Chapter Text
**
Nya's breath hitched, a ragged gasp escaping her lips as a brutal wave of pain crashed through her. Every nerve in her body screamed, a discordant symphony of agony that rivaled the scorching intensity of dragon fire. Yet, it was the fire in her lungs, the sensation of drowning from the inside out, that proved the most unbearable torment. Her head throbbed, each pulse echoing the relentless assault of the nearby waves against the shore.
A guttural groan escaped her, the coarse sand offering little solace against her battered and bruised skin. Her mind swam in a disorienting fog, desperately grasping for the fragmented memories of the events that had led to this waking nightmare. *His* words echoed in the hollows of her skull, each syllable a fresh laceration upon her soul. She was weak, utterly drained; even the simple act of breathing felt like a monumental struggle against an unseen force.
"We'll be in touch, my darling," he had purred, his voice a silken whisper laced with a malice that could curdle blood to ice. Then, a descent into darkness. A sudden chill snaked its way through her as she recalled the cold, unyielding metal of the ship, the chilling laughter that clawed at her sanity, the relentless, rhythmic pounding of the waves against the hull—each a prelude to the oblivion that had claimed her.
Her clothes were a cold, clinging shroud, each thread a heavy shackle against her skin. The taste of saltwater coated her tongue, a bitter testament to her near demise. He had tried to drown her, a twisted jest using her own element as a weapon. It wasn't the first time; shadows flickered in her mind, the same suffocating despair threatening to engulf her once more.
The metal restraints bit into her wrists, a constant, sharp reminder of her captivity. A faint voice sliced through her pain-addled thoughts. "I don't believe it..." it rasped, barely audible above the ocean's relentless roar. A fragile spark of light pierced the oppressive darkness.
"It's Nya! I have to warn the others!" The voice was urgent, laced with a palpable fear.
”Was that Ronin?…..” she wondered.
Nya whimpered, the cold seeping deep into her bones, each shiver a fresh spike of agony. The waves crashed against the shore with relentless fury, their thunderous roar a constant echo of her brush with death.
"Easy now…" The voice, rough yet laced with a surprising gentleness, cut through Nya's haze. It was Ronin. What was he doing here? She couldn't piece it together, her thoughts fragmented and distant. He was whispering, and beneath the gruffness, she could detect genuine concern.
"Hang on, Nya. The others are coming."
Confusion swam in her mind, a thick fog that clung to the edges of her awareness. Nya blinked, her vision struggling to focus, each blink a desperate attempt to banish the encroaching darkness. She strained to find the source of that comforting voice, a beacon in the swirling shadows that threatened to consume her.
As Jay and Lloyd raced through the rain-soaked outskirts of Ninjago City in Lloyd's souped-up, emerald green roadster, an unsettling silence filled the air, as thick and heavy as the storm clouds overhead.
The rhythmic hum of the finely tuned engine and the distant, blurred cityscape barely registered in Jay's mind, utterly consumed by Nya. Each raindrop seemed to whisper her name, every shadow seemed to conceal her face, her absence a gaping wound in his heart.
Lloyd gripped the custom steering wheel, his knuckles white against the worn leather, stealing worried glances at Jay.
The neon lights of the city reflected in his green eyes, mirroring the anxiety churning within him. Weeks had passed since Nya's disappearance during their ill-fated mission to Dark Island, and every lead had turned into a cold, echoing dead end.
The trail had gone stale, leaving them grasping at nothing but fading hope. It was as if their new enemy had plucked her from existence, erasing any trace of her presence like a ghost in the wind.
A cold dread settled over them like a shroud; the more time that passed, the slimmer their chances of finding her, of bringing her back from whatever abyss she had fallen into. Each passing moment felt like a grain of sand slipping through their fingers, carrying Nya further away into the clutches of their unknown enemy.
"Jay… are you okay?"
Of course he wasn’t Lloyd thought to himself one of their own has been gone for who knows how long.
Lloyd asked, his voice laced with concern, cutting through the tense silence. He watched as Jay seemed to drift further into his own thoughts, his gaze fixed on the rain-streaked window. Lloyd knew that trying to force Jay to stay behind, even with his arm in a sling from their last encounter, would have been futile. Jay was like a coiled spring, ready to snap at any moment, fueled by a desperate need to find Nya.
With Jay at his side, Lloyd focused on keeping a close watch over his friend, striving to keep him tethered to reality before grief consumed him entirely. His thoughts drifted to Nya, who he viewed as an older sister, always ready with a sarcastic remark and a comforting smile.
Since childhood, these companions had become his family, and the mere thought of losing one of them was unbearable.
The group divided into teams even though they have done this more times than he can count, each assigned to different areas of Ninjago, with the goal of intensifying their search and covering more ground. The city seemed vast and uncaring, its hidden areas concealing secrets they were desperate to uncover, every alley and shadow holding a possible hiding place for their missing friend.
Jay blinked, his vision swimming as a cocktail of exhaustion and dread churned within him, clouding his usually bright blue eyes. He massaged his temples, trying to summon focus, but the phantom of Nya's face danced behind his eyelids, her laughter a taunting echo from a happier time.
The roadster sliced through the downpour, each raindrop a miniature battering ram against the windshield, turning the cityscape into an impressionistic blur. Inside, the air hung thick and heavy, a palpable tension that even the rhythmic sweep of the wipers couldn't cut through.
The comm system crackled to life, a burst of static preceding a garbled cry that tore through the strained silence. Before Jay could decipher the Green Ninja's fragmented question, Ronin's voice, shredded by interference, exploded from the speakers, seizing control of the vehicle's atmosphere like an icy fist. Jay's heart leaped into his throat, a cold serpent of dread coiling in his gut.
"Lloyd, Jay, Ninja… come in! This is Ronin… I found her… Nya… she's in bad shape!"
The raw, exposed nerve in Ronin's voice was impossible to ignore, each word a desperate, ragged plea that ripped through the vehicle's tense confines. He spat out a string of coordinates near the Stiix docks, his voice choked with a fear that mirrored their own mounting terror.
"Hurry… she doesn’t look too good… she needs Zane's kind of help!"
Lloyd slammed on the brakes, the sudden, violent deceleration sending them lunging against their restraints.
The vehicle fishtailed wildly on the rain-slicked asphalt, threatening to spin into a chaotic pirouette. No words needed to pass between them; the ashen pallor of Lloyd's face, the grim, hard set of his jaw, the frantic blaze in his emerald eyes—all spoke volumes of the shared nightmare unfolding.
Relief flooded Ronin as he recognized the sleek silhouette of Zane’s custom white vehicle cutting through the rain-soaked docks of Stiix. The sight of it was a beacon in the storm's relentless darkness.
"Zane! Down here! It's bad," he yelled, his voice hoarse with urgency. Nya lay prone on the sand, her body a canvas of pain. Zane’s arrival offered a fragile hope, a promise of rescue amidst the despair.
"I got your message," Zane replied, his voice tight as he hurried toward them. "Where are the others?" Ronin snapped a reply, but Zane's attention was already consumed by Nya.
Zane knelt beside Nya, his usually impassive face betraying a flicker of deep concern. Her dark hair, heavy and soaked, plastered against her pale face. He'd never seen her so vulnerable, so broken. His metallic fingers, cool against her fevered skin, gently assessed her injuries as she muttered, "Jay… Kai…" Light whimpers escaped her lips.
"Multiple contusions and lacerations," he stated, his voice a clinical observation underscored by a distinct undercurrent of worry. "We need to stabilize her immediately to prevent further complications." With swift, practiced movements, he retrieved a compact medical kit from a hidden compartment in his vehicle, his actions precise and efficient despite the chaos around them.
Ronin hovered nearby, his weathered face etched with palpable anxiety. The usually unflappable bounty hunter seemed uncharacteristically helpless. "What can I do to help?" he asked, his voice uncharacteristically laced with helplessness.
Zane's focus remained laser-locked on Nya as he began administering first aid, his brow furrowed in concentration. "Keep her warm and try to keep her conscious," he instructed, his gaze fixed on Nya's pale, drawn face. "I'm detecting early signs of hypothermia. The rain is only exacerbating the problem."
The relentless rain continued to lash down upon them, each icy drop a stinging reminder of their vulnerability and the precariousness of Nya's condition. Zane worked with practiced precision, his nimble fingers cleaning and bandaging Nya's wounds with meticulous care. Despite his efforts, Nya's shivering intensified, her breaths coming in ragged gasps. Her eyes fluttered, struggling to remain open as the encroaching cold threatened to pull her into unconsciousness. Zane's heart clenched at the sight, a surge of protectiveness washing over him.
Despite Zane's best efforts, his expression remained grave. "Her breathing is shallow and erratic," he observed, his voice barely audible above the howling wind and the storm's incessant roar. "We need to get her to a warmer, more stable environment as soon as possible, or her chances of recovery diminish rapidly." He gently brushed a strand of wet hair from Nya's pale face, his metallic fingers cool against her skin. The urgency in his voice was unmistakable, a stark contrast to his usual calm demeanor.
As Zane fought to stabilize Nya, the sound of approaching engines pierced the storm. The rhythmic thrum grew louder, cutting through the wind and rain.
Headlights sliced through the gloom as Cole's rugged, earth-toned vehicle and the Green Ninja's sleek, verdant machine skidded to a halt at the docks. Gravel crunched under the tires, a harsh counterpoint to the relentless rhythm of the rain. The vehicles, modified for all terrains, were a testament to their constant battles and need for reliable transport.
"Jay, watch it! The docks are slick!"
The Green Ninja called, leaping from his vehicle, hood pulled low to shield his face from the downpour. His movements were fluid and precise, honed from years of training. He raced toward them, his eyes fixed on the group around Nya. His face was a mask of concern, the weight of responsibility heavy on his young shoulders.
Kai followed, his fiery hair plastered to his forehead, worry etched deeply into his face. Rain mingled with the faint traces of soot and ash that always seemed to cling to him. Each stride ate up the distance, fueled by a desperate need to reach his sister. His hands clenched and unclenched, a physical manifestation of his anxiety.
The scene unfolded with a stark absence of Jay's characteristic exuberance. His eyes, usually bright with mischief, darted around, taking in the grim tableau. Nya lay pale and battered against the sand, her stillness sending a jolt of icy fear through him. The sight was a brutal contrast to his usual jovial demeanor, and his concern was palpable. He stumbled on the slick dock, but righted himself, adrenaline coursing through him, his focus solely on reaching her side.
The engines of the downed vessel sputtered and died, plunging the scene into a ringing silence that only amplified the storm's relentless fury. Wind howled like a banshee, tearing through the wreckage, and rain lashed down in sheets, instantly soaking them to the bone. Lloyd, the Green Ninja, his youthful face now etched with grim determination, was the first to reach them. He knelt beside Zane, his usually bright green eyes clouded with a deep, unsettling concern as he assessed Nya's condition.
"How bad is it?" He asked, his voice strained, barely audible above the roaring storm.
Kai arrived next, his face a canvas of raw anguish. He shoved past the others, dropping to his knees beside his sister, his hands trembling. "Nya! Can you hear me? I’m here, Nya!" He cried out, his voice thick with desperate emotion. He reached out, his hand hovering just above her pale face, afraid to make contact, terrified of what he might discover.
The rain plastered his spiky hair to his forehead, mirroring the tears he fought to hold back. Each of the ninja was trapped in their horror, as the storm raged on, as relentless as their fear.