2. Dark Sides: The Golden Weapons

Chapter 13 - Calm Before the Storm

When Seliel dismounted and finally set her feet back on the ground, she was wobbling unsteadily. But she was determined not to fall in front of the boys. She already looked pathetic enough as it was.

"Guess we're even, now," Cole was saying as he shrugged off the winged contraption.

Even. Of course that was the only reason he'd saved her. To settle a debt. She hadn't even meant to help him in the Caves of Despair, she would have just as easily let the dragon have him. 

"Don't expect any thanks from me," Seliel snapped. She turned away, but Cole caught her by the arm.

"Hold on, where do you think you're going? I said we're even, but I didn't say you could leave."

"Let go!" she shouted, trying to wrench her arm free. But he'd grabbed her injured arm and it was still very sore. She realized that the ninja had her surrounded now, making it impossible for her to run.

"Your friends still have the Shuriken of Ice," Cole said, "but I'm guessing they'll want you more than it."

Seliel was worried he might be right, but she couldn't let her friends give up their only golden weapon to these guys. Teleporting wasn't an option with Cole holding on to her, or she might just take him with her. Nya was right, she really should have tested that out ahead of time.

Thinking fast, Seliel stomped on Cole's foot. He shouted in surprise and his grip loosened. She ripped her arm free, then locked her gaze on a tree in the distance and with a snap she vanished. She lost sight of her surroundings and time seemed to move slower. For a few brief seconds, she felt light as air until an instant later she was surrounded by foliage. She rocked precariously on a branch before steadying herself against the trunk. She still wasn't used to having everything suddenly change around her, and as her jump on the tower had proven, sometimes it took her a moment to assess her new surroundings and make the necessary corrections.

But thankfully, this time, the tree trunk was close and she was able to lean back against it. The leaves rustled a bit at her movement, but with the wind blowing, it went unnoticed down below.

A few feet away, she could glimpse the boys through the gaps in the tree's leaves. They turned this way and that, probably hoping that she had been foolish enough to appear where they could see her. As if.

"Where'd she go?"

"I don't see her anywhere."

"Great idea Cole, let's take the teleporter prisoner!" Seliel recognized the shrill voice of the lightning ninja.

"Hey, it was worth a shot," Cole argued. "We'll have to find a way to get those shurikens back somehow." Then he sighed. "I didn't think she would be able to get that far while she was injured. Guess I was wrong. Come on, let's get back to camp." The others threw a last glance around before they grudgingly turned to leave.

Seliel stayed in her tree, trying to steady her breathing for a few minutes more. When she was sure the coast was clear, she had to slowly lower herself into a sitting position and dangle her legs over the edge of the branch so she could hop safely back to the ground. She wasn't about to try teleporting again – she didn't have enough energy left, and it would be too loud, anyway. Those boys would just come running back to find her. She was tired and her feet felt heavy, but she marched on. She had to get back to the rest of her team. Even though Nya and Skylor had been closer to the base of the tower, Seliel was worried that they might be in danger from the dragon.

The surrounding forest was unexpectedly quiet, even for the dark of night. In the distance, thunder rumbled, and a constant wind rustled in the trees, but there was no sign of wildlife. When she finally reached the edge of the forest, she could see the silhouettes of Garmadon and Pixal waiting at the foot of the bottom-most pillar. She glanced up to see the lightning dragon circling the tower, but it was way up high, weaving in and out through the clouds. Lower on the tower, Nya and Skylor had apparently changed direction – they had probably noticed that Seliel had been with the other ninja when they fled. The two girls had almost reached the ground.