This chapter is super long so I suggest you make out some free time and then read it. But if you wanna do it on the go then no one's stoppin' ya.

Have some candy! 🍭🍬🍭🍬

⟨--❇️--⟩

I stared at the wooden door with the brass knocker shaped like some sort of reptilian beast, thinking about why I was wasting my time by coming here.

No one could look into your memories. Only you had the power to do that. It might even be harder for the other person to take a sneak peek at your past when even you don't remember it.

If these were my beliefs then why did I believe that such abilities existed?

But then again, I did use to believe that miracles weren't real. I believed that I would never find a home and that was the only thing that broke me down - until I met Wu.

Miracles happened and I got a roof over my head, a caring person to teach me, love me, walls to protect me and a life goal to keep me flying higher. But it was all too good to be true. I was broken, shattered. Harder than ever before. I did the first thing that came into my mind.

I ran away.

If I could see Wu again and thank him for one thing, it would be the fact that he taught me how to be a stronger individual. He taught me how to face the world. With those lessons tucked away in my brain and heart, I ran.

I was ready to challenge life and get the answers I deserve. Why didn't destiny choose me? Why was I not the Green Ninja? Who was I if not that? Where did I come from? Why was I left alone in the world?

Why? Why?! Why?!

There was only one solution to all of this and that was to look back to who I was before I became a useless street rat. Wu once told me that our past selves are only there for us to learn a lesson. It's not who we truly are. But knowing who you were has a huge impact on your future and I wanted to know who I used to be.

I needed to get this settled before I set out on my journey to find the tomb of the First Spinjitzu Master. After searching around for possible solutions, I discovered a woman who was said to have psychic powers. She could delve into your memories and play with them.

On request, she could make you forget the ones you hate and make you remember the ones you couldn't recall. You know how you don't remember a single thing from when you were a baby? Well, this woman could make those moments reappear in the active parts of your brain.

I wasn't so sure if this was real or not but I was desperate. I had to know what happened to my parents. Who were they? Whom did I get my powers from? Mom or Dad? Those two words felt weird on my tongue. I never had anyone to call Mom or Dad before.

I was now in the village of Zukana where I was told I would find the mysterious woman. The villagers hesitantly pointed me to her house which was a lonely old shack on a cliff overlooking the village and the rest of the valley below.

I inhaled deeply, taking in the refreshing mountain air before releasing my breath. My fingers twitched as I went through the various potential scenarios I would deal with after setting foot into the house of a clairvoyant.

Slowly, I raised my hand and wrapped my fingers around the cold metal of the knocker, tapping on the door thrice. For a minute nothing happened and I made to knock again but the sound of rustling made me stop.

I could hear light tapping as if someone was quickly clambering down some stone steps. That was odd. I gazed up at the house and frowned as it was clear that there were no upper floors. Maybe I misunderstood the sound.

I took a few steps back as an assortment of locks began clicking open from the other side of the door. I slowly lifted my eyes as the door was pulled open just a crack. A pair of gray eyes scrutinized me from the other side and I felt like they sensed everything I was feeling.

"Kioku?" I muttered, the unusual name falling out of my lips uncertainly. I could see the silver orbs widen a little at the mention of that word. Before I could get another word out, the door shut close. It opened again and this time it widened all the way revealing the most unusual woman ever.

Her skin was rich brown in colour and it glowed under the late afternoon sun. Her lips were protrusive and lathered with dark lipstick, making her face appear lighter in colour. Her long nails were covered with red nail polish while black streaks lined her pearly gray eyes.

A mass of bouncy, curly brown hair framed her face while a head band was wrapped around her forehead. She wore a long multi-coloured robe covered with a maroon shawl. Beady necklaces hung about her neck and bracelets rattled with each movement of her hand.

"Yes?" she drawled in a misty, sleepy voice. As soon as her voice reached my ears, I felt dizzy and light-headed. I stumbled slightly, reaching out a hand and grabbing the door frame for support. Kioku seemed oblivious to the effect her mere presence was having on me.

I gathered myself, shaking my head all the while to get rid of the unsettling feeling. "Uh . . . um, hello," I managed to stutter. "I am-"

"Morro," the woman spoke, cutting me off. "The Master of Wind."

I won't lie. Despite knowing her ability of "guessing" stuff, I was still caught off guard at the fact that she knew my name. "That's right," I tried again, my voice no longer wavering. "I was told that-"

"You were told that a woman with psychic abilities resided in Zukana and you decided to pay me a visit," prattled the woman without hesitation. I growled internally. I hated being interrupted. And no, I wasn't impressed by her cocky attitude of telling me that she knew everything about me. Okay, maybe a little.

"You seem to have guessed my reason to come here," I muttered, trying to look unfazed by her guess-work.

"I know what you seek," Kioku said, her voice drawing out slowly. She shrugged her shawl over her shoulder from where it had slipped off, her bracelets rattling along.

"What do I seek?" I challenged her, tilting my head and narrowing my eyes at her.

Silence settled between us in which Kioku studied me like a book, turning page after page inked with what I was feeling and what I wanted. I tried to keep my covers closed but I had this nagging feeling that I was failing.

Suddenly, the woman turned around, gliding inside her home without telling me anything. I simply stood at the doorway, not sure what to do now. This entire ordeal made me irritated. I hated it when things didn't make sense.

As if perceiving my frustration (which, I'm sure she did), the woman stopped in her tracks and turned her head to give me a sidelong glance. Something told me it was an invitation to enter and I dared to lift my foot and set it on the faded carpet.

Since I didn't get any angry looks or scowls, I proceeded to walk inside and shut the door behind me. The light from the outside disappeared and the room grew dark with hues of red which I assumed was due to the crimson curtains hanging in front of the windows.

The air was heavy with fragrant incence smoke and it made me even more light-headed than I already felt. My frowned deepened as I looked around and confirmed that there really were no stairs anywhere. Kioku smiled at me and I tried my own hand at mind reading to see if it was friendly or sinister. I failed, of course.

"You haven't answered my question," I stated, standing stock still and masking my overwhelming feelings behind a tough façade. "Either you don't want to answer or you don't know what I want at all. Maybe you're a fraud."

The woman moved her eyes and settled her gray gaze on the right side of my head. I knew she was contemplating the green colour that streaked my dark hair. That thing had always confused me. My memory dated back to my time in the orphanage where the staff had told me that it had been there when they found me.

I wondered if Kioku could tell me its origin - if she was willing to speak at all. She stared at me for a few more minutes before letting out a soft chuckle. I clenched my fists. What was so funny? Maybe the hag thought it would be funny to fool around a clueless fifteen year-old boy.

I opened my mouth to snap at her but she stopped me, words emerging from her mouth in the same sleepy drawl. "You wish to see what happened to your parents, do you not?"

"Took you long enough," I muttered, actually thankful for the progress.

"Tell me, Morro," she began, walking over to a stove and acquiring a cup and a bowl of steaming liguid. "You're not from around here, are you?"

I looked down, trying to hide the guilt in my eyes. Why was I shielding myself from her? She could read me easily. Maybe instincts? I answered her nonetheless. "I- I ran away from home. At least I thought it was a home."

"Never bite the hand that feeds you, Morro," Kioku mumbled, pouring the liquid into the cup before gesturing at me to sit. "Or should I say Moroku."

I stopped dead. I gasped as a pain invaded my head, hammering against my skull. Echoes filled my mind as I succumbed to the feeling of familiarity with that name. I squeezed my eyes shut as a woman's voice tore through my thoughts.

"Don't speak. Don't make a sound."

"Don't come out until I tell you to, okay?"

"No matter what happens, stay quiet and stay hidden.

"Promise me, Moroku! Promise me!"

"Stop!" I heard myself yell. I clutched my head, stumbling here and there as the words continued to plague my mind in never ending echoes. The woman's words dissolved into a painful scream and my mouth opened in a yell as well.

As quickly as it had all started, it stopped. The voices faded away and I fell to my knees, my breathing laboured. Sweat dripped off me as I gathered myself. I tried relaxation techniques that Wu had taught me.

Tears lined my eyes and I realized that I was actually scared. I was shivering, trying to warm myself by wrapping my arms around me. When I settled down, I raised my eyes to the woman who was looking at me casually as if nothing had happened.

The calming way she gazed at me ignited my anger. Regaining my strength, I slammed my palms on the table before me, the cup spilling a few of its contents. "Stop playing games!"

Kioku calmly raised an eyebrow as the winds outside picked up speed, making the old cottage creak and groan. My hands stung from the sudden attack on the table but I didn't care. I gritted my teeth as the intensity of the gale increased, a wailing sound surrounding us.

Kioku raised a finger to her lips, her gaze softening. "Shhh."

I calmed down, decreasing my effort on the wind as the air grew still gradually. "Please," I breathed. "I need your help."

Kioku retrieved the half empty cup and lifted it to my dry lips. "Drink the Tea of Enlightenment," she whispered dreamily, "for it will help you see the truth."

Pushing aside the doubtful possibilities that the tea had been poisoned, I took the cup from the dark skinned woman, blowing over it to cool it down. With shaking hands, I raised the cup and drank the tea inside. It was hot but it didn't burn my tongue nor my throat.

Gulping down the last sip, I licked my lips before replacing the cup back on the table. I waited for Kioku to do something but she simply closed her eyes and folded her hands over one another on her lap. She began muttering strange words which I couldn't make out since my ears were still ringing.

Her eyes flew open and, without giving me a reaction time, she grabbed my hands, holding them tightly in her own and preventing me from escaping her grip.

The same pain from before returned but this time it came slowly, stopping at a bearable level. Instinctively, I closed my eyes as echoes refilled the cavern of my mind. I felt myself furrow my eyebrows as various images sped before my closed eyelids.

Memories.

At first, they were nothing but blurry figures filled with garbled noises zooming by me. Gradually, they slowed down. Not clearly but enough for me to make sense.

I was standing in front of Wu. Pleading. Desperate. Wu looked devastated. Like everything he ever worked for was destroyed.

"I'll train more. Learn more lessons."

"I'm sorry, Morro. Destiny has spoken."

"Then I refuse to listen! I am the Green Ninja! You made me believe!"

I winced at the memory, guilt rushing back to me. The scene dissolved, speeding away before another memory took its place. I was younger, looking down at my hands while a kite lay at my feet. Wu was looking at me with fascination.

"How did you do that?"

"I don't know. I- it just . . . happened!"

"Do you know what you just did, Morro? You controlled the wind!"

"I . . . did?"

"Yes! You are an Elemental Master!"

The memory faded away, rearranging itself into another one. I was sitting at the entrance of an alleyway, curled up into a ball to shield myself against the cold weather. I had ran away from the awful orphanage and decided to survive on my own. Small snowflakes descended from the sky as I shivered uncontrollably. I cringed as my stomach rumbled and growled from hunger.

A well dressed man walked by me, whistling all the while. I saw my chance. I caught up to him, yanking on his sleeve. I asked - no - begged for food, money, help. Anything that could help me live.

The man spat out some nasty words, pushing me to the ground before walking away. I gritted my teeth at the pathetic way I lay there on the freezing sidewalk, helpless.

This memory also sped away replaced by another. I was back in the orphanage. The other kids were bullying me. Teasing me. Calling me names. They had found me a few days ago. I couldn't remember anything. Nothing at all.

"What's my name?"

"The man that brought you here mentioned that you said it was Morro before you lost consciousness."

"Morro?"

"Yes."

They called me Morro and that was who I had been from that day. The memory vanished and in its place arrived chilling darkness. Memories still zoomed in front of me but I couldn't see anything. A few words emerged from here and there before stopping again.

I knew what was happening. These were the memories that I had forgotten. I never remembered anything before my time at the orphanage. Silence continued for a while before the same woman's voice filled the air.

"Don't speak. Don't make a sound."

"Don't come out until I tell you to, okay?"

"No matter what happens, stay quiet and stay hidden.

"Promise me, Moroku! Promise me!"

I began to get dizzy. I wanted this to stop. I wanted to reach out to the woman and tell her to stop saying those things.

"Promise me, Moroku! Promise me!"

Her scream from before resounded mixed with the wails of a baby, making my ears bleed. In the horrible screeches, I heard a child sobbing quietly.

"Mama . . ."

⟨--❇️--⟩

Aaron ran into his house, locking the door behind him. He peaked out the window to see the rest of the villagers dashing into their homes as well. He quickly drew the curtains and ran through his house, calling for his wife.

"Asami! Asami!"

He threw open the door to his room to find it empty. Beads of sweat dotted his forehead as he ran through the hall to the room at the far end, yanking open the door violently.

He gave a relieved sigh as he saw his wife there safe and sound, putting his four year-old son to sleep while his infant daughter napped in a cot in the corner. She turned her head to look at her husband who was trying to slow down his breathing.

"Aaron?" She spoke, running her fingers through her son's dark hair. "What's the matter?"

"Serpentine!" he exclaimed, rushing forwards and pulling his wife to her feet. "A battalion of Anacondrai warriors on the east of the village!"

Asami's expression changed to that of fear as she contemplated what her husband had just said. "We should leave," she whispered.

Aaron shook his head, quickly denying the suggestion. "We won't be able to leave in time. They'll be here any minute!"

His eyes roamed to the green streak running down Asami's black hair before going over to the same feature highlighted in his son. "They're obviously here for you," Aaron muttered, slightly shaking Asami's shoulders. "Or more likely, for Moroku."

At the mention of her son's name, Asami's eyes widened. She freed herself from her husband's grasp and dashed to the boy's side. Moroku jerked awake at the touch of his mother who wrapped her arms around him protectively.

"What do they want with him?" Asami demanded, pulling the boy close. "I'm the one with powers."

Aaron winced as the baby girl began to get restless. Her high pitched cries sounded and her little arms and legs began flailing. The father rushed to calm the baby, cradling her and jiggling her up and down.

"No, you're not," Aaron huffed, swinging the baby in his arms to rock her to sleep. He sat down on the bed next to his wife and son, already feeling drained. "Moroku has your element, remember? He used it the other day."

Asami whimpered, tightening her arms around her child. She was shivering all over, the possibility of anything unpleasant happening to her children eliciting sobs from her. The boy looked up at his mother, his eyes registering signs of fear.

"Mama, why are you crying?" he murmured, patting his mother's arm with his small hand. Asami gazed at him and opened her mouth to speak - instead she jumped as a scream sounded outside.

"They're here!" Aaron mumbled, standing up so quickly that the baby stirred from her sleep, threatening to start crying once more. However, Asami was quick to act.

"Give me Mina." She lifted her daughter from her husband's hold and pulled her son out of bed. She shrank back into a corner of the room as loud shouts came from outside followed by booming voices.

Aaron ordered Asami to hide with the kids while he would stall the Anacondrais' advance towards their house. This was met with protests from his wife but they didn't have much of a choice.

As Aaron exited through the front door, Asami dragged Moroku through the house, making her way to the kitchen. She plopped Mina on the table before rushing over to the steps that led down into the pantry.

As quickly as she could, she tugged at the stone tile with all the strength she could muster. She sighed gratefully as the surface of the step finally came off. It revealed a hidden compartment underneath with enough space for three people to hide in.

"Don't speak. Don't make a sound," Asami instructed her son as she helped him into the small room. Mina was getting restless once more but she was forgotten for the time being.

Moroku looked scared and confused at the mess of occurrences that were happening and he tightly wrapped his tiny hand around his mother's shaking one. "Mama, what's happening?" he whispered.

"Don't come out until I tell you to, okay?" Asami asserted, holding her son's cheeks. They felt cold under her touch and she wanted nothing more than to comfort him and warm him up.

But there was no time.

Asami gasped as she heard the rough voices of the snake warriors approach close to their house. She could only hope that her husband was okay and that he could stall them a little longer.

"Mama?" Moroku spoke a little louder, sounding petrified.

"No matter what happens, stay quiet and stay hidden," Asami whispered, ignoring Moroku's eyes which were now moist with tears.

"But Mama-"

"Do you promise me?" Asami spoke, not listening to her son once again. She gazed into his eyes, silently screaming at him to seal the pact. "If you love me then you have to promise me."

Moroku was shaking at this point. His sister's cries and the loud voices from outside were mixed with his mother's terrifying whispers which begged him to make a promise that he didn't fully understand.

Asami shook him, desperate for his response. If there was one thing Moroku never broke it was a promise. All she wanted was an agreement from him and everything else would be fine. "Promise me, Moroku! Promise me!"

The boy jumped as a loud crack resounded from somewhere. He knew what it was though. Whoever his mother was hiding him from, they were now breaking down their door. Mina's shrill voice was like a warning siren now that time was being wasted. Moroku knew what he had to do.

"I p-promise."

That was it. For a fleeting moment, the boy saw relief pass across his mother's face. With tears streaming down her cheeks, she pressed her lips on his head before covering up the hole with the step once more.

Moroku was now in complete darkness. He wrapped his fingers around his mouth to keep himself from even squeaking in fear. He winced as he heard the wooden front door finally break open with a booming thud.

He had this sinking feeling that his mother and sister had failed to find a hiding spot and they were now fully exposed to the perpetrators. He didn't know where his father even was. He never got to say good bye to him.

He could hear voices outside. His mother was arguing with someone. Mina's cries were still shrieking through the banter. The voices became louder and louder as if they all had come into the kitchen in search of Moroku. But he was quiet and he was hidden. Just like his mother told him to be.

Nothing but an incredibly low whimper escaped his lips as his mother's screams of agony ripped the silence that had reigned for only a minute. A gruff voice spat out some ugly words which made Moroku sick to the stomach. His mother's yells brought him nothing but pain.

Moroku's legs gave way and he collapsed to the ground on his knees as Mina's bawling voice stopped abruptly as if someone had . . .

His horrifying thoughts were confirmed as his mother let out a shriek just seconds after Mina had been silenced. Then she was dealt with in the same way.

Silence.

Moroku had his eyes shut tight as his inner self tore at him to stop hiding. To go out and help his mother and sister from more torture. To surrender himself to the beasts so that they would stop their savagery. But his mother's whispers echoed in his mind.

He had promised her to not come out unti she said so. Was she even around to say anything at all? Minutes passed and still there was nothing but silence, punctuated with the far off screams of the other villagers.

Minutes turned to hours and Moroku had finally dozed off under the influence of his mother's whispers. Those four sentences that he would never forget.

"Don't speak. Don't make a sound."

"Don't come out until I tell you to, okay?"

"No matter what happens, stay quiet and stay hidden.

"Promise me, Moroku! Promise me!"

He jostled awake and found himself still in the same hole his mother had hidden him in. He wasn't sure how much time had passed but something told him that the coast was clear and that he could finally be free. His mother hadn't yet bade him to emerge from hiding but enough was enough.

He climbed out.

He searched for his family.

But there was nothing . . . .

. . . nothing but bodies and blood.

He gagged as the air laced with iron reached his nose and his eyes saw red. Red. So much red. It was everywhere. Over his mother, his sister, the floor.

He ran out, almost fainting, and perceived the same thing. Dead bodies everywhere. He saw a few of his friends, the baker from down the street, his neighbours and in the midst of all this death, his father, lying still and gazing blankly up at the heavens.

He ran.

Deeper into the nearby forest. He stumbled over fallen logs and tripped over tree roots. His foot got stuck in a ditch. He tripped and fell over. The smell of the damp soil filled his nose. He got up and, not waiting to dust himself, continued his chase for help.

Suddenly, his small foot slipped on the wet grass and he went tumbling down a slope. He cried out in pain every time his body hit the ground. Dirt and grit filled his eyes as he continued to descend.

As he fell, his head hit something hard. He stopped rolling and fell face-first onto the level ground at the end of the slope. There was a ringing in his ears as the blurry world was spinning uncontrollably. Something wet and sticky was trickling down the side of his head.

"Oh My Dragon! What has happened?!"

Moroku attempted painfully to look around for the source of the voice but the person who had spoken had reached him and was holding him in his arms.

"Oh no! You're bleeding!"

Moroku coughed and gagged and tried to look up at the blurry outline of a man.

"What's your name, kid?"

He tried to speak out but the effort was too hard. He couldn't say a single word.

"Your name, what is it?!"

The man's voice sounded distant and strangely echoed. He could feel himself getting weaker. Darkness was emerging from the corners of his eyes.

"Mor...mor-o...." he managed to whisper. His head felt light as consciousness left him. The darkness took over and the pain vanished as his body went limp.

~~~

The next thing he knew, he woke up in an orphanage with a severe head injury . . . .

⟨--❇️--⟩

I said nothing. I just sat there motionless as the memory faded away and the last pang of guilt tore through my heart. Kioku let go of my hands and I noticed that they were shaking like they had never done before.

That stupid tea had sure worked its magic. It made me see, hear, feel everything. It was as if I had lived through it all once more. I now remember everything that had happened that day.

I knew who I was now. Who I used to be. I was a coward. Nothing but a spoiled little coward who couldn't save his family. I didn't care if I was only four at that time. I should've done something. Why was I such a goodie-good brat that I never dared to break that promise?

I could've climbed out sooner. I could've given myself to the Anacondrai warriors. I could've saved my family, my friends, my village. I could've prevented them from harming my mother, father and sister.

Sister. I had a sister. I was an older brother. I had a family that gave up their lives for my useless one. I couldn't even break a dumb promise. How could anyone expect me to be someone as powerful as the Green Ninja then?

A tear escaped the confines of my eyes but I made no movements to wipe it away. I was angry. I was furious. I would make my own destiny. I would force destiny to make me the Green Ninja. I would show the world that I wasn't weak.

Most people lose everything because they break promises. I lost everything because I kept mine.

But now I know that if given the chance, this world would stop at nothing to tear you apart. But not me. I didn't need anyone. I was perfectly capable of doing everything on my own. No one was better than me.

Through all these swirling thoughts, I heard Kioku's mumbled and unimportant whisper. "No charge."

That was one thing in my favour at least. I thanked her, almost sounding like a zombie while doing so. I left her house in search of my new destination. The tomb of the First Spinjitzu Master.

Moroku was gone. He died that day with his family. He was no more. His promises had led him to his doom. I, however, was going to make things right. I decided to make one last promise as Moroku. A promise that I would never break.

I made my way down to Zukana, not paying attention to anything. It was as if I was still in a trance caused by Kioku's unusual talents. I decided to replenish myself with food and rest before starting out on my journey. A journey that would change my life and who I was.

I would avenge them all. That was a promise.

⟨--❇️--⟩

Wow, this was looooooonnnnngggg!
And I'm very tired now. I'm going to take a nap and maybe study a little after that. Gotta keep up with school too, y'know.

Bye-bye!