Back to the Beginning - A Ninjago Lavashipping Fanfiction [COMPLETED]

Chapter 13

Cole

    Bring her to the top of the tallest mountain and you and your little friends can live. The metallic voice repeated in Cole's mind.
    He was surrounded by darkness, noting but black for miles around him. The ground was grey but cracks infinitely ran on and on.
    I don't understand why you want her so badly.
    The voice didn't answer. He just hummed and stayed clear of the question altogether. Less than ten days, boy. Ten days...
    The ground rumbled and small pieces started falling away, one by one. His feet were glued to the floor, so he couldn't avoid falling into the darkness underneath him.
    The voice laughed. You can try all you want, but it is inevitable. You have to stop fighting at some point, Cole Brookstone.
    The floor beneath him gave away, and he fell and fell until he jolted awake. His surroundings were entirely new: instead of the empty cells and dimly lit hallways was mossy stone walls and cold concrete floors.
    "Wha- what happened?"
    The others were asleep, all except for Sensei Wu who poured his tea in the small, blue teacup.
    "Hello Cole." he handed him the tea. "drink, it will help replenish your strength."
    The earth master sipped the warm water and it instantly filled him with energy.
    "We have noticed after every traumatic experience you have, your energy drains and you become unconscious. This tea should help you cope with that." Sensei explained.
    Cole smiled. "Sensei, why is it only me getting these experiences?" his smile diminishing after asking that question.
    The wise mentor stroked his beard. "That we do not know yet. It could possibly be because your mother is currently possessing you, and we know whoever 'he' is wants her. Tell me Cole, what exactly does he keep repeating in your dreams?"
    Cole fiddled with his fingers before responding. "H-he keeps telling me to bring her to the top of the tallest mountain, then me and my friends could live."
    Sensei Wu stared into the darkness for a while before talking again. "For once, I don't understand what this could all mean," He took the teacup after Cole finished drinking it. "get some sleep young student, we will continue after they wake."
    "Yes Sensei."

    Cole's dream didn't include creepy voices and darkness. Instead, the team was at the beach, playing and splashing each other in the water. It was sunny and hot, a slight breeze stirring Cole's black hair.
    But he wasn't in his body. It felt like he was a different person, watching himself.
    He was giggling like a dork and covering his mouth as he dumped a bucket full of water on Kai, the fire master kicking sand and towels everywhere, trying to sputter the salty water from his mouth.
    "HEY! I'M SUNBATHING!" he shouted as they chased each other across the beach. Kai tackled him to the sand, heaving and breathing from exhaustion. Cole smirked and quickly kissed him, Kai covering his mouth while his face was flushed in a deep red. The others smiled and laughed as they ran to dog pile each other.
    All the ninjas' parents were there, even Abigail, Lou slinging an arm around her shoulders. But Cole noticed Ethan wasn't there with them, smiling and creating memories.
    Strange.
    He realized if they didn't bring his mom back, and stop whoever wants her, this could never happen. He could never confess to Kai. Jay would never marry Nya. There wouldn't be the 'Saviors of Ninjago' anymore.
     Ten more days... a small voice reminded him.

    Cole woke when the ninja started packing up, slinging their backpacks over their shoulders and proceeding to the next room. They were running extremely low on food and first-aid resources, but luckily, Nya was there to give them water. The ninja held their thermoses up to her hand as she sprayed clear liquid into the metal container. Nya didn't seem to mind, given she was basically a water fountain at this point. There was no other source of clean water in the jungle, other than the Black River that was further east.
    Lloyd reluctantly approached the wooden door. The Chinese symbol glowed gold when he put his hand around the knob, then died down once he took it off. Sensei nodded to encourage Lloyd. He shakily turned the handle.
    The next room was simply a stone corridor lined with metal torches, nothing dangerous-looking in sight. Though of course, something seemed wrong to Cole.
    "Doncha' think it's weird there's nothing here?" Ethan asked as he touched the walls.
    Cole inspected the floors a little more. "Yeah, and I don't like it."
    The group continued to walk down, nervously looking for traps or any other hidden things that could cause them trouble.
    SLAM!
    Cole's heart stopped for a moment when he realized the door had shut by itself. He sighed in relief grateful it wasn't an axe coming down on him or something.
    "Well, there's no turning back now." Lloyd stated as he slowly turned around.
Cole walked alongside Ethan who put an arm around him. He loved the way his brother was protective, and how safe he felt when he did that. It was almost as if they could stand against anything without a scratch on them.
Then the sound of stone moving made everyone turn back towards Jay.
"Uhhh, guys? I think I might have stepped on something..."
Click.
A series of arrows were launched at the group. They dodged and kept running forward, panicked screams and shouts echoing through the corridor. Kai had to carry Nya, since she still couldn't walk on her leg. Suddenly the arrows stopped coming. Cole put his hands on his knees and breathed hard.
"Ugh! Having an injury sucks!" Nya shrieked as Kai carefully set her down.
"I know I know, but you're strong and at least you made it this far." Jay forced a smile but Nya just gave him an unsatisfied expression.
"Well that can't be it, can it?" Lloyd asked his uncle who shook his head. Cole wasn't sure if it meant he knew there were more traps or if he was declining the fact he knew at all.
But of course, living the life of a ninja meant danger, so eight foot long, slim white-scaled snakes slithered their way through small holes in the walls. They opened their mouths threateningly, the inside as black as ink.
"Those are extremely venomous. Just two drops of black mamba venom can kill a human being in less than thirty minuets!" Zane warned as he froze a good amount in place, mouths still open.
"Fine. Let's see how they get along with FIYAHH!" Kai shot a blast of orange and red flames. The snakes hissed in agony and squirmed underneath the heat. A couple dozen of snakes retreated back into the small holes, hissing and shedding their fangs.
"Nice. Now watch ours!" Nya said as she and Jay combined their elements, making an electric pool of water.
"Always worked on snakes." Jay winked at his future wife. Kai rolled his eyes.
" Cole! You and Ethan block the holes so they don't get out!" Lloyd commanded, shooting an explosion of green, sending dead snake carcasses everywhere.
"Got it!" Cole and Ethan dashed to the walls, punching them so the loose rubble could fall and block the holes.
The hall was chaotic: snakes flew and slithered away in fear, withdrawing into their prior homes that were halfway destroyed. Though they're listed as the most deadly snakes in the world due to their aggressiveness, the snakes showed no desire to attack once they got a taste of elemental power. Jay electrocuted the last of them, and Cole threw a destroyed rock to block the gaping hole in the wall. He and Ethan high fived each other and the group kept walking forward.
    "Good work guys! Hopefully there's nothing else left in this hallway." Lloyd hoped.
    Luckily, he was right. The next door was made of glass, water drops painting the surface so Cole was unable to see through it. The light emitted a green glow, warm and cheerful. No sign was etched in the door this time. Lloyd turned the knob and the door opened with a creak.
     Wild plants grew everywhere, greens, dark greens, browns. Even tropical, wild fruits were growing happily in the greenhouse, as if the moisture and fertile soil was enough to keep it living.
     The sun shined through the roof of green glass making it humid and hot. It seemed like they were still underground, for the walls were made of mossy stone and only the roof allowed the blistering sun to shine through. The air felt thick, but scents of bananas, pineapples, lychees, and many others drifted across Cole's nose, reminding him of how hungry he really was. Kai was tempted to take a banana, but Sensei stopped him, claiming the food is not to be touched, and used as a natural offering to the elemental master of the dead.
      They continued to walk towards the center. Giant banana leaves blocked the path, and Cole guessed the greenhouse hadn't been maintained in a while. Once they reached the middle of the sacred greenhouse, a small  black building with a domed roof and black marble pillars protected a black velvet coffin. Surprisingly, the velvet was clean, and it seemed untouched. The leaves of the departed sprouted around the coffin. It looked almost invisible, ghostly white with thin, green veins.
      Cole looked at Sensei. The wise man caught his gaze and nodded for encouragement.
      As he touched the leaves with his fingertips, a shiver traveled from his hand and down his spine. But it wasn't a chilly, cold shiver; it felt like a surge of power was released, like he alone had the power to bring someone back from the dead.
      The others watched in silence while Cole plucked three leaves. New flowers started forming, then the light pink petals fell to the floor and withered. Baby sprouts of white sprouted from the stem, thick, black liquid dripping down into the soil. Cole raised his eyebrows incredulously and looked back at the others who had the same expression.
Zane handed Cole a small drawstring bag, to safely keep the leaves from crumbling.
"The leaves won't die by the time we get everything else, right?" Cole strapped the small packet to his belt.
Zane pursed his lips. "They should not. The black sap will keep them from withering."
"Good. Ready to go back and face those traps again?" Jay unenthusiastically pumped his fist in the air, trying to lighten the mood among his teammates, but failed miserably. Cole really didn't want to go back, but he had a crazy idea cross him mind. If Lloyd could move mountains before they split the power then maybe Cole could do it too. He never really thought about moving a mass that big; imagine the amount of power and energy it would take.
"But what if we didn't have to go back? What if Cole and I could move the ground so that we can surface?" Ethan read Cole's mind. The younger elemental master sent his brother a shocked expression. The midnight black-haired relative winked at Cole.
The tips of Kai's mouth happily turned upwards in realization. "It makes sense! If Lloyd was able to do it, then Cole and Ethan definitely can."
"Indeed. Cole, Ethan, concentrate." Sensei ordered. The two elemental masters faced the wall to their left. Ethan stood tall and confident, flexing his muscular arms. Cole didn't understand how he was able to do that. Sure he was originally the leader before Lloyd came around but deep down he always had some sort of insecurity, like he might fail the ones who were counting on him.
Concentrate. Focus. Even if Kai's watching. His pestering voice in the back of his mind told him.
Not helping! He pushed the though aside.
Almost in sync, the two brothers raised their hands to will their elemental powers. The stones clattered and loose dirt fell to the ground. Cole felt like giving up. There was no way he could move the ground like that. His fingers trembled and ached for a break, but his mind kept telling him to keep going. It took a massive amount of energy to control his powers. The heavier the object, the harder it was. A bead of sweat rolled down the side of his head and dropped to the floor. Cole shut his eyes to concentrate harder, but it didn't work. His hand collapsed down to his side and his ragged breaths came in and out. Ethan was still trying to move the stone, but he couldn't do it without his brother.
    A warm hand touched Cole's shoulder. He glanced back at Kai, meeting his amber gaze as the fire ninja came to stand next to him. His eyes seemed to shift with the light, from yellow to orange to red. It held determination, support, and most importantly, faith. Cole couldn't stop now. He gulped and returned his gaze to the wall. With a newfound power, he took a deep breath and raised his hand once more.
    New power surged through his body, and the mossy bricks slowly shifted backwards forming into stairs. Ethan side-glanced at his brother, smiling and returning his focus to the wall.
    Kai's grip increased in strength, which willed Cole to push harder. With a final whip of his hand, the stones moved so that it created a staircase to the outside world. Cole sighed and leaned on Kai, the fire ninja grabbing his hand and stabilizing him before he hit the ground. Cole's cheeks burned like a hot towel was placed on his face, but he didn't want Kai to let go. His fingers were surprisingly soft, and warm to the touch, heat spreading from Cole's hand and through his entire body.
    "You did great." Kai's charming voice sent shivers down Cole's spine as he whispered in his ear.
    "Thanks."
    The others climbed up the stairs, the bright sun blinding everyone's eyes as they surfaced.
    Pixal looked at Zane with curiosity before opening her mouth. "Zane, how much time has passed by?"
    The nindroid stopped to calculate the numbers, eyes glued still as he scrolled through his interior calendar. His body froze and stiffened, looking very robotic which was unnatural to Zane.
Uh oh. Cole would rather hope Zane's neuro drive malfunctioned, and the long silence wasn't because a good amount of days passed by.
    A beep sounded and Zane's posture returned to normal.
    "Approximately three days. Time in the tomb must be faster than it is on the Dark Island."
Cole's stomach dropped. His heart beat increased by a good amount, and his skin started growing hot. Kai seemed to notice, stopping and guiding Cole to the side of the road with a worried expression.
"Cole, what's wrong?"
The earth ninja looked down at Kai (Cole's probably taller by like 2 inches or something) with a different emotion in his eyes, fear that replaced the usual serious but soft tone. He hadn't realized Kai was still holding his hand, but he liked it. Cole gripped Kai's hand tighter as he looked into the shining amber eyes of the fire ninja. Pieces of his golden brown hair fell over his face, Cole miserably trying to stop himself from brushing them away with his fingers.
His tone dropped to a whisper. "Kai, we only have seven days. I dunno what that voice wants with my mom but she's in danger. We're in danger," Cole stopped to let a breath out and brushed his fingers through his long, black hair. "we haven't even got the water yet or the crystal from the Temple of Light. I-I don't even know-"
Kai interrupted Cole by softly calling his name. He shifted so that he was facing the person who gave him butterflies in his stomach.
"We're gonna be fine, okay? This is why we're a team, a family. We help each other when the going gets tough." Cole looked away but Kai stepped in front to maintain eye contact. "we can do this and we ain't gonna fail so just, trust me okay?"
Cole slowly looked up at Kai who was smiling gently with a sentimental look in his eyes. Every time Cole looked at him, his heart skipped a beat. He couldn't stop himself from smiling back.
"Okay."
Kai patted his back and they continued down the path to their teammates. His hand was still in a tight grip with Kai's, but his cheeks dusted in a rosy pink when his crush decided to loop his gloved hands in between his. He didn't flinch, at least he hoped he didn't, but instead accepted Kai's action by moving his fingers swiftly so that they connected firmly. They both looked at each other and smiled as they kept walking down the path, fallen leaves crunching in rhythmic patterns beneath their feet.
Dang it Kai, why did I fall in love with you? I don't know, maybe it's because of your charming smile that could light the world, or the way you inspire others and tell them to keep trying. Maybe it's because of your eyes that shift beautifully with the light, or maybe it's your confidence that makes me feel good. Maybe it's because your so adorable when your mad or maybe it's everything, every single part of you that I'll never want to change because I love you, more than a friend or a brother, and I always will. Because your right: we'll get though this together, like a team. But most importantly, like a family.

SCREEAMMM MY TWO BOIS ARE SO ADORABLE TOGETHER. Ok yay got the chapter done finally. Sorry it took so long, as I said before I already started school (but luckily that means I'll be able to get out earlier haha suckers jk jk) anyway, but that means homework ugh 😒 (I got hw on the first day whyyy?) and yeah. Still a ton of soccer and conservatory (the thing I audition for to get into my school. If you're confused it's an art school) just threw a butt load of projects at me. Sooo yayay totally not stressed at all. From now on, updates will come a lot slower so yeah just a heads up. It's hard for me to predict when I'll add a new chapter but please just bear with me. Thanks 🤪