***Well, here we go. This was my third time rewriting this chapter. If anything doesn't make sense, let me know. I'm surviving on very little sleep LOL***

***(Kai's POV)***

I run another red light. By this time, Skylor has her nails digging into my arm as she calls up everyone on the team. She tried getting hold of Nya, but she never picked up.

I can barely breathe. My sister – she could be dying. On her sixteenth birthday.

I blink back tears, hoping I don't remember this day in the future for all the wrong reasons.

Skylor hangs up after talking with Cole. "They're all on their way, Kai. And the emergency help should arrive soon. It's going to be okay."

"But Nya – I swore to protect her. I never should have left her alone."

"Kai, she's old enough to be on her own for a while. This is a freak situation. It won't happen again."

"'Again'? What if there's no 'again'? What if my little sister is" – I swallow – "gone, Skye? I need her."

"Don't think about that, Kai. Don't you dare think that your sister won't make it. That kind of thinking just lowers our chances of getting her out all right." She massages my tense arm muscles, then goes back to squeezing the life out of me when we take a turn too fast.

To her credit, she hasn't asked me to slow down at all.

"There! We're on our street," I say triumphantly. "And I can see the shop from here!"

Strangely enough, though...I can't see any flames.

"Skye, where's the fire?"

"Maybe...maybe my Dad's loser henchman never got here?" she says, hope tainting her voice.

I hold my breath.

As I lurch to a stop right in front of my house, I see Lloyd waving his arms at us. I throw the car in park and rip out the key, coming to meet him.

"What happened?" I demand. "Where's my sister?"

He frowns. "Kai...I can't get to her. There are flames running all across the hallway to your room."

My face turns white. The fire...it's consuming the inside of the house. "And you left Nya in there?"

He shakes his head adamantly. "No, Kai. I decided I would wait a moment for you to get here so I could see if there were any other possible entrances. You arrived just as I was about to go back in for her." He rubs a hand over his face. "This is not good."

"Where's the emergency help?" Skylor exclaims.

I curse, already running for the house. "I guess the stupid mayor of Ninjago still hasn't given them enough funding to expand their services."

Skylor jogs right alongside me. "We need to be careful how much oxygen we use, Kai. We don't want to breathe in smoke too heavily, or every one of us will be killed. And running, which causes labored breathing, is not going to do you any favors once we get inside!"

I ignore her, going even faster for the door. "I have to save my sister!"

My hand reaches for the doorknob, and I try to wrench it open. Lloyd grabs my arm.

"Are you nuts?" he yells. "The fire was traveling this way when I busted in earlier! You can literally see the flames inside from this position!"

"Let's use the window, then," I growl.

"Kai, I checked. There's no window leading to the bedroom! Why is there no window for the bedroom?"

I run around the side of the building, tossing open the bathroom window. "The bedroom was actually remodeled from an old walk-in pantry."

"A...what?"

I huff. "This place used to be a bakery. What Nya and I use for our bedroom is actually a walk-in storage area. No windows were installed there when the shop was first built."

"That's not safe at all!" Lloyd shouts. "And by the way, this window is going to take you right through the hall, which is on fire!"

"I'm not leaving my sister stuck inside." I wrench the window open, poking my head in. "Nya!" I yell at the top of my lungs.

Black smoke wafts out into the night, and I immediately feel light-headed.

Lloyd coughs from behind me. "There's...too much...smoke, Kai. Get...out of there!" He rips me from my perch, and I fall back to the ground with a grunt.

"The bathroom area is probably where the fire started," Lloyd says. "That means that your room might be okay, since it's toward the back of the house."

I try to think clearly, but Skylor's already on it.

"Lloyd, what's your power?" she asks.

"I can shoot energy...which means I can make an entrance. Good idea!"

He sprints to a spot near the back of the house. "Stay back, Guys." He closes his eyes, forming a ball of energy between his hands.

"Wait!" I rasp. "Nya – she could be anywhere in that room. You could accidentally shoot her."

"Knock on the wall," Skylor commands.

Lloyd does so just as a disturbing crack sounds from the front of the building.

I panic. "Skye, we don't have time to play these games! Can't you poof in there and figure out where she is?"

"Not a bad plan, except for the fact that I could literally teleport into raging fire!"

Lloyd knocks on the wall again, but no response comes.

"All right, time to shoot." He forms a ball of green power and blasts the edge of the house with it.

The resulting damage to the house is...incredibly small.

"That's not even big enough for an infant to crawl through!" I shout. "I thought you were supposed to be some prophesied hero!"

"I'm just learning to harness my powers!" he growls, continuing to shoot the side of the house. There's a small gap leading to the inside of the house now.

No smoke pours out, giving me hope Nya has clean air.

I press my face to the hole. "Nya! Nya, are you in there?"

Silence. Then, "Kai? Is that you?"

"Yes, Nya! We're going to – ugh!"

Someone knocks me over the head, and I see stars.

"Clouse!" Skylor screams. "You set the fire, didn't you?"

I force my eyes open to see her launch ice at him. With a wave of his hand, her weapon vanishes.

Didn't Skylor mention that he could use magic?

I grunt, standing up. I can't walk a straight line, but I still charge toward him. "You're trying to kill my sister!"

Lloyd's power soars toward him, but the sorcerer once again dissolves it with a hand.

"Focus on getting Nya, Lloyd!" Skylor shouts. "Kai and I can handle Clouse."

"No," he chuckles. "I'm afraid you can't." He mutters under his breath, and suddenly his feet lift off the ground.

Sirens sound off in the distance. Well, I'm glad the mayor hasn't entirely defunded the fire department.

"Grab onto me," Skylor instructs. I take her hand, and suddenly, we're flying up to meet Clouse.

"Don't forget you're not the only one who can traverse the skies," she growls.

Clouse produces a gem out of his pocket, and Skylor gasps.

"The realm crystal!" she murmurs. "But – how – "

Without warning, a portal appears below us, and Clouse drops through it. Skylor curses under her breath and follows.

***Music cue***

"Skye, we don't have time to chase down Clouse! We have to save my sister!"

"The team will have to help her, Kai. With that crystal, my dad's henchman could wreak havoc on all sixteen realms!"

I close my eyes and hold tight to her hand as we go hurtling through time and space. I feel like I'm going to be sick, and I'm just about to tell Skylor that when –

"Kai...hold on! You're slipping!"

"What?" I swallow.

"Kai...one of us needs to go after Clouse, and you're going to hate me for this, but it's you."

"What are you saying?"

"I'll see you on the other side." She kisses my temple before relinquishing my hand.

And then, I'm on the ground again.

I look around, confused. "Skye? Skye, where are we?"

"The Cursed Realm," Clouse laughs. "And Chen's daughter isn't around to save you."

"But – no. My sister. And – Skylor." I hold back tears. I can't lose them both.

My fist shakes at the dark clouds above. "Why did you do this to me, Skye?" I howl, anguished.

Clouse laughs – a petty, unusual sound. "Welcome to eternal punishment, Kai Smith."

***(Skylor's POV)***

My eyelids press closed. "I'm sorry, Kai," I whisper. But Nya...from the progress Lloyd had made before Kai and I started realm-crossing, I know that hole will never be big enough for her to get out.

And someone had to go after Clouse.

I'm a monster. How can I let Kai suffer like this? But...

I begin to hear the emergency sirens again. They're closer this time.

Then Nya's voice: "Lloyd, the fire's spreading in here!"

"I'm trying, Nya," he cries. "Please, hold on."

No response.

"Nya – no, I need you to talk to me! Please!" He lets out a strangled noise, hitting the side of the house with energy once more.

I open my eyes to see I'm back at Kai and Nya's. Lloyd is still in his position, shooting energy at the hole he's made. It's maybe big enough for a second grader to slip through.

Jay comes around the house. "Lloyd! Oh, I'm so glad you're okay. And – what are you doing?"

I stand, steeling my face. "Jay, listen to me. I'm going in there so I can get Nya. She might be hurt."

"She's still in there?" he cries. "But - there are so many issues with your plan! How are you getting in?"

"I can teleport."

"Wait – you can teleport? But...what if you land right in flames? Oh, gosh, I hope she's okay." He rushes to where Lloyd is. "Is she responsive at all? Do you need me to - "

"Get yourself together!" I shout. "We're going to save her. I'll teleport right where Lloyd's entrance is, but I'll come at it from the inside. Then, I'll make sure Nya's safe, and I'll help Lloyd finish his hole. If Lloyd starts coughing and feeling nauseous, you get him away from this house. Nya and I will have to find another way out."

He nods reluctantly. "I – I'll do whatever it takes."

"Good." I shut my eyes once more, taking one last clean breath.

I hope, rather than believe, I'll land in a safe spot once I teleport inside. I may have saved face for Jay, but I'm scared to death.

But I have to try to save Nya.

I hold my breath, hoping for the best...

And feel my surroundings change to heat.

It's not the sharp, skin-licking heat of flames, but the heat that means they're close by.

I'm safe.

I breathe a sigh of relief, then feel my mind cloud. There's too much smoke.

Something pulls me down to the floor, and I gasp. That results in sputtering coughs.

Through the cloud that burns my eyes, I see...Nya?

She's crouched down against the floor, a cloth tied over her nose and mouth.

I mentally facepalm. She was okay the whole time, but she stopped talking to avoid inhaling too much smoke.

I could faint with relief. The flames haven't reached her yet. She's still okay.

I crawl toward her. "Nya, I'm here to help you," I start.

She puts a finger to her lips, indicating I be silent. Then, she points toward the wall where Lloyd's makeshift exit is.

I guess she couldn't get fresh air through the hole, since Lloyd would probably blast her with energy.

"Hey, Sis," I murmur. "I'm here to get you out." I rise on my feet, just a little, and shoot ice at the flames.

It douses a few of them, but my body racks with horrible coughs again. I can't breathe at all.

I must have overexerted myself by trying to use my power.

Nya tugs me back down, shaking her head. She points back to the hole Lloyd's making.

It's getting bigger. I think we can almost escape.

But – I turn back – the flames are coming closer and closer. Sweat's already pouring from my forehead, and the heat is nearly overwhelming.

We don't have much time.

I lean close. "Nya, I'm going to save you. I promise. And you were the best little sister a girl could ask for."

Her eyes shine up into mine, strong and sad.

I use what little air I have to fuel me as I form a ball of green power, just like Lloyd. Then, I hurl it at the gap.

It widens.

I do it one more time. Two more times.

And then I give it one final shot.

My coughing body collapses onto the floor. I wheeze, trying to get any bit of clean air...

And find none.

A warm, soft fuzziness swirls in my head, beckoning me to let go...to rest, just for a little while. To give up this crazy struggle for air.

"Skye," Nya says from far away. "Skye? Skylor, wake up!"

My body moves. Somebody's dragging me across the floor.

"It's okay, Skye. I've got you." She hacks miserably, shoving me...somewhere.

I would help her move me, but my body...it feels so heavy, just like the blackness looming in my head.

"Lloyd," she chokes, "pull Skylor out."

It's then that I can breathe, and I feel...

Horrible.

Awful coughs and shudders convulse me. I reach out for that peaceful, warm nothingness that surrounded me, but...it's gone.

"Oh, my goodness!" Jay says. "She...you..." He raises his voice. "Hey, we need some help over here!"

"Nya, give me your hand," Lloyd shouts. "I'll pull you up."

Everything is a jumbled mess in my brain, and I don't even want to try to make sense of it.

I hear Cole's voice. "Skylor, where's Kai? Is he...did he try to go in the house, too? Is he stuck?"

I attempt to catch my breath. "N-No. He's...not here. Gone."

Lloyd grunts, "Almost...got...you!"

"Is it on me?" Nya whimpers. "Tell me it's not on me. Please!"

Somebody lifts me into the air. Onto a stretcher.

Lloyd's relieved voice. "You're...you're okay, Nya. I thought I'd lost you. Oh, you're okay."

And now that I'm returning to consciousness...everything is drowned out by one thought.

I have to get to Kai. He needs me.