It's been 2 years since Master Wu has gone missing, 1 year since Lloyd and Aria broke up. The two haven't seen each other since that night, but they've been keeping themselves busy. During the Dragon Day celebration in downtown Ninjago City, six masked members of the Sons of Garmadon infiltrate Borg Tower and steal the Oni Mask of Vengeance.

While leaving, they are confronted by Lloyd, who fights and overpowers three of them and manages to get one of them arrested. However, Mr. E manages to escape with the Oni Mask after a big chase in Lloyd's Ninja Nightcrawler, causing Lloyd to tell P.I.X.A.L. it was time to get the crew back together.

The other Ninja are on various missions around Ninjago. Nya is dealing with a group of samurais in a valley, Cole and Jay are searching for Master Wu at an ancient temple, and Kai and Zane are battling the Mechanic.

The Ninja eventually grouped up where Lloyd joins them.

"Hey, there he is. You're late" Kai called out

"Kai was late too, if it is any consolation" Zane comments

"Thanks for meeting me here. It's been a while since we've all been under one roof" Lloyd says in a deeper more mature voice, Nya giggles while Cole nudges Jay. Lloyd looks confused "What?"

"Are we gonna talk about it?" Jay asks

"Talk about what?" Lloyd questions

Cole smiled "Your voice, it's—"

Zane changed to a deep voice "Lower"

"Sounds like our little Ninja's growing up" Kai laughs

"well I am 18" Lloyd says

"Yeah leave him alone" Nya sighs "Any word from your mother?"

"Not since she went searching for Master Wu. I don't know where she is" Lloyd replies

"She'll come back, Lloyd. And so will Wu. What about Aria have you heard from her?" Cole asked

Lloyd shook his head "Not everyone comes back, Cole. But that isn't why I called you here. I called you because of this" He shows them the logo he saw on the parachute.

"Your father? Lord Garmadon?" Cole questions

Lloyd nods "After poking around, I've learned it's the symbol to—"

"The Sons of Garmadon. A mysterious criminal syndicate growing prominent in Ninjago City" Zane answers

Lloyd sighs "Seventy two hours ago, they stole a powerful relic from Cyrus Borg. Some mask—"

Hutchins walks in "Not some mask. The Oni Mask. There are only three in existence."

"Whoa, I'm confused. How can there be three masks when you just said it's the only mask?" Jay questions

"Not only, Jay. Oni." Nya clarifies

"The Oni are said to be all-powerful beings. Demons that predate Ninjago" Zane informs them

"Each mask embodies one of the three Oni warlords. If all three masks are united, whomever owns them will wield tremendous power" Hutchins explains

"Ninja, this is Mr. Hutchins. Master at Arms and Counsel to the Royal Family" Lloyd introduces "I've asked him here"

"Let me guess, they have an Oni Mask too" Kai says

"Two? Now there's two?" Jay questions and Nya covers his mouth.

"The Emperor will be delivering a public speech finalizing the signing of the peace treaty between Ninjago and the Dark Lord tomorrow, and I'm worried the Sons of Garmadon may try to steal the mask" Hutchins tells them

"wait their's gonna be a peace treaty between us and the dark lord?" Lloyd asks surprised

"yes" Hutchins answers

"That means Aria right?" Lloyd asks looking at Cole

"yeah, she's been telling me about it for weeks" Cole tells him

"Nobody tells me anything anymore" Lloyd mumbles

"We could use your assistance, that is, if you can keep a low profile" Hutchins adds

"We are Ninja. No one will know we are there" Zane answers

"Just let us know where and when" Lloyd says

-

"Are you sure you can handle this on your own?" Overlord asks

"Yes papa" Aria replies as she's finishing her makeup

"I can come with you if you can't you know" Overlord says "I trust that you'll be able to do it, i just worry you might intimidate them too much"

Aria giggles "Well I am the Dark Lord, they should fear me"

"You are right on that" Overlord sighs "just remember this treaty is important for the plan"

"I know" Aria stands up "don't worry"

"I'm sure I don't have to" Overlord smiles

Aria and her father walk out of her room and head into the main room where the special guards in white suits were standing.

"Vampire knights, let's move" Aria commands as she walks past them

"Yes ma'am" her guards reply and follow her with Kaname and Hanabusa beside her

Hanabusa opens the car door as Kaname helps Aria in. The guards then get in their own cars and head out to Ninjago.

-

The Ninja hide while the Emperor delivered his speech.

"As many of you know, my family has kept a private life. We aren't interested in meddling with current affairs. But as crime has risen, so has our concern. So it is time to step out of the shadows, and into the light."

"I don't like this one bit. If the Royal Family likes their privacy, why give such a public speech?" Nya comments

"I think it's nice. They're reaching out to the people" Jay says

"Why all the hate sis? You just don't like getting gussied up" Kai jokes

Nya glares at him "All that gold and glitter is for show. The Royal Family are figure heads. They don't have any real power, what purpose do they have?"

"Their purpose is to be protected, as do all of our traditions" Zane replies before looking at Lloyd "I believe Master Lloyd has spotted something of interest"

They see Lloyd staring at the princess.

"Looks like he's got an eye for the Princess" Kai says

"I guess green is her favorite color" Jay snickers

"You do know I can hear you, right?" Lloyd says "The Emperor is almost finished. Let's just do our job"

"...and so that is why we have invited the Overlord and current ruler of the Shadowlands here, to create peace between our kingdoms and an alliance. Please welcome the current Dark Lord, Princess Aria of the Shadowlands" The Emperor finishes

Everyone makes a path as a group of people in white suits walk through.

"those are Aria's private guards, they're vampires" Cole explains

"Like real life vampires" Jay gulps

"yeah I've seen them before" Lloyd says

"and there's the Dark Lord herself" Kai points out

The ninja turn their attention to the scene, in the middle of the guards stood Aria walking down.

Lloyd stares at her looking completely entranced.

"earth to Lloyd" Cole waves his hand in front of his face "you're staring at your ex girlfriend a bit too much"

"huh" Lloyd looks at them "come on guys, am I not allowed to appreciate her beauty still.."

"such a simp" Nya mutters turning her attention back to the event

Aria stood next to the royal family with her guards around for protection and everyone bows to the royalty.

"Be on the lookout" Lloyd spots a balloon with the Sons of Garmadon logo

They hear popping sounds and the crowd panics. Lloyd tackles the Princess to the ground while Hutchins did the same for the Emperor and Empress, Aria's guard's eyes all glowed red as Aria stood there calmly with her arms crossed.

"Is the threat clear?" Lloyd asks into his com

Nya sees firecrackers going off. "Huh. Firecrackers. False alarm"

Lloyd stood up and helps the princess up.

Aria turns to the Emperor "Is this some form of joke?"

"No of course not Princess" the Emperor replies "I will explain in full, you have my word"

"hm" Aria turns her head back to her guards

"Hey" Lloyd walks over to her "I don't know what you're planning Aria, but it's not funny"

"whatever do you mean?" Aria asks innocently

"The Sons of Garmadon" Lloyd replies "I know you're behind this somehow, their's no coincidence that you just happen to have a peace treaty with Ninjago shortly after the Oni Masks were found"

"think whatever you wish Lloydie" Aria says before her guards escort her away

Hutchins walks over "You protected the Royal Family. You have their gratitude. You are invited to be their guests in the palace"

The ninja all head down to Lloyd.

"Heh. No one ever gets invited into the palace. Are you sure they meant us?" Jay asks

"It's just a palace. Once you've seen one, you've seen them all" Nya replies

"We'd be honored" Lloyd bows

The Emperor, Empress, princess, and Aria head inside the palace. Later that night, the Ninja enter the palace.

"Welcome to the Royal Palace, also known as the Palace of Secrets" Hutchins says

"Ooh, why do they call it the Palace of Secrets?" Kai asks

"If I were to tell you that, then it wouldn't be a secret now, would it?" Hutchins replies opening the doors

The Ninja, except Nya, gasps in awe.

"Hmph. Too much gold in my opinion" Nya says unimpressed

They entered the throne room where the royal family is with Aria. The Emperor, Empress, and Princess were sitting on their thrones while Aria was sitting in her own throne.

"I present to you the exalted Emperor and Empress of Ninjago, their daughter the Jade Princess, Princess Harumi, and the Dark Lord from the neighboring kingdom, Princess Aria"

"We are honored by your presence" The Emperor says

"The honor is all ours" Lloyd replies as he and the ninjas bow

Harumi looks excited "I have read much about you. Your heroics will surely become legend. Kai, the hothead who acts without question. Cole, the rock and foundation of the team. Jay, the joker whose mouth is as fast as lightning. Zane, the cold and calculating android-"

Zane smiles "Nindroid, your highness"

"Nya, the girl... the girl I've wanted to be ever since I first heard about her. With her mastery of Water and her skill that could rival any master" Harumi continues

"I like her" Nya says

"Master Lloyd, the Green Ninja. The youngest but most powerful protector. The chosen one. I too have lost my parents..." Harumi trailed off "...but we're both without family, hm?

"We adopted Harumi and raised her as our own" The Empress explains

"Boohoo" Aria comments from beside them "throw her a pity party why don't ya? My mother was killed when I was 5 and my father was technically killed by the ninja a couple years ago, but i'm not going around whining about it"

"We did not mean anything by it your highness" the Emperor explains "forgive us if we've offended you"

"hm" Aria looks away and whispers something to Kaname who whispers it to Hanabusa who then tells the others

The Emperor sat back down and smiles at the ninja.

"Thank you for inviting us into your home" Lloyd bows again

"It wasn't us. It was our daughter." The Emperor says

The Empress smiles "And she would like you to stay with us, until the threat to our throne is over"

The Emperor sighs "These are troubling times, and as long as we have an Oni Mask, we fear our lives are in jeopardy"

"The masks must never be reunited. Please say yes" Princess Harumi pleads

"Then you have our help" Lloyd answers

The ninja leave the throne room with Lloyd taking a glance at Aria before exiting. He quietly stands outside the door listening in.

"So your highness Princess Aria is a dragon?" the Empress asks

"Yes ma'am" Aria smiles "as you can see I have come in my half form, it's my form used in my kingdom, my horns and tail symbolize that I am the Dark Lord and a dragon"

"I've wondered Princess, why do you go by Dark Lord and not Overlord like your father was?" the Emperor asks

"Well Overlord is what they call him here in Ninjago but back where he was from his name was Svern Lord, which translates to Over Lord in this language" Aria explains

"Where he was from?" Harumi questions

"Yes, my parents weren't born here in Ninjago" Aria smiles "they were born in the realm of the Oni and the Dragons, my mother Layla was an Oni while my father is a Dragon Oni"

"what is a dragon Oni?" Harumi asks

"A dragon Oni is a Oni that's final true form is a dragon, they're incredibly rare and my father's family were the only bloodline to be able to produce Dragon Oni" Aria explains "when I was born I was also blessed with the final form of a Dragon but I was also born with my mother's form as well, so unlike other Oni who can do basic shapeshifting and magic, I can do much more"

"Well we are surely glad to have finally made this peace treaty" the Emperor says nervously

Aria smirks "yes, me as well"