Chapter 11: Return to the First Realm
Dawn rises over a vast sandy shore, the gleaming orange light pouring down upon a blue, tranquil sea and a soft, smoothed beach. Small streams of sunlight beat against Kai's eyes, causing him to stir and yawn. He rubs his eyes, then glances around him. Nothing but miles of sand and tiny pieces of driftwood, or miles of endless sea stretching beyond the horizon.
Kai yawns again. Then his nose detects the sweet aroma of a fried puffy potsticker and his stomach growls. Sure enough, Faith had stoked their fire and now roasted four puffy potstickers on a spit. Kai walked over to the fire, then plopped down beside it.
"Morning, fire ninja," Faith stated, not looking up from the spit. "Did you sleep well?"
"I tried," Kai yawned. "All this sand sure hurts my back though."
"I thought you ninja always slept on the ground," Faith asked. "Has a year of soft feathers made you weak as a sand pebble?"
"No, I'm as strong as ever," Kai retorted. "It's just that I haven't slept on the ground in a while, that's all. Did you sleep well?"
"The best sleep of my life," Faith smiled weakly. "Sand never bothers this warrior."
"Let me guess. You're still anxious about your tribe."
"How'd you know?"
"Trust me, Faith, I've known Nya since she was born. I can tell when someone is down."
"Alright, Kai, you win. I'm worried about my people. Ever since the Oni attacked and I fled to Ninjago, I've feared the worst has happened to them. Granted, the Oni are destroyed now thanks to you, but I still wonder if they survived or if they are gone forever."
"I understand. Trust me, we ninja have had our share of doubt. I mean, every time I charge into battle, part of me wants to cower and hide away or surrender."
"But here you are. That's what makes you special, Kai. You have the spirit of fire, a spirit that when determined can never be shaken. By the way, you ready to eat and move out?"
"Sure thing."
"Good, because today we fly over to where the Oni attacked my tribe."
Later that afternoon, Faith and Kai landed with Firstborn in the middle of a large stretch of reddish desert, widely-spaced pillars of red clay and stone rising into the scorching noonday sky. Kai and Faith disembarked, then as Kai stretched his torso, Faith patted and soothed Firstborn.
"There now, Firstborn, your work is done," Faith smiled. "Thank you again for saving my life. I promised that when we returned that you could go home, so now I will keep my word. Go. Be free once more. You earned it."
Firstborn sniffled, a small puff of smoke escaping from her nostrils. Then the dragon smiled, showing its teeth at Faith and blinking its eyes. Faith rubbed Firstborn's neck one last time, then stepped away and joined Kai. Firstborn then lifted her eyes to the skies and started to flap her wings up and down. Soon, the large dragon took off, flying to the south toward a large plateau. Faith and Kai watched Firstborn disappear, then Kai turned to face Faith again.
"I guess we search by foot," Kai shrugged.
"I guess so," Faith replied. "But don't worry. We'll be fine. If I remember, we aren't far off from where we were attacked."
For two hours, Faith and Kai searched the vicinity, walking around pillars of rock in a westerly direction. Faith then and again called out to her people, but only heard her voice echo off the rocks back to her. Once or twice, they stopped to munch on some of their unfinished breakfast or to drink water from a nearby plant. But alas, all their searching did not find a single living soul, and this caused Faith to be more anxious.
"I'm beginning to wonder if we are in the right place," Faith said aloud as they rested under a pillar.
"What makes you think that," Kai asked. "I thought you knew where to look."
"I did," Faith replied. "Desert living is in my blood, remember?"
"Oh yeah, I forgot," Kai sighed. "But you're sure we're not wandering in circles?"
"I'm certain we aren't, or else we'd be walking upon Firstborn's footprints every so often. Trust me, we'll find signs of what happen soon enough."
Kai sighed, then reclined against the hard rock. As he leaned back, a beam of light from afar struck him in his eye, causing him to squint then to plop straight up again.
"Man, that light is killing me," Kai grumbled. "Can't the midday sun cut me any slack for once?"
"Wait, that isn't the sun," Faith answered, glancing in the direction Kai faced. "It's something metal reflecting the light."
"How can you tell," Kai asked.
"Desert instincts," Faith replied carelessly. "Follow me."
Faith and Kai strolled toward the piece of metal. As they approached, the piece of metal evolved into a large, fuzzy splotch, then into a large vehicle made completely of metal. Faith stopped short, a tear escaping her eye. There, she stood face to face with the Dieselnaut, her tribe's all-terrain command vehicle for when they traversed the desert for food. Barring some dents, some removed plating, and a disabled turret, she was fully operational under a light dusting of sand.
"The Dieselnaut," Faith gasped. "I can't believe it's still here after all this time. I thought it would be gone by now."
"Wouldn't anything be gone by now," Kai questioned. "After all, the tribe, when they escaped Oni captivity, would have taken it with them."
"You're right," Faith nodded. "Something just isn't right about…hold it."
Faith stiffened, her face stern and alert as a hawk. She darted her eyes to and from, then narrowed on a small metal leg sticking out from behind the front left wheel. Kai unsheathed his katana, while Faith pulled out a dragon chain.
"Who goes there," Faith questioned aloud. "Show yourself and come out."
The metal leg moved forward, revealing two more legs of the same material. Then a white face peered out, widening into a joyful smile when it laid eyes on Faith.
"Heavy Metal," the figure choked. "Is…Is it you?"
"Daddy No-Legs," Faith questioned.
"Heavy Metal, my dear, what a pleasant surprise," Daddy No-Legs smiled.
He scampered over to Faith, then embraced her in a tight hug. Faith wiggled a little to break his grasp, then brushed the sand off her shoulder.
"So glad to see you home safe and sound," Daddy No-Legs rejoiced. "I had thought you dead after those wretched Oni attacked and turned us into stone."
"Well, I didn't die on you, you old scamper," Faith laughed, slapping him in the back. "Thanks to fire guy here and the rest, those Oni are gone for good."
"Fire guy," Daddy No-Legs winked. He turned to face Kai, who simply blushed a little and kicked his leg in the dirt. "I owe you for my life. Strange that I once hated you type. Even stranger how things change so quickly."
"Yes, yes," Kai interrupted. "However, I'm not here to chit-chat. We have serious business to attend to."
"Oh, right," Faith nodded. "Daddy No-Legs, any chance that the others are close by? I want to talk with them about a particularly important matter."
"Ah, yes, about them," Daddy No-Legs coughed. "Step with me into the Dieselnaut, Faith. You too, fire ninja. There's something about the tribe that you both need to know."