Determining Destiny (Book 3 of the Enchanted DVD Player tetralogy)

4 - The First Task

y/n's POV

"Wake up, wake up!" Chen says over the loudspeaker. "The first task will commence in the next thirty seconds! You must find and return a jade blade to the throne room, and the last one without one loses! Ready? Go!"

I throw off my covers and run to get dressed. "Oh, screw it!" I cry, and do Spinjitsu to get on my gi. I've never fully understood how this trick works, but I've never questioned it; everybody knows Ninjago doesn't have any logic.

I tie my h/c hair up with a ribbon and rush out the door. I'm surprised to find I'm the first one out of my room. I frantically glance around for a jade blade, but I don't see any in plain sight. Before I can actually start searching, I suddenly remember something, and I run into Jay's room.

"Jay! Get out of the bathtub!" I cry without entering the bathroom.

"How did you know I was—"

"Never mind how I know! Just get out of the tub and put on some clothes! And no, a towel doesn't count!"

After yelling at Jay, I head back into the hallway, and notice everyone else is already battling for the jade blades. I step onto the banister and slide down the railing onto the main floor, and use the element of ice to freeze the ground. The four people battling there slip and fall down, allowing me to grab the blade they were fighting over.

"Hey!" Zane protests as I help him off the floor. "You used my own element against me!"

"Sorry, bro," I apologize. "You can do it next time!"

I spot Cole slowly making his way to a jade blade hidden in a vase, clutching his stomach. I roll my eyes; I guess he stuffed himself silly before the first task. I toss the blade in my hand to Zane and head towards the stairs leading upwards. I use the power of speed to get up to jade blade in the vase, and I arrive there before the real elemental of speed can get to it. I grab it, hand it to Cole, then push him towards the stairs so he can bring it to the throne room. While he heads downstairs, I start fighting the elemental of speed, who just appeared in front of me.

"It looks like you've gotten the hang of all these other elements," Lloyd says as he joins me. He uses his own element to throw the master of speed over the banister.

"Yup," I say triumphantly. "What about you?"

"Still working on it," he replies. Because of the connection between our spirits, we both share the same elements, including the ones Scarlet gifted to me. We've been working together to learn how to use all of them, and although I've been adapting pretty well, Lloyd still needs some practice.

"Let's see, then!" I challenge. By chance, the master of nature suddenly starts charging towards us.

"Ladies first!" Lloyd says, motioning for me to take care of our opponent.

"Oh, what a gentleman," I reply sarcastically, but I use y/e to defeat him anyway. "Come on, you need to practice, too."

"Okay, how's this?" he asks, creating fire on both his fists.

"Not bad," I admit.

Lloyd smiles and throws the flames down to the main floor, disrupting the squabble between Kai and Karloff.

"Y/n!" Kai complains. "I'm supposed to be fire!"

"It wasn't me! It was Lloyd!"

"Sorry Kai!" Lloyd calls. He then uses his energy powers to turn the flames green. "Does that help?"

"Huh, would you look at that," I mutter wistfully, as Lloyd jumps over the railing to help Kai. "It's Greenflame."

Before I can start thinking about that, someone grabs my arm and tugs me down the hall.

"Whoa—where are we going?"

"You want to stay in this tournament, don't you?" Skylor asks.

"Well, yeah," I say. "Wait. Why are you helping me?"

"I've decided to take you up on your offer," she replies, still dragging me along. "I'm going to team up with you and the ninja."

"Really?" I ask. She didn't seem so keen on the idea of switching sides last night. "What changed your mind?"

"It's nothing," she mutters, blushing.

My eyes light up. "You wouldn't happen to have a crush, would you?"

"What? How did you—"

"Please be Kai please be Kai please be Kai," I pray with my eyes closed.

"How did you guess?!?!"

I shrug. "I'm psychic, remember?"

"Right," she mutters, rolling her eyes. We arrive at a staircase, and she finally lets go of my arm so we can climb up it. Once we're at the top, we continue running.

"Sooo... how did you guys meet?" I ask like a schoolgirl at a slumber party.

"Is that really important right now?"

"Yes! It is vital information!"

Skylor huffs. "We've got rooms beside each other, so we introduced ourselves last night. We got to talking, and it turns out we both have a lot in common."

"Yes!" I mumble happily with a fist pump. "Kailor has begun!"

"We don't have time for this!" the redhead hisses. She pulls me behind the corner and hands me a jade blade.

"What's this for?" I ask.

"So you won't be eliminated even though we'll be missing for a while."

"Where's yours?"

She shakes her head. "I'm letting myself be eliminated."

"What? Why?"

"This way I'll be able to spend more time with my father to see what he's up to without anyone being suspicious. So far, I've discovered that Clouse is studying a book of dark spells."

"Clouse," I repeat. "I forgot about him. He's the guy that sounds like Severus Snape, right?"

"Who?"

"Never mind. But if you're not in the tournament, you won't be staying in your room. How will we communicate?"

"Every time I discover something, I'll either take the secret passageway that leads to Kai's room or send a Kabuki to your room with a message."

"How do you know we can trust them?"

"We can't. But I've got one here who's aware of the situation," she explains, and motions to someone in the shadows. My eyes widen as I recognize the girl, even though the makeup and the outfit.

"Oh, come on!  Anybody but her!"

"What?" the Kabuki asks innocently, but I see right through her act.

"Don't play dumb with me, Ultra Violet," I say, slamming her against the wall and holding her there so she can't escape. "I know about the cult you're a part of."

"What are you doing?!" Skylor demands.

"I didn't tell you this last night, but there's something else going on within the walls of Chen's castle," I say. "Has your father mentioned anything about the Sons of Garmadon?"

"The what?"

"They're a group of people dedicated to resurrecting Lord Garmadon in his evil state to take revenge on all of humankind," I explain, and then turn my head back towards Ultra Violet. "What is Chen's association with the Sons of Garmadon?"

"Chen? He's not in our band," she snarls. "He has nothing to offer."

I narrow my eyes at her. "Who's your leader, then? Harumi?"

"The new girl? Pfft, don't make me laugh. Sure, she's good with portals, but we need a master of magic to open the gateway to the cursed realm."

"Magic?" I mumble. I gasp, realizing who their leader is. "I don't believe it! It was him all along?"

"You don't mean..." Skylor says, figuring out who I'm talking about. 

I nod. "Clouse is their leader."