Chapter Text
The woods are quiet.
But not exactly quiet.
Almost like they were whispering.
And that's what they were.
The whispering woods.
“Why do you think we are here?” Arin askes nervously, walking through the overgrown wildlife.
“That's a good question,” Lloyd answers. “And how did these trees give me my powers back? At least… for a little while”.
Not far behind them, Euphrasia frowns “I didn't get a tree blast like you did, but mine still came back” she exchanges glances with Arin, and they both look back at Lloyd.
In front of the trio, leading them are several forest tides, and they all seem to be heading in the same direction.
“I hope these little guys are leading us to some answers,” Lloyd says.
The forest tides suddenly stop, and the wood, for the first time, goes quiet.
Then a rumble.
And a roar.
And a giant dragon appears from below, and in seconds she is towering above them. Her scales appear to be made out of wood, and her eyes and markings are a deep lush green.
Lloyd cranes his neck to make out the creature, and for a moment their eyes lock.
2 pairs of eyes.
Green, faintly glowing, brimming with power.
Arin and Euphrasia both gasp in awe, and follow Lloyd as he approaches the dragon.
“Woah!” Says Arin “is that a source dragon?”.
Lloyd looked back at Arin uncertainly “I ...don't think so?”.
The dragon stares at the group, as if she’s expecting something.
Arin turns to Euphrasia and whispers “are we supposed to say hi?”.
Lloyd steps forward “greetings mighty dragon. My name is-”
The dragon cuts him off “I know who you are Lloyd, son of Garmadon” she says. “My trees sensed the elemental master of life the moment you arrived in our wood. And sent their whispers to me”
The dragon sighs, and Euphraisa and Arin share confused glances “We had long given up on the legendary green ninja ever returning to us”
“Returned?” Lloyd asks.
The dragon began to climb higher and higher until her head was raised out of the towering canopy above, she bends her neck to gaze unprovingly down at Lloyd.
“For generations the protector of the whispering wood has performed their duties, but YOU are the first to ignore those duties. And we have long felt betrayed.”
“What?” Lloyd starts to edge backwards.
She roars, a great deafening sound that rang through the entire woods.
“I’m sorry, there must be some kind of misunderstanding. I’m not a protector of the whispering wood," Lloyd says. He tries to look confident but his heart feels like it's thumping out of his chest.
“You are the green ninja of legend, are you not Lloyd, son of Garmadon?”
“I am….but, I've never even heard of this place”
The dragon comes so close to Lloyd that he could feel her powerful breath against his.
She roars once more.
“Do not lie to us. You must have felt the call, but YOU ignored it. The first green ninja to ever abandon their duties, to neglect the wood from which mortal life itself originally sprang from.”
“There have been OTHER green ninja!?” Lloyd says “the prophecy never said anything about other- “
“OF COURSE they have been others” the dragon replies furiously “and each one has performed the ritual of unrooting, to maintain the power of this wood. until….YOU.”
“I didn't know any of this! I thought I've reached my true potential!”
“You believe you only have ONE true potential, that any of us do!?” The dragon scoffs, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
“Hey, go easy! Lloyd protected this place the moment he got here. He saved these little guys from some weird monster dude!” Arin points accusingly to the forest tides, and they hide behind the trees in fear.
The dragon shakes her head disapprovingly. “Too little, too late. Without the master of life, the whispering woods have weakened, its light dimmed” her eyes soften, displaying her deep connection to the woods.
“I swear to you!” Lloyd says desperately “I-I had no idea!”
“All the other life masters found their way here as soon as they came of age”
“Came of age?”
“A stage of maturation for mortals. The transition out of childhood.”
Lloyd scratches his neck sheepishly “Oh, that must be the reason”
Arin and Euphraisa look at Lloyd questionly to elaborate, but he doesn't.
“WHY are you making excuses!? The green ninja should always do his duty, unless, you aren't one anymore”
“NO! Of course i am still the green ninja, i just never got told about this place and-”
“Maybe the cloud monks were wrong. Maybe they choose the wrong green ninja.” The dragon stops and stares at Lloyd. “Maybe it's time for a new one”
Arin knows it's wrong, knows that he shouldn't be, but a spark of hope bloomed in his chest. Then it disappeared. Without Lloyd the balance of the world would be at risk. Without Lloyd he would still be a random kid at the crossroads, waiting for something to happen in his life.
“You-you can't make someone else the green ninja! What about the prophecy, and-”
“Lloyd. Concentrate”
“What?”
“CONCENTRATE! Can you feel the pull?”
Lloyd feels ridiculous, but he closes his eyes and focuses. To his surprise, he feels a strange pull of his elemental power. It feels...like it's fading away…
“See!?” the dragon practically shouts “without the balance of the whispering woods, not only will every elemental power disappear, but also life itself. That power burst I gave you earlier increased your elemental energy, but it won't last long. If you can't complete the ritual of unrooting, i’m afraid you can no longer be the green ninja.”
Lloyd opens his eyes and looks up to the dragon towering above him “Okay, i'll do it. Just tell me what i need to do.”
“Lloyd NO!” Arin says “You don't know what you need to do, and i doubt this will be as easy as the time at the mother garden, plus, that time only Rapton was at risk. This time the whole world might fall and what if you don't succeed?” Lloyd puts his arm around Arin and he leans in, embracing him. “I can't lose you too…”
“I know” Lloyd replies understandingly. “But if I do this you won't just be losing me, you'll be losing the entire 16 realms. The world will be once again set into chaos and the stability we’ve spent so long to maintain will be destroyed.” he looks down at his hands. the hands of the so called 'prophesied green ninja'. “And even if i do fail, maybe one failed green ninja won't matter. They can just find another one now, apparently. I knew I was never really special…”
“No.” Euphrasia comes in and stands in front of Lloyd. “Even if you weren't the only green ninja, it doesn't mean you weren't a good one. Arin is right, we can't lose you too, after all you have done for this world. Without you i would still be in the cloud kingdom, trying to hide me elemental powers. But you taught me that you don't have to hide what scares you. And besides", She smiles at Lloyd. "Ninja never quit”
Lloyd smiles back at Arin and Euphrasia “I'm glad you remembered at least one thing I taught you. But i have to do this”
Arin’s face falls. He failed to convince him.
“But you taught me things to. You taught me that even though you may not be the “special chosen one” doesn't mean you can't still save the world”. He puts his hand on Arin’s shoulder. “Tell the others i’m okay when you see them”
“But…what if you aren't?". Tears start forming in Arin’s eyes
“I will be” Lloyd says confidently, and turns back to the dragon, and she speaks.
“If you think you have what it takes, here is what you need to do. Go through the gateway, and complete the ritual of unrooting.”
“And?”
“And WHAT green ninja?
“That's it? What do I do once I get there?”
“The world doesn't give instructions Lloyd, it's up to you to find the correct path. There will be…someone there as well”
“A previous green ninja?”
“You can say that…”
Lloyd is still confused, but glad that someone will be there to help him.
“Okay, so…can you point me to the direction of the gateway?”
“You know, it won't be that easy. The journey on which you are about to embark will be treacherous, and you will most likely not survive”
“Oh, I know.” Lloyd forces a laugh “but like you said, it won't be easy. Nothing about being the green ninja is easy. Now, can you please tell me where the gate is?” He is starting to get impatient.
The dragon closes her eyes, and her horns start to glow. A vine wrapped gateway emerges from the grown, and is pulsing with a subtle green glow.
Lloyd walks up to it and places one hand on the door.
Then the doorway vanishes.
And so does Lloyd.