Cole
A slit of light invades my dreams (if you could call them that).
I can hear plates clattering in the kitchen.
I've slept in again. It's a good thing the serpentine and Garmadon have disappeared.
I'm glad we don't do sunrise exercise anymore, I would always be late if we did. Maybe that's why we don't do it anymore? I've never actually bothered to ask.
I guess I don't care.
Yelling.
I'm fully awake now. Pulling on some clothes, I head out the door toward the kitchen; seeking the source of Wu's anger.
Heads swivel toward me when I enter the room, then back to Kai who is seated at our dining table. His eyes are filled with uncertainty.
"Eat it." Wu commands in a stern tone.
Kai eyes the circle of people surrounding him, a fence. A barrier.
He's trapped and I've just added to the force of a wall set in stone. A family set in stone.
But rock cracks, it crumbles under pressure. Like I did.
His gaze settles on me, as if he was asking my opinion. Desperate cinnamon eyes plead with me.
I shake my head softly and he turns away. In front of him is a shiny red apple.
Kai
"Brother, we are trying to help you. Stop shutting us out." Zane says gently.
Help? Yeah right, forcing me to do something will so help me. NOT.
He places an apple on the oak table, just one small apple.
Poisoned? No. Don't be an idiot Kai, they wouldn't so that... Would they? Argh, why is it so hard for them to understand that I don't want to eat?!
"Please brother."
Is he kidding?
I narrow my eyes. Not a chance.
"Why are you being so stubborn?! Can't you see that you need help Kai? ARE YOU BLIND?!" Wincing at the used volume, I remain silent.
"It's just one apple." I know it's just one apple you miserable old sod, but after living off energy bars for three weeks it's a bit of a mouthful!
I look everyone in the eye; challenging them.
Jay looks away, he's guilty. He should be.
Cole enters the room filling the gap in the ring.
I'm trapped, penned in. No escape this time.
I lock eyes with him. What does he have to say about this?
But no words form, he simply shakes his head.
Traitor.
I pick up the fruit and examine it. There are no flaws in it's surface. I wonder how long it took them to find this... It would be a shame to ruin it.
I'm planning my escape route; that is guaranteed to fail. When Lloyd's expression changes my mind. He's just a kid.
I can't blame him for what happened...
Can I?
So I don't do it for me, or Wu, or my team. I don't do it for Nya... my precious sister.
I do it for Lloyd. And him alone, because no kid should have to see what he saw.
I lift the apple to my mouth, and take a bite. Sickly sweet apple juice flows over my tongue, and I realize something: energy bars have no flavor.
Cole
Surprisingly after the first bite Kai continued eating. I guess he was hungry after all? I realize it's not likely, but I'd like to think we made more progress today than we realistically have.
Kai's talking to Zane at the moment, who am I to ask what about?
Closing the door to our shared room; I head down the hallway to check on Jay. He's cooking our well overdue lunch.
As I'm walking, I spot something behind me in the mirror that hangs at the end of the corridor.
I spin around abruptly only to find there is nothing there.
Stop being paranoid Cole. Don't let bad habits creep up on you!
Continuing on my way past the mirror I hear a crack.
Did Jay drop something?
Picking up my pace, I carry on. I hope nothing is broken...
Placing my right foot on the first step up to the deck, I felt an absurd desire to turn around. Frowning I bring my foot back down.
What the hell...
Pivoting I cautiously go back the way I came. I can hear whispering, is that Lloyd?
Nothing could have prepared me for what I saw when I turned that corner.
I'm paralyzed from my own surprise. Maybe fear too.
Standing in the mirror is not my reflection, but Nya's.
I look down at my body, I'm still me. Phew.
Looking back at the mirror I watch as she lifts her tiny hand and waves sadly.
My eyes widen. "Nya?"
"Hello, Cole."
"Wha-" A ringing sound fills my ears, it hurts. A lot.
I can feel a tug at my chest, something pulling me.
I fall to the ground, and squeeze my eyes shut.
She was there...
...
In the mirror...
But she's dead...
Is she?
Yes.
~No~
Someone is screaming, it's me.
Footsteps are coming closer, at a fast sprint.
Why was she there? What was she doing?
Is she... Alive?
"COLE!"
"COLE!" "What happened?!"
"Cole, wake up! WAKE UP COLE!"
Who is that? Zane? Kai? I can't tell, everything hurts.
"Cole...?" Lloyd asks softly. "Cole can you hear me? Please be okay..."
Poor kid. He probably thinks I'm dying too.
Maybe I am...
What happens when you die?
The ringing is quieter now, faint. No longer a blaring radio.
One voice calls out clearer than the others. A silky, almost fake voice.
It whispers:
I'm not dead Cole,
help me.
I need you help.
I'm not dead.
Save me,
I'm trapped.
Is that Nya?
Save me Cole.
Unconsciousness draws closer.
And the light fades out completely.
Lloyd
"Cole..."
...
"Cole, can you hear me? Please be okay, I can't lose you too."
"Nya...?" Cole whispers. What?! That can't be. She's... She's dead. I saw her... die. In front of me, exhaling her last breath. He must be delusional. There is no other explanation. Unless... No. She can't be... Alive. Can she?
NO!
It's inhuman, impossible, illogical. Yet it happened all the same. Why?
No. Get yourself together Lloyd! You're being dumb. Cole never said she was there, she's not there. He's imagining it. I'm being unreasonable. But.. if she was alive.. I could speak to her maybe... Say...
Ugh! Stop it Lloyd! Talking to yourself won't help anyone!
Cole just went limp. Oh no. That can't be good... Did he pass out?
I move forward but Jay pushes me back. "Hey!" I say.
"Lloyd this is no time to idle. Go get Sensei, NOW!" I hesitate, looking Jay hard in the eye. His stare is unwavering "Lloyd, we don't know what's wrong or what caused... This." He gestured toward the clad black form that Kai and Zane are struggling to lift. "And it's crucial that we find out, his life could be on the line. So I'm asking you, to please, go wake him- maybe he'll know what's happening."
The panicked look on Jay's face scares me a little. I look away, back at Cole. His head is lolled to the side. I sigh.
"Okay." I turn around and run as fast as I can down the hall toward Uncle's room.
You can only go faster.
You're not gonna go anywhere Cole. Not without saying "Goodbye".
Cole
I'm in a void. An empty black pit.
Lying in the dark. Except I'm lying on nothing... Nothing at all. That's not right.
I open my eyes, looking around frantically. Where are the others?! "Zane? Kai? Jay? Lloyd?!" I'm talking, I feel it, but I can't hear a word. Just thick, icy silence.
Then I remember.
Nya! Where is she?!
I quickly push off the 'ground' so I'm standing and cup my hands over my mouth, attempting to call out to her.
"Nya!" "Nya, are you there?!" "Where are you Nya?!"
"NYA!"
Her name echos around the area, I step back in surprise. I can hear my voice! Yelling her name a fifth time, a grin spreads across my face. Maybe we can get her back after all!
I wait. Nothing.
I'm about to call her name again when someone clears their throat- from what seems like all directions – and speaks: "Cole? You came! I knew you would, that's why I choose you!"
My eyes widen "Nya! You're alive! How... Oh, who cares?! We've missed you so much and- wait. What do you mean 'you choose me'...?"
"Oh... Yeah, that. I'll explain later, right now I need you to get me out of here!"
"No. Explain now."
"Uhh... Alright. Only one person can be in here so I picked you to rescue me because you're the strongest."
"Right..." I narrow my eyes, there's something fishy going on here... "Where is 'here'? And where are you?"
"We're in a place I've taken to calling 'the other side.'"
"What?! As in, like, the grave or something?!"
"No! It's different! I'm telling you I'm not dead! This is like a prison, I need to escape and I need your help to do so!"
"Come on Nya, really? You don't have the slightest doubt that you're not alive? Because as much as I hate to say it, you're dead and dead people don't come back, I should know..."
"How do you know I'm dead, what if I'm alive and you're just leaving me to starve?!"
"Because I saw your body, medics saw your body, the team saw your body, Lloyd saw you die in front of him, and we all went to your funeral! And you just said you'd starve, how long have you been here- shouldn't you have starved already?!"
I wince, that was harsh. "Sorry."
"Don't you want me to come back Cole?" She whispers sadly.
"Believe me, Nya; I want nothing more than to have you with us again, but I just don't think it's possible. Now, can you please tell me where you are?"
"It is possible!" She cries indignantly, sounding like a small child.
"How Nya? Tell me how!"
"He's coming Cole! Help me, quickly!"
My expression turns to one of fear and concern, she sounds terrified "Who's coming Nya?"
"The son."
"Who's 'the son'? Why is he a threat?"
"He's coming for you Cole, and then he'll come for me! You have to leave, NOW!"
"Wait, Nya! What-"
"Goodbye Cole... Come back. You do remember how you got here don't you? Don't you?! Never mind, I'll find you. Just get out of here! Oh, and don't tell anyone about me, especially Him."
"Nya, who-"
"You have to go!"
I feel something pulling me back, sucking me out of this world. "NYA!" I scream. I can't leave her here, even if she is dead. I turn my head frantically back and forth, I can't see her... Where is she?! Blinding white lines are streaking through the black, blurring the world into a mess of black and white zig-zagged stripes.
I'm inhaled by the vortex behind me, jerking from side to side like a flimsy rag-doll.
After spending only a few seconds inside the spinning portal, motion sickness threatens to devour me. It takes all I have not to hurl today's breakfast all over myself.
Then suddenly, like turning on a light- I could hear my teammates calling to me.
"Cole, come on wake up!"
"Will he be okay, Sensei?"
"Cole come back to us!"
And Lloyd...
"Cole, is she alive?"
What! How did he know? Is he psychic? I'll have to ask him when I wake up... If I wake up.
I had expected the hard wooden floor of the Bounty's hallway, instead I felt a soft mattress beneath me. I must be in the infirmary; our bunks are springy.
I groan. Who would've thought that, that experience would make one so sore!
"Cole." Wu say's gently. "Can you hear me?"
"Mmm..." I open my eyes. I look swiftly at the small mirror above the sink. Nothing is there. My heart sinks, I've really missed Nya. I'd do anything to get her back...
Wu notices me staring at the mirror, he comments on it. "The spirit that has invaded our home has gone into hiding. I can't find it."
I stare at him, shocked. "We need your help Cole, you're the only one who has come into any form of contact with this spirit. And we are going to need all the help we can get if it attacks, or we could lose another loved one."
No way.
Wu
Something has drifted into our stronghold..
We are not safe.. We will have to fight...
For there has been a great shift in the balance...
Something we have never faced before.
We are outnumbered by the continuous stream of evil seeping into our world. Into our home.
These forces will join, conspire against us, herd us to our destruction.
Will my ninja be strong enough? What does fate have in store for them?
Could this be our match... Have we finally met our end?
