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Chapter 20
Gone
Feet pounding on the floor, Nya ran as fast as she could. Skeletal guards chased her through the dank corridors of the Underworld. Her old wounds threatened to reopen as she slid under a closing door. Pulling herself upright, she ran until she saw the portal, open and calling her name. Garmadon's forces surrounded her from all sides. She swung her fists, then her legs. As skulkin after another fell to the ground, the hiss of the portal closing threatened to stop her heart.
Two skulkin blocked her path. She kicked them in their skeletal privates, making them crumple to the stone below. Jumping over their limp bodies, she dove for the portal.
Kai scooped more dung off the floor and flung it into the pile behind him.
"Whoa! Watch where you're swingin' that thing!" Kai gave Cole a quick look over his shoulder, the man's hands held up in mock surrender.
Kai resumed his work.
"So? Are you in?" Cole asked.
"In for what?" Another shovel.
"The guys and I are going to Jamanakai Village for some miso soup. You wanna come?"
"Uh... no thanks, I'll pass." Cole rolled his eyes. Leaning his arm on Kai's dragon's snout, he looked at Kai with understanding.
"All you do is train. It's time to go out - have some fun!"
"In case you haven't noticed, we're still not any closer to finding my sister."
"I know, I know. But if all you do is train, you're gonna burn yourself out. Come on - Flame thinks it's a good idea. Don't y'u boy?" Flame moved his head, as if to nod in agreement. He nuzzled Cole's head. "See? Now, come on. Don't tell me you're not dying to try some of that miso." Kai gave him a look. Putting down the shovel, he heaved a heavy sigh of resignation.
"All right - fine. I'll go. But as soon as we get back, I'm training." Cole gave him a smug grin.
Cole's grin vanished. Jamanakai village sat in flames, it's once-scenic visage now covered in smoke and ash. The others helped him put the fires out, Zane's ice dragon coming in handy. There were few casualties, but the mourning cries of children and others who had lost their loved ones broke his heart all the same. A little girl hugged her mother's soot-stained body, limp and too heavy for her to carry. Her father tried to pull her off, but she refused. She was pulled off kicking and screaming, crying out for her mommy. Cole bristled.
"Is that everyone?" Kai asked.
"I think so, but there were a few casualties," Zane said, sad but focused.
"Who would do something like this?" Jay asked.
"Well, whoever they are, I'd sure like to give them a taste of their own medicine," Kai said, anger birthing in his stomach.
"Getting revenge won't solve anything," Cole said, being the voice of reason. "Let's just get these people out of here and to a hospital." Tbey didn't miss the resigned anger in which he said it. They looked at him, but didn't say anything.
"Where are we gonna find a hospital around here?" Kai objected.
"There are some modern hospitals in Ninjago City," Zane offered.
"Then we'll go there," Cole said.
"But how are we going to get all these people there?" Jay asked. Cole thought for a moment.
"We'll have to fly them."
"Again, I ask: how are we gonna get all of them there?!" Jay shrieked, perturbed.
"We'll have to take multiple trips," Cole decided. "We'll stop when everyone's there."
"How will they get home?" Zane asked.
"No time. We need to get them there now. We'll figure it out later. Come on."
They loaded the people up one by one, taking trips to the capitol. They worked until everyone was there, safe and ready to be treated or receiving treatment. They stayed until the doctors were done. Some of the villagers had to be kept overnight, while other were free to go home. After leaving with a promise to come back for them the next day, the ninja took the ones who could leave back to the hills of Jamanakai.
Back at the monastery, they ate in unsettled silence as the candlelight glowed.
"What should we do?" Jay piped up.
"The police are working on it, Jay. There's nothing we can do."
"Unless they call us back as witnesses," Zane pointed out.
"Do they even need us for that?" Jay asked.
"Who cares? We just need to find out who set the fire. End of story," Kai mentioned angrily.
"We don't need to do anything," Cole said. "Kai, we're just as upset at you are. But revenge isn't the answer."
"Revenge?" Kai balked. "This is justice we're talking about, Cole! All these people could have died!"
"But they didn't," Cole said. "We were there to help."
"And what if we hadn't been? What would have happened then? Huh?!" Cole didn't answer his question. His silence was answer enough. Kai groaned, exasperated.
"I need some air."
Kai stepped into the courtyard, deciding his rage was better-suited dealing blows than escalating towards his friends. He stopped. Friends? Is that really what he thought of them? He shook his head. The punching dummy before him absorbed two more blows as he brooded. The moon didn't shine above him, and no stars were out. The torches flickered dangerously. Sensei Wu opened the door.
"Kai, we need to-" he stopped. Kai was gone.