The Second Master of Wind

Heart Bonds

Lloyd's POV

"I found this map in Pythor's lab where he and Darkstorm are planning to attack Ninjago City from." I pulled out the map from my gi and laid it on the table, pointing to the little red sticker that was stuck onto it.

"Borg Tower?" Nya questioned with an eyebrow raised.

"That would appear to be the most logical choice. Using Aeria's stolen wind abilities combined with the Overlord's power in Darkstorm's form, they could create a massive storm that would destroy the city in one fatal blow." Xia announced to everyone in a grave tone.

"That... doesn't sound too good." Kai grimaced.

"It sounds too easy, that's what it sounds like..." Everyone turned to see Aeria leaning against the doorway with sweat beading on her forehead as she held her stomach in pain with one arm and the other was being used to brush her bangs away from her previously infected eye, that now looked empty and gray, before bracing herself against the doorway.

"Aeria!" I ran over to her as she fell to her knees, breathing shallow, and I helped her back onto her feet as she walked over to the table.

"You need to rest, your body still has not recovered from having your powers drained." Zane told her, but Aeria seemed bent on staying in the room as she straightened up in her seat, still holding her stomach.

"Come on, doesn't this plan seem a little too easy, a little too out in the open? Pythor is a literal snake, his plans have plans." Aeria banged her fist on the map on the table, making us all jump in surprise, "He's manipulating you all to keep you out of his way so he and Darkstorm can destroy you all!"

Aeria slumped down over the table, huffing quietly, clearly exhausted by her shouting and I put a hand on her arm to keep her from yelling anymore.

"You need to get some rest." I told her, trying to lift her up to lead her back to her room.

"No, what you need to do is... find... a new angle..." Aeria collapsed to the ground, unmoving and silent.

"Aeria!" I kneeled down next to her and tried to grab her arm again, but I was shocked with a bolt of purple energy.

"What the heck is happening?!" Jay exclaimed before diving behind a chair as some more purple sparks came off of her.

"It seems the Dark Matter has bonded with her more deeply than previously expected." Xia backed away from us in Zane's arms as she held her head in pain.

"So she's going through some kind of withdrawal since it was the Dark Matter that bonded to her and not the reverse?" Nya elaborated on Xia's statement.

"Well, we have to do something, she's burning up, literally." Cole pointed to the fizzling sparks that set off small fires on the wooden floor that Zane quickly iced out with one hand as the other hand was holding Xia in a half-hug.

"Mom, can't you use that gemstone you found that could contain the Overlord's powers in a person?" I asked her as she knelt down across from me along with Master Wu.

"No, I'm afraid we cannot. If we attempt to use it on her while only a small part of his power is still inside of her, we have no idea what kind of effects there would be on her, mentally and physically."

"Or maybe we can..." Master Wu muttered out loud as he stroked his beard.

"We can what?" Nya asked worriedly.

"We may be able to neutralize the Dark Matter inside of her for a short amount of time if Lloyd draws out the Golden Power inside the gemstone and puts its energy inside of her, hence the prophecy." Wu added the last bit of his sentence after a small pause.