They were only able to retrieve the Nunchucks of Lightning, the rest of the weapons stolen from their hiding place. Sensei Wu sighed heavily, resting his hand along the mast of the small boat they had rented. All for nothing; the Shurikens of Ice had been forcefully removed, their guardian distraught. Wu had comforted the dragon of ice, just as he had done with the dragon of earth before. Failure was too strong of an emotion for loyal dragons to endure.

"Have we lost, Sensei?" Nya asked softly, approaching him.

"Not yet, my student." He answered, smiling faintly at her. "But time is running out. We need to get to the Sword of Fire as quickly as we can, and we must also guard the nunchucks with our lives." He walked over to Jay, nunchucks in hand. "General."

"Wow. First time I've ever heard you call me that." Jay smirked. "In fact... it's been a long time since anyone has called me that." He looked down at his restraints and sighed dejectedly. "What do you need me to do?"

"Sit still. Close your eyes and open your mind. Reach out for your element."

Jay rolled his eyes but did as he was told. Nya watched from a distance, almost afraid and anxiously awaiting what would happen next.

Sensei placed the weapon in front of Jay, standing back. The nunchucks trembled for a moment before rising in the air, blue lighting crackling around its golden handles.

Nya gasped softly, watching in awe along with Wu.

Jay scrunched his eyebrows together, half-concentrated, half-anxious. He opened his eyes nervously, glancing at the the blue electricity lacing it's way around his body. He was shocked, unable to understand how he was doing any of this.

He shut his eyes, the weapon clattering to the ground and the lightning burning out with it. "...I'm sorry. I was scared."

Sensei moved towards Jay, sitting in front of him. "Do you believe in fate?"

Jay shrugged, his eyes downcast. "I guess so. When it favors me."

Sensei's eyes twinkled slightly, creasing with a smile. "Your destiny lies not in the Underworld. You are not a general, Jay." He placed a hand on Jay's arm. "You are fated to be a lightning master."

Jay looked up at Sensei, his clouded eyes sparking up. They're so blue. Nya thought, watching him carefully. It's almost as if he has lightning in his own eyes.

"You have a choice, however." Sensei elaborated, looking up and stroking his beard. "There are two paths ahead of you; either way you choose, you are still destined to meet the same fate in the end. Mastery. Skill. Lightning." He squeezed Jay's arm gently. "Stability. Warmth. Control."

Those last few words seemed to strike a nerve with Jay. Tearing up, he looked up at Sensei, asking him weakly, "How do I know which path is right? What are they? When will I find them?"

Sensei stood up, walking to the edge of the boat. "The answers you seek will come to you when the time is right; when it is time to choose. For now, I will set you free." He walked back towards Jay, releasing his restraints. He looked down at him. "I can only pray that..." He started before shaking his head. "No. No more." And with that, Sensei left Jay and Nya alone on the deck.

Jay touched the dragon heads carved onto the handles of the nunchucks, lost in thought before speaking out loud, "I grew up in a junkyard."

Nya turned around, confused. "Were you... talking to me?"

Jay shrugged, staring into one of the dragons' eyes. He continued. "Your brother found me. He told me I had much more potential than playing with scrap metal in a junkyard..."
-
"I don't play with it." Jay protested. "I'm an inventor. Who do you think you are, barging into my room and judging me?" He scrunched his auburn brows together, eyeing the uniform-clad boy.

The boy wasn't too much older than him and not the slightest bit taller, with jagged dark brown hair and stern copper-brown eyes. He was dressed in a dark general's uniform, adjourned with tiny bones and red tassels and jewels. He was dressed much too nicely and stuck out like a sore thumb in the junkyard.

"This is your room?" The boy laughed, glancing around at the tiny container. He noticed Jay's offended stare and cleared his throat. "I get it, you know; I came from humble beginnings too. My parents were blacksmiths in a village of pacifists. I know what it's like to struggle-"

"Gotta be honest with you, I really don't care. Just tell me what the hell you want." Jay frowned, reaching for one of his broken gliders, ready to attack.

"I was given the opportunity to rise above my struggle. When my parents... left, it was only my baby sister and me. When I took the opportunity, I had to leave her behind. I had to make sacrifices. I lost everything.... and I gained the world because of it."

With a snap of his fingers, fire engulfed his hand. Jay gasped in horror, scrambling backwards. The boy laughed, snapping again and snuffing out the flame.

"You- You abandoned what was left of your family- for that?!"

"Not just that." The boy smiled, kneeling next to Jay and holding out his hand. "My name is Kai. I was sent by the Lord Garmadon to retrieve three special people. You're one of them, Jay." He glanced around, smiling wider. "Garmadon fulfilled his promise of power once I proved my loyalty. Soon, I'll be able to reunite with my Nya and give us the life we've always dreamed of. The best part is, he can do that for you too, Jay."

Jay shook his head. "I don't trust you, and I don't trust this Lord Garmadon guy. You're an idiot if you think he just handed unlimited power to you."

"I had a feeling you would say that, because I said the same thing too." Kai smirked. "Garmadon can only do so much; the power is already inside you, Jay. Garmadon will help you find it, but it's your job to unlock it. Your future is totally up to you, because you already have the power."

Jay looked down at his hands. Power. That he could control. He would have stability. Adventure. Something beyond this godforsaken junkyard.

He glanced out of the window he had to carve himself. "I could really give my parents a better life? Just by unlocking some hidden power that sets my hands on fire?"

Kai laughed. "Almost right. Except fire is exclusive to me. Your power, Jay, is lightning."

Jay turned back towards Kai in awe. "I can really control lightning?" No wonder why he could withstand electrocutions. He should've been dead by now.

Kai nodded, smiling excitedly. "Isn't that cool? So come with me, Jay." He held out his hand again. "What have you got to lose?"
-
Nya had collapsed to the ground right as Kai's intentions were mentioned. She covered her mouth, choking back tears. "He left me... he left me..."

"To give you a better life, Nya-"

"I was a child, Jay!" Nya snapped, tears spilling out of her eyes. "And so was Kai! He's only two years older than me!"

"Nya-"

"I swear, I will murder Garmadon. He corrupted my brother. Kai would've never left me if it wasn't for him!"

Jay held her tightly. "Nya, you can't. You-You have to accept that Garmadon won; Kai's gone."

"He isn't gone!" Nya growled, pulling away from him and grabbing his face. "Garmadon corrupted you too! He made you lose your faith and your judgment. You think you're a lost cause because you fell down the wrong path, but you aren't! When you hit rock bottom, you have no choice but to climb up! Life goes on, Jay, so stop doubting your future because you fucked up your past!"

Jay stared at her, stunned. Nya inhaled sharply, regretting opening her mouth. "I'm... I'm sorry..." She whispered, her voice breaking. "I'm sorry..."

Jay touched her hands gently. "No... thank you." He moved in closer; Nya didn't back away. "Thank you. I've made my decision now."

He moved in slowly, his lips parting as his eyes closed, the inside of his mouth the only warmth in the freezing cold. She vowed not to... she promised herself she wouldn't fall again for his spell...

Fuck it. He was too delicious to refuse.

She wrapped her arms around him, accepting his invitation to the kiss. Tomorrow would be a new day. Tomorrow she would move on from him and focus on her training.

But for now...