Darkness from Within #5: Uneasy Trust (A Ninjago Fanfiction)

Chapter 30

The wind roared in Kai's ears as he fell through the air, heading for the ground like the rain around him. He felt nothing but panic as he came closer and closer to the floor, knowing that, in any second, he'd splat.

He gasped as he hit the top of a tree. He struggled for breath as he was tossed from one branch to the next, hitting each one hard. He flared his arms, desperately trying to grab something to stop himself. Then he reached out and snatched a hanging vine, wrapping himself around it.

But it was longer than he thought.

In a flash, Kai swung down toward the ground, just barely skimming over the grass. Then the vine swung forward again, shooting him back upward. Kai let out a scream as he was flung through the air before beginning to shoot downward again. Legs and arms flailing, he looked down and his eyes widened as he found himself straight over the roof of the monastery. Oh, great Ninjago, he thought. This is not going to end well for me.

But it was too late to do anything.

Kai twisted and, with a sharp gasp, landed on the roof right on his two feet. He jerked as the shock from the blow shot through him and he froze.

Panting, he looked down at himself, body shaking from head to toe. I'm alive! he thought. His body throbbed with pain and his shock kept him frozen still. Heart racing, he shakily looked back up and spotted Lloyd still standing where he had been before.

The green ninja turned around, raising an eyebrow when he saw Kai. "Wow," he breathed. "You are really hard to kill." He stared at the red ninja's round gaze, waiting. Three... two... one.

Fury suddenly exploded into Kai's eyes as he finally broke from his shock. Lloyd smirked. Right on time.

"You!" Kai snarled. "You tried to kill me!"

Lloyd started backing away as the red ninja stalked closer to him. "You're right," he hissed. "I did try to kill you!"

"So you admit it," Kai growled, eyebrows furrowed. "How could you? I thought you were my friend!"

Lloyd tensed as he saw the red ninja prepare to attack. "The anger you're feeling must be unbearable," he sneered.

Kai panted angrily, eyes blazing. "You think?" His gaze locked on the elemental sword on Lloyd's back. "Give me my sword," he demanded.

Lloyd scoffed. "Come and get it," he challenged.

With a howl of fury, Kai raced forward, lunging at the green ninja. Lloyd didn't have time to move before Kai barreled him to the ground. The red ninja growled and reached over, grabbing the elemental sword. Lloyd kicked out his legs, spiraling his attacker away from him with the sword in his hands.

Kai gripped his sword tighter as he steadied himself on his feet again, glaring at Lloyd as he rose to his feet as well. "It's over, Lloyd," he barked. "You'll never get this sword!"

But Lloyd didn't seem to care that Kai had taken the elemental sword. "Oh, but this is just the beginning," he snarled back. Eyes blazing intensely, he stalked closer to Kai. "I sense the pain inside of you," he growled. "The anger racing through your veins."

Kai walked backward, holding out his sword. "Don't come any closer," he warned.

But Lloyd ignored him. "That rage you feel," he went on enticingly. "Your best friend tried to kill you." He paused. "Or, was he ever your best friend, or was that a lie, too?"

Kai breathed heavily as he stared at the green ninja, the anger rising inside of him. His muscles tensed and he began to shake at the fury driving in his blood.