Well, things really took a turn here. For the worst or best, I'm not sure. XD
There is two songs in this chapter.
____________________________________________________________
*At Steep Wisdom Shop.*
Nalia growled in frustration with tears running down her face, with any other villain or person she wouldn't back away from doing what was right. But seeing Morro again, alive even though he was possessing Lloyd, she couldn't do it.
She couldn't fight against someone she cared about, not to mention she didn't want to hurt Lloyd since it was still him inside.
The ninjas had been beaten around like ragdolls, unable to defeat Morro as they didn't have their elemental powers. She still had hers, but so far she only used them to temporarily blind Morro. Even just doing that she felt bad about it.
Nalia looked at the cracked ground from her slamming her fists into it. Her thoughts went back to the past, shortly after Morro had brought her outside her old cave.
*Flashback.*
"Hey Morro, can I ask you something?" Nalia asked, holding his hand as they were walking through the woods away from the cave.
Morro gave an exhausted sigh, it had only been fifteen minutes since they left the cave and she had been asking none stop questions. Which was starting to drive him crazy. "No."
"Please, pretty, pretty please!" Nalia tucked at his arm, full of energy and questions.
"Maybe I should just have left her in that cave. Bringing her along has given me nothing else but headaches." Morro thought, letting out a frustrated sigh.
"Morro, Morro, Morro, Morro, Morro, Momo!" Nalia kept repeating as she tried getting his attention.
"WHAT!" shouted Morro finally turning around to look at her. "And do not call me that."
Nalia grew scared when he shouted at her, tears slowly forming in her eyes. She raised her free hand, pointing towards something. "Look, bears!"
Morro looked to where she was pointing and saw a bear mother with two bear cubs. "Fuck."
"You shouldn't be swearing." said Nalia, before going quiet when he gave her the side-eye.
"You stay back, while I handle this. I'm not gonna let anything get in my way, not even such stupid bears." Morro shoved Nalia away and began walking towards the bear family as he got ready to use the wind.
"No, don't hurt them!" Nalia quickly ran over and grabbed his arm that was about to sent a strong wind at the bears.
"What the fuck Nalia?! Don't get in my way, I can handle these annoying pests." said Morro, growing frustrated at her stopping him and tried pulling his arm free.
However, Morro was surprised by how strong her grip on his arm was, as no matter what he did she wouldn't let go of him. "Does every kid have such grip strength?"
"Please, hurting others is bad." Nalia pleaded with tears running down her face.
Morro groans, facepalming himself and letting his hand run down his face. "Fine. I'm sure we can take another path."
A bright smile grows on Nalia face, happy about this suggestion.
*End of flashback.*
Nalia was only a little kid at that time, but thinking over that part right now. A concerning look grew on her face. She shook her head and took a deep breath as she got back up on her feet. Knowing she had to catch up with the others.
Nalia took to the sky and quickly picked up the speed to catch up with everyone.
*Morro laughs as he lands on the Bounty.*
"I need ink and parchment to make an imprint to see what's on the staff." Wu told the others.
"Kai and I will take you to our quarters while Jay and Cole will keep him busy." said Zane.
"Oh, that's honorable of you to nominate us." said Cole sarcastically.
"Yeah, we didn't fare so hot last time. Why is it you get off with the easy task?" Jay questioned.
"Because I'm the intelligent one." said Zane before heading inside the bounty with Kai and Wu.
"Ah, let's take this guy." said Jay, not having the time to argue about this as they run to fight him.
"Why am I steering the ship? There's a reason autopilot was invented." Nya activates autopilot and runs off.
"Oh, great." said Jay.
Nya dodges Morro's attacks, which deflates the autopilot. "Oh, that's not good." The ninjas scream as the Bounty swerves. When it suddenly stops.
"Uh what just happened?" Jay asked.
Nalia suddenly showed up, yawning as she landed on the Bounty. "That was close."
"Nalia!" shouted the ninjas, overjoyed
Though the joy didn't last long as Morro used the wind to knock the Bounty out of control again.
"We'll crash if we don't stabilize the Bounty." said Cole as he got over to Nalia who had gotten sleepier and was having trouble staying up. "Lia, now isn't the time to fall asleep!"
Nya makes her way to the steering wheel. "Ugh. Come on, pull up. Pull up!"
Zane and Kai fight Morro, but Zane is hit on the head with a crate.
"Your team will fall apart without its Green leader." Morro mocked the ninjas.
"I'll lead them. And make sure you go down if it's the last thing I do. Sensei says you won't give up. Well, neither will I!" said Kai, charging head-on fighting him.
Nalia watched as the others went to help Nya stopping the ship from crashing, and then over to Kai and Morro. Unsure who to help.
"Ah! Are you aiming for that mountain?" Jay asked.
"Trying to rise above it! Ugh, a little help?" shouted Nya struggling to steer the ship.
As Cole and Jay help out, Nya turns on the boosters. The Bounty barely misses the mountain, making a hole in which Kai almost falls out of.
"I'm coming, Kai!" shouted Zane rushing over to help.
"Aah!" Kai screams as Morro tries to make him fall by using his wind.
Nalia's eyes widened in horror when seeing this. "Don't do it Morro!!" A few signs were glowing on her right hand, one of them slowly turning to dust as Morro suddenly couldn't feel his elemental powers anymore.
"What?!" Morro was taken by surprise when that happened and his attention quickly turned to Nalia, even more surprised when seeing a faint silhouette of a golden dragon and her body slightly glowing.
Nalia had tears running down her face while gritting her teeth, scared and frustrated at the same time.
"You want the staff? Take it!" Wu throws the staff out and Morro chases after it.
Zane catches Kai before he falls out. "Got you."
Nalia fell to her knees, feeling more sleepy and struggling to get up.
"Primary thrusters destabilized, better hold on!" shouted Nya.
"Wait! Where is Nalia?" Zane asked.
Everyone looked around when they saw Nalia had fallen asleep at the worst time in the middle of the deck. "Nalia!—"
Just as they crash land in the Forest of Tranquility. A sudden wind had saved Nalia in the last minute, then placed her back on the Bounty without any injuries.
"Well, this must be my lucky day." said Morro watching them having crashed. "Lia better leave those guys, otherwise I wouldn't save her next time."
One last glance at where the ninjas had crashed, Morro then flew off and away from the sight.
*With the ninjas.*
"Mmh..." Nalia slowly started moving, seeming to wake up. "What did I miss?"
"Okay, let's never do that again." said Kai as he was helping Nalia up.
"Ah, just think, if Sensei hadn't gotten rid of the staff, it could've been worse." said Jay rolling his eyes.
"Yeah, but now we don't know the message." said Cole giving a sigh.
"Lia are you alright? You were asleep when we crashed." Zane asked, going over to check her.
"I'm fine, just... tired and worried." said Nalia with a sad smile, feeling upset that she hardly did anything.
"I managed to make an imprint." Wu came forward and shows them the symbols.
"But what does it all mean?" Jay asked.
"My father told me long ago that he would leave a message, leading me to his final resting place. After he passed, I looked everywhere for it, not knowing it was in my hand all this time." Wu told them.
"You mean to tell us—" Kai began to ask.
"Yes. These symbols will lead us to the Tomb of the First Spinjitzu Master. Only problem is I haven't the foggiest idea what any of them mean." said Wu, taking a glance over at Nalia.
Nalia was just frozen in place from this information. "First Morro is back... and now we are looking for the old man's... resting place." It felt like she was taking hits from her past, that she thought she had finally accepted, yet here everything was now returning.
"Well, if Morro is trying to find the tomb, we gotta find it first." said Kai determined.
"Hey, maybe Misako can help decipher the clues since she's a total history buff." Cole suggested.
"Nalia, do you perhaps understand the clues?" Wu asked.
"Huh? How would Lia know?" Jay asked.
Nalia just shook her head. "I don't know... if I did... I'll... I'll." She grew quiet as tears were forming in her eyes.
The ninjas looked at her with concern, seeing her like this wasn't normal.
"It's alright Nalia, it was only a question." Wu reassure her and gently patted her head.
"Pixal, release the Falcon and give her our location." Zane told Pixal as the Falcon flies off.
"Good, then we set up camp." said Wu looking at the ninjas.
The ninjas spread out and began setting up camp for the night.
"So, Morro is your brother. A bit of a shock seeing him again and alive." said Jay, being the first to bring up that subject.
Nya went on and punched his arm. "You could have asked in a nicer way Jay."
"Ow! Well I'm sorry but how are we to take it, knowing Nalia's brother of a ghost not only possessed Lloyd, but also attacked us?!" Jay exclaimed.
Nalia avoided eye contact, the guilt and confusion only digging deeper inside her. "Why Morro, just why did you come back? And why did you take control of Lloyd's body?"
She picked up a stick, tightening her grip on it,causing it to snap in two.
"Lia, we understand there might be a lot going through your head. But we are here for you." said Cole walking over and placing a hand on her shoulder.
Nalia looked up at the ninjas, tears running down her face when she hugged Cole tightly but not enough to crush him.
Cole returned the hug without hesitation, understand that she needed comfort or she might have an actual breakdown.
The other ninjas walked over and joined the hug, last thing they wanted was for Nalia being all upset.
*At night, the ninjas finish putting up a campfire and some logs to sit on.*
"Care to hear a ghost story?" Wu asked after taking a seat with the others by the campfire.
"If it means saving Lloyd, of course." said Zane.
Nalia gave a small nod, but didn't say much. Struggling to stay awake as she was feeling sleepy again. "I hate being sick, or whatever is making me this tired."
Wu took a deep breath and began speaking. "Morro may have been my first pupil, but he was also my greatest regret. Before he was a cursed spirit, it wasn't I who found him...but he who found me. My brother had just gone off to train under Master Chen, which gave me time to attempt my hand at teaching. Morro was the perfect student. He did everything that was ever asked of him."
"Oh right, how could I forget that Morro did mention his Sensei was the son of the old man, and I only now put it all together." Nalia couldn't help feeling a little stupid she forgot that.
*Flashback. During training, a young Morro falls over.*
"Get up." Past Wu told him.
*End of flashback.*
"I had shown him things he had never seen. And he showed me a few things too. He had a power over the Wind I had never seen. He was a descendant of an Elemental Master. It was then I thought I had found the one. Perhaps he would wear green." Wu went on to tell the ninjas.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Back up. You're saying Morro, the Master of Wind, was gonna be the Green Ninja!?" Jay quickly cut in.
"Explains why Morro sometimes mentioned being the Green Ninjas but I never paid it any mind." Nalia thought to herself.
The wind shifts, causing the fire to become bigger.
"Uh, did that just happen? Maybe I don't like ghost stories." said Cole becoming uneasy.
Nalia looked around them but didn't catch any scent or movement that could be Morro.
"What happened next, Sensei?" Zane asked.
"After I told him he could be the Green Ninja, there was a hunger unmatched." Wu spoke with concern.
*Flashback.*
Morro kicks some of the others trainees, making them fall. Aggressively. "Get up. Get up!"
"Enough." said Wu walking over to the commotion that Morro was making.
"But Sensei, I'm gonna be the Green Ninja. I need greater tests." Morro tried explaining.
"I said, enough!" Young Wu leaves in annoyance, leaving Morro.
*End of flashback.*
A concerned look grew on Nalia's face when hearing this.
"There was an arrogance in him. I feared I had made a terrible mistake. But it wasn't for me to decide. It was destiny. When the Golden Weapons didn't respond like they did for Lloyd later, I knew Morro wouldn't become the chosen one." Wu further told the ninjas.
*Flashback.*
"I'll train more. Learn more lessons." Morro pleaded, wanting to prove himself.
"I'm sorry, destiny has spoken." said Wu and began putting away the Golden Weapons.
"Then I refuse to listen!" Morro tore off a slided-door and threw it in anger. "I am the Green Ninja! You made me believe!"
*End of flashback.*
"He became obsessed to prove me wrong. To prove destiny wrong. He became reckless. He thought he was invincible." said Wu looking towards the campfire with a sad face.
"... Which is why he came to my cave that day. He was looking for something to prove he was the Green Ninja." Nalia glanced down at the ground. "Like Sensei Garmadon when his skeleton henchmen showed up."
Nalia looked at her hands, seeing a few white scales. "I'm something powerful, even Chen were after me and my powers... But what am I?"
*Flashback. After Past Morro disturbed a Grundle, Wu had to save him.*
"You see, Sensei? It was destiny for you to save me. I can still be the Green Ninja." said Morro eager and desperate.
Wu however, only grew more concerned by how reckless he was being.
*End of flashback.*
"I knew right there and then I could not teach those who would not listen. He told me he would find my father's tomb to prove he was worthy. I told him it could not be found. My father had left no message. I left the gate open in hopes he'd return, but he never came back. I am saddened he was banished to the Cursed Realm. But what worries me more is that he escaped, and for what reason? To save Lloyd and return your powers, you must find the tomb before he does. Or else." Wu finished telling the whole team.
"Or else what?" Jay asked.
"Unspeakable power will curse us all." said Wu, looking at everyone before his eyes landed on Nalia who hadn't spoken a word.
Jay laughs nervously. "Just another day in Ninjago, am I right?"
"This is different. Lloyd is at stake." said Kai determined to stop Morro.
"But how can we compete against the Green Ninja? He's more powerful than all four of us combined. And Nalia is unable to fight him, because we all know she could never fight a friend and worse. Someone she saw as her brother." said Cole looking slightly at Nalia.
"Huh." said Nya.
"That was before we lost our powers." said Zane.
"But it's like Sensei said. Our real power doesn't come from our hands, it comes from inside here." Kai taps his chest. "This is Lloyd we're talking about. This is one mission we cannot fail."
"Nalia, what do you say about all of this?" Wu asked, turning all attention to her that hadn't said any word.
Nalia looked towards the campfire, and slowly reached a hand towards it with a light sigh.
(The song she is singing.)
(link to song)
"I can feel the warmth on my fingertips
But it's fading fast,
Far from my reach once again...~"
Nalia pulls back her hand, looking at it before slowly getting up and walking away from the others.
"Nalia?" The ninjas looked at her with concerned glances.
"Crying out, I'm begging,
Please don't take everything
'Cause our thoughts and feelings aren't just scraps
And if I turn back to the days we once had
Everything has changed,
Tragically faded away.~"
Nalia looked up at the night sky memories of her past with Morro and of the simpler times with Lloyd. Tears running down her face. Using her sand powers to make silhouettes of her past.
"And this wish, this dream we swore to reach
Is breaking at the seams
Crumbling into dust...
I can't feel a thing anymore
My body's numb to all the pain
I'm so lost and so alone
Wandering through the dark
There's no turning back
So they say, and so I deny everything
In this frozen, endless dream
Can you hear my little plea?~"
Nalia wrapped her arms around herself, feeling the frustration and pain of not being able to stop Morro and save Lloyd when he really needed it.
The others listened to the emotions pouring out from Nalia's singing, understanding the struggles this was putting her through.
Even more so when watching the changes in the sand silhouettes.
"There will be a day
When the pain, all of the suffering will fade
All the ice within our hearts
At last, will melt away!
Live another day!
Don't give up, someday you'll smile again
This is just my fleeting wish
But I'll leave you here with this...~"
The sand silhouettes then changed to the past when Nalia was hanging around with Morro, and how happy she was, only for it to change to show her walking alone towards her own cave.
"Maybe we should keep Nalia out of this mission." Jay whispered.
"What? Why?" Zane asked.
"You saw it yourself, Nalia can't fight either Morro or Lloyd. Should we face them again on this mission, which we clearly will." Cole explained.
"But Nalia is the only one here with powers, and didn't you see what happened earlier when Morro tried dropping me off the Bounty?" Kai whispered.
Nalia wiped the tears of her face and turned to look at the ninjas. "I'm not sitting this one out, not when Lloyd needs us more than anything."
"But we'll be facing Morro, and last time you backed off from fighting him." Jay explained.
"I know. And I hate that I didn't do anything to help." Nalia clinched her fists. "But Lloyd is more important, and last thing I want is losing another person dear to me. So if I have to face Momo, then so be it."
"Well, looks like she is coming on the mission." said Zane.
*The next day.*
"Lia... Lia... Nalia wake up!" Cole was trying to wake up Nalia who was in a deep sleep. Not even when a Walloper was licking her face was she waking up.
"Sensei, can't you do that thing you did a few times to wake her up?" Jay asked.
"While I could do that, it is still a very risky move even for me. I've only been lucky so far with not having lost a finger or worse a hand." said Wu eating his food.
"Isn't there another way to wake her up, should it happen while we are out on our mission?" Zane asked.
"Nalia this isn't the time to be sleeping! Wake up otherwise we can't save Lloyd!" shouted Jay right into her ear to no avail.
"Sensei, surely you know why she is sleeping so heavily since you seem to know something." said Cole looking over at him.
Wu glanced over at Nalia, seeming to be deep in thoughts. "... When Chen was draining her powers, it also affected her energy. Though she got all her powers back. She is still very fatigued, and will take longer to gain back all of her energy."
The ninjas looked worried over at Nalia, since she was still affected by what Chen did to her.
"Hm..." Nalia slowly began waking up and took a look around. "What time is it?"
"Good morning Lia, happy to see you awake." said Zane smiling when he handed her a plate with food.
"Uh, thanks." said Nalia taking the plate with a sleepy smile. "Hello to you too Misako."
"Hello Nalia, nice to see you finally awake." said Misako with a kind smile.
Nalia smiled as she started eating her food until the sound of Kai waking up could be heard.
Kai is awoken by a Walloper licking him. "Hmm. Ugh! Ew! Misako got our message, and you made breakfast. Good, I'm starving."
"How did he not wake up to you shouting earlier?" Cole whispered.
Jay simply shrugged. "Might be a heavy sleeper like Lia."
"Huh?" Nalia gave them a confused look.
"We put your plate down over there." Nya pointed to a plate which Kai groans when he sees his Walloper eating his food.
"As far as I knew, the tomb was only a fable, until I saw what's on the staff." Misako explained.
"Does she know what the symbol means?" Kai asked.
"Not the last two yet, but get this: the first symbol means Airjitzu." Cole explained.
"Airjitzu?" Kai and Nalia asked at the same time.
"A lost martial art created by Sensei Yang, who passed years ago. If mastered, it allows one to temporarily take flight." Misako went on to explain.
"You hear that, Kai? We get to fly just like Nalia!" said Jay all excited.
Nalia raised an eyebrow, and couldn't help wondering why Morro would go for something like that. "He is the master of wind, so clearly he should be able to improve his powers to one day fly. So why Airjitzu? For a master of wind it sounds more like cheating... But with it being Morro, of course he would go that route."
"You haven't found it yet. The Scroll of Airjitzu is well guarded in the ancient Library of Domu." Wu told the ninjas.
"Forgive me if I speak out of turn, but my records reveal it was recently stolen." Zane suddenly spoke up.
Jay let out a gasp. "By who?"
"Ah, let me guess. Ronin." said Cole sarcastically.
"Who's Ronin?" Nya and Nalia asked.
"Let's just say he's not a friend." said Kai.
"But this is good news." said Jay with a smile.
"Uh, how so?" Cole asked.
"Aargh, 'cause if Morro doesn't know this, he'll be heading to the library." Jay explained.
"And Ronin's most likely holed up in the village of Stiix, which gives us a head start." Cole quickly catching on.
"Oh yeah, guess it does. Lucky us." siad Nalia with a slight smile.
"Then it's set. The ninjas and Nalia will head to Stiix. We three will head back to the tea shop and start deciphering the next clues." Wu declared.
"But Lloyd's my friend too. The ninjas and Nalia will need my help to—" Nay tried to protest.
"I'm sorry, Nya. You're sitting this one out. There's too much to be done here." said Wu apologetically.
Kai walks up to his Walloper and tries to mount. "Uh, okay. Stand still." He falls off but gets back on. He groans. "Don't worry, sis. With me in charge, this scroll will be ours in no time."
"'Cause time flies when you know Airjitzu! Get it? Haha." said Jay with a laugh.
"Be careful, ninja, for the path we seek is never a straight line. Rely on each other to guide your way." Wu warned them.
"Hyah! Hahaha!" The others leave without Kai. "Wait up! I'm supposed to be leading here!"
"Hey Lia, why don't you sing us a song while we are traveling? Might help time pass faster." Jay suggested.
"A song?" Nalia asked while flying in the air just above the ninjas.
"Yeah, to keep us motivated." Cole joined in to suggest.
(The song she is singing.)
(link to song)
"We rise together as our destiny unfolds
We face the darkness, and our trials are yet untold
Through the shadows of despair
Oh, in silence, hopes we share, whoa, whoa
To chase our dreams that we've declared
We glimpse through our eyes
Yet fools blind our sights
Can't make what they say
We'll find our way, we'll find our way.~"
Nalia was flying freely in the air as she started singing, small stars slowly surrounding her.
The ninjas smiled as they were listening, already feeling more motivated and full of energy to fight anything.
"Heads up! The wheels are spinning
Across the plains and valleys deep
To dawn, the wheels that sing
An unending dream
Heads up! The tracks are running
Across the plains where shadows hide
We run, we stride, wow-wow, oh-oh
In the face of fear and plight, and yet we hold our ground, whoa,
In life, we stand and strive, our victory is found
And the storms we've weathered through
And we hope in the light of truth, whoa, whoa
To break free from chains and come anew
Heads up! The wheels are spinning
Across the plains and valleys deep
To dawn, the wheels that sing
An unending dream
Heads up! The tracks are running
Across the plains where shadows hide
We run, we stride, wow-wow, oh-oh.~"
Nalia felt more energetic the more she was singing, her body slowly glowing a golden glow while more white scales were appearing on her face and hands.
"Nalia really is something, despite everything she doesn't seem affected at all." said Jay watching her flying in the air.
"We shouldn't let ourselves think that. While Nalia is something special, we shouldn't rely on that all the time." said Zane with concern.
"Zane is right, and don't forget that she is still recovering from what Chen did to her." said Cole.
"And the part where Lloyd kicked her off the team." Kai pointed out.
The ninjas looked back up at Nalia, who hadn't seemed to have heard them.
"Whoa, whoa-oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh
Whoa, whoa-oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh
Heads up! A steady rhythm
A destination that's ever near
It comes, stride to our kingdom
And see the light of day
Heads up! The wheels are singing
The whispers and secrets they keep
To hope, we bound, whoa-whoa, oh-oh
Break free, we chased our dreams
Beneath the starry night
In the face of God, we rose as one.~"
Nalia gave a small sigh when flying among the clouds, her thoughts going back to Morro and what he was planning and her worries for Lloyd.
"I have to face Morro again, and I know I said that I would be there to face him... But can I really? I once did when going to the past... so how is that any different than now..." Nalia couldn't help but start doubting her decision, but she still wanted to save Lloyd.
Nalia ran a hand through her hair when she noticed something. "Huh?"
Lowering her hand, Nalia stopped in the middle of the air with a surprised look on her face. Both of her hands were covered with white scales, a few being a little golden. But most of all, they looked like hands of a dragon with sharp claws.
"W-what is... why do they..." Nalia were unable to form a sentence, and concern started building up in her head. She glanced back to where they had just left. "I wish Sensei were here right now."
"Lia! Is something wrong?" Kai asked when he and the others had noticed she wasn't following.
Nalia took a quick glance at her hands again, but they were already back to normal. "I..." She didn't wanna lie to them, but this was something she didn't feel comfortable about sharing just yet. So instead she just gave the ninjas a smile and began catching up to them without a word.
The ninjas were a little confused but shrug it off to her just being worried about facing Morro again.
*Hours later, The ninjas are traveling in a desert.*
"92,898 bottles of tea on the wall, 92,898 bottles of tea. You take one down and pass it around, 92,8—" The ninjas sang until Kai shouted in frustration.
"Enough! I'm really thirsty so we don't need to keep singing about tea." said Kai.
"Ho, ho! Someone should've had their breakfast." Cole taunted while Nalia had at some point gotten on his ride and fallen asleep.
"Ugh, we've been following the sun for hours. We should've arrived at Stiix already." said Kai frustrated.
"But Stiix is on the eastern coast. We should be riding away from the sun." Zane pointed out.
"Why are you just telling us now!?" Jay exclaimed.
"Because, Kai wanted to lead." Zane answered.
"Great! We're officially lost! You know, we had a leg up, but nooo. Kai wanted to lead." said Cole in annoyance, rolling his eyes.
"I swear, my gut says we should be following the sun." Kai told the others.
"Ugh, you're arguing with a Nindroid. He's a walking computer. Why is it when Lloyd's gone, we look to Kai? We should really be following Zane." said Jay with a frustrated sigh.
Nalia slowly woke up, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes and glanced at the others a little confused.
"You know, he is the most logical choice." said Cole.
"Did I miss something?" Nalia asked.
"Nothing much besides Kai leading us in the wrong direction." Jay explained.
"What?" Nalia looked over at Kai. "So we just wasted hours going in the wrong way?"
"Well, I still think it's that way. And when I learn Airjitzu first, we'll see who's right." Kai's Walloper starts following everyone else. "Aargh. Hey, no! This way! Ugh!" His Walloper won't listen. "Ugh, fine. We'll follow Zane."
Zane sees train rails and rides towards it.
"He's already found something. Let's go. Train tracks." said Cole going on to follow him along with Nalia still seating on the back of his walloper.
"They lead straight to Stiix." said Zane.
"Hey, you hear that, Kai? They lead to Stiix. We follow Zane and look what happens." said Jay taunting him.
"But Sensei said the path we seek is never a straight line." said Kai.
"He also said rely on each other to guide." Zane reminded him.
"Yeah, Kai. Pfft." Jay taunted him some more.
"92,897 bottles of tea on the wall, 92,897 bottles of tea, you take one down..." The ninjas began singing the tea bottle song once more, and Nalia decided to join in for the fun of it.
*Night time, the ninjas are still following the tracks.*
"...it around, no more bottles of tea on the wall." Everyone laughs.
"That was enjoyable. Let's do it again." said Zane still up for another round.
"No! Haha!" said the ninjas with a laugh.
"Sorry Zane, but even I have to agree with the others. While I love singing even I think a break is needed." said Nalia with a sweet smile.
"Uh, I wish Lloyd was here for that." said Jay with a sigh.
"So do I. But we'll find the tomb. And then, we'll save him." said Kai.
The mention of Lloyd had a worried look grow on Nalia's face. "I hope we can fix this without any fighting... but I have a feeling that isn't gonna happen."
"I wonder why the tomb's so important." said Cole.
"I don't know. Sensei says it holds unspeakable power." said Jay.
"It's the tomb of the First Spinjitzu Master. Whatever secret it holds, it must be protected." said Kai.
"Hey Lia, why did Sensei ask you if you might know the clues?" Cole asked.
"I have been wondering that too." said Zane looking at her.
"Because of the old man." Nalia answered.
"The old man that you have been mentioning a few times?" Kai asked.
"...Nalia, the old man wouldn't be the First Spinjitzu Master by chance?" Zane asked.
Jay couldn't help but let out a laugh. "Haha. Zane that's impossible, if she actually knew the First Spinjitzu Master it would make Lia almost as old as Sensei Wu."
Nalia rubbed the back of her neck, a shy smile on her face.
The ninjas looked at her and the realization hit them hard. "YOU KNEW THE FIRST SPINJITZU MASTER?!"
"If that's truth, then how come you still looked like a little kid when we first met you?" Zane asked.
"Yeah, how old are you actually?" Jay asked.
"The cave I lived in for most of my life, slowed down my aging so my mental and physical state didn't grow much from what the old man explained to me. Though I didn't understand it much at the time." Nalia grew a little nervous by the ninjas looking at her. "I'm around 90,045 years old, but if we count the tea that made me a little older. I'll actually be 90,050."
.
.
.
.
.
The ninjas were all shocked by the revelation and fell speechless.
"Why were you kept in a cave?" Kai asked, being the first to recover from the shock.
Nalia looked down at the ground with an unsure look. "I don't really know, all I was told was it was for my own safety."
The ninjas caught on to the tone of her voice and could kind of understand her feeling left in the dark, not even knowing much about herself.
"Whatever the reason might be. It doesn't change anything, no matter what you'll always be our little sister." Zane reassured her, just like the time she had done the same for him when he found out what he was.
"Right, you're our sister and we'll always have your back." said Cole.
A small smile grew on Nalia's face at their words and tears slowly formed in her eyes.
They soon approach a train station.
"Let's take a break here." Zane suggested.
The ninjas gets off each of their walloper, deciding to take a break.
Cole hears someone laughing. "Uh, did you hear that?"
"Yeah, I did, but...we're in the middle of nowhere." said Jay when they hear another laugh.
"I don't know, but be on guard." Kai told the others.
"I don't like this at all." said Nalia, feeling a little creeped out.
They see Wrayth appear on the Chain Cycle.
"What is that?" Jay asked as Zane threw his shurikens right at Wrayth.
However, instead of hitting him, the shurikens went right through him.
"Watch out!" shouted Cole.
Everyone quickly jumped out of the way as Wrayth came right at them.
"My shurikens. They went right through him!" said Zane in disbelief.
"Because he's a Ghost!" Jay exclaimed.
Nalia slowly raised her staff, but wasn't sure how much it was gonna do since Zane's shurikens just went through him.
"Morro must have summoned some friends. We're sitting ducks out in the open. We need to take shelter! Watch out!" said Kai as Wrayth once more was driving towards them with his Chain Cycle.
"Oh, God, he's coming for another pass!" shouted Jay.
Wrayth destroys the train station.
"Aww come on! What did that building ever do to you?" Nalia asked.
"There is no shelter!" Everyone quickly dodges Wrayth's chain as it instead hits a Walloper. "He turned my Walloper into a Ghost. No one turns my Walloper into a Ghost!" shouted Cole in annoyance.
"Ugh, get outta here. Hyah! Hyah!" Jay shouted at the other Wallopers, having them run away.
"Where did he go? I can't see him." said Kai when looking around.
Nalia used the sand to form a shield around them all, hoping it would at least protect them in some way.
"Stay together." said Zane.
"If our weapons do nothing, how are we supposed to fight a Ghost?" Jay asked frustrated.
"Good question. There he is! Watch out! Ugh." Kai's leg gets stuck on Wrayth's chain. "Huh? That's not good. Aah!" He frees himself. "I'm okay, everyone! I'm okay."
"He's gonna pick us off one by one, isn't he? There's nothing we can do." said Cole looking at the others.
"He's underground. Aah!" Kai shouted before quickly getting picked up by Nalia who flew to his rescue. "Thanks Lia."
Nalia gave a small nod and placed him back with the others.
"Stand back." Cole traps his chain on a nearby water tower. They scream when Wrayth gets up, but he gets run over by a train. "Haha. Now that's how you stop a Ghost."
"Uh guys, I'm not sure that's how it works." said Nalia, since none of their weapons worked on him, how would a train be any different.
"Oh..." The ninjas quickly realize that when Wrayth appeared from the train.
"You think a train can stop a Ghost? Your world will pay dearly when Morro finds the tomb. And when he does, he will take possession of the—" Wrayth pulls on his chain, splashing himself with water and dissolving.
"What, uh, what just happened?" Cole and Nalia asked confused.
"He went...ka-blooey." said Zane.
"Yeah, but he was just gonna tell us what was in the tomb. Couldn't it have waited another second?" said Jay slightly annoyed.
"We may not know what's in the tomb, but we do know one thing: how to stop a Ghost." said Kai.
"Water?" said everyone.
"Unusual. I guess it's true. The path we seek is never a straight line." said Zane.
"Wait, water..." Nalia took a glance at the others and then remembered she had seen an elemental aura from Nya a while back. "Nya might actually be able to help us."
"Uh, speaking of straight lines, if that train's heading to Stiix, wouldn't it be faster if we..." said Jay turning everyone's attention towards the train.
They chase the train. "Hey! Wait for us! Slow down! Slow down!"
Nalia took to the air and helped the ninjas get on the train without much trouble.
"Thanks Lia!" said the ninjas.
"No problem." said Nalia with a smile until the sound of her phone could be heard.
"Who's calling at this hour?" Jay asked.
Nalia picked up her phone and saw that it was her manager. "Hi Mr. James, what is it?"
"Miss Starlight, sorry for calling you this late at night. But I've only just been informed of a damaged window in your apartment, and a random pillow lying on the ground outside of said apartment." Mr. James explained. "Mind explaining how that happened?"
A nervous smile appeared on Nalia's face when giving an awkward laugh. "Uuh, so about that..." She quickly ended the call.
The ninjas looked at Nalia surprised what they just witness.
"Lia—"
"Well then, let's get back to focusing on the mission to save Lloyd and stop Momo. Whatever Mr. James wanted to talk about can wait." said Nalia with a bright smile.