What do we have here? I still refuse to name the magic user? Huh...maybe we'll try again in the next chapter.


Alex stopped at a house and knocked on the door. "Zela?"

A girl, Alex's age, opened the door. She had dark brown hair, light green eyes, and dark skin. She wore a light pink shirt with red pajama pants.

"Alex?" she questioned. "What are you doing in Blue Bell... at five in the morning?"

"I've been traveling all night. Uh, can I come in?" Alex asked.

Zela nodded and lead Alex inside, shutting the door behind her. She sat down on the couch and let out a yawn. "I just started the coffee..."

"I don't drink coffee."

"I swear, we could be identical twins," Zela mumbled. "We look alike and we're polar opposites."

Alex shrugged. "I'm actually here on a mission and I need your help."

"Alex, you know I'm not..."

"I just want to know what happened to the Lord family," Alex said.

Zela covered Alex's mouth. "Don't say their names! Ever since they've been here it's been a curse! Remember when you first came here? The skeletons were only here because of them!"

Alex slowly lowered Zela's hand. "What do you mean? What happened?"

"The entire town was cursed for two whole years! Finally the townspeople had enough and they killed Mr. Lord," Zela said. "Mrs. Lord almost killed the mayor afterwards and got sentenced to prison. She died while they were trying to take her in. As for their son..."

"What happened to him?" Alex pressed. "Please, I need to know."

"He developed dark magic after his parents died," Zela sighed. "He had a tantrum and we forced him to leave. One thing still haunts me though..."

"What?"

"Before his tantrum started he said it was all her fault. That she should've taken him. I think he was referring to you."

Alex looked down. "He was. I don't know what's happened since then, but he's after me and taking it out on my team..."

"The other ninja? I haven't heard anything about them for months," Zela said. "Ever since the gold ninja was done with interviews and awards there's been nothing."

"All the evil they've faced since then didn't really involve the people of Ninjago," Alex told her. "Anyway, thanks for telling me. Do you know where he might've gone?"

"No, sorry."

Alex stood and walked to the door. "Another storm? Why does this always happen when we hang out?"

"Who knows?" Zela said. "I'll see you soon though, 'kay?"

"Yeah," Alex said before leaving.


Zane stared at Nya as she gave the news. "So you didn't even try?" he asked, a bit mad that his sister was taken.

"We didn't know what was happening. Somehow he got into our room without us knowing, grabbed Zoey, and most likely shut her off," Nya said. "I swear I locked the door so I still don't know how he got in!"

"Lucas did you see anything when Lloyd..."

"I barely saw the guy, but he's a psychopath who thinks he's using magic," Lucas cut off Kai.

"Magic is real," Zane noted. "It's been around for centuries but few can use it."

Lucas shook his head and coughed, "Doesn't exist."

"What ever," Cole said. "But has anyone seen Alex?"

"Yeah, she left," Tove said. "Apparently she knows who's doing it and went to go stop him."

"Alone?" Zane frowned.

Nya shrugged. "It is Alex we're talking about."

"Yes, and that's what concerns me," Wu said.

Garmadon nodded. "She's a skilled ninja, but she has a habit of pushing herself too hard."

"I know she'll be fine," Misako said. "For now, we must try and find Lloyd and Zoey."

"Zane, come here," Dr. Julien said.

Zane nodded and walked over to his father. "What is it?"

"I think you could track Zoey, thus finding Jay and Lloyd," Dr. Julien told him. "Just let me see your arm."

Zane stuck out his arm and Dr. Julien flipped open his panel. He entered a code and then pushed a blue button. Zane's falcon vision came on, but he wasn't seeing through the falcon's eyes. He was seeing through Zoey's.

"Describe what you see," Dr. Julien said. "Don't leave out any details."

"I can see Lloyd and a few empty cells. It's underground," Zane said. "Their are chains holding Lloyd back and I assume the same is for Zoey and Jay. The walls are made from venge stone and the bars are iron."

Lucas nodded. "There are only a few places that consist of venge stone. A random mountain near the Temple of Fire, under the Mountain of a Million Steps, near the clearing where Pythor was killed…and below Torch Fire Mountain."

"Zane, see if you can take a tempature reading," Nya said. "Like on the ceiling."

"I can try," Zane said. He attempted to use Zoey's thermal scan, but he couldn't firgure out how to do it remotely.

Let me help, Zoey's voice said softly, weakly as if she didn't have any energy.

Suddenly Zane saw the thermal readings. "The roof consists of a temperature of two hundred degrees. The air around it gets cooler until it touches the ground, and down the hall it heats up more, reaching temperatures of over five hundred degrees and hotter beyond that."

"That's definately Torch Fire Mountain," Cole said.

"Then let's not just stand around!" Kai said. "Let's go!"


Alex stopped when she reached the clearing near the Dark Forest. She took a deep breath. If he was anywhere, hopefully he was in there. She just wished he'd come out before she had to go in. "Hey!" Alex called. "I know you're here! Just come out!"

There was nothing but silence as she waited for a reply that didn't come.

Alex started across the clearing and stopped halfway. "Even if you aren't in there, your powers are drawn to it," she said. "So come out and face me! One on one!"

After another few moments of silence, Alex walked to the edge of the forest. She studied it for a moment.

"I didn't think you'd get so close," a familiar voice hissed. "You think the venom is gone, but part of it is still inside of you. It's spreading through your vains, tainting you and even your powers. It looks as beautiful as you."

"Julic," Alex said calmly. "Come out and fight me. Tell me where he is."

"Say his name," Julic challenged. "Scream to him that you want a fair fight. Maybe he'll listen."

Alex shook her head. "His name is cursed. There's something off about him, and now I know it's his powers. He uses dark magic, a powerful thing and dangerous weapon in the wrong hands."

"Good observation," Julic said. He appeared from the shadows and stood a foot away from Alex. He held his hand out. "Come. If you wish to save your brother and friends–"

"You took Lloyd?" Alex growled. She reached for a dagger. "Give me one reason why I don't kill you where you stand?"

"Logic," Julic smiled. "If you kill me, Lloyd will die. If you kill me and Lloyd dies, the venom will awaken. If the venom awakens this close to the Dark Forest…well you might as well grab a kunai and take off into the city. It'll all end the same way."

Alex clenched her fists and pulled her hand away from he dagger. "So you'll take me straight to Lloyd?"

Julic nodded. "All you have to do is take me hand."

Alex stared at Julic's outstretched hand. Was this all a trick? How did she know that the second she took his hand, he wouldn't take her powers and leave? How did she know Lloyd would be okay if she went with him? The fact was, she didn't know, but she needed to. So she placed her hand on his. "Take me to Lloyd."


Oooooohhhhhhh!

Alex: Did I just...gross!

Cole: I think Julic is a–

You can't say that! This is only rated K+!

Cole: Oh...well I still stand by my opinion...

Jay: Uh, this is awkward...

Nya: Review.