LEGO Spinjitzu Brothers Chapter Book, page 5
Garmadon looked at Shezada. “Back there, when we went to find Wu…”
She nodded. “That ghoul that surprised me bit me.”
“No one has gotten past the ghouls without getting bitten,” the Sphinx said. “And those who get bitten become ghouls themselves. That’s why I have so many ghouls. It’s a great system, actually.”
Garmadon’s stomach tightened. He’d wanted to leave Wu behind. Shezada had convinced him to go back, and now she was the one suffering….
Wu stepped forward. “Our wishes!” he cried. “Shezada, use your wish to get better.”
“Think carefully,” the Sphinx said. “The three of you entered the chamber together, so you only get one wish.”
Garmadon’s eyes flashed with anger. Wu’s face turned pale. Shezada’s shoulders slumped.
“That’s not fair!” Wu cried. “You never said that!”
“My pyramid, my rules,” the Sphinx replied. “I make them up as I go.”
Wu clenched his fists. He looked at his brother. “We could battle her,” he said in desperation. “Make her give Shezada her wish.”
Garmadon shook his head. “It won’t work, Wu. I know how the Sphinx’s mind works. You can’t force her to do something just by fighting with her. Maybe if we negotiate.”
“This is not up for negotiation!” the Sphinx snapped. “You’d better decide quickly. You three have one wish. Will you use it to help the girl?”
“Wait!” Wu cried. “Couldn’t we do a wish to help them both? A wish that both Garmadon and Shezada are healed?”
“One got bitten by a snake, the other got bitten by a ghoul,” the Sphinx replied. “That’s still two wishes in my book. Now, DECIDE!”
The vision from the mirror flashed in Garmadon’s head once more, and now he felt a feeling of despair. Somehow, he felt in his bones that he could not escape his destiny.
But he could help Shezada.
“I say yes,” Garmadon said.
Wu looked at his brother. “That wish could save you, brother. Are you sure?”
“We have to help Shezada,” Garmadon replied. “Besides, I keep telling you, I don’t need saving.”
Wu nodded. “It’s the only thing to do.”
Shezada said nothing. She stared blankly forward with hollow eyes.
“Heal her!” Garmadon cried. “Back to the way she was before she got bitten by the ghoul.”
The Sphinx raised her eyebrows. “As you wish,” she said, and her eyes sparkled. Between Wu and Garmadon, Shezada glowed with white light. When the light disappeared, she looked completely normal.
She blinked. “What…what happened?” she asked.
“The Sphinx gave us one wish, and we used it so you wouldn’t turn into a ghoul,” Wu replied.
For once, Garmadon didn’t mind Wu speaking for both of them. I did the right thing, he told himself. That’s all that matters.
Shezada’s eyes widened. “But I—”
The door to the pyramid slid open. “Please leave me now,” the Sphinx said. “Unless you’d like to remain here in the pyramid?”
“No, we’re good!” Garmadon said. He grabbed Shezada by the hand and pulled her toward the door. Wu followed.
They left the pyramid, and the door slammed shut behind them. Some of the pyramid-hatted villagers noticed and stared at them in wonder.
Shezada turned to Garmadon. “Let me get this straight. The Sphinx only gave us one wish, and instead of using it to fix yourself, you saved me.”
Garmadon shrugged. “It was an easy choice.”
“Thanks, Garmadon,” she said, and she kissed him on the cheek. He blushed. “You know, for a supposedly evil guy, you’re really a softie. Maybe that’s what I’ll call you. Softie.”
Garmadon shook his head. “Can’t I get a cool nickname, like Whirlwind?”
Wu laughed. “I think it’s perfect, Softie.”
Garmadon shook his head. “You know, Shezada, I was going to ask you to come on our journey with us, but now…” he teased.
“I’d turn you down anyway,” she said. “I may not be able to change the past, but I can keep helping people who need help right now. I’ve got a lead on some treasure.”
“Aw, come on, Shezada, you can always search for treasure,” Garmadon said. “Just take a little detour with us. What do you say?”
“We all worked great together in the pyramid,” Wu said. “Isn’t it better to be on a team than to be alone?”
Before Shezada could answer, a crowd of villagers swarmed them, asking questions.
“They survived the pyramid!”
“What did you wish for?”
“How did you survive the Sphinx?”
Garmadon and Wu pushed through them as politely as they could. Then Garmadon saw a masked figure slipping away.
“Shezada!” he called, but the treasure hunter disappeared in the crowd.
Neither boy spoke for a minute.
“She was really awesome,” Wu finally said.
“Yeah,” Garmadon agreed. And beautiful. And smart. And mysterious…He sighed. “What now?”
Wu looked around. “Maybe we can get some food and find a place to rest?” he asked. “Then we can figure out the quickest way to get to the Northern Ocean.”
“I say we follow the stars and forget about any shortcuts,” Garmadon replied. “Look where the last one got us!”
“Well, we wouldn’t have met Shezada,” Wu said, and the two boys were quiet once more.
Then Wu spoke up again. “You know, I’m glad we ended up in that pyramid. Because I learned something important. It’s that I can always count on you, brother.” He patted Garmadon’s shoulder. “You thought I was lost, and you came to find me. You are a softie.”
Garmadon looked away from Wu, remembering how close he had come to leaving his brother in the pyramid. For a second, he thought about confessing what had happened, but then he quickly changed his mind. “I think I smell meat cooking over there,” he said. “Let’s check it out.”
Maybe I do need that tea, Garmadon thought as they walked across the sand together. I just hope…I hope that when we find it, it’s not too late.
“Did you ever see Shezada again, Whirlwind?” Jay teased Master Wu.
Master Wu and the ninja had reached the barbecue restaurant and were seated around a table with a hot griddle in the center. A white-coated chef used two spatulas to quickly stir-fry meat and vegetables. The food smelled great, but the ninja still gazed at Wu.
A faraway look appeared in Master Wu’s eyes, and he didn’t answer right away.
“I did see Shezada again,” he finally replied, “but that is a story for another time.”
“Well, I hope you tell us about it one day,” Nya said. “Shezada seems supercool. And I kind of got the impression that you and your brother both had a crush on her.”
“Shezada was indeed quite remarkable,” Master Wu said, and he quickly changed the subject. “Now, let us eat!”
Jay looked around. “Where’s Kai?”
“In the restroom, trying to fix his hair,” Nya answered. “Honestly, if he spent as much time on his Spinjitzu as he did on his hair, he would be—”
Kai walked up, on his way back from the restroom. “Luckily I keep emergency hair products with me at all times,” he said, smoothing back his brown hair with one hand. “It’s not perfect, but—”
WHOOSH!
A giant flame rose from the hot grill.
“On it!” Nya cried, jumping up. She pushed forward with both hands and doused the flame with water—along with her brother, Kai.
“Whoops! Sorry, Kai,” Nya said.
Kai sighed and sat down. “It’s okay,” he said.
“I guess I’m destined to have a bad hair day.”
“A bad hair day, but a good time,” Cole remarked, and the ninja dug into their meal.
Cole
Cole is the Earth Ninja who wields the elemental power of Earth and supports his ninja friends with his confidence and great physical strength.
Beetle Warriors
These armored warriors have sharp pincers and glowing eyes. When attacked, they transform into thousands of blue scarab beetles.
Explorers’ Club
This members-only club is for Ninjago world’s most renowned explorers and archaeologists. It is managed by Cecil Putnam, who seems to care more about the club itself than about its members.
First Spinjitzu Master
This is the creator of Spinjitzu and the entire Ninjago world. He was also the father of Garmadon and Wu, whom he trained in the art of Spinjitzu to protect the world he had created.
Garmadon
A son of the First Spinjitzu Master, Garmadon grew up learning the ways of Spinjitzu with his brother, Wu. Bitten by a vile snake as a child, Garmadon gradually filled with evil to become Lord Garmadon, the greatest villain in the world of Ninjago.
Ghoul
Loud, slow, and smelly, but extremely dangerous, a ghoul preys on other living creatures. A person bitten by a ghoul from the Sphinx’s pyramid turns into a ghoul themselves.
Great Devourer
This is the snake that bit Garmadon as a child and infected him with evil from its venom. After many years, the snake grew up to become a huge monster that almost destroyed Ninjago City.
Jay
The Lightning Ninja is quick-witted, talks fast, and often acts before he thinks. Jay also loves pranks and jokes. Without Jay’s sense of humor, the ninja team would be in a much worse mood.
Kai
Nya’s older brother is the Fire Ninja. With his fierce temper, bravery, and strong sense of justice, he’ll stop at nothing if he has put his mind to it. This includes fixing his hair.
Lloyd
Wise beyond his years, Lloyd is the leader of the ninja team. He is the son of Garmadon and Misako. Lloyd once sought to follow in his father’s evil footsteps, but with the help of the ninja, he fulfilled his destiny to become the Green Ninja.
Nya
Kai’s younger sister is the Water Ninja. She’s a skilled warrior, inventor, and tech wiz. She’s often the team’s voice of reason and a steadfast support to her friends on every mission.
Sage and Mina
These kind and hospitable villagers hosted Wu and Garmadon upon their unexpected arrival to the Valley of the Sphinx.
Shezada
This young, brave adventurer and treasure hunter has been trapped inside the pyramid like Wu and Garmadon. The brothers learn little about Shezada’s past exploits or her origin, but her remarkable survival and combat skills save them from trouble many times.
Sphinx
This mighty creature has the head of a human and a body of a lion, often having mysterious powers. Most of Ninjago world’s explorers believe that Sphinxes exist only in legends. The unlucky few who have actually met one wish it were true.
Spinjitzu
This is an ancient technique based on balance and rotation, where you tap your elemental energy while turning quickly. Developed by the First Spinjitzu Master long before time had a name, Spinjitzu is not only a martial art, but also a way of living. Mastering it is a life-long journey.
Wu
Wu is the other son of the First Spinjitzu Master, and little brother to Garmadon. After many years of mastering the art of Spinjitzu and the ways of the ninja, Wu shares his knowledge with his students—Lloyd, Kai, Cole, Jay, Zane, and Nya—to train them as ninja protectors of the world of Ninjago.
Zane
Brave and caring Zane is the Titanium Ninja, wielding the elemental power of ice. He is a Nindroid (ninja robot), created to protect those who cannot protect themselves.
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Random House, LEGO Spinjitzu Brothers Chapter Book
