𝙽𝚒𝚗𝚓𝚊𝚐𝚘: 𝚁𝚒𝚜𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚂𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚕𝚎𝚝 𝚆𝚒𝚝𝚌𝚑¹

Period Seven: Tick Tock

"Ten minutes!" Kai gasps. "He just broke his own record! The guy's inhuman!"

We were at a very clear-watered lake, and Zane has been underwater for ten minutes now. I'm supposed to be meditating but this was to darn interesting. I was steadying myself back and forth, worried that Zane drowned but the boys wouldn't let me help him.

Zane finally comes up, and gasps for air.

"Amazing!" Cole chuckles as the boys laugh, I place a hand over my chest and sigh in relief.

"We're not worthy!" Jay bows.

"I broke the record?" Zane smiles.

"You destroyed it! And gave Emma a heart attack, but that doesn't matter-" Kai laughs.

"Okay, okay!" Jay grins. "Is anyone thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Oh, shit. I swear my telepath powers have been under control, I haven't read anyone's mind-"

"Emma, calm down," Cole laughs as he starts doing tricks behind us. 

"We've been training for so long, I don't think we can get any better." Jay smirks. "Just think about all we've accomplished."

Like Kai running over hot stones without breaking a sweat, or Jay balancing on the tip top of a building in Ninjago city with a lightning storm going on. How about Cole lifting a weight barbell with both Jay and I on it as well, or me doing parkour across Ninjago city while listening to The Fold.

"The question should be raised," Zane starts after he gets back onto the Bounty. "Perhaps we have reached our full potential?"

---

"Well, every morning I do five hundred push-ups," Zane states as we enter Sensei Wu's room. I wince when realize Sensei Wu is meditating.

"Five hundred? Ha, try a thousand!" Kai smirks.

"Ha, ha. I do a thousand and one." Jay taunts.

"What is this, amateur hour?" Cole chuckles. "Sounds like my warm-up. Sensei, what does true potential look life if-" The boys stop before we all bow.

"Our apologies, Sensei." Zane nods. "We've interrupted you."

Sensei Wu sighs, "I'm sorry if I've been distant lately. My mind has been elsewhere since Lloyd has gone missing. What can I help you with?"

"Sensei, what if we've done enough training? What if we've reached our true potential? What if we're ready?" Cole asks.

"Heh," Sensei gives us a small smile. "You might have reached peak physical condition, but you're yet to reach your inner potential. In each and every one of us, there are obstacles that hold us back. Only when you conquer that fear will your heart be free. Only then will you reach your full potential. Only then will we have a fighting chance to stop the Serpentine from releasing the Great Devourer."

"There's more to the Great Devourer than you've led on," Zane notes. "Isn't there, Sensei?"

He sighs, "I, too, have obstacles within my own heart. There's a story I've never told you. Long ago, when I was a young boy... Garmadon and I were more than brothers. We were the best of friends."

"Wait a minute!" Jay interrupts. "I know you two were brothers, but really? The King of Cruelty, the Doer of Destruction, the Captain of Chaos! And you two were friends?"

"Please, no interruptions. You see, he did not always have a wicked heart. One day, I lost this very katana. Knowing our father would be mad, my brother told me to go retrieve it. But I refused. He told me not to put off what can be done today and went to get it himself. When my father found him, he was very ill. For he was bitten by a legendary snake that would grow forever as long as it consumes."