The Call to Rise

Origins Part 2: Kai

Author's Note: I just wanted to say thank you to all of the people who took the time to read the first part of my story. It really makes me happy, and keeps me encouraged, so thank you so much!

I also forgot to put a disclaimer in the last chapter so to clear it up: I do not own Lego: Ninjago. That belongs to the Lego Company.

Also a little warning: From this point forward, there will be mild cussing. Nothing bad and it's not really frequent but I thought I should give some kind of warning.

Alright, enough of me. On with the story!

Flashback

"C'mon, Kai! Wake up, wake up, wake up!"

Kai groaned as he felt a small weight jump on top of his stomach and startle him awake. "Nya~" he complained. "It's too early, go back to bed..."

"But Kai~" his eight-year-old sister whined. "You promised you would play with me first thing in the morning! Well, it's morning and I'm awake! So get up, big brother!"

The nine-year-old boy groaned but complied, sitting up in bed and rubbing at his eyes. "Okay, sis, okay. I'm up, I'm up," he grouched, but smiled. He tickled his sister to make her get off his stomach, and felt his smile grow wider as she squealed and tumbled off his bed in an attempt to escape the tickles.

"Hurry up, Kai!" Nya demanded, running out of his bedroom. "Dad says we can go outside when we finish breakfast!"

Kai's amber-colored eyes lit up at the mention of 'breakfast'. He hurried to get washed up and change into some play clothes. Hey, he was a growing boy! Excuse him if he got really hungry and wanted to eat!

~~~~~
"HA, HA! You'll never defeat me, you upstart little sister! Give up!"

"*huff* *huff* Never!"

"Then face my fury!" Kai declared as he rushed forwards and attack Nya with his wooden sword. Nya, seeing the attack coming, shrieked and swung her own sword, accidentally bonking Kai on the head.

"Ow!" Kai complained, dropping his sword in favor of holding his head. "Nya, that hurt! DAD!"

His father, who was working on a sword for a customer, looked over from where he was stoking the flames. "Children," he chided gently. "Play nice."

Kai wandered closer towards to his dad, pain forgotten in favor of watching his dad works his magic on the inanimate steel. His dad cast a glance at him, but didn't say anything. Kai stayed a safe distance from the forge where his dad was working. The heat was nearly unbearable, but Kai was used to it. Besides, he had the best view of the most awesome thing in the whole world.

Fire.

Kai didn't know why, but for some reason fire always fascinated him. The way the orange swirled with the red, and how sometimes when the fire was hot enough it turned a brilliant shade of blue. But his favorite was the cherry hot flames that his dad used when forging a new weapon. It was super awesome and super cool to look at. But Kai knew better than to touch it. He had a small scar on his right hand from when he had burned himself on a candle two years ago.

Still, despite the dangerous nature of it, Kai adored fire. That's why he wanted to be a blacksmith like his dad when he grew up. Along with being the best swordsman in all of Ninjago...

"Kai~!" Kai was broken from his fire-induced daze at his sister's plaintive cry. "Come back and play with me!"

Kai gave a long-suffering sigh. He loved his sister, he really did, but sometimes she was really annoying. "Alright, sis. Gimme a minute!"