Chapter Ten: Great Potential
His eyes followed the bouncing movement of the cerulean waves as they continued to gently lap against the hull of the dark wood. An uneasy feeling overwhelmed him and Cole took to drumming his fingers against the wooden railing in front of him. There was just something about large bodies of water that had always made him uncomfortable. He had never learned how to swim, not that his father had been around enough to try and teach him either. After his mother had died in a house fire when he was still just a toddler, his father had never really been the same.
Was he cruel? Definitely not on purpose, or even in the ways that a majority of people would assume. There was never any physical abuse or anything, Cole had just always felt ignored. He could never live up to the standards his father had set for him and he always felt like nothing he did was ever good enough. Failure always seemed to embrace him when he was looking for success. So he had left, when he felt like he had mustered up the courage to. Cole had left his father in his wake to go traveling and try to make a life of his own. There were times when the merchant still felt like he was standing in the shadow of the person his father had wanted him to be.
Letting his amber irises lazily drift towards the horizon, Cole gave a small sigh. They had been on the water for almost two days straight now and he was starting to become really anxious. "Please just let us find this place soon," he mumbled, burying his slightly nauseous head down into the crook of his arm.
It had been about five days now. Kai had been keeping track, making a little notch in one of the masts as each new day started. Today he was in the small quarters where the captain would sit and chart courses with a navigator. Of course, they had neither a captain or navigator. At this point in time, Kai would nominate Zane as being the captain of the ship. He had taken charge on getting them on board the vessel to begin with as well as navigating the ocean. Guess he can be the navigator too then, the blacksmith chuckled internally. The guy never really sleeps so he's always at the wheel.
Several differentiating thoughts had been plaguing Kai soon after their maritime adventure had begun.
Was Nya okay? She was extremely tough, tougher than Kai could have ever thought she would be. Growing up with just a brother for a little over a decade had to have played into that somehow. Now she was on her own though and the blacksmith was becoming increasingly worried about her well being as the days went by. Every dream that the brunet had remembered since being on the sea involved seeing his sister being tortured, begging for mercy at the hands of the Serpentine. The false images had seemingly been burned into his retinas and he could see their ghostly outlines if he closed his eyes for too long.
Did the Temple of Light even exist? It had always seemed like a myth to him. A bed time story that parents would read to their children, falsely assuring them that there was hope somewhere in the world, to ease them through their current predicaments. Zane had seemed absolutely convinced that the temple existed though and he was not about to argue with an android that was programmed with knowledge that was no longer readily available to the general public. Maybe the stories his mother read to him when he was little were not just stories. Perhaps they were fact that had been turned into nothing but ash by a tyrannical emperor.
What could they do? This whole journey seemed peaceful in a way. Four people who shared similar intentions and interests traveling together. Well, Kai's consciousness interrupted, three people with similar intentions and one robot with just a good sense of moral obligation. Even if they were to find the Temple of Light and were able to talk with this mythical old man about what they could do to put an end to the Serpentine's reign, would they actually be able to do it? Sure, his mother had told him before when he was little that it only took one person to be a hero, but what good was one person against an entire race of humanoid serpent creatures, let alone just four? It was all good in theory, but in practice, could be absolutely disastrous.
Kai leaned back in the chair that was bolted to the floor with rusty metal and rested his legs on the table in front of him. He could see the toes of his heavy boots caked in old mud and foliage from the forest, but he rolled his eyes. Appearances meant absolutely nothing, especially if you were on the run from the law. This completely irrelevant thought drudged up the final question that had been weighing heavy on Kai's mind. How had he burned Cole? Immediately, the blacksmith rested his hands in his lap, palms facing upwards. There was still no indication of being burned or anything, just the aged callouses from his years of metal working. Maybe if I get mad again, then I'll be able to burn something else...
"My parents always told me I was a really chipper boy growing up and, heck, I believe them! That's when I thought 'hey, if I'm always pretty happy, maybe I can make other people happy too'! Then I turned to puppeteering because the kids are the future and if they're happy then maybe the future can be a brighter place." Jay continued to babble on, rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet, watching as Zane steadily steered the ship along the never-ending sea. "I'd been doing it for two years or so and I knew it was probably getting the Serpentine all mad, so I decided to make myself scarce after every performance. Staying alive has always been a big priority of mine."
Zane just nodded as he kept his dark blue eyes fixed on the ocean in front of them. He was not hungry, but he could hear the complaints of Kai sounding from behind him. They had run out of food yesterday and being on the open sea for a week was not a pleasant experience for anybody. If they did not find the Temple of Light soon, the android was not sure he would be able to turn around and make it back to the mainland before his companions met a dark fate.
"Can I see the medallion thing?" Jay asked politely, holding a hand out towards Zane. Obliging him, the warrior quietly handed the golden map over to the puppeteer who grinned in return. "Thanks! I really like the way this thing looks." Holding the ancient disk out at arm's length, Jay held it up at eye level, watching as the bright rays of the breaking dawn filtered perfectly between the three holes. "Hey, look at that! This matched up with the lights on the horizon. How cool is that?"
Turning his head quickly, Zane blinked for a moment before speaking. "I beg your pardon," was all he managed to say as the auburn haired man closed the distance between them, allowing the warrior to have a better look at the map. He could not believe his eyes. Jay was correct, the lights in the distance were matching up with the spaces in the medallion. "You have found the island that the Temple of Light sits upon, Jay. We should arrive in an hour or so."
As they approached the exterior of the temple, Kai felt a mixture of relief and confidence overwhelm him simultaneously. Relief at the sure fact that they had made it safely to their destination and confidence in the choice they had made. This was the right place. They were meant to come here, he could feel the certainty rooted deep into his bones. The deep red hue of the outer walls was offset with soft, golden embellishments and statuettes adorning the roof and sides. A large mural was visible near the entrance of the temple, depicting an image he was familiar with: the Golden Master and his elemental protectors. Still in awe that the place he had heard about in the fairy tales from his youth actually existed, the blacksmith quietly followed his companions as Zane led them into the only visible entrance.
"Greetings," the android bellowed, hearing his voice echo off the walls all around them. The first interior room of the temple was larger than he had anticipated from the outside, but was empty nonetheless. "We seek the resident of this temple and mean no harm. We only wish to talk."
At first, the only response to Zane's voice was silence. The four guys stepped forward, walking slowly, as if they were afraid to disturb the eerie atmosphere that surrounded them. A loud thud made them jump slightly, and Jay whimpered softly, cowering back against Cole. The door had closed behind them.
"This is not cool. I want out," the young, hazel eyed man muttered, still hiding against Cole's muscled body.
"No, no, there's gotta be something," Kai shook his head, refusing to believe the temple was empty. Destiny had led them here. Destiny was never wrong. Kai's destiny was hiding here somewhere. He just had to find it, had to become the Golden Master. "We didn't just sail on that dumb ship for ages only to find nothing". The blacksmith stumbled forward, forcing the others to travel further into the temple.
"It is rather rude to wander around, uninvited." A voice came from behind the four companions. They all turned towards its source, finding an elderly man with a long, white beard slowly walking towards them.
He narrowed his eyes in response and gripped the hilt of his sword with his right hand, feeling the muscles up and down the length of his arm flex. "It's pretty rude to just sneak up on people too," Kai countered, scrutinizing the aging man indefinitely. Judging solely on appearance, he was the stereotypical wise man come to life straight out of the pages of a folktale. Maybe this was the guy that they needed to look for, the one that would help them figure out a way to rid Ninjago of the Serpentine.
"Our apologies," Zane piped up, resting a hand on Kai's healing shoulder. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw the blacksmith relinquish his hold on the sword. "We did not mean to intrude, sir. Are you the one we seek? The man that lives here?" Despite the obvious fact that only one individual was approaching them, the android felt as if there were others in the immediate area. Could one of these other energies he was perceiving be the man they had come to speak with?
"Indeed," the man nodded, smiling at Zane. "Though, I must say, it took you an awfully long time to reach me. I had expected a bit more from the people destined to save Ninjago." Stepping even closer, the old man began to study each one of the young men that stood before him. He shook his head, a small sigh escaping his thin lips. "None of you are ready to face the challenges before you. I fear the only one here that has any idea of how to proceed in battle would be Pythor's personal guard. The rest of you wouldn't last a second against the Serpentine."
"Are you saying we're gonna die?" Jay asked nervously, eyes inexplicably locked on to the elderly man. "I don't want to die! None of us want to die! Maybe this was just a bad idea and we'll go back to Ninjago." He shifted uncomfortably beside Cole, feeling as if his insides were slowly turning to jelly. This had been a stupid plan all along. Why had he let Kai so easily convince him that this was something they could actually do? Defeating the Serpentine was impossible and he knew that.
The merchant could almost feel the anxiety rolling off of Jay in waves. "No one is leaving. We just got here and the only thing waiting for us back in Ninjago is imprionment." Turning his unwavering gaze towards the strange man as well, he felt his resolve falter slightly. "Are you saying that there isn't anything we can do to try and fight the Serpentine? Nothing at all?"
"I'm pretty sure you guys are missing some important things," the blacksmith interrupted, taking an abrupt step towards the bearded man. "How did you know Zane worked for Pythor? What do you mean by 'destined to save Ninjago'?" Everything about this guy seemed a bit off. He was probably insane from spending so much time on this secluded island, spending each and every day talking to no one but himself. "How can you expect us to believe that you know what you're talking about and aren't just some kook?"
"There is something you can do," the man answered Cole, completely ignoring Kai's own questions. "You can train and work hard in controlling your elemental powers. This temple will serve as your home until you are strong enough to serve your purpose. I will teach you everything you need to know. After all, I am the best teacher in Ninjago."
"Elemental powers?" Jay stood a bit taller, a shy smile spreading across his lips. "You mean we'll be able to just pow pow enemies? That's so cool! Will you really teach us how to fight...uh...sir?"
"I will teach you far more than fighting," the man smiled. "Please though, call me Sensei Wu."
Kai inhaled deeply, trying to internally deal with the fact that the old man had completely ignored what he had to say. Everything happening right now was serious. The world had spiraled into absolute darkness and this guy just expected them to accept the fact that he was going to train them to fight and hold their own against the Serpentine? He was nothing but an aged recluse. "Okay then, 'Sensei Wu'," the blacksmith tried again, spitting the last two words out into the open air, "what gives you the right to call yourself the best teacher in Ninjago? You look like you could barely throw a punch."
"It is also rude to speak to elders with such contempt," the android stated plainly, his gaze fixed upon his companion. "We came to this temple to seek guidance, Kai, and Sensei Wu is willing to provide us with that."
Sensei Wu raised an eyebrow, somewhat amused at the blacksmith's fiery temper. "I look like I could barely throw a punch, do I? Allow me to teach you a lesson, young man." Without hesitating, the old man pulled the front of Kai's shirt, easily flipping him over. Kai slammed against the ground, the impact sending waves of pain throughout his skull. The edges of his vision darkened slightly as he struggled to fill his lungs with precious oxygen. Sensei Wu smirked, satisfied. "Looks can be deceiving. I could beat every one of you without breaking a sweat. Now, would you like to be my students, or will you crawl back into the hands of the Serpentine?"
"We'll be your students," Cole spoke up, answering for everyone without a moment of hesitation. With that single display of swift, offensive combat, the merchant was absolutely convinced that they were in capable hands. If Sensei Wu said that the only one among them with a chance of holding their own against the Serpentine was, in fact, Zane, then he had no choice but to believe it. "There's no way we're going to go back to the mainland without learning something from you, Sensei."
Kai exhaled shakily, still attempting to get his wits about him after being thrown to the floor so forcefully. Gritting his teeth, the blacksmith managed to get himself into a sitting position, pressing his bare hands firmly against the chilled marble floor. Sensei? The guy threw him down onto the ground and now suddenly he was worthy of training them, of being called their teacher? You want to be the Golden Master, his thoughts added suddenly. Suck it up and the old man can help you become the hero you've always wanted to be. The hero that your sister believes you are. "Yeah, fine, you can teach us," Kai grunted, getting to his feet slowly and rolling his shoulders to collect himself. Without waiting for another word from his newly found sensei, the blacksmith turned on his heel and stormed down the nearest hallway, leaving his companions in his wake.
He walked fast, grumbling under his breath. He didn't know where he was going, but he knew he had to get away. Anger burned inside of him and he could feel his skin getting warmer and warmer. His vision blurred, but he continued to move forward. His legs were moving faster and faster and, soon, he was running through the dimly lit hall. The rage filled him with energy. He had to do something. Anything. He just needed-
Slam!
Kai's body collided with the body of a short, blonde boy. The boy stumbled back, gasping with surprise. By the look in his green eyes, Kai could see the boy had not entirely been paying attention to the world around him either. "I'm sorry. I didn't see you." The boy stepped back, eyeing Kai's sword with both fascination and fear.
Being ripped from his sole concentration on how angry and embarrassed he was, Kai felt everything around him slow down. His breathing regulated and he was able to clear his mind enough to assess what was going on right here, right now. "Yeah, well, maybe you should watch where you're walking next time," he answered sourly, only recognizing that he should have taken the same advice after the words were out in the open. Kai watched with slight amusement as the boy's eyes drifted down to the sword slung around his waist. "What, never seen a blade before?" he asked genuinely, though the tone of his voice was sharp.
"Oh, I've seen swords," the blonde answered quietly, almost as if he was remembering something that scared or saddened him. "Plenty of them." With that, he turned his brilliant, emerald eyes up towards the man he had run into.
Kai had a sudden flash of recognition in the short moment that the kid met his gaze. Those eyes, they were like the ones from the terrible nightmare he remembered. The one where Pythor was trying to have him thrown down into the dark pit. The eyes that belonged to the Golden Master. That was just a dream, dummy. Lots of people have green eyes, he told himself. Besides, this kid is a runt. "I didn't think there was actually suppose to be anyone else here at the temple," the blacksmith managed to say, breaking the palpable silence that had fallen between the two. "My, uh, friend told me that there was just an old man and we met him already. So who are you?"
"My name's Lloyd," he frowned slightly, as if trying to bring back a memory that refused to return. "At least I think it is. I don't remember anyone but myself calling me that."
Lloyd rubbed his palms against the side of his shirt, getting rid of the annoying bits of sweat that had begun to form. The man before him made him a bit nervous. Heat seemed to be almost radiating from his sunburned skin. Besides, the man's eyes were extremely intimidating. Lloyd could not maintain eye contact for very long.
"I came here not too long ago," Lloyd continued as Kai's eyes pressed him for more answers. "A gho-...someone led me here, talking about destiny and whatnot. I couldn't really refuse. It was either this or being a slave until my death, and this is much, much better."
Ignoring the bit of hesitation that Lloyd presented while explaining how he came to the temple, Kai crossed his arms over his chest in thought. This kid had been a slave? The blacksmith eyed him carefully, examining the boy from head to toe. He was thinly built, but not malnourished or anything. On top of that, Lloyd seemed to have a healthy glow about him, not something commonly seen with slaves. It was true then, that being at the Temple of Light was much better than a life of enslavement. Better than being thrown into jail for being a fugitive too. Feeling his previous anger dissolve completely, he gave the blonde boy a small smile. "Well, glad to hear it then, Lloyd."
"I see you have already met young Lloyd," spoke a kind voice. Kai glanced over his shoulder to see the old man standing behind him, the others in tow. "Glad that you could get acquainted before you begin your training. Now, which one of you would like to be trained first?" This elicited silence at first and Sensei Wu methodically swept his eyes across every person around him, including Lloyd. "It is easier and more beneficial to be trained one-on-one."
Jay piped up immediately, a wide smile on his face. "I want to go first, Sensei!" he called out, trying to reserve his excitement, but failing miserably. "You were saying we had elemental powers and stuff and I want to try and control mine so that-"
"We train together, or it's no deal," Kai interrupted, sticking firmly to his statement. This made Jay shrink into himself a bit, closing his mouth tightly and refraining from speaking anymore. "There's still some things that don't really add up to me. You were expecting us. You say we have special powers. Why won't you tell us how you know all of this stuff?" His brunet spikes seemed to cast dark shadows across his features. "I don't feel like we can fully trust you."
Sensei Wu turned to face Kai, a stern look on his face. "Very well. I can work with that deal and I know more than just these trivial things you ask. I know all about each and every one of you, but since you're so eager to have a talk, Kai, then why don't we start with you?" The old man walked around the blacksmith, studying every bit of him. "You're definitely a fire starter. There's a bright glow in your eyes. Your temper is powerful. You're very stubborn and you don't trust people easily. Under your tough skin you're just a small boy, afraid you won't be able to keep those around you safe. Isn't that right?"
It felt like his veins had flooded with ice as the man before him peeled away at the layers of protection he had been building up since he was young. He always had to stay strong, not just for himself, but for Nya too. There was always that doubt that plagued him. The small grain of uncertainty that had blossomed over the years. What if he was not the protector he thought he was? The past few days had tested him on that same question and was still unsure on the exact answer. "Yes..." he answered breathlessly, feeling very insignificant in front of Sensei Wu now.
Then the elderly man abruptly turned towards Jay, his pale blue eyes smiling. "You have a bright spark within you. Your spirits are high and unwavering, pushing through dark times and situations. Underneath your generally happy appearance, you are still unsure of yourself, masking your small insecurities behind laughter. I sense you are more of a fleer than a fighter, correct?"
Jay looked down, a light blush spreading across his cheeks. He played with the fabric of his shirt, needing something to do with his hands. The man's words were true. Too true in fact. People thought he was brave, going around Ninjago, spreading the legend of the Golden Master, but he was not. He was a coward. He never stayed in one place. Never actually tried to fight against the Serpentine. He just ran from village to village, staying in the shadows, looking away every time someone called for help, and pretending not to hear them. He had even left his parents behind when the Serpentine came to their village.
"You're right, Sensei...I'm weak. I can't do anything. That's part of the reason I'm here." Jay finally looked up, his voice shaking.
A knowing smile crept up upon Sensei Wu's aged face as he moved from Jay to Cole. The raven-haired man held his gaze steady, the eye contact intense. "Let's look at you then, Cole," the elderly man said lightly, giving the merchant a small tap on the shoulder with his bamboo staff. "Tough as rock, solid like the earth you stand on, with a natural ability to lead. Rarely do you stray from your chosen path and your sense of commitment is obvious. Like a lump of coal in the ground, you work best under pressure. However, like the loose dirt beneath your feet, you can crumble without proper support."
Inhaling very subtly, the merchant just gave a nod. He had never really felt supported by anyone other than himself and leading a life like that was often difficult and trying. Cole knew that he needed help from others, but he was often too proud or even scared to admit it. If you could do something by yourself, you would become a better person, right? He needed to learn how to rely on others for help and support. Only then could he be truly great. "You're right," he concluded monotonously, refusing to let any emotion betray him at the moment.
He then faced Zane, clearing his throat before continuing. "Zane, you're by far the most intelligent of this group. Your training has given you the ability to solve any problem that comes before you. Resilient, yet transparent, like ice. Having friends is a new concept to you and it becomes hard to see where your loyalties really lie, but in the end, I believe your heart will guide you down the right path."
Zane nodded, his face void of any expression. "I have many flaws, but I believe that staying around those who have helped me will make me stronger. I am ready to learn everything you have to teach me, sir."
"Finally, we have Lloyd," Sensei Wu bellowed, clasping his hands around the top of his staff and firmly planting the other end on the ground. The boy seemed rather taken aback by suddenly being addressed. His green eyes darted back and forth quickly, almost as if he were searching for another person in the room that was named Lloyd instead. "You have been with me for a week now, training and slowly gathering the strength that enslavement had robbed you of. Now it is time you should know that there are greater things in store for you."
Lloyd fidgeted with the green belt that wrapped around his waist, feeling a warm heat spread over his face. He could feel that everyone's eyes were on him now, something that was rather uncomfortable for someone who had lived their whole life being ignored. Sensei remained quiet, speaking only when Lloyd looked up to meet his gaze.
"You, my dear boy, hold the most potential here," Wu said, causing Lloyd to blush even harder. "In your hands is the key to saving this land. You have the power to change everything, as destiny has chosen you to be Ninjago's greatest hero. You are the Golden Master after all."
A short gasp escaped Jay's mouth while Cole stumbled forward, his eyes wide. Lloyd tried to shrink back into himself as the old man's words began to make sense. The Golden Master. The one destined to rid Ninjago of darkness. It could not really be him, could it? He was just Lloyd. He had always been a nobody. He had always been replaceable. He had always been nothing. Now, Sensei Wu's words had suddenly chained him down with the responsibility of saving everyone's life.
Lloyd hugged his stomach tightly. He was going to be sick.