"Sink the ferry. No one's getting off this island!" Jay shouted after they popped the blimp a moment ago.
Bolobo graciously used his power over nature to summon vines from the ocean. They heaved and pulled at the boat, crushing the wood as the structure was pulled under the waves.
Pulling my lips into a tight frown, I shook my head in displeasure. "Now we don't have a way off the island" I thought with my arms crossed.
Just moments prior, I explicitly advised to NOT sink the ferry. I sighed as I looked around but didn't see Dareth. "Hey, where's Dareth?" I questioned and Kai turned to me.
"Torturing the cultists" he answered and gestured over to the captured criminals.
There I saw the brown ninja simply enjoying his tunes with a battery operated radio. Singing and dancing while the cultists were forced to be his audience.
"Hm..." I muttered. Iris tilted her head while coiled around my neck.
"The palace and sleeping quarters are all clear. Still no sign of Chen and Clouse" Cole reported.
"What about Skylor?" Kai asked about the Master of Amber.
This piqued my interest. What about her? Now that Kai mentioned it, where is she? I haven't seen her since taking over the mansion.
"She wasn't able to pick her family, but she was able to pick her friends" Lloyd said while him and Jay comforted the fire ninja "And since you're her friend, that means so are we. We'll find her."
"He's right. With no way off the island, it'll only be a matter of time" Cole smiled triumphantly.
My eyes widened slightly. Only now realizing that she was taken. Amidst the victory, the master of Amber managed to slip past my protection.
"I'm proud of the six of you. You've done what the original Elemental Masters never could: stick together" Garmadon approached adding his own bit of wisdom "But you must not rest on your laurels, for your guard is down when you sleep."
"I agree. Until Chen is captured and locked up for good, we're not out of this yet" I spoke firmly. "I'll head out shortly to search for Skylor. With my powers, I'll be able to track her aura once I'm close enough."
I needed to get on the field to search for the Master of Amber. Not only because Chen could use her powers to perform a spell, but also because she had my back.
Lloyd frowned crossing his arms "Just by yourself I assume?" He questioned sternly and I could feel his eyes burn through me. "Unbelievable..."
"Yes in fact. It will be faster to split up and cover more ground" I responded sharply. Taking a moment to pause, a sigh escaped my lips internally scolding myself for snapping at the green ninja.
I can't curb his anger at me, but I can at least try to salvage our friendship.
Once all of this is over, my friends will be asking questions.
And by then, I should have some answers.
~~~
In the end, I have gone ahead to search the jungle. There was a lot of ground to comb in search of Chen's hideout where he was keeping Skylor.
Even I can agree that this is a bigger bite than I can chew.
I was glad my friends actually trusted me to go on my own since the wound on my stomach is turning into a scab slowly. It seems to be healing a lot faster...
The only requirement to this idea of mine was to keep a communicator on me. So now I have one of those cool looking watches with the touch screen. It's all to keep contact.
My course took change when Nya called. Neuro had gotten a message from Skylor using her powers to send him a mental message.
She was on the complete opposite side of the island from where the mansion is.
Following Skylor's aura, I eventually found myself at a cave entrance. Before I could head in, I heard one of Chen's vehicles pull up.
Kai jumped out delighted to see me. "It's just you and I" he says and already started down into the cavern with haste. "C'mon, we gotta act quick."
Swiftly traversing the cavern, I ignored my surroundings as rock transitioned to blue crystal with each step. I could see Skylor's life force pulsing in the darkness. Glowing like a kaleidoscope with a multitude of varying colors.
Soon enough, Kai and I found ourselves in the main chamber. The walls and foundation were all a blue crystal. Reflecting light to appear as ice.
Kai's feet came to an abrupt halt as the two of us stumbled in on Chen and his two goons. Green magic swirled around the cavern, giving off a ghostly forbidden aura.
Gawking in horror, I witnessed Chen and his followers transform into Anacondrai, with the Master sprouting a tail.
"Now I am the most powerful warrior to ever rule Ninjago!" Chen exclaimed and marveled at the purple scales that covered his body.
"We're too late" Kai gasped as he stepped in front of me protectively as the fake Anacondrai looked our way.
Eyebrows knitted together as the vision of Anacondrai reared its head in my mind once again. I've seen them before.
Without even thinking, Kai lunged at Chen, blasting him and his followers with fire. It was not effective.
"You think a little fire can hurt the thick hide of an Anacondrai?" Chen sneered throwing Kai into a crystal pillar.
With his back turned, I ran to Skylor's side and knelt before the transformed Master of Amber.
"Are you alright?" I asked while getting the shackles off her wrists and assessing her health.
The former redhead averted her gaze in shame. "Don't look at me..." She muttered.
Reaching out, my hand tilted her head to look at me "Hey, it's okay" I cooed smiling at Skylor.
Helping her to her feet, we grabbed Kai and fled the cavern before Chen and his followers could mince us to pieces.
~~~
Kai rode his fire Dragon he had formed with his element as me and Skylor sat behind him.
We were meeting up with the others as I heard Zane say from the mansion "I faced my fear. When I realized it wasn't something in front of me that held me back. It was something inside me and it pushed me to find a deeper power."
"Zane's right. We all have this power inside all of us. But you have to see that it's not the Anacondrai we're afraid of, it's our doubt" Kai added in as he rode his fire dragon to everyone who was on the roof of the mansion.
"Divided, we failed. But together, we will succeed."
The Elemental Masters cheered and proceeded to jump off the ledge of the wall summoning their own elemental dragons.
Kai flew in close and let me get off. I watched each glowing dragon circle the sky in all their brilliance. All I could do was watch from a distance as they were leagues above me.
I was left to my own thoughts. Lamenting on how I will not be reaching the clouds anytime soon. I'm chained to the ground. On the other hand, I was happy for my friends.
I didn't hear Jay call my name, despite him being right above me on his Dragon.
When I finally answered, I tilted my head.
"Can't you summon a Dragon?" He asked me.
"Afraid not." I hummed with a reserved gaze locked on my hands. "That's not happening any time soon..."
"Well, in the meanwhile...Why not hop on?" My brother offered and I smiled, I jumped on and sat behind him as he flew off with his Dragon as we all headed to Ninjago City.
~~~
Author's Edit: Oct 12, 2023
~~~