Chapter 99

Heroes POV

Noah yanked his sword from the Shadow Wraith's body. Dark, viscous goo splattered onto his worn-out sneakers. The stench of decay filled his nostrils, making him gag. Putrid. Rancid. Like a thousand rotting corpses.

He'd lost count of how many nightmarish creatures he'd slain today. Hours of wandering through the desolate cityscape, slashing at monsters. Not how he'd planned to spend his afternoon.

Exhausted, he slumped down on a cracked curb. His muscles screamed in protest. Every fiber of his being ached.

The realization hit him like a ton of bricks: he'd probably missed the first exam at EAA. All that cramming, all those sleepless nights, and for what? To fail his first year because he was stuck in this hellscape? Talk about a cosmic joke.

He wondered if anyone besides his mom had even noticed his absence. The thought sent a pang of loneliness through his chest. A hollow ache that threatened to consume him. Then again, after his spectacular meltdown in front of the only people he sort of called friends, who'd give a damn? He should've tried harder to connect, to let people in. But now? Fat chance.

Who in their right mind would want to hang out with the kid whose twin brother got dumped and treated like garbage because of him? Lloyd. The name echoed in his mind, a mix of guilt and resentment swirling in his gut. If he ever managed to escape this nightmare and wrestle his body back from Morro, he'd be lucky if people just ignored him instead of making his life a living hell.

The sky blazed orange, signaling the approach of dusk. Noah sighed, running a hand through his sweat-soaked hair. Time to head back to school, I guess, he thought bitterly. The awkwardness of waiting for him there was almost worse than facing another horde of Shadow Wraiths.

Especially after that brilliant move of telling everyone they weren't real and this was all just a dream. Real smooth, Noah. He'd said that to try and distance himself emotionally, but now he just felt like the world's biggest jerk.

His gaze drifted to the half-wrecked mall looming in the distance, a stark reminder of his last "visit" during that weird dream coma. The phantom pain in his leg flared up, a souvenir from the bear trap he'd stumbled into. And let's not forget nearly getting jumped by a gang of looters. Not exactly the kind of memories you'd put in a scrapbook.

But he couldn't go back to school empty-handed, could he? Some supplies might at least make him feel less useless. Maybe even give him a fighting chance against... whatever was coming.

Groaning, Noah hauled himself to his feet, muscles protesting every movement. He trudged towards the ominous structure, each step feeling heavier than the last. The fading light cast long shadows across the cracked pavement, transforming ordinary debris into lurking monsters.

It was way creepier going solo, and the encroaching darkness didn't help. Fantastic. Taking a deep breath that did little to calm his nerves, he stepped into the yawning maw of the mall entrance.

Darkness enveloped him, broken only by slivers of fading daylight sneaking through cracks in the ceiling. The air was thick with dust and the lingering scent of abandonment. Noah squinted, willing his eyes to adjust faster. He created a flickering ball of energy in his palm, casting an eerie blue glow around him.

At least he was stronger now, his abilities more developed. That had to count for something in this nightmare, right? But a nagging voice in the back of his mind whispered doubts. Was he getting stronger, or was it just another illusion in this twisted dreamscape?

He made his way up to the fourth floor, conjuring a large backpack to stuff supplies in. The silence pressed in on him, broken only by the sound of his breathing and the occasional creak of settling rubble. It was too quiet, like the calm before a storm. Every shadow seemed to hide a potential threat, every distant sound a harbinger of doom.

As he filled his bag with whatever looked remotely useful – canned food, first aid supplies, a flashlight that miraculously still worked – he couldn't help but wonder why the Shadowy Being hadn't attacked the school. It was weird – the school remained an oasis of normalcy while the city crumbled around it. What game was that thing playing?

Noah froze when he reached the seventh aisle, his blood turning to ice. There, glinting menacingly in the dim light, was a bear trap. His leg throbbed with phantom pain, a vivid reminder of his last encounter with one of these. At least he spotted it this time, but who the hell puts a bear trap in a store?

It's not like it would work on a Shadow Wraith – those things would probably just rip their leg off without a second thought. No, this was meant for something – or someone – else. The thought sent a chill down his spine.

A rustling sound shattered the silence, making Noah whirl around, heart pounding. He barely managed to dodge as another Shadow Wraith lunged at him, its twisted form a blur of darkness and malice. The creature's momentum carried it forward, right into the waiting jaws of the bear trap. Metal teeth snapped shut with a sickening crunch, trapping the monster's head.

For a moment, everything was still. Then, to Noah's horror, the thing started moving again, struggling to free itself from the trap's grip. Without hesitation, Noah plunged his sword into its skull, ending its unnatural existence.

As he stared at the now-still corpse, a troubling thought wormed its way into his mind. Why did these abominations even exist? The Shadowy Being seemed powerful enough to do whatever it wanted, so why bother with these mindless foot soldiers? He'd never really given it much thought before, but now, trapped in this nightmare with nothing but time on his hands, the question gnawed at him.

"Do you want me to answer that question?" a chilling voice asked, seeming to come from everywhere and nowhere at once.

Noah nearly jumped out of his skin, stumbling backward and slamming into a shelf. His heart threatened to burst from his chest as he realized, with growing dread, that he was no longer alone.

The Shadowy Being stood there, as if it had been present the entire time, its form a writhing mass of darkness that hurt to look at directly. Noah's grip on his sword tightened, his knuckles turning white. What was he supposed to do now? He knew he didn't stand a chance against this entity in a fight, but it didn't seem interested in combat. At least, not yet.

Summoning every ounce of courage he could muster, Noah forced himself to meet the Being's gaze, those haunting red orbs that seemed to peer into his very soul. "What are you doing here?" he asked, proud that his voice only shook a little. "Didn't you say you weren't going to help me wake up?"

The Shadowy Being tilted its head, the motion unnaturally fluid, like a puppet on strings. Its form seemed to ripple as if barely containing some immense power within. "I'm not interested in helping the likes of you," it replied its voice a discordant whisper that set Noah's teeth on edge. "I'm merely here to provide a hint about my true nature."

Noah's attempt at a confident smirk faltered. Was this all just some sick game to this cosmic horror? The thought made his stomach churn. Was he trapped here solely for this entity's twisted amusement?

Swallowing hard, Noah decided to play along. What choice did he have? "Are you the Overlord with a major upgrade?" he ventured, glancing at the lifeless Shadow Wraith. "That's the only explanation I can think of."

The Shadowy Being's gaze followed Noah's, regarding the corpse with what might have been amusement. Its form seemed to flicker, briefly revealing glimpses of other realms – alien landscapes and bizarre creatures that defied description. "How should I answer that?" it mused, gliding over to the fallen creature. With a touch that seemed almost gentle, it made contact with the Shadow Wraith. "I encountered him, certainly. Then I decided to... consume him, absorbing his power."

Noah watched in horror as the Shadow Wraith twitched, then slowly rose to its feet, very much alive once more. The reanimated monster crawled toward the Shadowy Being, reminiscent of a loyal dog approaching its master. The Being began to caress the creature's head, the sight so bizarrely domestic that it made Noah's skin crawl.

A wave of despair washed over him. How was he supposed to fight something that could bring the dead back to life with a mere touch? The task seemed more impossible by the second. And yet, a small part of him couldn't help but feel a twisted sense of awe at the Being's power.

"Why are you doing this to me?" Noah found himself asking, his voice barely above a whisper. "Why give me this mission to save the world? I'm not the Chosen One – that's my brother, Lloyd." The name caught in his throat, a mixture of love, jealousy, and guilt threatening to overwhelm him.

"Ah, yes. Your brother," the Shadowy Being replied, a note of amusement in its otherworldly voice. "I've encountered him as well. Quite the spirited young man. He's currently grappling with his own... challenges." As it spoke, a bronze hourglass materialized in the air, a third of its sand already depleted. "But you see, this isn't about being the Chosen One."

The hourglass vanished, replaced by a breathtaking display of 16 floating islands or planets. Each celestial body housed a small, glowing dot, each a different color. Noah's attention was immediately drawn to the yellow light pulsing gently on Ninjago.

But as he looked closer, he noticed other realms – one that seemed to be made entirely of souls, another engulfed in a desert, and yet another that appeared to be a world of pure sound and vibration. The sheer diversity of these realms was staggering.

"I've decided to bestow dreams or visions upon one individual in each of the 16 realms," the Shadowy Being explained, its voice taking on an almost professorial tone. "Their task is to devise a method to safeguard their world from my influence. And if they prove exceptionally capable..." It fixed Noah with a stare that seemed to pierce right through him. "They might even have a chance at destroying me. Isn't it more entertaining this way? Allowing them to believe they had a fighting chance before watching their little worlds crumble?"

Noah felt rooted to the spot, his mind reeling from the implications. This was far more extensive than he could have imagined. Not just Ninjago, but all sixteen realms hung in the balance. The sheer scope of the threat was overwhelming. How impossibly powerful was this being? And who, in all of creation, could hope to stand against such a force?

The sword in Noah's hand suddenly felt as heavy as a mountain, the weight of responsibility threatening to crush him. He thought of Lloyd, of the burden his brother had always carried as the prophesied Green Ninja. Was this how Lloyd felt all the time? The realization brought a newfound empathy, mixed with a determination he hadn't felt before.

"As much as I've enjoyed our little tête-à-tête, I really must be going," the Shadowy Being announced, ceasing its unsettling petting of the Shadow Wraith. "I have an appointment to keep with your brother." The reanimated creature turned its attention to Noah, hostility radiating from its undead form. "Since I may have divulged more than intended, I believe it's time to return you to the waking world. Do try to survive the horde."

Noah snapped back to reality, panic rising in his throat. "Horde? What horde?" The Shadow Wraith lunged at him, teeth bared and claws extended. "Wait! You can't just leave me like this!"

But the Shadowy Being merely shrugged, an oddly human gesture from such an otherworldly entity, as Noah desperately fought off the attacking creature. More Shadow Wraiths poured in from every direction – streaming up the stairs, dropping from the ceiling, emerging from the shadows themselves.

In the chaos, Noah felt a searing pain in his shoulder. Looking down, he saw that one of the monsters had sunk its teeth into him. Cold dread washed over him as he realized he'd been infected with whatever unholy virus these creatures carried. The memory of Dream Nya's agonizing transformation flashed through his mind, nearly causing his knees to buckle.

As the horde of Shadow Wraiths closed in, piling on top of each other in their frenzy to reach him, Noah locked eyes with the Shadowy Being. In a last, desperate act of defiance, he hurled his sword at the entity. "Why are you doing this to me?" he screamed, his voice raw with fear and anger. "Why torture me like this?"

The Being halted the advancing horde with a mere gesture, fixing Noah with its piercing gaze. "Because I find it amusing," it stated simply, its tone chillingly casual. "Do not forget the agony you are about to endure."

Noah tried to conjure another weapon, but to his horror, found that he couldn't access his abilities. Panic threatened to overwhelm him as the reality of his situation sank in. He was truly defenseless.

Just as the Shadow Wraiths were about to tear him apart, a thunderous crash shook the building. The air seemed to vibrate with an otherworldly energy, a sense of anticipation building like electricity before a storm. The ceiling caved in, showering the area with debris.

Through the newly formed opening descended a figure bathed in radiant light, wielding an enormous golden sword. The newcomer's presence seemed to push back the darkness itself, creating a bubble of safety amidst the chaos.

With graceful, powerful swings, the glowing figure cut through the Shadow Wraiths as if they were made of mist. Each strike resonated with a musical tone, like the ringing of a celestial bell. Noah watched in awe, a glimmer of hope rekindling in his heart.

To Noah's astonishment, the Shadowy Being's demeanor changed. For the first time, it seemed... agitated. Its form rippled and contorted as if struggling to maintain its shape in the presence of this new arrival. "You should have remained in your timeline," it growled, its voice laced with genuine anger.

The glowing figure pointed its massive sword at the Shadowy Being, its stance one of challenge and determination. "I've come to alter the course of the future," the stranger declared, voice resonating with power. "Beware, Shadowy Being. Your plans will not unfold as you intend."

Noah stood frozen, his mind struggling to process the rapid turn of events. What in the world was happening? Who was this radiant savior? And how did they know the Shadowy Being? As he looked closer at the glowing figure, he couldn't shake the feeling that there was something familiar about them, like a half-remembered dream.

As the tension between the two powerful entities crackled in the air, Noah couldn't shake the feeling that he had just witnessed the opening move in a cosmic chess game – one where the fate of not just Ninjago, but all of reality, hung in the balance.

And somehow, impossibly, he found himself right in the middle of it all.