"No one is going anywhere until you deal with me!"
------------------------
Po shouted angrily as he stood in front of his comrades, shielding the Serpentine.
Jay: "Guys… I think we're in trouble." Jay said nervously.
Lyanna: "Get out of my way, Po!! Or I will hurt you!!" Lyanna shouted angrily when she saw the Serpentine escaping the treehouse with Lloyd as a hostage.
Zane: "Lyanna, Po is under their control, you can't—"
Lyanna: "I don't care if he's not in his right mind!! I've been searching for my brother for six years, and I won't let him escape from me!!" Lyanna shouted furiously, cutting Zane off.
Zane fell silent and looked at his teammates, who returned his gaze with equal concern. The situation had completely spiraled out of control, and none of them had expected this outcome.
Po smirked mockingly and said, "Hurt me? I'd like to see you try!!"
Po immediately dashed forward at blinding speed, swung his spear, and tried to stab Lyanna. Lyanna drew her sickles, blocked the strike, then dodged several thrusts from Po. She swung her sickles powerfully, but Po blocked the blows and kicked her hard in the stomach.
Lyanna was sent flying and slammed into several wooden crates.
Boom!
The crates shattered instantly, burying Lyanna beneath the debris.
Zane: "Lyanna!!" Zane shouted in concern, then looked at Po, put on his mask, and spoke seriously.
Zane: "We have no other choice, guys. We have to defeat Po and restrain him."
Kai: "Alright, it's time for a rematch!!"
Cole: "Exactly!! I've been waiting for this for two months now!!"
Jay: "Wait, guys!! Am I the only one who remembers Po beating all of us together last time?!"
Jay waved his hands anxiously.
The others ignored him and charged straight at Po.
Jay: "Great… just what I needed—a friend possessed by giant snakes trying to kill us!!"
Jay complained loudly, then drew his weapon and ran after them.
Po swung his spear immediately. Kai blocked the strike, while Cole attacked from the side.
Po retreated quickly, but Jay was suddenly right behind him.
"Hiya!! Take this!!" Jay shouted as he swung his nunchucks at Po.
Po used Spinjitzu to block the attack, spun in midair, and kicked Jay in the face.
Jay was sent flying, bounced across the ground several times, then fell from one of the treehouse balconies.
Cole / Kai / Zane: "JAY!!!"
They shouted in fear and panic. The treehouse was built nearly a hundred feet high, and a fall from that height could mean severe injury—or death.
But they had no time to worry, as Po charged at them again with his deadly spear.
Kai dodged Po's strike and swung his sword furiously. Po blocked the blows swiftly and activated Spinjitzu.
Kai spun as well, using Spinjitzu immediately. Two tornadoes—one light red, the other deep crimson—collided repeatedly.
Po staggered from Kai's attack, then was forced to block a powerful overhead strike from Cole.
Crack!!
The wooden floor splintered from the impact. Po clenched his teeth and shoved Cole away. Cole flew through the air and landed unsteadily on his feet.
Po tried to pursue him, but suddenly felt an intense cold. He found himself frozen in solid ice from his neck down to his toes.
Ice shurikens flew through the air and landed safely in Zane's hands.
"AAAAAH!!" Po roared angrily, struggling against the thick ice, but unable to break free.
Cole: "Nice work, Zane!!"
Kai: "Great job, Zane!! You're the best! Now let's go check on Jay!!"
"Guys, I'm fine." Jay said as he landed safely beside them.
Cole / Kai / Zane: "Jay! You're okay?!"
Zane: "How did you survive that fall?"
Jay: "I landed on one of the tree swings on the way down. I told you those swings were awesome!!"
Kai: "Alright, I'll admit it. Lloyd may be annoying, but he sure knows how to build a treehouse."
"AAAAAH!!" BOOM!!
At that moment, Po roared in rage and shattered the ice surrounding him, sending icy shards floating slowly through the air.
He glared at them with spiraling crimson eyes filled with fury.
Cole: "Guys… this isn't over."
Zane: "Be careful. Defeating him won't be easy."
Zane said seriously, taking a combat stance with his shurikens. The rest of the ninja followed suit and charged toward Po.
"RAAAAH!!" Po roared and rushed at them.
Lyanna groaned in pain and slowly rose from beneath the shattered crates. That kick had truly hurt—a lot.
She looked at Po and the ninja locked in fierce combat, then toward the direction the Serpentine had fled. She tried to follow them—but suddenly found herself flying through the air and pinned against a wall, Po's spear embedded deep in her shoulder.
"AAAAAAH!!" Lyanna screamed in agony as the spear pierced her shoulder and the wall behind her.
Po: "And where do you think you're going?!"
He snarled and dashed toward her.
Jay: "Oh my god!! How did he do that?!"
Kai: "Damn it!!"
Cole: "Stop him, guys! He's going to kill her!!"
Zane: "Protect Lyanna!!!"
Zane shouted and leapt onto Po's back. Po grabbed Zane, slammed him into the ground, and kicked him hard in the face.
Zane flew backward and crashed into a distant wall.
Boom!!
The wooden wall exploded, sending Zane crashing through to the other side.
Po grabbed a bamboo pole from the ground and hurled it toward Lyanna, who was desperately trying to pull the spear from her shoulder.
But he stopped when Cole grabbed his arm tightly.
Cole delivered several rapid punches to Po's stomach. Po staggered but held his ground, then headbutted Cole.
Cole reeled from the impact and released his grip. Po struck Cole repeatedly with the bamboo pole, then kicked him away.
Cole was sent flying.
Jay and Kai attacked, but Po leapt into the air and struck them both with a spinning kick.
They were sent crashing to the ground.
Po landed smoothly, grabbed the bamboo pole, and hurled it at Lyanna.
The bamboo became a deadly blur. Lyanna's eyes widened in shock—she couldn't react due to the spear lodged in her shoulder.
"Lightning!!" Jay shouted angrily, channeling blue lightning from his nunchucks.
Zap!!
The lightning obliterated the bamboo, turning it to blackened ash.
"AAAAAH!!" Po roared again and charged toward Lyanna.
Kai and Jay leapt in front of him and kicked him in the face simultaneously.
Po was knocked back but landed on his feet.
He glared at them angrily. "Why are you protecting her?! I thought you hated her?!"
Po was furious. His plan to kill Lyanna quickly had failed. She was the greatest threat to his master's orders. If Lyanna used her strange purple power against him, he knew he wouldn't be able to withstand it.
Jay spun his nunchucks, Kai raised his sword, and both took combat stances.
Kai: "That may be true, but Lyanna is Master Wu's niece."
Jay: "Yeah!! And we protect Master Wu's family—he's like a father to us!!"
Kai: "If you want to lay a finger on her, you'll have to get through us first."
They stood firmly in front of Lyanna.
Lyanna's eyes widened in shock. She had tried to kill them less than half an hour ago—yet they were willing to die protecting her. Warmth filled her chest.
Maybe… maybe she had been wrong about her uncle's students.
Po: "Then you'll die protecting her!!"
He charged at Kai and Jay.
"RAAAH!!" They shouted and clashed violently with Po.
Lyanna clenched her teeth and tried to pull the spear out—but it was embedded too deeply.
Cole: "Let me help!!"
Cole pulled the spear out with her. It hit the ground with a heavy thud, its tip stained red with Lyanna's blood.
"AAAAH!!" Lyanna screamed and dropped to her knees, clutching her shoulder.
Cole: "Lyanna, are you okay?!"
"I'm fine… thank you." She forced herself to stand.
Cole: "You're injured. You need to retreat to the monastery."
Lyanna: "I said I'm fine!!"
Zane appeared before her. "You've lost a lot of blood. I strongly advise you not to move much."
"This injury won't stop me from saving my brother!!"
Lyanna closed her eyes in concentration. Her wound began to heal, and the bleeding stopped instantly.
Cole: "Did you just heal yourself?!"
Zane: "Amazing… I didn't know you could do that."
Her shoulder still hurt badly—muscles torn, joint dislocated. She wouldn't be able to use her right arm for a while, but at least the bleeding had stopped.
Lyanna: "Now move. I'm going after my brother."
Po: "You're not going anywhere!!"
He punched Jay hard, sending him flying. Kai tried to stab him, but Po twisted Kai's arm brutally.
Kai screamed and dropped his sword. Po headbutted him, then threw him onto Jay.
They collapsed, unable to rise.
Po grabbed Kai's sword and hurled it at Lyanna.
The golden sword became a flash of light. Zane intercepted it with his shurikens.
Po charged again, but Cole smashed the floor beneath him.
CRACK!! KABOOM!!
The floor collapsed, sending Po crashing downward through the treehouse.
Po: "AAAAH!! Damn you!! I'll kill you for that!!"
Zane: "That won't hold him long! Go after your brother, Lyanna!!"
Cole: "We'll handle this!!"
Lyanna nodded gratefully and leapt from the treehouse, swinging on a rope and landing gracefully on the ground.
She followed the Serpentine tracks immediately.
"AAAAAAH!!!"
Po roared in rage, then leapt from the huge opening Cole had created and landed on solid ground. Po looked at his comrades, and his eyes widened in fury when he did not see Lyanna among them.
The four ninja stood in front of Po and took their combat stances, their golden weapons flashing in their hands.
Kai: "Lyanna is gone, and you won't be able to catch up to her."
Jay: "Which means you're stuck here with us."
Cole: "And we're going to kick your ass hard until you come back to your senses."
Zane: "We're sorry, Po… but we're going to hurt you a little."
Po smirked mockingly and said, "What are you waiting for then?! Come at me!!"
Po took his combat stance and glared angrily at the ninja.
"NINJAGO!!!"
The ninja shouted loudly and charged toward Po.
---
Meanwhile, Lyanna managed to catch up with the Hypnobrai army and saw Lloyd unconscious and imprisoned inside a large wooden cage.
"Let my brother go, you damn snakes!!" Lyanna shouted angrily.
Her destructive energy pulsed in her left hand, and she immediately threw a purple energy sphere toward the army.
The purple energy collided with the army, and the inevitable happened.
BOOM!!!
"What is this?!"
"We're being chased and attacked!!"
"It's that girl who destroyed half the treehouse!!"
The ground exploded, and Hypnobrai soldiers were scattered instantly in absolute terror. Some of them died as a result of the explosion.
Slithraa: "Hold your positions and fight!!" The Serpentine commander Slithraa shouted angrily.
The soldiers tensed when they saw Lyanna charging toward them at high speed.
Skales: "No!! Don't attack her!! Retreat!!" Skales ordered an immediate retreat.
Slithraa looked at Skales and said, "What are you doing, Skales?! I'm the general here, not you!!"
Skales ignored Slithraa's words, then pulled Lloyd out and lifted him effortlessly.
The Hypnobrai obeyed Skales instead of Slithraa and retreated immediately, fleeing from Lyanna.
Slithraa's eyes widened in disbelief. He was about to say something, but changed his mind when he saw the massive crater and the destruction caused by Lyanna's power. He withdrew with his army, leaving Skales alone against Lyanna.
Lyanna frowned in anger as her destructive energy pulsed in her hand again.
Skales ran quickly to the rear of the army and lifted Lloyd in front of him.
Lyanna stopped immediately when she saw Lloyd and said to Skales, "Let my brother go!!"
Skales smiled maliciously and said, "Never. Your brother is your weakness. Why would I give up my leverage over you?!"
Lyanna: "If you don't let him go, I will erase you from existence just like I did to your friend!!"
Skales' face stiffened when he remembered Mezmo's death, but he said angrily, "You will regret that act. You will regret every soul you took from us!!"
Lyanna drew her sickle, held it in her left hand, and tried to attack.
Skales placed his dagger directly on the throat of the unconscious Lloyd.
Skales: "Ah, ah, ah… I wouldn't advise that."
Lyanna clenched her teeth and glared at Skales with rage and hatred.
Skales looked at Lyanna, then smirked mockingly and said, "What do you think you are, girl? I am a soldier of the great Hypnobrai tribe. I have fought many wars and killed many of Ninjago's people before you were even born. Did you really think you could surpass me?! You will never defeat me!!"
Lyanna smirked and said, "Defeat you? No… I will kill you!!"
Lyanna screamed in rage and threw a ball of energy at the ground in front of Skales.
BOOM!!
The ground exploded, and a cloud of dust rose in front of Skales, blocking his vision.
Skales cursed and tried to slit Lloyd's throat immediately—but found a metal kunai embedded in the back of his hand.
"AAAAH!!" Skales screamed in pain and dropped his dagger.
Lyanna appeared directly in front of Skales and punched him hard in the face.
Skales released Lloyd and staggered several steps backward.
Lyanna tried to kill Skales immediately using her destructive power and fired an energy sphere toward his head.
Skales rolled on the ground and avoided the attack.
The energy orb flew rapidly and collided with several trees behind him.
BOOM!!!
The trees exploded violently.
Skales quickly ripped the kunai from his hand, then picked up his dagger, ignoring the severe pain in his hand, and attacked Lyanna fiercely.
Lyanna blocked the strike with her sickle and fought Skales with one hand.
Skales narrowed his eyes and noticed Lyanna's severe injury in her right shoulder.
Lyanna spun around and used Spinjitzu to knock Skales away.
Skales flew through the air and fell to the ground.
Lyanna tried to strike him with an energy ball, but Skales reacted instantly and threw his dagger toward Lloyd.
Lyanna abandoned the attack and quickly caught the dagger with her right hand.
Lyanna groaned in pain from the agony in her shoulder caused by that, and before she could react, she found Skales directly in front of her.
Skales grabbed Lyanna and punched her several times in her injured shoulder.
"AAAAAAH!!!" Lyanna screamed in intense pain and dropped to her knees.
Skales struck Lyanna hard in the face with his knee, then grabbed her, lifted her, and slammed her violently to the ground.
Lyanna groaned in pain, then immediately stood up, kicked Skales in the face, and used Spinjitzu.
Skales jumped backward to avoid Lyanna's strike, then pulled another dagger from his belt and hurled it toward Lloyd.
Lyanna stopped spinning and threw her sickle at the dagger.
The sickle collided with the dagger midair, and both fell to the ground.
Skales ran quickly toward Lyanna, picked up his dagger from the ground, and stabbed her forcefully in the stomach.
"AAAGH!!" Lyanna screamed in pain and clenched her teeth tightly.
Skales grabbed a kunai hanging from Lyanna's belt, ripped it free, and stabbed it forcefully into her injured shoulder.
"AAAAAAH!!!" Lyanna screamed in intense pain as blood poured heavily from her shoulder.
Skales smirked and said, "How does it feel to be stabbed with your own weapon?! Is it nice?!"
Skales twisted the kunai violently in Lyanna's shoulder.
"AAAAAAH!!!" Lyanna screamed in agony and collapsed to her knees.
Lyanna glared angrily at Skales as her destructive power pulsed in her left hand.
Skales reacted instantly, pulled his dagger from Lyanna's stomach, then spun around her and moved behind her.
Lyanna released her attack into the air as a result.
Skales grabbed Lyanna by the hair and stabbed her back several rapid times, then drove his dagger deep into Lyanna's right lung.
AAAAAAAHHHHH!!
Lyanna screamed in agony as blood poured heavily from her mouth.
Skales twisted his dagger left and right inside Lyanna's body, then slowly and coldly released her hair.
Lyanna vomited blood violently, felt extreme weakness, and slowly collapsed forward.
Skales spat on the ground and said, "Do you think that just because you possess powerful destructive energy, you will win fights easily?! Foolish girl!! I fought in the Great Serpentine War forty years ago, and I fought many powerful Elemental Masters there!!"
Skales pulled out his dagger, then kicked Lyanna and flipped her onto her back.
"Ah… ah…" Lyanna coughed blood painfully and looked at Skales with intense hatred.
Had she not been injured, had she not been worried about Lloyd during the fight, Skales would not have been able to touch a single hair on her head.
Skales smirked mockingly and said, "You don't look very strong now, do you? This is your punishment for fighting the proud Serpentine."
Lyanna smiled painfully and said, "Proud? Don't make me laugh. You used dirty methods to win and claim you're a proud warrior. You have no honor, you filthy snake."
Skales smirked and said, "Excuses, excuses, and more excuses. That's all you have. But let me tell you something—I won!! And you lost!! And that's simply all that matters in battle!!!"
Skales knelt in front of Lyanna, stared into her eyes with fury, gripped his dagger tightly, and said, "This is for Mezmo."
Skales raised his hand and stabbed Lyanna forcefully in the heart.
AAAAAAAH!!
Lyanna screamed in unbearable pain, then looked at Lloyd sadly as blood poured from her mouth.
"Lloy… Lloyd…" Lyanna whispered weakly, raised her hand toward her brother, then her hand fell, and the light of life faded from her eyes.
"Hmph. A pathetic little girl." Skales said with deep contempt, then picked Lloyd up from the ground and followed his tribesmen.
TO BE CONTINUE!!.