Ninja Apocalypse

10: Ground Zero (edited)

Lightning hit the ground around them, throwing up chunks of turf and dirt. The calmness that Lloyd had found was aggressively reversed, his eyes glowed green and his features became harsh. Nya saw the transformation happen in front of her eyes. Kind, gentle Lloyd disappeared and the monster took over.

Lloyd was charging up, his body sparking with energy, green fronds creapt around his skin and his eyes were no longer tender and sad but acidic and sore. A twisted smile spread across his face as he channelled his powerful core to his rigid fingers. Nya was propelled away as he launched a power orb at Jay.

Jay leapt from the scaffold as it exploded around him. As he plummeted, Jay extended an electrical force field around himself that expanded and crackled around him. It slowed his fall just enough to stop from slamming into the ground. The collapsing metal structure contacted with the electrical charge and was blown back 'You'll have to try better than that Lloyd' Jay said through gritted teeth. Jay released a furious barrage of electricity bolts from his outstretched arms, which Lloyd absorbed with a swirling energy shield.

Nya threw herself to the ground to avoid Jay's jealous onslaught. She daren't unleash her power and exacerbate the electrical power play. Looking back up, Nya saw Jay running, arms stretched forward and released a stream of lightning to the sides of Lloyds shield. It hit the ground with terrifying force, ripping chunks free that exploded up at Lloyd behind his shield. Lloyd span to avoid the projectiles and Jay threw himself at him, knocking him to the ground. Lloyd snarled as if spitting venom, but Jay did not stop 'she's MINE!' he screamed, raising his sparking fists up to strike, Lloyd extended a shield between them as Jay slammed them down.  Again and again Jay attacked and the electrical bolts screamed off of the shield.

Nya screamed at Jay to stop but he continued to punch and punch until the shield started to become disrupted. An aura began to emanate from Lloyd, growing larger and brighter. The light became blinding and Nya threw her arms up to her face.

Through his frenzied attack, Jay saw Lloyds face burn white through the collapsing shield just before he found himself blown backwards. A throbbing pulse assaulted his mind, beating faster with an ever more high-pitched buzz in his ears. Writhing at the pain inflicted on his senses, he became aware of Nya with him and she looked towards where Lloyd stood. 

The blinding light grew, bleaching everything from her sight, it stripped her senses as if she were suspended in a timeless void. Her eyes were burning, but not through the tears she shed. What had she done? She could only just make out Jay struggling to stand and Lloyd was gone save for a green fire that replaced his body. 'Lloyd' Nya choked through her tears 'Lloyd...'  Flames kissed the form that was once her friend and broke apart, vibrating like white noise all around her. She stumbled forwards reaching out, furiously searching in the blinding light, but he was gone. The pounding hum vibrated through her and she felt it sting her fingers like so many pinpricks running across her skin 'The ants...!' she looked at her hand but saw nothing.

Her eyes were wide and tears streamed across her cheeks as the full horror of what was happening clicked. In a split second she had created two spherical water chambers around Jay and herself as the air pulsed like a strong tide pulling them in before a mushroom of energy exploded out from the spot where Lloyd had stood. 

In the maelstrom that ensued, the explosion stripped her protective waters away and she created more and more to replenish them; more than she thought would ever be possible but she stood strong and screamed through her pain. Just when she thought she could take no more, the energy reversed and a deathly wind travelled at speed through everything in its path. It blew out the bodies of buildings, flattening the world around them, everything that the Ninja swore to protect, the city and its population. Nya clawed against it but the water chambers were collapsing. In one last extreme effort she attempted to hold them intact but pushing into the wind the last of the water was sloughed from them. Nya and Jay were swept away in the raging storm.