Prologue
2 MONTHS EARLIER…
Nya sat up in bed, listening carefully. Her husband Jay jumped up from his chair by the fireplace,
Setting down his book. "Did you hear something?" Nya asked quietly. Jay nodded. Together they ran to
Their window. "A fire!" Nya cried, racing down the stairs and out the door. Jay followed after grabbing a
Bucket from the kitchen. "Hurry!" Cole yelled as he left his house.
"It's at Kai and Lana's house!"
Nya stumbled. "No," she gasped, and Jay shoved a full bucket into her arms.
"Go with Cole!" he said, and Nya raced after him, tears streaming down her face. She and Cole
Reached her brother's house and threw the water onto the rapidly growing flames.
Looking around wildly, she saw the ice ninja Zane dumping the last bucket of water onto the building.
"Zane!" Nya screamed. "Use your powers to put this out!" Zane shook his head sadly.
"I cannot! None of our powers have worked since Lloyd died!"
Nya collapsed as Jay appeared by her side. "It is no use," Zane's girlfriend PIXAL called.
"The flames are too hot! They will not have survived!" Suddenly, Nya looked up, the light of the
Fire reflecting in her eyes. "Give me that!" she ordered one of the villagers, snatching his
Bucket of water. Dousing herself with it, she shoved Jay aside and raced through the doorway,
Practically flying up the flaming stairway.
Eyes streaming because of the thick smoke, Nya kicked open Kai and Lana's bedroom door.
Coughing, she stumbled through the room, and fell to the floor when she saw then.
"Kai," she choked, and a wave of sadness and horror washed over her as the flames crept closer.
Her brother was dead, and she had no way out.
Then, Nya heard a thin wail coming from the room next to her. She crawled slowly across the floor,
Every breath painful, desperate to reach whoever that was.
Clumsily shoving open the thin door, Nya realized the smoke hadn't reached that room yet.
Looking around quickly, she saw a cradle and remembered that Lana had given birth a few days ago.
"Come, little Miho," Nya gasped, scooping the screaming baby into her arms. "Let's get out of here."
Turning, Nya's heart sank even further. The fire had reached them, and the only way out was the high window.
Nya collapsed on the ground, screaming as she clutched her ankle. "Nya!" Jay shouted, and PIXAL
Took Miho as two villagers attended to Nya's ankle. Jay stood by anxiously until one of the woman
Looked up. "Only badly sprained," she announced, and Jay sighed gratefully.
"Were Kai and Lana-" Cole started to ask, but Jay held up his hand. He'd seen the look on Nya's
Face. Kai and Lana were gone forever. As the last of the flames died down, Nya struggled to her feet.
Cole and Jay gripped her arms as she stumbled, and PIXAL stepped forward.
"Nya, do not stand," she began, but Zane shook his head at her. "Let her be," he murmured.
For Nya had seen the glint of gold in the wreckage of the building. Wrenching her arms away from the
Two ninja, she picked up Kai's golden weapon- the Sword of Fire.
Wincing, the young woman began to walk away from the ruins, trying to ignore the pain in her ankle.
"Where are you going?" Jay asked, and Nya turned to him, her eyes full of pain and heartache.
"I'm going to find who killed my brother. And they will pay. No matter how long it takes, no matter
What I have to do, I will find them. And nothing can stop me. So don't even try."
No one saw the vaguely human-shaped creature slip away into the trees, scales flashing and
Tongue flicking. He needed to report to the General. His plan had succeeded.