The Black-Hearted Ninja (The Dark Triangle #1)

Hero

Jay's P.O.V.

        I'm on the left side of my bed, my favored side, and I have my arms slightly around Nya. It feels wonderful to me. She isn't aware, because she's fast asleep, a small expression of worry on her face. Her lips are slightly parted, and a small strand of hair that fell over her mouth is blown up every time she breathes out. Nya is letting me hold her now but if she were conscious I'm sure it would be a different story.

        I'm a fool. So stupid, I admitted how I felt and just as I expected, Nya's reaction was less than overjoyed. For a short time I thought maybe Nya cared about me, but now I doubt it. I don't blame her, of course. This is my life. I get my hopes up about something and then they're dashed, thrown onto the cold hard floor and broken into a million pieces. Fragile, like me.

        I had hope about the release spell and even more about the reversal spell. But we aren't trying those again. It's too dangerous.

And Nya says she's able to fight Cole. I say she's able to die as well.

         I want to save Nya. I want to make sure she doesn't get hurt, at least not more than she already has. The solution is obvious, when I think about it. So simple, clear in my muddled thoughts. It's practically the rules of Ninjago.

Cole is a villain now. I am a ninja.

Ninja fight villains.

Ninja beat villains.

I have to fight Cole, and I have to win.

        I don't have a lot going for me. I'm not exactly the greatest at being a ninja, which I know. Sometimes I wonder if Sensei made a mistake picking me. But there is one thing I am good at. That thing is lightning. It's in the title, I'm the Master of Lightning, right? Electrocution can hurt people pretty badly.

       I'm not very strong with my powers. But maybe, just maybe, if I used them to their full extent, I would be able to fry Cole and zap the demon straight out of him. The reason I haven't tried this before is because I don't have good control. In other words, I'll probably end up killing myself. But this could be our last hope.

          For a fleeting second I wonder if I should awaken Nya and tell her where I'm going. She might try to stop me...no, that's what I would do if she woke me up and told me she was going to confront an all-powerful demon who has tortured humanity for millennia and killed all our friends. Gulp. Nya would probably let me go, she's so desperate at this point that she would try anything and it's not like my dying would be as devastating as Lloyd or Kai or anyone else. But she looks so peaceful, so content, snuggled in my blue blankets and curled up against my chest that I don't want to move her.

So slowly, carefully, I inch my arm out from under Nya, careful not to disturb her slumber. Then I sit up with as much silence as I can muster and get off the bed. She frowns a little bit and reaches out a hand, as if looking for something, but then turns over and falls back into the deep sleep she had before.

I take one last look around the room. It's shadowy even though there's a light on, because the dark outside is so deep. My nunchucks are on a cluttered table. I reach out one hand and grab them, I hadn't used them until now because I thought fighting wasn't the answer. But fighting is the way we always solve problems as ninja. Violence. Something I don't like. Something that needs to be done. I would rather use words, but Cole doesn't deserve any more chances. I agree with Nya that I just want him gone.

"Bye." I say with a quivering voice. Be brave. Be strong.

Be a hero.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~