As the six Elementals are brought before Chen, they can only wait and hope. As Chen takes their powers, Kai can feel as his dragon weakens, his Fire gone, she would be heavily restricted, with mostly Null powers remaining.
"Take them to the factory." Chen orders, but Skylor steps up.
"Father, please, spare Kai." She begs. "I've seen inside his mind, he can help us." Chen looks thoughtful, and understanding.
"You like him. Very well, if it will make you happy. Take all but the red one." He amends his order, as they unlock Kai, as Skylor leads him to her room, only for Chen to direct him away, showing him all the trinkets he has collected. "A scale from the Great Devourer, Captain Soto's Peg Leg, a cog from the Celestial Clock, Zane's pink Gi-"
"Wait." Kai stops him, eyeing the Gi. "I though Lloyd fixed Zane's Gi."
"Nope! I stole it, replaced it with an identical one as Lloyd waited for it to be washed." Chen reveals with a chuckle, before continuing on. "And this, is an Ancient Anacondrai sword. They are the sharpest blade in existence. Fit for the greatest warrior to do battle in Ninjago."
"Why are you showing me all this? You know that if it wasn't for your tricks, you'd be dead." Kai notes.
"My daughter was right. Even without your powers, the Fire burns bright in you. Too bad she would die the moment I did." Chen states with an evil grin. "Unlike all of you, I was never born with natural abilities. I was told I would amount to nothing. But I will prove them all wrong!" He stops at an artwork. "Look, I call this The Charge Of The Dark Brigade. Isn't it beautiful? All the reds, the purples, the darker purples." Chen admires it. "After I defeat your little green friend and take his powers, I will have all the powers I need to perform the spell that shall transform me and my warriors into Anacondrai!" His plan revealed, Kai hums.
"You plan to rebuild an extinct race." Kai notes. "While admirable in the right hands, you simply wish to restart the Serpentine Wars."
"Clever. Another good reason for my daughter to be infatuated with you. But don't forget. I've been inside your mind. I know that deep down, you are jealous that Lloyd was the Green Ninja. You wish that you had the power." Chen goads. "But not just that. What if I could tell you secrets about your parents? The Dark secrets that your teachers never told you?"
"What secrets do you speak of?" Kai questions, playing along. Vex had given him a rundown of the possibilities, especially considering his Elemental powers, long ago. He was at peace with the fact his parents were once powerful, and that even then, they ran a blacksmith store with him and Nya being born. They tried to be a family, unlike some.
"So many questions, that can so easily be answered." Chen dismisses, as Clouse walks in.
"Master, it is nightfall. The Green Ninja will be making his move shortly." Clouse warns. Chen turns back to Kai.
"Think about it." He urges, as he follows Clouse. As they depart, Kai disperses into familiar particles. While his fire may be gone, the Null is a curse, one that can never be removed. He reforms down in the tunnels, after scouting the rest of the palace. Once Lloyd is thrown down, Kai guides him, sending him to Chen.
"You'll understand soon, Lloyd." He assures him, hiding in the shadows once more.
As Chen reveals that he had some help, Kai steps out of the shadows, his face impassive as he stands near the entrance of the snake pit, watching his Sister and Garmadon as they look to him in shock.
"You pitted the Ninja against themselves, just as you did the Elemental Masters." Garmadon pieces together.
"Why, Kai? How could you do this?" Nya cries.
"Chen holds all the power. Lloyd, alone, never stood a chance. I'm thinking of the bigger picture, Nya." Kai explains, his voice robotic.
"I'd rather be snake food, than have a brother who betrays his family!" Nya declares, earning a sigh from Kai. Garmadon, finding his chance, captures Skylor, placing her in a choke-hold, from where he is chained up.
"Untie us!" He demands, while only getting laughter in return.
"Your threats don't scare me. You're different now, Garmadon. A teacher." Chen mocks, and true to that fact, Skylor is released. Kai walks closer to Nya, taking her chained hands in his.
"You'll understand it all soon." He assures, tapping at the shackles, sending dormant Null energy within them, while also tapping Nya's hand in signal for patience and 'love you'. As they leave, far enough away to not hear anything from within, does Kai allow the Null energy to eat through the shackles, freeing his sister. The rest of their escape, was up to her.
Kai tugs Skylor away, as Chen and Clouse continue onward.
"This is how your father treats you?" He asks gently. "It doesn't have to be like this!"
"He has the staff. There's nothing I can do about it." Skylor rubs her shackled wrist, which Kai immediately grabs, sending Null energy through it, causing it to disintegrate, leaving nothing but dust, much to Skylor's shock. "But… he took your power!"
"The one I was born with, yes. But that was not a power. It was a Curse." Kai reveals solemnly. "Nothing can free me from it. But it has it's uses. I can still get Chen to trust me enough, that I can destroy his staff."
"And why are you telling me this? You know I caused all of this to happen." Skylor asks, her guilt overwhelming, as Kai takes her hands gently.
"He's kept you his prisoner all your life, Skylor. The one time you manage to escape, he finds you and puts you under his own lock and key." Kai notes. "You saved me from the same fate as the others. Deep down, you believe in me." He smiles mischievously. "And you know I'm far too fetching to resist." He manages to get her to smile. "We've fought together before, we'll do it again. Together, as a team." He brings her into a hug. "Like it always should have been."
As Lloyd is chained in place, Kai enacts his plan. Before Chen could extract the Power from him, the staff shatters, as the Null elements bursts from Kai's hands. With the Amber stone gone, the powers scatter, returning to their wielders. As Kai begins to attack the cultists, Lloyd by his side, he fails to notice Chen and Clouse take Skylor. By the time the others break through, they are long gone.
"Uh, guys. How many of you did Skylor touch and absorb powers from?" Kai questions. When everyone raises their hand, dread fills him. "Then this isn't over. If they think to use Skylor as the catalyst, Chen will still achieve his goal."
"And what would that be?" Jay asks.
"To turn all of his cultists and servants into Anacondrai." Kai reveals.
As the ninja properly re-unite with a now Titanium Zane, Garmadon warns that they have found no sign of Chen, Clouse or Skylor. With the team back together, however, Kai isn't that worried. Whether they are sent against cultists, or cultists turned Anacondrai, they will still win.