Chapter 21: Thunder Dissolved (Part 3 of 4)
"Jay, Nya, congratulations," Lloyd beamed. "You too, Skylor."
Jay, Nya, and Skylor were gathered with the other elemental masters in the arena, preparing for departure with the forward time claw. Lloyd called in to check on their progress, smiling when he heard Pythar was defeated and Chen's Island secured. But as Ryoko explained that Pythar's armies were leaving, he frowned, sighing as he looked around.
"I guess our war with Pythar has not ended," Lloyd sighed.
"My guess is he lands on the mainland," Skylor shrugged.
"Anywhere specific," Lloyd asked.
"Not sure," Ryoko sighed. "I can't determine their exact target."
"Wouldn't surprise me if they moved into Ninjago City," Jay nodded. "Snakes and Ninjago City do have a history."
"I'll have the police commissioner on alert, just to be safe," Lloyd nodded. "Meet up with us at the monastery, then we'll decide the fate of the time claw."
Once Lloyd hung up, Skylor turned to Jay and Nya.
"Ready to go," she asked.
"I think so," Jay shrugged. "You certain you don't want to come over?"
"Maybe later," Skylor smiled. "I need to clean up the place first, remember?"
"Oh, right," Jay chuckled. "Ready Nya?"
"Oh yeah," Nya winked. "You got the time claw?"
"In this bag here," Jay nodded.
Nya and Jay jumped into the jet, then Jay fired up the engines. Soon they were soaring out of sight through the air, leaving behind Chen's Island and their friends. When they disappeared, Skylor turned toward Ryoko.
"Still got the package," she asked.
"Right here," Ryoko nodded, pulling out the time claw. "Why did you send Jay and Nya home without it?"
"Come with me," Skylor motioned.
Ryoko followed Skylor into the palace, walking until they entered the throne room. Then Skylor stopped, glancing up at the crest of the throne. She reached up, then pushed the red gem. The throne slid backwards, revealing a staircase spiraling down a narrow tower.
"Whoa," Ryoko gasped. "I never knew this was here."
"Neither did I, until I stumbled upon it a year ago," Skylor sighed, entering the tunnel as she spoke. "Follow me."
For a while, Ryoko followed Skylor down the stairs and then a long, straight passage heading toward the center of the island. Then they entered a large, circular room, the remnants of a buried underground temple. Ryoko's eyes widened as she spotted the carved murals, the eroded pillars, and the cracked altar. Skylor stopped by the statue of an armored warrior, then turned toward Ryoko.
"Where am I," Ryoko asked.
"This, Ryoko, is Heion, or in other words, the Temple of Serenity," Skylor answered.
"Heion," Ryoko questioned. "I thought that place was a myth."
"It was real, and it was powerful," Skylor replied. "History concerning the Order that occupied this temple was scarce, but this was once the home of the Masters of Amber. Here, my ancestors were guardians, protectors of balance through meditation and absorption. They were the first to see through Lord Chen's treachery, but they were also the first to be destroyed."
"What happened here," Ryoko asked.
"Vengeance happened," a voice answered.
Skylor and Ryoko turned, seeing that another figure had joined them in the temple. They both stiffened, then entered their fighting stances. The figure walked closer, stopping short of the steps to the altar.
"You again," Skylor fumed.
"My, my, such a temper," Master chuckled. "You and Kai are truly a wonderful pair of aces."
"Don't mention Kai again," Skylor hissed.
"I won't," Master frowned.
"What do you want," Ryoko questioned.
"Surely you are more intelligent than that," Master chuckled. "You know what I want."
"Come and get it," Skylor motioned.
Master smiled, then entered a fighting stance similar to Nya's. Waving one hand in a circle, he formed a pool of water, then with the other shoved it forward. It splashed into Skylor, knocking her down the stairs of the altar. Then Master pounced, charging toward Ryoko at lightning speed. Ryoko jumped, front-flipped right over his head, and landed behind him, while Master crashed into a pillar.
"Try a little harder," Ryoko quipped.
Master grumbled, then charged again. He zipped toward her at maximum speed, but at the last second, Skylor side-kicked him in the hip. Down the stairs he went, rolling and flopping like a fish on land to the bottom.
"So reckless," Skylor teased.
Master grumbled again. This time, he did not charge but remained where he stood. He summoned a ball of lightning, then fired it toward the ceiling. Bolts of blue lightning sprang everywhere, striking in a hundred places on the ground. Ryoko and Skylor jumped and rolled around, dodging each bolt until the lightning dissolved.
"I'm actually having fun," Ryoko jested. "Want to play again?"
"Gladly," Master bowed. "Here's the bonus round."
Master curled up his hands, then squeezed them together. All three combatants started to feel lighter, and Skylor discovered that she could jump higher and farther. Then Master started firing fireballs in all directions. Veering in all directions, they bounced off the walls like the temple was a pinball machine, striking Ryoko and Skylor multiple times.
Next, he added small chunks of rock from the floors. These smashed against everything in their path, including Ryoko and Skylor. Two pillars collapsed from the bombardment, sending long strands of rock everywhere. Ryoko grabbed a pole of rock, then deflected the boulders back at Master. He collapsed to his knees, the gravity returned to normal, and Ryoko and Skylor landed with a thump on the ground.
"Cheater," Master growled. "You'll be sorry you bruised me."
Master lifted his hands toward the sky. Balls of fire, ice, earth, and lightning started swirling around his hands, forming a huge ball of green energy.
"Skylor," Ryoko stammered. "I think we stayed too long."
"Agreed," Skylor nodded. They both started toward the exits, but the Master spotted them sliding along the walls.
"Leaving so soon," Master chuckled.
Slabs of stone slid down, blocking every exit from the temple. He watched as Ryoko and Skylor scrambled for safety, then closed his eyes. A funnel of green wind formed around him, absorbing every bit of debris in its path. Every element within him merged into that ball: fire, ice, lightning, earth, water, light, shadow, ash, poison, nature, mind, wind. The entire room glowed bright green, blinding Skylor and Ryoko as they pushed against the door.
"Time for the grand finale," Master chuckled.
He snapped his fingers. The ball exploded, beaming into every inch of space in that ancient temple. All the elements reacted against each other, violently exploding and spewing projectiles as Heion shook and crumbled. They struck Skylor and Ryoko numerous times, until the two allies crumpled to the ground barely conscious.
Master strolled over to them, then snatched up the time claw from Ryoko's hand. Ryoko glanced up, watching as he studied the time claw.
"You lost," Master stated. "You thought you could beat me; think again."
"But I did win," Ryoko coughed. "Look."
Master looked. Much to his surprise, the time claw disintegrated in his hands, sifting through his fingers as a pile of black sand. He threw the sand at Ryoko and Skylor, then yelled and cursed the temple for his terrible luck.
"Where is the time claw," Master boomed, grabbing Ryoko by the throat.
"As if I'll ever tell you," Ryoko coughed.
"Tell me or die," Master ordered.
"I'd rather die," Ryoko retorted.
Master squeezed Ryoko's throat. Ryoko squirmed and coughed, but uttered no sound except her forced gagging. She stared the Master down, determined to never give away the time claw's location. Then she caught sight of Skylor, who had crawled toward him from the bottom of the stairs.
"Stop," Skylor coughed. "Release her."
"On what condition," Master asked, lightening his grasp a little.
"I'll reveal the location of the time claw if you spare her," Skylor answered.
"No, Skylor, don't," Ryoko coughed.
"Do you swear by your father's name," Master questioned.
Skylor sighed, then nodded. Master dropped Ryoko, letting her crumple to the ground in a heap. Then he bent down near Skylor, turning his right ear toward her.
"I'm listening," Master prompted.
"The time claw is with Jay and Nya," Skylor gasped. "They…They left this morning for the mainland. You…you will never find them on the open sea."
Master nodded, then rose to full height again. He glanced around at the temple, then turned toward Skylor and Ryoko again.
"You deserve to die, to squirm and perish in my grasp," Master sighed. "But a promise I have made and a promise I will keep. You are spared, but do not kneel at my mercy seat again and expect the same."
Master then strolled away, opening the exits as he walked out of the temple. A few seconds later, he faded away, turning invisible as he ascended the first set of stairs. Ryoko then crawled over to Skylor, grasping her wrist and holding it tight.
"Why," she asked. "Why did you spare me? Why did you betray the time claw?"
"Ryoko, you are my friend," Skylor shrugged. "I couldn't let him kill you."
"But why," Ryoko asked.
"We are sisters, joined by bands of love which no evil can sever. Time claws we can retrieve another day, but sisters we cannot ever regain. Come. Let us rest, and hope that Jay and Nya arrive safely in Ninjago."