As the race wore on, Seliel's team was still falling behind, and it was beginning to look like they would never be able to make up the points. Time was short. They were outnumbered, and Nya was beginning to think that they really couldn't do this on their own.

Skylor skated up alongside Nya. "We've been able to make up for lost time, but there isn't much left and we're still down two points."

"I know," Nya said. "I'm starting to think Sensei Garmadon was right. We've been ignoring the rest of the Elemental Masters this entire time, and it's only made us more enemies."

"Okay. So what do you suggest? Apology notes and gift baskets?"

"I think it's time we were honest," Nya said. "Maybe if they know what we know about this tournament, they would be willing to help us. It worked with Neuro, didn't it?" Nya threw a glance to the Mind Master on the far side of the track. "Sort of."

Skylor shook her head but said, "It's the best plan we've got. We're desperate enough."

Nya threw another glance at the clock. Barely three minutes left, and they were seven-to-nine. "Let's split up," she suggested. Skylor raced ahead while Nya fell back to talk to Griffon.

"Listen," she said to him, "We don't have to be enemies. Chen is our real enemy. This tournament has nothing to do with finding the best fighter, it's just an elaborate trap so he can steal everyone's powers and use them to perform a spell.

Griffon glanced at her sideways. "You mean like a magic spell? What's it do?"

Nya bit her lip. It would turn Chen and his followers into legendary snake monsters. But she knew he wouldn't believe her if she told him that. She barely believed it herself. "A spell to take over the world. We don't just want to win, we're trying to save all of Ninjago."

"And why are you telling me this now?"

Seliel appeared from behind and matched pace with them. "Because we could still use your help. And it's never too late to change your mind."

"She's telling the truth. I know."

Nya looked over her shoulder to see Neuro, his hands to his head as he projected his thoughts to the others.

"Really?" she said, annoyed. "You couldn't have said something sooner?"

"I'd rather be on the winning team."

Seliel grinned. "Sounds like a plan to me."

The buggy was up and running again. Nya feared this would be bad news for them, but as it pulled up beside Seliel and Nya, they could see that Skylor was sitting at the wheel. "Here, take it!" Skylor leapt out of the driver's seat as Seliel hopped inside. She revved the engine and took off like a shot. A panel jutted towards the sky in front of her, but instead of veering around to avoid it, the buggy soared straight off of it and through the air before slamming back onto the ground.

There were less than two minutes left. Cole had eleven points, but Seliel was catching up with nine. Chen was starting to go crazy with booby traps, making dozens of obstacles pop up in Seliel's path. But they couldn't slow her down, let alone stop her. The rest of the racers were divided now between helping Seliel and helping Cole. Seliel raced around the tracks, running laps around Cole, and before long, she had evened out the score twelve-to-twelve.

Seliel finally slowed her pace to pull the buggy up beside Cole, who was struggling to keep his score up. At this rate, he wouldn't be able to compete with her for much longer.

"How's it going down there, slowpoke?" she gloated.

To her surprise, he actually smiled. "Not too bad. Why don't you come down and see for yourself?"

"Not a chance, pal. I'm winning this race!"

"This isn't over yet," he said, more serious now. "I can still win."

"What, so you can help Chen take our powers away? We know you're working with him, so you must know about his staff! You said before that you wanted to protect Ninjago. Do you really believe that's what Chen wants to do with all that power?"

Cole hesitated. "No, I don't. But I don't have a choice. Master Wu would be furious if I lost."

Seliel pursed her lips, her gaze focused ahead. Garmadon's words echoed through her mind again. Excluding others had made the tournament more difficult than it needed to be. But now that they were putting out a little trust and trying to include everyone, they were getting more help in return. He'd been right before . . .

After another moment's hesitation, she turned back to him. "You don't have to do this alone, you know. We could all stand up to Master Chen together." She extended her hand, willing him to trust her.

Cole's gaze flicked uncertainly from her eyes to her hand. Without slowing down, he hesitantly reached back. Their hands locked, her palm fitting into his.

Then he yanked on her arm, and Seliel was ripped out of the buggy and thrown onto the track. Cole didn't look back.

That jerk! Seliel didn't stay down for long. She scrambled to her feet and quickly caught back up to Cole. She tried to strike him with her Jadeblade, but he blocked, retaliated, and then dodged again. They went back and forth with their Jadeblades, Fighting on skates was probably the hardest thing either of them had ever done. They struggled to stay upright and at the same time avoided each other's blows. As their blades locked together, Seliel glimpsed the scoreboard and saw that they were still tied, the clock quickly counting down to zero. Cole tried to shove Seliel to the ground again, but she only responded with equal force.

They sped on, side-by-side, neither of them able to gain an advantage. In a desperate attempt, Cole swung at her feet to knock her down, but she jumped just in time, only to crash into him as they both fell.

Seliel pushed herself back to her feet as quickly as she could. There were only seconds left and they were in a mad dash for the finish line. It had come down to just the two of them.

Seliel was just ahead of Cole before he pushed her aside and passed her. The finish line drew nearer and nearer with each second that ticked by. Seliel sped on, as fast as her legs would carry her, desperate to catch up. She put the rest of her strength into those last few strides and they zipped across the finish line, almost side-by-side.

Almost.

The bell chimed and Seliel skidded to a stop, panting. Cole had crossed the finish line first, but –

"Yes!" he cheered. "I made it!"

Seliel grinned. "Think again." She raised her Jadeblade into the air.

The realization dawned on Cole that his hands were empty as Nya shouted, "He doesn't have his blade!" He looked to the track behind him and Seliel followed his gaze. The emerald edge of his Jadeblade glinted from where it lay only a few feet behind the finish line. Seliel didn't even know when he dropped it, but she didn't care. He'd lost, she'd won.

The Elemental Masters, most of the ones who had started out helping him, now gathered around Seliel, cheering. Skylor and Nya skated up to embrace her.

"No, no – nooo!" Seliel turned to Master Chen who was practically shaking with rage. "She cheated! Seliel loses!"

"That's not true," Nya argued. "She played by every one of your ridiculous rules."

"Yeah!" Griffon said. "She won fair and square!"

Master Chen crossed his arms and slumped back in his throne. He tapped a button which spun his chair around so his back was to them. "My tournament, my rules."

Seliel opened her mouth to object, but then Paleman skated forward. "And just what rules are those? If she's out, then so am I." For a moment she was shocked to see one of the Elemental Masters coming to her defense. But she had a feeling that they were all getting about as sick of Chen's games as she was.

"Me too!" Nya hurriedly added.

"And me." Skylor crossed her arms as the Elemental Masters took a stand beside them. "If you kick us all out, what kind of tournament will you have then?"

Chen turned back to the group. He looked to Clouse, then to the other fighters, then back again. He wouldn't be able to take all of them in at once. They would put up too much of a fight while they were united. Skylor was right. He didn't have a choice right now but to play fair.

Clouse nodded to his master to surrender.

"Master Chen, you can't –" Kai tried to argue, but it was too late.

"Fine," he conceded. "Have it your way. Earth loses!" Master Chen smashed a button and Cole yelped as the floor opened up beneath him and he plummeted down into the island.

Even if he was allied with Chen, Seliel knew that Cole would be in trouble with his master. But he'd had his chance to turn around. She didn't feel the least bit bad for him, she told herself. She couldn't. There were more important things to worry about.