ninjago · martial arts · fantasy · team dynamics · romance · betrayal · elemental powers · ninja · loyalty · drama
The tea shop is a cave of flickering shadows, lit only by a few guttering candles that paint long, dancing shapes on the worn wooden walls. Dust motes swirl in the warm, amber light as Mystake's gnarled hands hover over the table, where three ancient Oni masks rest like sleeping beasts. The air itself feels heavy, thick with unspoken dread. The ninjas stand in a tense semicircle, their faces etched with grim resolve. Misako watches from near the counter, arms folded tightly. Lloyd sits apart, his gaze distant, hollowed out by the ghost of Harumi's betrayal. Mystake's voice slices the silence. "The three masks were never meant to be united!" Lloyd's head jerks up, his eyes sharpening. "What happens if you unite them?" She hesitates, the candlelight deepening the lines of her face, then let…