Beneath the volcano

Chapter 1

(A/N  hi there I'm back with my second ever fanfic. I have some free time and this idea has been in my head for a while so I decided why not. Hope you enjoy.)
(All characters and canon events belong to Lego)

Kai still dreams of fire. Not the kind he controlled or that answered him, but the fire that screams and eats away at everything around you without restraint.

"Kai!!! Help me!!!"

He woke with his hands clenched, heart hammering, the smell of volcanic ash lingering in the air even though the Bounty was silent.

Kai sat up and stared at his hands, remembering how they had closed around the fang blade. Remembering how just as he had it in his grasp the world around him exploded until all he saw was red.

I was coming back, he told himself for the hundredth time.

But the volcano had not waited.

The others were starting to awaken now – voices drifting up from the deck below. Too normal, like everything was right with the world.

But Kai stayed where he was. He wasn't ready to face the other after what had happened. The thought of looking any of them in they eye made his chest tighten.

Unfortunately, Kai also knew he couldn't delay the inevitable. He would have to face them eventually. So, he slowly got up and put on a red hoody, leaving his red gi where it was in his closet not even sparing a glance.

Once he was dressed, he made his way towards the kitchen where he found Zane at the stove, already making breakfast.

"Good morning, Kai," Zane said without turning around, "would you like some food?"

Kai could only nod. But Zane must have seen it because moments later a plate of eggs and toast appeared in front of him, no questions asked.

"Where are the others?" Kai asked softly not looking up from his plate of food.

"They are planning our next move," Zane replied quietly, "Now that we have the fangblade you recovered, we must destroy it before Pythor has a chance to reclaim it."

Kai just nodded again. From behind him he heard someone enter the kitchen.

"Master Wu, good morning," Zane said over Kai's head, "would you also care for some breakfast? Should I prepare something for Lord Garmadon as well?"

"That would be wonderful Zane," Wu said sitting down next to Kai, "But breakfast for Garmadon will not be necessary. He left this morning."

Wu paused as if waiting for someone to say something but the room remained quiet.

"Without Ll-" he stopped himself, then exhaled softly, "Without his son he no longer sees reason to help us. Especially because he blames us."

Kai's grip tightened around his fork until his knuckles turned white. Words lodged in Kai's chest like ash, heavy and suffocating. Like he was in the volcano all over again. Like he was never going to escape.

-

Kai stood near the back of the control room, arms crossed, eyes fixed on the floor as the Bounty hummed steadily around them. The fangblade was gone — reduced to molten fragments and ash deep within Torchfire Mountain — and yet the victory felt empty in his hands.

They should have been relieved.
They should have been celebrating.

Instead, the air felt heavy, like the world itself was holding its breath.

Wu was the one who finally broke the silence.

"The Great Devourer has been stopped," he said, his voice calm but subdued, "And for that, we should all be grateful."