Kai's POV

The faint shouting woke me up. Hurried footsteps outside the door. With a groan, I forced myself to sit up, cursing the scratchy feeling in my throat and the ache in my bones. I heard Zane's voice shout something, the sound of splintering wood following.

My brow furrowed. What the hell was going on out there?

I scaled down the ladder, almost slipping as the sleeve of Cole's hoodie caught under my hand. As I ran down the hallway, my stomach leapt with worry. I could hear Cole cursing up a storm. Cole never cursed.

I ran into the Brig where the voices were coming from, noting with wide eyes that the door had been torn off.

"What's happening?" I asked, looking between Zane and Cole. No one else was in the room. Where was Lloyd? Sensei?

The storm in Cole's eyes caught me off guard. Fists clenched, chest heaving, jaw clenched - I had never seen Cole so furious.

"He took Lloyd."
"Who?!" I shouted incredulously.

"Sensei. He's the one that teleported you into the middle of a bombing. He's the one that captured Jay and Lloyd. And Kai," Cole's eyes softened into something sadder, more sympathetic. I shuddered at the look. "I guarantee you he's the one that got Nya killed."

The next moments were blurred. I heard their voices and saw their faces, but it was like I was underwater. Fire coursed through my veins. Because I knew - had known since the beginning that something was off with Sensei when he'd sent my sister into the line of fire alone.

My hands were burning as I gripped the edge of the doorway. Literally burning. Zane started forward with a shout, warning me that I was going to burn the Bounty down. I didn't care. He grasped my hands, his ice cold as they tried to combat my power. I yanked away from him, backing into the hallway.

Somehow I sensed him. I knew he was still here. I knew it was time to confront him. A dark chuckle echoed in my mind - not my own. I glared at the Bounty steps, leading towards the deck.

Come, Master of Fire. Are you finally ready to challenge me? After all, you knew it was me all along didn't you?

It was Sensei's voice, but it wasn't Sensei's spirit. This wasn't the kind, wise voice that had taught and mentored the ninja all these years. This was the voice of someone who was trying to replicate his Sensei. The voice of one who'd taken over his Sensei's figure after he'd brutally killed him. Kai knew, because he'd dreamt about it. But he never believed it would happen until it had.

It had been months ago. After a long battle, the ninjas had trudged back to where they left the Bounty. Sensei had been with them in the battle, as they'd required the extra backup this time.

Everyone was exhausted and had crashed immediately, including Kai. But his sleep wasn't peaceful. In his dream, he could clearly see the face of the general they'd faced that night. His name was Oryon. His warriors were trained either as swordsmen or gunmen.

While the ninja had been preoccupied with the warriors, Sensei had fought against Oryon. It appeared they had won when Oryon ordered a retreat, but Kai's dream that night warned him otherwise.

In his dream, Sensei was facing the dark general Kai was forced to watch as the old man fought valiantly. He wanted to help, but something restrained him. Sensei was holding his own for a while, but he began to tire due to his age. Oryon took advantage of this. He raised a dark sword above his head, the blade emitting waves of black shadow.

"Sensei!" Kai tried to warn. "Look out!" But it was too late. The blade had plunged through his Sensei's abdomen, the man instantly crumpling.

Then, as though he finally registered Kai's presence, Oryon sneered at him, bellowing a vile laugh.

"You may think that death is the worst thing that could happen to a person. But you'll soon know differently, boy. You see this sword? This sword gives me the ability to take someone's body as my own. It doesn't matter if I kill them fully or simply give them a cut. Either way, they are mine."

Kai had woken up with a startled gasp, feeling breathless. In his mind, flashed the image of Oryon getting a small strike on Sensei during the battle. He hadn't paid it any mind at the time, other than concern for his Sensei's physical health. But now his dream was warning him that the cut could be deadly? It didn't seem plausible.

Kai had drifted back to sleep, forcing the dream back into the dark tresses of his mind, never planning to relay it to anyone. After all, it seemed ridiculous and everyone would agree that it was just a dream. It was just a dream.

But it wasn't. Kai knew that now, and he'd deal with his guilt later. For now, it was time to destroy Oryon. The fire ninja made for the deck, fists blazing as he prepared to confront the man that had killed not only his sister, but also the first father figure he'd ever truly had.

"Well, well, well, the man in front of him sneered. "You finally come to your senses, have you Fire Boy?" It was still Sensei's body, but now Kai could admit who it truly was.

"Oryon," Kai spat. Someone he'd gotten a sword. In his hazy rage, he must've grabbed it from the training rack when he came out on deck.

"It's such a shame really," Oryon tsked. "I tried to make things interesting by giving you a warning. But your density and disbelief has been your downfall."

Kai's face twisted, both angry at himself and Oryon.

"I may have made a mistake this time," Kai bit. "But I always right my wrongs." He leapt forward with a battle cry, sword arcing forward with him.

With an epic clang, their swords met. One blazing with fire, the other shrouded in shadow.

Um, hehe. So like I literally just pulled this chapter out of my butt. (Excuse my language.) But seriously, I just threw it together today and it's probably terrible and makes no sense so I apologize haha...but at this point just getting a chapter up is a success! Sooo thank you thank you thank you for reading :)