Kai was desperate. After pulling every move he knew how to, he still couldn't save his little brother, the one he swore to protect.

Morro had taken Lloyd, possessed him, and he, Kai, couldn't save him, all his efforts were in vain.

Kai was overwhelmed by guilt. He should've been the one possessed, Lloyd was just a kid, he should've been at school, talking with friends, but no, thanks to him, he was being possessed by an evil, master-of-wind ghost brought back when Lloyd recited a spell to kill his own father.

It should've been him. He should've gone to the museum with Lloyd, maybe then he could've defeated Morro that hideous son-of-a-

"Kai!" Nya yelled, cutting off Kai's thought process.

Snapped out of his thoughts, he handed the bandage roll to Nya with a wince.

His sister wrapped it around his cut arm, not shopping as Kai flinched. She pulled it tight. Kai let out a groan of pain.

"Stop being a baby Kai, these are the consequences for your little "late night trips, can't you see Kai?! Killing yourself won't save Lloyd!"

Kai let out another weak groan as Nya began to bandage his sprained ankle.

"I'm sorry sis," He replied, barely concealing a grimace "But I have to do something."

Nya shook her head, the corners of her eyes glistening with tears. "Just promise me you won't do something reckless, please."

It broke Kai's heart to see his sister like this. "Ok." He said, "I promise.

But no matter how hard he tried to distract himself, Kai couldn't shake the weight of his failure. Every second that passed was another second Lloyd was trapped in his own body, fighting against a force he had no hope of defeating alone.

They needed a plan. They needed power.

They needed time.

But Kai didn't have time.

As Nya and the others focused on tracking down the Scroll of Airjitzu, a dangerous idea took root in his mind. A terrible, reckless, stupid idea. The exact one he promised his baby sister never to do, but-

What if there was another way?

What if he could trade places with Lloyd?

Morro had chosen Lloyd because he was the Green Ninja, the strongest of them all. But Kai had power, too. He had fire. He had a will that refused to break. If Morro wanted a stronger vessel, he'd be getting one.

He just had to make the offer.

That night, when the others were asleep, Kai slipped away into the howling wind. He didn't know how to call Morro, but he knew the ghost was watching. Waiting.

So Kai did the only thing he could think of. He spoke into the night.

"I know you can hear me." His voice was steady, though his heart pounded.

"You took Lloyd because he was your best option. But I can give you something better."

The wind picked up. A whisper curled around him, cold and taunting. You expect me to believe you'd just hand yourself over?

Kai swallowed, his fists clenched. "Lloyd doesn't belong in this fight. He's just a kid. You want a host? Take me instead."

Silence. Then, laughter—soft at first, then rising into a full, cruel cackle.

Oh, Kai… I thought you were the smart one. You do realize I don't need your permission, right?

Kai's breath hitched, but he held firm. "Then why haven't you taken me?"

The wind stilled for a moment. He had Morro's attention now.

"You don't want Lloyd," Kai pressed. "You want to win. And right now, you're burning time fighting a brat who won't stop resisting. You take me, and you get what you really want—power, control, fire."

Morro didn't answer, but the air around Kai turned ice-cold.

"You want to destroy Sensei Wu?" Kai continued. "You want to open the Cursed Realm? You can't do that if Lloyd keeps slowing you down. So take me. And let him go."

A pause.

Then, a voice—sharp and wicked—whispered in his ear.

Deal.

Before Kai could react, the wind surged around him like a storm. Shadows coiled, pressing into his chest. A searing pain shot through his skull, like his mind was being ripped apart—

And then—

Everything went black.