Chapter 8
He he, sorry for the shocks guys! Once again thank you for the reviews :)
What had she done? The initial panic was replaced by mortification, sweeping over her and enveloping her in a claustrophobic fog.
She sank to her knees, resting her head on his bed that carried that subtle, charred cedar scent that she had grown to love so dearly.
Stupid. Stupid. Stupid!
What had she done!
Barely clinging to consciousness, Flame and Kai dropped lower to the ground. He did not know how long he had been flying for. Not too long he suspected, as the sun was still not quite at its height, but long enough to be away from the more familiar grounds surrounding Ninjago City and the monastery situated at its outer edge. Flame skirted over the tops of the trees, but his wings felt laboured, the flight awkward and not as steady as it should be.
"I do not need you. I don't need anyone."
The words stung him, but the tears no longer came. Only burning pain. He pushed Flame on, now seeing where his inner autopilot had taken him. It was still as majestic a sight as the first time he had set eyes on it, and he could feel the scorching heat from here, enveloping him and cocooning him, whispering to his soul. Another stab of pain in his head caused Kai to wheeze this time, Flame flickering, threatening to disappear beneath him. But Kai pushed on; he could do this. He needed to do this.
Blinking hard to keep the hazy spots from blurring his vision completely, they landed in a messy bundle of fire, smoke and disturbed dirt in a clearing amongst the thick trees. Flame disappeared almost instantaneously whilst the momentum of the abruptly ended flight sent Kai into a tumbling somersault until he smacked into a tall pine tree and came to a stop, smouldering and blinking heavily, lying on his back. He looked up at the towering, beautiful and alive mountain, basking in its heat. He had only ever been to one place which was hotter, Torchfire Mountain, but this place was worth so much more. This was where it had all truly began for him; where he had found and rescued Nya, fought Garmadon and countless other enemies over time, gained his beloved Sword of Fire and found Flame.
Where he had reached his true potential.
A small smile graced his lips as he remembered the bright blonde, scruffy haired and highly annoying little pipsqueak Lloyd had been then, and how scared and vulnerable he had looked whilst clinging to that crumbled ledge, watching Kai and pleading for his help. With a sigh, Kai pulled himself up, using the tree trunk he had crashed into for support, and then slowly began dragging himself over towards the gate to the Temple of Fire, staggering with the incessant throbbing in his head and rubbing at his eyes, willing his vision to clear. A sudden wave of nausea over took him, and he leant over, allowing his stomach to empty itself of its contents. Zane sprung up in his conscious again, warning him that he needed to sit down and summon help, but Kai was too stubborn and absorbed to do such a thing. Wiping his mouth on his gi's sleeve, he continued his arduous journey into the temple, swaying and staggering but needing to get inside. Finally making it, he allowed his weakened body to collapse to the dusty floor of the volcano, submitting himself to that scorching and unrelenting heat, allowing it to envelope him willingly. It was invigorating, some might say spiritual. Blinking, he turned to gaze at the molten lava pool in the middle of the vast cavern, watching as the fluid pool spat out long, dancing strands of the red, blistering liquid. They were mesmerizing. Much as he had been mesmerized by her hair earlier. His eyes dulled at the fresh pain brought with that thought, and he closed them, giving in and allowing himself to loosen his grip on his consciousness in the hot, acrid and perilous environment which he loved.
Twisting.
Turning.
Contorting, throbbing and stinging.
Sweat beading over his skin but watching through narrowed, pain filled eyes.
Flashes of colour and blistering heat ribboning around him.
Fever gripped in a vice like hold.
Darkness once again.
The light outside was now considerably dimmer, although it still burned bright inside the volcanic cavern. Kai felt his body involuntarily shiver despite the red hot heat surrounding him.
Twisting and twirling, looping above him.
His eyes blinked as he clocked a dragon above him, smaller than Flame in stature but filled with charisma, coloured scales shimmering, reflecting the vibrant oranges and reds surrounding them, but also seeming to shine blue and green hues. The dragon twisted and coiled, gracefully swooping and playing amongst the lava spits. He reached up a shaky hand to wipe a bead of sweat away from his eyes, the movement catching the eye of the dragon who darted upwards towards the top of the cavern, wings beating rhythmically as she watched him intently. He did not know how, and he had no knowledge of how to sex a dragon, but this powerful beast was definitely a female, he just knew. She must have decided Kai wasn't a threat, as she glided back down to investigate, flying over his weak body laying on the ground so closely that he could feel her hot breath and body heat, sending his skin prickling into goosebumps and causing his severely dishevelled spikes to tousle in her slipstream. He gazed back up at this beautiful, independent creature as she decided to allow him to be in her presence, returning to her play amongst the fire and lava of the Fire Temple. Spots took over his obscured vision once again as he slumped back into his fever driven and restless sleep.
