"Skylor, please, I have to go. I-if Tolin knows then I'll end up getting both of us hurt. I can't do that to you. You don't deserve that." Her grip loosened slightly and K'lynn removed the hand. Then he pressed the square object and it began to give off a quiet hum. A sparkle like substance covered K'lynn's body now, and his feet seemed to lift themselves slightly off the ground.
"Wait!" Skylor tried to grab him again but her hand slid right through his body as if he weren't there. "If Tolin knows what? What can't he know?" she cried.
K'lynn's mouth opened up but no words came out because just in that quick second he dematerialized.
Kai stopped peaking from behind the bushes and massaged his forehead. He had followed Skylor, ...not for any sinister reason, only to make sure she didn't need back up. He saw her talking to someone who looked like an army member.
This didn't settle to well with him, in fact it made him feel sick. He was trying his best not to jump to any drastic conclusions but all his explanations ended badly. This was the one time where he wished his suspicions were just suspicions.
He couldn't help but start to ponder the millions of questions that entered his mind. Why was she talking to that guy? Was she...helping them?-No. Not Skylor, not his Skylor. There was more to this. There had to be more. The technology for instance, was nothing like he'd seen before. The army fellow just disappeared in thin air. What concerned him even more was where the person went.
He sighed and grabbed his sword from off of the ground. He didn't like the sound of any of this, regardless of whatever she was doing. Skylor knew something, something Kai feared would get her in big trouble and the fact that she wasn't telling him it, only made it worse.
"Is everyone safe and accounted for?" Kai questioned, returning back to the other ninja.
"I believe so Kai but-" Zane was abruptly cut off by a woman who ran up to them. Her hair was matted and her clothes stained with ash and burns.
"Wait no!" she paused momentarily, catching her breath. "My baby! My baby is still in there! Oh please, please save her! She's only five!" She cried as fell to her knees, sobbing.
"Which house ma'am?"
"That one." she pointed to a small cottage in back, completely engulfed in flames top to bottom, panels falling, and windows shattered. Kai swallowed hard and stared back down at the woman. Her eyes begged for help and mercy. Her arms trembled violently as she clutched a small stuffed bear. "My baby...my baby" she whimpered.
Kai exhaled slowly. He kept thinking about his father's words. "People you can't save." It kept spinning and spinning eating at him with every second that ticked by. He was determined not to end his battles like his father, he was going to save everyone. No matter the risk to his own life. He was a ninja and this was his duty.
"Zane, try to see if your ice can calm these flames. I'm going in." "But Kai that's dangerous!"Jay yelled, but Kai rose his hand and shook his head. "I'm doing this. No one is getting left behind. Not on my watch."
Kai found a piece of wood and lit it with his fire powers to use as a torch, as he walked through the half demolished house. Furniture and debris were scattered around and the fumes from the smoke began to scratch his throat.
He then took a small step but stop when he heard something made of glass shatter. Lifting up his foot, he noticed a small picture frame he stepped on.
He picked it up, being careful not to cut himself on the glass. The picture was of a family. The woman he met before, a man and a little girl. He felt his eyes start to sting as he glanced around the room again. At this burning house. This family was losing all they had, ...all their hard work. He didn't even want to start to think about what kind of person could be responsible for this. So many innocent lives ...all put in danger.
He sat the picture back down as he sighed. He had to find this girl. "Hello?" he said as he tried to call out for her. His voice echoed off the walls and sent a chill up his spine but there, in the distance he heard a faint yelp, not too far from his current position.
"Hello? Is anyone here?" he questioned once more. "Help!" he heard the cry again, this time more profound.
"I'm coming! Don't worry!" Kai stepped over what looked like a shelf, then a door, trying to avoid being knocked out by the wood panels that were hanging from the ceiling. "Here!"
He noticed a small hand peeking out from under a wood beam that had fallen. Kai leaded his torch against a piece of furniture and grasped his hands around the beam.
"When I lift this I want you to crawl out." he said. He then tightened his grip on the beam and slowly eased it up, groaning in result of the pain that now traveled down his back. The little girl wiggled herself from up under the beam and grasped Kai's leg. She was terrified and her foot looked like it had been broken.
"You can't walk ..can you?" Kai questioned. She shook her head.
"Well, I guess that means I will be carrying you."
Jay tapped his foot impatiently as he crossed his arms."I'm getting worried about Kai. He's taking forever. " "I'm sure he'll be out shortly." Zane said, then smiled as the familiar red ninja became visible. "See there he is."
Zane pointed to the cottage as Kai appeared, carrying a little girl. The mother quickly ran up and took the child from his arms."Thank you so much." she cried.
Kai gave her a small smile and turned his attention back to the others. "That's all of them. I think we need to regroup now."
"Agreed!" Both Jay and Zane replied. "I've set out a path to a safe village not to far from here. It's small, but above ground so it shouldn't be affected. The villagers are setting out to there now. I'll go with them and watch till they arrive then meet you all back at the bounty." Zane explained as he projected a holographic map from his arm.
"Good because we need a better plan. I have a bad feeling about all of this."
"Are you sure we should leave Kai? I mean we still have that army back there." Jay questioned. Kai shook his head. "The people are safe and that's all that matters right now. We can't take on this army. It's too big and it only seems to be getting bigger."
"Where's Skylor then? She's coming back with us right?"
"She's...probably helping the villagers...somewhere. I'm sure she'll meet us back at the bounty." Kai said, the resistance quite obvious in his tone. He wasn't going to rat Skylor out yet, not now, or ever possibly. He still believed she was on their side. He knew she was.
K'lynn rematerialized on the floor, just outside of Tolin's office. After he regained his vision back he pushed himself off the ground, a short groan escaped his lips as he did. This didn't feel right.
He turned, biting his lip to distract from the immediate discomfort that followed. His eyes slowly traveled up his body, and examined it with great interest. When they gazed over a red liquid they halted. Air escaped K'lynn's lungs as his eyes then widened.
He rolled up his pant leg and removed the piece of armor that rested on his thigh. His leg had a gash, a deep one in fact. "That's what I get for using experimental tech." K'lynn mumbled bitterly. He took some fabric from his sleeve and wrapped it tightly around the wound. Then he replaced the armor and tried to stand, groaning again.
He had to walk off this pain. Weakness was one thing you could not have. Especially when talking to Tolin. He had a talent for being able to read fear and pain like a book. A talent he used quite often...and without mercy.
Stepping forward, K'lynn placed a hand on the door and pushed, not wanting to admit to the thoughts of horror that passed through his mind. Not wanting to submit to fear, or the worry, the-
"K'lynn." Tolin's gruff voice rang in his ear, snapping him back to reality. "Come inside."
"Master Tolin..." K'lynn lowered his arm and bowed before him, giving the formal salute.
Tolin, like always, sat on his chair...or throne as he liked to call it. He was dressed in his battle armor, burgundy in color with the organization's symbol carved deep within the metal. His helmet rested on his head, and a cape flowed down to his ankles.
K'lynn's heart picked up its pace as he felt Tolin's eyes on him. Watching through that mask. Always watching. "With no disrespect sir, I must inquire something." he began, shuddering as his own voice vibrated off the walls. It was quiet today.
A dreadful type of quiet. A waiting type of quiet...
Tolin's fists tightened, the scrunching sound of the leather filled the silence of the room. "Go on.." His voice was cold, sharp, lifeless.
"I want to know why I am not being allowed to see what the army is doing, as your second in command I'd figure I'd be the first to know." K'lynn continued.
Tolin's hands now began to tap the chair, repeating in an almost musical rhythm as he sighed. "K'lynn.." his voice lingered. " You're not second in command anymore." K'lynn's heart stopped beating. "But...why?" He glanced up briefly. He knew. Tolin knew. He knew.
"We both know why." Tolin stated firmly, his voice lowering to a level K'lynn never heard before.
He gulped, trying not to move so much. Maybe he could still play it off innocent, it'd buy him some time if anything. Time to escape. "Sir, I do not under-"
"Save it!" Tolin's fist slammed on the arms of the chair.
He got up and released another sigh as he approached K'lynn. He raised his leather gloved hand and poked K'lynn's armored chest. "Did you really think I didn't know? Did you really think I was that stupid that I wouldn't notice you...just-just slipping by me like that!" he expressed agitation and disappointment in his voice.
"I...I thought..." "Thought what?" Tolin's voice rose higher, "That you had people to trust here? That you had 'friends'?" he questioned.
"Oh, at first you did. More then I expected in fact. That is.." Tolin paused, a laugh emanated from him." ..until I turned them back to my side." his laugh turned into a chuckle as he turned to the wall, admiring the black, coldness of it all. "It's funny what a little money and a fake promise can do."
"W-what did you do?" "Nothing to concern your little mind about my dear." Tolin replied, shaking his head.
Furious, and upset K'lynn then reached out to him and made a grunting noise. Tolin cracked a smile in amusement of this, though it was not visible to K'lynn. "What's wrong...powers still not working right?"
K'lynn stood back up. He'd thought maybe...just maybe they'd work right for once. "I told you there was no way to fix it...you should be glad you even still have the few you do. For some reason my invention can't seem to fully erase them. Oh well, I guess. You're still pretty useless." he sang, spinning around, making K'lynn's blood pressure rise. "What are you going to do with me..." "Oh, I'd thought you'd never ask." Tolin clapped his hands. "Guards!"
Five ninja style robed figures appeared from behind the back door. Tolin began to laugh again as K'lynn ran out into the hall. "You can run but you can't hide!" he yelled, then he tapped the guard who still stood beside him. "Make sure 'K'lynn' doesn't get away."
"And what about you sir?"
"I'm going to my army. It's about time I see if they really found what I'm looking for."
*** Lloyd ran his hands down his face in frustration as he stared at the monitor screens again, his stomach turning in knots. "Sensei, I just got four more village notifications."
Cole sighed at this, placing a hand on his hip. "Four more just in these past hours? How are they moving that fast?" He questioned, turning to Wu.
Sensei Wu had been oddly quiet through all of this. Not saying a word as Cole and Lloyd each expressed frustration or confusion. He just grasped his staff, squeezing it with every bit of strength he had. It calmed him. "I'm not sure but I don't like it." His eyes darkened and his expression hardened as another village lit up red.
Lloyd raised an eyebrow as he watched his Sensei carefully, disturbed by his expression. "Uncle...do you know something?"
Sensei Wu's gaze briefly met Lloyd and then returned to the monitor. "I'm not sure yet." Lloyd swallowed, unsure of how to respond. "Is that good or bad then?"
"I'm not certain of that either." Wu's body became even more tense and hardly moved. He just stared. Keeping his eyes focused on the screens. "All I do know is that this needs to stop and we need to find what these people are up to."
Lloyd's eyes narrowed, only slightly though. That part was obvious. They all knew that.
"Ok, but do you any ideas so far Sensei?" Cole questioned, also alarmed by Wu's behavior.
"Yes, but I won't speculate until I have more information. I want all the ninja present when I do as well." "Well, I just got a message from Kai a few minutes ago. He said they were on their way back."
"Well? Do you see anything?" Nya questioned eagerly, tilting her head to observe what Pixal was doing. She had been at this for over an hour now.
"Not exactly." Pixal blinked in confusion. She figured her scanners must have been malfunctioning because she was getting absolutely no where with this, which was frustrating even for an android.
Nya exhaled and slumped her shoulders. "Well, that's ok. The doctors said the same thing. It's probably just nothing." she let out a small chuckle. "I guess I should be happy about that right?"
Pixal's lip curled as she let go of Nya's arm. She wasn't giving up on this yet. There had to be a logical explanation to it. Something she wasn't seeing. Something she glanced over. Something sh- "Do you feel hot?"
Pixal angled her head back and eyed Nya again. She had started perspiring and was fanning herself with a piece of paper."No? I do not." Pixal responded. She ran a quick temperature check through her systems. The room was only seventy degrees...and breezy. There was no reason for Nya to be sweating like this.
"Are you alright Nya?" she questioned, continuing to run tests in her processor. "Yeah, maybe the guys are just playing a trick or something...are you sure you're not hot?" Nya took her hand and wiped the pool of sweat from her forehead.
"My internal systems regulate my temperature if my surroundings are too hot or too cold." she hesitated. "That's probably... why I do not feel it." Pixal wasn't exactly lying when she said this, but it wasn't the full truth either. Her processor had not regulated her temperature at this moment. And the room was not hot.
"Nya...perhaps you should lie down." she suggested, pointing over to Nya's bed. When she tried to approach her, Nya just waved her away."What? No, I'm fine. It'll go away." she said.
Pixal clenched her fist. Her uneasiness began to grow exponentially when she noticed Nya started to breathe differently. Harder. Faster. "Nya, I would advise you lie down. Please." Her emerald eyes grew dark with concern and her voice lowered to a calming, but stern tone.
Nya frowned, placing a hand on her head. Something odd was happening. "I feel funny...I think...I think you may be right." She stumbled into Pixal's arms.
Her head was spinning and she felt woozy, almost nauseous from all the heat. White specks clouded her vision and the only thing she could clearly see were Pixal's glowing eyes. Something was fighting her. Not physically in hand-to-hand combat, but in her mind, mentally...she felt it. Someone was trying to break through...to take over. Slowly easing their way past her control and she couldn't stop them. She was too weak to even try.
"Pixal...I..I-" Nya's eyes rolled to the back of her head and her body dropped into Pixal's grasp.
"Nya? Nya!" Pixal yelled, still holding her body. She ran to her bed, carefully lowering her down. Her anxiety level indicator blinked bright red, warning her to calm down, but how could she? He friend just passed out! Exhaling, she turned to go get the ninja. But she stopped moving entirely when a hand came out and tightly gripped her arm, applying an extreme amount of pressure.
Nya's hand.
The mark on her arm was now glowing, red in color. Pixal froze, not wanting to make any sudden movements. Nya only said one word, but that word was enough to send chills up your spine, stopping you dead in your tracks.
Panic filled Pixal's body as Nya slowly lifted her head up. Her now red colored eyes locked onto her and Nya's grip became so tight to the point where Pixal felt pain. While taking a deep breath, Pixal began to run diagnostic outcome tests in her head. "Seventy...Eighty, one hundred percent chance of failure", blinked on one of her sensors. "All possible outcomes result in failure." Failure. Fail.
She tired to wrap her mind around all her calculations. This couldn't possibly be right. She miscalculated. She missed a decimal. This had to be wrong.
"You will burn." Pixal swallowed hard, as the words grazed her ears. She eyed Nya again. Or whoever was controlling her now. She still couldn't tell. This most certainly couldn't be Nya. It had to be someone using her. She would never comply willingly.She had to reach her somehow!
"Nya...are you still in there? You need to fight what ever this is!" she yelled. Nya though, only laughed at Pixal's words, slightly loosening the grip she had on her arm. Loosening her grip.
"Option for escape detected." Now blinked on Pixal's sensor. This brief moment of Nya lowering her guard allowed Pixal to break free and she ran toward the door.
"You will not escape!" Nya yelled, getting up from the bed and walking toward her. She was still laughing in this evil hair-raising tone. "You can not escape. Join us Pixal. Burn with us."
"Burn for me."
"No! I will not!" Pixal pulled on the door handle, but it wouldn't budge. It was locked. It wasn't locked before. Turning back around, she noticed Nya was gone. No where to be found. Her eyes filled with terror as they searched the room. She was just here! Where did sh-
"Chances of success diminishing ...chances at zero perc-" "Oh, hush you! " Pixal snapped, disabling her sensors. This was no time for calculating possibilities.
Her thinking halted again as she felt two red clothed arms come around her neck. Nya had sneaked up on her while she was distracted. Using her mechanical abilities against her. As a weakness.
"I know you don't have to breathe ...but I can still break you...snap you." she said. "If you won't join us then you'll have to be eliminated."
"Nya! Please!" Pixal yelled, trying to push her arms back. But Nya slammed Pixal's body into the wall. Pinning it there."Wait...what are you doing?" she questioned as she watched Nya's arm come up.
Her hand was transparent, glowing in fact as it moved toward her. Her calculations were indeed correct. She really didn't have a chance. Not even a slight chance... because before even a yelp could even escape her lips Nya struck her. Right through her.
Pixal stared wide eyed, letting her hands fall and feel over the gash that was now in her chest. A few sparks escaped her sides before her eyes closed and power shut down. Nya watched with great pleasure as Pixal's body fell to the ground...cold, lifeless.
Yeah, she did that. She ..did that? She... hurt her? The control began to loosen as Nya pondered those sentences.
"No...Oh gosh no." She fell to he knees gasping. Her mind seemed to snap back to reality as the "real" Nya regained control. The emotion that overwhelmed her allowed her to break free. That painful realisation.
She stumbled back, staring down at her now trembling hands. The hands that did this. "W-what did I do?" she cried.
"I-I almost..did I?" she couldn't even say it. She couldn't even think it.
"I-I have to fix this." she thought, as she dragged Pixal's body over to her desk. "Oh, please let me be able to fix her. Oh please."
"Come with me...and you'll be in world of pure imagination" "Take a look and you'll see into your imagination"
Tolin began to hum the tune of his favorite childhood song as he roamed the burning village. Although, his version twisted it into something horrific and disturbing to any normal persons mind. But to him this was pleasing and satisfying. He felt no guilt as the people ran, taking what little belongings they had with them. He felt no compassion for the loss of their homes. None of those emotions existed in him anymore...not to their full extent.
At one time they did, but those emotions caused more suffering then what they were worth. The trauma and persecution he had gone through in his younger days was enough to let even the nicest person turn bitter with rage and regret. And...in his case...it was enough to let the even the smallest bit a evil burn like an eternal flame, never to be put out again.
"We'll begin with a spin traveling in the world of my creation. What we'll see will defy explanation."
He took a deep breath and guffawed at his masterpiece. It was so ...beautiful. All the screams of terror and red-orange flames, the smoke that surrounded him as he skipped along. The illuminating embers that soared across the sky.
