood, but covered with straw. A simple sign hung on the front of each one that read the name of who lived there. The largest tree house in the center of the village belonged to the leader; Garmadon, and of course, Lloyd. There were some huts that resided on the ground, but those are mostly for storage purposes, like for firewood, or tools. A small section of the town was completely cleared out for the purpose of farming. And when you’re living in a jungle, you’re constantly fighting against nature, so the farm was crucial to everyone’s survival. Lloyd took in the smell of meat being cooked over the fire pit in the center of town. Everyone was busy cleaning and fixing things up for the celebration later. Two little girls ran up to Lloyd and each handed him a small flower. He knelt down and took the tiny bouquet with a smile. “Oh, why thank you! I’ll be sure to keep them safe.” The two giggled and ran off as Lloyd continued walking.

“Son!” A voice called from the tree tops. The boy looked up. It was his father, Garmadon. He was waving to him from atop a suspended bridge. “Come now Lloyd, we have several things to discuss before tonight.” The boy made his way up the nearest ladder to meet his father. “Lloyd, where have you been? I was looking for you everywhere.”

Lloyd nervously chuckled. “Oh! THAT. Yeah, I- um... was. out… PATROLLING! Yep! I was just making sure our territory was safe from enemy threats for tonight.”

Garmadon raised his eyebrow in suspicion for a moment before snapping into a joyful expression. “Perfect! That’s my boy! Come now son, we have many things to do in preparation for your ceremony.” And the two walked off. They spent the remaining daylight hours doing various things; like getting Lloyd cleaned up and checking on everyone’s preparations. One lady had an entire roast pig cooking over an open fire, and Lloyd’s stomach growled just being near it. Other people had been working on fixing up the towers and support beams, in which Lloyd helped with. Finally, the sun had set, and the village was the most alive it had ever been. The torches illuminated the world in a beautiful sunset gold, and the bonfire in the center was surrounded in families and friends telling stories. Lloyd, Brad, and Harumi all raided the food table and were now scarfing down all they threw on their plate. The three were best friends, and wouldn’t have it any other way. The joked and laughed before the ceremony began. When Garmadon finally called Lloyd to the front of the village, he was arguably very nervous. He made his way up and stood tall next to his father. Garmadon cleared his throat to get the attention of his people then raised his hand in the air. “Good people of the Jade Tribe,” he began. “After tonight, my son will no longer be a boy, but become a young man!” The leader turned and opened a small chest. He pulled out a necklace with a little green gem charm on it. “With this- you, Lloyd Garmadon, are officially a man.” He placed the charm around Lloyd’s neck, and the village cheered. Garmadon looked down at his son with tears of pride, saying how proud he was of him. But the heartfelt, joyful moment was interrupted by a flaming arrow whirling past them and landing on a wooden stool. It caught fire as everyone began to panic and hide. The father and son turned to the source of the attack. Three figures jumped down from the canopy wielding weapons. Everyone backed up slowly away from them. The one in front, who appeared to be the leader, walked closer menacingly. He wore a mask that concealed his face, but the rest of him wasn’t as hidden. He had golden bracelets around his wrists and ankles, as well as a necklace that looked like a dragon wrapping around his neck. He had a pair of baggy crimson red pants that were brought in by a tight ruby circlet at the end. He held out a spear as if he was pointing at everyone.

“Hear me now you maggots! I am the great leader of the Fire Tribe; and soon, all of Ninjago! I’m here to warn you that we will be back in three weeks time. If you aren’t ready to bow by then, well… let’s just say that those among you that aren’t highly trained warriors or fireproof won’t be so fortunate…”
Brad clenched his sword and jumped in front of Lloyd and Garmadon. “Go home back to your volcano and burn heathens! Your threats don’t scare me!”

The masked man chuckled. “I was hoping something like this would happen.” He waved his hand in the air, as a snake of fire circled around his arm and hand. Then he shot it at Brad as a devastating fireball. The guard screamed in pain as he was launched backwards and into a tree. He hit the ground with a thud, and didn’t move from the position. Everyone panicked as the master of fire ignited the ground in front of him. Garmadon ran and grabbed a bucket of water; putting out the flames. But now, the leader of the fire tribe and the others were no longer there. They had vanished into the night. Lloyd looked up at his father, shaking. “What just happened!!?”

“I believe that was a declaration of war. But that must not be our main concern at the moment.” He turned to Brad, who lay lifeless on the jungle floor. Lloyd rushed to his friend’s side. Harumi was already there. His armor was burned through, and his chest was scorched and bruised from the impact. Brad was unconscious, but he still somehow managed to look like he was about to cry. Lloyd and Harumi helped him up to the doctors’ hut and placed him on the bed. The doctor frantically examined the wounded warrior. A worried Lloyd and Harumi stood by asking if he was going to be alright, but they got no answer. The doctor soon excused the two from the house and closed the door behind them. Harumi wished Lloyd good night and ran off to her hut. However, it wasn’t her usual flirty, playfull way of wishing him a good night; this was a disturbed, scared, shook, and worried one. It was actually quite disheartening to see her, and for that matter, the entire village, turn in for the night like that. Lloyd sorrowfully walked back to his home. His birthday night was RUINED. He had gotten everything planned out, but now…. Everyone was hiding in their beds, and it was an absolute mess. What a nightmare…

As he walked past each hut on his way back, he peeked through the windows. The families lay in their beds scared and uncertain if it was even safe to fall asleep. Which honestly, who could blame them? Lloyd walked slowly into his hut to find his father waiting for him. The boy asked what they should do about the Fire Tribe’s threat, and his dad turned to look out the window. “The leader said they’d be back in exactly three weeks. That would mark 16 years to the day when they last attacked everyone. The day we lost your mother and countless others.”

Lloyd put his hand on Garmadon’s shoulder. “Don’t worry dad, I’m a guard now; like Brad! He’ll get better soon, and we can take on the Fire Tribe’s army!”

The leaders gaze snapped to Lloyd. “The Fire Tribe does not have an army- they ARE an army. The Fire Tribe is a massive group of cold hearted, war hungry, reprobates. They believe only the strong deserve to live. If you are born into them with any sign of weakness or disability, they deem you unwanted and….” He paused and recoiled into his heart like whatever thought that had just crossed his mind was painful. “I… don’t even want to think about it……” he cleared his throat. “Anyway! With the threat of immediate death on the horizon, I fear there is only one hope of survival. Not just our survival, but all the other tribes as well. We need to join forces, just as we did to defeat the Anacondrai all those hundreds of years ago. But I am far too old to gather all the leaders… it will have to be you.”

Lloyd froze. “Excuse me, WHAT!? But you said that the other tribes were evil and ready to kill you without even thinking! And how am I supposed to unite the tribes if they’re all riding on centuries of spite?! I doubt a sorry is going to fix it and make everyone friends again. Are you expecting them to hug it out?!...”

Garmadon pointed his bamboo staff at a dirty satchel in the corner of the hut. It was filled with fruit and a clay bottle of water. By the bag was a new set of clothes. “That’s all you will need to start. You leave at sunrise tomorrow. I suggest you start by heading south to the Lightning Tribe. You can work from there.” Garmadon finished speaking as he left to go to sleep. Lloyd wasn’t getting out of this quest; he knew that now.

That night, the crickets chirped outside of the window as the faint moonlight shown through the shades on the window. Lloyd tried desperately to fall asleep, but all he could think about was how he was probably going on a suicide mission. He had been raised to think the other tribes were dangerous and to stay away, but now his father was expecting him to ignore that and try to make friends with them?! That just sounded so wrong for so many reasons. And if he was raised to believe other tribes were his enemies, then there was a high chance that the other leaders were told the same. That thought buzzed in his mind as he finally drifted off to sleep.
Lloyd woke up in a field of incredibly green grass littered with small yellow flowers. He had never seen anything like it before. It was stunning. Then, as he stood up, a wispy figure appeared in front of him. He wore a pure white robe, unlike anything Lloyd had ever seen, and a straw hat. His eyes were glowing a beautiful golden yellow, and his short, yet flowing hair was Lloyd’s hair color. He gave off a radiant, holy light, but his body seemed to be made of a type of smoke or fog. He stared deep into Lloyd’s eyes intently. “Unite…” It whispered.

Lloyd could only assume it meant the tribes.

It whirled around the boy then looked into Lloyd’s eyes again. “United, the light shines… in it, the dark will realize it’s mistake. But beware- for unity will make the true darkness quake……” He Whispered.

Lloyd watched in shock and confusion as the apparition faded away. The beautiful, serene landscape then lit ablaze; cornering the boy. A maniacal laugh erupted all around him, then the flames lunged at Lloyd; consuming him. He jolted up in terror, realizing that it was only a dream. But the little rhyme stuck with him. What did it mean- ‘unity will make the true darkness quake’??? What was that even referring to?!? The Fire Tribe being extra mad that everyone ganged up on them?... Yeah, that’s EXACTLY what he wanted to do… piss off the largest civilization ruled by a fire wielding demigod! Sounds SO much fun! But whatever, it was practically sunrise, so he decided to get up. He got dressed in the clothes Garmadon had set out for him the night before. They were nothing special, but it came with a shirt at least. Which is more than he could say about his previous wardrobe. Cloth wasn’t exactly easy to come across when you live in the jungle. But that was all this world was; nature. Lloyd had no problem with it though, it was his home and all he’s ever known. He threw on his satchel and walked out to be greeted by his father. “Good morning son. I trust that you’re ready to head out?”

Lloyd took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Yeah.” He said confidently. “I am. I found a map in the bag, so I believe I’ll just follow that. I’ll try to head to the Lightning Tribe first since they’re the closest.”

Garmadon nodded. “Right. I believe in you Lloyd.” The father and son hugged each other tightly and said their goodbyes. With that, he took off into the unknown. Lloyd looked back over his shoulder at the village of tree houses as he left it behind. It was the only home he’d ever known, and leaving it was the hardest decision he’d ever made, but he knew he had to do it. If Garmadon believed in him, then he knew he could do it. He had to do it… for everyone’s sake.

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Author's note: OK, so yes! New AU!! I’m really excited for this one. Don't forget to let me know your thoughts in the comments!

And have a wonderful day!