Morro's POV

I stared at my father's neck, unable to meet his eyes. Unlike his Ninjago counterpart, he didn't have a beard. And somehow, seeing him like this always made me feel like a child.

I wanted to assume he didn't recognize me and had only heard that there was a Shadow Rider in town, but with him I never knew.

"Oh?" I asked in the most indifferent way possible, desperately hoping that there wasn't some extraordinarily small detail about my magicked voice he recognized that would immediately give me away.

Father knew things. Sometimes that was a curse. I'd never been able to get away with a lie in my memory, except, of course, when I possessed people to trick him. Like that crook, Ronin.

He brushed off some dust from his sleeves and brought himself to his full height, staff in hand. I shrunk back on instinct.

We stood for a few seconds. I figured I should do something.

"Good day, sir," I said shakily, then knelt down on one knee and bowed.

Before giving Father a chance to react. I swept my non-kneeling leg out from under him, knocking him to the ground. I barely stopped myself from stumbling backwards, shocked that I was able to pull this off after not attacking him in two years. Before he could see through me via my panicked breathing patterns or whatever, I tore off towards his study.

As soon as I got in, I frantically locked the door and slammed several bookcases against it, then worried that he'd suspect something since I used my powers and there might have been air that escaped through the bottom of the door... then reassured myself that he'd probably assume it was just Shadow Rider shenanigans... right...?

I clutched at my collar, trying to calm my rapid breathing. When I panicked, I got sloppy.

I knew I had to avoid as little direct contact as I could with him in case he'd recognize my fighting style, hence the barricading of the door. This should also delay the inevitable confrontation even if that might make my job harder... I began chewing on my lip, trying to recall where the book was and hoping it wasn't in the pile.

Scouring my brain for any memories of it was proving exceedingly difficult, especially when I heard the lock click. Of course he picked it that fast. The bookcases could only stall him for so long... I rushed into the standing bookshelves and desperately skimmed the names of the volumes, wishing I'd planned this better. There wasn't much time, since I knew Father could only be held back for a few minutes at most.

I felt my hands shaking as I whipped my head left and right, feeling like I really wasn't reading anything. Even if I did eventually come across the book, I'd probably end up looking right past it. I tried to recall the last time I'd seen the book, which wasn't even that long ago. Maybe a month or two. But I couldn't remember anything from that day except for the disgusting chili Cole had made us. Which I found myself missing.

Now really wasn't the time to be thinking useless thoughts.

Blood pulsed through my head, causing it to throb, only making everything worse. It didn't help that the only light source was the one window whose curtains would take too long to remove. I stood in my spot and stared at it for a split second, then hurried over in several paces and ripped them off.

Light streamed in, brightening up the place, though the bookshelves were still shrouded in shadow. I groaned when I realized there wasn't much of a difference in lighting despite my efforts. Frowning, I looked over at the pile of books that had crashed onto the ground and considered rummaging through them in case the object of interest was in there. I hesitated for a second, wanting to slap myself for my impulsive behavior. Of all the information I could've forgotten, I just had to blank out with the most important one.

I felt my heart pick up speed when voices sounded at the other side of the door and quickly turned my attention back to the task at hand.

All the titles looked the same. Before now, I'd never realized just how many books Father had. I really needed to figure out which bookcase it was in sooner or later, since everyone's lives were at stake.

Despite the fact that Father organized his books according to category very well, right now it seemed like a mess. I didn't know how long I spent fervently scanning the various spines, hoping against hope that I could find the right section soon enough.

The voices grew louder, and I felt my heart pick up speed. My hands began to sweat, and I wiped them against my shirt, but they remained clammy. My breath quickened as the pounding in my ears drowned out the voices.

Not knowing what else to do, I found myself staring at specific titles, wasting even more of my precious time:

To Follow or Be Followed?

For some reason that gave me stalker vibes.

Knitting Tips and Tricks that will Save You a Lot of Time

I never knew he did that.

A Guide to Not Be Awkward in Conversations

Ha, nice.

Five Ways to Get Smarter

I raised an eyebrow, frowning slightly.

The Book that Everyone Must Read

Sure.

Fun Facts About Elemental Powers

Wait, that was it.

Feeling goosebumps rise up on my arms, I let my eyes travel over the surrounding volumes, and when I finally saw it, I pulled it out of its place with trembling hands. Breathing heavily, I carefully traced the smooth letters of the front cover and gingerly opened it to read the title on the first page.

Everything You Need to Know About Elemental Transference

Bingo.

Just as I tucked it into my bag, the sound of glass shattering filled the room. I spun around, and when I saw the silhouettes in the window, I felt my blood go cold.

How stupid of me to not bring any weapons. I'd never been more unprepared for something in my life.

As I contemplated whether or not to make for the door, an ax hacked straight into it. I froze in place, holding the bag even more tightly to my body. It felt as if everything went into slow motion as I whirled my head back and forth, looking for another escape route. I backed into the wall farthest from the window, horrified, as someone delivered one last blow to the window, sending a shower of broken glass cascading onto the floor.

After a few more chops, whoever was on the other side of the door had successfully created a hole in it, and I found myself surrounded.

By the Ninja's parents.

My heart jumped to my throat as they slowly closed in on me.

"Shadow Rider, why are you here?" Ray spat, wielding a double-bladed sword in his hand.

Normally I would scoff at the weapon the way I used to constantly taunt Bansha about it given its sub-optimality in combat, but his striking resemblance to his son was almost too much to bear. I bit back any snarky reply I had in mind, knowing I'd end up sounding like I was choking.

"If you touch one hair on my son's head―" Ed began, holding the dirtier end of a broomstick closer to my face than I would've been comfortable with.

"If he's here, that should mean there's more of them," Wu said, "I told Garmadon to scout the city and see if there's others."

"Yeah, that's what I told Maya to do, too," Ray agreed, and just as he was about to say something else, I grabbed one of the wooden boards on the bookshelf and yanked it towards them, then immediately jumped onto the one on my other side.

They barely had time to react before it came crashing down, and I used this to my advantage, climbing the other shelf and leaping onto the falling one just as it began toppling due to my weight. I could hear them shout and books smashing onto the floor.

My foot slipped, causing my leg to sink into the bookcase. I tried to wrench it out, then felt a hand grab a hold of my ankle. Whoever had caught it then threw their entire body weight onto it, and I panicked even harder, my head throbbing with the beating of my heart. A battle ensued, and the person seemed to be holding on even harder the more I tried to get free.

Another figure appeared at the window, and I could see Father's blond head somewhere near the end but still beneath the bookshelf. My head throbbed. I was so screwed...

There really was no way out of this.

Unless...

I took a deep breath and felt swirls of air curl around my fingers.

But that was surely going to give me away. Even if they assumed I'd died, it just wouldn't make sense for some random Shadow Rider to possess my power.

Sighing, I let go.

My leg went limp, and I waited until I figured that whoever was grabbing it would probably have slacked their grip, then tightened my hands around wooden bookshelf boards, slowly lowered my other leg, and gave him a violent kick. A yelp from below told me I'd successfully landed on my target and wrestled my leg out, leaving me free to jump back out onto the bookshelf. I winced a little, hoping whoever it was didn't get hurt too badly.

By the time I had both feet on the floor again, two more people had entered Father's study through the window, whom I recognized as Misako and Lou. The latter I was somewhat surprised to see, because according to Cole, he was almost always out with his group. And to add to my troubles, Father had also made his way out from under the crash, looking bruised and furious.

I sucked in a breath and stepped forward, frantically trying to recount every single fight I'd had with Father, wondering if the amount of times we'd done so would allow him to pin down my fighting style. As I weighed my options, a loud crash behind me drew everyone's attention, and Ray and Ed came out from under the pile of books, with gashes all over their faces and arms. The blacksmith, in particular, had a footprint over his eye. I flinched.

Five on one. What odds.

Then I remembered that I knew Airjitzu. And nobody knew I knew.

Not another word was said until Lou cursed me as I flew off, the book tucked snugly under my arm.

...

"I'll offer you a deal," I said, knowing that Zane didn't really have a choice in the matter.

He frowned as I pulled out the book and began flipping to the right page. Even though the Shadow Riders had been told to keep out of these hallways, a part of me was still scared that they would suddenly show up and foil my plans, so I had to do it fast.

"Intriguing," he replied coldly, and I wasn't exactly sure if he meant that sarcastically or if he was actually interested due to his monotone voice.

"I will perform this ritual so your powers will be transferred to me." I had decided to just tell him in a straightforward manner, since Zane was too smart to not be able to figure out what I was doing.

Zane blinked, narrowing his eyes. "Excuse me, what?"

"Exactly what I said. And if you refuse, I will personally see to it that you watch me decapitate every. Single. One. Of your friends." The words made me feel sick to my stomach, but that was the only way for Zane to give in.

He glared at me.

"I watched Cole die. You should've heard his screams. They were music to my ears." I tried not to puke or choke, knowing that saying this stuff was absolutely necessary. In my mind I apologized to him over and over again, praying that his spirit would understand the urgency of my situation.

Zane's face paled significantly. "You..."

"Yes, we killed him. He was actually healing from the infection, not gonna lie. And," I added, really not wanting to continue on with the subject, "We'll do it again, this time with you watching. Would you like that? It'll be like a magic show. One moment your friend's alive, the next he's dead. Doesn't that sound fun?" My voice slightly cracked as images of the barrel flashed before my eyes, and I threw up a little in my mouth, feeling the bitterness of the bile coat my tongue.

"You monster," he gasped, backing into the wall on the far side of the cell.

"Do you yield? Or do you want everyone to watch you in horror, furious that you would choose your powers over their lives as their soul gets sucked out of their body, and with their last dying breath..." I mentally blocked all the visuals that were trying to make their way into my mind so I could describe these scenes in the most gruesome way possible. For the most part, it worked, as long as the memory of the barrel was kept far away.

Zane's eyes widened, and he pressed his body against the wall, unable to take his eyes off me.

I couldn't help but be impressed at the ease at which I could say these things. Though maybe that wasn't exactly a compliment.

"Ooh, you know, I once heard about this method where you can pull out someone's nails. I heard they're connected to the heart, so imagine the delight we'd experience hearing their cries of pain..." I sounded like a maniac, and under the hood, I probably looked like one, too.

"Stop!" Zane cried, ripping his eyes away from me. His chest rose and fell rapidly, and he stared at a spot on the ground for a few seconds before turning his head back towards me.

"So I take that you accept my offer?"

Terrified, he nodded quickly, his mouth slightly open.

"Great, let's begin."

Harumi's POV

I scratched my head and picked out the greasy dandruff that had gathered under my nails. Though I had only just washed the night before, my hair still wasn't that clean. Not that I could do anything about it.

My lip was bleeding again. I sucked in the blood that began oozing out, and flinched when it began to hurt. Still, that didn't stop me from picking at my lips to see if there were any more flaky parts that I could peel off. I knew this was a bad habit, but I couldn't sit here in silence forever.

Various species of bacteria must've been having a party in my mouth. I was being filthy, yes, but I really didn't care at this point.

Then I heard footsteps down the hall. I frowned and inched over to the bars, wondering why there were suddenly footsteps when the corridor had been silent for two hours at least. Actually, I couldn't be sure. I'd lost my ability to keep track of time ages ago. Everything had become a blur.

A single Shadow Rider walked up to my cell. Not knowing what to say, I watched as they pulled out a set of keys.

"You're going to do exactly as I say," the Shadow Rider said, and I didn't know what it was about them that automatically made me want to listen. But of course, I couldn't give in that easily.

"And just what exactly are you going to say?"

I could've sworn they laughed a little and narrowed my eyes slightly. They must've noticed, since the next thing the Shadow Rider said was "Okay, I'm going to break you outta here. Uh, and yeah. Just follow me and I'll take you to the exit."

"Wait, what? You're just going to break me out?" I frowned, certain that there had to be something more sinister behind the offer. "What's the catch?"

"I already got what I needed," the person said, "In exchange for your freedom, of course."

"What is it then?" I asked skeptically.

"Your powers," he said simply, and I felt my jaw drop.

"Wait what? You what?!"

The Shadow Rider brushed off my question and continued, "Listen, it'll only be a matter of time before the Shadow Riders come back. Everyone else is already outside waiting for you, so are you coming or not?"

I couldn't help but notice how the person spoke as if he wasn't a Shadow Rider.

"I don't... I..." I whipped my head left and right, not exactly sure what I was trying to see. This didn't make sense. And just... what?

"Okay, I know it's sudden," they said, "But please just do as I tell you. I promise, this isn't a trap."

This person did not seem like a Shadow Rider. "Please?" Was this word even in their lexicon? And their tone... Despite having never heard this voice before, it felt familiar. But if what they were saying was true, even if it did end up being a trap, I could take them on. Or maybe not, but I would be able to figure something out.

"Okay, I'll come with you," I said. Instant regret, but too late.

They stuffed the keys into the lock and quietly turned it, then opened the door. "Shh," the person whispered, and held out a hand. I leaned backwards, making a face. They coughed and began walking off down the hallway. I stood up and hurried after them, slightly annoyed that I needed to jog to keep up with their quick pace.

Something about this person gave me a sense of deja vu, but I couldn't put my finger on what.

"I'm confused," I said after a bit, "Why did you take their powers and then break us out? And what are you going to do when the Shadow Knight finds out?"

The Shadow Rider didn't answer at first, as if contemplating their answer. "He's killing you for your powers," they replied quietly, "I figured... you know."

"Wait but doesn't Lloyd... oh," I said, suddenly understanding, "Wait but why?" The Shadow Knight must've had a field day last week, then.

"Yeah," they muttered, in a tone that suggested they didn't want to say any more. Not that they needed to answer. Anyone with half a brain cell could figure out that it was for the portal.

"Who even are you? What makes you think he'll spare you when he finds out?" I asked, realizing that this didn't add up.

The person chuckled. "Oh don't worry about me, I'll be fine."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not worried. I'm more concerned about the fact that you're probably going to screw us all over later."

"Good to know. And I won't. Promise."

I wasn't sure how lightly they took their word, but for now I couldn't only give them the benefit of the doubt, since I was in no place to argue.

Weird how the halls were this empty.

And there was still so much more that didn't make sense. The Shadow Knight seemed to always know where we were, and it had already been proven that if he sent enough people, all they needed to do was give us a surprise attack and they'd easily capture us. Then that meant he must've purposefully captured us after we'd gotten the Crystal Blade―

"We're here," they said, interrupting my train of thoughts, "Just keep going down that hallway and the others will all be there. Oh, and take this," the person pulled out a bag of stuff and handed it to me, and before I could react to how extremely heavy it was, pulled out the Crystal Blade.

Once again, I felt my jaw drop. "What the―"

"And one more thing," the person said, placing it into my hands as if it was nothing. I traced my finger against the hilt, my gut telling me at once that this was authentic. "We're keeping the Master of Wind and your sister."

I spun around to look at them, but just as I opened my mouth, they clamped a hand over it. "Look, are you escaping or not?"

I grabbed their wrist and wrenched it away from my face. "You can't―"

Even though I couldn't see their face beneath the hood, I could feel their eyes piercing into mine. "I can and I will. Leave and be free, or stay and die. Do you want me to take a sharp spoon and scoop out every cubic inch of their faces? Because I can do that if you don't listen to me."

I stared at them, horrified.

"Yeah, so I'd advise you to leave. Or your sister will have to pay for it."

I suddenly started to panic. "Wait but why do you have to keep Morro?"

It hadn't dawned on me just how much I needed him around until now. He was the only person I trusted with my issues, and probably the only one who would listen to my petty problems and offer real advice, even if it kind of went through one ear and out the other. The Ninja's counterparts were nice, but I still felt... separated from them in a way.

The person hesitated for a moment. "Okay, listen, you don't have much time. Just go. And get as far away from here as possible. The faster, the better."

"I―"

"Go."

I ran off, my arms laden with the sword and the bag, and didn't look back. 

A/N: Coming back after all this time is lowkey kinda weird. And my writing feels cringe... 

Anyway life has been very busy with the start of the new school year. I hope everyone is doing great though!

Thoughts/predictions?

Thanks for reading as always!