Chapter Text
Over the Isle of Elementals, gray clouds hung low with rumbles of thunder and the promise of evening rainfall. A cold wind cut through the patched leather jacket of a ten year old boy on the street, but the boy ignored the chill, too used to the feeling from a lifetime under storm clouds.
He ducked down a dark alley between two rickety buildings. Keeping to the shadows, he expertly stepped around scattered debris and overflowing garbage cans. At another time he might have taken the chance to search for treasures amongst the junk, but tonight he walked past it all with silent footsteps on the muddy ground.
Lloyd’s powers may have been the strongest of the New Elementals on the Isle, but there were plenty around who were physically stronger and more than willing to take advantage of the young boy alone on the dark streets. He knew the advantages to staying quiet when he needed to and the streets at night were a dangerous place to be.
Lloyd picked up his pace. He quickly crept down two more alleyways, jumped a short chain link fence, and ducked under a clothesline full of patched, stained shirts before he arrived at a warehouse-like building. Despite being one of the largest buildings on the Isle, it wasn’t in any better shape than the rest of the surrounding shops and homes, with its cracked dirty window panes, crooked tiles and peeling paint, but Lloyd gazed at the building with relief.
Home Sweet Home.
The boy scurried to the side wall and wasted no time clambering up the rusted drain pipe to the second story window. He pulled on the edge of the pane, but it got stuck halfway open. Lloyd delivered a swift kick to the jamb and the window burst open. He rolled into the room and closed the window behind him.
He looked around his bedroom. It was small but had the essentials; a mattress piled with patched quilts and threadbare blankets on the floor, a flickering light fixture, and every nook and cranny full of junk and scraps he had scavenged around the island, collected from years of walking the streets.
He longed to tumble into the patchy sheets of his bed, but he had business to finish first. He patted his jacket pocket, assuring his cargo was still there, and stepped into the hall.
Looking over the banister to the open floor plan below, Lloyd saw a few Skulkin soldiers wandering by, marching their nightly patrols, but he ignored them.
“Dad?” he called out.
No reply.
Listening closely, he heard voices from across the hall. Following them led him to his father’s office or, at least, the room where his father conducted most of his business. The door was left ajar. He peered into the room from the doorway.
The space was occupied by a large ornate wooden desk, scuffed with scratches, burns, and even claw marks. The room had two chairs or, more accurately, one rickety chair and a throne situated behind the desk. The larger seat was his father’s; it was crafted from splintered wood and stray bones managing to look terrifying and imposing.
His father wasn’t sitting there currently. Instead, he towered over a man sitting in the smaller chair who glared right back at him; some would call the man brave, but most others would say he had a death wish.
Afterall, he wasn’t called Lord Garmadon for nothing.
Many people, both Elemental and Non, on the Isle heralded him as a great leader. He was a protector of the Elemental Masters on the mainland, once upon a time, and since then they respected his governing over his territory on the island. Despite this, there were always a few who still tried to stand up to him, like this poor fellow.
Lord Garmadon stalked around the man, placing one of his four black arms on the back of the chair behind the man’s head, leaning over him menacingly.
“I don't know what else to say, Roger– can I call you Roger?” Lord Garmadon spoke in a deep, gravelly voice. He didn’t bother to wait for a response. “You're twisting my arms here. I can’t give you any more time.”
Instead of shrinking away, the man puffed up in irritation. “Why is there even a deadline? You don't use the jade stones. They just get recirculated across the island, so why can’t I keep what I have? I don’t owe you anything.”
“Because those are the rules, my friend. Without rules our little island home would descend into chaos. And while I love a little bit of chaos, there could be accidents and people could get hurt.” Lord Garmadon looked down at him. “You don’t want to have an accident now do you, Roger?”
“You don’t scare me. You may have the Elemental Masters wrapped around your finger but not me. We shouldn't even be here!”
“Oh, cry me a river Sullivan! None of us should be here! The people of Ninjago wouldn’t know power if it smacked them in the face!” Lord Garmadon’s teeth clenched at the angry words, for a moment looking like he might lash out. Then the tense moment passed and he relaxed his tight fists, slowly loosening the tension from his body and taking up a languid but dangerous body language, similar to the grace of a predator cat.
“Yet here we are. And since we are here, you play by my rules. And my rules say you need to do your part and pay back those jade stones you owe. Or suffer the consequences.”
Roger couldn’t help but flinch as dark violet eyes locked onto him, though the man continued to glare back.
In the heavy silence, Lloyd shifted his weight. His shoes scuffed the floor causing both of them to look up at the slight sound. Lloyd froze awkwardly in the doorway as all their eyes met.
“Hi, Dad,” Lloyd said in a quiet voice, grimacing from the sudden attention. He knew sometimes his father didn’t like his business disturbed. However, he seemed to catch him on a better day because instead of a snarl, Lord Garmadon greeted him with a smile.
Lloyd relaxed incrementally.
The man, Roger, looked at him in confusion but Lord Garmadon’s face brightened at the sight of his only offspring. “Son! You’re back!”
“‘Course I am.”
“Give me one more moment, would you? Dad’s finishing up some business.”
“No problem, take your time,” Lloyd reassured.
Without warning, Lord Garmadon gripped the man by the hair and quickly threw his head forward, smacking it against the hardwood desk. The man cried out in pain and popped back up holding his now bloodied nose.
Lord Garmadon leaned right into his face and growled, “Next time I won’t be so nice. I expect those payments by morning.” He grinned menacingly, showing off his sharpened teeth and eyes glowing dark purple as wisps of Dark Elemental power leaked from his palms for good measure. Lloyd shuddered involuntarily from his spot in the doorway.
Roger, still holding his nose with blood dripping through his fingers, held a fire of defiance in his eyes at the turn of events, but after holding Lord Garmadon’s stare a moment longer, he finally bowed his head in submission.
“Excellent! The skeletons will show you out.” Lord Garmadon gestured and in response two Skulkin warriors appeared from the shadows of the room and hefted the man from his seat, dragging him out despite his protests. Lloyd stepped aside as they passed him and Lord Garmadon called out once more. “Make sure he makes it home alright! No accidents!”
When the room was emptied, Garmadon finally turned to Lloyd who had watched all of this unfold in an unfazed manner; this flare for the dramatic was not new behavior from his father.
“Hello, Lloyd. Welcome home!” He smiled wide and Lloyd smiled back. Even with a mouthful of sharp teeth in full display, for some reason this smile didn’t scare Lloyd.
Lloyd walked into the room. “Who was that?” He jerked a thumb to the door where the man was just dragged through.
“Oh, nothing you need to concern yourself with. Just another poor sap who thought he could pull one over on your old man and not pay his dues.”
“But you showed him!” Lloyd plopped down into the chair where the man had been sitting minutes before, while his father sat across from him in his own grand chair.
“Yes I did, as always! Sometimes you need to remind people who’s in charge. Now,” Garmadon straightened, Lloyd copied his posture. “Do you have today’s quota for me?”
“Sure do!” Lloyd pulled a small cloth pouch from his jacket pocket and proudly displayed it to his father who eagerly snatched it from his hands. He’d worked hard shaking down the dedicated workers that mined the earth for the bits of jade rock that the island inhabitants used as currency. His father trusting him with this job brought the boy immense pride.
“Anybody give you trouble?” Garmadon spoke absentmindedly, inspecting the small green stones.
“No, the Diggers have been busy this week. They had a little cave-in two days ago, but they worked around it. I threatened to use their windpipes as crazy straws if they didn’t do better.”
“Atta boy!” Garmadon put all the jade stones back into the pouch and pulled open a deep desk drawer with a heavy scrape and dropped the pouch inside, where it clinked amongst the many other bags there. He slammed the drawer shut afterward.
After the business was out of sight, so was his business attitude. Garmadon then proceeded to put his upper right arm’s elbow on the charred desktop, a clawed hand outstretched towards his son. Lloyd smiled eagerly at the gesture. This routine was familiar to the boy and he dutifully placed his own hand against his father’s in a way that looked as if they were about to arm wrestle.
“Now, show me your Darkness.” Garmadon’s dark violet eyes looked directly into his and Lloyd stared back, determined.
For a moment, it seemed as if nothing was happening between the two, but soon Lloyd felt a heat behind his eyes, which he knew meant they had begun to glow, deepening the color of his naturally red eyes. The palm against his father’s also began to glow as it, too, filled with his Elemental power. Red miasma curled around Lloyd’s fingers in a mist while his hand shook from placing his full strength in trying to push against his father’s palm. But, regardless of whatever physical strength and Elemental power he placed against it, his father’s arm never budged from its upright position.
Lloyd’s New Elemental power was the strongest on the Isle, but it still was no match for the all-mighty Lord Garmadon.
Since the beginning of recorded history, the way of Elemental Masters decreed that only one master of each element would live at a time. That meant that once a master died or had children, their own powers would fade and re-emerge within a newer generation. The same principle applied to Lloyd. He inherited what his dad called the Element of Dark Energy. However, Lord Garmadon’s powers were so potent that even with a son he still held control over his powers of Darkness. Another reason, he was so greatly looked upon on the Isle.
Sweat beaded on Lloyd’s forehead from his efforts to prove that he could match his father’s power, but it eventually became too much for the boy. Finally, Lloyd tore his gaze from his father’s dark stare in surrender, dropping his hand to the table. All of his red glowing faded as he breathed deeply from the exertion.
“Sorry Dad.”
“Never apologize. You’re a Garmadon and you grow stronger each day.”
“It doesn’t feel like it.” Lloyd couldn’t help but pout.
“You are strong,” his father repeated. “Leaders lead with strength and Garmadons are the strongest around. It is in your blood.” He stood up and walked around the desk with his four arms behind his back to the open window that looked over the island and to the land of Ninjago across the sea and beyond the storm clouds.
“One day we will escape this wretched island and reclaim the mainland. The families gifted with elemental powers were born to lead. We are the strongest, yet they dared to cage us. It will be their own downfall. It’s only a matter of time.”
“What is?” Lloyd asked.
“For decades, the balance between dark and light has been uneven. Even more so, since our banishment from Ninjago. Those attuned to the darkness can feel its strength rising.” Garmadon looked down at his son. “Can you feel it?”
Lloyd closed his eyes and tried to feel for what his father had described. He strained but felt nothing. “I don’t know,” he said disappointed.
“No matter. I can feel it sure enough, as strong as the pure darkness in my veins. There is no mistaking it. Soon Ninjago will beg for help, especially that stupid Emperor.” Garmadon’s lip curled in a snarl.
“Then we’ll show’em how strong we are! Right, dad?” His father smiled down at him and rubbed a clawed hand through his blond hair.
“That’s right Lloyd. Now, I think that it’s time for bed.” He gave him a light push towards the door.
“Okay, dad,” Lloyd wrapped his arms around his father’s legs in a quick hug before darting off to his bedroom. “Night!”
“Good night, Lloyd! Evil dreams,” Garmadon called after him.
As his son ran off, Lord Garmadon gazed back at the Ninjago, where it sat innocently across the sea like it wasn’t the source of all their problems.
“Just a matter of time…”