Chapter 5: Into the Storm

I sighed. Another sleepless night. I kept having nightmares about… something. It was different every time, but in the end I always got electrocuted. I shivered. I tried to brush it off as just a dream, but since we were going after the Nunchucks of Lightning… I just hoped nothing happened. Who was I kidding though? With our luck, something was bound to happen.

I went to the library, where Zane, Nya, and surprisingly Jay were already waiting for me. We exchanged greetings, and shortly after Lloyd arrived, followed by Cole carrying a hearty breakfast.

"What?" he said through a mouthful of food. "You can't expect me to go on another mission with an empty stomach."

I smiled and shook my head. Good old Cole.

"So seriously, what's the plan?" Cole asked.

I shrugged. "Same as last time? Someone stays behind while the rest of us go to the Floating Ruins and then we all come home happy."

I expected protests, but strangely enough, everyone was nodding.

"I'll stay behind this time," Lloyd said. "You guys go ahead."

I frowned, but the big brother in me said it was for the best. Lloyd was still only a fourth year after all. He really shouldn't be coming along on dangerous missions. Still, some part of me wanted to keep Lloyd by my side where I can make sure he's safe.

"I'll stay with him," Jay offered, almost as if he could read my thoughts. "Help protect the weapons and Lloyd."

"I thought you were going to take us through the Floating Ruins," Cole said. "Since it's by your house."

"W-well, I thought I'd be more useful here, since I don't really do much anyways. And Zane can take you, right?"

Zane nodded. "I have done adequate research on the Floating Ruins and I believe I can guide everyone. You do not have to go, if you do not want to."

"See?" Jay said. "You guys will be better off without me."

"I wouldn't say that," I said, not wanting to ignore Jay. He was one of our friends, and I know he's struggled with self-esteem in the past… I looked to Nya for support, but she just shrugged. I frowned. I thought my sister would be rushing to Jay's defense, but oh well. If they're not together, who am I to complain? I never liked them together anyways.

"If that's what you want…" Cole said slowly.

Jay nodded. "I'll be fine. Really."

"Okay," I said, not really enthusiastic about leaving Jay behind two times in a row.

Lloyd glanced at the clock. "You guys better get going. The rest of the school's going to be waking up soon."

"You sure you're going to be okay?" I asked.

"We'll be fine," Lloyd assured us.

"Go," Jay added, and finally, after another few minutes of goodbyes and standing around and prodding from Jay and Lloyd, we left the library. None of us liked leaving our friends behind.


Soon we were on our brooms and flying toward the Floating Ruins. With Zane guiding us, we made it just fine, but I still would've liked Jay with us. Soon, we approached a giant cyclone thing filled with little islands and sparking with lightning.

"So…" Cole said. "What now?"

"I would not advise entering the ruins. The electric shock could stop your heart," Zane warned.

"Well, we have to get in there somehow," I said. "How did Wu put the Nunchucks here in the first place?"

"Perhaps the lightning is a result of the Nunchucks, so Wu would not have had an issue," Zane replied.

I growled. "Not helping."

Zane frowned. "My apologizes. I was only trying to—"

"Guys, come on!"

I glanced over at Nya, who was waving from a small island just barely outside the electric storm. In her other hand was some kind of weird chain/weapon thing? I couldn't really tell. I urged my broom forward and landed right next to Nya.

"So, where'd you get the chain?" I asked.

Nya shot me a look, but for some reason I didn't know what it meant. "It's a two-chained anchor," she corrected. "It's from a conjuration spell I whipped up a while back. I used it to pull this island out of the storm so we wouldn't get fried. You're welcome."

I frowned. I guess that makes sense… but something about Nya's tone was off. Was she still mad at me for what happened with scythe and my scar? She seemed more sarcastic than usual.

"I did not know you experimented with spells," Zane said, interrupting my thoughts. "That is a very dangerous hobby. If you are not careful, you could be dismembered or even killed."

Nya shrugged. "I know what I'm doing."

I gaped. And she got mad at me for trying to save Cole? I couldn't believe it. That didn't seem like my sister at all, playing with dangerous spells and keeping it a secret from me.

"Uh… guys?" Cole interrupted. "You might want to see this."

I shook my head and joined Cole. I'd worry about Nya later. Right now we needed to get the Nunchucks and get out of here.

"What is it?" I asked, and Cole pointed to the very top of the cyclone where I could spot a flash of gold. The nunchucks!

"How do we get up there?" I asked.

"Leave it to me," Nya said and shoved to the front, swinging her two-chained anchor and tossing up into the storm. The wind blew it off course and the anchor came back empty. Nya grit her teeth and began to swing it again.

Zane quickly grabbed her arm. "With the amount of electricity in the air, swinging a metal chain may—"

"I don't care!" she growled and yanked her arm back. "We need those Nunchucks!"

"But they're not worth dying for!" Cole shouted.

"Well, how do you suggest we get through there?" Nya snapped, but at least she stopped swinging the chain.

"Um…"

"Exactly." Nya turned back to the cyclone and I grabbed her arm before she could through the chain again.

"Don't touch me!" She yelled, wrestling away from me. I was going to lose her. I was going to lose my little sister and it was going to be all my fault.

A scream tore through my throat. "Wait!" I cried, trying to do something, anything to get her to stop. "I'm sure we can come up with something else that won't get us all killed."

"Like what?" Nya growled.

"Like…" Blood roared in my ears and my heart was still beating a mile a minute and I couldn't hear myself think. Why couldn't I think? I had to save my sister.

"Perhaps I could serve as a lightning rod while you grab the Nunchucks," Zane suggested.

"What?" I asked, hoping I didn't hear him right. That was just as dangerous as chucking a metal chain into the lightning storm. I couldn't let Zane sacrifice himself for us.

"As an android, I am largely made up of metal. I can channel the electricity away, allowing you to reach the Nunchucks safely," Zane explained.

How could he look so calm? He was going to toss himself into a lightning storm. He could be killed! "We can't let you do that!" I said.

"Why not?" Nya asked. "It's his choice."

How could she sound so calm? Zane's her friend too. What has gotten into my sister?

"Why not? Zane could be fried! Or worse!" Cole said. So it wasn't just me.

"Thank you!" I said.

"Perhaps, but my systems are designed with insulators that should protect my vital functions."

"Should isn't good enough," I snapped. "Zane, there has to be another way."

Zane frowned. "There is no other logical solution I can think of with less risk. You would do the same for us, regardless of the consequences. Let me do the same."

No. I couldn't let Zane risk his life for some nunchucks, even if they ended up creating the Golden Master. "But that was different!"

"How?" Zane asked. The worst part is that he wasn't angry or defensive. He was just curious, and I couldn't find a good answer.

I sighed. "Maybe it isn't. But I don't want you risking your life for this."

"Kai, just let him do it," Nya said.

I glanced at Cole, looking for some support, but he just shuffled his feet uncomfortably. "If you're sure it's the only way…" he said.

Zane nodded.

"Then… be careful, tin can," Cole teased, but I could tell his heart wasn't in it.

"I will," Zane promised, and with that, he mounted his broom and flew toward island right in the middle of the storm. Lightning flashed and struck him on the head. His body glowed and thrashed and he nearly fell off his broom. Then the lightning rushed into the ground and the moment passed. I let out breath I didn't even know I'd held, even as the thunder boomed in my ears.

But then another bolt of lightning hit Zane. And another. Each time he got back up, but…

"Are you coming or do I have to get the nunchucks myself?" Nya called.

I shook my head and mounted my broom. Zane was doing this for us. I couldn't let his sacrifice go to waste. Cole shot me a sympathetic glance but didn't say anything. We didn't have time to.

We dodged islands and clouds—just because Zane was acting as our lightning rod didn't mean we were going to deliberately fly in an electric cloud—trying to reach the top. I glanced back and Zane was off his broom and on the island, sparking non-stop. I had to hurry.

I leaned forward and willed the broom to go faster. I could see the nunchucks. They were flashing behind a cloud. Taunting me. I pushed myself flat against the handle and reached as hard as I could. Metal brushed my fingers and I snatched nunchucks out of the air. Immediately, the storm stopped. I almost laughed. It was so simple.

I turned around and Zane was lying on the ground. I rushed over to his side and Cole was right next to me.

"Zane?" I asked. No answer.

"Zane!" Cole yelled, but Zane didn't even twitch.

No. No. This wasn't happening. Zane said he'd be fine. He had to be okay. He had to be. But he wasn't moving. He wasn't even breathing. Did androids need to breathe?

I shook his shoulder. "Zane? Get up! Zane! Zane!"

Nothing. This was my fault. I shouldn't have let him do this. I should have thought of something else, done something, anything.

Zane shifted and I froze. Was he oka— But then Cole slung Zane over his shoulder like a rag doll.

"We got to get him back," Cole said. "Maybe Mistaké knows what to do."

I nodded dully. Yeah. Mistaké could fix this. Or if that didn't work Borg, or we could call Zane's father. Zane was going to be okay.


"His power source has been overloaded. We can call Doctor Julien, but…" Professor Borg trailed off. I swallowed. If Mistaké and Borg, professor of magic and technology and the father of Pixal, couldn't fix him then… No. Doctor Julien was Zane's father, his creator. He would figure something out.

"Okay," I said. "Thank you."

Borg nodded and rolled out of the Infirmary. I turned back to Zane.

He looked so peaceful. His eyes closed and hands neatly at his sides, like he was resting. But he was still. Too still to be sleeping.

Lifeless.

That's what Zane was now. Because of me.

Nya was right. I wanted to play the hero and the get the Golden Weapons, but now that Zane had paid the price… Was it worth it? I mean, once we had one of the weapons the Overlord couldn't become the Golden Master. It was so simple now that I thought about it. I was stupid. So, so stupid.

"I'm so sorry, Zane," I whispered. Even though he couldn't hear me. Even though he may never hear me— no. Doctor Julien would fix him. He had to.

Cole put a hand on my shoulder. "It's not your fault," he said. "Zane knew the risks. We all did."

"I should've done more."

"There was nothing else we could do," Cole said. I looked back toward Zane. How could he look so peaceful after everything that happened?

"Hey," Cole said. "I miss him too."

I nodded, but I couldn't take my eyes off of Zane. I got us into this mess. I let this happen. I did this to my friend.

"We're going to get through this, Kai," Cole said. I couldn't answer. I couldn't be sure anymore. But we had to. It had to be okay. I couldn't live with myself if Zane never woke up again because of me—

"Alright, Kai?" Cole said.

I blinked and glanced back at Cole. He looked really worried. "Yeah, alright."

Cole frowned. "You have no idea what I just said, do you?"

I shook my head. "Sorry. Just… a lot on my mind."

"It's okay," Cole said. "Zane's going to be okay, and I'm going to get some dinner if you want to join me."

Was it that late already? I guess between the flight home and all the examinations time really flew by. It was amazing how little time we all had…

Cole was still staring at me and I quickly shook my head. "I'm alright."

Cole raised his eyebrow.

"Really," I insisted, but he still didn't budge. Stubborn earth wizard to the end. I sighed. "I'll join you in a bit."

"Okay," he said, and then he finally left.

I didn't want to break my promise to Cole, but I also didn't want to leave Zane. How could I, after what I did? I waited, hoping Zane would move, even just a twitch, something to let me know he was alive.

"Hey, Cole sent me to get you. Says he's going to eat your plate if you don't hurry," Nya said.

I hadn't been gone that long… had I? "Okay, be down in a bit," I replied.

Nya didn't leave though. "We got the Nunchucks. That's what matters."

What? "How could you say that?" I snapped. "Zane's your friend! No weapon is worth his life ever!"

Nya looked at me like I was crazy. "Are you saying he sacrificed himself for nothing?"

I growled. "No— that's not— that's not what I meant."

"Good," she said flatly.

"Are you okay?" I asked. Nya had been so… uncaring lately. It wasn't like my sister at all. But we had been through a lot lately and after breaking down in front of me… maybe this was her way of coping?

"Never better," Nya said with a smirk. Almost like mine…

"O–kay then," I said. I was probably just tired. It'd been a really, really long day. I glanced back at Zane.

"He's not going to get better if you keep staring at him," Nya said. I sighed. She's right, but at the same time…

"Come on," she said and dragged me out of the room. I protested, but Nya had a grip of iron. Finally I just gave up. This was probably best anyways. Nya was right. Standing around in the Infirmary wasn't going to do anything. We needed action, and I wasn't going to give up now.


AN: Dun. Dun. DUN! Sorry about the cliffhanger. ;) But don't worry. I have a plan. So now I'm completely out of material to post. But I've got the whole story planned out so the next update shouldn't take too, too long. Hopefully.

Huge thanks to all my reviewers and people who've favorited/followed this story. Specially shout out to NaninaDaPanda and JBomb217 for faithfully reviewing every single chapter. You guys make my day and encourage me to keep going. I'll try to update as soon as possible, but I probably won't be next Friday.