Ninja Apocalypse

14: Friends and Enemies (edited)

Nya sat alone for longer than she could comprehend. A blank fog had descended, dampening her thoughts. It was not until the cold of night fell that her mind urged her body to move. She tried, but found she didn't want to, so she lay down in the dirt and closed her eyes. It wasn't long before the release of unconscious sleep took hold and the drifting particles of the green blanket draped over her.

She woke with the rising sun and the initial confusion of where she was snapped her back to reality. Her skin prickled at the sensation of the green blanket and as it glided down her body she felt the chill in the air. The ache in her heart was agony and when she tried to stand, her muscles didn't feel much better. Looking back to where Jay had turned and left, she saw movement and hoped that he had returned but over the ridge of the precarious staircase came cold-blooded snakes. Turning pieces over with their spears were three Serpentine warriors and she froze. She watched them poke around in the ruins and a startling realisation hit her.

She had been a pawn in game...Snakes and Ladders... she mused, watching the serpents slither down the staircase and had to stop her self from laughing. It was obvious to her now that the Serpentine had sent the Skeletons to overthrow the city. They had manipulated her to get rid of the Elemental Ninja, leaving the way clear for the High Council to slither in and take control. She had been played for a fool but wasn't going to wait for their thanks. She turned and ran, but hearing the slip of rubble behind her she knew they were more than likely following, but she could outrun them and headed for the collapsed temple; she could loose them amongst the jumbled mess of a ruin. She dived into the fragile building, her movements lithe and fast, she could get through it. Barely touching the debris around her, she doubted the large Constrictai could be quite as agile. With any luck the temple would land on top of their treacherous heads.

Nya found a route back up through the beams of a fallen roof. Elbowing out the struts and tiles she wiggled free to continue her flight. She headed to higher ground to gain a vantage point. A precarious ruin teetered atop the hill, creaking ominously. She skirted around it and ran full speed into the Skeleton Army with Pythor at its helm.

Nya pulled up sharp as thousands of dry bones turned in unison, the spark in their eyes burning for their lost lives. They drew their swords and levelled them directly at her. She wasn't getting out of this.

'Well, well, well' Pythor exclaimed 'It's the Master of Water. I am surprised you survived'

'Didn't your visions show you that part?' she spat at him.

Pythor smiled 'I saw enough to bring me here, the fall of the world above ground. That's all I needed to know'

'You used me, you lied'

'Yes I did'

'WHY?' She screamed at him 'you were getting somewhere; rebuilding Ouroboros. You had created a peaceful future for your kind. Why would The High Council want to destroy that?'

'The High Council? No my dear. Not the High Council. Just me' Pythor said with glee 'the High Council has morals and a vision for their people. I on the other hand have none' he leant forward to her and whispered mischievously '...and I work only for myself'

'But the Shaman? She told me what to do, to stop the apocalypse. She must have known, because it didn't work'

'As a general rule Serpentine don't lie, though it's never stopped me! I think it's an Anacondrai thing' he said with pride 'The High Council wanted to keep you on side and only gave you as much information as they thought you needed. It's a shame that information was provided by me. Like the fools they are, they did actually want to make a go of this co-existence farce' He laughed 'your tender kiss my dear. I saw that and I alone. I had the council believe it would stop the destruction' Pythor smiled wide, his ruthless eyes full of glee 'that kiss will cause more destruction than you could ever know and not just to the world'

Nya was almost unable to speak, Pythors manipulation fully sinking in 'you did this to get back at us?'

'Well honestly, you'd think you'd know me by now! Do you really think I would let this opportunity pass me by? Domination of the world above ground and a sweet cherry on top... The fall of the Elemental Ninja, once and for all!'

'You don't know that' Nya countered 'Not for sure. The other High Council members saw the other side. You've just put a spanner in the works, that's all. It's a glitch, a hiccup'

'That's some hiccup!' Pythor snorted 'My dear, I think we have had enough visions to know how much destruction is associated with the Golden Master prophecy...'

Nya interrupted Pythor 'what did you just say?' Pythor looked at her blankly and she repeated his words back to him "...associated with the Golden Master prophecy" her mind raced '...the only individual's causing any destruction right now seems to be you and me! You may have seen destruction, but you're laying the blame at the wrong door. Maybe Lloyd is The Golden Master, but... he's not going to destroy the world, he's going to save it!'

'As far as I can tell your precious chosen one is gone' Pythor snarled back 'Quite how he's going to save you or the world is beyond him now I'm afraid... I've had enough of this... Seize her!'

The Serpentine Army surged towards Nya, but damn if she was going to let a load of bones take her. She focussed and raised her hands, squeezing every ounce of water through the earth below. What she expected was to raise the water table, engorge the earth turning it into a sinking bog. What she got was very different. The water rose, but exploded in concentrated bursts, shooting out of the ground like geysers and disrupting the troops. What came next, there was no explanation for. Behind her the precarious ruin collapsed and a rush of energy moved past her at speed to punch through the troops as if a giant fist had struck them. She didn't stop to think, she turned and ran just catching a glimpse of an explosion of green particles as she slipped back the way she came.

Tripping and tumbling, the speed of her flight propelled her down the hill with little control. She tripped and rolled again. Her head thrown forward it cracked onto a rock and she collapsed. Momentarily losing consciousness she shook the vision back into her eyes just as a Constrictai warrior leant its head over her. She punched it in the jaw and it fell back. Trying to scrabble away her legs collapsed beneath her and she felt a hand grab her foot. Desperately trying to kick it away she heard the voice 'friend, friend... Allies'