Morro's POV

     Nom was not as gruesome as I remembered it. In fact, it actually resembled a pleasant place to live.

     In my haunting memories, the orphanage towered high above all the other poorly assembled buildings. Its frequent deterioration caused for many leaky pipes or flaking paint. Most of the time the mistress of the orphanage made all the people who lived inside deal with these problems so she could save money. The whole town had the whole image as a rundown one, because the inmates at the orphanage were always scattered, painting, cleaning, and repairing anything that might need fixing. Because someone always fixed their problems for them at a little cost, most of the citizens of Nom didn't take care of their things, making the jobs for the unfortunate triple.

     I remember so much gloom inside where I used to stay. It was one of the reasons I thought I'd be better off fending for myself. Miss Hadley was strict, demanding, and put every idle man to work. At only seven years old I ran away, hoping to never see the horrid place again. Now, with Nom once again in front of me, I initially thought we had come to the wrong place.

     It was like modern technology had come in and swept over every resident. Here was a town that was well organized, polished with a proper look, and supporting a pleasing aesthetic. I nearly went slack-jawed just looking at it.

     "I didn't know your orphanage was in Nom." Cole's brows furrowed at the sight.

     "You know this place?"

     "Seliel lives here." Cole's stature did not change at the mention of her name. She seemed to have a connection with the ninja group, but apparently it wasn't because of anything romantic. "Her father is the mayor, which might be helpful for us. This town used to be a big nindroid sight before we cleaned them out. It's nice to see they've taken all that stuff down."

     "Speaking of history, 'my orphanage' wasn't just an orphanage." I said as we walked down the main paved road into town. "Miss Hadley welcomed all homeless people. She'd give them a roof over their heads, a bed to sleep on, and food three times a day. All she wanted in return was labor. She would hand out jobs around town to the different occupants and use the money they made to buy more food, supplies, et. cetera."

     As we strode through the town, I was still in awe of the different state of it. The roads weren't full of cracks. There were real streetlights and electronic signs. It looked normal, compared to the sights of Ninjago City, but I hadn't been to this town in over forty years. I rubbed my arms, looking at the citizens. They looked hygienic and happy. Everything was so different.

     "Seems fair." Cole led me down a set of roads, taking so many turns it felt akin to traveling through a maze.

     "It wasn't fair." I puffed as I attempted to catch up. "She made kids that could barely read work instead of go to school. Every bit of learning we had was shoved into the evening, right before we had to go to bed. It was all rushed, the food was terrible, and we never got a day off. It might have been a decent life for someone who was out of school and trying to find somewhere to stay while they were looking for a job, but for children? It wasn't fair at all. There's a reason I ran away."

     Cole didn't so much as glance my way after I was done ranting, but a few of the townspeople did. "When we you dropped off at the House for Homeless Hordes?"

     "When I was a baby."

     "If your orphanage is still standing, there might be records of your biological parent's names."

     "Yes." I understood why Cole was seen as a leader figure among the Ninja. He was as still as the earth, unmoving and focused. He didn't seem at all concerned with my past feelings and experiences; he only wanted to find the correct information and leave.

     We ended up in front a colorful place titled "The Phantom Dojo." I should have seen it coming when we went inside and a familiar pink-headed girl popped up beside us.

     "Cole! Morro! You came to visit." Seliel smiled. It was weird seeing a girl who was almost as tall as me, especially after spending so much time with Harumi. "Either you're feeling very social, or something is wrong."

     "Nothing is wrong." Cole said. "We just need your help finding a place."

     Seliel raised an eyebrow.

     I was too caught up in staring at the two's interactions, trying to figure out why they were acquaintances of the sort. Nom had obviously been in trouble in the past, and judging by Seliel's appearance, she helped the Ninja fight. Lots of people had assisted the Ninja in the past, but not all of them became closely acquainted with them. Something had to have happened that I didn't know about. Cole elbowed me in the side, which caused me to let out a small yelp as pain flooded through my torso.

     "Um..." My brain whirled back to what Cole had last said. "We need to find Hadley's House of Homeless Hordes."

     "Hadley's House?" Seliel looked incredulous. "That place... wow... no one ever wants to go there unless they have too."

     I shot Cole a look, but he ignored me.

     "I can take you there on one condition." Seliel crossed her arms.

    "Name your price." Cole didn't seem too concerned.

    "I'm in on whatever you two are up to."

     "Deal." There was no hesitation in Cole's voice, though he gesture to the small dojo. "You don't have any classes soon right?"

     "None my assistant can't handle."

     "You have an assistant?"

     Seliel wrote down a note and placed it on the front desk. Cole left his baggage behind the counter and Seliel encouraged me to do the same. With the weight of luggage off of my shoulders, my body felt lighter, but my heart felt heavier. Each step towards my old childhood horror house was wrapped with indecision. How much had it changed? Would Miss Hadley remember me? Would she freak out if she knew of my past? What if she refused to give us the information we needed because of it?

     I could practically feel the worry radiating off of me, so I took deep breaths to calm it. Emotions always got people hurt. I needed to be an anchor, not only for my own sake, but for Harumi's as well. I couldn't let myself be toppled by childhood memories. They were from the past. The past had a lot of bad memories, but I had to stay strong in the present. It was the only way I was going to get Harumi through what was to come.

     As we traveled down the long streets to our destination, Seliel and Cole walked in front of me, wrapped up in some sort of conversation with an intimacy usually reserved for old friends. I narrowed my eyes as I studied them. There was definitely something there I was missing.

     The sight of Nom definitely surprised me, but my shock when seeing my old orphanage was even more immense. The building was painted in bright colors, there were a few flowers growing the weedy garden, and even though it still looked a bit deteriorated, it still looked much better than it used to. I felt less depressed walking down the narrow sidewalk, though my gut was so twisted I felt nauseous. The feeling had me subtly running a finger over where my bandages were to make sure none of them had fallen down.

     The desk inside the house was empty and the halls were surprisingly quiet. Seliel immediately offered to look for an employee. She sauntered off before we could say a word about the flash decision.

     "That girl sure does have a mind of her own." I said, a smile poking through my dread. She reminded me of Harumi.

     "Yeah," Cole half-heartedly agreed, before looking around the dimly lit lavender area. He straightened his stance and said, "I'm going to look for someone as well. Don't get into any trouble or anything." He shot me a glance and hurried off after Seliel.

     Cole must have not been that suspicious of my character if he was willing to leave me unsupervised, but maybe his concern for Seliel was greater than his want to keep Ninjago safe from me.

     I surveyed the empty room, gently touching each wall, each picture, each column. They were all so similar to what they had been. Small changes marked the area, making it a bit different than what I remembered. Some areas were different colors or had more paint. The photos of Miss Hadley's family had faded, but they still hung on the wall behind the front desk. I remembered what Miss Hadley called 'The Hall of the Greats' and started walking down the path Seliel and Cole had gone down.

    The walls were still lined with pictures of orphans who had moved on to do great things. It was Miss Hadley's way of commemorating those who did well after leaving the orphanage.

     A few pictures had been added since I saw it last. I was surprised to see one my closet comrades during my stay up on the wall. Underneath his picture, it said, "Great lawyer and judge." I was so wrapped up in the memories I didn't hear the footsteps behind me.

    "Did you know him?" A small voice asked.

     I looked beside me to see a middle-aged woman. Her face was tired; her eyes were clouded with memory.

     "He..." I didn't want to explain the whole truth, especially with my weird past making me much older than I seemed. "He was a good man."

     She nodded, then waved to the rest of the wall. "My aunt always believed that every orphan had the potential to make something great of themselves. I kept these up even after the remodel, simply to honor her in a fashion." The woman looked back at me. "Forgive my reminiscing. My name is Wren Hadley. May I help you?"

     Wren Hadley.

     "Yes, I'm looking for the owner of this place."

     "That would be me, sir."

     My stomach twisted. "What happened to the old Miss Hadley?"

     "She was my aunt, sir. She died almost twenty years ago because of a terrible illness. I was chosen to be her successor."

     "I see."

    "Are you looking to adopt someone?"

     I turned to see Wren looking at me with a hopeful glance. I shook my head to her disappointment. "I'm here to find files on an old resident. You see, we may have been related and..."

     "Oh, are you helping the children at the Nomish schools with their heritage projects?" Wren asked, gesturing for me to follow as she pushed through a set of doors.

     I didn't answer, but she didn't press for more. Wren walked through a long hallway with several doors lining the walls. Inside the rooms, children tugged on jackets and shoved their noses further into the tattered schoolbooks. I rubbed my arms at the chilly temperature coming from the newly installed air vents. Wren led me upstairs into a big office that resembled some sort of throne room. A very tall chair sat behind a large dark wood desk. Behind the intimidating furniture, several bookshelves were filled to the overflowing point, lining the walls in disorderly stacks. Wren went behind the desk and started rummaging through cabinets until she found a large book. She sat down in the throne-like chair and looked at me expectantly.

     "Um... I'm looking for a Morro."

     "Do you mean the villain Morro, sir?"

     I nodded.

     "Wow, sorry about that. Being related to him, I mean." Wren massaged the sides of her head. "Sorry, it's just that I can relate. No one wanted anything to do with my father after my aunt's reputation got out. She... wasn't the nicest person. She had good intentions, but she was a bit of hard worker."

     Wren's brow crinkled as she flipped through page after page. "You must have done your research, sir. I haven't had anyone trace Morro back to us before. And he's our most infamous member. I wanted to put him on the Wall of the Greats after he nearly destroyed Stix as a joke, but I didn't think my aunt would have gone for that. I need to honor her memory somehow."

     I let out a nervous laugh.

     "Ah, here's the record. He was dropped off here when he was—" She peered close at the faded text. "—only a baby. The records say he was about one or two years old. He was a resident until he was about seven, where he disappeared one night. He was presumed to have run away. The notes say he was narrow-minded, held grudges, and was quite stubborn."

     "Do you have any information on his parents? Or maybe on who dropped him off here?"

     Wren squinted at the files. "It says he was dropped off by a woman who claimed she could not raise him. She did confirm she was his mother."

     "Did she leave her name?"

     "Her name was Bora but, that is all she would tell my aunt other than Morro's name. The record ends there."

     "Bora." The word felt strange in my mouth.

     Wren gave me an odd look, her eyes going to the still visible streak of green in my hair. Just as she opened her mouth to ask whatever question she'd come up with, Cole burst into the office with Seliel hot on his heels.

     "Why in Ninjago did you wander off? You're making me distrust this temporary agreement..." His voice trailed off when he saw Wren. Seliel waltzed forward before any more confusion could break out.

     "Hello, Miss Hadley. We're sorry to bring such drama to your orphanage. We were just looking for some information on the Master of Wind, Morro."

     I resisted the urge to facepalm.

     "Greeting, Miss Seliel. I just told this young man everything the records say about Morro, and from the looks of it, you are all together, yes?"

     Seliel nodded vigorously. "Sorry again to bother you and thank you for the information. I hope we didn't take up too much of your time." She hooked her arms around mine and Cole's. "We'd better be off now. Thank you again!"

     No one said a word until Hadley's House of Homeless Hordes was out of sight. Cole was too busy trying to figure out what just happened, and I was attempting not to wheeze with the soreness in my chest. Only once we were a considerable distance away did Seliel release her death grip on our arms and demand that I spill everything. Her personality was really something. Judging by the glint in Cole's eyes, he thought the same thing.

     I repeated Wren's words the best I could while trying to catch my breath.

     "Bora, Bora, Bora." Seliel said the name over and over, trying to make a connection to something she knew, as we began to trudge back to the dojo. The orange light of sunset made Seliel's hair seem brighter than it was supposed to be.

     "That's not much to go off of." Cole said. "But we'll make it work."

     "How do you make a vague first name work? I mean, Morro is technically over forty years old, so this lady could be anyone named Bora who lived around sixty to one hundred years ago. That's way too broad to narrow down without proper records. And judging by what she said when she dropped Morro off, she probably was a nobody who wanted to get rid of an unwanted child." Seliel seemed to realize what she just said and flushed slightly. "No offense or anything."

     I was still stuck on 'technically over forty years old.' I looked at the pink-haired girl and wondered how she knew so much even though she had been told so little. "How do you know how old I am?"

     She raised an eyebrow as Cole looked at her in the same disbelief. "Please. You bring a kid named Morro who just happens to have a green stripe in his black hair, is dressed like a ninja, and knows things about the villain Morro that no one but the villain himself would know, and expect me not to connect the dots?"

     "I guess I just expected a stronger reaction." I said, thinking back to how the Ninja acted upon seeing me again for the first time.

     Seliel held up a finger, leaning her head in Cole's direction. "Please. I literally attacked these guys the first time we met, and they love me now. Sure, you did some bad stuff, but you didn't try to kill me when we first met, so that put us off at a good start. I'm not going to judge you for the past, only for what you do going forward. Alright?" She held out a hand.

     Her little speech was abrupt, but I was able to catch the general meaning of it. I shook her hand, thankful that she wasn't going to get overly cautious towards me. That meant she probably wasn't going to judge Harumi too much either. Even though Seliel had never really interacted with Harumi, it would still be better if more of the Ninja's allies were willing to give us a chance.

     Cole's stare at our locked hands seemed a bit colder than normal, but I didn't pay it much attention. Seliel's smile returned when she let go, brighter than ever, and she propped her elbow up on Cole's shoulder.

     "Do I need to give any more sappy speeches? Do you have a troubled past that I don't know about, Rocky Boy?"

     "Only meeting you."

     "That hurts." Seliel couldn't say that without a teasing tone and Cole's lips twitched into a smile.

      "Anyway," Cole shrugged off Seliel's arm. "We have a name to go off of now. We'll rendezvous with Jay and Nya at the old Cloud Kingdom temple tomorrow morning and look up whatever we can find."

      "Smart plan." Seliel nodded.

      I knew she had no idea what Cole was talking about, but her enthusiasm to help was admirable.

     "First thing tomorrow, we're getting answers." I grinned. Cole and Seliel agreed, and the mood was only spoiled by Seliel telling Cole she ate the last piece of her birthday cake that morning.

>(<>)<

Lloyd's POV

     I knew the wall would close behind me, yet somehow, that didn't stop me from jumping when the tunnel went pitch black. I thrust out my hand in front of me, calling for energy that could light my way. Some part of me felt guilty for not telling Harumi where I was going, but I steeled myself and reminded my heart that she wouldn't care. She was probably glad I was gone. Green fire sparked to life in front of my eyes and suddenly, one by one, torches on the tunnel walls ignited in a brilliant golden flame.

     I shook out the fire in my hands as a test to see if the torches would dim. If anything, they cackled brighter. I cautiously began to walk down the tunnel. Stone bricks made up the walls; they all were lined with a moss that signaled no one had been here in a while. As I progressed down the curved tunnel, I noticed archways going into other rooms.

     I summoned more green flames and poked my head into the second archway I found. A large tub sat in the corner of the smooth tile floors and a molded bucket could be seen beside it. On the far wall, a cabinet nestled into the corner with a stone bowl atop it. A water pump's spout was positioned right above the bowl. I took in the reflective glass, the furniture, and nearly let go off my hold on the energy.

     This was a bathroom. A moldy, murky, bathroom. What was a bathroom doing inside a mysterious tunnel?

     I quickly made my way the first archway I had skipped. Inside sat a few chairs with cushions, a small stone table, and what seemed to be a few rotted books.

      A parlor?

      I exited the small room and quickly limped around the tunnel, exploring every archway I could find.

      A bedroom.

     A kitchen.

     A spare bedroom.

     Another library/parlor place.

     A fountain?

     This tunnel looked like a house with one giant hallway. Someone had lived here. A coldness seeped through me as I realized who this home had belonged to.

     I touched the mossy walls, wishing once more to hear the strange voice that summoned me. My grandfather had built this place. He must have made it so this tunnel opened for him. Just like his Golden Mech only worked for him and those of his blood, the Temple of Light must only be revealing its secrets because of my heritage.

     Ancestea.

    My mind stopped whirling. The reason the temple brought me here was because of some mysterious Ancestea. The reason I was here was to discover my ancestry. I pulled my hand off the wall and golden sparks lifted into the air. They swirled around me, causing me to stumble backwards in shock. After hovering around me for a few seconds, they took off down the tunnel.

     I stared at the display in shock. Even though the temple was just reacting to the First Spinjitzu Master in me, it still managed to surprise me with each step it took.

     I slowly looked down at my hands, which weren't the least bit golden. I had divided my golden power among my friends a long time ago. The sparks couldn't have come from me.

     Suddenly, the voice pounded into my header, louder than ever. I would have fallen to the floor in shock if the wall wasn't there for me to lean against.

     Follow your history!

     Face the past!

     Ancestea!

     I clenched my teeth, pushing a palm against my forehead. At least my chest wasn't acting up.

     I stumbled forward down the tunnel to follow the mysterious lights. With each step I took, more sparks flew into the air, winding their way down the tunnel down into one room.

     The kitchen.

     It clicked in my mind and I felt a surge of anger at my own stupidity. Of course, the First Spinjitzu Master would keep his tea in the kitchen. It was the only place someone normal would put tea.

     I was able to make it to the room without collapsing from the weight of exhaustion and the pounding voice in my head. Creating an elemental dragon was really draining, not to mention we had climbed a mountain with injuries just to get to the temple. It had to be past midnight now, but I kept going. I needed to find this tea.

     The old oven's logs were burnt out of use, the table had at least an inch of dust on it, and the cupboards were filled with cobwebs and old metal containers filled with more fungus than rotted food. After finding five sets of spider webs, I was about ready to punch the walls until my rage subsided. The mysterious sparks that had led me here had faded, leaving me alone with an incessant nagging from the unknown caller.

     Ancestea.

     "Okay, Lloyd, think." I mumbled, trying to calm myself down. It was late and I was cranky, but I had to at least try. Closing my eyes, I placed myself in a situation where I store away a useful tea in a hidden location.. Hiding it the kitchen would be hard, but also quite genius. No one would expect someone to hide it where it was most commonly found. Yet, the sparks led me here. I surveyed the simple kitchen once again, trying to figure out if there were any secret compartments I could be missing.

     I paused; the temple had responded to me before. What if I asked it to show me where the tea was? What if I used my powers and another secret door opened? It was worth a shot. I readied energy and blasted it at the cabinets. The old wood exploded in a green blaze, immediately filling the room with smoke and heat. I jerked back to avoid getting burnt.

     Nothing happened. No doors opened up; no fire faded to show the tea packets on a hidden pedestal. It was a waste. I felt like burning something else as the pounding in my heart faintly returned. Why didn't it work? Why was the temple calling for me, yet wouldn't show me how to do anything?

     Face your fears.

     The voice softened into something I almost recognized. I couldn't remember where I'd heard it, only that I'd heard it before. I stared at the fire as the flames leapt higher and higher, threatening to consume the room. Threatening to consume me. The smoke made my eyes water, yet I didn't leave.

     Face my fears. What did I fear? I hated admitting it to myself, but my life was filled with fears. The price of being a leader meant my team's lives were in my hands. The price of holding on to the past meant I couldn't allow myself to feel. I feared never being able to lead a simple life, I feared opening my heart again, I feared the flames before me that taunted me with failure.

     Fear held me back.

     As I stared into the fire, something shifted inside of me. I could stand and let the fire burn me alive. I could run away and try to find my way off of this awful island.

     Or I could trust the signs and step into the flames.

    Face your fears.

    I closed my eyes as I tentatively took a step forward. I had to let go; I had to trust this voice. I swallowed my fears and walked through the fire.

     When I opened them, I was standing unharmed in a completely new room.

     The room resembled a prison cell, with one barred window and a small bed. Beside the bed there was a stone table that had a round cup on it. Other than that, there was no furniture in the room, no flames behind me, nothing to see except the cold, lifeless inside of a mountain. It was dark enough where I could barely see, until clouds uncovered the moon and let a few beams of moonlight in.

     A single drop of water fell from a leak in the rigid ceiling, falling straight into the stone cup.

     I inched closer to the cup, noticing two small bags beside it.

     Ancestea!

    This time, it was my voice that rang clear in my head. I scooped up the packets and squinted to read them. The letters were faded, but I could make out enough letters to know they contained what I was looking for. I clutched the small tea bags close to my chest and let out a relieved sigh. Finally, I was getting somewhere.

    A golden spark drifted past my nose and landed in the cup.

     History reveals itself with just one sip.

     I hovered over the small object, watching another drop of pure water hit the liquid inside.

     Brew it, consume it, and face dark truths.

     I had water, tea leaves, and the elemental power to heat it up. The temple had given me everything I needed to brew the tea. Slowly, I emptied the first packet of Ancestea into the water, cradling the cup in my hands. My energy began to cause the tea to steep, which started to turn it a golden hue. Before my eyes, the tea began to glow with hundreds of familiar golden sparks.

     Without its help, you may never find the light.

     I gingerly lifted the cup to my lips, taking a single sip like the voice commanded. The tea was flavorless, yet I immediately felt strange. Perhaps it was coming from the age-old mountain water, since nothing happened.

     No ghosts of the past walked through the walls to tell me everything I needed to know, no visions filled my line of vision, and I certainly didn't wake up back in Ninjago City and realize this was all some stupid dream.

     I was still trapped in the small room, waiting for the tea to take effect.

    Trapped alone in a room, lost and forgotten by my only companion. Was this only a reflection of how things were going to be? In the future, all my friends would settle down and have families. They would move on and live the normal life I had always longed for, going on to tell their grandchildren the epic stories of their heroic deeds. The transitions were already happening. In a few years, if no more villains came to plague us, Jay and Nya would certainly start having children, Kai and Skylor would be married, Zane and PIXAL would keep being perfect together, and I was sure Cole would find someone.

     Yet, here I was, incapable of love because of one shattered heart. I would live the rest of my life like this, wishing for something that would never happen, constantly living trapped in my own paranoid world of pain and lies. The pounding started in my chest again, a reminder of my own reality.

     I was waiting on a tea that wouldn't work.

     I was waiting on a life that would never happen.

     I was wishing on a love that didn't exist.

     The bed wasn't exactly comfy, but it was all I had in the moment. I curled up on the rock-hard surface, wishing for sleep. My whole body ached from the day of mental, physical, and psychological stress. I wanted the night to be over. I'd find my way out of this room in the morning, when at least a bit of sunlight could come through the window. Then, I'd throw the other packet of Ancestea as hard as I could off the cliff and take Harumi back to Ninjago City. This trip had done nothing but exhaust my morale and give me a migraine.

     My body instantly sunk into a restful state, but my mind was open. I resisted the urge to toss and turn on the uncomfortable mattress as my swirling thoughts refused to shut off. The faded moonlight that lit the room moved to another part of the mountain, casting the cell into darkness. I could sense the blackness of night behind closed eyelids. It made me itch; darkness held too many secrets. Darkness meant evil; it meant threats that came closer. Paranoia started to drift into my mind again, filling it to the brim with my own worries, pains, and personal grief.

     Face your fears.

     I knew that voice, but why was the memory so distant, like I wasn't meant to see it? Who was the person talking into my head? And why couldn't they just let me sleep?

     What do you fear?

     I didn't want to answer. But the voice persisted, and I had to obey.

     I fear losing my friends to the constant battles we fight, I thought.

     That is a minor fear. You know they can take care of themselves. What do you fear?

      Irritation seeped into the corners of my mind. I fear never living a normal life.

     That is the mask you have made to hide the larger fear behind it. Be honest. What do you fear?

     The question made me stop. What did I fear? What was the pulsing anxiety hiding behind my every day life? What was the thing that kept me up at night, clutching my chest and wishing that the pain would go away? What was I afraid of losing... or rather, what was I afraid of gaining?

     Sadness flooded through me as I realized what that was.

     I fear opening my heart to Harumi. I said to the voice, finally forcing myself to face the truth. If I opened up to her, then I was opening myself up to be destroyed all over again. Yet, if she wasn't really evil, then I could have a chance at the life I'd always wished for. She was the past I couldn't let go of no matter how hard I tried. Yet just the thought of being able to open up to her again made my heart expand in ways I didn't want to think about.

     Suddenly, a spark ignited in the middle of my blackened vision.

     The glow spread throughout my vision and I could sense a bright light behind my eyelids.

     The first step to forgiveness is opening your heart. Apologies must be made, then you must let your heart wipe away the darkness the sinner has cast. It doesn't mean you must trust them again. It means you let go and move on. Holding on is what holds you back.

     I-I don't understand.

     Open your eyes Lloyd.

      A strange floaty sensation spread throughout my body, a feeling both warm and exhilarating. I felt my heart expand in my chest as I let the light flow in. Once I felt ready to explode in the moment, I opened my eyes.

     All around me was fierce, golden light. I was no longer in the mountain's room.

     "I have much to tell you, Lloyd, but we don't have much time."

     I spun to see a figure. He had robes of a ninja on, with broad shoulders and a hat that resembled Master Wu's. Déjà vu hit me. I had seen this man before and his voice... his voice was the same as the one in my head. The man looked up and smiled softly. I gasped as I took in his features. His eyes, they were my eyes.

     The Ancestea really worked.

     This man before me was no illusion.

     This was my grandfather, ready to tell me why he was calling.

     This was the First Spinjitzu Master.