Chapter 4

The first step in retracing Kai and Jay's steps is by figuring out where they went and what exactly they were doing three months ago.

"Where did you guys go three months ago when all this started?" Lloyd asked, "Think back to a time when you both were together and things started getting strange."

"I remember Jay and I were in Jamanakai Village three months ago stopping a gang of thieves from robbing the village market," Kai mentioned, "I do remember afterwards before we left hearing what sounded like a woman screaming."

"I'm remembering that, too," Jay said, "We were rushing through the woods and ended up in a cave. That's where we both passed out after inhaling a scentless odor. Now I'm only thinking this was a bad dream, but I recall seeing a ghost woman wearing an old-fashioned kimono with long flowing black hair smiling maliciously at us."

"I saw the same thing. She began saying a spell in the old Ninjago language. I could tell it was a dark spell and remembering how painful it was. It felt real, but the woman told us we were having a nightmare and made us pass out."

"The next morning, we woke up in our own rooms, both of us saying we just had silly bad dreams and didn't think anymore about it."

"Do you guys remember the cave you went inside where you heard the scream?" Nya asked.

"Now that you mention it, I remember," Kai said, looking at Jay, "Do you?"

"You bet," Jay nodded, standing up, "Follow us, guys."

They spent the rest of the morning heading out to the cave, but were surprised to see Kai and Jay were leading them to the exact one where most of the dead women were found. Strange, indeed.

"Are you sure this is the correct cave?" Zane asked.

"Positive," Kai said, "This is the right one. I'm sure of it."

"I agree," Jay said.

"Oh, ghost lady!" Cole called out, "We've come to you in hopes you'll help our friends! Come on out!"

Lloyd shook his head. "That's no way to call out a ghost. You have to state some sort of incantation or something to summon them."

"How do you know?"

"I've seen a lot of movies about it."

"Focus, guys," Nya said, "Let's search throughout the cave. See if we can find anything."

They examined every inch of the rocky interior, looking underneath and behind each stone and boulder. Unlike everyone who had normal vision, Zane used his advanced sight, switching to X-Ray vision to spot a message carved behind a slab of stone barring the entrance to a different section of the cave.

"Cole, I could use some assistance," Zane said, "Would you mind removing this slab?"

"Sure," Cole said, preparing his powers.

"Did you find something?" Lloyd asked.

Zane nodded. "Something that may be of importance."

Using his immense strength, Cole removed the slab and allowed the other's entrance inside the mysterious part of the cave. There they saw a message written in the old language upon the cave wall.

"Aw, man," Kai said, "Why is it that everything has to be written in a language we don't understand."

"Maybe if you took the time to study with me when my mom taught me the old language, you'd understand it better," Lloyd said, removing a notepad and pen from his pack, "Give me a few minutes to write down the translation."

The others waited patiently, wandering around or sitting still. This cave was not a comfortable place to hang around in. Besides the scratchy surface, it still held the stench of death and may even carry of spirits of the women who were murdered here.

"Finish," Lloyd announced.

"What did it translate to?" Nya asked, the others crowding around to see.

"Some sort of rhyme," Lloyd said, "Listen to this:

"All those who enter the cave

Beware the dangers of Mordela the Mage

Who casted a spell upon Princess Yami

Into a Green Pecker locked in a cage.

Exiled into the land as punishment

This rocky space became her home

Where she promised to cast her curses

For those who pass her magic proof dome.

Even today as the Lady Ghost

Her magic is still effective and alive

Never enter the deep room at night

Turn away, do not strive.

For the curse she cast upon you

Will remain until midnight

The departed day of the full moon

The curse is lifted and all is right."

After a moment of silence, Cole spoke up. " What do you think it means?"

"Not sure," Lloyd said, "I understand what some of it means, but I think we need an expert to figure out the rest. Maybe Sensei Wu can help us. Let's head back to the monastery."

After making another search throughout the cave and finding nothing else of convenience that could help them, they made their way back to the monastery. It was there in the training yard they spotted Sensei Wu talking with Misako. Wu may know a few things about Ninjago, but if there's one person that can explain the history deeper than what they know, it's Misako, a full-time explorer.

Misako smiled and waved at the group who had just returned. "Hello, everyone. I'm glad to see you all again, even though you wished it was under better circumstances."

"How did you hear about everything?" Lloyd asked his mother, embracing her.

"Wu called and told me everything. I came by to see if there was any way I can help."

Lloyd smiled. "There is something you can help us with." He handed her the notepad he wrote the rhyme in. "This rhyme was written in the old language. I wrote that and the translation. I hope it's right."

Taking a moment to study through it, the bespectacled woman smiled up at Lloyd. "Like mother, like son. Looks like all those lessons paid off."

"So do you think you can tell us what this rhyme means?"

Misako nodded. "Certainly. Let's go inside."

Once they were situated inside the living room, Misako stood in front of everyone and started off with saying Lloyd's translation was correct and after taking another good look at it, she told them what it meant.

"I'm not sure if any of you have ever heard the story of Mordela the Mage?" Misako asked.

"Yeah, I've heard of her," Cole said, "She was once the royal mage during Emperor Rinoko's reign in Ninjago over a hundred years ago."

"That's right. I'm sure you've all learned about her imprisonment after casting a permanent spell upon Princess Yami out of jealousy. She hated the fact a handsome samurai warrior she had feelings for spent more time with the princess than with her. The princess forever remained a green pecker bird, known as the most beautiful bird ever to dwell upon the land. Legend says the princess still flies above the land as the same bird to this day, but nobody has proven whether this was true or not. The only way to prove it is for her to speak because even though she was transform into a creature not trained to talk, she still had her voice, something the mage never took from her.

"Speaking of Mordela, the emperor sentenced her into exile. She spent the rest of her days living inside a cave in the woods outside Jamanakai Village. She was so angry with the punishment given to her, she decided to continue those same actions on others. She carved the rhyme upon the wall as a warning to all who enter pass her magic dome. Whoever came inside would be cursed into any image the mage decided. The only way to cure this curse is to be rid of it by midnight on the full moon on the Day of the Departed."

"Okay, but how exactly are we supposed to do that?" Jay asked.

"It doesn't say specifically what we should do to lift the curses," Misako said, "We'll have to keep searching for more information on the topic. The only way to do that is to study the original story."

"Where do you think the original story is?" Lloyd asked his mother.

Misako smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It's located at the Explorer's Club. Would you like to accompanying me, son?"

"You bet."

"Then it's settled," Wu said, giving out instructions, "While the two of you are gone into the city, Kai and Jay will remain here with me for safety reasons. And don't try to argue with me about it. The rest of you will head back to the cave in search for anymore clues. Good luck and stay safe."

They all went out to fulfill the tasks instructed by their sensei.

Maybe, just maybe, they're one step closer to helping lift the dreadful curses harming their brothers.

BOY, I HOPE SO. DAY OF THE DEPARTED ISN'T TOO FAR AWAY.

LET'S SPEAK WITH SOME REVIEWERS FROM CHAPTER THREE:

jamiehernandez8888: GLAD YOU'RE LOVING THE CHAPTER. HERE'S ANOTHER ONE.

Julia: WELL, SINCE THERE'S GOING TO BE A FULL MOON ON DAY OF THE DEPARTED, OF COURSE THEY'LL TURN AND THE OTHERS WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO HOLD THEM OFF UNTIL THEY CAN PREPARE THE CURE. GLAD YOU'RE ENJOYING THE STORY SO FAR. HERE'S ANOTHER CHAPTER.

WELL, REVIEW GUYS. LOVE HEARING FROM YOU. HOPE THIS CHAPTER WAS GOOD.