🌊 The Aftermath 🌊

🌊One with the Wind or One with the Sea🌊

*Near ending of Seabound*

Almost everyone was fast asleep, leaning and laying on whatever furniture was inside the cramped room in one of the tallest buildings in Ninjago City.

Below, the city was flooded with the ocean as the huge sea serpent Wojira, along with her rider Prince Kalmaar swam through the buildings, searching for the ninja.

While the others slept, Nya kept close to Jay's side as he lay limply on a couch against the wall, with lungs full of water.

Meanwhile, Ry stood by the huge glass window, staring hopelessly out at the flooded city.

They failed... She failed... Wojira was awake, Ninjago was flooded, Jay was struggling to even breathe...

Slowly, Ry turned her gaze to glance at Nya and Jay, tears immediately forming in her eyes as she watched Nya desperately cling to his arm.

A wave of guilt rushed back over Ry as she forced herself to look away, wiping the tears from her eyes before they fell.

Crying wouldn't help right now... Nothing would.

Once again, Ry gazed out over the city, as the rising sun's light reflected off the water.

"I promise... I will do whatever it takes to protect Ninjago from Kalmaar and Wojira...," her voice suddenly replayed in her mind from when she talked to the Storm Keeper king.

"I will do what Wisp never did...," her voice continued, however, suddenly it trailed off as Ry's eyes brightened with realization.

"What Wisp never did...," she mumbled, so quiet that Nya didn't hear her.

At that moment, everything clicked.

Perhaps there was a way to save Ninjago after all.

With concern, she glanced over her friends and Wu... who all slept, besides Nya and Jay.

For a moment, she stopped her gaze on Lloyd. If she did this... she might never see him again... any of them.

No Ry! You have to do this... You have to save Ninjago... save them all... You promised.

Ry yelled at herself in her mind, shaking away any doubt.

That's when she looked over to Nya, the only one still awake that might try to stop her.

However, Ry just continued on to the exit, hoping Nya wouldn't notice, but she heard the door creak open.

"Ry? Where are you going?" Nya asked worriedly as she met Ry's worried gaze.

"I-I'm just... I'm just... I just need some fresh air," Ry stuttered, hating that she was lying to her best friend.

"Oh... ok...," Nya trailed off with concern.

With that, Ry slowly walked out of the room, gazing over her friends one last time before she shut the door.

She immediately let out a shaky breath, leaning her back against the door for a moment, her eyes closed as tears threatened to escape.

"I-It's ok Ry... It's ok... You... Y-You'll be fine...," she breathed, trying to calm herself down as her heart raced with anxiety.

"You need to do this.. You...," she sniffled, "You have to do this...," Ry whispered to herself, wiping her eyes with her palms.

After one last glance to the door, she quickly walked away before she might turn back and give up on this whole idea.

Each step felt heavier as she walked up a small flight of stairs, pushing open the double doors at the top to reach the building's roof.

Ry quickly used one hand to shield her eyes from the sun as it slowly peeked up from the water's distance edge.

After a few seconds of blankly staring out over the water, Ry forced herself to refocus.

Her steps felt even heavier than before as she walked on shaky legs over to the building's edge on the right side of the building, so that if anyone came out through the doors, they wouldn't see her right away.

Once at the edge, Ry looked over the city, flooded with water. Luckily not Wojira or Kalmaar was in sight.

Ry slowly shifted her gaze down to her hands, noticing that she was trembling. Her breaths became more and more shaky with every second.

As she returned her blank, yet fearful gaze back out to the water, it felt like every memory raced through her mind all at once, from her childhood at the monastery to just a few moments ago when she said a silent goodbye to her friends.

With another shaky deep breath, Ry forced the memories and doubt from her mind again, focusing only on the feel of the air and breeze around her.

She honestly had no idea how to merge with the wind, but Ry knew Nyad opened herself fully to the ocean's power, so she tried to open herself fully to the wind's power.

After a few seconds, a strong rush of what felt like her wind's elemental energy race through her and that's when Ry knew it was time.

"I am the wind and the wind is with me...," she whispered, closing her eyes to feel the breeze that blew her long hair wildly behind her.

Just as she was about to jump into the air, suddenly, a creaking door sound stopped her.

Startled, Ry spun around to face the sound, landing in a fighting stance, but what she saw just made her confused.

Nya walked out of the doors, over to the edge of the building, her gaze fixed out over the water.

"N-Nya...?" Ry whispered to herself as she slowly stepped towards her.

That's when Nya turned her head, looking at the doors. With a small smile and tears in her eyes she mouthed, "I love you...," before turning back to face the water.

What is she doing? Ry wondered, raising an eyebrow with confusion, but concern remained in her brown eyes.

"Nya!" she shouted without hesitation while rushing over to her friend.

Nya spun around to face Ry, visible tears still in her eyes.

"Nya w-what's wrong? What are you doing?" Ry frantically asked, her heart pounding with worry.

However Nya didn't answer either one of her questions, only put her hands on Ry's shoulders, keeping a small smile as she met Ry's concerned gaze.

"Take care of the guys for me...," she whispered, but that only made Ry more confused.

"W-What...?" Ry stuttered as Nya pulled away from her, returning her gaze out over the water.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Ry realized what Nya was doing... the same thing she tried to do.

"NO! NYA WAIT!" Ry shouted with panic as she lunged to grab her friend's hand, but it was too late.

Nya jumped off the building, diving into the water below.

"N-No... no no no...," Ry shakily stuttered while desperately peering over the building's edge.

"NYA!" she yelled at the top of her lungs, tears quickly blurring her vision, but she could still see the bright blue glow of the water below as Nya began to merge with the sea.

She wanted to jump off and stop Nya... or merge with the wind. She wanted to do something... anything but she couldn't.

Ry was stuck there, tightly gripping the roof's edge staring down at where Nya landed in the water..., frozen in fear.