|| HEART OF STEEL || ZANE X MALE!READER ||

𓆗 CHAPTER X - TICK TOCK 𓆗

• NARRATOR POV •

Jay, Kai, Y/N and Cole peered over the edge of the bounty, as it sailed across the sea, whilst Zane sat on the sea bed, being timed.

"Ten minutes! He just broke his own record. The guy's inhuman!" Kai laughed, as Zane quickly resurfaced.

"Amazing!" Cole complimented.

"We're not worthy." Jay added. Y/N put his thumb up with a small smile.

"I broke the record?" Zane enquired, looking rather pleased with himself.

"You destroyed it!!" Kai corrected, laughing as he showed Zane the stopwatch.

"Okay, okay. Is anyone thinking what I'm thinking?" Jay fangirled, "We've been training for so long, I don't think we can get any better. Just think about all we've accomplished!"

• NARRATOR POV - FLASHBACK •

In front of Kai, was a whole line of hot coals which the boy quickly ran across with no fuss.

A metal rod was attached to the top of the Bounty, and as a thunderstorm raged on in the background Jay was perched on top of it with one hand.

Y/N was stood in the center of the bounty's deck, as Jay, Nya and Kai were stood in random spots, unknown to Y/N as he was blind folded. Suddenly, they all threw massive daggers at him which he caught in both his hands and his mouth.

Cole was lifting a barbell, although he quickly added more weights before lifting it. Jay and Nya were also perched on either side of the weights, Jay eating a whole chicken.

• NARRATOR POV - PRESENT •

"The question should be raised. Perhaps we have reached our full potential?" Zane questioned, as they all headed inside the Destiny's bounty to find their Sensei, "Well, every morning I do five hundred push-ups."

"Five hundred? Ha, try a thousand." Kai boasted.

"Hahaha, me and Y/N do a thousand and one." Jay spoke, trying to on up Kai.

"What is this, amateur hour? Sounds like my warm-up. Sensei, what does True Potential look like if—" Cole quickly stopped, as they noticed their Sensei putting away a Katana.

"Our apologies, Sensei. We've interrupted you." Zane bowed slighty, as he apologized.

"I'm sorry if I've been distant lately." Wu spoke, "My mind has been elsewhere since Lloyd has gone missing. What can I help you with?"

"Sensei, what if we've done enough training? What if we've reached our True Potential? What if we're ready?" Cole asked.

"Hm." Wu hummed, "You might have reached peak physical condition, but you've yet to reach your inner potential. In each and every one of us, there are obstacles that hold us back.. Only when you conquer that fear will your heart be free. Only then will you reach your True Potential. Only then will we have a fighting chance to stop the Serpentine from releasing the Great Devourer."

"There's more to the Great Devourer than you've led on, isn't there, Sensei?" Zane questioned.

"I too have obstacles within my own heart. There's a story I've never told you." Wu sighed, before he began his story, "Long ago, when I was a young boy, Garmadon and I were more than brothers. We were the best of friends—"

"Wait a minute. Now, I know you two were brothers, but really? The King of Cruelty, the Doer of Destruction, the Captain of Chaos, and you two were friends?" Jay sounded astounded.

"Please, no interruptions." Wu scolded, before continuing, "You see, he did not always have a wicked heart. One day, I lost this very katana. Knowing our father would be mad, my brother told me to go retrieve it. But I refused. He told me not to put off what can be done today and went to get it himself. When my father found him, he was very ill, for he was bitten by a legendary snake that would grow forever as long as it consumes. A great evil had found its way into my brother's heart, for the snake's venom could turn the purest of things wicked."