When Water Turns To Ice | REWRITE AVAILABLE

n i n e | Clue Number Two

   "Is that all the traps master?" Zane asked tiredly.

  "Only one, a complicated puzzle." Wu informed us. We turned to the...wall.

"See those words? Their ancient scripts." Zane gently traced a finger over the indents in the thankfully not ice wall.

  "Ooh. Now solve it and let's go." I fidgeted. It was getting cold.

  Zane studied the writing for a moment. "It says crack."

  "Crack? As in, crack the stone wall? Or crack the code?" I said incredulously.

  "No, crack! There's a crack in the wall!" Zane took out a shuriken and jammed it in the teeny tiny fissure in the wall that I would not have noticed. He drove it in and yanked with his super ninja strength.

  And like magic the wall opened.

  "You're lucky you didn't misinterpret it and killed us all." I told him.

"You're welcome." He answered simply, stepping after his Sensei into the room.

It was a large circular room with only the tiniest amount of sunlight peeking from the ceiling and lighting up the carefully craved coffin that was positioned in the middle of the room with a plaque that read The First Spinjitzu Master.

"Oh my god I pretty much just dug up a grave." I began to feel nauseous at the thought.

Zane tilted his head. "Technically you broke into a grave."

"Thank you Zane." I said sarcastically.

He raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything as Wu trailed his hand over the edge of the coffin.

"Nana wouldn't make me open that right? She knows I hate corpses." I said nervously.

"There may be a clue to which sacrifice your grandmother meant somewhere inside the tomb." Zane said helpfully.

I ran my hand through my tangled plait. "Great, a near death experience just for a small clue to ,most likely , another near death experience."

"Are you going to help?" Zane asked, bending to scan the floor.

"I always knew Nana was a little spritely but this is ridiculous." I muttered as I began searching the coffins sides.

After awhile we found...nothing. Wu sighed and tugged at his beard, while Zane sat down for a moment. Frowning I stood and placed my hands on my hips. My lips pursed as I studied our surroundings.

My gaze traveled to the small bit of light. It traveled through the room to a specific spot on the coffin. The corner.

My breath caught and my heart quickened as I gently felt the corner. Then I noticed a small line running through it. Wondering if this was considered vandalism I took the corner and pulled it out. It fell to the floor with a clunk. Zane sat up and joined me by my side and Wu as well.

My shaky hands took the the corner piece of Wu's coffin and as I studied it I noticed a small slip of paper in a specifically cut slit in the wood.

"How'd she do all this without anyone noticing?" I asked.

I took the paper and noticed familiar swirled cursive.

"You found my clue, now you know what to do. To the place where the insect was slain, before a lover pleaded desperately in vain." I read aloud.

I threw my hands in the air. "What does that mean?"

"Giant insect?" Zane gasped.

I turned to him. "Wait, you actually were attacked by an ant or something?"

"No, spiders actually."

"That's an arachnid."

"And butterflies."

"I'm sorry, WHAT?"

"And a praying mantis!" Wu finished. "Good job Zane." They both began hurrying out because their wasn't a river of ice water outside the door.

I followed, confused and then spun back quickly to put the coffin piece back.

They stopped at the edge of the water. "The tomb wasn't designed with an exit." Wu said grimly.

"That will build my confidence." I crossed my arms. "And ice boy can't use his powers because of you right?"

Wu nodded.

"We'll need to think carefully." Zane told us.

"How do you think we'll get across water, over spikes, and up a bunch of slides?"

Zane narrowed his eyes, the blue orbs darting across the room...thing.

"Where does the water go to?" He asked, realizing it wasn't staying still and was actually fast moving.

"To a lake." Wu answered. "If the person who fell in held their breath long enough they wouldn't die just simply fall into the lake."

"No." My eyes widened. "No, no, no, no, NO!"

"It's the only way." Zane told me.

"I told you, I can't swim! I'll drown!"

Zane looked determined. "I won't let that happen."

"What about hypothermia hmm?"

"I know many different first aide procedures." Zane replied.

"What about the letter with the clues? It will get ruined!"

Zane pressed his lips together. "I have a special place where it wont be harmed."

"Where? In your mouth? Saliva is a liquid too you know!" I retorted.

"Just trust me." Zane held my gaze.

I scrunched up my face. "Fine!" I snapped. "But if I drown I'm going to haunt you for the rest of my life!"

"But your life would have ended." Zan pointed out.

"Your life then!"

I took a deep breath, preparing myself. Wu nodded to Zane before doing a swan dive into the water and disappearing after the current whisked him away.

"What if I can't hold my breath long enough?" I asked.

"It'll be fine. The currents moving fast and I believe the tunnel isn't to long. Can you hold it over a little over fifteen seconds?" Zane asked.

"I guess." I looked uncertainly at the water. "Okay, I'm ready."

He took my arm. "Don't let go." He advised.

I nodded and wrapped my arms around his waist. He paused for a second before jumping in.

I know the picture above isn't Zane or Lego Ninjago but the quote is very nice and it semi-relates to this.