Prologue – Brothers Until The End
Jay was practically laughing at the sight of Kai's charge. "Wow! Look at him go!"
"Yeah!" Cole nodded. "Who knew he had that kind of power in him?"
Nya sighed. "Apparently, Sensei did."
"That would make a lot of sense. He is known for withholding secrets from us until the last minute." Jay snickered.
Meanwhile, above the village of Stiix, Kai and his dragons were holding the line well. Every once and a while, one of the massive beasts would get knocked into the water, but they got right back up, just as Kai always did.
Wu nodded in pride. Sky would've been proud.
But Kai had to admit, he couldn't fight forever, but the enemy sure could. Anytime one of Kai's dragons took out a cursed spirit, they would just respawn through the Realm Crystal. And Morro even said it himself, with every new soul the Preeminent stole, she grew stronger and stronger. Kai just hoped she wouldn't become too sturdy for even a dragon army of thousands to defeat.
After a few more exhausting minutes, the large beasts were feeling fatigued, and that greatly weaken their side of the battle. One by one, dragons we knocked out of the sky. Kai's armada was weakening, and the Preeminent was only growing more resistant to the attacks. Eventually, when Kai had his back turned as he was assisting a smaller version of a fire dragon, he too was knocked into the ocean below.
As soon as he hit the water, a harsh hissing sound strained his ears. The flames that menacingly lit up his dragon half were put out. Ironically, it let off an agonizing burning sensation. He felt as though he were on fire. He was grateful no one could hear him scream underwater. Salt water quickly filled his lungs; he was drowning… fading fast. His vision blurred - not that it was so clear, anyway - but just before it got any worse, he felt a sharp set of claws dig into his shoulder and he was ripped out of the water.
What a relief it was to be on dry land! At first, Kai could scarcely get a breath of air, for he spent almost two minutes coughing up salt water and he could barely fight through the sharp pain in his shoulder in his weakened state. But when he was allowed to breathe, he felt his strength returning to him. Such an uplifting sensation!
Once he was well enough to process his surroundings, he searched for his savior. It turned out to be Owl, the stone dragon who identified Kai as the new alpha of the entire species, staring him down with deep and sincere concern in his bright yellow eyes.
"Are you well, Alpha?"
Kai nodded halfheartedly. "I'm… fine." He managed to gag.
"You surely don't sound fine. Let Sparky take over for now… at least until you regain the strength to lead us."
"Okay… but who's Sparky?"
Owl pointed upward toward a miniature dragon, his scales the color of flames. It was the same small beast that Kai had assisted earlier!
But Kai didn't question the decision. Instead he simply nodded in approval and watched as Owl gave the young dragon the news.
"Okay, good," Sparky replied. "Send Canyon down to protect the Alpha while he recovers. Everyone else, charge!"
And, boy, did they! They fought harder than ever ever before, knowing that that they were not only defending the fifteen realms from utter destruction, but they were also defending their weakened leader.
Down below, Nya was starting to get worried. She watched with fear as Kai was knocked from sky into the water, and she hadn't spotted him since.
"Where's my brother?" She asked Wu desperately.
The Sensei didn't hesitate to point him out, being shielded under the stone wings of Canyon… and Nya didn't hesitate to race to his side.
"What happened to you?" She questioned worriedly. Young Nya wasn't used to seeing her older brother in such a frail and fragile state.
"Nothing… I'm fine." Kai answered.
"He's lying," Canyon said with a sly grin as he looked to Nya. "He almost drowned a few minutes ago, and unless we can defeat the Preeminent in this final strike, I think we all will."
Kai glanced up to his sister sighed. "Nya, it's up to you now. You have to... help the others!"
"But what about you?"
"I'll be fine! Just… just go!"
After a few more seconds of arguing, Nya finally gave in, and she rushed off to the edge of a lengthy pier, where just twenty yards away, dragons were taking on cursed spirits and their large queen.
As she gazed upon the largest battle of all time, she found that voices were running through her head… the voices of many she knew, all saying the same thing: "Your flaw is that you give up too easily; you only like what comes easy to you… don't be afraid to fail, Nya." This went on for a minute or two before all the voices faded and left her with one last speaker: her very own brother.
"Nya, it's up to you now!"
With a nod of determination, Nya close her eyes and tried her best to convince herself that she wasn't afraid to fail.
I'm not afraid. I'm not afraid. I'm not afraid…
She felt her new-found power glowing in her chest. She was no longer frightened of failure, and she never would be.
I'm. Not. Afraid!
The next thing she knew, she was sending a colossal wave on a mission to crash over the Preeminent and all who lived within her. Both dragons and spirits fled the scene.
Nearby, Kai watched with a prideful grin. But it faded quickly when he found that Sparky was about to be engulfed by the water, and he was in too much of a shock to move out of the way.
Someone has to help him!
At the thought that one of his own was about to join his ancestors, the flames returned to Kai's dragon half… and his heart. His strength flooded back to him, and without hesitation, he took of into the dawning sky to snatch up the frozen beast. Fortunately, he succeed, just as the wave crashed.
The Preeminent was instantly engulfed in salt water, and as she dissolved into nothing, she pulled her followers down with her.
Morro had just been snatched from the air and was slowly being pulled into the depths below when Sensei Wu and his power dragon appeared beside him.
"Give me your hand, Morro!" Wu exclaimed, holding out his hand.
"Why?" Morro snarled. "So you can take back the Realm Crystal and save your prized pupil?"
Wu sighed. "You're all my prized pupils, but sometimes even the greatest warrior needs support. You can join our team, and we can show you what it's like to be a hero… together!"
Morro took a moment to think about it. Maybe this was finally a way to impress Sensei Wu: joining him!
With a wistful smile, Morro, grasped Wu's hand, and he was freed from the Preeminent's grasp. And just as he was, he found that his outfit was now the same as Kai's, with a light gray shade instead of red, and a lot less dragons. The highlight in his hair had gone from green to white, and he was no longer surrounded in an eerie green color to signify his cursed spirit… which he no longer was. From this day on, he would the Ninja of Wind.
A steamboat parked itself at the pier and elated villagers leapt off the boat, squealing with excitement and joy that their ninja were alive and well (and a couple stronger than before), and their village (and the fifteen realms) was safe.
And their saviors were already celebrating their victory by jumping up and down and cheering Nya's name to the rising sun.
"Ninja, we have a new member joining the team. "Said Sensei Wu.
The ninja ceased in their victory dances and loud cheering to rotate to Sensei Wu and a very nervous Morro in new clothing… and a mortal body. Plus, a rescued Lloyd and Sensei Garmadon.
"Whoa!" Lloyd exclaimed at his first glance of Kai's new appearance and a flame-colored dragon (with the Dragon's crystal embedded in his chest, as well) perched on Kai's shoulder. "Kai, you look awesome!"
Kai simply blushed, then waved to Garmadon in greeting. "Long time, no see?"
Each one of them dipped their heads in respect to Morro and Cole even greeted him kindly as the Ninja of Wind.
"Thank you all so much for accepting me," Morro thanked them. "I know it will take some time to adjust to this new lifestyle, and I'm not sure if I can ever forgive myself for what I've done, but I promise to fight for Ninjago and the other fourteen realms remaining."
"Trust me," Garmadon reassured his newest student. "I know how it feels. But you're still young… you have plenty of time to make up for your actions."
Cole dipped his head. "Sensei G's right. No matter what, we're more than just a team, we're brothers…"
"Cole, look!" Nya gasped, pointing to the Ninja of Earth's body as its green glow faded.
Cole chuckled excitedly. He could feel again! He was no longer a ghost!
"Hey, if Morro can defy destiny, then why can't we?" He shrugged.
Jay snickered. "Sure, some of us may look a little different..." He said, glancing back to Kai.
"But that's okay," Nya declared. "Sometimes you've just gotta go with the flow!"
"So, tell us Lloyd," Jay demanded. "Since we already have such a perfect ending to our legend, you gotta tell us what we're saving!"
Lloyd chuckled and shook his head. "Let's just say the future looks bright for us… and Ninjago."
Greetings, my children! I hope you enjoyed the final prologue chapter for The Elemental Crystals! I still have another 4 weeks of using crutches to walk, and tomorrow, I start high school! I'm so nervous… mostly because there's so many stairwells! DX
But I'll be fine… I hope! Anyways, for anyone else who has already started school or are about to, I wish you luck in this new year!
One more thing, I know it's a little early to announce this, but I will (probably) be doing another Ninjago Christmas fanfic this year, probably around the same time as last year. It will be called Home for the Holidays, and (naturally), it's gonna be about Kai and Nya (but mostly Kai! XD) visiting their old home for Christmas. Hopefully, it will be an improvement on last year's, Little Wonders. It will be similar, but with less anger fits from Kai. ;)
I will announce more as I think of more to say about it… because the holidays will be here before we know it! Four months isn't too far off, so as November approaches, watch out for Home for the Holidays! Let's just hope I'll have enough time to finish it on paper before that time comes!
Welp, I'm probably just rambling on now, so I should go and at least try to update The Blacksmith's Son. For all those who read that story, let's hope Sky and Priscilla get to Kai in time!
-Hiro
P.S.: This weird thing I decided to do for some reason.
Me: Merry Christmas!
Kai: Merry Christmas? But it's August!
Me: So?
Kai: Christmas isn't until December. *chuckles pridefully* My birth month.
Jay: Only in Hiro's fanfics!
Kai: Shut up!
Me: It's true, though. And, if we're gonna get technical, Nya's birthday is the same as your's, just two years apart. (I made Nya four years younger in the Blacksmith's son for those adorable sibling moments!)
Nya: So, wait, am I two years younger than Kai, or four?
Kai: Ask Hiro!
Me: Um… well… see… what were talking about?
Zane: According to P.I.X.A.L, we were talking about Christmas in August.
Me: Right, right. Thanks, Zane. Anyway, I brought the ninja here to help me promote my upcoming Ninjago Christmas fanfic, Home for the Holidays! It's about my bae, Kai! XD
Cole & Kai: But it's August!
Kai: Wait, did you just call me your bae? What even is that?
Me: *ignoring Kai's comment* I don't care if it's August! It's December in my heart.
Morro: That doesn't even make sense.
Me: You… you don't make sense!
Morro: What?
Me: I don't know! Let's all just say Merry Christmas so we can end this very strange conversion and free the readers' eyes from our pointlessness.
Morro: Stop not making sense!
Me: You stop not making sense!
Jay: *while we all argue in the background* Merry Christmas… I guess. And make sure to check out Home for the Holidays some time in November… right? That was what was in the script, right?
So, anyway, if you liked that pointlessness, let me know in the comments and I will do it more often. If you didn't, that's fine. Just make sure to check out my Christmas story in November, Home for the Holidays! Bye! :)
