Darkness from Within #7: A Promise Broken (Ninjago Fanfiction)

Chapter 3

"What are we going to do?" Kai demanded as he angrily paced the floor.

Zane frowned and walked over to him. "Calm down, first of all," he advised.

Kai halted with a frustrated groan. He glanced at Cole, who was only getting worse in his shaking and moaning. "Cole's breath is getting shorter by the day," he growled, glaring at the white ninja. "And your girlfriend can't do anything?"

Zane furrowed his eyebrows, but kept his temper. "Pixal is doing all she can," he countered. He gazed at Cole. "But what even is there to do? It is clear Cole has been through serious mental abuse."

Jay and Nya followed the white ninja's gaze from where they were standing. It was clear Nya was on the verge of crying as she observed her ill friend, and Jay put his arm around her. "There's gotta be something we can do," he pushed for Nya's sake.

Zane shook his head sadly. "The chances of his survival are low," he sighed. "There is nothing we can do but wait and see if his condition fades out by itself."

Kai started tugging at his hair, eyes blazing. "Are you saying we give up?" he snarled. "Cole's our brother—my brother. And I can't just sit here and watch him die!"

The whole room seemed to flinch at the word 'die.' Nya choked back a sob and buried her face in Jay's shoulder as Zane looked at the ground.

"Why do you guys act as if you don't know what's going on?" Kai went on, voice full of rage. "Don't you see? Cole's going to die if we don't do anything! Do you want that to happen?"

A loud cry interrupted his speech.

All heads turned toward Cole as the black ninja gave a violent jerk and continued to cry out. Kai swallowed back his frustration as Nya pulled away from Jay and crouched beside Cole's bed.

"Shh... It's okay," she whispered, laying a hand on his.

Cole's head shot back and forth, his teeth chattering together. He jolted again and Nya ran her hand down his cheek comfortingly before rubbing his hand in order to soothe his nerves. "Cole, Cole, it's okay," she murmured gently. "Everything's okay."

Cole gave a quiet whimper, but he eventually began to relax again. His trembling got less violent and his teeth stopped chattering. Eyes brimming with tears, Nya looked up again and gazed at her brother. "He senses your distress, Kai," she breathed.

Kai gritted his teeth. "You see?" he shouted, shaking with rage. "I just make everything worse!" With a contemptuous spat, he whipped around and stormed out of the room.

Nya gazed after him with a frown. Gently, she released her grip on Cole and rose to her feet again, rejoining Jay near the door. The blue ninja took a step to follow Kai. "I'll talk to him," he suggested. Then he tensed and drew back again. "I-I mean, if that's okay with you." He gazed at Nya, eyes suddenly anxious. "M-maybe you should talk to him. I-I'll stay here with Cole." He bit his lip. "No, th-that's not a good idea, either. I should just... just..." He shuffled his feet and stared at Nya desperately. "W-well, what do you want me to do?"

Nya rested a hand on his shoulder. "Calm down, Jay," she told him.

Jay looked at the floor. "I-I just don't want to do the wrong thing again," he mumbled.

Nya's gaze softened. Over the days after the battle, Jay and Kai had been trying their hardest to prove their loyalty again. They knew every move they took would be judged by the others. She could tell they were struggling, each in their different way. Jay's was more obvious, as he was constantly panicking and asking what he could or couldn't do, terrified of doing something wrong. But Nya could sense the conflict inside her brother with his actions rather than his words. His shorter temper, the stiff jerk in his every movement, all because of the anger he felt with himself. She knew he blamed himself for what happened to Cole. That was the real reason he snapped at Zane and the rest of them.