"Mama! Papa!"

Aria runs and hugs her mother and father who stood in the throne room.

"You did it" Svern hugs his daughter happily "I knew you could"

"My dear little girl" Layla hugs her family with tears in her eyes "you're all grown up"

"Mama" Aria holds back her tears "You're here.. you're actually here"

"Of course I am" Layla wipes her tears and holds her daughter's hands "you made it so that the dead can live here, and look I even have a physical body"

"and we'll never be apart again" Aria smiles happily "I'll make sure of it"

-

"Aria!" Lloyd shoots up from the floor

"woah easy Lloyd" someone made him lay back down

Lloyd looked around to see the other ninja around him.

"Guys.. where are we?" Lloyd asks

"We're home, we're at the monastery" Zane tells him

"We are?" Lloyd looks confused "Aria didn't throw us in the dungeon or something?"

"Surprisingly no" Kai answers "when her Vampire Knights caught us we thought it was over for sure but.. they just escorted us back here with you"

"So.. Aria's not gonna make us rot in jail?" Lloyd asks

"That was never her intention" Cole speaks, he was leaning against the wall staring out the window "she only wanted to turn Ninjago into this.. whatever this is"

"A world where nobody dies or bears the consequences of their actions" Zane says "a realm of discord with one ruler"

"We have to fix it" Lloyd sits up

"Lloyd take it easy" Misako speaks "we don't know.. if you're ok"

"What do you mean?" Lloyd asks

Wu holds up a mirror to show Lloyd's hair turned silver.

"What?!" Lloyd shouts "am I old?!"

"No no" Misako takes his hand "you're not old.. I'm not sure what exactly it is.. it could mean-"

"It could mean he's been tainted by darkness"

They turn to see Lord Garmadon at the door, they hadn't seem him since the fight with the Oni was over.

"Dad?" Lloyd looks surprised

"This realm has fallen completely over the rule of darkness, your elemental powers are suppressed greatly" Garmadon explains "and since Lloyd was there when the darkness took over he could be tainted by it, that would explain his silver hair"

"Is there anything we can do to help him?" Wu asks

"Lloyd is strong willed so he won't turn evil, but this does hinder his use of his powers" Garmadon replies then faces Lloyd "the final battle is not over, but it has begun"

"OK.. So.. how are we supposed to fix the realm's core?" Jay asks

"Brother" Garmadon turns to Wu "do you remember the 6 crystals that are hidden within the Shadow Lands?"

"Father told us that they were scattered there long ago by the Overlord" Wu replies "what do they have to do with.. of course"

"They hold the untapped power of the original elements, you ninja must retrieve them" Garmadon tells them "only when united will they help you defeat Aria"

"Wait, but isn't the Shadow Lands Aria's territory?" Jay asks

"Yeah, this seems kinda risky" Kai agrees

"But without their power you won't stand a chance" Garmadon says

"He's right" Misako sighs "those gems are the only thing that can cut through the darkness" she takes a scroll out of her bag and hands it to Lloyd

"What's this?" Lloyd opens it to see a map of the Shadow Lands "A map? How do you-"

"Lloyd" Misako puts her hands on Lloyd's shoulders "you must save Ninjago"

Lloyd looks over at the Ninja and they nod.

"We will!" Lloyd declares

And so, the ninja set out with only bags of supplies, traveling by vehicles would make them stand out more and they didn't want to be caught by Aria. She might not have imprisoned them, but that doesn't mean she wouldn't watch out if they tried to pull something.

They walked for what seemed like hours before Jay, who was bored, suddenly just started singing a sea shanty.

"There once was a ship that put to sea. The name of the ship was the Billy of Tea."

Kai sighed and joined.

"The winds blew up, her bow dipped down. Oh blow, my bully boys, blow"

Zane and Cole looked at each other, shrugged and joined as well.

"Soon may the Wellerman come. To bring us sugar and tea and rum"

"why do they feel the need to do this" Lloyd mutters as he leads them through the woods

"One day, when the tonguing is done. We'll take our leave and go. She'd not been two weeks from shore. When down on her a right whale bore. The captain called all hands and swore. He'd take that whale in tow.

Soon may the Wellerman come. To bring us sugar and tea and rum. One day, when the tonguing is done. We'll take our leave and go. Da-da-da-da-da-"

"Guys!" Lloyd turns to them "we're walking through a dangerous forest.. not the time to be singing"

Kai shrugs "we're bored"

"Oh god" Lloyd turns back around and sighs "this is gonna be a long journey"