06 | versus

Zane isn't sure how he found himself in a snowy cave, cornered by an ice dragon bound by chains, but he's there regardless. He yelps as the beast roars and barrels toward him. The nindroid searches desperately for a way out, but he's trapped. All he can do is cower as the dragon closes in.

"Zane? Are you still there?" A feminine voice calls. He looks up, but sees no one. "If you can hear me, wake up. You need to wake up!"

His eyes open.

Instead of a cave, he's sitting in a cold, dark cell, chains binding his hands to the wall. "It was...only a dream," he murmurs.

"It's amazing you dream," says the voice. "I've always wondered what it's like. You've always been special."

Zane blinks. The sound is coming from the cell next to him. "Where am I? Who are you?"

"I'm Pixal, a friend. And you're in danger and have to get out of here. Your memory drive is out of sorts and your Elemental Power—"

"Elemental Power?"

"You're a Nindroid, Zane, a ninja! And your friends are here to save you. But they can't do it all. You have to remember who you are.

He perks up. "Friends?"

"Remember, Zane." The voice grows desperate. "You saved your friends and rebuilt yourself. There are things about you that you don't understand, that you have yet to discover. But if we're ever going to get out of here, you have to remember."

Zane ponders her words. Realization dawns on him. "Pixal!" he cries, face breaking into a grin. "We are compatible?"

"Yes, Zane." She's not visible, but he swears he can see her smiling. "Yes we are."

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The Elemental fighters grab breakfast at the chow house the next morning. Though they try not to think about it, the tension from yesterday's event still leaves an odd feeling hanging over all of them. The Ninja are especially on edge, still disturbed from last night's discovery. Garmadon is also disturbed by his lack of creamy biscuits.

"What do you think happened to Rose?" Lemon asks, taking a sip of lemonade.

"Not sure," Melody responds. "I hope she's alright. Then again, what's the worst that could've happened?"

"Do you think she was right?" Katlain whispers across the room. "About Chen being shady?"

"I dunno." Samuel shrugs from their spot across from her. "The guy seems a little off, but maybe he's just senile." Katlain giggles at that.

"Oh, please." Apollo rolls their eyes as they walk past. "People say crazy things when they're desperate. Rose was probably just upset she lost."

Katlain arches a brow at their attitude, but nods in acknowledgement. "I look forward to seeing you fight," she says, focus returning to Samuel. "I've never seen a master of wind in action before."

"You too! Your powers sound awesome." They pause and shrink a little, smiling shyly. "By the way...has anyone ever told you your eyes are really alluring? They remind me of onyx." Noodle flicks his tongue in agreement.

"Oh!" Katlain blinks, a slight blush crawling across her face. "Thank you..."

Ray, Ivan, and Rain sit at the next booth, talking quietly. Razhai joins them. "Congrats on making it yesterday, Ray," she says as she plops her tray down. "You really pulled through."

"Agreed," Ivan says with a smile. "You take the term silent but deadly to a new level."

"Thank you," Ray signs with a grateful smile.

"Hello, fighters! I hope you all had a good nights' sleep!"

Chen's voice blares over the intercom, startling everyone. Kira yelps and spills her water in her surprise. "The following masters have matches today: Shadow, Animals, Light, Fire, Space, Mind, Time, and Earth. Shadow and Animals, you're up first! Please report to your assigned arena."

Everyone is on their feet in seconds flat. The aforementioned fighters all square their shoulders as they leave the room, knowing that only a handful of them will remain after today.

"Good luck," Kira says to Kai and Cole. "And remember what this tournament is really about."

Cole shudders, looking haunted. "How could we forget?"

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The first match of the day is held in the ruins of a temple. The Jadeblade rests on a pedestal off to the side of the arena, glinting in the morning sunlight. Everyone gathers in the stands, forming a small crowd that murmurs amongst each other. The Ninja and Garmadon sit as a group in the front row, while Samuel and Katlain sit side-by-side, talking quietly.

Ray and Rain prep on either end of the arena. Ray does katas, going over last-minute technique. Rain unsheathes her claws and shakes out her wings, ears flattening against her hair.

"Ray McDavid, Master of Shadow, versus Rain Woods, Master of Animals." Chen's voice booms through the arena. He sits at the head of the stands beside Clouse, chowing down on a bucket of popcorn.

"FIGHT!"

Rain launches forward, and Ray's eyes go wide at the sight of her sharp fangs and wolflike eyes. Her claws fly at their face, missing their target as they slide out of the way. Rain twists and swipes at them again, but Ray dodges once more and sweeps their leg. Rain jumps, but Ray's foot catches her own at the last second and she loses her balance, wings flapping frantically. The master of shadow races for the Jadeblade, sapphire eyes glinting with determination.

Rain's tail lashes. She growls, her form shifting to that of a fawn-colored wolf in an instant. She barrels after her opponent and lunges. Ray spins around and lands a solid punch to her muzzle, making the wolf-eagle stumble and whimper in pain. While she's distracted, they shut their eyes and concentrate. Everyone gasps as the entire arena is suddenly plunged into near-total darkness. Ray disappears into the shadows, leaving Rain opponentless.

"Geez, I can barely see a thing," mutters Cole. "What's going on?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," Kai responds.

Rain huffs. She's got the advanced sight of a wolf, but that doesn't help if her opponent has literally disappeared into shadows. Her nose, however...

She takes a whiff of the air. Ray's scent is strong, and judging by the direction, it's heading for the Jadeblade. Rain picks up the pace, her mismatched eyes the only pinpricks of light in the dark. As she moves closer, a new scent reaches her nose: that of metal. The blade must be close. She follows it, bumps against something sharp, and seizes the Jadeblade in her jaws. She tugs at it, but something tugs back. Ray appears from the shadows, straining against her grip. The two fighters glare at each other, locked in the world's most intense game of tug of war. They pull at the same time, and the blade flies from both their holds, landing on the ground a few feet away.

Ray starts, but Rain is faster. She spreads her wings, zooms after the prize, and snatches it up.

"Winner!" shouts Chen.

Rain shifts back into humanoid form. Ray deflates with a defeated look in their eyes. Their powers kick in again, and the darkness hanging over the arena lifts. The audience lets out a collective exhale, grateful to be able to see again.

"Loser!"

Chen presses the button, and Ray's lips part in a silent scream as they fall through the trap door. Lloyd watches with a sad look in his eyes. Rain's fur stands on end and she shudders, but her discomfort is replaced by pride as the audience breaks into cheers and applause.

She smiles, her grip on the blade tightening as her tail wags.

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The second match takes place in the afternoon. The arena this time around is on a small hill; a large boulder sits in the center, the Jadeblade resting on top.

Kai cracks his knuckles. He can already feel his fire burning deep within, just begging to be unleashed. Meanwhile, Ivan takes a deep breath, trying to remain as calm as possible. The afternoon sunlight warms their skin, reminding them of the power they hold.

"Ivan Alinsky, Master of Light, versus Kai Smith, Master of Fire," Chen announces.

Jay shifts in his seat, unsure of whether to root for his old friend or his new one. "Good luck," he murmurs. "Both of you."

"FIGHT!"

As usual, Kai runs head-first into the fight. He hurls two fireballs at Ivan, who swerves around both and rushes their opponent. The two fighters clash and strain against each other. Kai is stronger and shoves Ivan back, firing orb after orb of fire at them. Ivan hops backward with each blast, leaving flaming patches of grass where they once stood. Half the arena is burning in seconds flat, trapping the two of them within a ring of fire.

Ivan exhales and centers themselves. Then, they shout, hands exploding into beams of blinding light. Kai yelps and shields his eyes, pain flaring through his head, and nearly collapses. His agonized cries make Ivan flinch, but nevertheless, they race toward the Jadeblade. They're halfway there when the fire ninja pounces on them, head still spinning as he tackles them to the ground. The two fighters go rolling away through the burning grass, punching and shouting. Kai manages to pin Ivan down, but the master of light uses their power again, completely disappearing from view. Kai yelps as an invisible force kicks him square in the gut and knocks him away.

The flames keep raging. Smoke starts to rise, filling the air with a hazy smog. Samuel coughs in the stands, shielding Noodle in their hood, and Katlain pats their back. As the smoke thickens, it reveals Ivan's invisible form, now halfway up the boulder.

"Found you," the fire ninja mutters.

He darts forward, flames shooting from his hands and propelling him like rockets. Ivan huffs and starts to climb faster, but Kai flies himself to the top of the boulder. He seizes the Jadeblade and raises it above his head.

"Winner!"

Jay's stomach drops Ivan becomes visible again. Their expression is one of shock.

"Loser!"

A trapdoor opens beneath Ivan's feet. The master of light cries out, eyes bulging from their head, as they plummet into darkness. Kai's stomach twists, and he flinches when the door slams shut. He still feels sick as he leaves the arena and meets his friends outside. Jay's expression is hard to describe. Kira rests a comforting hand on his shoulder, shaking her head sadly.

"Well," utters Cole. "At least you won, right?"

"Yeah...I guess so," the fire ninja responds. Ivan's kind violet eyes flash in his mind, guilt stabbing through his gut.

But at what cost? He wonders.

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The next match takes place at night. The arena is on a cliff high up in the mountains, close to the night sky—so close that clouds hang below them, and the stars and moon shine brightly above. Kira stares up at them in awe. Lloyd can't help but smile at how utterly fascinated she looks, like a kid in a candy store.

Taylor flicks her hair over her shoulder, aware of how close she is to the stars and moon. Lemon bounces on her feet, prepping her mind as well as her body. The Jadeblade sits in a tree off to the side, glinting in the moonlight.

"Taylor Papakinakis, Master of Space, versus Lemon Lark, Master of Mind!" says Chen.

"For what it's worth," Taylor murmurs, mustering a smile, "good luck to you."

"Thanks." Lemon returns the gesture with a smile twice as bright. "You too."

"FIGHT!"

Taylor charges forward with dark matter at her fingertips, hurling it at her opponent. Lemon sidesteps and rushes her. Taylor thinks to prepare more matter, only to receive a punch to the jaw before she can even do it. She stumbles back, and Lemon sweeps her leg, causing her to trip and hit the ground hard.

"I see everything you do before you do it, you know," the blonde says, standing over her with a wink.

"Welllll," Taylor grins and winks back. "I can make it hard for you to see."

She snaps her fingers. Instantly, the once-brilliant sky goes completely dark, going out like she's just flipped a light switch. The arena is plunged into blackness for the second time that day.

"Did they just...turn the starlight off?" Kira asks, sounding and looking dumbstruck.

"And the moonlight?" Lloyd adds. "Yeah, I think they did."

"It would be nice to be able to see for these matches," mutters Garmadon.

Even Lemon looks shocked, despite knowing it would happen. She squints, struggling to see through the darkness. She knows what's coming, but she can't actually fight her opponent if she can't see her. Taylor slinks through the night, her grin growing wider. She ducks around Lemon and lands a kick to her back, sending her to the ground. Taylor is upon her in an instant; Lemon struggles, but the redhead is stronger, keeping her pinned.

The blonde shuts her eyes and concentrates. Then, metal scrapes against the tree as the Jadeblade rises up and floats toward them, moved by the power of her mind. Taylor's eyes gleam and she starts, ready to snatch it. Lemon thinks fast. She uses the distraction to shove her opponent off with a mighty heave, scrambles to her feet, and flips into the air. She catches the blade in midair, landing with it in her grip.

"Winner!"

Lemon swallows, afraid to see her opponent's reaction. Against her better judgement, she swaps glances with Taylor. The redhead's expression is unreadable. Her head dips in a slight nod, and the master of mind returns the gesture.

Chen presses the button, and the next moment, Taylor is gone.

The stars and moon regain their shine as the audience cheers. Lemon traces her finger over the blade, her smile tentative and less bright than usual.

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The final fight doesn't occur until almost midnight. Despite how late it is, no one seems particularly tired—the energy from that day's competition has kept them wide awake. Now, everyone gathers in a gladiator-style arena. Both fighters get their own spaces off to the side to prep. Razhai stretches, and on the other end, Cole attacks a punching bag.

"What do you think of your opponent?" Lloyd asks from outside the space.

"Honestly, I don't wanna have to fight her," he admits. "She seems like a nice girl...too nice for a place like this."

"I know." Kai's amber eyes are soft, swimming with sympathy. "I felt the same about Ivan. Still, if we're gonna find Zane, we have to keep moving. You know what you have to do."

"Yeah." Cole sets his jaw. "I do."

As if on cue, fanfare blares, signifying the start of the match. The other Ninja take their places in the stands as Cole and Razhai emerge. Both fighters lay eyes on the large, dragon-shaped pole in the center, on top of which the Jadeblade rests.

"Cole Brookstone, Master of Earth, versus Razhai Turner, Master of Time!"

"FIGHT!"

Razhai's brows are pinched, and there's a gleam of hesitation in her crimson eyes. That doesn't stop her from racing toward the pole at top speed. Cole rushes to intercept her, knocking her off to the side. He charges again and slams his palms into the ground, creating a tremor that shakes the entire arena. Razhai stumbles, the might of the quake sending her tumbling to the floor. Cole lunges at her with his fists raised, but she rolls out of the way and onto her knees.

The earth ninja pounces again, but his opponent's powers are already kicking in. Razhai stands and moves her hands in a counterclockwise motion, transporting them back in time to the start of the match. She takes off for the pole and starts to climb. Cole shakes his head, disoriented, and hastily creates another quake. The force shakes Razhai, causing her to fall and land with a loud THUD.

"Could he stop doing that?" Apollo mutters in the stands. "It's makin' me sick."

Razhai huffs and reverses time again, placing them both back at the start. Cole quickly realizes that this could go on forever. As long as he has a head start, she has the power to just reset the entire match. There's no foreseeable way that he can win.

Well then, he thinks, maybe I shouldn't.

Razhai heads for the pole. Cole makes no effort to stop her.

"What are you doing, earth ninja?!" Chen roars from the stands. "FIGHT HER!"

Cole glares up at him, but says nothing. Razhai switches targets, barreling into Cole and straining against him. "Why aren't you fighting?" she whispers.

"Because this whole Tournament is messed up. More messed up than you think," he responds. "Go. You deserve to win."

"Come on." Razhai's brows furrow, eyes softening slightly. "At least try."

"Ah, you were kickin' my butt, anyway." He chuckles. "Just get the Jadeblade and win."

Razhai hesitates. When it's clear that he won't budge, she turns and heads for the pole. Everyone watches as she climbs it with ease and seizes the Jadeblade.

"Winner!"

Cole tells himself that losing isn't bad. This could be an opportunity to see what Chen's really up to, after all, and maybe find a way to stop him. So he isn't phased as the ground opens beneath his feet. Nor does he scream as he falls through the trap door. Razhai stares as he's swallowed by the earth. Even after the door closes, she keeps staring, trying to process what's just happened.

"This match concludes today's events," announces Chen. "Congratulations to all the winners! The Tournament will recommence tomorrow...or, ah, never mind, it's midnight. Sooo...later today!"

Everyone disperses, Razhai leaving last. The Ninja and Garmadon linger, speechless and shaken to their core.

They've lost one of their own. And unless something is done, Cole will only be the first.

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A vehicle cruises through the outskirts of Ninjago.

From her spot at the driver's seat, Nya's lips let out a tired puff of air. Her gray eyes remain fixed on the road, flickering upward every once in a while. A dark, winged shape flies overhead—Zane's falcon, a strange but welcome sight after his master's departure. She hasn't the slightest clue where it's taking her, but she hopes it's worthwhile. After all, she's been following it for hours now.

"Why did you call me here?" she asks as the bird lands on top of her car.

The falcon caws and cocks its head toward her GPS. The girl studies it. Her breath hitches. "Zane's beacon. Coming from somewhere off the coast. But...that's impossible..."

Even as the words leave her lips, she doubts them. If anyone's capable of doing the impossible, it's Zane.

This is real. Her friend could still be alive, and the others could be with him right now.

Her heart starts to race, lips quirking into a smile. She all but slams her hand onto her communicator, turning it on in record time.

"Sensei Wu, come in!" she cries, tears of joy pricking at her eyes. "This is Nya, do you read? I think I may have found the ninja!"

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