Ninjago NG Book 1: Bloodlines

3: The Next Elementals

Homura wandered across the dirt road. Her feet ached, but she pushed herself to keep going. She didn't want to imagine how her mother felt; she couldn't stand anymore strain on her already broken heart, beating rapidly from the scene she left behind. She had escaped; escaped from that trauma, escaped from having to explain why she was covered in blood. Everything that had happened was because of her.

The desert sun beat down on her back. Her clothing was ripped, exposing huge cuts and gashes on her back and bare arms to its harsh light. She tensed, getting the sense she was being followed, but ultimately decided she was just being paranoid. Groaning, she continued to continue onward.

She hated what she had done back there in Ninjago City... He's gone now because of her cowardliness.

Homura placed a tentative hand on her right eye. She fought back a scream as a wave of pain slammed into her. Removing her hand, she saw it wasn't covered in the crimson liquid it once was; that had long dried. She hadn't been able to find any water to clean herself up with, so she just wore all the blood. It served her right. She should've been captured, not him. She didn't know what would happen, all she knew was that he had replaced her capture with his. It made her sick the more she thought about it.

"Worthless! That's all you were, and that's all you ever will be, Homura!" The teenager wailed to nobody but herself. She bit her lip, forcing the tears that had begun to build up to go away, but to no avail. Great, now she was alone in the desert, injured, and on the verge of a breakdown-- not the day she wanted. She knew crying was for the weak. If the enemy saw any emotion from their foe, they would know that they won the war.

Homura got up from where she had sat down in the cavern. She needed water, she knew that based on the burning in her throat. Homura had no idea where to find any; it wasn't like she could summon water out of the air like her aunt could... It wasn't her element. Her body ached, and she knew she couldn't push her limits any further. It wasn't like her to not try, but she had never experienced the aches and chills like she was now.

"Maybe, if I light a fire..." Homura said through chattering teeth. She had never handled the cold well, and with the sun going down, the desert was going to be freezing. Looking around, she couldn't find any twigs, nor fuel to begin her fire. Growling, her hand heated up and she flicked it, causing a fireball to hit the sand, causing a fire to begin. "T-that's a tad better..."

Homura tried to fall asleep, but the pain from her injuries kept flaring up, causing sleep to not come easily, or at all. Growling, she rolled onto her back, cringing at another wave of pain exploding. From the small moments where she could drift off, nightmare after nightmare plagued her about the recent events. She remembered every detail vividly, and her nightmares made it seem as if she was reliving it. She sighed, not wanting to sleep, nor stay awake, now being stuck in between. It was too dark. Right now, the girl had no reason to believe that the grass didn't appear any greener on the other side.

˚˚˚

Homura shot up, then winced when she felt the pain catching up to her again. There were voices outside the cavern. Who was out there? Why were they there? She kept her mouth shut. Her hand clawed a fireball and she held her breath. Her other hand slowly traced back to the hilt of one of her two katanas. Flames licked around her hand, but never burned her. She got into a crouch, and waited silently for the voices.

"Seth, the master of fire isn't here. Uncle Kai was the last known one," a voice that sounded oddly like her cousin whined. Homura kept quiet, but then she heard a growl and another voice talking.