Ninjago: Reforged Fate

The sun glinted on top of the monastery's training hall, casting heated rays of light across the polished wooden floor. Dust swirled in the light, disrupted only by the flurry of motion at its center. Kale ducked under a sweeping leg, pivoted on his heel, and deflected a jab from Zane. A blur to his left: Jay. The strike was fast, too fast for most eyes, but Kale leaned back just enough, feeling the air shift past his nose. A grunt escaped his throat. Three against one. Just fists and footwork. 

Cole came in heavy from behind, Kale heard the telltale creak in the floorboards. He twisted, blocking the punch with his forearm, then swept Cole's legs out from under him. Zane was already moving, calculating as always, but Kale anticipated him. He rolled, caught Zane's arm mid-strike, and used his momentum to flip him onto his back.

Jay charged in, shouting mid-attack. "No fair! Zane distracted me earlier!"

"You talk too much in a fight," Kale muttered, catching Jay's wrist and pinning it. The clock ticked. Kale's eyes flicked up, seconds left. He broke away and sprinted toward the large gong at the end of the hall, the finish line. But just before his foot hit the final step, the sound of a teacup being placed down hit Kale.

The sharp, clear note of a teacup hitting its saucer echoed behind him. Kale froze, panting hard, then slumped forward with a groan. "Seriously...?"

Master Wu stood at the far end of the room, calm as ever, cradling a steaming cup of tea. He took a quiet sip, nodding slightly toward Kale. Behind him, Cole groaned from the floor. "Can you believe this guy? Six months ago, he couldn't even beat me in a one-on-one spar."

Kale grinned, wiping sweat from his brow. "To be fair, you hit like a rockslide."

Jay flopped over with a dramatic sigh. "And now he's a full-time try-hard with a black belt in surprise butt-kicking. Great. Just great."

Zane sat up, voice perfectly calm, "I calculate your reaction speed has improved by 34.6%. Impressive."

Cole shook his head and looked at Zane with a smirk. "Can you be any less of a robot?"

"I'm technically a Human, thus the answer to the question is I can't be a robot in the first place." Zane corrected.

Kale just chuckled and helped Jay to his feet. The four gathered near Wu as he placed his cup down. "You've come far, Kale," Wu said, his tone serene yet firm. "But there is still more to uncover."

"I know," Kale replied, bowing slightly. "I'm not done yet."

Master Wu looked to the others. "Cole, you will assist the villagers in Shintaro with their mining concerns. Zane, I want you to meet with Cyrus Borg regarding energy fluctuations in Ninjago City. Jay, check the transmission towers near Jamanakai Village, they've been failing for days."

Jay gave a mock salute. "Finally, something with tech."

"And Kale," Wu turned to him. "You will remain here and guard the monastery. Balance must be kept, even in quiet times."

Kale nodded. "Understood."

Outside, at the monastery's grand gate, the group gathered. "See ya, try-hard," Jay called out, slinging his pack over his shoulder.

Cole clapped him on the back. "Don't wreck the place while we're gone."

Zane simply nodded. "Stay sharp."

As they left down the trail, the mountain wind picked up slightly. Kale stood in silence, watching them disappear over the horizon. Behind him, the wind tugged at the trees. A single leaf fluttered from the branch, twisting down toward the training courtyard.

Kale narrowed his eyes. "Alright... let's see."

In a split second, he moved. His stance shifted instinctively. He tapped into his inner balance and turned into the reverse body grip. His body turned with the wind, and then, with a whoosh, he spun. A small vortex kicked up around him, his early version of Spinjitzu. The leaf hovered briefly, then was caught in the wind and scattered to the side. Seconds ticked by. Kale gritted his teeth as his knees bent lower, struggling to keep form. "Come on…"

Thirty seconds. His vision blurred. He stumbled, and the spin broke. Gasping, he collapsed onto the mat. "Still can't hold it for a minute," he muttered. "Not enough."

His thoughts drifted, his mind drawn to the legends. The golden weapons. He remembered whispers from old episodes, lore fragments now half-buried in his mind. "They're under the monastery."

That idea rooted itself deeply. He stood and began searching.

(Time skip)

For six hours, Kale searched everywhere. The training hall. The shrine. Wu's quarters. Even under the koi pond (which did not go well). Finally, exhausted and frustrated, he stomped toward the training dummy.

"Ughhh, this is pointless!"

He slammed a fist on the control panel. With a hiss and mechanical whir, the platform rose as usual. But this time, Kale saw something. A flicker. A glint of metal below.

"Wait a minute."

As the dummy returned underground, a small hatch beneath it slid open. A narrow tunnel, just large enough for a person, appeared. His eyes widened. "No way. The first Spinjutus master was a mad genius, wasn't he?"

He ran toward it, but the platform closed just as he reached it. "No! Ugh!"

He tried again. And again. Each time, the tunnel appeared and then vanished before he could reach it.

Kale lay sprawled on the floor, panting. "It's impossible... even sprinting isn't enough."

But then he remembered. "Spinjitzu."

He pushed himself to his feet. "One last try."

He pressed the button. The platform rose. This time, Kale spun. The vortex picked up instantly. The world blurred. He rocketed across the floor, wind swirling behind him. As the hatch appeared, Kale launched forward, spinning like a drill. He hit the gap hard.

It barely fit, but he squeezed through, scraping the sides as he descended.

Thirty seconds.

Forty.

Fifty.

Sixty.

He landed with a thud. The chamber was dark and cold, carved from mountain stone. Soft golden light pulsed from deeper within. Kale pushed himself up, limbs trembling. But his eyes lit up. He'd made it, He was in, and something was waiting.