Salt: A Ninjago story

50: Dirt and Glory

An eerie calm settled with the dust after the dragons' flurry of destructive power. The ground was scorched by Kai's impetuous dragon attack and the hammer-like impact of Cole's Rock dragon had shattered it causing the collapse into the void below. The shadow army caught up and gathered at the impact zone, swarming tentatively around the claws of the three dragons as they looked over the side of the hole and into the vast chamber. Inquisitive eyes gazed in disappointment at the cavern, a place few had seen and those who had, only once, before the heart was activated with their lives. Inside the chamber, the damp walls reflected the light from above but did not sparkle anything like the spectacle of the Heart's beat. Now grey and dank, the amorphous heart sat lethargic in the centre.

Kai helped his sister to stand while Jay hovered, resisting the desire to be as close to her as possible and the team held back allowing Nya to steady herself. She could not break her gaze from the heart and moved away to approach the distorted form.

'Where have they gone?' she said 'what the hell is this thing?'

'A key' Nat said, an explanation that did not satisfy the confused faces that stared back at her 'you... do know what a key is right?'

'Sure' Lloyd said 'but you can't exactly put this one on a chain!'

Nya looked thoughtful and placed a hand to the rough grey surface 'the stars and black holes I saw... it was opening portals' she looked at Nat for confirmation, who nodded 'but how?'

'I don't think we could ever say how exactly, but it requires energy... Ritualistic, repetitive, primal energy' She looked to Nya 'What exactly were they doing?'

'Don't you know?'

Nat shook her head 'couldn't hear a thing... and never could when the heart beat'

'Uh, well... Lets just say The Quiet One spoke up and got what she wanted. It was some powerful stuff... lets hope it transported them somewhere far, far away' Nya looked at Hitch and Nat, their uncertain looks spoke another sentiment 'I... I mean, I'm sure she'll be fine wherever she is, but...'

'Don't, Nya' Nat replied 'There's no need. We know what our sister was... it wasn't always that way, but in the end she chose her path. Wherever she is, she should never come back'

Nya remembered her own unnatural lust for revenge 'I sincerely hope not'

''Lets get out of here' Kai said brusquely and turning to mask his look of concern from his team, he mouthed to Hitch 'you ok?''

She nodded and moved towards him. They stopped shy of touching, but looked each other in the eye and Kai smiled encouragingly 'I'm sure she'll be fine' he added just to be sure.

'Not that you should care' Hitch gently responded.

Kai ruffled his hair 'I don't really... but I care about you, so...'

Lloyd whistled up to the daylight high above and the tail of his dragon lowered down, casting a green glow around the space 'hop on' he said as he nimbly climbed up the jagged tail. The others followed and when they were all attached Lloyd whistled again. The Dragons wings beat above them casting a shadow over the hole and ascended to pull them all free of the cavern. Appearing to the world above, a new day was revealed and life began again with the sound of helicopters buzzing the sky; news channel reporters' eager to follow the breaking story. The Ninja waved up at the choppers.

'Smile' Cole said to Nat 'If you thought having voices in your head was bad, wait until you hit the front page and then your life officially belongs to them!'

'I won't stick around long enough!' she replied and leapt down from the tail to the ground. The shadows instinctively gathered towards her swarming to follow her lead.

The Dragon settled and Cole stepped off the tail too. He jogged after Nat 'wait, where will you go? We said we would help and we will' Nat raised her eyebrows to question him. Cole nervously caught himself 'uh, I gotta say knowing you can hear everything I think is making me nervous'

Nat smiled uncomfortably 'Well, I'm slightly intrigued by some of the stuff that's filtering through. You ask a lot of questions... you could just ask me outright'

Cole blinked, not sure how to respond 'uh, well I could start with...' he took a breath 'would you stay? I... would like to ask you questions' he laughed a little 'but I just haven't figured them out in a way that makes me seem really cool yet'

Nat widened her eyes and snorted, she looked back to her shadows 'what about them?'

'I have an idea'

'Yes you do... and it does sound interesting...'

Cole smiled 'it is... Lloyd?' he called.

Cole shared a smile with Nat and turned moving off to Lloyd who he diverted towards Kai, Nya and Jay 'Team meeting guys' he ordered.

Hitch stepped aside and returned to her sister 'What's going on there?'

'Team meeting' Nat replied.

'Come on, tell me, what's it about?'

Nat smiled a wide quiet smile 'You'll find out soon enough'

'Oh come onnn' Hitch sulked, but knowing better than to push her sister she muttered under her breath 'seems like beating hearts render you mute as well as deaf!' Hitch watched until the meet finally broke apart. Cole nodded an ascent towards Nat, who inclined her head in response. Hitch rolled her eyes 'suddenly you get a new buddy and I'm shut out?'

'Oh be quiet. It's a surprise... you're gonna love it!'

'A surprise? Like, a good one... not the normal type?'

Nat, turned to her sister, placed her hands on her shoulders and looked her in the eye 'No, not the normal type, only good surprises from now on. I promise'

Hitch stared at her sister, the uncommon promise unfamiliar 'you better not be lying'.

'I never do' and Nat went to talk details with Cole and Lloyd.

Hitch watched her sister. She looked different, walked taller or something, like a weight had been lifted. She surveyed the scene and raised her eyes to the TV choppers, letting reality sink in. It really was over, they had a chance at a life, whatever form it would take she didn't know, but it was going to be better than her life to date and she could not stop a wide smile from forming on her lips.

Kai came up behind her and barely glanced his hand on her waist. Chills of excitement prickled through her 'oh dear god, the future looks bright' she thought and turned to look up at his smiling face but noticed in the sky beyond, the approach of many new helicopters and became aware of movement from the side roads around 'they're a little over dressed for breakfast, don'tcha think?' and tugged Kai to turn and look. They saw the Cities finest approach on foot, armed in riot gear, armour-clad vans following.

Kai snorted a laugh 'always late for a party, yet never fail to come dressed to impress!' He walked forward to welcome them, all swagger and confidence and glanced back to check that Hitch was suitably impressed. Which of course, she was.

The chief of police, always the first on the front line, raised his visor and talked to Kai. Hitch saw Kai's demeanour change immediately and he turned abruptly searching for his teammates. Hitch span around to see her sister grasping Coles arm, relaying urgent information 'No' she whispered 'no surprises, not this kind'.

Kai ran full out past her towards his dragon 'lets move!' he shouted. Cole and Lloyd were running too. The Dragons stretched, unsettled at the sudden flurry of panic. Wide-eyed Nya stood from where she sat with Jay and shouted 'what is it? What's happened?'

'Zane!' Kai shouted back 'The Temple'