A Blizzard With Scales

Chapter Thirteen

While Lloyd, Zane and their new formling friend were making a break for it, the rest of the ninja were driving the repaired Land Bounty towards the forsaken palace. "You really think Zane’s the emperor? He's the nicest guy we know!" Kai exclaimed.

"Before or after he started holding the scroll? Whatever that... Thing is, it's not Zane anymore. I should have taken him seriously.."

"Hey Jay, don't blame yourself."

"But it is my fault! I just brushed off his dreams as just that and look what happened? Ugh!" The others knew the lightning ninja needed to let off some steam, they backed away slowly as static spread around his body. "Why didn't I listen to him? He hates me now, he hates me the most!" Whenever Jay panicked before he got over it rather quickly, it was surprising to see him still hyperventilating over the same issue for over an hour.

Nya soon stepped in, giving her fiancé a kiss on the cheek. "He would never hate you, especially not when he needs us. Once we get him back in his right head, we can all go home and back in our hot tub. Maybe things will go better than expected."

"H- how?"

"I don't know, but I do know when you need someone to lay your head on. Oh, looks like we're here." But what neither party knew was that Vex was watching from his cursed ice shard. He knew Zane had regained his memories now, but he also saw how addictive the scroll was when he saw Zane use it before. He could still be controlled with it.

"Come to me, Boreal. I have a job for you." He purred into his crystal. "You can't stay away from me, not when I have something of yours. Don't you miss your scroll? Oh I can feel it's power flowing through my blood."

Zane growled loudly, he would have crashed into the ground if Lloyd didn't keep him steady. The nindroid wanted the one who manipulated him for do long out of his head, but the scroll was tempting him. "You wouldn't ever find a powerful artifact like this ever again. You're nothing without your Spinjitzu scroll."

"H-how do you know about Spinjitzu? Furthermore, how do you know so much about the element of ice?!" The dragon screamed, to everyone nearby, it was yet another one of Boreal's tantrums. Vex just chuckled, holding up the scroll. "You're just some petty man who was desperate for power!"

"Is that really what you think? You haven't regained all your memories."

Zane cocked his head, he was certain everything came back to him. What else could be missing? "Do you recall that old man your father took in?"

Zane was about to ask what he meant, but then he realized what was going on. "You.. You're the previous master of ice?" He mumbled. "But you were so old."

Vex smirked as the dragon approached. "I knew you'd come. But did you really believe I gave you my element because I wanted a successor?" He purred. A quick slash with the nagita forced the transformed ninja down. "You were just to hold onto it for a few days, until I returned from imprisonment. Little did I knew I wasn't going to a regular prison for my war crimes. The First Spinjitzu Master himself used this very scroll to banish me here!"

Zane winced from the slash, but continued to listen. "With no way home and unable to wield ice while in my element, I grew bitter. I looked for any way to return to Ninjago, the Traveler's Tea here was useless! Those formlings took me in and restored my youth, they kept gaining powers of their own. It only reminded me of what I lost. You can tell I was pleased to see you again."

"All this, because you gave away your own element?"

Another slash was given in response. "Once I was freed I would have reclaimed it from you, you tin can! But it seems you've achieved your true potential, ice is now tied to you. I want my ice back, I'll just have to kill you for it."

The dragon weakly flapped his wings, not wanting to be slashed again. "I can't believe you! If I had known we'd have pushed you away as soon as you came! You want your element so bad? Come take it!"

Zane lunged forward, only to be knocked back by a fireball.