13

"I've tried to break the spell countless times before. But even Hatred at its most destructive lacked a certain…umph, I guess you could say."

Cole watched her with clenched teeth, waiting. He had known when he broke that orb-spell that it would lead to this…but even knowing that didn't stop him from longing that there was some way he could get out of this. Some way to get himself and his children back home…back to the way their life had been just a few days earlier.

"…The earth element especially packs quite the punch, wouldn't you agree?" Evynn continued, eyes twinkling. "So after years of research, I do believe an elemental overdrive from you will suffice."

She approached with the sleek rod, her eyes flicking around him as she seemed to be trying to analyze something. She closed her eyes, holding a palm out to him. She moved it around his form, and after a few moments, she hesitated above his right wrist. She smiled, opening her eyes.

"Yes…it must originate from there…" she murmured, and she held out the rod so that its ends were hovering over both of Cole's wrists. The ends of the rod pulsed slightly, and her smile grew as Cole swallowed hard. A few yards away Theo was still pounding the barrier, though Amber had exhausted herself and was sitting leaned up against the force field. Evynn began a spell, the strange ancient words coming out softly at first. Cole let out a shaky moan as he felt the element inside of him react, and to his horror, his hands began glowing. Evynn moved the rod up his arms, and slowly the color rose as well, just as it would if he had summoned it. However, unlike when he summoned it himself, there was an uncomfortable pressure that only grew the higher the rod moved. He grunted as she passed his elbows, and she began saying the spell louder. The element was being more resistant, and Evynn's brow furrowed as she forced the reaction higher. By now Cole was fighting the urge to cry out.

"Relax…" she muttered before launching back into the ancient language, but Cole clenched his jaw as his body continued to resist the forceful spell. Evynn's grip on the bar was iron-tight, her knuckles white as she yelled out the words. Aura wind whipped around them, and her hair floated around her in a frightening way.

Theo watched it all with hopeless terror. He sank to his knees as he watched the orange color reach his father's shoulders, and then it stretched down his chest and up his neck. Cole cried out and shut his eyes. Theo shook his head as the tears fell off his face and into the dirt below.

"Please stop…please…"

The winds were picking up as Evynn basically screamed the last lines of the spell. Cole gasped as the rod hovered in front of his face, and his scar blazed on his forehead. The Alchemist's voice echoed through the darkening landscape as she uttered the last word, and suddenly Cole's expression relaxed as his eyes opened, glowing orange. Evynn sagged in relief and chuckled to herself.

"There we are, fully charged…" she said breathlessly, pulling the rod away from Cole's head as she studied him. After a moment she angled the rod until there was one end positioned right over his heart.

"And now to extract it…"

She pushed the rod to the Elemental Master's chest and Cole's body lurched. Theo squeezed his eyes shut, covering his ears to try to block out the tortured scream that came from his father as the overdrive was ripped from his body. The extraction only lasted a few minutes, but it felt like an eternity. Amber screamed out, the last of her energy exploding out of her before she dropped to the ground, passed out. Theo curled into a ball as the screams continued, his hands still pressed to his ears as he sobbed. His aura winds fighting to break through the barrier.

The Alchemist finally withdrew the rod, the entire length of it pulsating now with a blinding light. Cole's eyes rolled back and Evynn allowed him to crumple down to the earth as she turned to walk away. She glanced over at the children in the barrier and shook her head before putting a hand on the shield. It glowed with power for a moment before dissolving around them. Theo was still curled into a ball, but he glared at her with fear and Hatred.

"You…you…..killed…him…"

"Oh no, Theodynn. He isn't dead," she assured softly. She glanced over at where the Elemental Master was lying and smiled. "I'm not done with him yet."

"You didn't find him, then."

Tolan didn't even acknowledge Jaqah as he pushed past her, expression stormy. She shook her head.

"Hey!"

He stopped and turned, eyebrow raised and she marched up to him.

"We're on lockdown, genius…" she said. "Don't go anywhere."

"When are we not on lockdown?" he muttered dryly, and Jaqah grabbed his arm as he turned to go.

"We lost Cole."

He stopped dead. He finally turned to her, incredulous.

"What? How? Someone take him out while they were out searching?!"

She shook her head.

"A lot happened while you've been gone, Tol. And right now we have to prepare for war…"

"Geez, I wasn't even gone long!"

"…So suit up, and pick a position."

Tolan watched as Jaqah turned and headed down the hall, snapping at a few of the other guards lingering there. He finally scoffed, determined to go find someone else to tell him what the heck was going on.

Keyda wouldn't eat much at breakfast, no matter how much Heavy Metal urged.

"At least take a hoofer back to the fortress, Keyda…you'll run yourself into the ground with all this transporting…"

"I'm fine. I have to get back to the fortress. No…" she paused, shaking her head. "Back to Phos's. No, wait…I still haven't found Wu…"

Heavy Metal watched her argue with herself with a concerned expression, but she finally sighed and turned to him.

"I'll be fine."

"I'd feel better if you stayed here."

Syn shook her head at her brother, who had pulled her aside in the backroom for a quiet private conversation.

"Hersh…there are only a few ingredients left."

"Let me get them." He rubbed her arms, pleading. She looked over at the mats on the floor. Her old mat was still positioned next to Hershel's, even though she hadn't lived here in years.

"Look, if I don't do something to help then I'm going to lose my mind. Would you stop treating me like I'm helpless?"

"She's coming, Syn, and we don't know when. Is it so wrong for me to want you here where she can't find you? Instead of…"

"Why would she come after me? I'm not a target," Syn insisted. "You're being overprotective."

"How do you know you aren't a target!?"

"I'm going, Hershel!" she snapped, pulling away from him. "Look, I can help. I can do things." She grew quiet as she looked at his conflicted expression. "I promise I'll be careful, Hersh."

He scanned her face, and she was surprised when he pulled her into a tight embrace.

"Hershel?" she started, not sure where this was coming from. He just tightened his grip and she sagged a little before hugging him back.

"I love you too," she assured, and then pulled back to softly slug him. "I'll see you in a little while, huh? Probably be back for lunch."

Hershel watched as she disappeared out the back of the tent.

"She'll be fine."

The Apprentice didn't turn at the voice behind him. Hershel sighed.

"I just want her to be safe."

"Don't underestimate her, Hershel. She's stronger than you give her credit for. Now come on…you'll need to memorize this next bit."

Hershel stared at the tent flap a few moments longer before tearing himself away, heading back to the front of the tent.

The dark pinnacle of obsidian made a great magical conductor. Evynn had discovered that over the years, and as she studied the large formation in front of her, she felt a thrill. The spell would take hours, no doubt, but what were mere hours in comparison to centuries? She looked for the place in the gleaming rock where she had carved out an opening just large enough for the blinding rod she was holding. She located it and slid the rod in, smiling at the way the light from the rod refracted and reflected around the interior of the formation. It looked like there was a fire within it.

She glanced back to the figures in the distance, hesitating. Her elemental source would undoubtedly wake up before she finished her spell. She doubted he'd be able to go far after what he had just been through, but just to be safe…

Theo looked up from his place next to his father and glared warily at the horned woman as she approached. He positioned himself in between her and his father with trembling arms.

"Go away!" he tried, but she could hear the fear in his voice and she shook her head.

"You don't need to fear me, Theodynn."

"I'm…I'm not scared of you," he argued, and he resisted the urge to back away as she squatted to look at him.

"I can smell it on you," she countered gently, reaching out to finger his soft curls. He flinched and swatted her hand away as she continued. "This is a good thing. It means that we all get to go home. See that?"

She pointed to the glowing formation in the distance and the boy timidly glanced past her. Evynn turned back and smiled.

"That is going to help me tear a hole in this place and make it so no one can get stuck here anymore. Won't that be good?"

Theodynn didn't answer, and after a minute of silence, the Alchemist gestured to the toddler sleeping next to him.

"I'll even let you and your sister go first, hmm? Then you can go back to your little fortress home…"

"And my Dad?"

Theo's voice was just a whisper. Evynn tilted her head in a patronizing way, shaking her head.

"Mmm…I'm afraid your father has to stay with me."

"No, he needs to come home!" Theo started, his eyes filling with tears. Evynn reached out and cupped his face. Theo tried to pull away, but her grip was firm.

"Now, now. No use crying, Theodynn. Your father has a special gift, and he's going to help me change the world."

"But he doesn't want…"

"No arguing," she whispered, and Theo swallowed hard as her eyes flashed.

"Then…then I'll stay too! I want to stay with him!" he tried, and the Alchemist raised her eyebrows in interest. She ran her thumb along one cheek, pushing back his hair with her other hand.

"Don't get me wrong…I certainly would love to analyze the complexities of the fusion you represent," she murmured. Theo trembled, wishing she would let go and go away. Evynn finally released him and he fell backwards as she stood. "But I promised I'd let you go, see? So you'll have to be a good little boy and do as you're told when the spell is finished, won't you?"

He didn't answer and she pulled aura out of a few bands. Theo watched as the walls of another barrier came down around them. The Alchemist winked at him and headed back towards the large spire in the distance, and Theo bit his lip. She reached the spire, and he watched as the area near her darkened and a storm began surging around the glistening formation. Amber made a small noise next to him and Theodynn pulled her into his lap, the scary woman's yelled chants occasionally echoing their way down to them.

14

Theo had fallen asleep, and he wasn't sure how much time had passed before Amber was patting his face.

"Tay-o Tay-o Tay-o…"

He blinked awake, sitting up to see that the barrier was still around them and the woman in the distance was still conducting her magic spell….or whatever it was. He turned to his father, and he bit his lip as he scooted next to him, shaking his shoulder.

"D…Dad?"

At first nothing happened, and tears pricked Theo's eyes as he shook harder. Suddenly, Cole's expression twitched, and Theo sagged in relief as his father slowly woke up.

"…Theo?"

"Dad!"

Theo went to hug him, and Cole flinched.

"Careful…careful buddy," he murmured as he struggled to sit up. He didn't get very far before Amber was climbing onto him.

"Daddy, I hungee."

He laid back down in defeat, reaching up to rub Amber's back. Cole's expression was hard to read and Theo touched his shoulder again until his father looked over at him.

"Dad…do you…do you know how to get out of here?"

Cole's expression darkened, and he finally managed to push himself all the way up, grimacing at the pain in his chest.

"It's… going to be ok, Bud," he assured, though his tone faltered as he could see Evynn through the forcefield. Her hands and eyes were glowing as aura storm winds whipped around her and the obsidian pinnacle.

"She said she's making a hole."

Cole looked down at Theo, who was staring at the witch as well.

"What do you mean?"

"That's what she's doing, Dad. She's gonna make a hole and she said Amber and me can go through first, and we can go home."

The boy's eyes filled with tears as he wrapped his arms around his knees, his expression defiant.

"But I'm not going to go. I'm going to stay here with you!"

Cole clenched his jaw and shook his head, pulling Theo up off the ground and into his lap.

"No, Theo…you have to go back."

"I don't want to leave you!"

Theo buried his head into Cole's chest as his father held him, and a few of Cole's own tears fell onto the child's head. Amber hugged Cole as well, though she was mainly staring sadly at Theo, not really knowing why her brother was so sad.

After a few minutes Cole lifted Theo's face to look at him.

"Theo, I need you to go with Amber."

"NO! I don't wa…"

"I'll be ok, Theodynn."

Theo looked up at him with eyes pooling with tears, and the ninja cleared his throat.

"Your mom….she's so worried about you guys. I need you to take Amber and get both of you back to her."

Theo's face crumpled and Cole tried to give his son a smile.

"Once I know you're both safe, then I can handle myself with this scary lady, ok?"

Theo didn't look convinced and Cole rubbed his head.

"I'll come back, Theo. I just have to make sure you guys get home safe first…"

"You promise?"

Cole trailed off as Theo stood, searching his father's face. His voice broke as he spoke again.

"Dad…you promise you'll come back?"

Cole's eyes flicked over to the figure dancing in the distance, the pinnacle throbbing with strange purple-orange light. Then he looked back at his son's pleading face and finally nodded.

"I promise, Theodynn."

Theo wrapped his arms around his father's neck and Cole closed his eyes as he held him close.

"Don't let her hurt you anymore, ok Dad?" Theo mumbled into his shoulder, and Cole's expression contorted.

"Course not, bud."

"And you have to come soon, ok? Cuz mom will be worried…"

Tears coursed silently down Cole's face, but he forced himself to stay still and keep his tone light.

"I know."

They sat there for a while longer, Cole holding them both close to him as he took even breaths. They all jumped as a horrible noise tore through the air, and as they turned they saw Evynn shriek the final words of her spell before exploding out with power. It flowed into the pinnacle, and the tearing noises grew louder. Amber and Theo buried their faces into their father as his embrace tightened, but Cole watched as the barrier dissolved around them; Evynn had exerted too much to be able to keep it going. He scanned the landscape, and finally he could make out some kind of glowing vortex in the obsidian formation itself. He let out a shaky breath….the hole. That was their way home.

He looked back at Evynn, and for a split second, he thought he would be able to escape with his children while she was down. His hopes were dashed as the Alchemist suddenly moved, pushing herself to her feet as she laughed wildly. Her eyes glinted as she looked over and made them out, and Cole's heart sank.

"Theo…"

"No, Dad!"

"Theo, c'mon," Cole pleaded, forcing himself to pull back from his son. "You've got to get Amber through that portal…ok? You have to get back to your mom…"

Theo looked over at where Evynn was slowly picking her way across the landscape.

"Come with Dad, come with us!" he begged, but Cole shook his head.

"I…I can't, Theo. If I try to go she might not let you leave." He cupped his son's face in one hand, smiling comfortingly. "It'll be alright, buddy, but I'm counting on you to get Amber to safety, Ok? No matter what happens, you need to find your mom. She can take you to Ninjago."

"What?" Theo asked, not comprehending, but Evynn was almost upon them. Cole looked at her, the squeezing in his chest painful as he pushed down his fear.

She will destroy this realm if she gets ahold of you…

He glanced away from her and back down to Theo. The child was crying as he moved to get off his lap, and Cole swallowed hard.

"Theo, wait."

The boy paused and looked up right as Cole pulled him into a tight embrace. Theo sagged, and Evynn laughed from her position a few yards away.

"Yes, the tender goodbye…"

Cole exhaled shakily and pulled back as Theo opened his eyes, looking at his father with a dazed expression.

"Don't stop, Theo. No matter what happens, you have to get to your mom."

"Time to go, Theodynn!" Evynn cooed, having reached them. Theo swallowed hard, looking back at her. She grinned and gestured to the swirling vortex at the base of the obsidian pinnacle, and Theo looked back at his father. Cole was giving Amber a similar embrace, and he finally handed the small child to Theo, looking his son in the eye.

"Courage before fear, Theo."

Theo took his sister, who whimpered slightly but wrapped her arms around her brother's neck. Theo looked like he was about to cry, but after a moment he bit his lip and straightened.

"Bye, Dad…" he said, and Cole gave him a small half-smile as Theo turned to go to the pinnacle.

"I love you!" he called after them, and he saw Theo's shoulders shaking as he headed uphill to the pinnacle. The two adults watched as they reached the hole, Evynn with interest and Cole with a pounding heart. Theo turned back to look at them one last time, and Cole swallowed hard as the boy took a deep breath and jumped into the hole, taking Amber with him. The Elemental Master sagged with relief, but it was short lived as Evynn laughed.

"Ah, yes. Such innocent little offspring. But it seems we are alone at last."

The freeze spell hit before Cole before he had a chance to move and Evynn leaned in to whisper into his ear.

"Must gather a few things before we follow your dear children."

He flinched and she shook her head as she continued.

"I know the separation is hard now…but soon you won't have to worry about it anymore. How about we take care of that mind wipe when I get back, hmmm? I believe both you and I will be strong enough for it by then."

Cole didn't respond as she slipped away, off to collect who knows what. He just kept staring at the vortex in the distance, praying that his children would get to Keyda in time.

Theo clung to Amber as they fell. At least, it felt like falling; his eyes were squeezed shut so he didn't really know. And suddenly it was like he was being spun, around and around and around…

His knees hit the sand but the momentum kept him rolling down the dune. He gasped and as he and Amber finally came to a trembling stand-still and he coughed and spit the sand out of his mouth.

"Tay-o…."

He sat up and looked down at his sister, who was still clinging to him as she looked up at him with a trembling lip and sandy hair.

Theodynn swallowed and looked around. It looked right, like his world.

He started crying because he was relieved, but he kept crying because fear set in. He had to find his Mom….he promised his Dad he would find his Mom. But wouldn't it be better if he just waited here until his Dad came? He didn't know where he was….he couldn't see anyone anywhere…

"Hello?" he called, tears marring his face and voice. "Hello!?"

He stumbled to his feet, still holding Amber; it was hard to walk in the deep sand.

"Someone help….we have to get to my mom….please!"

He tripped on a hidden rock in the sand and cried out as he fell, and Amber went tumbling from his grasp. She screeched and began crying as she landed in the hot sand. Theo winced at the pain in his foot but he pushed himself up and crawled quickly to his sister, picking her up and trying to dust her off as her hands and eyes blazed.

"It's ok…it's ok…" he tried, but Amber just screamed and shot blasts hazardly around them. He ducked to avoid one and shook his head, tears coursing down his face as he stood. He waited until her blasting died down and then scooped her up as he began walking. He didn't know where he was headed, but he hoped that if he went far enough he would find someone….he had to find someone, right?

But there was no one, and as Theo's stomach growled he dropped to his knees once more, crying in defeat. He couldn't do this…they hadn't had anything to eat in at least a day and there was no one around. He was never going to find his Mom.

"Please…." he murmured to no one in particular, shoulders shaking. "Please help me…"

I am coming.

His eyes flew open at the voice in his head, and his head whipped around as he tried to find the source.

"What…where…" he stammered. He had never heard the voice before.

Then, suddenly, there was the unmistakable sound of wing beats. He held up a hand to block the sun as he spotted a large brown dragon flying towards them. The powerful wings stirred up the sand as the beast touched down a few yards from them, and Theo sagged in relief.

"Amber…Amber it's Dad's dragon!" he said, picking his exhausted sister up from her place in the hot sand. He stumbled over to the dragon. "I'm so glad you're here…we need help…"

Tell me what you need me to do

Theo's smile faded to astonishment as he stared at the beast and the knowing gleam in its eye. Had….had it just talked to him? In his mind?! How…

We are connected. The dragon explained, stretching its neck forward until its own face was inches from Theo's. Tell me what you need me to do, Master of Earth.

It didn't take Evynn long. She smiled as she came back, holding what looked like a long obsidian staff and a smooth dagger made of the same material.

"Not very flashy, but I hardly had many other materials here," she explained, looking up at the rod. "I had a staff like this, ages ago. It was also fused with the power of Rage. Looked a little different, but just as effective. I never did know what happened to it…"

Cole swallowed from his frozen position as she rambled. He hardly heard the woman a few yards away…his mind was elsewhere, reliving memories with a beautiful Oni with flashing orange eyes.

"…over and done with, I suppose." Evynn finished, reaching him again. She muttered the spell that pulled him up to his feet, and Cole kept his eyes closed as he waited. The Alchemist powered up her hands as she regarded his expression with interest.

"So calm…" she mused as she placed her hands on either side of his head. The icy feeling entered his mind, and Cole let out a shuddery breath. It wouldn't be long before…

"Odd." The Alchemist's brow wrinkled. "I can't….surely your element would have recovered at least a little by now."

Cole's heart beat faster. Evynn withdrew her hands, regarding him with an icy expression.

He cried out as a sudden blast sent him careening backwards. His eyes flew open as he skidded, and he turned in time to see dark snake-like aura slithering towards him.

"What did you do?"

Her tone was hard, almost emotionless. Cole tried to stand back up, but the snakes darted up his legs and wrapped around him, forcing him back down to his knees as he struggled. Evynn came closer, eyes flashing.

"What did you do?" she asked again, and Cole grunted as the snakes' hold became stronger. The Alchemist shook her head as she continued. "The overdrive shouldn't have stripped you…it doesn't make sense that the power would be gone unless it could…"

She stopped dead, and the snakes froze as well. When she spoke again her voice was hushed with epiphany.

"…Unless elemental power can be transferred to a new vessel."

Evynn let out a little laugh as she fixed Cole with a deadly look.

"You gave it to your son!" she realized and the snake's grasp became unbearable once again. "Did you think I wouldn't figure it out? That I wouldn't track him down…"

"You…won't…be able to touch him…" Cole gasped, and she rolled her eyes as she came up to him.

"You think he'll be able to escape to a new realm?" she scoffed. "Maybe he will. But I'll be free…and I will find a way to him. And in the meantime, I will squeeze..." the snakes somehow crushed tighter, and Cole struggled to take in another breath. "…my home realm until I get every element I need."

Evynn's flaming look of intensity softened slightly as she reached him, her hands running through Cole's hair tenderly.

"It's a shame really…but you've served your purpose."

The Alchemist shook her head, her expression once again amused as her hands and eyes lit up. Cole met her eye with defiant terror, and she leaned in to whisper one last thing to him.

"It's never wise to make yourself redundant."