The Chroma's Clutches Read online

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  Published in the United States by Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, 1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019, and in Canada by Penguin Random House Canada Limited, Toronto. Random House and the colophon are registered trademarks of Penguin Random House LLC.

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  ISBN 978-0-593-56569-8 (trade) — ISBN 978-0-593-56570-4 (lib. bdg.)

  Ebook ISBN 9780593565711

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  CONTENTS

  Prologue

  Chapter 1: The Misty Mountain

  Chapter 2: A House in the Clouds

  Chapter 3: Sights and Sounds

  Chapter 4: Trapped!

  Chapter 5: Jelena’s Tale

  Chapter 6: From Painting to Painting

  Chapter 7: The Grays

  Chapter 8: The Magician’s Cave

  Chapter 9: The Color of Magic

  Chapter 10: Rainbow’s End

  Epilogue

  Glossary

  “I hope we get to practice our ninja skills on this call,” Kai said. The Fire Ninja’s eyes gleamed with anticipation.

  Kai and the rest of the ninja team were walking in Ninjago City with Master Wu. The streets were crowded with people going to work and school.

  “The Ninjago Museum of History just asked us to investigate some missing jewelry pieces,” his sister, Nya, remarked. “It sounds pretty routine.”

  “Sis, nothing’s ever routine when we go to the museum,” Kai pointed out.

  Jay nodded. “Yeah, we battled Aspheera and her Pyro Vipers here.”

  “And don’t forget that we found the secret lab of the evil Time Twins in the museum, too,” added Cole.

  Zane made some quick calculations with his Nindroid brain. “The odds are good that we will encounter some danger here.”

  “And if we do, we’ll be ready for it…like we always are,” said Lloyd, the leader of the ninja.

  Master Wu sighed. “Do not go looking for trouble, ninja. There is always plenty of trouble looking for us,” he said.

  They walked past the columns at the museum entrance and stepped inside. The interior of the museum always seemed to be changing. Today the main hall held a gallery of nature-inspired art. A huge oil painting showed a forest of green pine trees, and another showed a flowing waterfall. Wooden pedestals held sculptures of creatures including butterflies, a deer, and a rabbit.

  “Nothing dangerous so far,” Cole remarked. “Just some very nice art.”

  “Yeah, look at that bird statue over there,” Jay said, pointing to a sculpture of a bird with black, white, and blue feathers. “It’s so lifelike!”

  Squawk!

  The bird flew off the pedestal, right past Master Wu’s face, and soared down a hallway.

  “Ah!” Master Wu cried, and he jumped backward.

  “Master Wu, it’s just a bird,” Kai said.

  Master Wu nodded. “I know. I was afraid when I thought I saw a piece of art spring to life. It brought back a rather frightening memory.”

  Nya’s eyes widened. “Oh, I hope this is another one of your stories about the journey you took with your brother, Garmadon, when you were younger.”

  “Indeed it is,” Master Wu confirmed. “But now is not the time to tell it.”

  “On the contrary, I believe now is a good time,” Zane remarked. “That bird appears to be a magpie, which is an obvious clue to our mystery. You can tell us while we search the museum for the bird.”

  Kai sighed. “If the jewel thief turns out to be a bird, then this is going to be a big letdown.”

  “Anytime Zane wants us to follow a bird, we should do it,” Lloyd said. “Remember when he used to follow that falcon? It always led us to major discoveries.”

  Master Wu agreed. “That is true,” he said. “And I shall tell you my tale while we search. But when I have finished, you may never look at a painting the same way again.”

  The sons of the First Spinjitzu Master slowly made their way up a tall mountain. A light mist surrounded them, almost as though they were walking through clouds. At their feet, the path looked like it had been created by animals, not humans. Through the mist they could see colorful flowers growing along the trail, and birds flittering from branch to branch, singing pretty songs.

  It was a beautiful scene, almost magical, but one of the ninja was not in a good mood.

  “Follow the North Star,” Wu grumbled, using his staff as he climbed. “Maybe if we had asked for directions, we would have found our way to the Northern Ocean without running into this mountain.”

  “Aw, come on, Wu,” Garmadon said, keeping pace a few steps ahead of his brother. “Father had us climbing up and down mountains all the time back home. We’ll be on the other side in no time.”

  “It’s not the climb that’s bothering me,” his brother replied. “There’s something that’s bugging me about this place.”

  Garmadon stopped and looked around. “Are you kidding? It’s beautiful here.”

  “That’s the point,” Wu said. “It’s too perfect. I’m suspicious. I bet there’s a monster lurking behind one of these trees, waiting to attack us.”

  Garmadon rolled his eyes. “Relax, brother! Just because we’ve encountered creepy monsters on every leg of this trip doesn’t mean we’re going to meet one on this mountain,” he said. “In fact, I’ll bet that the Northern Ocean is just on the other side! We’ll find that tea plant Father wants, make some tea, and see if it cures whatever imaginary problem Father thinks I have. And then this whole pointless adventure will be over.”

  Is it really pointless? Wu wondered, but he didn’t dare ask the question out loud. The whole adventure had been set into motion because their father was worried about the increasing darkness he saw growing in Garmadon. Darkness caused by the bite of a serpent. He said the tea would cure Garmadon, and if that was true, well, that didn’t feel pointless to Wu.

  Wu had seen signs of his brother giving into the darkness on this journey to find the tea plant, and it worried him. Most of the time, he was the brother Wu knew—fearless, curious, impatient, and outgoing. But lately Garmadon had sometimes seemed more selfish, looking out for only himself, which was not the way of the ninja. And most of all, it was not anything like the way Garmadon had ever behaved before. Wu would be relieved when they finally found the tea.

  “I hope you’re right about this mountain,” Wu said. “But what’s that up ahead? It looks like we’re walking right into the clouds.”

  Pale white clouds hung in the air just ahead of them. Wu stopped. “What should we do?”

  “Keep going. What else? It’s just fog,” Garmadon replied, and he marched into the mist.

  Wu sighed and followed him. He still had a bad feeling, but he wasn’t about to let Garmadon face things alone. He couldn’t see his brother until he bumped into him.

  “How are we supposed to get anywhere when we can’t see anything?” Wu complained.

  “This fog won’t last forever,” Garmadon said. “Just keep moving, and—”

  Follow me! Follow me!

  There was a rustling in the bushes, and then som
ething quickly ran across the path in front of them and disappeared into the mist.

  Wu froze. “What was that?”

  Garmadon shrugged. “You mean that rabbit?”

  “If it was a rabbit, then it’s a talking rabbit,” Wu said. “It asked us to follow it. Didn’t you hear it?”

  Garmadon laughed. “Right. Because there are so many talking rabbits in Ninjago. You’re just spooked, Wu. And even if you’re right, we’ve seen stranger things than talking rabbits. Come on. Keep going.”

  “Yeah, and those stranger things were pretty dangerous,” Wu muttered as Garmadon forged ahead. So far on their journey to find the tea they’d encountered a cat ninja, living puppets with stolen souls, giant scorpions, undead ghouls…and more.

  The mist became a little thinner. The path under their feet became wider and more defined. Suddenly, both boys heard more rustling nearby.

  “Probably that rabbit again,” Garmadon guessed out loud.

  Then a small creature hopped out of the bushes, stopped, and stared at them. It didn’t look like a rabbit or any other woodland creature. This animal had a furry brown body and floppy dog ears, but it walked on two legs. It also had the long arms and tail of a monkey.

  “Follow me!” the creature cried, and then it ran ahead and disappeared into the fog.

  “You had to have heard that,” Wu said.

  “Um, I’m not sure what just happened,” Garmadon admitted.

  “Well, I’m going to find out!” Wu jogged ahead of his confused brother, in the direction the strange creature had gone.

  The mist was thicker now, and Wu couldn’t see anything in front of him but white mist. In his hurry, he forgot to look down at the path. He took a step…

  And there was nothing beneath his feet! He plummeted off the mountain.

  “Garmadon!” he yelled.

  Garmadon ran toward his brother’s voice, keeping his eyes on the path.

  “Garmadon!”

  Garmadon followed the sound to the edge of a ledge.

  Oh no! Has Wu fallen off? he wondered. He dropped to his knees and looked over. Wu was gripping a rock just below the ledge, his legs dangling below him. Garmadon quickly grabbed Wu by the arms and pulled him up.

  “Thanks,” Wu said, his voice shaking a little. “That was a close one.”

  “You’re welcome,” Garmadon replied. “Just don’t go running off again.”

  Wu brushed the dirt from his pants. “I had to find out what that weird creature was…and why it wanted us to follow it.”

  They headed back toward the path. Garmadon glanced at his brother.

  I know he thanked me, but did he say anything about how good it was of me to save him? Garmadon wondered. I mean, he and Father are convinced I’m turning evil. Would an evil guy bravely save his brother from plummeting into a deep abyss? Why doesn’t anybody give me credit for the non-evil stuff that I do?

  “Follow me!” The half-monkey, half-dog creature appeared out of the fog again. He motioned for them to follow and headed along the path.

  “OK, I definitely heard that,” Garmadon said. “Let’s find out what this mon-dog is up to!”

  They followed the creature through the mist, making their way up to the top of the mountain. Finally, the clouds parted.

  A flight of steps led to a white villa that stood on a platform supported by several tall pillars. The main house was made up of one large section covered by a curved roof, topped by a smaller, second section with another curved roof. Utility buildings, statues, beautiful plants, and a vegetable garden surrounded the villa.

  In front of the villa, a young woman stood at an easel, painting on a canvas. Her hair was dark purple, matching the scarf draped over her shoulder. She wore a garment the same color as the blue sky which the boys could now see. The ankle-length robe wrapped around her body and was held in place with a belt that matched the green grass at her feet.

  The mon-dog ran up to her.

  “Where have you been for so long, Balee?” she asked the creature. “I was worried.”

  “Boys! Boys!” the creature replied, and the girl turned to look. She raised an eyebrow.

  “Are you two lost?” she asked.

  “Hi, I’m Wu, and honestly, I’m not sure,” Wu replied.

  Wishy-washy Wu, Garmadon thought. “My name’s Garmadon, and what my dear brother means is that we don’t have exact directions to where we’re going, but we’re pretty sure we need to get over this mountain to get there.”

  The young woman smiled. “If you’ve climbed all the way up here, then you’re probably tired and hungry,” she said. “I’m Peri. Why don’t you come in? You’re welcome to stay the night.”

  Garmadon and Wu exchanged glances and nodded. They’d been journeying long enough to know not to turn down food and shelter when they were offered.

  Then Wu motioned toward the curious mon-dog. “Peri, what kind of animal is that? We’ve never seen one like it.”

  Peri grinned. “Balee is one of a kind,” she answered. “My father…found him. He was always exploring this mountain, looking for new things to paint.”

  “I guess you take after your father, then,” Garmadon said, nodding toward the easel, where Peri was painting a family of colorful birds in a tree.

  Peri’s smile faded. “I…I am trying.”

  She led the boys into the house, with Balee bouncing along at her side.

  Garmadon and Wu hung back.

  “Are we sure about this?” Wu whispered. “She’s not really giving us straight answers. And her mood keeps changing.”

  “Relax, Wu,” Garmadon said. “She met us only a minute ago. Maybe she’s just shy.”

  Peri slid open the front door and they entered a large, airy room. The gleaming wood floor was splattered in places with drops of paint. There was no furniture, but a few easels stood scattered about, and several blank canvases were stacked up in a corner.

  Large windows allowed sunlight to shine on the paintings on the walls, paintings bursting with bright color and beautiful creatures, like flowers, birds, and butterflies.

  “Wow!” Wu exclaimed.

  “My father painted most of these, but I am learning his craft,” Peri explained.

  “It will be nice to meet him,” Wu said politely. “And the rest of your family.”

  “I’m alone,” Peri said simply, and Garmadon felt a nudge from Wu. Peri turned away. “Come, let’s get something to eat.”

  “Hungry! Hungry!” Balee said.

  Peri smiled. “Don’t worry, Balee. I’ll feed you, too.”

  They followed Peri into a kitchen with more large windows, paintings of brightly colored vegetables on the walls, and more easels and half-painted canvases.

  “How can we help?” Wu asked.

  Peri picked up a bunch of carrots from a basket and tossed them to Wu. “Can you slice these, please?”

  Garmadon grabbed them from his brother. “Let me,” he said. He tossed a carrot into the air. Then he pulled out his sword and attacked the carrot with swift movements.

  Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch.

  He sliced up the carrot stick in seconds. Wu took off his hat and caught the pieces before they fell.

  Peri laughed. “That’s one way to slice a carrot,” she said. “Just be sure not to slice up my canvases. They’re works in progress.”

  “There’s no danger of that, because I’ve been trained to wield this sword like a true master,” Garmadon replied, slicing the rest of the bunch.

  “Show-off,” Wu whispered.

  “Trained by whom?” Peri asked casually, but Garmadon noticed a look of interest in her eyes.

  “By our father, the First Spinjitzu master,” Garmadon answered, bragging a little. “Maybe you’ve heard of him?”

  Peri looked thoughtful. “My father used to tell us stories of
the great master who created the world of Ninjago using a special form of martial arts. He’s your father? Wouldn’t that make him, like, really old?”

  “We’re not exactly sure how old he is,” Wu admitted.

  Peri looked thoughtful again. “And you two are also masters of this…Spinjitzu?” she asked.

  “We don’t like to brag, but we’re pretty good at it,” Garmadon replied. “We could show you by mixing the salad, but that might not be a good idea.”

  “Garmadon exaggerates a little,” Wu interjected. “Mastering the art of Spinjitzu is a journey with no end, as father would say. We’re just ninja. There’s still a lot for us to learn before we can call ourselves masters.”

  Peri smiled. “It’s not every day that two ninja show up at my doorstep,” she said, and patted Balee’s head. “Good boy, Balee.”

  “Good boy! Good boy!”

  Why is she praising Balee? Garmadon wondered. Because we followed him here? She must be pretty lonely.

  Soon they were all seated around the kitchen table (except for Balee, who sat on top of it), eating a vegetable salad, chunks of chewy bread, and a potato soup that Peri had warmed up on the woodstove.

  As they ate, Peri became less guarded, and asked the ninja questions about where they’d come from and where they were going. They explained that they had traveled a long way on a mission from their father.

  “Why does your father want you to find the tea?” Peri asked, and Garmadon shot Wu a warning look. He hated when his brother told people the reason. It wasn’t anyone’s business but his.

  Wu caught the look and shrugged. “Well, with Father, you don’t ask questions. You just do what he says,” Wu answered, which wasn’t a lie. “Is your father like that, too?”

  Peri stood up. “It’s getting late,” she said, and the friendly tone of her voice had vanished. “Let me show you to your room.”