Chapter One - A String of Lives

Garmadon ran a hand through his graying hair, allowing it to slowly fall back into place. His hands were shaking ever so slightly as nerves ran throughout his body. He breathed out slowly.

The ship swayed rhythmically along with the waves, a flow he'd more than grown accustomed to. The floorboards beneath him felt alive, and he welcomed the feeling. Land had always felt far too dead for his taste.

He stepped towards a small window, his gray eyes searching the horizon. When they settled upon the small island his heart couldn't help but jolt. After years of staying as far away as he could from Ninjago, today fate had drawn him back, as he knew someday it would.

He had no plans of confronting his family. Although he wished to see his son more than anything, Garmadon didn't trust himself to go anywhere near him. If he spotted his former wife and his brother together once more, he couldn't promise to walk away without inflicting some damage.

The memory of them still burned him with a brief flash of anger, but he nudged it away. No, he wasn't here for revenge.

He was here for treasure. Or, to be more specific, a map to it. He'd followed the myth of a certain magic lamp for as long as he could remember. The thought of acquiring anything he could ever wish for was a far sweeter prize than the gold coins and jewels he had collected over the years.

There was a soft knock on the door to his cabin. "Come in."

The door swung open, revealing a young man with broad shoulders and thick black hair. Cole Brookstone. The youngest member of his mismatched group of pirates, and surprisingly enough, the one who'd spent the most time by Garmadon's side.

"Captain," Cole nodded his head in Garmadon's direction, before stepping inside. "I assume you've already spotted the island. If we stay in place for now I doubt your brother will be able to spot us."

"Good." Garmadon spat the word, overflowing with bitter jealousy at the life his brother now led. Leader of Ninjago's guard, spending his days in one of the island's most luxurious mansions. The captain clenched his fists. "The last thing I want is to deal with him."

"No offense intended, Captain, but. . . If you don't want to start any issues with your brother, why are we heading back to Ninjago? What kind of treasure are we after, and is it worth returning?"

"If it wasn't, we wouldn't be returning now, would we?" Garmadon shook his head, then turned back to face the window. "I promise you, Cole, this treasure is worth more than all others. It'll all make sense tonight, after we retrieve the map."

"The map, yes," Cole said, giving a small nod. He didn't like the strange obsessive look embedded in his captain's eye, but Cole knew trying to persuade Garmadon to chase after a different treasure would be futile. "Where exactly should we search for it?"

"A blacksmith shop. The Four Weapons," Garmadon said. "If what our good friend Captain Soto said is true, that's where it will be hidden."

"Understood," Cole responded, and committed the information to memory.

"And Cole?"

"Yes, sir?"

"Perhaps it would be better for you to search for the map alone. Take a boat to the island. I would really prefer to leave no evidence we were here. My brother would no doubt try to chase after us relentlessly if he knew where we were."

Cole nodded again, then proceeded to step out of the room. Questions plagued his mind, but he knew Garmadon would provide no further information. Cole had no choice but to wait for tonight.

Just as he would have no choice but to step onto the island himself and retrieve the map. Ten years ago, he'd vowed never to return to the island, deciding instead to pledge allegiance to the first man with a ship he stumbled upon. Getting as far away from home as he possibly could had been the only thought on his mind.

It all felt silly now. He'd been nothing more than a raged filled teenager, making rash decisions out of nothing but a bumbling wave of feelings. For a couple of months after sailing alongside his new captain, Cole bounced around the idea of returning home.

But now, too much time had passed. Cole's father had surely forgotten the trouble-making son he'd never quite gotten along with.

"Hey, Cole." An annoying sounding voice rattled through Cole's ear, pulling him away from his thoughts. "Isn't this island where you and the cap'n first met?"

Cole rolled his eyes, turning away from the view of the island to face the scrawny man behind him instead. Most of his blonde hair had been shaved as close to his skull as possible, aside for a line of spiked hairs centered on his head, making a line from the front of it to the back. A dirtied eyepatch covered an empty socket where his right eye had once been.

"I'm surprised you finally managed to remember something other than your name, Nuckal," Cole said.

"I remember lots of things," Nuckal responded.

"But yes, that's where we met."

"Not excited about heading back home, are you?" Another man piped in. Although still as thin and tall as Nuckal, an air of confidence made him seem both taller and stronger. Scars lined his face here and there, but both of his eyes were perfectly intact. "Wonder what's gotten into the captain. We've been sailing as far from Ninjago as we possibly could for years. And now we're sailing right back? Think he's finally going to murder his brother?"

"Hi, Kruncha," Nuckal said with a smile, showing off his yellowing teeth.

Kruncha opted to ignore him, focusing instead on Cole's words.

"No," Cole shook his head. "Captain doesn't want him knowing we're here. He actually wants me to go in alone."

"What? We're low on supplies. We should be docking somewhere soon."

"His orders, not mine," Cole shrugged. "We should probably try to anchor the ship now. They're bound to spot the ship. I'll be rowing the rest of the way there."

"Bring us something," Nuckal said.

"Suit yourself," Kruncha muttered.

Cole stepped away from the two men and began to shout orders throughout the ship. With only a soft breeze rolling through, bringing the ship to a stop was simple enough. Plopping a rowboat into the water was even easier. And moving the boat forward with rhythmic strokes wasn't anywhere near a challenge.

But the further the ship became and the closer the island grew, the more difficult it became to move forward. Cole's mind grew heavy and his stomach began to churn without rest. He truly did not want to step foot in Ninjago. Not with the possibility of running into his father hanging dangerously low above his head.

"It'll be night," Cole said to himself. "The chances of you meeting him then are-"

"Hey! Oh! Hey! Please look over here!"

Cole jolted, his head quickly snapping towards the unexpected voice. There hadn't been any boats nearby, and the island was far enough for it to be implausible for someone to swim this far. No one should be within earshot.

And yet, someone was.

The shouting man waved one of his arms frantically, even when it was obvious he'd gotten Cole's attention. With his other arm, he clutched a piece of wood tightly. "I can't believe there's someone here!"

"Me. . . either," Cole blinked slowly, taking in the sight before him. The man was surrounded by both pieces of wood and cloth. His hair was an auburn shade, looking almost red in the sunlight. Bright blue eyes matched the ocean around him. "What are you. . . doing?"

"Oh, it's. . . well, uh, just testing an. . . invention." With every word, the man's expression changed. His free arm had finally stopped waving, and now served as a way for the man to accentuate his words. "Can you please help? I just need to get back to the island. I don't really want to drown. Name's Jay by the way. But yeah. Please help?"

"My name is Cole," Cole responded, for lack of anything more to say. He helped Jay onto the boat. Confusion was more than obvious in his eyes.

Jay chose to ignore this. He didn't really feel like explaining the odds and ends of his failed invention. First, he didn't think Cole would understand. Second, if Cole did happen to understand, Jay didn't want anyone else stealing his ideas.

"So why are you-"

Jay waved off the question. "Just an accident. Nothing too bad. Obviously, seeing how I'm still alive and all, but, this is a bit far from the island. Why are you here?"

Cole's eyes shifted, and Jay instantly realized whatever was about to come out of Cole's mouth would be a lie. "Just fishing."

"Without any fishing gear?"

"How about this," Cole's gaze was rather intimidating, and Jay found himself scooting as far back as the small boat would allow. "You don't ask any more questions, and I don't throw you off the boat."

"That seems. . . fair."

The rest of the way back to the island was spent in awkward silence, and Jay was more than eager to jump back to the island and step as far away from Cole as he could. After waving a final good-bye, one that Cole did not return, Jay headed deeper into the island.

By now most of his clothes had begun to dry, but he could imagine he was still quite a sight to see. He tried his best to ignore the glares of those around him, heading forward with as much fake confidence as he could muster.

Jay headed into a small blacksmith shop, located in the town's plaza. As soon as he stepped inside, a young woman looked up from her job. She set aside the sword she'd been molding and gave Jay a somewhat mocking smile. As she walked, her short blacked hair bounced around her.

"You know Jay, you're not supposed to jump into the ocean fully clothed. I'm pretty sure you're at least supposed to take your shoes off."

Jay looked down at his boots and realized he'd ruined yet another pair. "Hi to you too, Nya."

"So what was it this time?"

"Top secret actually." Jay looked up at Nya, feeling a light blush spread across his cheeks when he realized how close she was standing.

"Ah, I see. Another invention then. Didn't go well I'm guessing." Nya smiled, enjoying the red tint spread throughout Jay's cheeks.

The blush deepened. "Well, I wouldn't say failed I just, I mean-"

"Sorry, I'm just messing with you."

Nya laughed, then her eyes locked on someone behind Jay. Her brother. He was quickly approaching the shop, a bundle of materials hanging in a pack strapped to his back. "Ah, well, looks like Kai's back."

"Kai," Jay echoed, taking a couple of steps away from Nya in a comically frantic manner. Nya couldn't help it. She laughed again.

"I'll see you later then?" she asked, knowing Kai didn't exactly enjoy Jay's company. Something to do with her brother's idiotic over protectiveness. As if she couldn't take care of herself. And as if Jay was capable of causing anyone any harm.

"Yeah, later." Jay nodded, then quickly disappeared into the mess of people. Once he was completely out of sight Nya returned her gaze to her brother, just in time to watch him stroll into the shop.

"Saw you talking to that guy again," Kai said, letting the pack slide down from his back. "Hope it didn't distract you too much from your job."

"I'm done with all our orders, thanks. And I can talk to anyone I want as far as I know."

"Sure," Kai shrugged. "Just not him. He's weird."

Nya rolled her eyes. "So are you ready to make the delivery? Or are you going to wait for Admiral Wu to come down here and pick them up himself?"

Kai scowled. "I'm ready. Where's the sword?"

"All packed up and waiting to be delivered." Nya reached for a long black box behind her, carefully handing it over to Kai.

Kai took the box from his sister, slowly lifting the lid to reveal the sword inside. It was perfect. Not that he'd expected any less from his sister. A pang of jealousy flitted through him. Nya was a wonderful blacksmith. Kai, on the other hand, was not. "Looks alright."

"Just alright? I spent a week on it, you know."

Kai shrugged. "I'll be back then."

Nya sighed. Part of Kai wanted to praise her, but the other part was a mix of jealousy and pride, keeping him from doing anything more than walking away.

The Admiral's house was a bit of a trip from the town. By the time Kai reached the entrance gates he was covered in a coat of sweat, and the sun was beginning to lower. There was a guard standing stiffly by the gate, his gaze focused on the horizon.

Kai smiled. He'd had a few interactions with the guard before. Although he was a bit stiff and awkward, the man had a kind heart. "Hello, Zane."

Zane blinked, then directed his gaze towards the man before him. "Oh, hello, Kai. You are a bit late. I believe the Admiral is getting ready for dinner now."

"I just wanted to make sure I got this to him today." Kai showed Zane the sword. The guard gently took it from Kai's hands.

"I do not think I can let you in at this hour, but I will deliver it."

"Thank you," Kai nodded. "I'll. . . see you around then."

Zane nodded his head.

As Kai walked away, Zane took a closer look at the sword. It was well crafted, and he could tell there had been much improvement from the last one the Admiral had ordered. Closing the box, Zane headed inside the gate, making sure to lock it behind him.

He moved forward with purpose and speed, not wanting to leave the gate unguarded for long. Zane doubted any of the villagers would attempt to harm the Admiral, as he was very well liked throughout the island, but Zane wanted to do his job as a guard as best as he could.

After all, Zane owed everything to the Admiral.

Zane didn't remember much of his past. He only remembered being lost on the island, wandering around without any purpose. Soon enough, he was found by the Admiral, who took him under his wing without any questions. Since that day, Zane had found a purpose. Protect the Admiral at any cost.

As Zane headed towards the dining room, he froze in his tracks before colliding with a woman as he turned the corner.

Quickly, Zane bowed his head. "Lady Misako."

"Zane."

"There was a delivery. For the Admiral. A new sword." Zane held out the box.

Misako took the box, her green eyes running down the length of it. A frown of disapproval tugged at her features. "Thank you, Zane. I'll let him know. You can go back to your post."

"Yes." Zane bowed his head once more, before turning on his heels and heading out the door. Misako turned the opposite way, heading towards the dining room. The door squeaked as she stepped inside, and the eyes of the Admiral quickly locked onto her.

"You received a delivery," Misako said, placing the box on the table. "Another sword? And for what, exactly? You have more than plenty of weapons in this house, Wu."

"Ah," Wu said, eyeing the box, but refraining from reaching towards it. "It's been quite a while since I ordered a new one. It's always good to be ready with the best."

"Ready? Ready for what?" Misako asked, although she knew the answer. Ready for Garmadon. Then man she'd thought she loved. The man who now rampaged throughout the seven seas. "You're still afraid of him, aren't you? Afraid he'll come and take revenge on you? It's been ten years. He. . . He isn't coming back."

Misako's voice wavered, and Wu lowered his eyes. Of course he still feared his brother. The family Wu had found himself part of had been Garmadon's first. Wu feared every single day. Feared the moment when it would all be snatched away from him.

He cleared his throat, pushing away the fears, and opting to change the topic. "And Lloyd? Isn't he coming to dinner?"

Misako sighed, slumping down on the closest chair. "No. He's still upset. Maybe you shouldn't have spoken of your plans to capture Garmadon in front of him. Regardless of anything, he's Lloyd's father, Wu."

"Yes. And he is a criminal as well." Wu shook his head. "But I see your point. I will apologize next time he is willing to see me."

"You should take him some dinner," Misako urged, pushing what would have been Lloyd's plate towards him. "I've already tried to talk with him, but you should too."

"Alright." Wu stood, picking up the plate on his way out of the room.

Three sets of stairs. Wu's legs felt weak, but Lloyd had demanded the highest room in the mansion. In order to get a better view of the ocean, Lloyd had claimed it.

Wu knew just who the young boy was waiting to see.

Although Lloyd couldn't have possibly remembered anything about his father, the boy was obsessed with him. Anything and everything that could possibly be known about Garmadon was known by Lloyd. Stories, rumors, news. . . the boy knew it all.

"Lloyd?" Wu knocked on the door softly. "I brought you dinner. I was hoping we could talk."

On the other side of the room, Lloyd sat by the window. A spyglass was pressed against his eye as he scanned the horizon. "I don't want to talk to you. And you're never going to capture my dad. You'll die trying, probably."

Lloyd stared at the door, wishing his uncle would respond. Willing for Wu to snap, to fight, to do something. But as always, only a soft sigh could be heard.

"Well, your dinner is here, if you want it." Lloyd heard a plates set down gently on the floor by his door. Then footsteps, heading further and further away.

Instead of heading for the food, Lloyd returned to looking out the window. He wasn't interested in eating. Not now. Not when he'd found something much more interesting.

A ship, barely visible against the horizon.