Of Course I Did


Dark Cell

8:01 PM


"First Spinjitzu Master—"

Cole dropped to his knees before his father, taking him by the shoulders, his heart thudding in his ears.

"Dad, wake up!" he hissed.

Chained to the wall of the cell, sitting on the cold, gritty floor, Lou Brookstone didn't respond.

"Dad!" Cole pleaded, propping his father upright, shaking him fervently. "Dear Overlord—Dad, please! Wake up!"

Lou's brows were tight with pain and sleep, grime and sweat glued to his face and neck. His eyes slowly unstuck, focusing on Cole.

Those eyes widened.

"Cole?" he mouthed soundlessly.

"It's me, Dad," Cole said, feeling his throat constrict. He swallowed hard. "Just hold on. I'm gonna get you out of here."

A long scratch peeked out from under the collar of Lou's wool shirt. Cole pulled the fabric back to see a scabbed Hidoi symbol etched into his father's collarbone. Dry rivers of blood snaked down his father's skin, and the scab itself—vaguely resembling a scarab beetle—was crusted with dusty-green infection.

His stomach twisted with new nausea.

Someone had carved a Hidoi symbol into his father's shoulder.

"What did they do to you?" Cole whispered.

"Cole," Lou repeated, his voice raw and rusted.

"Don't speak," Cole said, placing a steadying hand on Lou's shoulder.

But Lou didn't seem to hear him. "Why are you here?" he whispered, cupping Cole's face in one weak, filthy hand.

Cole leaned briefly into his father's touch. It was hard not to cry; he was so terrified and guilt-ridden. Trying not to look into Lou's imploring eyes, his parted, bloody lips, feeling the sheer thinness of his fingers on Cole's cheek.

Cole hadn't even known he was here, in this dark cell.

He hadn't given his father a second thought. London said he was safe.

You were supposed to be safe, Dad.

"Why are you here?" Cole said, his voice shaking. "Mom left to keep you safe. She said you would be safe."

"London?" Lou breathed. He shifted against the wall. "She's alright?"

Cole bit his lip. "Yeah. Yeah, she's alright. She's been studying Shauto and fighting Whisperers for the last fourteen years."

Lou smiled painfully. "Sounds just like her," he said.

Cole pulled a vial of peppermint extract out of his belt and wetted his fingertips, tracing the Heal symbol over top of the wound with trembling hands.

Lou's dark eyes grew round in disbelief.

"Shauto?" he managed. Then he cleared his throat, grimacing. "You know Shauto?"

"Yeah, I do." He voiced the Healing ritual, folding his gloved hands over his father's chest as green light peeked out from under Lou's collar.

"Then... then..." Lou's thick brow knit tighter, desperate. "Your mother...?"

"Yeah. Yeah, Mom taught me."

Cole gripped his father's cuffs in both hands and bent them back, releasing Lou's wrists.

"How long have you been down here?" Cole asked,

"I honestly don't know." Lou gave a feeble laugh. "I barely feel like this is real, Cole. Am I dreaming?"

Cole squeezed his eyes shut. "I wish this was all a dream," he whispered.

He slipped his arm beneath his father, catching his hand, pulling Lou steadily to his feet. The moment he was upright, Lou pushed him off, regaining his balance. His legs shook, but when Cole offered his hand again, Lou ignored it.

Cole offered a tentative smile. "You alright?"

"I'm fine," Lou said, his voice hoarse, but determined.

"Are you sure?"

"Cole, I'm standing."

"Can you walk without your cane, though?"

"I'm not helpless."

"I know, but—"

"Cole." Lou glared good-naturedly, waving his arms for demonstration. "I'm fine."

A jolt of homesickness, amusement, and something dreadfully painful hit Cole. He threw his arms around his father with a whimpering moan.

"Dad..."

"I'll be alright, alright, Cole. I promise." Lou rested his chin in Cole's profuse charcoal hair, sweeping his fragile hands through it.

They both stood for a moment, breathing into each other, too relieved and shaken to do much else.

Then they heard shouts and footsteps down the corridor outside of them.

They broke apart. Lou sat down and raised his hands, as if he was still chained. Cole kicked off his shoes, slipped them into his belt, ran to the corner beside the door, and scaled the wall. There were no handholds or platforms, so he braced himself between the two walls of the room, finding purchase with his bare feet, quieting his breathing as he pushed his shoulder against the wall to steady himself.

The people in the corridors passed without thinking to check on them.

Cole waited. He grew tired within seconds of holding this precarious, uncomfortable position against the corner, but he willed himself to stay until the footsteps were out of earshot.

He dropped lightly to the floor with a constricted gasp. Lou pushed himself to his feet, leaning on the wall for support.

"They know we're here," Cole said, his voice hushed. He grabbed his father by the shoulders. "Listen to me. We're on the fourth floor up, sixth down. On the top floor, there are people that can help you. Their names are Amilia and Azamat. Zane's there, too."

"Where's your mother?"

"She's outside the Compound. I'd teleport you to her, but the Compound is still Encrypted."

"Okay... I think I understand."

"The Walkers are on the first floor, too. They'll recognize you and let you in."

"But aren't you coming?"

"I can't. The others are in danger, and I have to help them."

Lou was quiet for a moment, still panting, realizing that he couldn't follow Cole.

"How do I get there?" he finally said, paling, but his jaw clenched in determination.

Cole contemplated his question.

"... Take the elevator?"

Lou gave a crooked smile. "Cole, you're not supposed to take the elevator during emergencies."

"The Hidein are using the stairs, though."

"What about the escalators?" Lou said dryly.

Cole laughed.

"I'll try the elevator," Lou said with a determined grimace.

"Alright."

Lou and Cole peered around the door. The hallway was deserted.

"If it breaks down, it's your fault," Lou said.

Cole blinked at him, and Lou gave him a wry smile before making a break for it. Cole had never seen his father run like that, not since his foot injury—he began to limp halfway to the elevator, and Cole knew he was really pushing it. His ragged footsteps echoed dangerously loud down the hallway, but no one seemed to hear.

Cole stared after him.

He let out a long, composing breath, watching the elevator doors slowly open and close, with his father in it.

Then he sprinted down the corridor towards the stairs, on the other side of the hall, lifting his wrist communicator to his lips.

"Hey, Mom?"


The Dyrian Cell

8:02 PM


Nya felt Hidoi lift from the cell.

The Whisperers departed. The darkness thinned. The lantern flickered.

Glowing green light spilled onto Nya's skin.

"Nya."

Nya raised her head, trying to squint through the blinding light.

A shadow stood in the open doorway. It grew bigger, and bigger, until she realized that it wasn't a shadow—it was the glow. It was the source of that green light, tinged cerulean, sparks of white and azure thrown to the sides.

It threw its arms around her in a desperate, groaning embrace.

She choked. "Wh-what—?" She didn't know if what held her was human, it was so bright.

"It's me," it said, pulling back, brushing her tangled hair from her cheek.

His eyes glittered with green tears. His whole frame emanated light, bright sparks of emerald popping gently in the air—auburn hair flaming, freckles glowing, his slitted brow pinched, his smile as bright as the brilliant green and blue ribbons of light surrounding them.

"Jay?" Nya breathed.

He removed his long blue cloak and wrapped it around her, cinched the sash around her waist, slipped his arms beneath her and lifted her against his chest.

"We're getting out of here," he said. Tears streamed down his cheeks, but he smiled as if they weren't there at all.

Nya blinked as they ran out of the cell, into the black corridor, where his jade-green light and strong jaw was all she could see.

"You came for me," she said, her voice shaking, barely loud enough to be heard above his pounding footsteps.

He started up the staircase with Nya in his arms, and Nya had to close her eyes and lean against him to steady herself.

There, she heard his voice—soft, sweet, resonating in his ribcage.

"Of course I did."


Povelitel's Chamber

8:03 PM


Povelitel lifted his head.

No, he thought, his eyes narrowing.

Are you serious.

"Father?" J'avi felt his father shift, and looked up, too. "Hey. What is it?"

Povelitel removed his arms from around J'avi, forcing the young Fragment to stand. The android took a few steps back, his palms facing the floor, his head twisting in every direction.

Come on... come here...

"What is it?" Soren and J'avi both watched him, bewildered.

"My Whisperers," Povelitel murmured.

At the sound of his voice, they emerged from the shadows. All the baby Whisperers gathered around him, clamoring for his attention, shoving each other, screaming in indignation. Thousands of eyes fixed upon him, agitated, frightened.

Buddy was shoved aside. The Flower Whisperer squawked, retreating with doleful eyes to J'avi, who kissed it and held it close to his chest.

Povelitel leaned forward, listening for a particular Whisperer, hand outstretched to receive it.

He closed his fist, trapping the baby Whisperer inside.

The rest of the crowd stilled, falling silent as Povelitel brought the small Whisperer to eye level.

"Rasskazat'," he commanded.

The Whisperer gazed at him evenly.

"It's me," it said. "It's me. It's me."

It carried a conversation with two different voices.

"Jay?" it asked.

J'avi stiffened. Soren's lips parted.

"We're getting out of here," the Whisperer said.

The rest of the crowd murmured along. "We're getting—getting—out. Ofhere. Ofhere."

"Jay...? Jay...?"

Povelitel's eyes narrowed and flashed.

"They have Nya," he murmured. "The Elemental Ninja are here, and they have Nya."

"That's impossible," Soren said immediately. "They can't track the Kahgei in the first place, so they can't be here. Nya is under constant guard of your Whisperers, and she cannot be freed—"

"Not with Hidoi, she can't," Povelitel snarled. "But with Shauto..."

"Shauto," J'avi muttered ruefully.

Povelitel shook. He turned on Soren, rising to his full height. Soren cowered.

"It's your fault. It's your fault, Soren, you should have killed her when I odered it. And now they have her."

"Calm down, father," J'avi said, glancing at Soren. "We have to get you out of here. We can't let them find you."

"They have Nya," Povelitel snarled, whirling on him, now. "Do you realize what could happen? Do you realize the extent of her Potential? If she learned Shauto—if she even tasted it—"

"Of course." J'avi ripped Povelitel's cloak off its hanger, approaching his father to administer it, Buddy following. "But we have to go. We can get you to Jamanakai village if we leave now."

"J'avi," Povelitel protested, annoyed. "If Nya were to—"

"If the Ninja were to find you," J'avi snapped back.

Povelitel paused, unaccustomed to this tone of voice. "J'avi—"

"You're not listening," J'avi growled. "We have to go."

"Bubba," Buddy agreed, a few flower petals fluttering agitatedly to the floor.

Povelitel glanced at it briefly, giving an electronic huff.

"I can't leave my Whisperers."

"They can come."

"J'avi—"

"I won't allow you to stay."

J'avi's voice cracked. He clenched the collar of the cloak in one white hand, pursing his lips.

Povelitel paused. He looked at Soren, who offered no resistance, reluctance, or approval.

"Alright," Povelitel relented crisply.

He turned back to J'avi, who thrust the cloak over top of him and attempted to button it.

"Kill Nya," Povelitel said in a low voice. "We can't afford to let her live any longer."

"Yes, father." J'avi's brow furrowed. "She'll be dead before sunrise."

His fingers slipped, and he growled. Povelitel glanced down at the clasps J'avi was buttoning, surprised and slightly amused to find them attached wrong.

"Oh, please," J'avi muttered, fumbling.

Soren touched his brother's shoulder lightly. "Allow me."

J'avi jerked him off. Then he rolled his eyes, stepping back and crossing his arms. "Hurry."

Soren took both sides of the fabric and undid J'avi's hasty, incorrect buttons.

Povelitel watched him.

His son's lips were pulled in a nearly untraceable smile as he did Povelitel's cloak up. He knelt to fasten the last few clasps, and when he stood, pulling Povelitel's hood over his head, his eyes glittered.

Povelitel did not have a heart that could leap into his throat, nor did he have a nerve system that could send chills up and down his arms and back.

But the depth of hatred in Soren's eyes told Povelitel exactly what he already knew.

Soren was going to kill him.


A/N: You'll have to forgive me, I'm so excited I can't see straight. This is it, guys! *cranks TFK's The End Is Where We Begin* Final battle, here we come!

Also! Also also also. Because of life circumstances next week, I will be posting the next chapter of Whisper on Thursday instead of Friday. So you'll get it a day early. Then it will continue normally throughout the next couple months... until it ends of course. :3