"We need a plan."

It was Nya who had stated this fact, with everybody gathered around a rock that served as a table. Even Cole stood next to his older brother, who had unconsciously put a hand on his shoulder.

"You're right. But we know almost nothing about the way off of this island, for we've never tried to escape," It was Zane who spoke, and he intwined his finger's with his girlfriend's underneath the table, but still making sure that Jay could see it. Jay rolls his eyes mentally, and ignores it.

"Right," Nya replied. "But..."

She pointed a little to the left of the table, where a drawn-out map was scratched in. It looked like they hadn't been the only ones that had used this cave. "The pond in the woods...the Pond of Shimmers? It's the only one that leads to the ocean, and pretty secluded from the Turans. We'd have to go there instead of right to the beach."

Both Kai and Jay exchange looks. It was the pond that Kai had gotten his scar, on both his face and his relationship with Nya.

"Yes. That would be the best spot," said Zane, who was oblivious to the event that had happened. "It will take a while to reach the ocean, but it's the only option we've got."

"One problem, though." Cole cut in. "What about a boat? We won't get very far without one, you know."

"And let's not forget the sapphire." Jay brought up. "Didn't you hear Wu? That's the only gem that can lead us across the ocean, because it's enchanted."

"I remember." Nya responded, and once again, the three subtly exchange glances. Nya in particular dies partially inside. The secret that she keeps, that the very sapphire is in her pocket, kills her every time she thinks of it. "Well, Wu said that he found a sapphire in a cave when he lived during Day. Maybe we can look for a cave and rummage in there. What do you think?"

"Fine," Kai replied. "So who is going into a cave, and who is going to stay here and look for a boat?"

"I'll look in a cave." offers Zane, on the spot. Nya looks at him, unsurprised, but a look of concern for her boyfriend.

"If you're going, I'm going." Nya replies.

"I'll go, too. I...have extra candles." Jay says, hiding any signs that theres another reason, which of course there was. Zane catches his eye, and glares at him subtly. Jay returns it, and turns back.

"Okay, then Cole and I will look for a boat. It must be around here somewhere; after what happened to Wu and Garmadon, Ninjago must have taken more precautionary measures and installed a boat somewhere." Kai reasoned, but Jay put up a hand.

"No. We need Cole here, with the cave clogged so nothing can come in. Night is too dangerous for him." Jay spoke sternly, and Cole rolls his eyes mentally. Jay was being an overprotective brother again.

"Jay, it would make more sense if he went with me." Kai told one of his best friends. "It wouldn't be safe if he was left alone, and a Turan can easily roll the stone away from the entrance with their strength. At least with me, I can protect him and watch out for any dangers, and he's not alone."

"But-" Jay protested, but Nya grips his shoulder and Jay calms down by her touch.

"Jay, Kai's right. Cole will be safe." she reasons with him, and he reluctantly nods. Jay turns back to Kai, and says, "Fine. But take care of him. If there's a scratch on him anywhere, I'll kill you."

Kai agrees and chuckles, even though he knows Jay is serious.

Later, the five pack and gather their remaining things that they had on themselves when they ran impromptu from the Hut. It wasn't much; a single box of candles and matches, and a few bruised apples. It was made of anything that could fit in their pockets.

"Remember, guys." said Nya. "We all meet here in an hour. If someone isn't back by then, Zane and I will go out and look for them. If we're not back, leave us behind. Understand?"

Kai, Jay, and Cole all nod, understanding; it was something that probably wouldn't happen anyway. And even if it did, they would never leave them behind, no matter what they said.

"Good." Nya said, and turned to her two male companions. "Let's go, while we still can." Nya reached into her pocket and fingered the small sheathed knife, her weapon, and the sapphire. She knew that it would probably be wiser to give it to either Cole or her brother in case she didn't come back, but she didn't want to expose herself just yet, and endure the entire trip to the caves in a tense silence. They would be off focus and the Turan could easily kill a human, especially one that isn't aware of their surroundings.

The three walked out into the Night, the cold hitting them like stones. Nya wrapped her jacket around herself tighter and let out a shiver. The two boys did the same.

They trudged across the beach silently, sand buried in and out of their shoes.

The woods were no better. Dirt swirled in the howling wind and got in their eyes constantly, and they kept on having to wipe it away. "Where is the cave?" Jay practically yelled over the wind. "It's supposed to be here somewhere."

"Well," Nya shouted back. "I'm thinking that if Wu would go rummaging in a cave, it'd be near his house. The Hut would probably be his childhood home, or else he wouldn't have stuck with it for so long. Let's check around there first."

With a plan formed they continued to fight the winds, all with an unsettling set of fear in their stomachs, which was derived from not knowing how everything was going to turn out.

What if we don't make it? Jay fearfully thought. What will happen to us? And Cole?

...And Nya?

Little did Jay know that everyone thought exactly this, even Kai and Cole. They had all been presented with what Night was capable of, and the children knew that a single prayer, a single knife was not enough to ensure their survival.

The scent of fear was reeking in them, and it was consuming.

It was attracting Turans.

TWENTY MINUTES LATER

"There." Nya said, breathless. "The Hut should be around here."

Zane and Jay looked around themselves, looking for the small shack that was Wu's home. But where they were looked exactly like the rest of the woods. There was no way to tell if they were going the right way or not.

But then they did know, because then Nya spotted it. At first, she thought that it was dilapidated pile of wood that was worn apart by the wind and Night, but as she looked closer, she realized it was the Hut.

Nya gasped, shocked, and sympathetic for Wu as she saw the ripped apart Hut. Zane and Jay, hearing her, ran over to her. "What? What is it?" Jay asked, but then followed Nya's gaze.

They walked over in a shocked silence, and looked in the rummage.

Everything was ajar. Wood lay buried in the dirt and on the ground, attracting flies. Cans of food lay open randomly, unmade food pouring out of the broken tops, and stuffing from the couch was even caught in the branches above. And immediately, everyone knew that this was the Turan's doing.

"Guys," Zane spoke up, his voice wavering. "Look."

Nya and Jay walked over to the teen, who was staring straight at something with a pale face, almost completely white. The two looked down, and the sight made even Nya almost throw up.

It was a body, faced down in the dirt, wood covering it's back and legs. It was rather short-heighted and it's white clothes were almost brown from the dirty ground it lay on.

Before either Nya or Jay could stop him, Zane bent down, and turned it over.

All three shrieked in absolute terror as they saw the identity of the dead body. And when they took their glance, they immediately looked away, and buried it completely under wood again, so that they didn't have to continue looking at it.

It was Wu.

The body was Wu.

Nya was haunted by his body. She saw the blood streaking down his face, starting from the top of his head, and a cake of dried blood on his chin that had flowed out of his mouth before he died. His eyes had been open, completely empty brown orbs, the eyes of death.

Wu was dead.

Nya felt like sobbing, to just collapse.

But Nya shook up her tears and straightened her shoulders.

She would not collapse. She would move on and on, and would rest on the boat to the Dark Island when they acquire it. That was a useful thought, and that was the only thought, she decided, that she was going to use.

No more thinking about tragic deaths and dead bodies. No more worrying about how her parents are without her and Kai. No more worrying about anything else than getting the hell off of this island.