CHAPTER TWENTY

DISCOVERIES

CHEN'S TRAINING SCHEDULE WAS RIGOROUS, and Hiro was beginning to wonder if he had made the right choice in accepting Clouse's offer to compete in the tournament.

It had been a few weeks—Hiro had settled into his life on the island. The meals were fresh and always served on time. He had been given perhaps the darkest room on the island, the only light came from the windows of the door that led to the balcony; there wasn't a single other light in the room, shadows cast in every corner, which would be convenient if there wasn't a part of Hiro that was still scared of the dark. His bed, at least, gave him some warmth that contrasted with the coldness of his room—the mattress bigger than any he'd had before, blankets and sheets soft to the touch.

It was the only real comfort in the room. The walls were painted black, the closet a simple, small space. There wasn't even a TV—not that Hiro would use it, but the thought would have been nice. Overall, Hiro wasn't a fan of his room, but if it kept him out of the jungle's heat, he would grit his teeth and bare it. And it's not as though he spent too much time in the room itself anyway, given that Chen had him training his powers most hours of the day, every single day besides Fridays, when even Chen himself needed a break.

It was that Friday that Hiro heard the ferry dock in the harbor.

Clouse had left four days prior, sharing a knowing look with Chen during breakfast before he disappeared. Hiro didn't have to be as intelligent as the Master of Ice to know that it meant Zane was finally being brought to the island, which meant it was finally Hiro's chance to get them both back to Ninjago. He had been here for almost a month and it was time to get Zane back home—to Zane's home. Hiro wasn't sure if he was going to be allowed back, but he would at least get Zane back to the people that could keep him safe.

The ferry's bell rang as it came to a stop.

Hiro was in the shadows within a moment, focusing on the training Chen had put him through. If he could envision a place, he could use the shadows to travel between locations—an exhausting ability. Hiro hadn't yet been able to do it twice in a row, but if that's what he needed to do to rescue Zane, then he would do it. It didn't matter what happened to him so long as Zane was brought back home safely.

Hiro appeared in the shadows of the trees, crouching behind shrubbery as he looked at the dock. Chen was standing in front of the boat with Clouse looking down at him. And behind Clouse, bound by ropes that he should have easily been able to escape from, was Zane—and Pixal. Which meant Hiro had to muster enough energy to get the three of them to Ninjago despite the weariness already pulling at his bones. Zane would never forgive Hiro if he left Pixal behind, and Hiro didn't have anything against her, so there was no reason not to save her too.

Some of Chen's minions led Zane and Pixal onto the dock, Clouse following behind. Chen was gripping the staff that Hiro had never seen him without—a dark blue handle with a golden disc at the top, in front of a snake skull with a crystal orb in its jaws, held there by a pair of fangs. Hiro had questioned Chen about it on his first night on the island and was told it was simply to help Chen move around.

Hiro knew he was being lied to, but when Chen pointed the staff toward Zane, he realized just how much of the puzzle he was missing.

"This won't hurt a bit!" Chen said cheerily as he held the staff in front of Zane. A mist of blue and white began to leave Zane, the Master of Ice crying out in pain as Chen— . . . did whatever he was doing.

Hiro made to move forward to put an end to the pain Zane was experiencing before he was suddenly pinned down, a cold, almost rocky texture wrapping around his wrists. He was pulled up and caught a glance of more of Chen's men over his shoulder as they pushed him further up the dock, toward Chen and the others. Hiro was forced to his knees at Zane's side and glared up at Chen as the older man finished hurting Zane.

"What did you do?" he demanded, glancing at Zane, who shot him a smile despite what he had just gone through. Hiro felt disconnected from his body at that moment, realizing that it was Zane—alive. Zane, alive. Zane was alive.

Hiro looked back at Chen and attempted to use his powers over people's bodies to move everyone away from them and give Zane and Hiro time to get up. But nothing happened. Everything was muffled.

Hiro inhaled sharply, realizing he had stopped breathing some time before. His lungs ached as they refilled. Hiro tried again to use his powers, but Chen simply grinned at him, shaking his head. "Vengestone," he said. "Do you like it? It completely stops someone from being able to use their powers!" He giggled like a kid on Christmas morning. "You may not believe it, Avashiro, but I am not a stupid man. Of course, you would go after your friend when he arrived! I'm surprised you even tried. You had to have known it would be a trap!"

"You didn't answer my question," Hiro snapped, not in the mood to entertain a man much older than he was. Whatever game Chen was playing wouldn't be won right then, but Hiro was sure he could figure out how to get himself, Zane, and Pixal off the island before nightfall.

"You assumed you and the robots could leave the island once they arrived. I never said you and your friend would leave this island with your powers," Chen dismissed with a wave of his hand. Hiro clenched his jaw, glowering at the older man. Chen grinned. "Besides, you should be glad! Zane is alive and you will have your powers taken, just as he has." He knelt in front of Hiro, ignoring the snarl Hiro threw his way. "You'll have to keep those cuffs on until we're sure that you won't find Zane and disappear from this island before it's time. Maybe longer, depending on who you try to hurt!"

"Why do you even need his powers?" Hiro demanded.

Chen grinned a wide smile that was more sinister than friendly. "If I told you that, you might be able to stop me before my vision is finalized. And I can't have that, Master of Darkness. It's just not in Destiny's plan."

Hiro twisted his hands in the cuffs, the cold stone rubbing his skin raw. He turned his glare onto Clouse, who simply shrugged, not looking bothered. Hiro knew it was too much to hope that Clouse would realize how insane Chen was, but there was still a part of Hiro who wanted someone on his side at this moment.

"Shiro," Zane said, pulling Hiro's attention toward him. He smiled weakly, clearly fighting back exhaustion, which terrified Hiro—Zane wasn't human. He wasn't even alive. He shouldn't be able to be tired. "We'll figure this out. Stay strong."

"I'll get you off this island," Hiro told him, trying to keep his voice steady. "Stay alive."

Chen scoffed, waving at his minions to grab Zane. "How cute of you two. Anyway, Avashiro—we must get back to training." He smiled thinly. "I'll have Clouse look over your training today. Maybe, if you're good, we'll let Zane have dinner with us."

Hiro watched as Zane was dragged out of the room, the awful truth beginning to dawn on him—he was going to have to wait for the Ninja to rescue not only Zane, but him, too.

( BIRTHRIGHT — TOURNAMENT OF ELEMENTS )

Clouse took him into the training room without anyone else around, which was his first mistake.

As soon as the doors were closed, Hiro had Clouse against the wall with his powers, the cuffs having been taken off only minutes before. Clouse, for his credit, looked unimpressed, bored with Hiro's antics, and it took everything in Hiro not to burn him from the inside out then and there. There were much better ways to figure out what Chen's plan was without killing someone.

"You lied to me," Hiro hissed.

Clouse shrugged. "I did no such thing. You assumed that by coming to the island, we would let you leave with the Master of Ice. Or maybe you believed that we didn't predict you would try to escape." He smiled coyly, making the anger in Hiro's gut burn brighter. "Master Chen has a plan. A tournament will happen with or without you, Shiro, so do figure out if you're going to kill me now or later. But we already have Zane's powers. One way or another, Chen will gather yours."

"What is he planning?" Hiro demanded.

"If I told you his plan so easily, I wouldn't be Chen's right-hand man," Clouse told him. "Maybe you can stop him if you train yourself enough. Or maybe it will be useless in the end. But you know I was not lying about Zane being alive. You cannot hurt me for lies I didn't tell Shiro."

Hiro took a deep breath, letting Clouse go. If he held him any longer, the exhaustion he was already feeling would intensify tenfold—and he wasn't sure he could keep controlling his anger without it spilling over and hurting Clouse. Hiro wanted to hurt him, but he didn't know his own strength when he was emotional. He could kill Clouse, and as appealing as the concept was, the thought of becoming even more similar to his father made Hiro sick.

Clouse fell to the floor and dusted himself off as he stood. "Now," he said, looking at Hiro. "I leave for Ninjago in a week to deliver letters to the Masters. Are you going to join me, or should I be worried about you running off to warn the Ninja?"

Hiro scowled at him. "Are you going to put a leash on me the entire time, or can I walk away?"

Clouse smiled coyly. "If you prove that I can at least trust you not to run away, maybe I'll give you some freedom." He clapped his hands. "Now! Let's see how well you do with climbing."

( BIRTHRIGHT — TOURNAMENT OF ELEMENTS )

The sky was dark, fog settling over the docks as Hiro stood on the dock. Strangers surrounded him, each of them possessing a different element. And at the front, gathering in a group that was one member short, was the Ninja.

Hiro pulled his hood closer to his face, staring at them. He hoped Lloyd wouldn't recognize him—it had been a mistake to go to Zane's statue yesterday, but he hadn't been there when it was built. He hadn't been able to visit the memorial until he was back in Ninjago, and he'd taken the chance. He didn't know that Lloyd would be there. He'd gotten too close. Hopefully, Lloyd hadn't gotten close enough to recognize him in the cover of the night's darkness.

Kai glanced over Lloyd's shoulder, expression changing from exasperated to annoyed when he saw Hiro. Hiro had half a mind to flip him off before realizing that he wasn't meant to be blowing his cover this early—he wasn't supposed to reveal his identity at all, really, so he quickly turned away, stepping closer to the group of Elementalists in the hopes of blending in with them. Kai had seen him and probably pointed him out to the others, but that didn't mean he had been recognized. The fact that Lloyd wasn't running over to confront him for leaving was just evidence of that.

"What's your power?" a bearded man asked, leaning against a wooden staff as he stared at Hiro. Hiro frowned in response before realizing the man was genuine.

"Darkness," he stated, looking away. "Yours?"

"Nature," the man said with a laugh. He held out his hand. "My name is Bolobo."

After a moment, Hiro shook his hand. "Tashashi," he muttered, the name he had chosen as his identity for the tournament. "How'd Chen convince you to participate?" It was obvious how he'd gotten the Ninja to agree to the tournament—the same way he'd gotten Hiro to agree. Zane, and the promise of Zane's life.

Bolobo smiled. "He said the winner would get a trophy and be given the title of the best Elemental Master. That, and I've never met people like me. I figured it was a good chance for us Elemental Masters to get to know each other better." Hiro nodded along, glad Bolobo couldn't see the suspicious look on his face. Maybe the man was being genuine, but it was more than likely that Hiro was being lied to. No one participated in things for fun. Not in this world.

Chen's ferry pulled up the docks, just as obnoxious as it was when it'd brought Zane to the island. Minions lowered a plank to allow the Masters to step onto the ferry. though before anyone could get on, Clouse walked down to the dock, looking over the group with an appraising glance. The group of Masters moved forward to hear him speak, and Hiro had no choice but to follow.

"Careful where you step," Clouse told him, smirking at Hiro. Hiro clenched his jaw and moved past him, stepping onto the plank and up into the ferry.

The Masters that had gotten on before him spoke with each other, mingling as Clouse welcomed more of them onto the boat. Hiro stood by the railing, near some shadows cast by the string lights of the ferry, as he watched Clouse take nunchucks out of Jay's bag. Hiro resisted the urge to shake his head—of course, Jay would be the one to break the no-weapons-allowed rule that Chen had put in place. Judging from the way Lloyd facepalmed, he'd had the same thought.

Jay laughed, muttering something to Clouse that Hiro couldn't hear. A few seconds later, Clouse threw the nunchucks into the ocean before stepping aside to allow the Ninja onboard.

"Lloyd, wait!"

Hiro's head snapped up, eyes widening. Garmadon was approaching the ferry from the other end of the docks, staring at his son. Hiro took a step back before fully turning away and moving to the other side of the ferry, not in the mood for . . . any of this. The Ninja he had prepared himself to deal with; but Garmadon? They'd hardly left things on a good note. If Garmadon followed them to the island, this whole mission was about to get even more complicated.

He found a pile of crates and sat on one that touched the ground, swinging his legs in boredom. He could use the shadows to get to the island and maybe get a few hours of sleep, but there wasn't a reason to reveal his abilities yet. Especially when the Ninja knew that he could move through the shadows.

A man with arms made of metal began to repeatedly punch a nearby barrel, the sound making Hiro cringe internally; he turned his focus to Bolobo, who was showing off his power of nature by growing plants, an arguably much better use of the time it'll take to get from Ninjago to Chen's island.

"Your friends like to cause trouble," Clouse noted as he stood next to Hiro. Hiro glanced at the Ninja as they wandered around the deck, offering the older man a shrug. He noted that Garmadon was with the group and turned his gaze back to the floor.

"They can sense your bullshit," he said simply. Clouse scowled at him. Hiro smirked and looked over at the Ninja again. Jay quickly hid behind Kai, Hiro having caught the blue ninja staring at him. Garmadon murmured something to the group and Lloyd nodded in understanding, not taking his eyes off of Hiro. Hiro turned away before Lloyd could begin to figure out who he was under the cloak, sliding off the crate and heading around the corner.

Lloyd was going to be the reason this mission failed. Hiro was already sure of it—Lloyd had to recognize him from Zane's memorial. And if he didn't, he was starting to suspect that the cloaked person he'd seen at Zane's statue was the same one that had been staring at the Ninja on the ferry. If Hiro wasn't careful, he was going to get caught—but he was always reckless around Lloyd. It wasn't fair.

There was a shout behind him, Kai's voice ringing out. Hiro tensed, looking over his shoulder to see if the Master of Fire had decided to confront him for his staring earlier. Instead, he saw Kai being lifted into the air by the man with the metal arms, squirming as the man—Karlof—shouted at him. Hiro smirked and turned away again, moving to the other side of the ferry to get away from the commotion.

He didn't get too far before someone was tapping his shoulder. Hiro turned to one of the Elementalists with a frown, looking him over; his skin was grey and if Hiro focused enough, he could almost see through him. The man held out his hand. "Shade, Master of Shadow. Bolobo was telling me that you're the Master of Darkness," he explained. Hiro reluctantly shook his hand. "I was wondering what your abilities are. I want to compare what we can do and see how similar our elements are." His voice was rough like he'd lived years breathing in smoke. Hiro found it difficult to look at him when the man was almost see-through.

"We should compare after the tournament," Hiro muttered. "I don't think anyone should be giving away their abilities if they plan to win."

Shade waved his hand as if dismissing Hiro's concerns. "Maybe you're right." He grinned. "See you on the battlefield then, huh?"

Hiro nodded. "Good luck," he said, turning away from the man and continuing his walk to the other end of the ferry.

The sun was beginning to rise, turning the sky a lighter blue and taking the stars with it. Hiro leaned against the railing, looking out over the ocean. The bad memories were still there—being stabbed by Wu, almost drowning in the ocean while trying to help Lloyd get to land. The thought of his stab wound made Hiro shift uncomfortably as he pressed a hand against his side, where the stitches had been replaced by a large scar. It hadn't been fun, letting Clouse take out the stitches when it was time, but he supposed it was better than getting an infection.

Clouse had been different a few weeks ago. Hiro knew it was an act—it always was with the bad guys. But it still felt nice to see the concern on someone's face when they finally took a good look at him. Hiro hadn't needed to survive on the streets thanks to Clouse taking him to Chen's island early. He figured he would be in much worse shape if Clouse had waited—he might even be dead, considering you needed money to survive in the city and Hiro's face had become too well-known to get a job anywhere. On his first day back in Ninjago, Hiro had seen the flyers Lloyd had put up—too many. If Hiro wasn't recognized by an average civilian on sight, then he would worry about their eyesight.

"Almost there," Clouse said, appearing at Hiro's side. Hiro shot him an irritated look, half-tempted to throw the man overboard if it meant five minutes of alone time. "Ten minutes, maybe. Prepare for the Jadeblade search. You know where to find yours?"

"The rafters," Hiro muttered. "Still easy to climb?"

"Yes. Focus on yourself and not the others." He moved away from Hiro and headed toward the front of the ship. "And be careful. I'll be using my magic throughout the event. Don't get caught in it."

Hiro gave him a sarcastic salute, watching Clouse turn the corner before he went back to looking across the ocean.

The others. The Ninja. Clouse would be using his magic against them, and Hiro had to make sure he didn't win.

( BIRTHRIGHT — TOURNAMENT OF ELEMENTS )

The island was an impressive view, even Hiro could admit. It felt like everything towered over you, making you realize just how small you were in the face of the universe. Hiro liked the gold—when it reflected, it didn't hurt his eyes, dull from years of being in the sun while still keeping the shape of beautiful sculptures and art. Chen seemed particularly inclined toward depictions of the Serpentine, if the way he dressed himself was anything to go by.

Clouse got off the ferry first, leading the Masters into Chen's temple. He turned to face them all, raising his arms. "Welcome to Chen's Island," he announced. "The Tournament of Elements welcomes its brave fighters." Hiro watched as Garmadon stepped off the boat, walking over to Clouse. The two exchanged words that Hiro couldn't hear, but judging from the way Clouse rolled his eyes and turned away, it seemed the two had more history than either was willing to admit.

Hiro got off the ship after the Ninja, hurrying to catch up with Clouse before anyone in the group could recognize him. Clouse kept a quick pace as he led the Masters into the temple, no doubt eager to get some rest after the long night, and Hiro kept in pace with him. He didn't know anyone in the group besides the Ninja, and he wasn't exactly taking a number to talk to them.

"Chen won't allow a moment of rest," Clouse muttered to him. "And he won't appreciate alliances being made so early." He gave Hiro a look. Hiro rolled his eyes and looked away.

The group reached the inside of the monastery and sat down, everyone looking at each other. Hiro found a place beside Bolobo, deciding that the man had been kind enough to him for Hiro to feel comfortable enough. Bolobo shot him a smile that Hiro didn't have the energy to return, instead nodding to him. He clenched his hands into fists in his lap, reminding himself that he wasn't here to make friends—he was here to rescue one.

One of Chen's minions sounded a gong, causing the conversations around Hiro to pause. Music blasted through the room as Clouse stepped forward, raising his arms toward the ceiling. "All rise for Master Chen," he said, looking up as he spoke.

A chair descended, held up by ropes. Chen sat atop it, the skull of an Anacondrai snake on top of his head. Beside his chair was a set of buttons that Hiro had come to understand controlled parts of the monastery. Chen had too many traps for Hiro to keep track of, but from what he knew, no part of the ground was safe. If Chen wanted you gone, he wasn't going to take any chances.

Hiro stood with the others, looking up at Chen as the chair came to a rest. "Welcome to the Tournament of Elements!" Chen greeted. "Now everyone can all di—" The door behind them slammed shut. Hiro rolled his eyes. "—rect your attention to me!" Chen laughed. If Hiro hadn't heard him practicing that line for the last week in preparation for this event, he might've been unsettled.

The group sat down again. Hiro wished they had been allowed to stay standing—he didn't know when Chen would begin taking everyone's powers, but he didn't want to be caught off guard. It would be hard to fight back if he was sitting down when the attack began.

"Never before have so many Elemental Fighters been under one roof," Chen said, stepping off of his chair. "I see Master of Fire, Earth, Shadow, Speed, even a prophesied Green Savior!" He turned his attention to Garmadon. "And a former pupil has returned." Finally, he looked at Hiro, who realized with a start that Chen was going to directly call him out. So much for subtle. "And of course, Tashashi Suoh, the Master of Darkness," Chen finished, nodding to him.

Hiro narrowed his eyes at Chen. He knew the man was mocking him, but he could have at least tried not to call attention to Hiro. Now people were staring, trying to see the face under the cloak, and Hiro was sure Chen's little callout was going to bite him in the ass during the tournament.

Chen hit the gong once more, drawing everyone's attention to him. "This symbol before you is for the Anacondrai, fiercest Serpentine warrior to ever roam this land. Its creed: Only one can remain." He rang the gong again, but this time to reveal a hidden bracket beneath. It held pictures of the Elemental Masters on the island, showing who would be fighting who in the tournament. Hiro was against Karlof—but if he managed to get the metal man out in the first event, he might be able to have a day off.

"Behold," Chen called out. Clouse held up a Jadeblade to the crowd, showing it off. "A Jadeblade. Here, it represents life. Obtain it and move on. Allow your opponent to take it, loser!" Chen moved as he spoke, too much excitement for Hiro to comprehend. He couldn't imagine having this much energy. "The rules are simple. Every match will be different. No two fights will be the same. Your powers will keep you in the Tournament. Use it or lose it!"

Chen paused in front of Karlof. "Hm, what does Karlof win?" he asked, accent thick.

"Win and stay on the island. Win it all, and you'll receive fortunes beyond your wildest dreams," Chen teased, spinning in a circle, "and a lifetime supply of Master Chen noodles!" Hiro wrinkled his nose, wondering just how many people would be willing to use their powers just for noodles. "But no one is here because of noodles. You want the glory of being the greatest fighter in all of Ninjago!" The Masters, except for the Ninja, cheered loudly at his proclamation.

"And what happens if they lose?" Garmadon asked, looking up at Chen boredly. Hiro felt like he was glaring daggers at Garmadon and quickly looked away. Whatever he felt toward the older man had to be forgotten—don't forgive, don't forget, but let it go. Zane was far more important than anything else Hiro felt.

"Lose?" Chen asked, spinning around to face Garmadon. "Who here likes to lose?" The group laughed at the absurdity of the question. "Now please, enjoy my island. It's a super fun happy place!" Chen laughed, turning to walk back to his chair. "Fun time on me!"

Hiro stood when the Kabuki entered the room, noticing some familiar faces among them. They were Chen's jesters, but they also helped run the island. Some of them had even been there to watch Hiro train. It was hard to not familiarize himself with those that he spent his days with, especially when none of them could leave the island without Chen's permission.

"I know where to find my room, Ye'un," Hiro muttered to one of them as she took his arm.

She laughed. "Just play along, then, Master of Darkness."

Hiro sighed, allowing himself to be led to the room he'd spent the last few weeks sleeping in. He bid Ye'un goodbye as soon as he could, closing the door behind him; she was a nice girl, but far too happy for his taste, given where she lived and who she served. He just hoped that the other Elemental Masters would treat the Kabuki kindly.

Hiro sat on the edge of his bed, kicking his feet. Clouse had warned him there would be no time to rest, so he decided to give it a few minutes before Chen would call everyone into action. It was smart, letting the Elementalists think they could rest for the day before throwing them into a search for Jadeblades on such little sleep. It would be chaos, too, given how many people were on the island. Hiro knew where to find most of the Jadeblades, having seen the Kabuki hiding them in the past week, but only one of them was meant for him to take.

"Get the blade, get off the island. With Zane, preferably," Hiro muttered, standing up. His stomach twisted as he spoke his friend's name out loud, remembering the exhausted look on Zane's face once his powers had been taken away. He had been staring into his own future—because even though Chen was evil, even though he was gathering elemental powers for a sick plan Hiro still wasn't aware of, it didn't matter. Hiro was going to give up his powers in the end.

He didn't want to be an Elemental Master. He certainly didn't want to be the Master of Darkness. And Chen was the only one offering to take his powers from him.

Think of the devil and he shall appear.

Music played over the speakers in the room. Hiro pulled the hood of his cloak over his face and left the room before Chen had even begun to talk, though he paused when he realized that the other Masters were still in their rooms. He decided to wait until they had begun to leave, not wanting to draw even more attention to himself.

"Fellow fighters," Chen announced, "hidden around my island are enough Jadeblades for every participant except for one. The one who returns to the palace arena empty-handed loses. The tournament begins . . . now! May the best fighter win," Chen finished, laughing. Music continued to blare over the speakers, hurting Hiro's ears, but he jumped into action when he noticed the other Masters leaving their rooms.

He found Lloud in the crowd first. So did Shade—the man pushed Lloyd to the ground in a dash to a nearby Jadeblade; Lloyd rolled away from him before Shade could jump on him. Hiro scowled and stepped back into his room, using the shadows to travel under the banister the two were fighting under. He reappeared as Shade through a punch at Lloyd, sending the younger tumbling toward the ground. Hiro threw out his hand, sending Shade flying across the room before he ran to Lloyd's side.

"You—?" Hiro bit his tongue so hard it began to bleed, cursing himself for speaking. Lloyd hadn't seemed to hear him, however, so Hiro pulled him to his feet and pushed Lloyd away from the crowd that was forming before he ran off himself.

He knew that the other Ninja probably needed his help, and he might've been willing to give it if he wasn't worried about the consequences of helping Lloyd. Clouse and Chen wouldn't let that pass, not so soon into the tournament. He needed to get his Jadeblade and secure a spot in the game before it was too late.

Hiro ducked into shadows that had gathered in the corner of the room, picturing the main room of the temple and letting the shadows pull him in that direction. The world spun when he opened his eyes and Hiro took a moment to right himself, reminding himself to not skip dinner that night—he would need all the energy he could get after the last two days of no rest and using his powers.

"Only one Jadeblade remains!" Chen called out. A moment later, "I'm bored. Look up!" Hiro scowled at the man, realizing that he was very much willing to let Hiro's place be taken over.

Hiro lunged for a post in the room to climb, knocking Karlof back. The man seemed to be able to take a punch, because no sooner had Hiro begun to climb than Karlof grabbed him, throwing him against the ground. Hiro grunted and jumped his feet, knowing his back was going to be killing him later. He dodged a punch Karlof threw and shot out one of his own, hitting the man across the jaw. Karlof stumbled, shocked, and Hiro ran for the post again.

Karlof grabbed him again, except this time it was only his cloak. In the shadow cast by the cloth being torn off of him, Hiro used the shadows to travel once more.

He grabbed the Jadeblade from the rafters and forced whatever energy he had left into getting back to the ground. The world was beginning to spin, but the silence of the crowd was helping Hiro focus on not throwing up. Staring at the wall was helping, too.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the Master of Darkness!" Chen announced. At his words, the Elemental Masters began to clap. "Tashashi Suoh!"

Hiro breathed in deeply, squaring his shoulders. Karloff had ripped off the cloak in the struggle for the Jadeblade, and there was no way for Hiro to grab it and put it on without the crowd seeing his face. If it was just any crowd, even if they were still Elementalists, Hiro would have done it—he would have revealed his identity and been gone in a second, never to be seen again, because even if they didn't know his name, they would surely know his face with how many Missing Person flyers Lloyd had strung around the city.

But the Ninja were here, Lloyd was here, and Hiro was fucked.

Completely fucked.

But there was no way he could leave now when Zane's life was possibly on the line. Clouse had promised, Chen had promised, and even though Hiro didn't believe either of them in the slightest, they weren't lying about Zane being on the island. If that meant that Hiro had to figure out where he was and rescue him on his own, then so be it.

With a sigh, he turned to face the crowd, jaw clenched, and over the sound of cheering he heard Lloyd's gasp