127
Myrah had never experienced pain like what the weapon-of-lightning had caused her. She groaned as she laid on the ground, her stomach heaving with the desire to vomit. She managed to keep it together as she looked up groggily, and her heart skipped in fear as she realized that the metal warrior was pinning Hershel up against the wall. The mask that the Theo had insisted they wear had been removed.
"NO TEAG NO!"
The horrified scream cut into Myrah's thoughts, causing her to jump. She whirled to see Raiyn flinging himself against the walls of his cage, sobbing and shrieking to himself. Her mind was divided between who to focus on, and she finally bolted to where Hershel was being held up against the wall. She drew her sword, running toward the metal warrior as silently as she could in an effort to drive the weapon into his back. However, just as she almost reached, him, the warrior released Hershel and moved out of the way. Hershel slumped to the ground, and Myrah barely managed to stop herself from running into the wall. The metal warrior blocked each of her swings with his arms, making it impossible for her to get the angle necessary to pierce through his core.
"So...it is not only future events ze child is attuned to," the warrior was saying, and Myrah couldn't tell if he was talking to her or himself. "He is reacting to ze events across ze fortress as if he vere present to vitness zem..."
Raiyn let out another wail, and Myrah's heart pounded in confusion and anger. She drove the metal man back, but he didn't say anything else. Fury was building within the Western Leader, pent up from all the time she had wasted in this realm. She had endured strange culture, unbothered council leaders, and days of fruitless searching in her effort to find her son, and she wasn't about to stand by in his obvious hour of need. With a furious roar, Myrah managed to find a weak point in the metal man's defense and plunged her sword down into his chest. The warrior twisted, and with the force of her blow and the warrior's furious twist, the sword was ripped from Myrah's hands. She stumbled, waiting to see if the metal warrior would go down or not. Bits of light were shooting from the wound like blood, and the warrior's movements became jerky and unsure as it began groping at the sword stuck in its middle.
"Mama..."
At Raiyn's whimper, Myrah turned and bolted for the cage. Raiyn's fingers were wormed through the gaps in the mesh, and he was lying on the ground of the cage, his expression groggy. Myrah's hands shook as she pulled her lock-picks free from her pocket and inserted them into the lock.
"It's okay, Raiyn," she murmured. "You're going to be all right."
"Tent men kill Teag," the child whimpered, and her heart twisted at the revelation. She couldn't help but glance at Hershel, but he was still slumped on the ground, and it was hard to tell if he was conscious enough to hear what Raiyn was saying. Myrah's heart pounded—what had happened to him, now that the mask had been removed? Raiyn wasn't wearing a mask...was whatever happened to Hershel happening to her son as well?
The sound of clanging echoed around her, and Myrah turned to see that the warrior had pulled the sword from his chest, discarding it onto the ground. The Western Leader turned back to the lock as she heard the man approaching. At last, the lock clicked, and Myrah nearly cried with relief as she yanked it free and swung the door open. Rather than spring into her arms, Raiyn looked up at her wearily, as if he didn't have the energy to move.
Panic filled Myrah's mind as she tried to figure out how to get her fading son and her unconscious husband to freedom. With the metal warrior drawing closer, Myrah reached down and scooped Raiyn up into her arms, closing her eyes only briefly to relish the feeling of holding him close at last.
With Raiyn in tow, Myrah bolted for the door, flinging it open as she headed into the hallway. Her heart pounded with fear and uncertainty, and once she had gotten a few yards from the room, she sat Raiyn down on the ground. Her heart ached at the thought of leaving him, but she wasn't sure what other option she had.
"Raiynee, stay right here," she ordered. "I have to go get Daddy."
"Daddy sleeping," Raiyn murmured tiredly, curling up on the ground. Myrah swallowed hard before heading back to the room. The warrior had followed her, reaching the door to come out after her just as she reached it. Myrah pulled a dagger free from her belt. The weapon of lightning that the other asahkar had given her was still somewhere in the room, but after it had been turned against her in her last attempt to use it, she decided she didn't really want to tempt fate again.
The reach of the dagger was not as long as that of her sword, but the warrior's movements were slower than before. With as much force as she could muster, Myrah drove the metal man backward, slashing at the wound she had created already and anywhere else she could. The man nearly grabbed her once or twice, seeming more interested in capturing her than in protecting himself. At last, the dagger buried itself into the man's shoulder, and the wound seemed to do something. Myrah gasped as the metal warrior lurched, gibberish pouring out as his limbs began twitching. Catching sight of where Hershel was slumped against the wall, Myrah slipped away from the spasming man of metal to reach her husband.
"Hershel!" she called, shaking his shoulders, but there was no answer. His chest was moving, which relieved her, but he was unresponsive. Clenching her jaw, Myrah slipped one of his arms around her shoulders and then forced herself upright. He was heavy at dead-weight, but Myrah didn't let herself give into the despair of their situation as she dragged him toward the door. The metal warrior lurched for them as they passed him, but with its movements staggered and uncoordinated, Myrah managed to drag Hershel past. She stumbled into the hallway, trying to keep her mind on the positive.
"Just get Raiyn, and...and then..."
Her mumbled plans cut off as she looked up and realized that the hallway where she had left her son was completely empty.
The bullet-proof vest had a few more hits, but Cole tried not to focus on the bruised pain as he pulled the last of the vengestone chains from the dragons. They had been unsure of him at first, but as he gave them directions, they listened, fear obvious in their eyes. It was clear that they were used to taking orders from people that looked like he did, and Cole felt a deep sadness as he thought about what Oni and dragon alike had suffered at Zerek's hands.
"Head for the village, okay? You're going to be transporting Oni again, but this time, it's back home." He prayed they would understand what he meant as he pulled the lever on the door that would open the shack housing the imprisoned dragons. He waited for them to spring into action and launch into the open space, but he was surprised when none of them moved. Cole frowned, noticing the uncertainty in their scaley expressions. "Hey, it's all right. I'm here to help," he promised, coming forward. He moved to the nearest dragon, hesitating a moment before slipping onto its back. These dragons were all rather small, and he wondered if it was going to be possible to get them all the oni back to freedom, considering there were only three dragons and a lot of villagers, from what he had seen.
"Here we go!" he prompted, giving the dragon a small kick, like he would to a hoofer. The green dragon beneath him sprang into action, and it's movements were so fast that Cole nearly tumbled off the back of it. He managed to keep his balance, and he caught his breath as they shot out into the daylight toward the village.
Gunfire shot out again, and Cole turned in despair. Luckily, it seemed the other two dragons were also quick enough to get through the line of fire without any problem, and Cole relaxed slightly as they charged across the ground. Just as they reached the village, the sound of large wing-beats caused him to look up and see Tobias's dragon approaching at last.
"More reinforcements! Well done, King Cole!" Tobias called triumphantly as his large dragon landed, kicking up dust. Some of the villagers were shrieking, while others were stepping closer tentatively as if they couldn't believe what they were seeing. Tobias's hair was wild, his smile broad, as if the attack on him in the air had been the most exciting thing he had ever been part of.
"Um...Tobias...you've got something stuck in your hair," Cole pointed out, and Tobias blinked before reaching up to fish out the small object.
"A dart! Probably of the tranquilizing variety," the man realized before looking up at where the drones had been attacking him. "Too bad for them, they missed old Tobias Bentworth! Not that they stood much chance, with old Ernesto helping me out." The ambassador patted the large dragon's neck fondly. "Ernesto here got pelted I'm afraid, but he's got a thick skin, and scales besides—so I don't think the enemy's measly darts did anything against him.
"We have to move now!" Keyda called, addressing the village as she came over to join Cole and Tobias. "Dragons brought you to this realm, and they can take you back."
"We have to move quickly," Cole pointed out, glancing up at the skies. "The drones will probably follow Tobias in here."
"They may," Tobias agreed, tugging at his mustache. "But they also seemed a little scattered up there, near the end." He glanced up at the sky at the dots that zipped back and forth. "Perhaps they spent a little too much time in the sun."
"Or maybe P.I.X.A.L's virus went through," Cole realized. He glanced up at the drones, hoping that was the case. "She was supposed to be meeting us here as well, when she finished."
"I haven't seen her," Keyda pointed out, and Cole clenched his jaw as he turned back to the doors they had come from.
"See how many oni we can get on the dragons," he said at last. "I've got to go check on her."
"Cole..."
"We can't leave anyone behind," Cole reminded, turning to his wife.
Keyda gave him a tight smile. "I wasn't going to try to talk you out of it—I know better than that. I was going to say, be careful."
"I will," he promised before turning to run in the opposite direction. He was a little winded by the time he got to the doorway, and he paused a moment to catch his breath. He marveled at how much stronger he used to be—there were missions when his team had run miles, but that had been at the peak of his training.
He pushed his way into the hallway, pulling out the taser on his side. He kept an eye out for robots, but the only ones he came across were already defeated. As he began passing the cells, he noticed that all the doors had been opened, and the cells inside were empty. He hoped that meant that Tolan and Theo had already completed their part of the mission and had transported back to safety. We're behind he thought ruefully, but he continued on until he reached the cell that they had all arrived in. He could hear the sounds of battle inside, and he quickened his pace.
He entered to see that several androids had cornered P.I.X.A.L, and the nindroid definitely looked worse for wear. She swiped at them with a taser, but her movements were slow. Cole caught sight of a strange machine in one of the android's hands—it was boxy, with wires hanging off of it that they seemed to be trying to connect to the cornered nindroid.
"P.I.X!" he called, and the androids turned. The closest wasn't able to respond before Cole hit it with the taser, and with their attention divided, he and P.I.X were able to take out the others.
"Thank you, Cole," P.I.X.A.L offered wearily, and Cole moved forward to catch her as she stumbled.
"Are you all right? What happened?"
"I managed to make the connection," P.I.X.A.L offered, sounding more robotic than usual.
"That's good, right?"
"The virus has infected Zerek's mainframe," P.I.X.A.L agreed. "But in connecting to it, I gave away my position. It seems he ordered these goons against me before his communication broke down."
"What is that machine thing they were trying to connect to you?"
"I am not sure...but based on scanning, it contains Oni power. If I had to pose a hypothesis, I would say it extracts power."
Cole looked back at the machine on the ground and shuddered. "Well, we made short work of that," Cole offered. "Come on, we've got to get to the village. I think everyone else is already out. We're the last ones."
"Very well." P.I.X.A.L moved to follow, and Cole hurried to get to the door, poking his head out to see if there were any more of Zerek's forces on the way. When he concluded that the coast was clear, he turned to make sure P.I.X was behind him. When he realized how slow she was moving, he frowned.
"P.I.X?"
"I...have a confession." P.I.X.A.L's tone wavered for a moment, and Cole felt a sense of dread creep in.
"What is it?"
"I was able to transfer the virus into Zerek's mainframe, when I connected...but I suspect that he was also able to transfer something to me."
"Transfer what? What's going on? Are you sick?"
"In a way. There is some foreign code that was able to get into my system, and if I do not initiate a hard system reboot, I am not sure what damage it will be able to do."
Cole stared. "Then...you should do that, right?"
P.I.X.A.L's expression flickered. "It would leave me completely unoperational."
Understanding finally dawned. "You can't escape and reboot at the same time."
"I do not wish to hold back the mission," P.I.X.A.L said, her expression hardening. "Go on without me, and I shall conduct the reboot. When it is completed, I will find a way out of Estyeer."
"Absolutely not," Cole said, stepping closer. "We're all getting out together, even if I have to carry you out, P.I.X."
Her expression flickered. Was that relief he saw? "Are you sure you would even be able to? You are not as strong as you used to be."
"I'm not over the hill yet," Cole argued with a smile. "If you've got to start the reboot to stop whatever Zerek is trying to do, then start it. I'll get us out, all right?"
P.I.X.A.L studied him for a moment longer. "It puts us both at significantly higher risk..."
"I never really cared much about statistics," Cole offered as she came over. He had never lifted P.I.X.A.L before, and he found that she was a little heavier than he was expecting. She is made of metal, remember, he pointed out. "You can ask Zane—I'm more the 'do now, calculate later' type of guy."
"Very well." P.I.X.A.L seemed stiff in his arms, and he wasn't sure if it was because she was a robot or because she was slightly uncomfortable. "I will begin the process now. Just please—"
"I know, I know: be careful."
Theo ran down each hallway, punching through openings as he needed. He prayed that Tolan was able to get Teag to the village to get them both out. Surely, he, Teag, and the villagers weren't going to attract too much of Zerek's attention. The bodyguard hadn't come after Theo, as far as he could see, so he decided to believe the best had occurred and hurried on his own mission.
Each room he passed was empty, but he knew they would be. He had just passed some kind of kitchen/cafeteria when he was finally forced to stop. He braced himself against a wall, panting heavily. It was useless to search like this—there was only one surefire way that he was going to be able to get to Rook.
Theo's hands were shaking as he looked down at the chess piece in his left hand. He knew Zerek was watching him; the cameras stationed on the hallways followed him as he passed. This was the deciding moment. It wasn't that he didn't have a plan...it was that he had to be dedicated to following through with it. He closed his eyes for a moment, suddenly overcome with the desire to transport out of Estyeer completely—back with the others who had completed their parts of the mission. With his friends, his parents, his sister...
He took a deep breath. With the gun feeling cold and heavy in his right hand, he scraped together enough energy for a transport.
Pippa stared at the figure on the ground, not even knowing what to think. A few minutes ago, it had just been her and her mother alone in their tent, having finally set it back up and moved everything back into it from the Western Fortress. They figured it would be a nice surprise for her Dad when he got back, considering that they were only living at the fortress until the people who had attacked her uncle had been caught, and now thanks to Prince Theodynn, they had.
However, her father had appeared—literally—sooner than anyone had expected, and the fact that he had shown up with her mop-headed rival was even more shocking. However, as she stared at Teag's still form, she couldn't help but shake her head in denial.
"He can't be," she argued. "He's not dead...he's just...being stupid. Like he always is!"
"Pippa." Her mother's voice was soft as she looked up at her, and Pippa hated the expression she gave her. It was the expression she had used back when her Uncle hadn't been able to see. It was the expression she had when she had found Pippa crying in that closet with Baffa when the trusty sniffer had died. How dare she use it on her now!
"He's not dead!" Pippa shouted, anger surging through her as she dropped to her knees. "You stupid, mop-headed jerk-noodle! Get up! Stop messing around!"
"Pippa, stop." It was her father this time, and she turned to see him shaking slightly as he wiped at his mouth. Her heart was pounding—she had never, ever seen her father like this.
"It's not fair!" Pippa yelled, but the tears were starting to mar her vision now as her mind raced. "It's because he wouldn't fight his brother and he made so many stupid choices and the horrible buyer took him and Raiyn and..." she trailed off, her aura whipping around the tent as she tried to figure out what to do with her conflicting emotions.
"Pip-pip sad."
Pippa stiffened at the voice, and she and her parents whirled around. There, in the corner of the tent, a groggy four-year-old stared at them with a tear-streaked face.
"Tent-men hurt Teag," Raiyn said, pushing himself to his feet with shaky arms.
"Raiyn?!" Pippa managed at last, the tears in her eyes spilling over. She ran forward as her parents pushed themselves to their feet.
"You brought him with?" Syn asked. "I didn't see—"
"I didn't bring him." Tolan's voice was distant, but Pippa didn't care about how Raiyn got there as she wrapped her cousin into a hug, relief flooding her system.
"You're okay!" she sobbed, the fear and shame from the last week of wondering what happened to her cousin melting away. For a moment, Raiyn sagged in her grip, but then he was pushing back.
"Let go," he begged. "Raiyn help Teag."
Pippa's eyes opened, looking down at her cousin's face. He looked tired, his face puffy from crying...but there was a determined look in his eye as he held her gaze.
"But he's...Teag's..." her throat closed off, her grief and anger making aura winds whip around the tent again. Raiyn pulled free from her grip as he moved to toddle over to where Teag was lying.
"Raiyn help Teag," he mumbled again before dropping down next to the teen on the ground.
"Raiynee..." Syn started, moving to scoop him up.
"NO!" The piercing shriek caught them all off guard as Raiyn reached out. "Raiyn help!"
Syn looked like she was unsure of what to do, but as she reached out again, Pippa ran over. "Just...just let him, Mom," she said. She wasn't sure what Raiyn was trying to do, but if her cousin was this upset, he should be left alone.
"How is he even here?" Syn asked, though she did stop trying to pull Raiyn away from the boy on the floor.
"I don't know," Tolan admitted, his expression tight with concern. "But Myrah and Hershel were supposed to be with him. If he's here and they aren't—"
"What's he doing?" Pippa cut in, staring down at where Raiyn was sitting. The child's eyes were closed, and he reached out to put both of his tiny hands on Teag's chest.
"Raiyn?" Syn prompted, but the child didn't answer as his expression twisted. After a moment, Raiyn pushed harder, grunting softly. At first, it just looked like he was trying to wake Teag up, but as Pippa watched, she realized that her cousin had started trembling fiercely.
"Raiyn, what are you trying to do?" Pippa demanded, dropping next to her cousin and putting a hand on his shoulder. She pulled back with a gasp as she realized his skin was ice-cold.
"Raiyn...help...Teag..." the child said, his voice straining. Pippa glanced over at Teag to point out that he was beyond help, but she realized that the teen looked different. The grey tone of his skin was rapidly changing back to a more healthy-looking shade, the circles under his eyes fading.
"What's happening?" Pippa snapped, and she grabbed her cousin more forcibly, ignoring his freezing skin. Raiyn turned to face her, his eyes opening at last.
"RAIYN HELP!"
Pippa froze to the spot as she realized that her cousin's eyes were blazing white, her mind struggling to process. However, before her or her parents could say anything, a gasp sounded from the teen on the floor.
"Teag..." Syn managed, staring down at the teen with a dumbfounded expression. All at once, Raiyn's blazing eyes faded and he sagged forward. Pippa lurched and caught him out of habit, and she could feel warmth leaking back into him as she held him.
"Mama sad...Mama looking for Raiyn."
"He's breathing," Syn pointed out, having dropped down next to Teag, her voice a mix of awe and confusion. "He's...he's alive."
"Let go," Raiyn whispered, and Pippa looked down to see that he had dark circles under his own eyes now.
"What did you do? What just happened? Raiyn..."
"Let go, Pip-pip," Raiyn begged, his bottom lip trembling. Pippa didn't want to listen, still trying to wrap her mind around whatever had just happened. However, after a moment, she finally did release, Raiyn, and he let out a long exhale.
"Raiyn find Mama," he whispered, and in the next moment, without a single flash or whip of wind, he was gone.
128
Consciousness faded in and out, mixing with pieces of dialogue that didn't add up to each other. The room she was in was dimly lit, with the Buyer's droning voice constant each time Rook woke. At last, she managed to keep herself from slipping back into unconsciousness, and she scanned the room around her. There was the Buyer—the sight of him made her blood run cold, but there wasn't anybody else in the room. Was he talking to her, this whole time? But he wasn't even facing her—his back was turned as he spoke, and it honestly sounded like he was addressing other people, despite the fact that it was only the two of them in this cold room. Maybe he is a ghost...and he's talking with other ghosts. Wouldn't put it past him.
Rook scanned herself and noticed that she was unrestrained as she lay on an elevated bed. At first, she was excited about the prospect of not being tied down...but after trying to move a few times, she realized that it didn't really matter. She was more exhausted than she had ever felt in her life—no doubt it had something to do with the horrid thing the Buyer had done to her before she had passed out. She shuddered as she thought of the demonic metal box and the wires that connected her to it. She was pretty sure the life had been literally sucked out of her—no wonder she could barely move. The fact that her body wasn't responding to her made her want to panic, but she forced herself to be calm. If she couldn't move everything, then she would start small. She had managed to get her fingers to start responding when the Buyer's voice echoed around the room once again.
"Connection has been inhibited. A vise move...but zere is only von who I needed to acquire today, and he has already received my message."
Rook spent a few seconds trying to get her head to turn enough to look at him. He was standing off to one side in front of a thick stone wall. In fact, the whole room had thick stone walls, with no windows anywhere. Near the Buyer, there was a cabinet with a lock on the door, and under the cabinet, there was a table. Rook couldn't help but gasp in fear as she caught sight of the demon box resting on the table like a small predator waiting to be fed.
The Buyer turned, catching sight of Rook staring at him.
"You're avake," he realized. "It seems you have recovered faster zan Teag did...but zen again, I drew less aura from you zan I did from him. Zere could also be ze factor of your age, as you are probably—"
"Where are we?" she demanded, cutting him off. She wanted to sound threatening, but the most she could muster was annoyed.
"Still in Estyeer...but I decided it vould be best to make our stand in ze underground bunker beneath ze fortress, razer zan somevere easily accessible to ze infiltrating forces. I zink conversations like ze von coming happen best in privacy."
"What?"
"Your lifeforce has proven useful...or vill, eventually. Ze elemental vessels of fire and lightning taunt me out of reach, but zere is no need to extract zeir elements today. Zey are based in Ninjago, after all...even if I cannot get to zem presently, I could find a vay to corner zem in ze future, after my vork is relocated. For now, ve shall see if your presence is helpful in gaining ze von asset I am most concerned about slipping out of my reach."
"You never make sense, you know that?" Rook mumbled, trying not to seem drained at the mere attempt to talk. The man came closer, and Rook stiffened as he stared down at her.
"I am able to connect to ze security cameras still, even if I have been cut off from my staff," he mused. "He is looking for you."
"What are you talking about?"
The man was quiet for a moment as he pulled something from his pocket. Rook frowned at the object, not sure what she was looking at. It was made of metal, and she wondered if it was some kind of weapon. The Buyer stared down at it pensively. "Only time vill tell if he vill find you."
Rook stayed quiet as she began trying to move her arms. They felt heavy as lead, but she was able to move them somewhat. Her legs were harder, and she felt a bit hopeless as she realized how impossible it would be for her to escape. They sat in silence for a few minutes, with the Buyer contemplating something quietly and Rook trying to move her arms around without him noticing.
A loud popping noise echoed around them out of the blue, catching her off guard. For a moment Rook's body seized with fear, not knowing if the Buyer had triggered some kind of torturous sorcery, just as he had on multiple occasions before. A flash of light lit up the otherwise dim room, dazzling Rook and making her wonder if this was the end.
There was a grunt, and as Rook blinked to clear her vision, she could make out another figure crouching in the windowless room. He seemed to be propping himself up with shaking arms. When Rook realized who it was, she wanted to scream at him, but the words felt stuck in her throat.
"You made it." The Buyer's tone was calm, as if he were welcoming a guest to dinner. "How fascinating ze ability to transport is. In my future endeavors, I vill have to set time apart to study it."
Theodynn didn't answer, but he did look up at the Buyer, his expression grim. He was wearing some kind of strange covering on the bottom half of his face that Rook had never seen before, and large padded clothing that she was confused about. It almost looked like armor...but padding like that wasn't going to protect him from a well-aimed sword or knife attack. Would it?
"Your energy levels are low," the Buyer continued. "Ideally, zey vould be higher for an elemental extraction...but I suppose ve vill have to vork viz vat ve have."
"I'm not here to give you the element." Theo spoke at last, his voice soft and strange through the mask.
The Buyer didn't speak immediately, but Rook saw him move in her peripheries. Before she could turn to see what he was doing, something cold pressed against her temple. She froze, confused. Was he holding the strange object to her head? Why? Was it some kind of weapon, then? In her frozen state, she could see Theo's expression darkening hatefully. Whatever the Buyer was doing, it was clearly meant to be a threat.
"Ze machine is behind you, on ze table," the Buyer explained calmly. "All you have to do is grab ze connected vires, one wire in each hand. It vill do ze rest."
"Don't!" Rook managed to yell out at last. "That box is evil. Don't touch it!"
"You know vat you vill lose if you do not comply," the Buyer said, and Rook felt the pressure increase against her head. She scoffed, keeping her gaze locked on Theo's.
"I'm fine, Princey," she assured, trying to keep the waver out of her voice. "His stupid weapon isn't even sharp. It's hardly a threat. Get yourself out of here."
Theo didn't really look comforted, his expression twisting as he glanced between Rook and the Buyer. "I'm not making any bargains," he said at last. "You'll only kill her anyway."
"I do not need her dead," the Buyer argued. "Just as I do not need her alive. Vichever outcome vill get me—"
"The thing is, I didn't really come to negotiate," Theo interrupted.
Rook stared as the young man grabbed something from his belt, and she watched in disbelief as he brandished a similar weapon to the one the buyer was currently wielding. What was more confusing and concerning, however, was the way Theo immediately moved to hold it against his own head.
"Vat are you doing?" the Buyer asked softly, but Theo's gaze was cold.
"I'm done being a pawn, Zerek. I'm not turning myself over...this isn't a trade. You're going to let her go, or you lose what you want, forever. That's it."
"I could easily kill her." The Buyer increased the pressure once again, and Rook resisted the urge to close her eyes. It was true what she had told Theo—the weapon wasn't sharp. However, that didn't mean it didn't hurt to have it pressed so forcefully against her.
"And I could easily get rid of the earth element forever. I know you're dying to figure out how oni and elemental powers work together...how unprecedented it is for both to be in one person. Either you let Rook go, or you'll never get the chance to find out."
The Buyer paused, as if thinking it through. "If you die, I vill kill her anyvay."
Theo scoffed, his gaze flashing violet for a moment in the dim room. "I guess you just have to figure out who has more at stake," he pointed out softly. "You're an android, aren't you? You should be good at calculating, and you should be able to realize whether I'm bluffing or not." Theo's expression looked like it was carved from stone, daring the Buyer to question him. "Are you willing to lose the chance at ever getting what you want from me as much as I'm willing to thwart your goals, permanently?"
Silence fell, and Rook's heart was galloping as she laid on the elevated bed. She wasn't sure how long the horrible quiet stretched on, but at last, the Buyer moved the weapon away from Rook's head. "It is intriguing, how villing you are to risk death," he murmured.
Theo scoffed again, making no move to lower his own weapon. "It wouldn't be the first time I died, trying to save someone I cared about," he said softly.
"Zat is impossible," the Buyer mused flatly, but Rook's heart nearly stopped as she processed Theodynn's words. For a moment, he glanced over at her and met her gaze, and her chest felt like it was going to explode. The Buyer continued, his voice thoughtful. "Your plan is intriguing, and your dedication seemingly unvavering... but you must know zat you are not useful to me alive regardless, if you escape today."
"Please...you're an android. Surely as long as we're both alive, you could calculate some future way to get ahold of the element of earth. Just embrace the fact that it's not going to be today, and not like this."
Rook felt goosebumps race up her arms, a dark sense of foreboding settling over her. It was clear that Theo was dedicated to this, but she had been with the Buyer for only a day or two and she already knew that he didn't care about whether people lived or died. If she didn't do something fast, Theo's gamble was going to backfire on him...and the results of that would be deadly.
"I have already had to make sacrifices today," The Buyer said, his weapon still pointed at Rook, though no longer pressed to her head. "I do not feel inclined to compromise here."
Theo's eyes narrowed above the mask. "I already told you; this isn't a negotiation. The element of earth is not for sale, Zerek...no matter what you threaten. If you don't move away from her, you're going to lose the chance of ever owning all the elements."
Stop being useless, Rook, the bed-ridden prisoner chastised as the tension increased in the room. You already messed everything up, trying to take down the Buyer on your own. It's your fault Theo's in this mess...and he's not going to be able to fight his way out of this alone. You're a trained assassin—a skilled warrior. Stop lying here like a dead, useless fish and DO SOMETHING!
She glanced at the weapon in the Buyer's hand. He hadn't moved it away from her completely, but now it was merely angled at her torso. No matter what kind of weapon it was, she knew that she could incapacitate it before the Buyer could react enough to try to stab her with its dull, hollow end.
"Zeodynn—" the Buyer started, but he didn't get the chance to finish. Mustering the last of her energy, Rook forced her arms into motion. Her trembling hands shot out to grab the weapon in a maneuver she had practiced with the slave traders on many occasions. If she could at least rip it free from his grasp, then maybe there would be a chance that she and Theo could make it out of here.
However, in that split-second that her hands gripped the weapon's hilt as tightly as she could, she realized that this was not really like a knife at all. For one, the hilt was angled and strange, and for another, she could feel a piece of it moving, squeezing in—
A sound that she had never heard before exploded in the room, echoing off the stone walls in a cacophonic symphony to serenade the pain that quickly overwhelmed Rook's weary mind.
Myrah had been through enough hard things in her life that she never questioned whether or not she was a strong person. The events surrounding her pregnancy or even the months leading up to it seemed proof enough that she could hold it together when it was most important. However, as she came out into the hallway and realized that Raiyn was gone, the last of the Western Leader's willpower frayed away.
She dropped to her knees, the weight of Hershel's body assisting her in her fall as her eyes swam with tears.
"Raiyn? RAIYN!" Her scream echoed down the hallway, and panic ate at her as she tried to figure out what to do. Leave Hershel here to try to track down her son? But what if she couldn't find him, and returned to find Hershel gone as well? Had someone taken Raiyn? Had he wandered off? Why was everything so difficult? Why did she feel so alone in this moment...to the point that she felt like she was drowning in paralytic stress?
"I can't...I can't do this..." she realized. For days, she had forced herself to be the one to keep it together, supporting Hershel in his spiraling thoughts full of blame and despair, staying professional as she dealt with horrible and frustrating Ninjago realm leaders, and forcing herself to be patient in the search for their son. But now all she could think about was the fact that they needed to escape now, but there was no way she could find Raiyn and keep Hershel safe in his unconscious state. She knew what Hershel would tell her to do, but she had already lost him once. She wasn't losing him again if she could help it...but unless she risked it, how would she ever find their son?
She closed her eyes, trying to force back the panic just a little longer as she focused on completing what they had set off to do. The sheer hopelessness of the moment sent her mind back to the last time she had felt like this...the moment she had been on the beach, an infant Raiyn in her arms as Bula had threatened to take away everything that Myrah loved. However, thinking of Bula just made Myrah double over with shame, because it was impossible to think about her ex-advisor without thinking of the things she had been keeping from Hershel all these years. How Bula had truly died, for instance...and the connection the bitter woman had to Hershel's birth father. Myrah looked down at Hershel's lax expression. If they didn't make it out of here today, would she ever get the chance to tell him? Or were her secrets going to haunt her forever?
Just as Myrah managed to beat back the last of her emotional turmoil and push herself to her feet, she heard a small voice behind her.
"Mama?"
She whirled, and there he was, lying on the floor a few feet away. Myrah could barely believe her eyes, but she wiped at her face frantically as she ran over to her son.
"Raiyn," she breathed, scooping him up off the floor and holding him close. He was basically dead-weight, not even moving to embrace her back like he usually did. She pulled away and realized with a start that he seemed pale, with dark circles under his eyes.
"Raiyn no poof home again," he whispered. "Raiyn so tired."
"You're okay," Myrah assured, not really sure what her son was mumbling about but full of relief that he was here again. Her whole body was shaking with adrenaline, and she looked over at where she had left Hershel slumped on the ground. Fear and doubt forced their way back into her mind as she tried to think about how she would carry Raiyn and Hershel to safety, but she didn't allow herself to dip back down into despair.
"I need you to hold tight, Raiynee," she told him, and she felt his arms weave around her neck tiredly as she made it over to Hershel. She couldn't do much more than drag Hershel along, and tears continued to smart her eyes as she tried to remember where Theo had said they could meet up with Cole and Keyda to be taken out of this place. There was some kind of village in the middle of the fortress, and didn't he say that there were doors to access the village along each of the halls?
The going was slow, and Myrah wasn't sure what she would have done if they had been apprehended by more of the enemies with eye coverings, but Ancients be praised, they didn't come across anyone in their long trek down the hallway. At last, Myrah noticed a door on the inner wall, and she lowered her husband and son to the ground with shaking hands as she moved to unpick the lock. It took her a while, but eventually, she heard it click open and she closed her eyes in relief before pushing open the door. Wind whipped at her from the outside, filling her lungs with the smell of dust and dragons. As her eyes adjusted to the bright sunlight, she realized she could see people loading onto the beasts a ways off.
"Wait!" she called desperately, though she wasn't sure if any of them could hear her. Her heart was in her throat as she went back and scooped Raiyn back up before once again slinging Hershel's arm around her neck. Moving as quickly as she could in a half-hunched position, Myrah moved her family through the door and out into the dusty ground beyond it. "WAIT!" she yelled again. After a few feet, she once again left her family behind so she could sprint toward the group gathered. "Keyda!"
The Ruler finally turned, and Myrah nearly wept with relief as she saw the Queen point Tobias Bentworth in her direction. The lanky Asahkar quickly crossed the large area to reach her, and Myrah gestured to where Hershel and Raiyn were curled on the ground.
"I...I cannot carry them both," she admitted, trying to muster as much leaderly dignity as she could. The bushy-haired man merely smiled.
"I'm literally here to help," he assured before moving to where Hershel and Raiyn were. Myrah sagged in relief, and as Tobias pulled Hershel's arm around his shoulders, Myrah lifted her son. For a moment, she assumed Raiyn had fallen asleep, but as they moved back toward the dragons laden with oni, the young child opened his eyes briefly.
"Thee-thee angry," he whimpered. Before Myrah could ask him what he meant, the earthquake started.
Ashley wasn't sure what they would have done if the drones hadn't started going on the fritz, no doubt thanks to P.I.X.A.L's involvement. Once their attacks stopped being so uniform and their movements became glitchy, it wasn't as hard for her and her family to swat them away. After a little bit, another car roared up to join them, and Jay stuck his head out the window.
"Robots going on the fritz was our cue, wasn't it?" he asked. "Should we head up to the laboratory to help, or..."
"I'm not sure we're supposed to rendezvous there," Ashley cut in, glancing at the winding road ahead of them. "Our job was just to distract Zerek as much as possible, but now that the virus is doing the distracting, our job is done. Theo would probably tell us to head back to Bembay and wait for the others."
"But we aren't really going to do that, are we?" Mia complained, sticking her own head out the window. "By the way, did you use your powers? You should of seen May go—she did this one move that I couldn't believe and wiped out a huge group of them with one surge! Talk about impressive."
"It would have been impressive if I had meant to do it," her twin argued, though she was smiling softly. Ashely could see that the older walker twin was worn out, and she knew how she felt. Going from basically ignoring her elemental power to trying to fight with it for an extended period of time was definitely exhausting. The battle hadn't even lasted that long, embarrassingly enough. She was just that much out of elemental shape, so to speak. Dad's never going to let me live this down, she thought as she glanced at her father. My days of avoiding training are definitely over. Yet, despite the strain she knew training would put on her already crammed schedule, she found that the thought of using and controlling the burning element inside of her wasn't nearly as intimidating as she once found it. Her father caught her looking at him and offered a smile, and she returned it.
"So, all in favor of heading to the fortress to help continue kicking robot butt?" Mia pressed.
"I think it may be best to keep May and Ashley away from Estyeer," Skylor argued, leaning up against the scratched and dented sports car. "After all—"
Skylor's thought trailed off as an ominous rumble echoed toward them, and suddenly, Ashely realized that the ground was moving. She stumbled at the strange rolling sensation, reaching out to grip the Walker's car for support.
"What's happening?" May demanded, her eyes wide. "An earthquake?"
"Was this part of the plan?" Jay asked, sounding more puzzled than concerned.
"I don't remember there being an earthquake in the plan," Kai pointed out.
"Like you ever listen to plans," his sister mused dryly.
"I do too! I think I would remember talking about an earthquake, sis!"
"Whether planned or not, this is probably being caused by Theo," Ashely realized. "What if...what if it's a cry for help?"
"Or a sign that things went wrong?" Jay said softly.
Mia's expression crumpled. "Well? Are we all just going to wait around? Or are you old and new ninjas actually going to do something about it?"
Everyone glanced at each other before the Smiths moved to get into their car. Whether part of the plan or not, it seemed everyone had the same feeling that Ashely did. Something had gone wrong at Estyeer.
129
There had always been the chance that Rook would get hurt...but knowing that didn't stop Theo's whole body from going numb as he watched her lurch from the gunshot. It was unclear whether Zerek had shot her during her short-lived attempt to wrestle the gun from him, or whether she had caused it to fire herself. However, as her arms dropped down and dark blood began pooling, it didn't really matter how it had happened. She had been hit, possibly critically, and something in Theo's mind snapped.
Just moments before, he had been fighting exhaustion as he tried to keep Ashley's gun pointed at his head, but now energy flooded into him from head to foot. He wasn't sure if it was adrenaline or something else, but aura winds appeared out of nowhere, ripping through the room at speeds he hadn't ever witnessed before. Then, the whole room was moving—shaking, rolling, cracking. The gun dropped from Theo's hand, and he was dimly aware of the orange light radiating from his arms and the violet power engulfing his hands. However, as his aura-tainted vision locked on Zerek, all other thoughts seemed to fade as a fury Theo had never experienced filled his mind.
Zerek looked baffled as he stared down at the Oni bleeding out on the bed—it appeared he hadn't been expecting this outcome, and was now stuck processing what his next move should be. He looked up as Theo pushed himself from the ground, charging the android in a blind rage.
"Zeodynn..." Zerek tried, but Theo had already reached him. A powered blow sent Zerek flying backward, and the android hit the cracking walls. "Zeodynn, you're experiencing a joined elemental and aura reaction..."
"Stop." Theo punched out again, and the robot managed to move out of the way. Theo's hand hit the wall, causing a chunk of it to explode.
"Ve are underground. You vill send ze laboratory down on top of us."
"I don't care!"
"You vill destroy all zree of us..."
"I'm done listening!" Theo swung toward the android again, narrowly missing Zerek's head as the android stumbled back. It was difficult for either of them to keep their footing on the violently rocking floor, but Theo didn't even feel the pain as he crashed into walls or tables in his attempt to reach the villain. "I'm done with your manipulation, and you're leverage and your cruel logic! You villains are all the same!" He could hear things crashing off of shelves, no doubt being sucked off by the aura winds.
"An emotional rampage vill do no good to anyvon..."
Theo roared in frustration as he lurched forward, but the quaking earth caused him to lose his footing. He didn't stay down long, diving for Zerek once again. He managed to get hold of the android's long white coat, and the sound of gunfire exploded into the room. Theo grunted as the bullet hit the vest he was wearing, only a few inches away from his exposed neck. No doubt if the rollicking ground hadn't made it so hard to aim, the android would have just killed him.
Pain from the blocked bullet exploded just under Theo's collarbone, but he didn't let it stop him from lashing out and grabbing the gun in his left hand, his right still full of pale cloth. Zerek's hand flexed as he tried to shoot once again, but with the aura and earth element pulsing around his hands, Theo made short work of the pistol. He was pretty sure he crunched a few of Zerek's metal fingers as well, but he was hardly sorry for it.
"Don't need me alive after all, huh?" he growled, and Zerek's expression clouded as he glanced at the floor, where the remains of his weapon were sitting.
"Zis devastating response vill not change anyzing," the android pointed out. "Better for us all to get out of here. Your friend vill surely die if she doesn't receive immediate attention."
At the mention of Rook, Theo felt cold, but his expression twisted with hate. "And whose fault is that?" He used his grip on Zerek's coat to send him flying into another wall, though the cloth tore off in Theo's hand as the android whipped through the air. Sparks began shooting out of Zerek's shoulder as he hit hard and slid down the wall, and his leg had started twitching in what seemed to be an uncontrollable way.
"Engage backup protocol," the android managed, his grey eyes fixed warily on where Theo was once again approaching. Holes in the walls opened in a few undamanged areas, and a few darts shot out. However, as the continued earthquake sent further cracks shooting up the stone, the weak attack didn't last long. Zerek's expression clouded. "Protocols have been undermined by current elemental disturbance..."
"How does it feel?" Theo demanded, reaching the robot again and yanking Zerek to his feet by the collar of his labcoat. "Having everything fall apart? Being forced into a corner by someone who has the upper hand?" He slammed Zerek into the wall, and the scientist's expression remained wary as he stared at Theo. "I guess that's a stupid question," Theo growled, his eyes still burning. "Since you can't 'feel' anything."
"Human e-emotion is such a-a vaste," Zerek said, though his voice had started glitching as he spoke. "So much progress...so-o much zat could ha-ave been a-acomplished. But a-affection has vonce again—"
"I don't care what you think! You're just like Evynn, or the Island, or any of the others...only caring about yourself, at the cost of everything else!" He slammed Zerek against the wall once again, tears marring his vision even more. "Hurting all those oni over the years...and my friends, and my sister...and now Rook. I'm not standing back anymore. I'm not going to keep taking it!"
He slammed Zerek one last time, and Zerek's grey eyes flashed with an inner light. A faint beeping could be heard over the rumbling and cracking all around them.
"Disc-covery i-is not vi-i-i-thout sa-acrifice."
Theo's grip on Zerek increased, but then Zerek's hands were moving. Theo stiffened in anticipation, thinking the robot would try to grab his hands to try to force him to release. However, instead, the robot used his damaged hand to grab the rubber glove on the other, yanking it off to expose a sleek chrome hand. For a moment, Theo hesitated, confused at why the rest of the android would be disguised with false flesh but his hands would still be metal. In that moment of hesitation, Zerek managed to grab Theo's forearm, and suddenly, an electric surge shot through Theo's body like lightning. He screamed out, releasing the android at last as he lurched backward, and the earthquake seemed to increase in violence. Theo stumbled and hit the ground, and Zerek dropped to the stone floor as well. The beeping sound was increasing, and Theo grabbed his injured arm as his heart galloped wildly. The aura winds were making it hard to see, tearing at his hair and clothes and drawing tears from his eyes. It was full of dust from the walls that continued breaking down, and in that moment, Theo woke up to the chaos all around him. His gaze flicked around the room, taking in the groaning foundation and the cracks in the ceiling. He had no idea where they were, but it occurred to him that Zerek had mentioned the fortress coming down on top of them. They were underground...the worst place to be during an earthquake. Even if this was some kind of fortified bunker...it wasn't going to last forever.
Theo's gaze moved to the woman on the cot in the center of the room. Rook had curled up on herself, and he wasn't sure if she was shaking because of the quake or because of fear. A chunk of ceiling dropped down, crashing not too far from where she was, and Theo swore he heard a cry of fear. All at once, all he could think about were the other times she had frozen with fear—all having to do with that day in the past when a mine had crashed down on her and her family.
"Y-y-your strength i-is depleted," a robotic voice pointed out, Zerek's voice now stuttering between a metallonian accent and one that sounded closer to Ninjagoan. "There is no vay o-out now."
Theo clenched his jaw, turning back to where Zerek was. The robot seemed to be trying to stand, but the attempt seemed futile as he crashed back down again and again. Zerek spoke again, but it was unclear whether his neutral words were geared to Theo or himself. "I-Internal ene-ergy critical...damage rank seve-e-ere. Reboot advised...reboot a-advised..."
Theo swallowed, pushing himself away from the robot as Zerek began sparking.
"Reboot a-advised...reboot failed...re-e-boot failed..."
The earthquake and aura winds continued, but now that the rage had somewhat left his body, Theo realized how drained he was. His mouth felt dry, the dust in the wind stinging his eyes and exposed skin. I have to stop it, he realized. I have to stop before it sucks the rest of my energy out...before the whole fortress really does collapse on us. I have to get Rook out...
A horrible cracking sound echoed in the room among the rest of the cacophony, and Theo looked up and realized that the ceiling was starting to break apart. His heart jumped to his throat as he realized that a large chunk right above him and the malfunctioning android was coming loose in the continued quaking. Theo tried to stand, but his legs gave out. He was too weak to stand, and fear was making movement even harder. He began scooting across the ground, heading for the cot where Rook was as the ceiling continued to crack.
"Re-eboot failed..."
Theo's gaze scanned the ceiling desperately, looking for somewhere that seemed more stable than the rest.
"Da-amage le-evel critical..."
Theo reached the cot at last. He pulled himself up with his glowing arms, which had started to flicker as his strength continued to drain. Rook was still trembling, and Theo felt relieved to know that she was at least alive. He moved to scoop her off the cot, and she turned weakly to face him. The cot was soaked in her dark blood, the swirling dust caked on the tear trails on her face. Theo clenched his jaw as he pulled her off the cot, but then they both crashed onto the ground. Rook gasped in pain, and Theo cursed his fading strength. He should be strong enough to lift her...he should be strong enough to move them to safety. He had to be.
"Hello...my na-ame is A-Z..."
Theo closed his eyes, wrapping his arms around the injured woman next to him as he rolled them away from the cot and the malfunctioning robot in a last-ditch attempt. No sooner had they come to a stop up against the back wall than the large chunk of ceiling finally came free.
"How m-may I assist—"
The resounding thud echoed around them, sending dust shooting everywhere as the stone chunk landed hard, further rubble pouring in from the gaping hole. Theo's grip on Rook tightened, and he willed himself to transport...but nothing happened.
"Theodynn..."
The croak caused him to open his eyes. Rook's face was near him, her eyes full of pain.
"I'm trying," he managed, the urgency making him shake as much as the exhaustion. The area of the room he had moved them to was still standing for now, but he knew it wouldn't be for much longer...and the dust was making it hard to breathe.
"Get yourself out," she said, her eyes flicking across his face.
"Rook..."
"Don't be stupid enough to waste time on a lost cause." She smirked slightly, but she couldn't hide the fear in her eyes.
"Just...hold still," he ordered, trying to move back enough to see what state she was in. When he caught sight of the blood soaking both of their clothing, his heart twisted. "You idiot...you shot yourself. How could you shoot yourself?" he breathed.
"That's just how the game is played," she tried, though she flinched in pain as another rumble echoed around them. "You were right about me, but you were wrong about yourself." The earthquake and wind seemed to be dying down now, but Theo was scared that meant that his energy was fading out at last.
"Don't talk—" he started, but Rook cut him off.
"Sometimes you have to sacrifice the pawns to protect the king...remember?
Theo swore under his breath, furious at her for making light of the situation and furious at himself for causing everything to fall apart so completely. Despair was clawing at him from the inside as Rook's body went limp, her eyes closing.
He had doomed them both.
"Cole!"
Keyda felt a slight bit of relief as she finally made out her husband as he crossed the shaking ground. He seemed to be staggering a little under the weight of the android he was holding as he tried to maneuver in the earthquake, but she was truly just glad that he had made it outside, where he wouldn't be crushed by the crumbling fortress.
"Hurry, oni!" Tobias urged from behind her. "No better time to get airborne than in an earthquake!"
Despite their previous reservations, it seemed that the Oni would rather take their chances on the back of a dragon if it meant getting away from the violently heaving ground. For the last few minutes that the earth had been rebelling underneath their feet, the Oni had been scrambling onto the dragons. Most of them had probably never experienced an earthquake—Keyda hadn't. But as the villagers cried out in fear and shouted about sorcery, the Oni Ruler knew exactly what was causing the violent reaction.
"It's Theo," Cole panted as he reached them at last, his expression pinched in concern. P.I.X.A.L seemed unconscious in his arms, and he shifted the nindroid in his hold. "It has to be, right?"
"Something's wrong," Keyda agreed, her voice breaking. "But what can we do? Why's he doing this? We've got to figure out where he is..."
"He's not in the hallway with the cells—I looked, and I couldn't find him," Cole offered grimly, moving toward the dragons.
"We have to find him! If he's reacting like this, it means something went wrong. We have to get to him!" Tear's stung Keyda's eyes, and Cole's expression clouded.
"You have to transport to him," he realized suddenly.
"What?"
"Like Theo did to Amber, to get us all here. You've got to transport to him."
"I..." Keyda shook her head, a horrible urgency filling her system. The earthquake had been going on for several minutes now, and it seemed to be growing in strength. "What if I do it wrong? What if I end up in the wrong place, and—"
"You're his mother," Cole pointed out, meeting her gaze firmly. "And he's your son. You'll find him, Keyds...you have to."
She nodded, resolve replacing her panic as she latched onto his words. She reached out to squeeze his arm, scanning his face. "Get everyone out, Cole."
"Be careful," he pleaded, and for a moment his expression flickered. It wasn't often that Keyda was the one to go charging into danger, and she gave him a small smile.
"I'll find him," she promised before taking a few steps back from her husband and the dragons. It had been hard to keep the reptiles on the ground as it shook, and now that the last of the Oni had piled on, as well as Tobias, Cole, and P.I.X.A.L, Tobias gave the command for take-off. Keyda watched the Dragon's beat their wings to lift the villagers for a moment, but then she turned away and closed her eyes. It was hard to focus with the swirling dust from the dragon's downdraft and the quaking dirt beneath her feet, but she did her best to picture Theo
Various memories flickered through her mind—their latest fights, the quiet talks they used to share. Hoofer riding, times of laughter, times of grief. Times of fear. However, nothing felt strong enough as her aura winds whipped around her.
"I have to find you, Theo..." she murmured, her heart aching. All at once, another memory came to her mind, soft with the rosy hues of morning light that had poured in through the window the day he had been born. All at once, she could see him in her arms...just a pale, helpless infant that clung to her as she held him for the first time. Her heart swelled with the aura winds around her, and just like that, she made the transport.
The sunshine blinked out like a Ninjagoan light being clicked off. The taste of stone filled her lungs, and Keyda stumbled backward as she choked and gasped, her eyes opening. There was no light that she could see, and she lit a hand desperately, trying to fill the space. Her heart froze as she realized she had transported into some half-collapsed room, and her mind immediately jumped to the worst-case-scenario.
"Theo?" she called, her voice hoarse from fear and dust. For two horrible heartbeats, there was nothing. But then...
"Mom?"
The voice croaked from a few yards away, and Keyda moved quickly. There, hunkered into a small pocket surrounded by rubble, her son's pale face became visible, illuminated by her violet light. As soon as he met her gaze, his expression crumpled.
"Help me."
The plea came out as a sob, and Keyda entire body buzzed as she flew to the rescue. She blasted through the rubble blocking her path so she could reach him, and her eyes widened in surprise as she caught sight of the other Oni on the ground next to him. Fear clawed at the oni Ruler as she realized both Oni were soaked in dark liquid, and for a moment, she hesitated.
"I...I'm not strong enough," Theo cried, looking like he could barely keep himself propped up against the wall. "Please, Mom...please..."
"It's okay," she assured, immediately lurching forward to drop to the ground next to them. Her eyes filled with tears as she watched her son weep, and she immediately embraced him. His head came to a rest on her shoulder as he shook, but then he was speaking again.
"And Rook... she was shot...she needs a hospital. It may already be too late. You have to help her..." His voice broke, and the room around them shuddered threateningly.
"I will," Keyda promised breathlessly. "Just hold on, Theo...hold on to me."
He moved to obey, his arms wrapping around her. Keyda closed her eyes briefly, grateful she had found him and that he was alive, but then she opened her eyes so she could move to grab hold of the limp Oni lying nearby. Rook seemed to be unconscious, and in the light of Keyda's aura, it was clear she wasn't doing well. Pushing aside whatever reservations wanted her to hesitate, the Oni Ruler got a firm hold on Rook, and with Theo clinging to her as well, Keyda pictured a place in her mind and made one last transport.