Brother of Wind {book 6: Skybound}

chapter 2

"Ugh. They found us. Now what do we do?" Cole asked as helicopters flew around.
"Just do what you're doing, but don't run away from the cameras. Run toward them!" Dareth shouted.
"Ninja visit hospital. This is gold!"

"The last thing we all need is more publicity! This is just irritating!" Morro shouted.
"We need to get to Stiix!" Lloyd exclaimed.
"Could be a big scoop. Say no more. Hop in!" Dareth called.

. . .

Stiix was damaged. In a short period of time, despite people's best efforts, it's a junkyard now. Few people still lived in this place.
"No... No. No." Clouse searched through the piles. He looked to high right. A lamp. A teapot. He grabbed it.
"Yes..." He ran in to get some shelter.

"The Teapot of Tyrahn." Clouse said. He rubbed his hand on the teapot.
"Work, darn you." He found markings on the pot and lined it up. And orange flash, followed by smoke flew out. Clouse stepped back.

"I am... Free?" The entity within the smoke said. Floating, orange, four arms. (Original.) And... Pirate armour?
"Where am I? What year is it?" He asked.

"Nadakhan. It's you. I've freed a genie." Clouse exclaimed.
"I prefer the term Djinn." Nadakhan replied.
"Who cares? I want my three wishes." Clouse demands.
"Mm. I must warn you. You cannot wish for love, death, and most certainly..." Nadakhan said.
"More wishes. Yes, yes, I know the rules. Ahem." Clouse cleared his throat.
"I wish for my Book of Spells."

"Very well. Your wish is yours to keep." Nadakhan bowed. The book poofed into the room in the corner. Clouse ran to hold it.
"Tricked you. Now, with my spells, who needs more wishes?" The pages started to flare up in embers.
"Oh. What's happening?" Clouse dropped the book.

"You should've known. The book was last thrown into a fire. Perhaps you should wish for more than a pile of ash." Nadakahn hovered over to him.
"You conniving genie." Clouse said.
"Djinn." Nadakhan insisted.
"And for your second wish?"

"There's no way I can defeat those ninja if I continue to be a ghost." Clouse schemed.
"I wish...I wish to become mortal again."

"Your wish is yours to keep."

Slowly, Clouse's hands started to become solid.
"Yes. Yes, it's working. I can-I can feel again." He paused.
"My hands! My head! The pain!" He screamed in pain.

"Yes. Becoming physical is a painful process." Nadakhan hovered over a fallen Clouse.
I wish it could be over soon, but right now, you're probably thinking about your last wish. But the pain is too unbearable to think clearly. Wish it all to go away." Nadakhan pressured. With all that pain and those words the last thing you hear? It'd be ringing in your head too.

"I-I wish it all to go away!" Clouse shouted.
"Your wish is yours to keep."

Clouse was lifted in the air and pulled into the teapot of Tryrahn.
"Be careful what you wish for." Nadakhan picked up the teapot.

. . .

Zane scanned the area. With a short wardrobe change, the Ninja were out of their gis and scouting out Stiix.
"I detected no trace of Clouse." Pixal informed Zane.
"He isn't here." Zane told the others.
"He could be long gone by now." Cole said.

"But look what I found. A Kai action figure." Kai held up the doll.
"Some fan probably lost it. No way anyone threw this out. Practically priceless." Kai gloated.

"No sign of Clouse." Lloyd said through coms.
"Better keep looking. Wu's at the Domu Library researching what Clouse could be looking for." Misako replied.
"If I hear anything, you'll be the first to know."