Chapter 15

No One's P.O.V.

Zane stood watching the map and directing Cole to the faint location of where Jay's power signature was. Jay's signature was growing and shrinking, fading in and out, meaning if the signature was weak, so was he. Zane took note that Jay's injury may have worsened and was preparing himself for anything from infection to now needing stitches. Zane glanced to Cole then back to the map and Jay's power signature began to flash red and a voice rang throughout the bridge.

"Warning critical state. Warning critical state." A voice said. Cole and Zane met eyes.

"Is there anyway to increase the Destiny Bounty's speed?" Zane asked in worry for Jay. Cole looked over some buttons and press a red button to his left. The boosters turned on and the Bounty jerked as the speed quickened. Zane turned to the map again and Jay's signature was still flashing red. He then began to wonder, 'Why did we not go at this speed earlier?'

Sensei Wu quickly walked into the room with his staff tapping the ground every second step. "I noticed the boosters have been activated, what is the reason behind this?" The sensei asked more of concern then confusion, they all knew why.

Zane pointed towards the blinking marking of Jay's location. "There seems to be a problem." Zane answered other the same voice repeat the same message. Sensei Wu nodded processing the new information.

A wave of silence drowned the three as the sound of the voice concealed the room. Sensei Wu stood with his staff in front of him and his eyes closed, head down. Cole had the Bounty heading straight towards Jay's power signature. Zane continuously stared at the flashing red dot on the map hoping it would stop, he soon got his wish.

After some time of flying Cole shut the boosters off unbeknownst to Zane and stopped the Bounty. The anchor dropped to the ground below and Zane blinked breaking from the trance. The voice stopped the repeating message, but Zane never broke his eye contact with the map. The flashing dot disappeared and the nindroid opened his mouth a gap. Before he could say anything Cole walked out to the door with Sensei Wu following.

"We're here, Frosty." Cole called to Zane and he sighed in relief. He was quite surprise he didn't notice sooner. Zane turned to the door and ran out quickly to catch up. Sensei Wu stood on the deck with one hand behind his back and the other holding his staff.

"Be cautious of Jay, if he is in critical state be ready for anything. If a menace is behind this do not engage. We do not need anyone else injured." Sensei Wu paused and they nodded in response. "Be careful."

Zane again nodded and they both pulled their masks over their faces. Cole jumped over the side and he gripped the chain of the anchor sliding his way down. Zane looked over the edge then back to Sensei Wu. "Nya wished for us to wake her when we got to Jay's destination. Can you send her word?" His Sensei nodded to him and the nindroid jumped.

Sensei Wu sighed. "Good luck, ninja." The Sensei tapped his staff and walked of to the room that contained a sleepy Samurai.

Down at ground level Cole and Zane looked to the place the power signature brought them to. Zane and Cole recognized this as Kai and Nya's home village, Ignacia. The two ninja looked to each other when they saw a group of panicked villagers gathered around another villager on the ground. The Masters of Earth and Ice went to the group to help out but what they saw was not expected.

"What's the problem here?" Cole asked, the villagers were possibly farmers from there attire and sense they a next to a plantation. The villagers turned to Zane and Cole.

There was a mixed between gasped and whispers of "the ninja" and "help". The villagers made a gap to let them through, Cole stepped through first. A woman lied staring up at the sky, lifeless with white lips, a farmer from her attire. Cole crouched down and noticed how white her lips really were.

"Did anyone see what happened?" Zane asked turning to the villagers. Some shrugged, others mumbled but one caught his attention.

"I saw a strange man." Zane faced the villager that said that.

"What did this man look like, or do?" Zane requested and the man nervously rubbed his arm.

"All I saw was him walking up the hill and into the Four Weapons shop." The man answered and Zane circled around catching sight of the weapon shop.

"Cole, I believe that is where Jay and Lloyd are." Zane announced and that all it took for the black ninja to jump up. They started up the hill and saw inside was a sword stabbed into the ground. Cole gasped and ran to an anvil, he went to his knees. Before him lied Jay with a stream of blood coming from the side of his head.

Cole brought Jay into his arms and he went limp. Jay breathed through his mouth and a soft sigh came out with each breath. The Master of Lightning had his head rested on Cole's chest and the other side had the cold air hit Jay's newer wound.

"Do you.. think Lloyd did this? Jay was acting strange back at the Bounty." Cole commented and Zane shook his head. The nindroid bent down at a faint powder on the ground. Zane rubbed two fingers into it and brought it to his nose. The powder smelt like nothing and didn't affect Zane. He stood and looked to Cole.

"Lloyd would never hurt Jay to the point of blood drawn." Zane eyed the powder then back to Cole. "What do you make of this?"

Cole squinted to it and small fragments of the powder drifted into the air. Cole breathed in the powder and started to cough. With his hands full with Jay, he went to his knees and covered his mouth after freeing his hand from Jay.

"That is not good.." Cole started to cough lightly. Zane stepped back from Cole and dusted the powder from his hand.

"I am sorry Cole, I did not know." Zane apologized. Cole picked up Jay back up and stood with a single cough.

"It's fine, really. I'm just worried about Lloyd now. We have to get Jay to the Bounty and find Lloyd." Cole said and felt Jay growing tense in his hold.

"Let..me go!"Jay said and pushed at Cole's chest. Jay started to struggle and Cole almost dropped him.

"Jay! It's okay! It's me, Cole." Cole soothed and Jay started to relax. The Lightning Ninja opened his eyes and they slowly started to adjust. Jay didn't completely relax and went to stand. Jay sat on the anvil and he started to breath heavily. "Are you okay? Do you remember what happen?" Cole whispered calmly.

Jay was silent and he tried his best to control the dizziness. His eyes landed on the powder piled on the floor. His breath turned to ice and panic filled him. Jay started to turn in circles looking for Lloyd. He stood up and his knees wobbled, he almost fell to his side if Zane hadn't have caught him.

"I failed..." Jay said softly and covered his face with his hands. He started to cry softly in Zane's chest. Minutes later Jay was asleep again and Zane carried him this time.

Cole sighed, "That just made me even more worried for Lloyd." He said and walked out of the Four Weapons. Zane followed holding Jay close to his chest as Jay curled up in his arms.

"Cole," Zane called. "Take Jay. I am going to take a sample of the powder. I would not want you to start coughing again."

Jay was passed to Cole, Zane had a little blood on his garb from Jay's open wound. He went back in looking for a plastic bag or a container of some kind. What Cole didn't expect was that Nya was on her way.

"Cole! Zane!" Both ninja twisted their heads to see Nya running up the hill. Her eyes landed on Jay immediately and she gasped. "Oh my gosh! What happened?!"

"We aren't really sure, he just fell asleep." Cole stated and Zane walked from the For Weapons shop to Nya.

"Can I have some assistance?" Zane asked Nya and she looked to Jay then nodded. Nya walked up to the sword stabbed into the floor and pride it out. She looked at her reflection for awhile then rested it against the wall. "There is a powder substance on the floor. It is very strong and suggest you not to breathe it in." Zane paused and crouched at the white powder pile. "Do you have something to contain the powder in?"

Nya nodded, "Yeah there should been something in the first aid kit." She walk over to a table and looked at the space between a wall and table. Nya stood up straight in confusion. "Where is it?" Nya asked herself quietly.

"Nya?" Zane called and she looked over to see him picking up a first aid kit from the ground. She walked over and Zane handed it to her.

"Guys! I'm going to take Jay back to the Bounty." Cole said from outside.

"Alright, we will be there shortly." Nya and pulled out a small square container, she then handed it to the white haired robot.

"What happens if you breathe the powder in?" Nya asked and Zane crouched by the pile. He began to brush the powder into the container with his fingers.

"You start to cough as Cole did or you can pass out and there is a possibility of death if you swallow it or if on your tongue." Zane explained and Nya's eyebrows went up.

"Good thing it doesn't affect you." Nya said and clipped the first aid kit shut and stuffed it back where it belonged.

"Indeed." Zane added and dusted the rest of the powder into the container. He then stood up and capped the container shut. "How did you rest?"

"I guess you could say okay. It was about two hours but I am definitely feeling better." The girl admitted and began to walk out of Four Weapons. Zane followed and they both started down the hill to the anchor. Zane stopped next to the now small group of villagers, a blanket rested over her lifeless body. Nya stopped and looked back to Zane who knelt beside the body.

"What is it?" Nya asked and Zane lifted the blanket from her face. He saw the pure white lips then looked down to the container in his hand.

"Whoever killed this woman was the one who hurt Jay and possibly took Lloyd. Her lips has the same powder from the floor in your shop." Zane explained and recovered her face with the blanket. He stood and walked to Nya's side. "Now we are relying on Jay to know what happened."

After paying their respects to the woman who was murderer they made their way back up the chains of the anchor. A pair of eyes watched from a far with a boy who wore green over his shoulder. His plans played out exactly how he wanted it.

Griffin's note: Okay, so umm... a really nice woman was murdered so uhh, didn't know Leo was capable of killing someone in a story.

Hi guys, I am sorry for the late chapter I have been busy I guess. I am sorry this chapter is somewhat boring. BUT next chapter let me just say things may get even worse. I am also exicted to say that this is the longest chapter! Well bye for now!

~LeonardoTheLeader

~ButterGriffin332