4. Dark Sides: Rise of the Anacondrai

Chapter 12 - Marooned

Cole donned his mask and grabbed for his scythe as Jay, Zane, and Kai lined up next to him. Chen's followers were slithering towards them with flicking tongues and gleaming fangs. The other Elemental Masters braced themselves to fight as well, but without their powers, Cole wasn't sure they could do much.

Glancing at the Roto Jet on the other side of the quay, Cole thought that if he could fight his way there, he could possibly use it on the snakes.

"Get to the jet!" he called, and ran forward to meet the approaching snakes. He swung his scythe at a snake, but it was too fast and weaved around each blow. Lifting the scythe high, Cole hoped that Zane as right about their weapons not being affected and brought it down into the ground. A crack split the earth, but instead of engulfing the snake, it zigzagged diagonally and spread across the stone staircase in a twisted line. Cole stared in bewilderment.

"Lookout!" A bolt of lightning cut through the air and miraculously hit the snake that Cole was facing instead of him.

Something is definitely wrong with the weapons, Cole thought.

Then he heard Garmadon's voice ring out over the fighting: "Everyone get to the palace!"

Cole threw another look at the jet, still out of reach. Dozens of serpents stood between them. "You heard him," Cole said to his team. "Fall back!"

He made a break for the large double doors, but only made it half of the way before a serpent burst from the ground in front of him. Cole took a hasty step back, nearly falling down the stairs. The snake's jaws snapped shut just short of his arm, and he swung his scythe again, only intending to use the blade. The snake dodged with a savage hiss, baring its fangs once again. Then suddenly it froze, howled in pain, and ran the other way. Seliel stood just behind it, looking very smug.

"Next time watch your tail!" she called after it.

"Thanks!" Cole gasped.

"Don't mention it. Now come on!" He followed her up the steps, Serpentine cultists following close behind. They charged through the doors, followed by the rest of Cole's team and the rest of the Elemental Masters before the door was slammed shut.

Still, the mutated army pounded against the door, trying to break it down.

"Come on boys, don't let them through!" Cole said, pushing against the door with all his might. He remembered too late that, without his elemental power, he didn't have his super strength anymore either.

Kai appeared beside him, his heels digging into the floor. "I don't think they're going to give us much of a choice," he said above the snarling outside.

"Our odds of survival are dwindling into the decimals," he heard Pixal say. "I fear that we may not survive this."

"Don't give in!" Seliel shouted from his other side. "They can't keep it up forever!"

Neither can we, Cole thought, already feeling the strain in his arms. Without his enhanced strength, he didn't feel as if he was making a difference at all. He turned his back to the door, trying to anchor himself better. He gasped when Anacondrai swords pierced through the wood, narrowly missing him and the others.

He thought they really were about to make their final stand when the door stopped pounding against his back. To his surprised, the noise from outside faded away, and all the ninja exchanged surprised glances.

"See?" Seliel said, breathless. "What'd I tell ya?"

"Where did they go?" Nya wondered.

Cole peered at the crack between the doors. Were they really gone? Or were they just planning something worse? Cole began to pry open the door just enough to peek out.