Chapter 38; Guarded and Protected
NONE POV
'What was she thinking? One Serpentine General is a lot for one of us, but she just had to go after two?' Lloyd thought to himself as he rushed to Laura's aid.
Lloyd had already realized earlier that she was going to save Emma's cousin. Yet too many Serpentine were in his way to help her until it was too late.
Stinging, Lloyd forced his legs to move with as much speed he could muster. The adrenaline kept pumping and he could almost feel his heart burst. What was once in front of him smashes into a fuzzy blur, yet he kept his eyes focused on Laura.
Suddenly, Lloyd's heart stopped.
He saw Laura's blood dripping from the knife in Acidicus' hand.
Enveloping Lloyd, all he could feel was the inflaming anger filling his whole body.
Yet he bolted like a rocket and stood behind Laura.
Holding his arms out, Laura fell on his chest and he fell on his back. Pain sprinted up his spine and he cringed.
Remembering Laura, Lloyd immediately lifted her gently off of him and examined her wound.
Remembering what Nya told him once, he pushed on the wound. Disgusted when he saw the crimson all over his black gloves, Lloyd sat Laura up. He needed some gauze or a bandage. Thinking quickly, he took off the top layer of his uniform and wrapped it around Laura's wound.
"Laura!" Looking at Laura's droopy hazel eyes, he said and tried to keep her awake.
"Lloyd…" Her timid voice could barely be heard through the din. She sounded weak, tired, and aghast all at the same time.
"What were you thinking?" Lloyd could not believe what was before his eyes and dripping on his gloved finger tips.
It seemed so long ago that Laura joined the Cosmic Legion… he did not know at first what to feel when her first saw her. Last time he checked he thought girls were disgusting. Yet Laura changed him. He saw hope in her sorrowful eyes. Inside her was a light strong enough to survive inside the darkness. His heart was chipped and cracked and hurt when he realized that Laura… was out of his reach.
She was so guarded and protected…
Yet she was also lonely.
It did not matter to him if he could have her heart at that moment because all he wanted to do was to keep the fire burning in her soul.
He thought he would be able to break down her walls one day when she was safe from harm but Lloyd was not sure about that now. He had no clue if the knife hit any organs or if the bleeding was bad or not.
Lloyd could not breathe or think or react or comprehend what Laura was saying.
"I-I am sorry Lloyd… but," looking up at the sky, tears formed inside Laura's eyes, "will I… finally get to go to a better place now…?" Laura asks almost inaudible. Lloyd could not understand. Petrified, Laura could not bear the hot and unnerving pain.
"No! You are not going to die on me! This… This… isn't supposed to happen!" Lloyd responded holding Laura closer but Laura continued anyway.
"I'm sorry that… I'm sorry that… I only just now got to see… see… what a better place is like… where the sun does not cry and angels smile…" Laura's eyes looked so abashed it was unbearable for Lloyd.
"What are you talking about?"
"All I ever wanted… something so simple but easier said than done… I never could find… But now I have found it… a better place…" Laura smiled though the tears. Lloyd panicked and tried to keep Laura conscious. "Thank you, Lloyd…" the legendary ninja had no clue what to do, "…for putting up with me." Laura said and Lloyd kept trying to think of his options.
The only way he could get to the bounty was to get through all the serpentine. He needed to get Laura to help but he felt trapped inside the walls of Serpentine around him.
"Whatever you do Laura, stay awake… stay alive. You are still needed here… with me." Lloyd said.
'Don't throw your life away Laura. The sun always rises and sets. But it shouldn't have to shine without you…
…You are still needed here.' The rain poured down soaking Laura to the bone. Putting on a fake smile, Laura looks up at the deep grey clouds. Smiling, Mr. Mereu gives Laura the umbrella and looks up at the sky with her.
"Thank you…" Laura said and Lloyd looked at her. Concluding he needed to get her somewhere safer, Lloyd picked her up and rushed through the serpentine.
Carrying Laura who was really heavy, Lloyd groaned when he stood up. Forcefully, Lloyd ran as fast as he could. Lloyd ran away from all the serpentine and dodged the attacks but he focused on protecting Laura.
Panting, Lloyd felt it was only seconds ago when he lifted Laura up. His arms were sore but he did not feel anything because of the adrenaline. Trailing sand on the deck, Lloyd stormed up the stairs. The door opened for him when he revealed to the adults Laura's severe condition. The moment his father took Laura out of his arms, Lloyd felt his aching arms and legs. Catching his breath, Lloyd couldn't focus on what was happening. He was terribly thirsty and exhausted. He practically limped to the table where Laura was laid.
"You have done enough, son." Lord Garmadon said to Lloyd and made him sit down. Acting on request, Garmadon gave Lloyd a glass of water. Quickly, Lord Garmadon rushed back to help Misako treat Laura's wounds.
"Wu, we need to get her to the infirmary." Misako ordered and both Sensei Wu and Lord Garmadon lifted her up. Lloyd watched them leave. Trying to get up, he realized how weak he was. 'If this won't prove to Laura how much I care for her, what will?' Lloyd thought lying back in his chair languorously. 'Things never come easy to me, don't they? Why can't something normal happen to me? Can't I just have to deal with normal problems? I guess fair isn't a word where I come from!' Lloyd laughed being reminded of when he was a kid. Unlike most people, Lloyd remembers his time as a kid really well. Of course being the son of Lord Garmadon has pretty much scarred him for life. Lloyd wondered who so far has had a harder time then him. 'Maybe when all of this is over and the Serpentine are locked away for good, I should take Laura and go to Jamanakai Village to go buy some… candy.' Lloyd smiled drifting off to sleep.
Waiting patiently, Emma watched Nya lay on the ground. Suddenly, she felt as if something horrible just happened. 'Oh yeah,' she thought. 'Cece has her work cut out for her…' Emma could not help but feel the despair chilling her to the bone. Emma was too lost in thought to notice Nya's groan and her eyes opening. Emma knew that when Nya opened her eyes again, they would be scarlet and crazed. Jay's small hope of Nya having already fought against it in her sleep shattered. Launching herself at the bars, Nya was furious.
The banging rang throughout the room.
"I have a feeling there will be only one way for Nya to gain control of her body again." Emma said and walked to the door.
"And what will that be?" Jay asks.
"I may as well fight Skales… it is my destiny after all."
"Are you planning to punch him in the nosssssse, again?" Jay asks. Smiling, Emma nodded her head.
"I have been looking forward to that."
"Good luck, Emma."
"I'm going to need it." Emma sighed and walked out the door.
First, Nya needs to be cured of her hypnotism.
Second, Laura needs to be healed.
Third we must combine all of our powers to kick the snake king's Skaly butt.
Emma sighed, 'I need luck but it does not exist.' Emma walked out on the deck and breathed in the salty air.
Meeting up together, Cole, Anne, Cece, Kai and Zane started to search for everyone else.
Zane made eye contact with Emma who stood on the deck peering into the evening sky. Emma started to mouth something. Focusing on her, Zane did not notice when everyone else saw Emma.
Suddenly, the sound of air being beat into submission busted everyone's eardrums. Every snake, Ninja and Cosmic Master looked up to the sky.
In the distance, Emma looked up to the sky. Hatefully, Emma glared at Skales beaming down at everyone. He held his staff but there was something else behind him.
Inside the shadows of the rusty old helicopter stood Dr. Julien and Fangtom. Only Emma noticed the machine behind them.
Stinking like a hot knife, fear shot though Emma's heart. Emma's face was as pale as the spilled-milk sky. Clutching the handles of her daggers, Emma gazed inside Skales' scarlet eyes.
Staring at Skales like Emma, Kai and Cece's faces flushed into anger. Kai stiffened and Cece's grip on her machete grew stronger.
Concerned, Zane's gaze did not waver from Emma's silhouette. Her countenance and posture was intense and her eyes were filled with pure hatred.
Regrouping, all of the serpentine gathered together behind the spot Skales landed his helicopter. It landed right at the spot where Laura was stabbed but a little to the right. Fangtom was the first to get out. He dragged Dr. Julien to the cage. Gripping the doctor's arm, he shoved him into the cage with Camille. Standing there stoic and unmoving, his eyes slowly opened revealing the two spiraling pools of blood.
Noticing Zane's father the moment he stepped out of the helicopter, Cole put a hand on Zane's shoulder.
Jumping off the deck, Emma rushed to get Zane's side. The bloody sand squished under her black boots. Her long skirt swayed in the wind along with her onyx hair. Her pale face was full of dread and foregoing. Staring at her ominous countenance, Zane watched her come closer and closer.
Finally reaching Zane and a little out of breath, Emma looked into Zane's hopeful eyes, "Zane, if we are going to get Nya and Dr. J back, we are going to need the anti-venom from Skales' staff."
"How are we going to get to the venom and where are Lloyd, Laura, Jay and Nya?" Cece asked.
"Laura was stabbed by Acidicus. Because Lloyd had to bring her inside, he was wounded as well and had to rest. Jay is watching Nya in the brig so she won't escape." Emma explained.
"LAURA WAS STABBED?" Cece yelled.
"Yes… you probably should go heal her." Emma said.
"Would I be able to heal a wound like that?" Cece asked and Emma nodded her head. Unsurely, Cece took one last look at Kai and dashed to the bounty.
"Ok, we only have Emma, Zane, Anne, Kai and I. The rest of our team is out of commission for now. We need to regroup at the bounty and wait for Cece to heal Laura and Lloyd." Cole ordered. Emma glared at him. Confused, Cole raised his eyebrows. Zane put his hands on Emma's tense shoulders. Looking into her cold blue eyes, Cole was petrified. Zane was shocked and concerned because of how stiff the seer was. He saw high stress levels and sensed something ominous.
Trying to reason with her, Zane calmly said; "With these numbers we cannot get to Skales… it would be suicide to attack him now." Emma shook from his grip. Emma glared at Zane with outrageous anger. He sore something cracked.
"MAYBE I AM OFF DEAD!" Emma snaps at him. Aghast, Zane could not believe what he was seeing before his eyes. Zane's small facial expression showed a tinge of fear.
Meanwhile, Emma's head ached and was about to explode with all this stress. She hated it. She just wanted to get this all over with. Feeling like she was not strong enough to get through… this, Emma's hope for the future crumbled and you could see it on her face. Her eyes watered but she wiped them away with her hand. Frustrated, Emma did not want what would happen after this battle to happen. It broke her and she lost control of herself.
Grabbing her hand, Zane squeezed harder and harder. Zane pondered if there were still love in those sky blue eyes.
Emma's eyes softened. 'It breaks me inside when I see you like this.'
"Just… stay with me… for a little longer…" Zane's hands wandered to her hips and he locked his eyes on Emma.
"I will stay here forever if it will prove to you that I am yours." Emma's face flushed like a rose. Breathing heavily, Emma's heart raced.
Emma wrapped her arms around Zane's neck and dug her face in his shoulder.
"I will protect you even if it kills me." Zane said and Emma stiffened.
"Don't die Zane."
Yay! Chapter 38 is done! I am a horrible person! I keep exaggerating and pulling this battle like taffy! I do not know why! But, it's awesome right? But it feels like the moments were something is loading and only inching forward. Thank you wolfpurpledinosaur, mykindleisawesome, DJMidge, birthdaypi, and Lya200 for reviewing! ZANE COOKIES FOR EVERYONE!
Laura probably right now feels like she is going to die, Emma senses death and Zane is willing to die for Emma! What is with all this death? You guys should bring some flowers to put on all my characters graves! XD
"What, you too good for [Sarcasitzu?]" ~Lou
Yeah right.
SergeantSarcasm7 at your service!