Chapter 94

Heroes POV

Noah crushed his phone, the plastic and glass shattering in his grip. He hurled the remains across the living room, the damaged device narrowly missing an antique vase, which wobbled precariously but stayed upright. His chest heaved with ragged breaths, and he stared at the floor as his hand trembled like never before.

That explains a lot, he thought bitterly, his mind racing. His popularity ranking had plummeted, and now he knew why. Was it because Kai sprouted shit about him and his mother on live television? Now what would everyone else think of them? Everyone will hate them because of some past mistake his mother made, a mistake that he had nothing to do with.

"Why is this happening to me?" he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper, filled with rage and despair. He bit his thumb hard, trying to steady himself. "What did I do to deserve such torment?"

He could feel his anger simmering just below the surface, threatening to boil over. The betrayal by his closest friend, someone he had trusted, was a sharp, twisting knife in his gut. Kai had not only but betrayed him and his mother into this mess, tarnished her reputation and his by association. Noah's mind replayed the words Kai had said, each one a painful blow.

He paced back and forth, he thought of a chaotic storm. Every time he tried to think of a way out, another wave of anger and frustration would crash over him, leaving him feeling even more helpless. The living room seemed to close in around him, the walls a silent witness to his torment.

Noah collapsed onto the sofa, staring blankly at the ceiling. What was he supposed to do now? The walls of the room seemed to close in on him, the weight of his predicament pressing down like a physical burden. He didn't think he could face the public anymore; everyone would hate him, and he'd have to live the rest of his life in hiding. His eyes dilated as a single, chilling thought crossed his mind: Is this how Lloyd felt all the time? No, Lloyd must have felt even worse, considering he was in a school full of hell spawns. How did Lloyd manage to act so perfectly calm after all the shit he went through?

Before he could dwell further on this thought, a sharp voice broke through his reverie. "What on earth are you doing, Noah?" He looked to see his mother standing in the doorway, her expression a mix of concern and frustration. "Are you throwing a tantrum because of the Tournament of Elements?"

Noah's chest tightened at her words. The Tournament of Elements was the least of his worries now, but how could he explain that to her? How could he make her understand the depth of his despair and humiliation?

He sat up, trying to muster some semblance of composure. His eyes locked onto the woman before him, his mother. A boiling rage simmered beneath his calm exterior. He was starting to dislike this annoying bitch. She was the reason his life was falling apart. If she had never abandoned Lloyd, maybe he wouldn't be in this situation. They would have grown up as best friends, as twins. And when it was revealed that Lloyd was the Chosen One, he might have felt a twinge of jealousy at first, but he would have accepted it. If that had happened, maybe none of this would be happening. Zane and Sensei Garmadon would still be alive. Everyone would be happy.

His thoughts churned, filled with bitterness and what-ifs. He was about to open his mouth to curse out his mother, to lay all his frustration bare, but she spoke before he could.

"Something happened at the museum, and they requested you," she explained.

Noah's mouth shut tightly. Why would anyone want him to solve a case? No, it was probably because they needed his ability to replicate whatever was stolen or damaged. A sudden surge of resolve filled him. Why should he hide for the rest of his life? He was going to make everyone like him from scratch. He didn't need friends; all he needed was himself.

Standing up, he nodded curtly at his mother before striding towards the door. "I'll handle it," he said, his voice firm and cold. "I'll do things my way."

As he left the room, a myriad of emotions coursed through him-anger, determination, a deep sense of betrayal. He was done being the victim of circumstances. He would take control of his destiny, no matter what it took.

…

This wasn't what Noah was expecting at all. He stood in front of the shaken guard, his mind racing with possibilities. When he arrived, he was greeted by two police officers who looked just as bewildered as he felt. Something had happened the night before, and the only witness was this guard, who looked traumatized beyond belief.

The officers had been frustratingly vague, offering little information beyond the basics. It seemed they were as clueless as he was. Noah sighed, realizing that this situation would take more time and effort to resolve than he initially thought. He approached the shaken guard, forcing a reassuring smile onto his face.

"Hello, sir. May I know what happened?" he asked gently.

The guard finally looked up, his eyes wide with relief at the sight of Noah. "Thank God, you're here! Someone tried to steal our newest artifact!"

Noah nodded, though internally he was skeptical. "I apologize for asking this, but I'm not a detective. You should have called in Liam. He would have solved this very quickly."

The guard quickly stood up and grabbed him by the shoulder, leading him toward a back room. "I know that, but I need you to help me."

Noah felt a creeping sense of unease as he was guided away from the main area. This guard seemed on edge, almost delusional after what he had witnessed. Being alone with him was unsettling. He glanced back at the two officers, hoping they might assist him somehow, but they were too busy chattering away, seemingly unconcerned. He closed his eyes in frustration, realizing that in this city, ability users were relied upon more than the police.

The guard led Noah into a room filled with unpacked artifacts. Noah's eyes were immediately drawn to a golden statue that bore a striking resemblance to the Hypnobrai, a serpent tribe they hadn't dealt with in quite some time. The statue gleamed ominously in the dim light.

"Okay, can you at least tell me what was almost stolen?" Noah asked, his gaze shifting to the numerous sealed crates stacked around the room.

He scanned each crate, noting that all were still sealed shut. None of them appeared to have been tampered with.

Dead silence was the answer Noah received. The guard didn't respond, and the only sound was some faint shuffling. Noah continued staring at the crate, trying to understand why the guard wasn't answering his question. He finally gathered enough courage to look up at the guard, but the sight he saw was strange and unnerving. The guard was wearing a weird-looking chest plate. Noah's gut churned as he put his guard up, sensing that there was no real case for him to solve.

"Let me guess, nothing got stolen," he said, conjuring a sword in his hand. "So my question is, why did you call me here?"

"Nothing, I just wanted you to come here." The guard's voice suddenly changed, becoming eerily creepy, nothing like the frazzled tone from before.

Noah was thrown off by the sudden change in the guard's voice, but he tightened his grip on the sword. He might not have his friends to assist him, but he wasn't about to lose to some museum guard. "Who are you really?" he demanded, taking a defensive stance.

The guard looked at Noah in surprise before a large sinister grin formed on his face. He let out a laugh that echoed through the room, leaning against a crate to hold himself up. Noah stood there, watching the laughing guard, feeling his cheeks flush as he held his sword. The guard finally stopped laughing, taking a couple of breaths as he wiped away a tear.

"Did your father ever tell you about the little boy he adopted?" the guard asked, his voice dripping with malice. "Did he tell you how he led the boy to his death?"

Noah stared at the guard, trying to process the revelation. How did this guard know his father? He took a step back, recalling what he knew. He was aware that his father had adopted a boy named Morro, who had died on an adventure. But something about the guard's words suggested there was more to the story.

"Morro, is that you?" Noah asked, pointing the sword at the guard. "Leave that poor man alone."

The guard's grin widened. "Leave him alone? Oh, Noah, you have no idea, do you?"

Noah's grip tightened on his sword. "What do you mean?"

The guard's form shimmered for a moment, revealing a ghostly figure within. "Your father didn't just lead me to my death. He betrayed me. Abandoned me when I needed him most. And now, I'm back to settle the score."

Noah's heart pounded. "So, it is you, Morro. But why possess this guard? What do you want from me?"

Morro's expression darkened. "I needed a way back, a way to make your father pay. And you, Noah, you're my ticket. With your body, I can finally get what I deserve."

Noah watched as the ghost left the guard's body, the limp form collapsing to the floor. Panic surged through him. How could he fight a ghost? He turned and bolted towards the exit, leaping over crates. But just as he reached for the door handle, a sudden gust of wind snatched him up, slamming him face-first into the dusty ground. His face stung as he tried to rise, only to be dragged back by an unseen force. He clawed at the ground, breaking his nails and leaving bloody streaks in a desperate attempt to save himself.

"Don't worry too much, Noah," Morro said, holding himself aloft with invisible winds. "I have a mission to complete. Your father is just a stepping stone. Let me into your mind."

Noah's eyes darted to the guard, who had regained consciousness and was muttering about the cursed world and its imminent end. Despair washed over him. Why was he always so weak, unable to defend himself? He closed his eyes, knowing the only thing left to do was scream as Morro invaded his mind.

…

A violent shake and a torrent of curses jolted him awake. Noah sat up instantly, disoriented. He was back at the school. How had he gotten here? Wasn't he at the museum? He looked around to see his father, Cole, and Jay surrounding him, their clothes torn and stained with blood. What on earth was happening?

"Thank God you're okay," his father said, hugging him tightly. "I thought we lost you when that giant hand attacked us."

Noah froze. "Giant hand?" He remembered the minion of the shadowy being he had encountered during his first Dream Coma. His eyes widened in fear. This couldn't be happening. He threw off the cover and ran to the nearest window. Staring out, he saw a gaping hole in the center of Ninjago City.

He fell to his knees, his blood running cold. He was stuck in his dream again, but this time Dream Sensei Wu, Dream Cole, and Dream Jay were with him. Desperation clawed at his inside. How could he escape this nightmare?

Noah's mind raced. "This can't be real," he muttered to himself. "It has to be Morro's doing."

Dream Sensei Wu knelt beside him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Noah, what's wrong? We need you with us. The city needs us."

"No, you don't understand," Noah stammered, his voice trembling. "This isn't real. Morro. He's inside my mind. He's making me see things."

Dream Jay looked at him with concern. "Noah, we've all been through a lot, but we need to focus. We have to stop this creature."

Noah shook his head, tears welling up in his eyes. "I can't… I don't know how to fight this."

Dream Cole grabbed his arm, pulling him to his feet. "We'll figure it out together. We're a team, remember?"

Noah snatched his hand back, anger surging through him. This isn't real, he thought fiercely. This is just a dream. None of this is real. He had cut ties with his original former team. A sudden rush of anger washed over him. Why can't anything go his way? Turning abruptly, he exited the room, determined to confront the Shadowy Being and force it to wake him up. His fists clenched tightly, his mind focused on Morro's bold assumption that he could take control of Noah's body and get away with it.

"Where are you going?" Dream Cole asked following closely behind. "We need to come up with a plan."

Noah stopped and faced him, his resolve hardening. "You don't understand. This is a dream, and none of you guys are real. So, leave me alone."

Dream Jay approached him, his voice tinged with anger and confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"I am stuck in my dream," Noah explained, his tone sharp. "I need to find the bastard responsible and make him wake me up. This isn't the first time. The rest of the group is at the hotel that belongs to a man named Frank." He turned away again, increasing his pace. "I am not interested in hanging out with you guys."

Dream Jay grabbed his arm, trying to stop him. "Noah, wait! You can't just leave. We need to stick together!"

Noah shook off Dream Jay's grip, glaring at him. "I told you, this is all fake. None of you are real. I need to handle this on my own."

Dream Sensei Wu stepped forward, his expression a mix of concern and determination. "Noah, whether this is real or not, we need to work together. You can't do this alone."

Noah's frustration boiled over. "You don't get it! I can't trust anything here. This is my dream, my fight. I need to confront the Shadowy Being and Morro by myself."

He turned his back on them, walking briskly towards the exit. Each step felt like he was moving through molasses, the weight of his anger and fear dragged him down. He reached the door and flung it open, stepping into the cold night air. The city's destruction loomed ahead, a grim reminder of the stakes at hand.

Noah looked at the area where Dream Nya and Dream Zane had died last time. The memory of their fallen forms still haunted him, and he closed his eyes to block out the image. He didn't want to see that sight again. Determined, he conjured his dragon and jumped on its back, soaring towards the city center. Upon arrival, he unsummoned his creation, landing with a soft thud on the ground.

The eerie silence of the streets was punctuated by distant sounds of chaos. Noah's heart pounded in his chest as he navigated through the debris, his mind racing with thoughts of revenge and escape. He knew he had to find the Shadowy Being, the puppet master behind this nightmare.

As he approached the city center, a dark, swirling mass began to materialize in front of him. The air grew colder, and a sinister presence filled the space. Noah stopped, his breath visible in the frosty air.

"Show yourself!" he demanded, his voice echoing through the empty streets. "I'm done playing your games. Wake me up now!"

The shadowy figure emerged from the darkness, its form shifting and contorting. The two red holes that served as its eyes stared at him as if they were looking right through him. A deep, menacing voice emanated from it. "Who are you to command me?"

Noah froze on the spot, feeling the cold sweat forming on his forehead. He had forgotten how terrifying this being was. What is this thing? He wondered, his mind racing.

"W… wake me up now!" he stammered, conjuring a sword. "I'm not staying in this dream for another second."

The Shadowy Being stared at him in silence before replying. "No."

Noah's brain seemed to stop working for a second. Did it just say no? "What do you mean, no?" he shouted. "Are you working together with Morro?"

The Shadowy Being tilted its head as if it didn't know who Noah was talking about. "No. Do you not want to stay to see if you could prevent this from happening in the future?"

Noah shut his mouth, stunned. He had never actually thought of stopping it. He was so caught up in the problems that he had forgotten about how the entire world was about to end. The Shadowy Being didn't even wait for Noah to answer before conjuring a portal and walking away, leaving Noah stuck in his dream once again.