I was helping Cole shovel snow when a hammer landed in the pile. "Huh?" Cole looked. I tilted my head and heard a scream.
We both looked up and my brother was falling off the roof above.
My eyes widened and I screamed, not having enough time to react as both my brother and my skull came in contact with eachother. We both fell on the ground with Jay on me.
Cole put his hands on his hips "Jay do you mind? We're trying to work here."
Nya gasped from the roof "Oh my gosh! Are you both okay?"
Jay groaned as I pushed him off, I sat up and felt my aching head. "Yeah, we're fine" my brother stood and felt his head. He helped me stand "But I'm getting a little tired of all this ice and snow."
Nya jumped down to us, the earth ninja turned to her "Hey Nya, ice is water right? Why can't you just, you know, use your elemental powers and clear away this snow and ice for us?"
"Because I can't command water when it's frozen" she shrugged "It won't move."
Cole turned to me "What about you, Asteria? You posses multiple elements."
I shrugged "Tried already. It just won't move."
The earth ninja groaned "Aw that's a bummer. You guys could have been really useful."
I sent him a glare, along with Nya.
"Wouldn't that be awesome?" He turned to the snow pile he shoveled. "If they could just wave their hands and presto, job done. That would save us hours and hours of slow, boring, back-breaking work."
As Cole continued, Nya made a small snowball and I decided to roll up a large one. My wife threw the snowball and hit Cole "Aah! Hey!"
Jay giggled "Speaking of slow, where's Kai?"
I paused rolling up the snowball when I heard children exclaim. I watched as they ran to Kai who was on a hammock.
"Make the fire! Make the fire!"
Kai looked over "Okay okay, one at a time" he chuckled and summoned his fire as he cooked their fish for them. He blowed his fire out as the children ran off.
"Hey where you going? There's more where that came from" Kai called "Fire-Maker has more miracles."
The kids passed me but one stopped, she looked at her fish and then at me. I smiled and held my hand out, fire summoned on my hand and I cooked it a bit better for her. She smiled and ran off.
"Fire-Maker has more miracles?" Nya asked. Her brother shrugged "Eh, just keeping the kids entertained."
The three walked over as I went back to making the big snowball. A kid walked over to me and wanted to help so I agreed.
I could still hear the others from where the kid and I were. "Oh, no. As long as you're not straining yourself" Nya said to her brother. He sat up, looking at her "Oh no, I feel great. You know, this place is actually growing on me. It's really not so bad."
"Well, that's good. That's what it's all about, isn't it?" Jay said. "You bet. Rest and relaxation" Cole joined in. Kai raised an eyebrow "It is?"
"No, it isn't!" Nya yelled and flipped the hammock her brother was on, he fell to the ground as she stormed off.
I carried the large snowball with the kid and called to the earth ninja "Hey Cole!"
He turned and his eyes widened. "Wait, Asteria. No, no, no! Wait a minute!"
I smirked and threw the snowball at Cole with the kid's help.
Cole yelped and was met with the snowball, falling to his back. Everyone erupted with laughter and I patted the kid's head, I smiled and departed, following my wife.
I stood next to her and set a hand on her shoulder. She flinched and turned to me "Oh, Asteria. It's just you..."
"Hey, don't be so stressed. It's okay." I reassured and held her hand. She sighed "I know, I just..."
"I'm happy for Kai. My own powers won't work, I can't do anything. Water and Ice are two different elements..."
I chuckled and shook my head "They're different, but still as one. Why don't we try together?"
I looked at a roof and saw some icicles "How about something simple? Like those there" I pointed. She nods and held her hand out, I held her by the waist gently.
"Try to focus. Focus on my voice. Focus on your inner element..." I instructed.
Her hand shook but it wouldn't work. She grunted "Stubborn piece of ice!" She kicked the building and snow fell.
She growled "That's it. I hate ice!"
I frowned and walked over, gently holding her face into my hands. Her eyes widened and she looked up at me, I brushed the snow off her head and smiled.
"Nya? Asteria?"
I pulled my hands away and looked, seeing Lloyd approaching. "Hey bean sprout" I greeted "What do you need?"
"Well..." He rubbed the back of his neck "I need you guys to protect the village with the others. In case those Ice Samurai come back."
Nya raised an eyebrow "What about you?"
He looked away "I have to go away for a while."
I frowned "Going after Zane I presume?" I ask and he nods. "Yes. There's only two ways into that castle by force and by stealth. You've seen how powerful the Ice Emperor is."
"So we sneak in" Nya smiled. "Like the crafty ninja we are."
I heard a yell and looked, seeing the three ninja playing around on the hammock. Cole was kicked back, Jay landed on a tree and Kai faceplanted on the ground.
I shook my head and sighed.
"One of us has a better chance than five" Lloyd explained. "And the Ice Emperor will be watching you guys, not me. He'll send more of those Blizzard Samurai here. Which is why I need you both to stay and protect these people."
I nod, understanding "Of course. We'll draw his attention while you find a way to sneak in."
"Exactly" Lloyd smiled. Nya hummed "It's risky...But it could work."
"It will work" the bean sprout smiled.
~~~
We were all gathered to say goodbye to Lloyd, he turned to us as Nya approached "At least take this with you."
She handed the tracktor over "It's keyed to the mech. If you get close enough, it should start beeping."
He took it "Okay. Thanks."
My brother handed a dried fish to Lloyd "And you'll need this."
"What's that?" The bean sprout raised an eyebrow. My brother smiled "Dried fish! Not as bad as it sounds. Kind of like beef jerky, actually."
"Uh...I'll save it for later, thanks" Lloyd put it away and I walked over, pulling the bean sprout into a hug. He returned it and I smiled "Be safe, okay?"
I ruffled his hair and he giggled "I will." He departed and we all waved bye.
~~~
I was helping Nya carry wood when I saw kids running out of a building screaming. Cole ran out of the door "It's just paper! I drew them!"
He looked at the paper he held and threw it to the ground. Kai walked over "What did you tell them Cole?"
"Nothing. I was just telling them about Zane" the earth ninja said. "And Aspheera. And how she blasted him into the Never-Realm."
Nya raised an eyebrow "You think that story is appropriate for little kids?"
"Five to thirteen? Absolutely" Cole smiled.
"Look, over here! Come quick!"
We turned to see the villagers gathered around and the rest of us ran over. "What is it?" One of the villagers asked.
I saw the hunter pull out a familiar green fabric and I took it, examining it. "Where did you find this?" I ask.
"In the snow on the other side of the forest" he replied. "There were signs of fighting and an avalanche."
I frowned. "What do you think happened?" Kai inquired. "You think he's okay?" Jay tilted his head.
I looked "Lloyd will be fine. He's got this...And besides, we can't do anything at the moment."
"We need to stay here and protect the people."
~~~
I sat in my bed while reading. I held my blue gem necklace in my other hand, wondering how my family was doing.
I heard mumbling from Cole's sleeping body and looked over. My brows furrowed, he was having a nightmare.
I set my book down and walked over, gently shaking the earth ninja. "Cole? Cole, wake up buddy."
Jay was brushing his teeth "Hm? Cole?" He walked over and poked his friend on the cheek.
Cole screamed as he sat up in bed but fell over on the floor. He looked up at Jay and glared "You."
He stood up "I can't believe you did that. You made me go back to the Bounty for the Traveler's Tea, and it fell off a cliff." He sat on the bed, crossing his arms and pouting.
"I what?" My brother asked, I frowned.
A sleepy Kai looked out from his top bunk "Cole, relax buddy. It was just a nightmare."
"And you" Cole glared at the fire ninja. "You were even worse. You said I let you down. Well it was a mistake, okay? Sometimes things just happen."
"Cole..." I said but he exited the cabin. I sighed and looked over at the two "We should give him some time...Let him cool down a bit."
Kai groaned "It's too early for this..."
~~~
I sat by the ice lake, meditating as my eyes closed. I could see the villager's silhouettes with gray auras.
I let out a sigh, holding my hands out to the lake. My brows twitched as I could feel it difficult to control the water underneath the ice.
I sighed and let my hands down, opening my eyes and looking up at the night sky.
I could sense familiar silhouettes and I turned my head around, seeing Nya, Jay and Kai nearby. I stood and walked over.
"Nya have you seen Cole?" Kai asked his sister. "We figured he needed some space to cool off, but now we're getting worried" Jay frowned.
I raised an eyebrow and Nya shook her head "Not since this morning."
"Your friend is up there!" I heard Boma yell and we both turned as he and Uthaug ran to us. "He is on the mountain. We tried to tell him not to go."
"But he would not listen" Boma said. "He is looking for the Traveller's Tree. Up there."
He pointed and we all looked, hearing loud roaring coming from the mountain. My brows furrowed as my brother gripped my ninja sleeve.