Flames of the Past #2: Beginning of Chaos (Ninjago Fanfiction)

Chapter 5

Kai frowned as he searched through the bookshelf. He was at the back of the library, moving books around to try and find something useful. Books and libraries had always been boring to him, but Skylor was obviously deeply intrigued by them, so he thought he could give them their fair shot.

"No," he muttered as he flipped through the different books. "No... No... No..."

"Have you found anything?" Skylor asked as she appeared beside him.

Kai shook his head. "It's all just those copied books," he sighed. "What are we supposed to be looking for, anyway?"

"Anything," Skylor answered.

"Anything like... a secret switch?"

Skylor crossed her arms. "I doubt there's going to be a secret switch in here," she snapped.

"Oh, come on, it's a library!" Kai exclaimed, walking forward while running his hand along the bookshelf. "There's always secret switches or passages in libraries. Especially if they're ancient and clearly hiding something."

Skylor sighed, but followed him.

Kai looked up and down, scanning every book. "It should be right..." His eyes fell on a wide, seemingly out-of-place book and he tilted it downward.

Something clicked.

"...here." Smirking, Kai followed the sound to the end of the bookshelf, where a slot had opened up in the wood. He reached inside and pulled out a dusty book. He turned to Skylor triumphantly. "Secret switch."

Skylor's eyes lit with surprise. Scowling, she took the book from him and wiped the dust off. The book had no title.

"What is that?" Kai pointed to a diamond-shaped, gem-like thing on the cover of the book.

Skylor shrugged. "Probably just decorative," she said. She opened the book as they headed back to their research table.

Kai looked over her shoulder. "What's it about?"

"It looks like some kind of diary," Skylor murmured. "'To make sure the truth is never forgotten, but kept safe and alive. Accounts from the Guardians.' That's what's written on the first page."

Kai's brows knotted together. "What are the Guardians?"

"You're asking the wrong princess," Skylor huffed. She set the book on the table and began flipping through it. Kai stood beside her. "It isn't too understandable," she commented. "There are full stories and entries, and then pages that look like facts on certain things or people. This Ross F. Snakes appears a lot. 'Targets the animals.' What does that even mean?"

Kai followed her gaze. "What does the F. stand for?"

"Uh..." The princess turned a few more pages. "Fond."

Kai laughed. "Guess his parents were fond of him, eh?" he joked.

Skylor stared at him, raising an eyebrow.

Face heating up, Kai snapped his head away. "Um... anyway, what else is in there?" he hurriedly asked.

She began flipping through the book again, but Kai stopped her when he spotted something that stuck out to him. "Hold on," he said, placing his fingers on the page.

King Brutus and Queen Marissa.

"They're those two King Otis was talking about," he remembered. "The ones he said disappeared."

Skylor frowned. "I've never heard of them before," she admitted.

"Really?" Kai wondered as he continued reading. "It says they were the king and queen of Shillvaron once."