A/N: Alrighty, sorry this one took a little longer than expected. I had some things happening over the weekend and so I was kind of broken. I still am broken, but I'm trying to derail this emotional funk I'm in

And without further adieu, I give you this chapter thingy...

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Someone -- several someones, were groaning, and Kai's groggy voice floated through the still air, "Did... did we make it?"

Lizz sat up, brushing her wild hair out of her eyes. Damn hood had already fallen down from the winds, "It's... foggy..."

The boys all sat up, pushing their parka hoods down as they looked around. Wherever they were, it was a light, homey and soft tannish colour, with much fog. Cole was in awe, being the first to spot the distant city, "The Cloud Kingdom..."

Jay was the first one standing, "Now... Let's find this Sword of Sanctuary."

Zane helped Lizz back up to her feet, and as a group they all began descending down the gentle slope towards the city. Yes, it was a very gentle slope, however Lizz's energy was depleted and so she really felt like just falling down the hill and letting gravity do the work for her.

Seriously, she hadn't eaten or slept in days. How did the boys do this on a daily basis? And for how many years? God...

Couple that with her beaten body... She began slowing down even more, beginning to stoop towards the ground, "I think... I think Imma just..." She was splayed out on the ground, half asleep, before she finished her sentence. She sighed contently; the clouds were so soft...

Then she giggled a little; just think about what Skales Jr. would think about her knowing what a freaking cloud felt like! He'd never believe her!

"Lizzi-" Kai knelt down next to her, and grunted in pain when her fist shot out and hit him in the thigh, "What the heck?!"

"You're not allowed to call me that," she mumbled, pulling open an eye, "Look. I am... dying. Just... can't you go on without me?"

"Lizz, that's not what a team does," Jay offered out his hand, "We'll keep you awake, alive and kickin', just like you do for each of us. Come on, all we need to do is get the sword, and we can go back and rest."

"Can someone carry me the rest of the way down?" it was a pathetic request, but her foot hurt like a mother. Usually when she'd ask to be carried, she'd be joking and refuse when whoever she'd asked agreed to carry her. But now she really meant it.

"Yes, I'll carry you," Kai agreed gently, brushing her bangs out of her face.

She took Kai's hand and allowed him to pull her to her feet. When she was standing, Kai almost immediately hooked his arm under her legs and swept her up like his bride-to-be, "Good?"

Lizz laid her head on his shoulder, her eyes already drooping. All she could make out was a hum of approval before she was drifting out of consciousness.

*    *    *

"Lizz, darling, wake up," Kai's soft voice was smooth, and she could feel herself tilting, "I'm setting your feet on the ground."

She was standing, now, still almost completely asleep and being held upright solely by Kai's arm around her waist. She hummed at him again., but snapped to attention when the wrought-iron gates in front of them began opening. A blurry figure was striding down the stone steps towards them, and as her vision cleared up, Lizz saw that it was an old man. He had his hands folded together in a passive form of greeting, and he was smiling gently at him. His grey hair hung in his eyes a little bit, and it reminded her of her father.

Speaking of which... Where is dad...?

The man spread out an arm towards them, "Welcome to Cloud Kingdom," his voice was soft, gentle, his face worn with laugh lines, "We've been expecting you."

"Yeah," Lizz grumbled, "That's not creepy at all..."

Jay laughed once, "Heh... how are we-"

"Standing on a cloud?" the man finished, "Easy. In other realms, there are... other rules..." he looked up from the ground, turning his gaze on them, "I'm Fenwick. I've been asked to show you around," Fenwick bowed to them.

Kai started forward, inevitably taking Lizz with him, "Nice to meet you. I'm-"

Fenwick cut in, again, "Kai. Yes, we all know. You're quite popular with the other monks. Up here, we see everything that goes on in NinjaGo."

Cole was up front, too, now, "Then you know-"

"You've traveled far for the Sword of Sanctuary," Fenwick apparently really liked to interject, "A powerful weapon that can foresee your opponent's next attack. It's also the next clue in finding the tomb of The First Spinjitzu Master."

Zane, for the first time ever, scared Lizz by coming up to stand right behind her to ask Fenwick a question, "Blimey! But how be you-"

"Finishing your sentences?" Fenwick asked, "I know... it's rather annoying-"

"You don't say?" Lizz quipped sarcastically, but under her breath.

Fenwick gave her a pointed look, but continued, "But up here, we know... Let's just say we know what's going to come next," he turned, motioning for them to follow, "Come. I know Morro is not far behind. Follow me and I'll explain."

Great... Lizz didn't like this guy. There was something... off about him, "Kai..." she whispered.

Kai leaned closer to her, "Hmm?"

"I don't like that guy," she told him timidly.

"Why?" Kai's grip on her tightened, "What's there not to like? He's friendly, he's agreed to help us and he's completely harmless."

"That's exactly my point! He's over-friendly and has agreed to help us! There's something... off about him..."

Kai waved her off, "He's fine, Lizz. You're just being suspicious of everyone because of the ghosts."

That was the last of that conversation.

They walked along an elevated white stone path that branched through the entirety of the Kingdom. It was lined on both sides with red carpet, lampposts dotting here and there. Buildings had their own piece of separate land that floated all by itself, the only thing keeping it apart of the Kingdom was the pathway. The buildings themselves were magnificent, tall and circular turrets of some sort, with rounded yellow rooftops.

The view was stunning, and it took Lizz's mind off her exhaustion and pain for a while as Kai led her along with the group. If Fenwick was explaining something, she wasn't able to hear him, and she was too caught up in her own thoughts to care.

The Ninja were led to a good-sized building, one of the largest Lizz saw, though it had the same colour scheme as the rest. Fenwick marched right up to the door and pushed them open; they hit the interior wall with a thud.

As they were being led inside, Lizz was still ogling. A deep red carpet woven with intricate designs was rolled out right up the middle of the room. The walls were white stone, the pillars varnished wood. There were about two dozen or more little children in monk's robes inside, all sitting at a one-person table with a scroll or parchment, a feather pen and some ink. The tables were wooden, but painted a light green. The shelves were lined with bottles or unknown liquids and books; Lizz's mouth began watering at the sight.

There was a large bell in the middle of the aisle, too, it's purpose completely unknown; who the heck would put a bell inside?

One of the children looked up upon the team's entrance. His eyes went wide and he stopped writing, "Wow..." he breathed out, "It's the Ninja..."

That turned everyone's heads towards the team as an excited murmur broke out. Fenwick half turned back to talk to the team as they were paraded through the Scribes, "I know you're familiar with a few of the realms," he told them, "Cloud Kingdom is just one more of the sixteen realms that exist parallel to NinjaGo."

They were just passing under the bell, now, and Kai's voice echoed, "Sixteen realms?"

"In this realm," Fenwick explained, "We strive for greater understanding, and let go of distractions. There is no television, no video games-"

Jay interrupted with a shrill voice, voicing out everything that Lizz was thinking but too out of it to say, "No video games?!" he crossed his arms with a hmph, "Not impressed."

Lizz was beginning to think that girls were another source of distraction, and it sent a shiver up her spine. No matter where she looked, she only saw little boys, all writing furiously on their parchments. Too furiously, like they were avoiding looking at her.

"It appears all any lad around here does be writing," Zane observed.

"That is because here," Fenwick turned around and motioned towards the scroll right off to his left, "Our words matter. You see, in Cloud Kingdom, we are the writers of destiny," he folded his hands in front of him, "It was here it was decided Lloyd should be the Green Ninja," he took the scroll in his hands to show them, "And just now, that Zane should find his voice again."

Each of them turned their gaze on Zane, waiting. Zane rubbed his head, "I sense my vocal pattern has returned without any repairs."

Jay and Lizz both groaned, "Awe! He doesn't talk like a pirate anymore!"

Cole looked spooked, "How'd that happen?"

"It was... written."

Yes, thanks, Fenwick, for clearing that up for us. Lizz's attention was pulled from Fenwick when Jay's voice rang out, "Hey guys!" he called, leaning on one of the Scribes, "He's writing about Dareth!"

"Who?!" Lizz's eyebrows furrowed.

No one answered her. The Scribe tried to get away from Jay, and as a result, Jay lost his balance and toppled the ink bottle over onto the scroll, "Jay!" Cole scolded.

"Awe," the Scribe was dabbing at the ink splotch, "Poor Dareth..."

Jay let out a nervous, apologetic laugh, but the group was already moving away from him, "If you know what's going to happen next," Kai had pulled Lizz right up next to Fenwick, and she wriggled out of his grasp to go back and lean on Jay at the back of the group, instead, "Then you know how important it is for us to get the Sword of Sanctuary," Kai finished.

Lizz slowed to a stop and stooped down to pick up the fallen ink bottle, handing it back to the Scribe, "There you are."

The kid looked scared out of his wits, so Lizz just set it on the table and backed away, back into Jay's half embrace, "What the hell..." Jay shrugged, keeping a strong hand on her shoulders, "You can put your hand on my waist. I don't bite."

Without his consent -- or her's, really -- Lizz moved his hand. Jay tensed up, but relaxed almost immediately, "It's just-"

"I know, I know," she waved a dismissive hand at him, leaning on him a bit more to take some weight off her foot. She was snug up against him, now, "I'm not trying to get with you, got it?"

She was side-eyeing every kid in the room, now, wondering if one of them was making her do that. She'd usually never make Jay do anything he never did on his own, let alone that. As it was, she didn't even feel comfortable moving his hand eith-

Whatever. She turned back into whatever Kai and Fenwick were talking about, "...sadly, we cannot ensure promises," Fenwick was saying, "Because we are not allowed to chose sides."

Lizz and Jay accidentally ran into the back of Zane, and both of them made a hefty groan of protest at that news, "What does he mean they can't pick sides?" Jay huffed.

Lizz shrugged at him with her good shoulder, and almost completely leapt into Jay's arms when Fenwick did an unexpected about-face, inching nearer. He looked downright frightened, hands wringing together as he looked over his shoulders, "And... no one else will tell you this... but, we had intended for Morro to stay in the Cursed Realm."

"What do you mean... intended?" Cole asked hesitantly.

Fenwick was shaking, "He was never supposed to escape. He somehow... defied destiny... and... and now we're playing catch-up." he finished sadly. Jay and Lizz shoved their way up front, so the NInja were gathered around Fenwick in a V-shape, and Fenwick went over to rest a gentle hand on Cole's shoulder, "Do you think we wanted you to become a ghost? That's preposterous. Ever since Morro broke free," he folded his hands together and began pacing in front of the group, "Things have been happening outside of our control. To be honest, we don't know how this will end."

Fenwick turned his back on them once again, and Kai went up behind him, "Well then quit talking and give us the sword. We'll find the tomb, and stop Morro."

"Look," Fenwick sighed, "We want to give it to you, but first, the Master Writer wants to see you."

They began shuffling after Fenwick, and Kai sounded slightly irked, "Fine. Then show us to this... Master Writer..."

They were led right out the back door of the Scribe Hall to a blooming purple lilac tree. It had a boat set under it, and the boat was... floating. In mid air, off the side of of pathway. And Fenwick was leading them right towards it, "So..." Cole was waving his hands as he spoke, "This... Master Writer. He'll decide if we get the sword just by looking at us?"

Lizz sayed at the base of the tree, leaning against it as Jay and the rest of them piling into the boat. She scoffed, "That's a load of bu-"

"Lizz!" Kai warned sharply, "Get in the boat."

He had that... tone of voice. She grit her teeth, "I'd rather not..."

"Heights," Zane reminded them gently. He climbed out of the boat and scooped Lizz up, carrying her into the boat against her will, "Just don't look. You'll be fine."

"Why is it she never puts up a fight against him?" Kai grumbled.

Lizz was snickering quietly at Kai's irritation, but she took Zane's advice and didn't look anywhere in particular, just stayed with her head nuzzled into Zane's neck. He'd gently set her feet back on the floor of the boat, but she was still snuggled into him, and Zane didn't seem to mind, either.

Fenwick was giving her and Zane dirty looks before continuing on answering Cole, "It is an important decision. One that will not only decide the fate of NinjaGo, but the fate of the Sixteen Realms."

Kai was quick to ask, "Do you know what's inside the tomb?"

"Probably my grandfather's skeleton," Lizz muttered, cracking open an eye to see Kai's reaction. He looked ticked off, which made her content, however the contentedness was ill-fated when she saw nothing but sky and clouds behind him.

She shut her eye again. Fenwick looked ready to toss her overboard, "I do."

There was a woosh of air that blew Lizz's hair back -- well, the parts of her hair was were falling from her braid, and it made her briefly look up. The clouds had turned a darker grey, instead of their fluffy white. The sky beyond was completely blotted out when they parted, turning into a type of tunnel for their boat to glide through.

"Morro is after the Realm Crystal," Fenwick began, "It's the doorway to the Sixteen Realms," just as he said that, a type of hallucinogenic projection appeared in their path. It was a shiny diamond, more or less, pale blue and almost see-through, "It is a bridge to greater understanding. Or," their boat broke through the crystal, the surroundings shimmering into something darker, "A gateway to ruin."

They were floating above something that looked like the inside of a volcano. Lava was the main base, but there were several large platforms of dark rock, too, that were connected by rickety little wooden bridges, "The Underworld," Zane whispered, "It's been so long..."

The boys were all peering over the edges of the boat, looking down on The Underworld. Lizz just shut her eyes again, listening to Fenwick, "When the First Spinjitzu Master first created it, he knew the power to freely cross realms could never fall into the wrong hands... which is why he buried it with him in his final resting place; a tomb protected by impossible traps that only a Master of Spinjitzu could get by with the aid of the Sword of Sanctuary."

"But..." Cole pushed past Jay just as the landscape changed again; this time to a grey mountain range.

Lizz found it quite relaxing to look over the rocky terrain, "I thought Morro only wanted to be the Green Ninja. What does he want with the crystal?" she asked, not taking her eyes off the mountains.

Fenwick shook his head, "It is not Morro who sees the power of ruin, but his master; The Preeminent."

As soon as he said that, the landscape changed again, and Lizz let out a long scream before scurrying back to Zane; he wrapped a protective arm over her shoulders. Unexpectedly, their surroundings had dissipated into long greenish tunnel, ribbed with black rings. Glowing green ghosts were floating by, doing circles around the boat; some even passed through the hull.

She couldn't see them, but they were still terrifying Lizz. The rest of the boys were freaking out, too, making little screams here and there that could barely be heard over the wailing of the spirits.

"The Cursed Realm," Kai sounded both scared and in awe, "He's in charge?"

Whoever Kai was asking about, Lizz wasn't looking.

Fenwick corrected Kai, "Not he. But she. Queen of the Cursed. An evil so vengeful, she cannot cross over by any other means..."

The wailing dissipated, but Lizz was still hiding in Zane's side. He gently patted her back, "It is safe for you to look, now."

She wagered her options, peeking just a moment. When she saw rolling green hills and a beautiful setting sun, she straightened up, but kept her arms hooked around Zane, "Yay..." she whispered.

"But if Morro uses the crystal to free her," Fenwick continued, "After freeing NinjaGo-"

The breath got knocked out of Lizz when some large... eyeball-looking monstrosity faded into view of the quaint little valley they were floating through. Zane gasped and grabbed the back of Lizz's head, pulling her back down to his shoulder to prevent her from seeing anything, however she was still shaking. The image of the thing was burned into the back of her eyelids.

It was dark, various shades of green and black, and had as many tentacles as a dozen octopi, all wriggling around like worms on a sidewalk. The thing had a mouth, too, with several rows of what looked like flesh and teeth, opening and closing with no other purpose than to eat.

Zane was glaring at Fenwick, who'd paused his explanation with a not-so-apologetic look in their general direction. Fenwick continued, "-there will be no stopping her reign until every last realm falls under her control."

They were back to the soft grey cloud tunnel, now, but Lizz wasn't falling for another sense of false security, no matter how much Zane patted and reassured her that it was okay. She simply shook her head, muttering something under her breath about how she didn't trust Fenwick even more, now.

The rest of the boys were all sighing in relief about how they were finally reaching their destination, none of them having been prepared for the haunted house-esque field trip. The boat slowed to a smooth stop and Fenwick was the first onto the rocks, "We're here!" he chirped happily, "Wasn't that a lovely ride?"

Kai was sassing something at Fenwick, though Lizz couldn't hear him over her own growling, "Screw you, Fenwick" Lizz snorted into Zane's shoulder.

Speaking of which, she was being carried with one arm onto sturdy land, now, courtesy of Zane, "I have legs, you know."

"One of which is injured, is it not?" Zane asked, setting her feet flat on the ground. He gave her a look when she winced, "My point exactly, Miss Garmadon."

"Ha ha," she sassed, taking slow and deep breaths. All the same, though, she allowed Zane to carry her to the doors of the building in which the Master Writer resided.

"Not to sound like someone from space or anything..." she whispered, "But I have a bad feeling about this..."

Zane cracked a small smile at the reference she made, and followed the group closely. Fenwick had pushed open the doors, "Now, if you'll just wait in here, I will be back with the Master Writer in a moment."

The Ninja were ushered inside, Zane and Lizz being the last two in. As soon as the five of them were a considerable ways in, the door was swung tightly shut behind them and locked from the outside.

They all turned back to look, and Zane simply shrugged at the boys before taking Lizz and setting her down on a beanbag chair, "Stay," he recommended gently, "Rest your foot. Pixal says all this walking is irritating your toes."

Lizz gave him a pointed look, "Like I didn't know that before..."

However, when Jay's excited voice filled the room, declaring that he'd found a pinball machine, Lizz was up and following him, "Ooh!! A pinball machine!" Jay was in front of it and playing a game by the time Lizz got over there, "It may not be video games, but it's the next best thing."

Lizz gave a wry smile, watching the small silver ball bounce around the bright lights, "If only Lloyd hadn't screwed up the gaming stuff, right?"

Jay snorted, "Yeah, I'll say..."

The pinball fell out of sight and the game declared Jay a loser. Lizz shoved at him with her good shoulder, "Get outta the way, rookie. My turn."

"Strange place to meet this Master Writer," Zane mused from somewhere behind them.

"Yeah, I'll say," Cole chipped in, "I thought this place didn't have any distractions. Looks to me like they just... shoved them all up here."

Both Lizz and Jay started hooting with joy, "Woohoo!" they high fived, making a show out of Lizz getting the new high score; it wasn't really hard, there were no previous high scores. They shook the machine a bit in victory and then it was Jay's turn to play, Lizz leaning on him while she watched, her arm propped on his shoulder.

"Hey!" Cole whisper-shouted, "Leave that stuff alone! We wanna make a good first-impression."

Jay groaned in protest, furiously flipping the knobs to the machine, "Awe, c'mon! Just one more game! Lizz has got to go down!"

An all-knowing smirk tugged at the corner of her lips, a giggle bubbling up her throat, "Phrasing..." she whispered, bumping her shoulder on Jay's.

He scrunched his eyes shut and groaned again, only this time it was an 'Are you serious?!' type of groan. The ball fell below the little arms at the bottom of the machine and the lights dimmed once more on it as Jay turned towards Lizz, opening his icy-blue eyes to scowl in disapproval, "I didn't need to hear that!"

She was grinning at him, her nose scrunched up with her tongue sticking between her teeth a little, "Yes you did."

"That machine sounds strange," Zane told them.

"What do you mean?" Lizz paused her snickering, "The machine turned off, again, it can't be the machine."

"Then what is it?" Kai tensed up.

They all fell in closer together as the ground shook again, each of them -- much to her irritance -- putting themselves in front of Lizz as they watched the doorway on the other side of the room. Their group as a whole backed up when a large purple yoga ball was angrily chucked at the wall from the hallway to the right, and following the ball was Bigfoot.

Well, that's what it looked like to Lizz, anyway. Long, noodly arms and legs, it walked on two legs and had long, brown fur. The thing had rounded teeth and a small, pert nose with glaring yellow eyes and long, pointed ears. It shook the ground with every step it took, and paused to roar when it caught sight of the intruders in it's lair.

The boys standing in front of her seemed like a nice idea, now. She began backing away from the thing, towards the front doors on the other side of the room, "I think I'll just... sit this one out..."

Seriously; Bigfoot was about ten feet tall and had claws the size of Lizz's forearm.

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I'm making this into a kind of a two-parter chapter chapter cuz it's already 4000+ words long