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Chapter 3: Two Prisoner's for The Price of One

Elsewhere; A long time ago...

The whales were a problem. Not the problem she had been prepared for, but also not the type where she was helpless to defend herself. The crashing waves had left her vessel in a less-than-desirable condition, but her know-how on deck kept the small ship above water just enough to stay adrift a few moments longer.

If only I had my dragon... She had begun to think to herself, but she knew that rabbit hole would lead nowhere. It was made very clear to her that the only way past this terror of nature was directly through it, and she had no intention of testing the word of a few scoundrels with a reputation of knowing the true dangers of Ninjago's hidden treasures.

The two whales split off from one another now. She knew what that had meant, but only a fleeting moment to gather her thoughts and respond before the smaller of the two circled towards the boat's starboard-side and the larger sped towards its stern.

The larger one was faster, but the other was closer and easier to take care of from the side. It took her but a moment to steer the boat to the right, facing the younger whale directly. Taken by surprise, it slowed down, but not enough before another great wave carried it up and sent it crashing down upon the boat's deck.

"DAMMIT!" The impact had begun to split the ship, but she had no time to react before the larger whale smashed into the back, pushing it forward at ramming speed. "HEY! HEY!" Against her better judgement, she let go of the helm and looked over the helm to try to call it off through the high winds. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!?"

She took out her blade and pointed it at the whale's head, meeting its gaze. It slowed down enough to keep the boat from going under the water, but kept its head against the stern. Its only other response was a loud MMMOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNN, to which she heard the smaller whale respond in a higher pitched MMOOAANN. Then the obvious truth clicked inside her head.

"He's your cub!" She considered her options. These whales were just trying to sink her vessel, but she was warned that it was in their nature. Just as she was compelled to come here, they were compelled to keep out invaders.

She seathed her blade and approached the struggling cub whale. Even through the chaos around them, she managed to soothe him with her voice and hand against his forehead. "Shhhh, shhhhh."

The cub let out a cheerful MMMMM, and the mother in turn began to slowly speed back up, just enough to get the boat moving forward towards the storm's center without driving it underwater.

"Okay, momma whale... once we get there, I'll reunite you with your cub. But let's get this baby to the beach first!" The mother let out an exclamatory sound of approval as the ship had kicked into high gear. So they were right, she thought. The creatures of the endless sea are more than mindless beasts. The perhaps the stories are true.

In the far distance, she saw a light tear through the black clouds of the hellstorm. It was just within her reach, and then it would finally be over.

The dark forces that had created the surrounding storm beckoned her, and she answered. But not because of what others would have seen here. The wind, the waves... child's play. It was the heart of the storm, the cause of such destruction that she had sought. But her past struggles and sacrifices would have been pointless if the storm took her now. Her promises to her former enemies and friends alike would mean nothing if she couldn't find its heart. Her newfound allegiances would be but the forgotten chapters of Ninjago's great history if she continues to deteriorate... and she would have failed him too.

*NOW*

Lloyd was not hard to convince. Like Zane, he had learned to trust Jays judgement in matters such as this. But like Pixal, the rest of the council had reservations. Not that Jay blamed them; he already let Chen out of his well-deserved confinement to aide him in his quest. But if the former lackey of the Overlord was telling the truth, they required help of the magical variety...

And Ninjago only had one source of that power after the fall of the Dark Army.

Jay walked through the vengestone-lined underground halls towards the cell door at the end, his chained prisoner at his side as they passed several other doors.

"I still cannot believe you convinced your precious Council to do this, Master of Lightning." Chen's surprise was not unwarranted, but after the unexpected support of the newest Council member, Clutch Powers, the others cautiously agreed to allow him the opportunity.

"Just keep your mouth shut until I say otherwise, understood? I know how you think, Chen. The Vengestone around us won't stop me from making things very uncomfortable if need be. You try to pull a fast one in there, and I take out my blade again."

The old man faked a crestfallen look of disappointment. "Oh, me? I would never!" As they got to the last cell, Jay nodded at the security camera, giving the security staff in the control tower several hundred feet above them the go-ahead.

The door opened remotely, allowing the two of them to enter the small room as they looked down to the transparent vase. In it they could see green smoke and the strectched face of the former Captain of the Misfortune's Keep.

A low, distant growl of discuss could be heard as the pirate looked at Jay. It sounded almost as if it was cutting through static from a far-away tv with a bad signal. "Chennn... what are youuu doing?"

Surprisingly, he looked to Jay for approval to speak before answering the question. After Jay gave a slight nod, he stepped forward. "Nadakhan, my comrade... I have come to honor my oath to you. But first, you have a wish to grant." Jay raised an eyebrow at the last remark but stayed quiet.

The Djinn returned his stretched-out gaze back to Jay. "If you think I would ever willingly help the bastard who ruined everything for us, you truly have lost your mind in your cell-"

"As I understand it, you don't have much of a choice when you hear someone's wish, Djinn" Jay cut in.

A flash of anger permeated on Nadakhans face. "YOU DARE-"

"Unless the wish involves love, death or more wishes. I know the deal. But my wish is simpler, and you may very well appreciate the few moments of fresh air it will grant you."

Nadakhan's glare didn't cease. "It doesn't matter. So long as I am sealed within this vase, I am unable to perform any wish magic, even if I heard it./ Your witch friends saw to that when they encased me."

Jay didn't skip a beat. "But if you were to released by the incantation those same witches taught me, that would change." NOW Nadakhan looked surprised. "Don't get ahead of yourself, Captain. You'd still be tethered to it as you once were with the Teapot of Tyrahn. Wherever it goes, you go."

"HRGGG... Curse you, Jay Walker." Chen stepped forward, breaking his silence again. "Now, now Captain. Jay has allowed you a concession by bringing you to the spot where the wish would affect. As we all know, he could choose to just make the wish within this cell and be done with it."

"Hmmm..." The pirate was calculating his choices, as Jay knew he would. As a master of deception of manipulation similar to Chen, it wouldn't be in Nadakhan's nature to blindly accept the option that was so obviously the better of the two. "And why is that?"

"Take it as you will, Captain-"

"STOP CALLING ME THAT!" The vase shook slightly, as if Nadakhan's anger itself was able to release him. Chen took a slight step back in hesitation, but Jay didn't relent. "I am Captain of NOTHING! My crew, my friends... dead. My ship destroyed. My pride diminished. You have taken EVERYTHING from me, Ninja."

"Not everything, Nadakhan. You still have your life, for what little worth you may give it. And as for your ship..." He walked forward at a surprising pace, picking up the vase and turning back to the cell's entrance. "That's where you come in."

Ninjago City was home to a number of ports connected to the Endless Sea. The main harbor doubled as a spaceport since Jay's resurgence and his forces established a peace with the Republic, but the smaller ports were mainly used for the city's inhabitants, save one.

In the last year, Borg Industries purchased the warehouse complex that the Dark Army utilized as slaughterhouse before dumping bodies into the sea. The small port it connected to was now home to a few smaller boats used by police and Royal Guards, but the area was left alone for the most part after it was cleansed.

But today, the warehouse was chock-full of hundreds of thousands of old ship pieces, categorized into two distinct piles. The smaller of the two had several red-painted wood pieces and most of a dragon masthead, inidicating its makeup as the remnants of Borg's rebuilt Destiny's Bounty. The larger pile contained orange metallic plating, exposed wire, and several skeleton-head pirate logos painted on wood. The Misfortune's Keep.

Borg, Zane and Pixal were already waiting in the warehouse when Jay entered, carrying Nadakhan's vase with Chen at his side. "Cyrus. Thank you for trusting me on this. Will the others be joining us?"

"I'm afraid Emperor Lloyd and the rest of the Council are busy governing the realm, Admiral Walker. But there is no need to thank me, I'm certain Zane and Pixal all the backup you could possibly need against a trapped Djinn and an old man." Chen scowled at that last remark.

"Heh. Perhaps you're right. Zane, if you wouldn't mind?" The titanium Master of Ice nodded and pressed a big red button a the remote in his hand, opening up the warehouse bay doors connecting it to the sea.

"Alright..." Jay placed the vase down and took a few steps back, signaling the others to do so as well. Closing his eyes, he recited the incantation the witches taught him, mimicking their deep voices in doing so.

"Ghoulu. Makto. Foruna." Strands of his red hair began to levitate upwards, an invisible wind circling around him before making its way towards the vase. Dust parted in its path as it began to shake the vase, until the magic that kept it sealed relented and allowed the top to slowly lift itself off of the jar.

A puff of orange smoke sprang from the open space, alerting Cyrus to nearly topple over backwards in fear as Zane and Pixal took out shurikens and sai from their sleeves. Chen and Jay stayed put, knowing that the Djinn couldn't do any harm.

As the smoke dissipated, Nadakhan's full figure could be made out once again. "Hrrrmm..." He stretched out all four arms with a solemn grin. "Ahhhh. Fresh air. Now-" Opening his eyes, he attempted to lunge forward towards Jay but halted in place. Looking back, he and everyone else saw that the orange whisps of his lower half still trailed back into the vase, keeping him on a short leash.

"It's as I told you, Nadakhan." The pirate looked back angrily at Jay. "You cannot escape the vase without the proper magic."

Acknowledging his defeat, he backed away and turned towards the two large piles of ship wreckage, then the two Nindroids with their weapons. "Very well... I suppose you have your wish at the ready, then?"

"Yes. Nadkahan, I wi-"

"I wish to see our deal upheld Nadakhan!" Chen blurted out before Jay could react.

I'll have the next chapter up as soon as I am able y'all!