Just want to remind ya'll real quick that Skylor's powers work differently from in the show. Seems like everybody usually remembers that, but I know you guys also read a lot of other stories, so sometimes I gotta make sure... Rules are back in book 2 chapter 5 if you really want a refresher, although it's not necessary. Anyway, enjoy the chapterrrr! ;)
When morning came, everyone was rested up and ready to give it one last shot. Skylor felt much better as well, though she planned to stay out of the search. She'd had enough action already, and she was still worried about confronting her father.
After a hearty breakfast, the Elemental Masters gathered on the quay for a quick briefing. The prisoners were squared away inside the palace for the time being, and someone would have to stay behind to keep an eye on them as well. Skylor had already decided she would rather do that job than go anywhere near her father at the moment.
"We all must work together if we want to end this," Garmadon reminded them. "Chen may no longer have an army behind him, but he isn't completely disabled. He still has the spell and Clouse's dark magic. The two of them are crafty, so we would be wise not to underestimate them."
Cole stepped forward to address the group. "Some of you will have to stay behind to keep an eye on the prisoners. So if you don't want to be part of the fight, now is the time to say it."
"I'll help guard the prisoners!" Lloyd volunteered. He had been allowed to listen in on the meeting, but he was supposed to be keeping quiet.
"Sorry Lloyd," Skylor said. "But you've still got to sit this out."
"Don't forget, you're still grounded," Misako reminded him sternly.
Garmadon continued. "According to Skylor, Chen has made camp on the other side of the island. We'll start our search there. Stay together, keep an eye open, and don't engage anyone alone. They'll be anticipating our attack."
As he finished and the group continued to sort out who was going and who was staying, Skylor drifted away. She was already tired of all the planning and strategizing. She was ready for it to be over. Her eye was caught by the large snake depicted on the walls of the palace. This would probably be the last time she would ever see it. After all this was over, she wouldn't have anywhere else to go but back to the monastery. She wouldn't have any reason to return to here. Part of her was sad, but part of her was also grateful to be leaving it all behind. Maybe now her life could really be her own.
"I'm surprised you're not joining in the search," Kai's voice broke through her thoughts. The rest of the group was disbanding as he approached her. "I'd think that after everything that's happened, you would be as eager as anyone to find Chen."
Skylor couldn't look him in the eye, memories flashing through her mind of when she had held the staff. She didn't want to tell Kai that she was afraid of what she might do if she did have to face her father again.
"He's still my father. He may not have treated me well, but I care about him." It seemed somehow like a lie, but she felt that it was true.
"Besides," she continued. "I don't think it would be wise. He's still got the idea that he can use me to get the elements, remember?"
"Maybe you're right. At least with you here, Chen's men won't stand a chance of escaping."
Skylor snapped her fingers, summoning a small flame. "Not a chance."
Kai smirked and was turning to leave when Skylor stopped him. "Kai?"
"Yeah?"
"Good luck."
He held her gaze for a moment and smiled. "You, too."
Skylor watched him walk back to the others, wishing she could go with him. She jumped when Seliel spoke from beside her. "Do you think they're really trying to help us?" Skylor gave her a questioning look, but she was watching the boys. "Or is it all part of some elaborate scheme?"
"What do you mean?"
Seliel looked at her seriously. "I mean, is it possible that they're just using us for some greater goal? Do they have something else planned, or are they really just out to get revenge on Chen?"
"Seems to me like it would be a pretty convoluted scheme if they did," Skylor said.
Seliel was thoughtful. She looked like she wanted to say more, but Skylor didn't get to hear it. Out of nowhere, Skylor was hit by a powerful sensation. She put a hand to her head, feeling light-headed. Something was wrong. She sank to her knees, dazed. It was so overwhelming. And yet, she felt as if she had a sudden rush of energy, a burst of adrenaline.
It took her another moment to realize that Seliel seemed to have experienced the same thing. Her hands were on her knees and she looked like she was out of breath, as if she had swam across the entire ocean.
"Skylor! Seliel!" Pixal appeared, kneeling beside Skylor. "What happened?"
Skylor didn't have an answer. But as Pixal laid a hand on her shoulder, she gasped too. Skylor gritted her teeth and was again filled with the sense of an overpowering force, and she realized that she recognized this feeling. The weight of it spread through her whole body and turned her limbs to lead until she could barely hold herself up. It was the same feeling she got when she took a Pixal's power to imitate, but this was ten times stronger than she remembered.
It only lasted a few seconds before Pixal fell unconscious. On Skylor's other side, Seliel had passed out as well.
At this point, everyone had noticed that something was wrong, and Skylor vaguely registered more people drawing near.
"Skylor!" That was Kai's voice, but he sounded distant and out of reach.
She held a hand out to warn them away. "Don't touch me!" she shouted before anyone else could get close. "Stay away!"
She was on her hands and knees, eyes squeezed shut as another wave of energy enveloped her, and she braced herself, arms trembling.
Someone else knelt beside her and she tensed when they put a hand to her cheek, but nothing happened. Skylor blinked open her eyes to see Misako.
"How do you feel?" she asked.
"I don't know . . . it's too much," Skylor ground out. It was hard to say anything.
Misako cupped Skylor's face in her hands, making her look her in the eye. There was sympathy and perhaps a little fear there, but her tone was steady when she said, "I know. You're not used to it. But try to concentrate. Don't hold it in, let it back out."
Skylor didn't know how. She had lost all control. "I can't –" She broke with a gasp as she was hit with another blast of energy. At first there was heat, burning her all over – but then her chest was gripped with cold and she felt like she couldn't breathe. Then it became all too much to understand as a dozen sensations crowded her senses, all jostling for room in one body. Skylor cried out as the energy built up inside of her, so full that she felt she would burst.
The pain didn't cease, but the wild power settled slightly and she was left feeling weary. Her fingernails dug into the hard stone ground, her face wet with tears. She felt faint and her muscles were sore from the strain. When she looked up, a weak gasp stuck in her throat.
Nearly everyone had collapsed, just as Pixal and Seliel had. Misako was still beside her, one hand on her back, and Garmadon was a few feet away holding his unconscious son. She spotted Kai and Nya lying nearby. Every other Elemental Master was down as well.
Skylor trembled as she fought not to lose consciousness. Her thoughts were clouded and muddy, going in circles as she told herself she needed to give the power back, but that she didn't know how. Then, in the distance, she saw two figures stepping out from between the palace gates.
The first was Clouse, mumbling under his breath with his hand alighted in a wispy purple flame. The other was her father, grinning from ear to ear and repeating that one phrase she couldn't seem to escape from.
"Only one can remain."
Misako caught Skylor as her eyes slid shut and she finally fell unconscious. She gently brushed the stray hairs from her glistening forehead. The poor girl was being torn apart from the inside out by all that power, it was no wonder she was so exhausted.
"Chen!" Misako heard her husband yell. "What have you done?"
She looked up at the approaching forms of Chen and Clouse, trailed by a couple of Chen's minions. "How could you do this to your own daughter?" she asked. "Just look at the pain she's in!"
Chen took one look at his comatose daughter and frowned. "Hmph. A fitting punishment for her betrayal."
Misako grit her teeth. How could he be so cruel? Misako felt almost as much love for the girls as she did for Lloyd, and hearing Chen act so cold to his own daughter made her blood boil. But she took a deep breath and steeled herself. This was no time to lose her temper.
Chen gleefully dashed forward amongst the mass of unwitting masters. "You really thought you could beat me at my own game?" he jibed, as if they could still hear him. "Well now I hold all the cards!" He laughed to himself then turned to nudge Griffon Turner's arm with his foot. "Who's slow now, slow poke? Ha ha! Oh, don't tell me you didn't see this coming!" he said, leaning over Neuro. He spun around, shouting, "I win, I win, I win!"
"Not so fast, Chen," Garmadon had carefully laid Lloyd down and now stood to face Chen. "If you plan on taking one of my students, you'll have to go through me, first."
"No," Misako said. All eyes turned to her. "It's no use, Garmadon." Unlike her impulsive husband, she knew that fighting Chen right now – or rather, fighting Clouse – would be impossible. They had to think ahead and find some way of getting Skylor back. "Just let me go with her," she begged.
"Misako!" she heard her husband exclaim.
Chen frowned again. "What kind of fool do you take me for?"
"She's in pain!" Misako pleaded. "Her body isn't used to this much power, and she might not last long, even for you to do the spell. She may have betrayed you, but do you really want your daughter to die?"
"My daughter is strong!" he snapped. "She can handle it."
"And what if she can't? More than anything, I just want to see that she's safe. Please, let me help her."
"Master, perhaps it would be wise to take a hostage," Clouse suggested. "The ninja know that Skylor is too important to bargain with, but Misako on the other hand . . ."
Chen still didn't appear to be pleased with the idea, but he finally agreed. "Fine. Bring her, too. But no funny business!"
Misako threw one last look at Garmadon, hoping he would understand as one of Chen's minions came forward and placed a pair of vengestone cuffs on her and Skylor's wrists. To her relief, Garmadon said nothing but watched in silent fury as they were led away.
Misako would have carried Skylor herself, but despite helping Garmadon to train Lloyd and the girls, she wasn't as strong as she used to be. In any case, she was just glad that her plan had worked. She didn't have much of an idea of where to go from there, but at least Skylor wouldn't be alone.