The Child of Silver

48

The final fighters in the tournament were taken back to the arena, led away into the underground tunnels in chains. The men who served Chen were chanting and banging their drums to a rhythm as they bowed in honor Chen, but the fighters weren't worried about them. No, they were concerned about how much time they had left with their powers.

Skyler, Clouse and Reanii, now revealed as the long lost Anirei, the Silver Ninja of Balance, stood in the center of the room, waiting for the prisoners and Chen to arrive. Skyler held Anirei's hand tightly, glancing down at the girl's now uncovered face. Now that her identity was found out, Chen didn't make Anirei wear the hood anymore. What was the point in trying to hide her anymore, now that her Elder Brothers had found her out?

But Skylar was even more confused now than ever. Though she didn't know about her father doing this to Anirei, she didn't want to disobey him by pushing Anirei closer to the Ninja. What kind of daughter would abandon her father like that? He would never forgive her for doing that.

"Bring in the prisoners!" Clouse shouted, the gates to the room opening as the Elemental Masters were brought into the with their hands chained behind their backs.

"So the ninja were right." Griffin said, "This was never about any of us winning the tournament. This was always about something sinister."

"What gave that away?" Shadow asked sarcastically, "Was it his cult following, or the giant snake head?"

"We've been fighting each other for so long, it took us all losing to finally pull us together." Neuro said sadly, "Too bad it's too late."

Jay just kept humming with a smile on his face, enjoying their walk as if nothing was wrong.

"Why are you humming?" Kai asked annoyed, "You do know they're about to take our powers?"

"Since these cursed shackles have blocked out powers, I choose to use the power of positive thinking." Jay answered confidently, "Lloyd will come to save us and free Anirei from Chen's hold over her, whatever it is. You just wait."

The prisoners were taken to the center of the room, awaiting their judgement. Kai and Jay looked up at their missing Ninja sister, staring at them with those dull blue eyes with hardly a sign of the real Anirei within them. Skyler looked away from the prisoners in shame.

"Go ahead and look away, but you know as well as I do, after he takes our powers, he's still gonna need yours. And he'll keep Anirei like a puppet." Kai said.

"You don't understand." Skyler said, "My father gets everything he wants. I had no choice. And if he's gonna keep Reanii, then I'd like for her to stay with me any time he allows me."

"Just tell me one thing. Was it his idea to make me fall for you, or yours? 'Cause it worked."

Skyler gasped and blushed as she looked away, but as she turned her face from the Ninja of Fire, she caught of glimpse of Anirei staring at Kai and Jay. The silver haired girl couldn't keep her eyes off the Ninja, as if she was looking for something within them. She didn't know why, but Skyler felt scared and happy for the girl, since now knowing that Reanii is Anirei, many things were becoming increasingly clear.

The prisoners were then forced to their knees.

"All rise for Master Chen!" 

Chen's minions cheered, elated to see their master floating through the air on his throne using the element of Gravity. And Master Chen was even more happy to have so much power at his fingertips.

"Look at me. I'm floating." He boasted, floating all around the room just to show off his power, but then he lost control for a moment in his excitement before quickly coming back, "I got it. I got it. I just got distracted by how awesome this place looks."