The Serpentine were off for the next Fangblade, in a snake temple. The only thing is that the temple was slowly falling apart. Skales was too busy reading the map to notice Pythor's halt signal and bumped straight into him.
Why must we stop when the next Fangblade is just ahead of us?
In response Pythor slammed his staff into the ground pieces fell out making a gapping hole.
What good is unlocking the Great Devourer with the four Fangblades, if we're not around to see it? GET THE CHILDREN!
BRING THE CHILDREN!
Four Serpents lead Lloyd and [name] forward, Lloyd was frowning, [name] was glaring. The snakes escorting Lloyd dropped his chains, meanwhile Skales grabbed ahold of [name]'s gi hood.
Oh! You're letting me go? But, what about [name]-
Only to fetch, my dear boy. I wouldn't want anything to happen to the girl. DO step lightly.
[name]'s eyes widened, there was no way Pythor was doing this. He was using her to threaten Lloyd. A Serpent pumped his fist as Lloyd made his way across. [name] could only watch in fear, one wrong step and he'd fall into that pit.
Lloyd had to jump to get across a few feet distance, and he barely was able to grab onto the ledge. [name] gasped closing her eyes, flinching. He couldn't fall. He climbed the rest of the way, making it to the other side.
Bring me the Fangblade and then I'll let both of you go.
Oh!
Lloyd continued forward, but he was met with booby traps. Lloyd ran ahead of the falling tiles, he landed flinching away from the edge. He then had to be cautious of spikes slowly moving down from the ceiling.
He crawled away, but didn't learn his lesson. As he stepped on another pressure plate, this made arrows rain down on him. Luckily none of them did their job. Lloyd leaned against a pillar, it held up rocks.
They fell down as the pillar was slightly shifted. Lloyd ran ahead of them. Met with the altar like place meant for the Fangblade. Lloyd walked up the steps, only to find the blade missing. All this work only for the blade to be gone.
IT'S GONE!
IT'S GONE?
Where is it?
Do we still get to be freed?
NO!
Lloyd groaned, [name]'s head fell forward. First Spinjitzu master, please help save us.
NINJAS:
Everyone was back in the bridge, Nya had a three-d image of the Fangblade pulled up on the Bridge's computer. I was staring at it. I felt like I'd seen something like this image before. Just what I couldn't quite figure out yet.
Though they got the first one, there are three more, and we only need one to stop Pythor. They have a map and we don't, so the question remains, how are we gonna find them first?
Uh! I still can't get over the fact that you were the mysterious samurai. Is anyone else blown away like I am?
We're over that. Can we move on?
Whoop-dub-woooo! Someone's a little hot under the collar!
It appears his impatience is because he has not found inner peace and unlocked his true potential, like you and I have, Jay.
Great observation, Mr. Roboto, but Cole hasn't found it either!
I GOT IT!
You've unlocked it? OH! WHY AM I THE ONLY ONE?!
No, I figured out where I recognize the Fangblade from. I have a picture of it. I told the others, running out of the bridge to grab it.
OH, ha, ha, is that it? Heh. Good.
I got IT!
Jay came over and picked up the book after I flipped to the first page.
THAT'S IT!
Back where I grew up there's this pretty big competition, where every year the winner gets The Blade Cup. My dad's won it multiple times.
I explained to the others, but became slightly abashed. My father.... the only one who knows how our relationship is, is [name]. And, I promised I'd take her to this year's competition. Looks like I don't get to keep my promise.
You never told us your dad was an accomplished athlete. What sport?
Oh! He's uh- a blacksmith.
Nothing wrong with that. My father was a blacksmith, too! But, I've never heard of a competition-
That's because he's not a 'blacksmith' blacksmith. He's a Royal blacksmith.
I told them as I flipped to the next page of the book. There he was my father. He stood so joyfully in that photo, holding The Blade Cup. If only I knew what it really was. Jay started to laugh.
That's your dad?
But, how did the Fangblade become a trophy?
Well, supposedly , the Blade Cup was made by this guy who collected priceless artifacts. His name was something like, uh, Dutch?- NO! CLUTCH, CLUTCH POWERS! Anyway, it gets passed on to each year's winner.
Who has it now?
I don't know. I haven't talked to my father in years.
Well, then we'll call him up!
YOU CAN'T! He thinks I'm in Ninjago City training at the Marty Openheimer's School of Performing Arts. Ugh! He wanted me to follow in his footsteps but when I couldn't sing or dance, well I-I ran away. When he sees I can't dance, he'll know I've been lying in all the letters I've been sending him.
He doesn't know you're a ninja?
What, you gonna crack some joke that my old man wears a tutu?
No, but if we're gonna have any chance at getting that Fangblade before they do, we'd better get our own act in tune.
GARMADON AND WU:
Wu and I were climbing up the Mountain of Madness, I couldn't imagine how it was for him because I was still struggling. Even with two extra arms. I grunted as I climbed over the ledge, when I turned I saw Wu begin to slip down. I quickly grabbed his hand. My little brother always needing help. Tsk.
My main focus right now though was my son, I never trusted those damn Serpents. I sure don't trust them with my son, and the girl. I just knew she was going to be trouble when I returned to Ninjago. I couldn't wait. I remember her father and he was a whole other level of mischief, if she was anything like him... she'd prove to be a challenge and useful.
I had hoped we reached the summit before the moon had risen. The Craglings never miss a Midnight snack.
Craglings? What is this place? There's no such thing in Ninjago.
They're a horde unlike any you've seen. Not all places exist to be found, brother. Sometimes one must revel in the shadows to truly see the light.