The Bounty sails towards the Kingdom of Shintaro.

"See? I told ya. Amazing!" Jay talks fast in excitement

"I'll admit, I wasn't sure it could live up to the legend, but... it's even more beautiful" Nya agrees in amazement

"The Ivory City of Shintaro. Incredible" Wu says

The Winged Guards of Shintaro land the Destiny's Bounty safely on the Kingdom of Shintaro. The ninja, Aria, and Wu are led by Hailmar to be welcomed to Shintaro by King Vangelis.

Hailmar bows "It is with great honor, King Vangelis, that I present the famed ninja of Ninjago and the right hand of the Empress, Lady Aria"

"Welcome, welcome! I'm most pleased you were able to accept our invitation. It is an honor" King Vangelis bows humbly

"The honor is ours" Wu responds as he, Aria, and the ninja bow as well "Shintaro is beyond anything we imagined"

"I am only a mere figurehead. The citizens of our proud city are the heart of Shintaro" King Vangelis says

The Princess runs in looking excited "Oh, they're here!"

"And please, meet my heart. Her Royal Princess Vania" King Vangelis introduces

"I am such a fan!" Princess Vania shouts excitedly "I've read all about your adventures. It was my idea to invite you to my birthday"

"It's an honor to be here, Princess" Cole responds

"So, is it true you've been to Hiroshi's Labyrinth?" Princess Vania asks

"Affirmative" Zane confirms

"Competed in the Tournament of Elements?" Princess Vania asks

"Oh ho, do we have stories for you" Kai says

Vania gasps "I need to hear them all"

Vangelis and Hailmar land between Vania and the ninja. "You can begin by following me. Tomorrow will be a very busy day for all of us"

Vania looks around them "Cole, the Earth Elemental. What is it like to command the very earth? Is it as fun as it sounds?"

"Yeah, pretty much" Cole says

"Huh. Weird" Jay comments "The Princess seems to like Cole" he looks at Aria "I mean, he's my best friend and all, but Cole?"

"And why are you looking at me?" Aria asks

"Well you're his cousin aren't you? Shouldn't you be be interested?" Jay questions

"But no means am I interested in my braindead of a cousin's love life" Aria crosses her arms "I don't trust anyone here, as far as most people know Cole's the only available ninja other then Lloyd but rumors get around about me and him having an affair apparently.. but we're both single so I don't see how it's an affair. It's just weird how the Princess is interested in Cole"

"Yeah. Weird" Lloyd agrees suspiciously

The ninja are brought to their rooms as Aria stays to speak with the king alone.

"So, the Empress didn't come?" King Vangelis asks

"I'm afraid not your majesty" Aria replies "her highness has only assended to the throne a few months ago, she is far too busy to be able to set foot out of Ninjago right now, she sends her best wishes to her highness Princess Vania"

"Such a shame" King Vangelis grips his throne tightly, unnoticed to the untrained eye "I was looking forward to meeting her"

However, Aria notices "Yes, her as well"

"I hope the Empress will find time to visit soon" King Vangelis says with a fake smile

"I will surely relay your message to her" Aria gives a fake smile as well "your 'Majesty' "

-

Jay yawns "So let me get this straight. You pulled me out of the most luxurious bed ever -"

"It felt like a cloud of warm contentment" Nya interrupts

"-because you saw a creature in your bedroom?" Jay questions

"Yes! I told you, it tried to attack me, and when I fought back, it ran off somewhere! It disappeared. But get this, the weirdest part is that the creature was wearing my mother's necklace!" Cole explains

"Cole, um, are you sure this really happened, like, in reality?" Lloyd questions concerned

"What do you mean?" Cole asks

"I believe he is implying that you were dreaming" Zane explains

"It wasn't a dream! I recognized it right away! It had a picture of my parents inside it!" Cole insisted

"So, where is it?" Nya asks

"Well, I don't have it on me. The creature grabbed it back before he vanished" Cole replies

Kai yawns "Cole, buddy, go back to bed"

"It must have been a dream, Cole. Because I do not recall your mother ever having a locket" Wu says

"She did! I've seen pictures of it. We have to tell King Vangelis!" Cole insists

Lloyd pats his shoulder "Whoa, slow down. It's not that we don't believe you-"

"I don't believe him" Jay says

"We're guests here. We can't wake up the King in the middle of the night." Lloyd says

Cole looks around "But-"

Everyone walks away.

"Cole, go to sleep. We can discuss all of this in the morning, okay?" Wu says before returning to his own room

Cole sighs "Where's Aria.. she'd believe me.. I know she would"

"What's that Aunt Lily?" The little 3 year old Aria asks

"This" Lily holds up her locket "is a locket"

"A locket?" Aria tilts her head in confusion

"Yeah mom wears it all the time" little Cole says "it has a picture of her and dad in it"

"How come?" Aria asks

"Well, to keep those important close to my heart of course" Lily pinches Aria and Cole's noses "soon I'm gonna have your pictures in it too, my darling son and niece, cause you're important to me"

Cole and Aria look at each other and smile.

"I want a locket" Aria says

"Hm? Do you want to put your mom and dad's pixture in it?" Lily asks with a smile

"Hmm" Aria thinks for a bit "nope"

"Huh?" Cole looks confused "who's picture would you put in it?"

"My best friend of course, cause he's really important like mama and papa" Aria smiles "I'm gonna put a picture of me and Llo-"

Cole is brought of his thoughts when he notices a shadow following him and he catches them.

"Ha! Got you now, you little purple-" Cole sees that it was Princess Vania "Oh, Princess Vania? Oh wow, sorry! I thought you were someone else, I swear!"

"It's ok" Vania says with a smile "I heard what you said back there. About the little purple creature"

"Oh, great. Another person thinks I'm imagining things" Cole looks down

"Oh, I don't think that at all" Vania says

"You don't?" Cole questions confused

"When I was a child, I thought I had an imaginary friend. A little purple creature who used to follow me around. Now, I'm starting to wonder if my imaginary friend was a real friend. Follow me. This way!" Vania takes Cole to the palace gardens

"Here. This is where Mr. Sparkles and I used to play. Hmm, that's what I called him. All the adults insisted I dreamed him up in my head, but I swear, he used to come right up out of there" Vania points to a small opening "There used to be some mines under the city, but my father ordered them all covered up for the public's safety."

"Mines?" Cole asks

"Long ago, before my people settled here, there was an older city run by the super evil sorcerer, who built tunnels, and mines, and dungeons deep in the mountain. He's gone now, but the dungeons are still there, so my father forbade anyone from entering them. It's too dangerous" Vania explains

"Look, Princess. Forbidden or not, I have to find out how my mom's necklace ended up with that purple dude" Cole says

"Okay, I'm in" Vania pulls out two torches

Cole looks confused "Are those- where did you-"

"Always onward, the adventurer's motto" Vania says excitedly

Cole looks around "If the King finds out-"

"I'm not some small child anymore. I'm old enough to decide things on my own" Vania defends

"Well, in that case..." Cole uses his Earth Punch to remove the bars of the opening, and they enter "Always onward and into the mines of an evil sorcerer"

The begin walking.

"I remember so many incredible stories about the evil sorcerer told by candlelight" Vania says "He was called Hazza D'ur. Isn't that creepy? People had weird names back then, I guess. And he had all these evil powers and - oh look! Train tracks. I wonder where those go"

They follow the tracks and arrive at a dead end.

"Uh, let's take the other tunnel" Cole turns around

"So anyway" Vania continues "A long, long, long time ago, the evil sorcerer was vanquished, and they say his bones are still down here in this mountain somewhere. Maybe we'll see them. Wouldn't that be great?"

"Uh, yeah. Great" Cole says unsure

They come upon an active mine where they watched some creatures mining, supervised by Re-Awakened.

"Oh, my. Look at all these creatures! Those look just like Mr. Sparkles!" Vania points out

"Yeah. And just like the one that was in my room. But who are those guys?" Cole questions

"I don't know. But they don't look happy. They're all chained up" Vania says

A Munce spills some minerals, making a Mino break a carriage and cause a loud noise. The Skull Sorcerer appears from behind a lava waterfall.

"Who dares? Who dares to disturb the work?" The Skull Sorcerer demands "I warned you, all of you! The work must not stop or there would be punishment!"

Skull of Hazza D'ur: Punish them! Punish!

The Skull Sorcerer fires blasts at the Geckles and Munce.

"I don't know what's going on here, but I know a bad guy when I see one, and that is a bad guy" Cole says "Get back and tell your dad what's going on. Tell him to bring his guards and wake up my friends"

"What about you?" Vania asks

"I'm the Elemental Master of Earth, and I'm surrounded by earth. I'm gonna do what I do best" Cole replies

Vania smiles and leaves.

Skull Sorcerer looks angry "My plans were already set back today by the stupid Deligation not bringing the Empress! I will not have more mistakes"

"What.." Cole mutters "What does he want with Aria?"

The Skull Sorcerer growls "The next to defy me shall feel-"

"Hey, buddy!" Cole jumps up "Hey there. Name's Cole. Ninja. Uh, I heard there was some jerk down here, chaining people up, making them work. You seen any jerks around?"

"Get him!"

The Awakened Warriors charge at Cole. He tries to use his Earth Punch, but it won't work.

"What the? Oh, come on!" Cole complains

He defeats all the Warriors.

"Alright, now, how about you give me the keys to all these chains before I really get angry?" Cole smirks

Skull Sorcerer really looks mad now "You have meddled in the wrong place. Now, you will witness my true wrath! The wrath of the Skull Sorcerer!"

He revives the Warriors with a spell.

"Hey what? No fair! Uh-oh!" Cole tries to escape but the Warriors defeat him.)

"The wrath of the Skull Sorcerer!" The Skull Sorcerer laughs.