29: The Descent
Nya pulled Misako aside 'Can you… and Wu, be responsible for the Golden Armour? You need to get in there and grab it. Don't let it out of your site. In-fact, remove it to the jet and take it for a spin, don't come back until we know… for sure, that the devourer is contained'
Ronin had snuck up behind them 'I'll help with that'
'Uh, Ronin? Not to sound rude or anything, but you're not getting any ideas are you?'
'Nya, after all we've shared, you still don't trust me?'
'It's the Long Game Ronin. I love you, but somehow I'll never trust you'
'Misako, Wu? You want a hand or not?'
'We would appreciate it very much Ronin'
Ronin raised his brow at Nya 'see, I am trusted'
'I didn't say that Ronin' Misako replied.
'Hrmmph. Whatever. Lets get the jet ready' Ronin, turned and slunk off towards the Jet.
Nya jogged after him 'Ronin' he stopped and turned back to her, looking decidedly disgruntled.
'C'mon man. That's a shit load of gold you're gonna be hauling. You're seriously telling me you haven't considered the possibility of… you know, absconding?'
'Well, yeah, of course! It's all I ever think about. But y'know, it doesn't mean I'm gonna do it… Unless…' Ronin glanced furtively around 'You want in?'
'…and there's the Ronin I know' Nya punched Ronin on the arm, who laughed 'Oh my Masters! No wonder I can't trust you, I never know if you're joking or not!' She gave him a final shove.
Ronin stopped Nya, and looked at her seriously 'I'm proud of you sweet heart; I wouldn't do anything to harm you. Know that, ok? If that armour means your future happiness… or whatever, with Lloyd. I will guard it with my life'
'Well ok then' Nya began to imagine that she could trust him after all and he had Crick now, he would keep Ronin in check 'Misako can get the jet ready; you can grab the armour. Zane's going in'
The Ninja and the Serpentine Warriors gathered around the ice that plugged the entrance to the Lab. Kai stood directly before it his arms extended wide, a decorative throw wrapped around his waist, held up by Zane's' belt. The time was upon them to move the plan into action. Kai concentrated, gauging the solid, craggy ice that shouted out of the door. A slow melt was not what they wanted, they had to surprise the Devourer, keep it on edge, to make it act not think. He felt the heat rise in him, a searing wave that filled him up and pushed at his skin from inside. When he could hold on to it no longer, he looked deep into the glacier and placed it there. The effect was instantaneous and the melt washed towards them, Nya parted the flow as Zane shot into the Lab and the Great Devourer leapt at him, pinning his arms and feet. His head thrown back the team watched as Zane breathed the smoky tendrils into his mouth and nostrils, the Devourer seeping into the damage to his leg and head.
'Go!' Nya pushed Ronin, who snapped out of the voyeuristic moment to collect the Golden Armour.
He snuck into the Lab, sneaking he was good at after all. The Devourer was almost gone, and then it seemed to Ronin that the smoke was retreating 'Zane!' It's moving out. It knows' in an instant, a prison of ice had grown out in jagged bursts, capturing the evacuating tendrils. It was done; The Great Devourer was contained.
As Nya and the team approached Zane's icy sarcophagus, Ronin moved off to retrieve the Armour 'Ugh, Crick! Give me a hand with this would you?' Crick and Ronin heaved the great weight of the Golden Armour towards the door 'How is Lloyd going to be able to wear this, it weighs a ton'
'I think whoever wears it, may have proven they can bear the weight…'
'Crick, you know all kind's of crap don't you?'
'I am full of it… as they say'
'Ha, yes that's what they say. C'mon, Misako is waiting for us'
'Keep it safe' Nya said as Ronin and Crick passed.
'Good luck guys. See you downstairs'
'May the First Masters will it' Misako and Wu uttered in unison as they headed to the jet.
'Can you hear that?' Crick asked. They hovered yards from the jet.
'It's just the hole collapsing some more, c'mon'
'I don't think it is just that…' The crumbling sounds turned to scrabbling noises 'it is the skeleton army, we must move now' Misako waited at the Jet for them and helped them haul the Armour into it as the first skeleton rose from the hole.
'Hurry!' Borg shouted from the cockpit.
'NYA' Ronin shouted 'YOU'VE GOT COMPANY' through the Lab door he watched her turn and see the skeletons ascend from the hole. The skeletons were rushing towards the jet.
'GO!' Crick yelled as they pushed the armour in and fell back, the cockpit closed. Ronin watched as Crick drew his spear and club and rushed towards the skeletons.
'NO, Crick!'
Misako moved the jet toward the open side of the building and initiated the vertical thrusters 'We can't go back, he made the decision to stay, we must respect it'
Nya leapt to action, shouting orders 'we can't use the hole anymore. Cole, we move down from here, NOW!' She moved her hands down and forward, feeling the moisture in the air and within the frozen cargo. Kai and Jay stood beside her, the warriors stood to the edges. Nya felt the resistance in the air. The ice slid. 'Cole, NOW'
Cole smashed his fist down onto the floor, following with the blade, it fell from beneath his feet and he fell with it. The inertia of the blade connecting with the floor below shattered it instantly, following through with a punch the floor fell. Cole continued, the thought of 145 floors weighing on his mind 'don't think, just do, don't think just do, don't think just do…' he repeated to himself until the impact of every punch became part of the mantra, which he implemented in a trance like state.
Nya jumped on top of Zane's ice as it slid forward and over the ledge. Supporting its descent, she let it drop as fast as she dared. Kai and Jay followed with Lloyd holding them as they deflected falling debris from her. The warriors leapt as the skeletons rushed into the Lab. They wound and slid around the layers of destroyed floors keeping Nya in sight and looking back for an attack. It was not long before the skeletons charged from the Lab to descend on mass, jumping and swinging their way down. The warriors would hold the skeletons off as much as they could but it was obvious the numbers were far greater than they could hope to handle.
Using the strength of their sinuous bodies, they swung and wrapped themselves to exposed pipes, dangling wires and craggy masonry; swatting at skeletons with clubs and swords; only fragments of bones fell through their defence with not one skeleton getting past with head intact. The assault on their descent increased and soon individual skeletons had made it past, the attack gathered momentum. The Warriors saw the tipping point. Abandoning their defence they dropped swiftly, like blood flooding back to defend a hypothermic heart.
In the darkness of the descent, frazzled bones sparking blue or flaming red dropped past Nya, forewarning her of the encroaching attack. She held fast and focussed on her breath alone, steadying the weight of the ice with every exhalation 'please Cole, keep going, you can do this' she willed him. He was stronger than she had ever seen him, but this; destroying 145 floors, could he do it? She had no idea where they were in the building, but they were descending fast, he had a rhythm and her breathing had fallen in with the crash and smash of the blade and his fist. She became aware of Kai and Jay, the green glow of Lloyds' shields coming closer and just above them the Warriors 'if the warriors are so close, then we are close to failing' She took another quick look up and there they were. The white blur of flailing bones 'oh shit' the ice fell through another floor and crashed against a softly curved surface. The ice crashed to the floor and she slid down the surface after it. They had made it to the basement and the ovoid structure of the Simulation Room.
Through the dust-choked darkness, Nya could see Cole righting him self 'that blade is the shit' she thought, in awe of how it had transformed her teammate, then leapt to action. She located the door and washed the block of ice around the outer edge of the Simulation Room.
Kai and Jay fell through the ceiling firing back up through the hole as bones crashed down 'Hurry Nya, they're almost here' She punched the code for access and the giant double doors slid open smoothly. Cole threw himself at the ice as Nya began to slide it again. When it was inside the room Cole fell back and Nya punched the code again to seal the room. Turning back towards their entrance in the ceiling, the warriors fell through and just seconds later a swarm of rattling skeletons.
Now on one level the skeletons quickly overran the space. With no time to think, each of the team battled whatever the skeletons threw at them. Lloyd could see Nya, almost overwhelmed. He had to get to her. Lloyd pulsed an energy orb forward from Jay's body and the skeletons were blown back. He ran towards her as fast as Jays limping body would allow and grabbed hold of skeleton after skeleton and cast them away with a green blasts. Nya was on the floor her arms pinned down, her water blades firing ferociously out to the sides she was unable to manoeuvre them. Lloyd grabbed a skeleton that had her by one arm and burnt through its neck with an acidic grasp. One arm free, Nya swung at the final skeleton and took its head off. More skeletons descended towards them. Lloyd formed a protective dome around them just as the skeletons threw themselves forward. Nya and Lloyd fell back from the close shave and landed on the floor. Lloyd and Nya looked at the skeletons crashing onto the surface of the dome and at each other 'that was close' Nya said. Within the safe bubble of calm, Lloyd felt the closeness of his now physical state next to Nya. He was looking into her large brown eyes with real eyes, he felt real goose bumps on his skin just to be next to her and his real lips wanted hers. Lloyd leant forward his eyes closed and lips parted to kiss her.
'WHAAAT! What are you doing? I can't kiss Jay! What would that do to him?' Nya leant on his shoulder and levered herself up giving a final push up off of his head.
'Well, I think it might have been slightly less painful than the rib you just dislodged!'
'What? Oh, sorry Jay. Is he in pain?' Nya asked Lloyd.
Jay looked up at Nya through half closed eyes 'so much pain, you'll never know!' he said in a flat sarcastic tone.
'Jay?' Nya grimaced 'sorry' she squeaked.
Jay stood, holding his ribs 'Can't you guys wait! I mean come on! And look' he motioned incredulously to Kai and Cole 'get your brothers in here and protect them. You can make this thing move right?' Jay said to Lloyd.
'Yes I can' Lloyd said humbled and wrapped the domed shield under itself to create a sphere that hovered up and moved towards Kai and Cole.
Cole saw the glowing orb, grabbed Kai by the arm and dragged him towards it swinging the blade to topple any skeletons in their path 'FALL IN' he yelled at the warriors who acknowledged his order to reform with the group and fell back. The shield grew out and enveloped Cole and Kai as they approached. It also sucked in a skeleton looking decidedly surprised to be suddenly surrounded and less surprised to find its head falling to the floor. As the skeletons body collapsed Lloyd released it from the base of the sphere. One by one the warriors leapt through and the shield grew larger to accommodate. The skeletons threw themselves at them, hacking and clawing at the shield, but it was impenetrable. The team inside watched and regained their breath.
'What now?' said Kai. They all looked at each other and finally settled on Cole.
'Any ideas Cole?' Nya asked
Cole held the Blade forward 'we're gonna link up. Lloyd, through me you are going to extend your power out as far as you can, it'll carry ours with you. It will be magnified and they won't survive it'
'But will we?' Jay asked
'I'm counting on Borg's genius architecture to stand up to us, but… who knows'
'Are we really doing this?' Kai asked, a spark of excitement flashing in his eyes.
Cole looked at the team 'Well? Is it a plan?'
'Hell yeah' Nya said through gritted teeth.
'I'm so ready for this' said Kai.
Lloyd answered for him and Jay both 'yes, it's a plan'
The warriors looked to their speaker to answer. He raised his sword 'Do this thing'
Cole slammed the Blade of Ouroboros to the floor of the orb, green sparks shooting and swirling around the curved base. He knelt down and the elementals placed their hands on his skin; his back, shoulders and arms. Cole breathed heavily; the Warriors concentrated on him and fell in time with his breath. With their heads bowed, Nya, Kai, Lloyd and Jay allowed the blade to draw them in. Cole felt each individual power, register within him and heard an echo of his friends' thoughts in his mind. The ground shook, seismic vibrations travelled up into their bones. A static charge buzzed and leapt around the space; flashing blue, it cut through the gloom. Drops of water formed an aqueous constellation in the air and the electricity fizzed and sparked as it came into contact with it. The green shield was pulsing, growing. Flames flickered around the dome; the red tongues licked the surface and merged, turning black. The skeletons fell back. Tiling slabs ripped free of the floor and flew up smashing into the bony horde.
The warriors looked through the shield at the skeletons final moments. Falling and scrabbling over each other they tried to reach the subjects of their attack, but this was not a fight they would win. From the rear of the army a purple figure struggled. The eyes of the warrior spokesman widened 'No! CRICK!' and he realised there was no hope for his brother.
Cole snapped his head up, his eyes glowed white his body surged with the combined elemental power of his friends. In the instant that Crick raised his hand towards his clansmen, the Dome exploded out, a rolling maelstrom, travelling through the walls, out and over the city. The elements combined to create a force of destructive nature that nothing outside of the shield could withstand. Any being in the towers immediate area perished. The skeleton army had fallen and were wiped from the earth, disintegrating to dust as did the Warriors brother and Nya's friend.
The shield collapsed and the basement fell back into darkness. The power of their simple touch held the friends together as one until they regained their individual consciousness and their fingertips slowly released. Cole slumped down exhausted. The warrior spokesman cried out in pain and fell to the ground also, his brothers rushing to him not knowing of the tragedy he witnessed. Nya rushed and stumbled to the door of the simulation room to look at the viewing screen 'the ice has melted, where is he? I can't see him. Where's Zane?'
'Jay came behind her to look. Move the camera over to the right. There…'
'Zane!' his damaged, lifeless body was slumped on the ground, the Great Devourer attacking it. Drawing Zane's body up, it slammed him down into the ground 'NO! Zane! Leave him alone, get off him' Nya screamed at the screen.
A soft chime broke the silence. The light from the elevator door cast onto a familiar figure that walked towards them.
'Pixal?' Nya asked through her tears.
'No' the smile that spread across her lips belonged to someone entirely different.
'ZANE?' They all asked in unison.
'Indeed'
The friends rushed to him and embraced. The warriors embraced beyond them, two inseparable groups crying for their brothers, one reborn and one deceased.
