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“Bringing back the oni? How could that possibly help Ninjago?”, Kai looked up at Lloyd, staring into his glowing purple eyes, which were now surrounded by night-black skin.
It hadn’t taken him long to defeat the ninja after he transformed into his oni form. His new powers of darkness and destruction, alongside his power of energy, meant that the ninja had no chance of defeating him.
“It will fix the balance", Lloyd’s voice sounded distorted, demonic, “darkness cannot exist without light, and light cannot exist without darkness.”
“You’re starting to sound like master Wu", the lightning ninja commented, only to shut up as soon as the oni looked his way, before continuing his speech.
“It’s like Mystake told us Jay, after the final battle the balance was upset. There was a void, and from it a new darkness rose up. Don’t you see? It doesn’t matter how many times we win. How many times we defeat the villain. As long as there is a void, the world will create new darkness to fill it with.”
“So, you are going to fill it first?”, Zane asked, already knowing the answer, “Resurrect the oni in order to spread darkness and balance out the light?”
“Exactly. After all, there is no better way to balance out creation, than to create destruction.”
Cole looked up at Lloyd, who was now pacing around them, “But at what cost? Do you have any idea how many people will get hurt if you do that?”
“It is a necessary sacrifice.”
“Easy for you to say!”, Kai yelled out, “You’re not the one making the sacrifice! You’re sacrificing others.”
The former green ninja stopped in his tracks, his back facing the ninja. The room fell silent for a long moment.
“I am not making the sacrifice?”, Lloyd slowly turned towards Kai.
“I have fought countless battles for Ninjago.”, he continued, “I have fought wars.”
His tone was low and threatening.
“I have faced serpentine, indestructible armies, nindroids, sorcerers, ghosts, elemental masters,”
He kept getting closer and closer to Kai, his voice filling with anger.
“I’ve faced the Overlord himself, faced my own father.”
The ninja tried to back away, but they were exhausted and injured from the battle and could barely move.
“I have been kidnapped, imprisoned, betrayed, possesed. I’ve watched everyone I love be put in mortal danger, I thought I watched you all die.”
His eyes were now glowing with anger.
“I have fought with broken bones, I have fought until my very last breath, I have sacrificed EVERYTHING for Ninjago.”
He took a long pause. Tears were forming in the corner of his eyes.
“And not once did I ask for anything in return.”
His voice quivered.
“After everything I’ve done, the countless lives I’ve saved. What did I get? Judgement. Hatred. Disappointment. People don’t care about the millions I’ve saved, they only care about the dozens I failed.”
Lloyd took a deep breath to steady himself.
“The people of Ninjago have been taking my protection for granted long enough. I’m done.”
The oni turned away from the ninja, beginning to walk away.
“I swore that I will bring peace to Ninjago. And I will.”
He looked back over his shoulder, making eye contact with his former team.
“Even if I have to take countless lives to do it.”