Hey everyone, happy Friday and time for another soundtrack. So now it's Zane's turn with someone included. OC belongs to Kaitoukiwi and I thank you for letting use her for my story. And I have a soundtrack to include for this chapter. Type up the link, watch?v=aJTbRTa2pms and at 2:00 hit play when you see the link and enjoy.


Chapter 17: Zane Julien and Laurie Garmadon

I probably should have taken my chances with climbing down the mountain because it was below freezing. I followed down the trail as Cole said so and warned about the snowy area. I'm starting to regret my choice. I'm trekking through shin-deep snow and could feel the melted snow seeping through my pants and socks and my feet were starting to grow numb. I had my sweatshirt zipped all the way up with a grey blanket I packed tucked inside my sweatshirt to keep myself warm, but I was still freezing. Reminds me when I ran away in March and it was still cold in the forest, but this was worse.

As I trekked through the thick snow, the wind was blowing in my face with tiny bits of shards scraping my face. I was shaking like a leaf as I hugged myself tighter. Not even my gloves from my suit provided the necessary warmth I wanted for my hands. It only provided little. I spotted a pond ahead and felt relieved. My water bottle that Cole gave since it was a spare that I now packed was low as I trekked down the slope and was relieved to see water. Snow would be helpful to have water but with it melting in your mouth will make your teeth sensitive. But as I came to the pond, I got to my knees and felt a sudden chill to the bones and quickly fished my water bottle out and removed my hood. I twisted the cap off and held out my left hand to bring up a small orb of liquid from the icy pond and filled it into my water bottle, twisted the cap back on, and stuffed it into my sweatshirt and the blanket. My body heat should heat it up so I can have a hot water bottle until I reach the end of the snow-covered forest.

Snap!

I quickly snapped my head around to the sound and spotted nothing. "Hello?" I asked. Nothing. I shrugged my shoulders as it was probably an animal walking by and turned my head back to the pond. I held out my hands to bring up more of the water and brought it to my lips to drink. As I drank, I peeked an eye to stare at the fish that could survive the enviroment and followed a fish with my eyes and to choke in surprise as it passed a...person! After I coughed the water out to breathe, I peered closely as it was a person in the bottom. A teen around mine and Cole's age with bleach white hair with his eyes closed and wore a white sweater with a black vest over it. Was he even alive? He was sitting at the bottom of this pond, cross-legged with his hands together and he definitely wasn't murder as there's no marks of assult or chains to drown him. How would I know was because I read many crime mystery novels. To be sure he was alive in anyway, I held my hand at the water and gave it a push.

I watched the liquid move through the water. It was like an air bubble moving through the water and brushed past the teen's face. I saw movement and his eyes opened to reveal deep blue eyes and looked up at me. I was amazed. He was alive. How can he hold his breath this long? I can do it for five minutes when I'm surrounded with bubble of air when I dive underwater. But still how? I slowly waved a hello to him and noticed his eyes were squinting and then grew wide while pointing at me. I was confused. What was he pointing at? It wasn't at me though.

Suddenly I felt something grab my backpack and over my mouth. I couldn't scream as it was a hand over my mouth and tried to shake my attacker off, but couldn't free myself. I felt something on my lips break and had a funny taste entering my mouth and started to feel drowsy. I felt fumes enter my nose and my eyes suddenly felt heavier. The hand was removed from my mouth and I collapsed to the snowy ground. I struggled to keep my eyes open, but whatever I inhaled made me more sleepy. My vision was a blur and all I could see were three people dressed in black with armored breastplates and vambraces and masks over their faces. And they looked like ninjas. Were they? One dove into the pond while the other hovered me and draped a black cloth bag over my head and I passed out.

...

I slowly opened my eyes and groaned to wake up. Who were they? And what was that stuff they used on me? I opened my eyes and no longer found myself in the forest, but more of a monastery on a cot. Paper walls and windows, wooden floors, slanted opened ceiling that could be lead to other rooms if you climbed on them and hop over them. I did that once or twice at the dojo before I ran away. Wait a minute. Oh God! I better have not been kidnapped by my father's request. He must've found out I was still alive. But if he wanted me back, I should've been in my old room. Not this room. But I wasn't. I was in a room with rows of empty cots lit by candles with a wood burning stove in the corner by me. If I'm not at the dojo, then where am I? And why me?

"Thank goodness you're awake." a calm and steady voice said. "I was worried for you."

I cocked my head to the left and saw the same teen from the pond next to me on his cot. He was taken too? He was in the same position from when I found him with his blue eyes opened wide with worry. So he was kidnapped too. I groaned as I prompted myself up with my elbows and held my head while chains were rattled. I directed my head to the source and saw my left wrist cuffed to the cot. "What the?" I said confused. I looked back at the teen next to me as he was cuffed to his cot too. What was going on here? "How long was I out for?" I asked him.

The teen turned his head away to close his eyes to meditate. "Five hours and twenty two minutes." he replied calmly.

Wow. Was he counting the minutes? That's amazing. I don't see a clock anywhere so he must be counting down then. Kinda cool actually. And maybe a little bit creepy. "That's amazing." I complimented him. "Who are you?"

The teen looked at me with a small smile. "Hello, my name is Zane." he introduced himself and held his right hand out to shake.

I took my right hand, which I was glad wasn't cuffed, and shook his. "Luke." I introduced myself. Zane smiled and went back to meditate. I carefully sat up as my muscles felt tight with the chain rattling in my movement. Bones popped into place as I stretched my arms, but couldn't stretch much with my left wrist chained up without much slack. Why are we even chained up from...ninjas? Are they even ninjas or not? "What happened?" I asked Zane. "Who are they?"

Zane shrugged his shoulders and before he could reply, the door opened and we both turned directly to our kidnapper. A woman with dark brown hair that touched past her shoulders while a hairband rested on top of her head with rich deep green eyes. She wore a tight leather jacket that reached down to her exposed naval with the shoulders draped over in pads for movement, like armor almost. With vambraces over her forearms with gloves and had tight black pants on with heels that climbed up to her shins. She even had a sword that was unlike a katana. It wasn't in a sheath and only hung on her hip and it was expertly crafted that looked like it wasn't from Kai's father. My first thought was that this better not ne what I think it was, but she had the armor ninja behind her as guards. So what was it then? "Who are you, miss?" Zane asked in his soft gentle tone. Does he have any emotions? I'm a little scared and he's all calm about this.

The woman walked up to us with a key to uncuff us. I rubbed my wrist as it felt raw and was red and watched her uncuff Zane. With both of us free, the woman walked back to the door and turned to us. "I do apologize about our first apperance in the forest." she apologized with a gentle almost Romanian accent. Zane and I looked at each other then back at her. "I am Talia." she introduced herself while having her right fist over her chest. "Leader of the liberation army known as the Assassins of the Night. Our goal is to liberate the evil in these lands and rise up as one."

The Assassins of the Night? Never heard of them. Liberate the evil from the lands? That's the Green Ninja's job, not theirs. There's got to be more than this. "So why us?" I scowled. "Why kidnap us and bring us to the..."

"The mountains." Talia finished for me. She turned away and the two guards move aside. "Come, I'll explain." and left. Her heels clicking on the wooden floor. Zane and I looked at each other and slowly climbed out of the cots and followed her out with the guards behind us. Outside the room, Zane and I were baffled to the open space below us. It was a training facility for more of these...ninjas. Wing-chuns on one side, sparring, weapons training, in the center was a bridge that intersected to the parts of the dojo and off to the side of the bridges were wooden pegs that my father and uncle use on me for balance while sparring. This place was much larger than my old home from the inside. What was this place? "As you can see here," Talia continued. "we train ourselves under the Arts of Ninjutzu." Ninjutzu. Please. I train under Spinjitzu. Higher class to those that can perform Spinjitzu. "We train and liberate those that sin and are evil. Our ways of fighting make us the assassins we are. Silent and deadly. Henceforth, the Assassins of the Night."

Intrigued. Both Zane and I were. We both had the same look on our faces. But the question was: Why us still? "So why us?" I asked again. "Why take us still?"

Talia turned to us with her arms crossed. "We believe you two can be of aid to us." she replied. "I can sense great power in you two. As well in my newest recruit. She has the same presense as you both do."

So she's asking me what I think she's asking. She's asking me and Zane to join her forces to fight. But I meant this guy for like a couple minutes ago and think he's a fighter. But he looks like a calm person who doesn't fight. And I too sense the same presense in him like Cole, Kai, and Jay as she says so. Plus I'm Lord Garmadon's apprentice. So I can't join them. I'm not a killer. "Who is this recruit of yours?" Zane asked. "May we see her?"

"Of course." Talia answered and began to walk down the stairs. "Follow me." We both followed behind her and reached the main floor. It was starting to get warm and I unzipped my sweatshirt and tied the sleeves around my waist. Wait a minute. Where's my backpack!? My sai's are gone! Before I could ask her, Talia lead us to an area and didn't turn as she spoke. "For years, we've been liberating the lands from sinners like a clean slate." she clarified. "But as the years grew, sin has been growing and spreading in the lands. My father created this years ago to help stop the spread with our agility, strength, and stealth." She clapped her hands and two black bags hanging on the ceiling moved to show two more assassins. Zane and I stepped back in surprised and saw two more behind us. Wow they're good. "When my father passed away, I became the leader and been helping the world to keep it clean. Come, she's over here."

We followed Talia to the center and on the bridge. On the pegs was a teen girl with pale skin covered by a orange tank top and black pants like Talia's. Hair was a fiery red that was in a ponytail that could reach past her shoulders. And her eyes were a pale ice blue, almost grey color. I watched her hold her bo staff with both hands and watched her steps onto each pole as she was surrounded by two other assassins with staffs too. The first guy swung his staff at her feet and the red head swung her hers down to block it and immediately ducked as the female assassin swung hers at her head. The red head then swung her staff behind her back like a helicopter rotor and back in front of her and sent attacks of her own. Wood clattered as the three were in close combat to knock one down to the rock layered floor below us. She jumped and performed a backflip and landed on another peg in front of me and held her staff vertical above her head to block the others. She's a skilled fight for sure and I can sense the power in her like the others I met. Who is this recruit? "Who is she?" I asked.

Talia smirked with her arms crossed. "Her name is Laurie." she answered. I looked at Laurie as she quickly moved her staff down to push against the assassins for breathing room. Why was she even here? "We found her wondering on her own in search for her father for revenge." said Talia. "Her father left her, her mother, and brother when she was young and ran away when she turned fifteen. She won't tell us who her father was and wanted to destroy him." She's not the only one. But she has father issues. "We took her under our wing to train her to become an assassin so she can fulfill her vengence." I watched her block the female's staff over her head while the male went for a sweep of her legs to knock her down. And in a fast reaction, Laurie had her staff under her hand while catching the top of one of the pegs while her other hand caught another one with her feet together on her previous one. It looked like she was in a push-up position. But it was to keep herself up. "A little slow at first." Talia finished. "But she manages. Come, there's more to show you." and lead the way.

I stayed for awhile and caught Laurie glancing at me. "What are you staring at?" she asked in sour tone.

I'm the one staring at her? Clearly she's the one staring at me and I stare at her back. What's her problem? "Nothing." I replied. "Here a helpful tip. It doesn't matter if you're getting close or not. It only means you're getting stronger. That should be helpful so you don't slip again." I said while crossing my arms at her.

"Thanks. I'll keep that in mind when I don't need it." she said sarcastically and used her arms to push herself back up to fight. I still had my arms crossed while giving her a sneer look. We just got off on the wrong foot.

"I thought it was helpful advice." Zane spoke up.

I turned my head to him to give him a small smile. "Thanks." I said. "My father said it to me whenever I struggle with something and find it helpful. Thought that I should spread the word."

Zane raise an eyebrow in confusion. "How do you spread a word when it's written and can't move?" he asked. "Unless it was sent in the mail then."

Was he serious? He never heard this meaning. I was like making a joke. Does he even know the difference between that? "Not like that." I stated. "I mean that I want to tell others the meaning whenever they struggle too. Meaning that I spread the word to other by telling them." Zane seemed to understand and gave out a weird laugh. "Yeah and since my father taught me it, I tell others too."

A solemn look crossed Zane's face and he leaned his arms on the railing and his head drooped. "I never had a father or family." he said sadly. "I've been an orphan my entire life."

Crap. I just made him feel bad. But I never knew though. I just found him meditating in the bottom of a pond and meet him this monastery. "I'm sorry." I apologized.

"It's alright." he replied and rolled up his sleeves of his sweater. "You didn't know." I turned my gaze away from him to sigh. I knew I made him upset about the mention of a family. Kinda like when I ran away and made my father depressed. Everytime I use the Reflective Pool to spy on him, I see him alone in the dojo and in my old room. He must really miss me. Everytime I see him, he has the same look on his face as Zane does now. Depressed. Solemn. Sad. Heartbroken. And truth be told, it hurts me to see him like this. Oh God. What have I done?

"Come." I heard Talia's voice commanded to bring me back and Zane and I followed behind her. Talia lead us to what appeared to be a storage area of barrels, burlap sacks, and crates. The head assassin removed the lid of a barrel and pulled out two light reddish green apples. "You two boys look famished." she said and tossed them to us. "Have an apple." I caught the apple with both hands and looked at it weird. It's not often that someone kidnaps you and hands you an apple. Plus they're assassins. They could've poisoned it. Instead of eating it, I placed it on the table near my right, followed by Zane. He must've had the same idea too. "Impressive." Talia acknowledged. "You seen the apples were dangerous and set them aside. You see, this area is our supply for our missions. These apples aren't laced with poison for they grown poisonous and only found in the Misty Forest." The Misty Forest? Storm's old home. "We use the apples to kill our targets when necessary. But these leaves too originated from the same forest." She reached into a sack and pulled out to elm-shaped leaves that were large as a maple leaf. I seen those before. Three years ago when I first got Storm. What's so special about them? "What makes these leave unquie is that when you break the vein, the leaf release a natural gas that renders our targets unconscious. It's what we used on you two."

So they drugged us. Perfect. She handed them to us and I placed mine in my leather pouch while Zane placed his in his vest. "Not only we use the apples and leaves," she continued while reaching into a bowl of black power and took a pinch with her fingers. "We use smoke as our stealth." She threw the pinch by our feet and a small spark ignited and surrounded us in black smoke. Zane and I threw a coughing fit to the smoke and I waved my hand in front of my face to clear the smoke away and saw Talia smirking. "You look like you can use it the most." she said and handed me a small clear jar of the black powder. I looked at it cautiously and placed in my pouch. "You two," she pointed at the assassins behind us. "take our pond friend to the weapons area. I wish to talk to this one alone." she said while pointing at me.

I watched the two assassins nodding and escorted Zane to the weapons area. I turned my head back to Talia and was greeted with something thumping at my chest. I quickly realized it was my backpack and unzipped it to find everything still in there and drew my sai's out and zipped my bag closed and threw it over my shoulders. "I know who you are." she said coldy.

I placed the side guards through my belt loops and looked at her curiously. She doesn't me at all. But how does she then? "You do?" I asked her cautiously.

She slowly advanced towards with her left hand on the handle of her sword while I slowly backed away and bumped against the table and looked at her scared. She has me cornered. Was she gonna kill me? Or what? "You're the son of Wu." she replied coldy. "Grandson of the First Spinjitzu Master." Okay, how does she know me and my ancestry!? "You are Lucas Wu. The son that ran away when he was ten."

"How do you know me?" I asked her. I am panicking now. I have a stalker on me.

"We've been watching you." she said and begin to walk around me and the table in a circle. "We've seen you in the river using your powers. Seen you with the grey dragon of yours in the Misty Forest. We seen you in the village whenever the dark lord lets you reach the surface." Okay this was a major stalker now. "We also know you can feel the power of Spinjitzu in the other boy and the girl." she continued with her voice turning to ice and steel.

How does she know all of this!? "How?" I asked scared.

Talia grabbed the front of my shirt and lifted me off my feet. She's incredibly strong and giving me death glares. "Do not play with me, idiot!" she bellowed. "You know you can sense them. Each Spinjitzu Master can sense the power of Spinjitzu in them and you can sense them." She placed me down and back away slowly.

She knows I'm a ninja. A Spinjitzu Master. But was it true? I can sense other Spinjitzu Masters. I thought it over to gasp as it was true. I sensed the power in Kai, Jay, Cole, Zane, and even Laurie. It was clear as Talia said. I can sense the other Spinjitzu Masters. The other four elemental ninjas and the Green Ninja. If my father found them and trained them while I'm under Garmadon, I'll be fighting my friends. I can't do that to them. They're my friends. Well not Zane or Laurie yet. But still though. When the ultimate plan for my uncle to escape the Underworld comes, I'll be hurting them. My friends.

Talia saw my face and turned away. "Raven, bring the prisoner forward." she commanded. I heard the sounds of someone pleading for mercy and saw an assassin that looked different than the others with someone that looked like a farmer from Ignacia Village. The assassin wore a tank top that climbed up to her neck with her back exposed while having matrix designed tattoos to cover her shoulders and gloves that ran past her elbows with throwing knives in her vambraces. Black pants like Talia's with heels that climbed up her shins with steel covering her shins to protect them. Unlike the others that wore a mask that covered their entire face, the one named Raven had a tight black mask that only covered her mouth and nose that tied in the back of her head with a katana sheathed behind her back. She must be a higher class of assassin. Raven kicked the prisoner in the back of his knees while his bounded hands caught the floor and she placed a hand on his back to push him in front of me. Talia drew her sword out and thrusted the hilt into my hands and I gripped the handle tightly. What was she doing? "Take my blade and kill him." she demanded. "Then you shall take my place as the leader of my army."

I was stunned. She wants me to execute this farmer. I can't take another person's life. "I am no executioner." I stated. "What are his crimes?"

"He was a farmer that stole land from his neighbors." she replied quickly. "He got greedy and nearly killed those for the land. He must be executed so that sin and corruption don't spread. This will be the first step for the assassins. Soon, with you taken my place, you will lead my army to Ninjago City and defeat the dark lord. Regardless of the dumb Green Ninja prophecy. Now do it and join us. It has and always been your destiny."

This was the reason why she attacked me and Zane. She wanted us to join them. Be an assassin with them. And she thinks I can be the new leader. No thanks. I prefer the life as a ninja. I need a way out of here with Zane and Laurie. They don't belong here too. I heard the sound of metal hissing and turned my gaze to a small fire of hot coals with a stoker red hot. I looked up to a balcony that was the second floor with the same bags of the black powder and came to an idea. If thrown on the ground, it'll create a small spark to develop smoke. What would happen if I caused a fire. I looked around as everyone's eyes were trained on me, including Zane and Laurie, and the farmer's eyes wide for mercy. I raised the blade by his neck, gripped the handle tightly, and held it by my face as I was about to deliver the kill. With a quick hand, I quickly swiped the sword under the stoker and swung the blade up with the stoker flying high and landing on the sacks. The heat of the stoker caught the fabric on fire and quickly spread.

Talia saw what was happening and growled. "What are you doing!?" she bellowed.

"Keeping a prophecy alive." I stated and sliced the farmer's hands free and tossed the blade aside. There was an explosion and was thrown off my feet. I landed on my back with Talia by my feet and saw the fire spreading rapidly. I can feel the heat of a fire near the left side of my face and shoulder. My shoulder? I quickly realized my shirt was on fire and quickly patted it out. I moved my collar aside to see the skin damage and sighed in relief as there was no burns on my tan skin. I slowly got to my feet and saw the fire spreading rapidly and the assassins fleeing to find away to stop the blaze.

Talia got to her feet and noticed the fire spreading and glared at me. I couldn't help but chuckle with a smirk at her soot and ashed covered face. "Laurie, attack him and capture him!" she commanded. "Everyone else, stop the spread!" and kicked me in the chest.

A groan escaped my lips and quickly recovered to find myself on the bridge. I heard a battle cry and turned to see Laurie leaping over me and landed in front of me. She gripped her staff tightly and glared at me. Her fiery hair stood greatly to the natural fire behind her. As if it was one fire. There was another explosion and it shook us to our knees. I quickly found Zane shouting out order of evacuations to escape the monastery. I can understand as the fire was spreading, but I need to get her out of her. Screw this fight right now.

Laurie swung her bo staff at me and made contact to my face. I quickly tasted copper in my mouth with my cheek swelling in pain and cleaned the blood off my lips. Okay I know what I just said, screw that. I don't care what I said, she started it. And I'm gonna finish it. Time to show her my bad side. I drew out my sai's and took a stance while she followed. "You think you can win?" she asked coldly.

*"I don't have to think." I replied. "I know I will." and charged at her while she too charged at me and jumped with her staff held vertical to strike me. I quickly crossed my sai's to defend myself right as her staff struck and I pushed her back. She took the momentum to perform a backflip and landed in a crouch with her wooden staff held behind her and strands of her hair in her face. I continued to charge at her and she swung her staff at my head and spun her body back to attack me more. I gotta say she was incredibly skilled with the bo staff. I, however, am skilled with the sai's.

Wood clattered as my sai's blocked her staff as we fought. The bridge was narrow as it provided no help or space for me. Another small explosion happened and sparks of embers flew across from us to spread the fire. The heat was increasing and the smoke was starting to get thick. I blocked Laurie's attack and was pushed against the railing of the bridge. In a quick reaction, I kicked Laurie in the chest to push her back and she broke through the railing. As she fell back, she struck her staff between two pegs with great force and with the momentum, she swung on her staff like she was an acrobatic to swing up and released her grip to deliver a kick to my face with her flat leather slippers to push me back. I quickly came over the stun and found my sai's out of my grasp and in hers. I'm gonna need to get those back too. I drew my golden sai's from my backpack and stood in a attack stance while she did the same. She has no advantage in these weapons like I do. I smirked at her and taunted her with two fingers to attack me. She growled and charged at me.

"Stop him!" I heard Talia shout.

Metal clanked as we both fought against each other with the sai's while sending attacks with our fists and kicks like ninjas. Whenever I parried an attack from Laurie, she would tend to swing her leg at me. Not only she was skilled with a bo staff, but the sai's too. As we fought against each others on the narrow bridge to the center, I looked over my shoulders to see more assassins filing behind me and knew they were going to kill me. "Luke, look out!" I heard Zane shout out and saw four shurikens slicing past me and watched them struck the shoulders of the assassins. They cried out in pain and fell to the floor.

I quickly turned to see Zane at the weapons area with shurikens in his hands. He's definitely a ninja. I can see him now. Oh the future now. I heard the sound of wood groaning and looked up to see a beam burning above him and saw it was weaking by the second. I gasped as it was about to collapse on him. "Zane, look out!" I warned him. The beam gave way and Zane was late to dodge it. I heard him cry out and saw the beam on him and he wasn't moving. "Zane!" I screamed to him.

"Oh so sad that your bodyguard is dead." Laurie sneered.

I turned to her to growl through my teeth. He wasn't my bodyguard. But a person I was going to ask as my friend. No matter of the future. I shouted at her as I blocked and parried her attacks. With the red head stunned by my anger, I locked our sai's together and threw my forehead at hers and unlocked our sai's for her stumble back. Her look was surprised and she quickly recovered and swung her right leg at me. I caught it with my arm and clamped it to my side and threw my head at hers again and released her leg for her stumble back and fall. She brought her knees to her chest and used her arms to launch herself back up to her feet and ran towards me. It's now or never. "Ninja-Go!" I shouted and created my Spinjitzu tornado and kicked her to launch her back to drop my sai's and hit a beam to render her unconscious. I stopped spinning to be dressed in my gi and pants and had my mask acting as a filter to the smoke and grabbed my stolen sai's and threw them in my backpack and ran to Zane.

There was another explosion to shake me to my knees and quickly recovered to reach Zane. Talia and the others evacuated as the fire was increasing; leaving us to die. I reached Zane and sprayed mist from my palms to extinguish the burning beam on him and felt adrenaline course my veins as I lifted it off of him. "Zane!? Zane!?" I asked for a response while shaking his shoulders. I heard a groan escape from his lips and smiled as there was still life in him. I slipped my golden sai's in my belt and threw his right arm over my neck and brought him to his feet and moved him out of the way before another beam fell on us. "Come on." I prompted to him. "Let's get Laurie and us out of here."

I dragged Zane to Laurie and had a hard time as the place was starting to fall apart. Embers of fire were spurlting in the air. Smoke was burning my throat and stinging my eyes to have tears escape to blind me. Beams were burnt to ashes as the fire I caused was growing rapidly. I better not get charged for arsonry for this. My suit has even recieved burnt marks and didn't care as it was fire resistant. When we reached Laurie, I threw her left arm over me neck and wrapped my arms around their sides and pulled her to her feet and dragged them both away. There was another explosion behind me and saw the smoke channeling in instead of out and knew what was about to happen and started running and broke through a paper window and we fell with an explosion above us as we fell.

I saved us on time.

I rolled on the shallow snow after we fell about twenty feet. The sun shined directly in my face and fresh air filled my lungs as a groan escaped my lips. I lifted my head to see Zane and Laurie were out of my grasps and saw their unconscious bodies sliding down on the icy surface. My blood turned to ice as they were heading for a cliff. Quicking gaining my balance, I launched myself to the smooth surface to slide like I was a penguin. When I reached Zane, I quickly drew out a sai and struck it into the sleeve of his sweater and ice and watched it tug as I slid past him to see him stop. One down. One to go. Laurie's body was starting to gain speed and closer to the cliffedge and felt my heart skip a few rhythmatic beats as it was almost her doom. I used my feet to kick faster and finally reached her and grabbed her left hand with my right and we both were heading for the cliff. Without hesistation, I drew out my sai, flipped my body to be on my back, and struck the blade into the ice and felt it tug on something.

I screamed in pain as we finally stopped with my body at the ledge while Laurie was dangling to life and death. My arms felt like they were ripped out of their sockets, but kept my grip on my sai and her. I felt adrenaline course my veins and slowly twisted my body away while grunting as I pulled the limp girl up. Once I felt her body against mine, I continued to pull her up and laid her next to me; away from the cliff. I removed my mask to breathe heavily to the cold air and watched the destruction I caused to the large dojo erupt as the fire spread. I lifted my head to see Zane's eyes open as slits with a small smile. "Thank you." he said quietly and passed out.

...

I have been traveling down the mountain slope for hours now. Both Zane and Laurie haven't woken up after we escaped as they laid on the homemade gurney I made from the now ruins of the monastery while I pulled it behind me with my blanket over their bodies. The trek down was a bit dangerous for the three of us as they tend to slip off and I had to quickly place them back on. I was relieved as I came to a small village in the mountains near a forest, not Jamanakai Village, and was escorted to the shaman as he took Zane and Laurie in. As I waited, I began to think of the future. Kai, Jay, Cole, Zane, and Laurie. The other elemental ninjas. And one of them has to be the Green Ninja. I'll have to face the facts that in the future I'll be facing them as the apprentice of Lord Garmadon. I wish I can make it all go away.

My ears perked up at the sound of feet shuffling and turned to the elderly man as he stood by the door. "They will be safe." he prompted and disappeared back. I quickly sat up from my chair and followed after him. I saw him tending to Zane's burns as he and Laurie laid on the cots and were still unconscious. My heart ached to see them like this. But was relieved as they were safe. "Thank you for finding Zane." the shamen said. "We've been searching for him."

They know him? "You know him?" I inquired.

"Yes." he answered. "You see, we adopted Zane. The entire village did. He was wondering around alone with no memory other than knowing his name. So we brought him in and took care of him. But we have no idea who this girl is." he sighed. "Sadly, they won't remember you or what happened." What? "They both recieved a blow to the head to forget what happened to them. Zane woke up and thought it was morning. The girl, however, thinks it's May and she's looking for her father."

I was stunned. I blame myself for this. I inflicted pain on Laurie to stop the fight and caused the fire to harm Zane. Now they won't remember me or each other or the Assassins of the Night. That should be a good thing though. Just wish there was a way for me to forget them too. All of them. "I see." I murmured.

The shaman looked at me with a concern look. "I sense something is troubling you." he said.

I sighed. There was. "There is." I said while sitting on a chair against the wall. "I too wish to forget what happened. What I saw. What I did. And who I met." I looked at the elderly man. "Is there anything that will...make me forget the events."

The elder's head snapped up and looked at me with a raised grey eyebrow. "There is." he replied. "But why would you request for such a powerful thing?"

So there was a way. I sighed though. "Because...because I fear that in the future, I may hurt those that I met." I replied and walked up to him and stare at his sunken dark eyes. "Please. If you have anything to help, I need it."

The elder looked into my pleading hazel grey eyes and nodded. He walked over to a shelf and picked up a ming vase and removed the ceramic lip to reveal white powder. He sighed and took a handful and walked back to me. "This will help you forget the names and events that have happened." he said lowly. "But you won't forget on what happened to you or what you may gained in the events. Maybe except the fire, but nothing else. Just say the names of those you wish to forget. Remember, there's no turning back."

I nodded and looked at Laurie. "Wait." I stopped him. "Make sure she's somewhere far from this area and I request to wake up in the Forest of Tranquility." The elder nodded. I walked over to Zane and removed the leaf from his vest and placed it in my pouch and stood in the center of the room. I drew a deep breath and closed my eyes. "Kai. Nya. Jay. Cole. Zane. Laurie." I felt something hit my face and I breathed in the powder deeply. I struggled to open my eyes and had them as slits and everything was cloudy. I started to feel unbalanced and weak and my legs collapsed and I saw darkness.

...

"Lucas!" a familiar voice shouted. "Wake up!"

I slowly opened my eyes to find myself in a forest with the sun setting. Where am I? I slowly sat up with my back popping in the process. I felt something heavy on my lap and realized it was my backpack and my golden sai's were in there with normal ones. Where did these come from? I felt something heavy in my pouch and reached into to pull out the item and saw it was the glass jar of black powder to create smoke and the leaves that render people unconscious. I remember where I got them, but what happened? I noticed I was dressed in my suit and noticed it had burn marks and I don't remember where I got them. Was I in a fire to save someone or something?

"Lucas!" Garmadon shouted. I turned to my head to stare at his shadow. His red eyes were burning through me as he was angry at me. For what? "Where have you been!?"

That's the thing though. Where have I been? I have no memory. I looked at him a confused and worried look. "I...I...I don't remember..."


Well we now know why Lucas doesn't remember them in the future. Again thank you Kaitoukiwi for letting me use Laurie in my story for this to happen. I hoped you all enjoyed the review and soundtrack I have chosen to go along. Find out next week what happens now that Lucas doesn't remember the others. Plus I'm back in school now, SENIOR YEAR! WHOA! so my updates may or not be late depends on what happens throughout the week. Anyway, again I hoped you enjoy the chapter and see you next week. Have a wonderful weekend. :)