The sun was high overhead when the ninja finally landed down on the beach of the Dark Island. Cole fell clumsily to the ground after letting Slate disappear, seeing Destiny roll across the sand. He was exhausted, and the other ninjas' actions reflected his mood. Cole saw his bag drop to the ground and picked it up, looking inside to check that all of its contents were undamaged.

"Okay, time to rest for awhile," he heard Lloyd say. "Cole, did you set up a camp when you came here?"

"We did," Cole answered.

"Good. Take us there."

Cole nodded and set off, finding it more and more difficult to walk. He heard soft sighs behind him and knew that his teammates were following. Soon, he got to the camp he'd helped to set up on their previous mission, and saw the other ninja settling down. Nya leaned against Jay exhaustedly, and Cole turned away, lying down on his back. He turned his head to look for Destiny, wanting to make sure she was okay. He saw her climbing a tree and sat up, confused and concerned. When she didn't come down, Cole let his exhaustion overtake him, and he laid back down, feeling his eyes close as he slipped into a restless sleep.

When he woke up, he looked, startled, around at his surroundings. He felt his skin crawling, while the feeling of being watched dominated his thoughts. Nya was still cuddling with Jay while they relaxed, and Kai and Zane were talking quietly to one another. Cole didn't feel well-rested at all, but the exhaustion from the flight was gone. He glanced around for Destiny and realized that she was missing, along with Lloyd. He stood up and stretched, feeling his right arm pulse strangely for a moment. He patted at it and then started walking slowly around the camp, peering out in all directions carefully. No matter how he turned or where he looked, he couldn't shake the feeling of someone breathing down his neck.

When he heard some bushes rattling, he jumped and peered at them, then let out a sigh as Destiny and Lloyd came through.

Lloyd grinned at him. "Cole, you look like you've seen a ghost."

Cole scowled. "Hah, funny. You startled me, is all." His annoyance turned quickly to concern. "Were you guys scouting? Did you see anything?"

"Yes, there are some footprints not far from here that looked semi fresh." Lloyd answered.

The Earth ninja rubbed his neck and stifled a shiver. He was just imagining the breathing on his neck, right? "Anything else? Like close to camp that's fresh?"

"No, what's wrong? Lloyd is right, you actually look like you've seen a ghost." Destiny took a step towards him.

Cole hesitated, glancing at Lloyd. The ninja took the hint and smiled, walking away, although he had a glimmer of concern in his eyes. Cole sighed softly and glanced behind him, feeling a chill run down his spine. "Just a weird feeling. It's probably nothing."

"If you say so.." Destiny said, seeming dubious.

Cole flashed her a smile and was about to respond when he heard Lloyd call the ninja together.

"Come on, guys," Lloyd told them.
He saw Destiny give him one last glance before heading over to their leader, and Cole followed.

"We should get going, as Sensei Wu would say, the hands of time are moving quickly." The ninja nodded.

"Did anyone happen to come up with a way in, besides what we did originally?" Destiny asked.

Lloyd looked at her, seeming slightly confused.

"She phased us through the fence," Cole explained. "Since it was supposed to be a stealth mission, we couldn't just jump over it like the first time we were here."

Lloyd nodded. "That won't be necessary this time. We came here to fight, so that's what we're going to do."

Their leader glanced over them and then flipped his hood up, turning and running towards Garmadon's old camp. Cole pulled his hood over his face and raced after him, hearing the footsteps of his teammates around him.

He saw the spiked fence up ahead, and he watched as Lloyd jumped up, flipping skillfully over it. Cole followed, landing carefully on his feet, and gaped at what he saw on the other side. There was a huge blue portal near the dark matter pit, and Cole saw something come through and collapse. It then rose up, and Cole felt bile rise up in his throat as he realized it was a living thing.

"Get them!" He heard the creature cry, and suddenly he was thrown into action.

He saw several warriors bound towards him and he dashed at them, bowling two of them over and punching the others. He spun around, performing Spintjiztu and defeating many of the warriors with ease. He faintly heard the pile of living muck shout, "Get rid of that black ninja, General Zwide!"

"Yes, my lord Shaka," the General replied immediately.

Cole felt confusion rise in him. Me? Why me? What did I do? He shook his head and kicked the nearest warrior, sending him crashing into a few of his comrades.

He was facing another warrior when he felt a shove from behind, and he collided painfully with his armed enemy, making them both collapse. When he looked back up, he saw Destiny hanging limply in the General's grip, holding her up by the throat. After just a split second, before Cole had time to react, the General threw her down into the pit.

"No!" He lunged for her, knowing he was too late. Rage rose in him, and he turned on the General.

It grinned maliciously at him, and Cole raced for him. The Cragling reached forward as though preparing to catch him, but Cole jumped and pounded the ground violently with his fists. Spikes shot up all around the General and were slowly shifting inward toward their catch. He could hear the rocks scraping together loudly, but Cole turned away, knowing his spires were more than strong enough to destroy the General. He sped for the edge of the pit, hearing the General snapping suddenly into tiny pieces as he did.

Cole reached the edge peered over it, dread and anxiety twisting his stomach. Please no, please no, no, no, no...

He felt relief make him dizzy as he spotted Destiny about twenty feet below the cliff. She's okay! But he knew that she would have been on her way up if she'd been able, so he jumped down carefully, feeling the dirt crumble away as he half-slid, half-fell down the cliff. He gripped whatever he could as he drew level with Destiny and came to a shuddering stop. He glanced at her and saw that her eyes were glazed over with exhaustion. He kicked the cliff, wincing slightly, and felt a stone platform provide solid ground beneath his feet. He reached for her, and she dropped clumsily into his arms. He hugged her tightly, the stress of the situation flooding him until he felt numb.

"Are you okay?" he asked her, his voice breaking.

She replied in a shaky tone, "Yes," and he hugged her tighter for a moment.

"Let's get away from this pit," he muttered, lifting her carefully and jumping from the platform and landing on Slate's back. She flew them up and Cole dropped back down from her, setting Destiny gently on the ground and glancing around in case anyone were to attack.

He was surprised by the nearly-empty clearing he was greeted by.

Kai ran over to them and said, "What are you doing lounging around? That thing is getting away with the Golden Armor! Let's go!"

"Go where?" he heard Destiny ask, and Cole reached down to touch her shoulders affectionately.

"After the armor," he explained to her, then looked up at Kai. "You guys go. She can't follow right this second. We'll catch up."

Kai nodded and sped away, the other ninja (who had been casting hesitant glances back at Destiny and Cole) followed the army.

"Go with them, I'll be fine." Destiny told him.

Cole sat down next to her with a firm shake of his head. "You just got thrown off of a cliff in which upon landing you would have been turned instantly evil, and this was after nearly being choked to death. I am not leaving you."

"You can be so stubborn sometimes." Destiny pulled her hood off, and Cole did the same, although he peered at her neck with extreme concern.

It was extremely red, and had several cuts on it. She touched it, and her fingers came away red with blood. He watched her, concern overflowing his face, but he didn't say anything.

"I should be dead right now." Destiny said suddenly.

Cole stared at her like she'd gone crazy right then and there. "I'm sorry?" He asked, his voice way too high.

Destiny flinched. "Um, yeah, about that. I may or may not have had a vision of myself being strangled to death, and then thrown into the pit."

"And you didn't think to tell me!" Cole burst out, scared into anger. "If I'd known we could have worked to avoid any of this!"

"Sensei Wu knew! Plus, I didn't know if it was going to happen! For all I knew, trying to avoid it could have caused it. Besides, I'm alive, I didn't mean to say what I did out loud." Destiny said defensively.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, then reached for her and pulled her close, burying his face in the side of her head. "I know... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get angry. I just don't know what I'd do if I lost you, Destiny."

"It's okay. I should have told you, I'm sorry. It scared me, that's all. When I had the vision, it was like it was real, I was being choked. Even though no one was there, it left marks on my neck." He felt her arms wrap around him as she hugged him, and he had to take a few breaths to keep his emotions down.

"That's why your neck was red earlier?" he asked in a whisper once he was able.

She hugged him tighter and answered, "Yes."

He sighed and hugged her gently, then leaned back enough so that he could see her face. "Promise me that you'll be more careful in the future? I know I can't protect you from everything, and frankly, I don't want to - not when you're capable of taking care of yourself. But I know that I'll always worry."

She smiled. "I'll do my best. But I won't promise not to get in the way of someone trying to kill you. I'd let that General choke me again, if your life depended on it."

He sighed and kissed her forehead. "You're very brave."

"Not really, I just would do almost anything for you. But we should get going, we're probably far behind the others."

"You sure you're okay to go now?"

"I'm fine, don't worry."

Cole gave her a skeptical look but stood. "Okay. Let's go."

Destiny stood as well, summoning her dragon. Morpheus huffed at her, and Cole couldn't help sympathizing with the creature as he worriedly gazed at his girlfriend. Nevertheless, he created Slate and jumped on, waiting for Destiny to fly off before following.

When they got to the beach, Cole expected to see a battle still being waged, but only saw the other ninja sitting with a look of crushed defeat on their faces.

"What happened?" He called down to tell. "Where did the entire army go?"

"Back to Ninjago." Nya called up, her voice sour.

Kai added balefully, "With the Golden Armor. It took you guys long enough to get here. We need to get back now!"

Cole cast an anxious glance at Destiny, but told himself he'd fly her back if she needed it. "What are we waiting for?" He pulled Slate's reins, and his dragon let out a roar, turning and flying quickly back to the home that they always were on the run to save.