It felt like ages. The endless clink and clank of metal chains against concrete, and the ghostly silence that rang through my ears.

This was the end. No one knew where we were, or what happened to us.

I was going to die here, and my skin was going to erode away. Hopefully my hair would stay though, like Morro's.

"Kai, we're not gonna die here." Nya scolded me. Oh. I thought I said that in my head.

"But that's what you said yesterday!" I yelled back. I could hear her sitting up.

"I mean yeah we've probably been down here for a couple days," Jay said, pulling at his handcuffs. "but we'll find a way out. We always do."

Cole, who was the farthest away from me leaned his arms on his knees. "But the only one who could really calculate the best way would be Zane and Pixal, but they're not here."

I sighed.

"Yeah, how did we not notice them take Zane and Pix away?" Lloyd asked, scratching his head.

Nya huffed with annoyance. "That stuff they put in our necks made me all dizzy and I could barely see anything."

"Yeah," I pulled at my chains. "and my element is being weird. I can't seem to get it strong enough to melt the metal."

"Same here. Otherwise I would've busted us outta here." Cole sighed.

It was silent for a while. Every minute that passed seemed like a hour, and every hour that passed seemed like a day.

I thought about the people in Ninjago City, and my parents, and Wu. How could we just loose like that? Our plan did nothing except cause more harm. The kidnapping rates had probably skyrocketed by now, and who was there to protect the innocent?

"We're under attack!" I heard a voice echo. My head perked up and my attention was now focused on the metal door to the prison room. My teammates all shuffled uneasily, wondering if maybe, just maybe they were coming for us.

A slow tune crawled through the holes in the door, filling my ears as it came closer.

They chuckled. "Not make trouble..." the clank of heavy boots hit the floor. "Karloff is now making trouble!"

"Karloff?" We all yelled in shock.

The metal door went flying backwards and hit the stone wall in the back. Once the dust cleared, he pounded his metal fists against his chest.

"Saving ninja make me very happy happy!"

"Karloff! How are ya' big guy?" Cole asked from his jail cell.

Karloff stomped to the back and dented the metal bars with ease.

"Ah! Cole!" I heard a yelp as Karloff picked my fiancé up and wrapped his arms around him. "Miss you very very much!"

"Okay! I missed you too!" his voice changed to a high pitched note. We all laughed.

"What's going on? Did you get them out?" a female voice sounded from the entryway. I looked over in the direction and saw a redhead in an orange flannel and blue skinny jeans, taking off a mask.

"Skylor!" Nya couldn't refrain her happiness. She smiled.

"Need a little help?"

She came to my cell first, since, it was in the front. I blushed slightly and remembered the last time we met. She was attractive and independent, something I always wanted in a partner, but I guess it was a way to deny my feeling towards Cole. There definitely was a spark in between us, but it didn't feel the same compared to my relationship with Cole.

Since the Tournament of Elements, we drifted, and I'd see her here and there, but our connection died. It felt extremely awkward, knowing that I once fell for her, and here she was again, saving our butts.

"Uh, may I?" Skylor asked slowly, holding her hand out. I was so deep in thought, I didn't realize she picked the lock. I knew she needed my fire.

Her hazel eyes had me stunned for a minute. "Yeah. Go ahead." I blinked a few times to focus and transferred my element to her. She always had a way of making the world bow down to her command, like she was royalty or something.

I felt heat near my wrists as she carefully burned the metal. With a grunt, she was able to snap it off once the chains were weak. I stood up and rubbed my wrists, thinking it would make the redness go away.

"Thanks," I smiled at her. Her lips curled upwards in a grin.

"Happy to help." Skylor walked out of my cell. I followed.

Most of my teammates were out of captivity and looking pretty tired and drained. I wasn't sure if we could get out of this place without the help of the elemental masters.

Skylor got Nya out last.

"We are all ready." Karloff confirmed.

We jogged out of the cell room and came to a small stretch of a hallway. Other doors were lined on either side, and a table with our stuff was resting on it. Yells and chaos was faintly heard up the winding stairs, and I had a feeling it was gonna be crazy out there.

"Hurry and get your gear on. We need as much help as we can get." Skylor ordered while pulling her mask on and turning around.

"Wait!" Lloyd called and she looked backwards. "do you know where Zane and Pix are?"

She was about to answer but Karloff interrupted. "The others are getting them."

"Yes," Skylor continued. "when you're ready, meet us at the top of the stairs."

I quickly scrambled to put my armor on. I grabbed my sword and turned to the others who were ready.

We ran up the stairs, two steps at a time, and stopped when we reached the top. Cole and I stood shoulder to shoulder, and I smiled at him, giving hope that we'd for sure make it out this time. He smiled back as we slid out masks on.

Skylor counted down from three on her fingers. I could hear my heart beating through my throat, and I gripped my swords tighter. My x-ray vision was on, making it easier for me to gauge where the attackers were. On her last finger, she busted the door open, making a few guards who were running in collide with it.

We ran out and joined the fight. A couple guards pointed fingers at us, and ran towards our group. I tried to blow a flame to stop them, but I then realized that that weird stuff made my elemental powers act up. Instead, I got a small, depressing spurt of gas, like the engine of an old car that was trying to start up again.

I growled in frustration. Instead, I performed spinjitzu and took them out anyways.

"I just got communication that Zane and Pixal are out safely," Skylor yelled above the fight. "they're outside waiting for us, but unconscious."

"Good, but bad," Lloyd said while kicking an opponent that was coming his way. "how much longer till we're out?"

"Not long. Maybe a couple more turns."

We ran through the corridors, taking out guards along the way. I looked back at Cole, who seemed to be doing fine. I was sure we'd get out with everyone, but I had a feeling that something bad was going to happen right at the end.

I saw the bright afternoon daylight ahead. More and more guards caught up to us as we ran, and I willed my legs to keep going even though I was tired.

"Close the doors!" the sound of the woman's voice rang from behind me. A rumble vibrated the floors, and a metal gate started to lower itself, blocking the cold light from shining across the floor. More guards came from doors in front, making it harder to escape.

"Guys! We need to use spinjitzu!" Jay yelled.

"Ninjago!" We all shouted, spinning in colorful circles and making our way closer to the exit. Once I stopped, I turned around, making sure everyone made it out together, but found Cole a little further behind. A guard was gaining on him as he struggled to run. My eyes widened as I realized blood stained his leg.

"Duck!" I warned, throwing a sword to the guard who was behind him. Cole lowered his head just in time, watching the blade pass through the guard's chest.

"C'mon Cole! Just a little further!" I tried to encourage him. Karloff grabbed hold of the door, grunting as he held it back from closing. I turned around and ran to help my soon to be husband, but his arm was caught by a guard.

"No Kai! Save yourself!" Cole yelled back at me while Nya's arms wrapped around my waist, restricting me from advancing.

I tried to break free from Nya's grasp, but couldn't. "No! I'm not leaving you!"

Creaking was heard from the gate. "Karloff cannot hold any longer!" he strained his words.

Cole looked at me with pleading eyes as he struck the ground, concrete and dust falling from the roof. Large parts started to fall from the ceiling, blocking the guards from getting to the rest of the group.

"We have to go Kai!" Nya yanked at me again.

My eyes stung as I faintly saw Cole disappear from behind the debris. "No! We can't just leave him!"

A large rumble was heard from the top. I heard commands from the enemies, telling each other to fall back before the ceiling collapsed.

"Anytime now!" Karloff's arms were sinking lower and lower. With a yell from Nya, she pulled me back so hard it pushed all the air from my lungs. She was able to drag me out before Karloff let go, and the door smashed to the ground. Nya lead me as we ran further away from the building, hearing the entrance collapse and fall. I panted and watched in horror as the dust cleared, and all was left was a pile of broken walls.

Nya slowly let go of my waist and put her hands on my shoulders. Snow started to fall, making our dust stained uniforms look speckled with white flakes. I could feel her breath on my neck as hot tears found a pathway down my cheeks. It was silent for a little while. No one spoke until we heard the last piece of rock falling.

I shoved Nya's hands from off my shoulders, turning around with anger blazing in my eyes. "How could you! We could've saved Cole!" my voice bounced off the ghostly buildings on the empty street.

"Kai-" Nya started but my anger got the best of me.

"Two times already Nya! Two times you left him helpless in the enemies hands!" I wiped the tears from my red cheeks as my voice broke. "he's either dead or in their grasp. I can't- I don't-"

My heart stung as more tears streamed down my face. Nya wrapped me in her embrace, and I was too weak to push her away. Instead, I gripped the back of her gi as my hot tears stained her uniform.

Our vehicles were still invisible when we made our way back to the alleyway. My mosquito invention arrived safely with the serum I had collected from the lab room.

The elemental masters came in their own vehicles, and we decided we should all go back to the monastery to talk about what happened. I took to the back way to the monastery on my own, feeling the rough flakes slap my face as I pushed the gas.

I blinked to make my dry eyes moist again, and wiped a single tear that rolled from the corner of my eye.

Why wasn't it me? Why did it have to be him? The guy has gone through so much, and he didn't deserve any of it, especially this. It made me think that sometimes the best of people had the worst of luck.

Once I reached the garage, I pressed a button on my controls panel, opening the hidden door. No one was back except for me, the empty sound of my footsteps echoing through the basement as I climbed off my motorcycle. I rested my elbows against the desk where I worked on my creation, staring blankly at the blueprints. The howling wind made a somber song, matching my mood while I sighed in dismal.

The others came through the garage shortly with the elemental masters. Lloyd came over to me and put his hand on my shoulder, patting it softly.

"You okay?" he said carefully, almost a whisper. I nodded slightly. He hesitated, but gave me a quick hug and parted as Sensei and Misako came down the stairs.

"You came back!" his staff hit the flooring lightly. It was silent. "Is something the matter?"

Jay stepped forward slowly. "Cole... he- he's-"

"He's gone." my voice wavered. "he was captured, or maybe dead. But he's not here."

Sensei was quiet for a little bit. He quietly walked over to me and put an arm around. "Perhaps some tea and meditation will help?'

I nodded slightly as he guided me up the stairs. We went into his meditation room, and he slid the paper door closed.

"Sit Kai. Let us meditate for ten minutes." he ordered and struck the bell.

It was hard to stop my mind from my thoughts. One moment I'd replay the horrible moment of the crashing building, then the next would blend to my 'what if's' thoughts. I forced my eyes to stay closed, but couldn't. I needed something to distract me or else I wouldn't be able to concentrate. I raised my eyelids and brought my attention to the swaying candle flames.

"Focus, Kai." Sensei Wu's voice made me jump a little.

"Sorry master." I quickly said before shutting my eyes again.

The rest of the meditation was much harder than my usual two hours. Normally, I would meditate with Cole at five in the morning, but this was different. The thought of Cole struck a hard blow to my heart, but I pushed it away and focused on the meditation.

Sensei closed the meeting with another vibration of the bell. He opened his eyes as I opened mine, and he gently placed his weathered, wise hands on my dry, dirty ones.

"I'm sorry for Cole. I know how much he meant to you," I nodded. "how much he meant to all of us." Sensei continued and patted my hands. He poured a cup of tea for the both of us.

"I'm sure he's still alive. There is always a reason."

I picked the small teacup up and let it warm my hands. "But even if he's still alive, they could be torturing him. And-"

Sensei held his hand out to stop me from saying any more. "We will find a way. We always do."

It was silent for a while, and we listened to the soft ringing of silence and looked at the warm flames. Sensei nor I talked about anything until something came to my mind.

"Uh, also." I started and Sensei looked up. "our elements are acting up because the kidnappers gave us some weird serum stuff and it made us all dizzy and-"

"Ah! Why didn't you tell me that first?" Sensei's quick change in tone made my heart race for a second. "come. Let us heal the others. I'm sure I have a special mix I can put together."