Chapter 10
Memories

(Nya's POV)

Finally, I was off that damn chair. Though, I'm still locked up in this dark room, nothing but a single candle on the floor to provide light. I hugged my knees. My arm was still burnt, and I had scratches all over my body. My kimono is practically a mess, parts ripped, and dirty. I didn't get sleep for days….

I closed my eyes. I sighed. Kai, Jay, Cole, Zane, and Sensei Wu, My family…they mean the world to me. "Kai, my older brother, so strong, and a great brother. He is always there for me. Jay, creative, and intelligent, he knows how to make jokes, never really was the serious type. Cole, oh his love for cake," I thought. I chuckled at this. "He had to be the most serious one of the group, but he also had a sense of humor, all of the boys had a great sense of humor. Zane, interesting one. He is a robot, but still has a big and warm heart. Sensei Wu, wise old man, though I never really did get his obsession with his tea."

I smiled ever so slightly, thinking about them. Just thinking about them makes me happier. I tilted my head to the side a bit as I stared into the fire of the candle.

I wonder… where are you guys now? Just be safe….

(Kai's POV)

"Nya! Come on Sis, where can you be?" I thought. It's been two days now, and no sign of Nya. All I can see in this forest is trees. Stupid trees.

"Zane!" I called to him as he was following from behind, as his bird rested on his arm.

"Did the bird see anything yet?" I asked, desperately.

Zane sadly shook his head. "No, I'm afraid not."

I clenched my hands into tight fists. "Damn," I muttered.

"Try again! Send the bird off again!" I ordered. "I lost Nya once, and I lost her again, but I will never stop until I find her," I said through my gritted teeth. Tears were threatening to fall, but I held them back.

Zane nodded, and with a swing of his arm, he sent the bird off.

I sighed. "Well, I hope Cole, and Zane are doing a better job than us."

(Cole's POV)

Kiara just walked ahead of us in silence, her head looking down. I raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure you know where you are going?" I asked calmly.

She stopped walking. "If I didn't know where I would be going, then what's the point of me wasting my time here?"

My face scrunched up slightly into a small frown by her attitude. "Humph, what's with the attitude?"

Her face turned to me, and when I looked in her eyes, they were angry. Dark. Giving me a message saying, 'Don't you dare mess with me, or else.' but I just had a cool face on.

I bet Jay could feel the rising tension between Kiara and I, since he suddenly jumped in between us, with both hands up. "Hey, hey let's not get into a fight now. I mean, we are all friends here right?" he said in a nervous chuckle.

I scoffed. "Whatever." I pulled my ninja mask over my face. "If we are going to find Nya, then we better move faster," I said walking ahead of the two.

(Nya's POV)

I was thinking long and hard about something, since Kai's element is fire, then could my element be fire also? I mean, he's my brother by blood, so…why not? Though the fire he controls is by his golden weapon.

I mentally smacked myself. Me, controlling fire? Pfft, come on.

But still…that would really be helpful if I could control fire. Then I wouldn't be so helpless, and I could actually rescue myself. Hmm, guess it wouldn't hurt to try.

I stared at the little candle in front of me. Hm, maybe if I…

I crossed my legs, Indian-style, and I did a hand-sign. I kept my eyes locked on the tiny fire, and focused.

'Maybe if I, focused on my energy, then maybe I can..'

I focused my energy, and acted stared right into the fire, as I remained perfectly still.

I noticed then the flame, began to sway more, as if there was wind in the room, and I noticed tiny little sparks flicker from the flame. I squeezed my eyes shut, and tried to focus my energy even more. I suddenly felt a stronger amount of heat being given off the candle.

I opened an eye to see the flame growing bigger and stronger. I'm doing it, I'm actually controlling fire..'

Though, I felt energy being drained out of me by the passing minute. Before I knew it, I collapsed on the cold floor out of exhaustion.

The flame of the candle returned to its normal size. Though the candle didn't grow as much as I wanted, I smiled at my accomplishment.

(Kiara's POV)

"I have an idea," I stated suddenly.

The two ninjas looked at me, with expecting looks on their faces.

"If we want to find your comrade faster-"

"Nya," Cole suddenly said.

I nodded. "Fine, if we want to find Nya faster, then we better spilt up. Cole, you can take west, Jay can take east. I'll go from the treetops going north."

They both nodded. We all spilt up. I jumped to the tree tops. For some reason, I just loved staying in the tree tops, I felt safe there. I can see things happening below. I touched my moon crescent necklace. Aunt Kiyomi….. as my fingers lingered on my necklace, I remembered her. Kiyomi Yamada…my aunt. The only family I had left. I stared off at the sky, as the wind blew.

"Aunt Kiyomi!"

Her kind smile.

"Come on, Kiara! Eat your veggies, they will help you grown strong, I promise!"

Her melodic voice.

The thunder roared, and I ran out of my bed to her room, where she was sitting on her bed, a lamp beside her as she read her book. She looked at me. I ran to her, and I hugged her. "I'm scared of this storm!" I cried. Her hand rested on my head. "Shhh now, Sweetie, it's alright now…." she whispered. I sniffled, and stared to drift off to sleep as I listened to her soothing voice sing a lullaby.

Her soft raven hair.

She carried me to the outdoors. I hugged her tight. As she walked, her raven hair swished back and forth, hitting my nose. Her hair smelled like blossoms. Soft, comforting.

Her chocolate brown eyes

"You know, we actually have the same eyes Kiara!" she said with a laugh. "You, me, and your mother have the same eyes.."

She kept secrets to protect me

I fiddled with my necklace. "Aunt Kiyomi… what is this necklace for? When can I take it off?" She put on a smile. She put a hand on my head. "Oh Kay, that necklace is, very special. So, just don't take it off for a while ok?"

She sacrificed herself, for me.

"AUNT KIYOMI!" I cried out. I grabbed her hand. The sword, that was meant for me, went right through her stomach. Tears cascaded down my face.

Blood trickled down her chin, from her mouth. She smiled slightly. "Kiara…you were always like a daughter to me…as you know now… you are in danger…and I can no longer protect you…for-give m-me….Kiara….stay warm, stay safe…grow strong…y-you have g-great potential….it will j-just t-take t-ime…remember, everyone has their o-own strength a-and weaknesses….so, don't get frustrated I-if you can't get something right…always be open to new opportunities…friends….y-you're going to face lots of challenges n-now…I-I wish, I-I could stay with you longer…I want to, so much…you, look so much like Manami, you mother….I love you Kiara…"

This time, I let the tears fall. My lips trembled. Aunt Kiyomi…she died at the hands of…Fireblaze….I will avenge you…I will kill Fireblaze at my own hands!

(Nya's POV)

I breathed heavily. Man, that sure took a whole lot of energy out of me. Talk about exhausting. I heard the metal door open.

"Feeding time," Fireblaze said with a dark smirk. He put a bowl down on the floor, and kicked it towards me, it knocked over, and poured out at least half of my meal. Which was just plain rice.

I gave him a look of disgust.

He scoffed. "You're lucky that you are even getting any food, so I suggest you should consider that as a blessing." With that, he slammed the door.

I sighed, and picked up the bowl, and ate slowly what was left of the food. The rice was tasteless, and…just plain. Like it came from a card board box. Bleh…but gotta keep up my energy.

I swallowed the last chunk of rice.

I leaned back against the wall with an arm over my stomach. I eyes fluttered shut. Before I knew it, I fell asleep.

(Jay's POV)

I ran through the forest. NO signs of anything, just trees, bushes, and animals. I swear, this sucks… It's pointless, there is nothing here. I punched the ground to let out my anger, and frustration.

"Damn it, Nya!" I cursed. Where are you? You couldn't just have disappeared into thin air. He had to take you somewhere.

"Jay!" I heard someone call out.

I turned around. "Kai? Zane?"

They both removed their masks. "Jay! I'm glad we found you! Did you get any signs of my sister yet?" he asked. He shook his head. "Zane and I had no luck what so ever. No traces, no clues, nothing, her kidnapper left nothing. He just made it look like she just disappeared, without a trace. Like a ghost."

"I got no luck either, sorry Kai," I sighed. "I was with Cole, and this girl that wanted to help, um, her name is Kiara. She said that she had a hunch on who her kidnapper might be."

Kai raised an eyebrow. "Wait a minute, so you just let a random girl, whom you just MET, to help!? Are you crazy!?" he hissed at me. "How do we know we could trust her? What if she is working for Nya's kidnapper? What if she is leading us into a trap? What were you thinking Jay?"

"I don't know, but we needed all the help we can get."

Kai, clenched his fist. "Where is she now?"

"She, told us to split up. I had to go east of the forest, Cole to west, and she went north."

Kai suddenly took out his golden weapon. He put back on his ninja mask. "Then, let's head north.