Sorry for such a short chapter, and for it being so late. My drive was wiped and I lost absolutely everything from this, and I've slowly been trying to piece it back together. It's been frustrating, but I'm doing my best to continue rewriting as close to what I had done originally as possible. Meanwhile, I will also be trying to recover my files, but that's a grim prospect at best :(

Hopefully I'll get myself together and have something new soon. Thank you again for sticking with me, and I hope you enjoy!

- Fell_and_Fallen -

"So you're saying there's nothing you can do."

A sigh falls from Sensei's lips as he settles back in his seat. The hairs from his moustache have started to grow out, and now nearly obscure his mouth when he speaks. "Not at the present time, no. The radio silence is part of the trial, I'm afraid. As long as we are on this island, you will not be able to contact your ancestors."

It's difficult to hide my frustration, to swallow it instead of letting it explode from my body. I suck in a breath.

"But they're keeping something from me, Sensei," my arms press deeper into the table as I lean forward, as if by getting closer I could pull a different answer from him. Spitfire tightens uncomfortably around my wrist and my hand starts to fill with pins and needles. "My ancestors fought over it- wanted to tear each other apart instead of tell me what's going on. I have to know why and for what. This mission's felt terrible from the start-"

"Patience, Ash," Misako's soft eyes find mine as she sorts through a set of scrolls just nearby. "Getting frustrated isn't going to get any of us anywhere."

"Misako is right. Until we find the Temple of Light-"

My hands clench. "But by then it might be too late."

Lloyd lets out a breath that stirs the windblown sand that drifts from the cracks in the walls. I stifle a sneeze. "I'm not an expert on all these prophecies or what they mean, but Ash could have something going right now. If her ancestors were trying to tell her something, shouldn't we be trying to figure it out? Her gut feeling hasn't been wrong yet."

I sit back. "Thank you, Lloyd."

Sensei gets to his feet. "I wish we could tell you more, Ash, but there really isn't anything we can do to help. The prophecy is clear. We must find the Temple of Light, and part of that mission includes being cut off from your ancestors."

"It isn't pleasant, but those are the cards we've been dealt," Dr. Julien shrugs, though his expression quickly shifts to a sympathetic one as Sensei marches out of the room. "I am sorry we can't give you more than that."

I fiddle with a splinter on the table instead of saying any of the sharp remarks flying around my head. I don't say anything, really, for the next few minutes until my furious silence and Lloyd's growing concerned gaze is interrupted by Sensei's re-entrance into the room. This time, he's accompanied by the ninja. They've been outside for at least three hours- doing their best to conceal the Bounty in a cradle of palm leaves and sand, and their dirt-filled clothes and streaming eyes show they've been hard at work.

Zane's first to speak, his eyes flicking to me after taking in the tense atmosphere of the room. "Any news?"

I take another breath, and shake my head. "Still blocked out. We've been trapped here three days and the only thing I know is that this is part of the process."

"But perhaps you won't have to sit here much longer," Misako says, giving me a look that seems like an attempt to get me to drop the issue. She opens a scroll and flattens it against the table. There are still some moisture stains around the edges. "The scrolls say there is a hidden temple on the island. If you find it, it will give the ninja pure elemental powers. Powers that can destroy the indestructible stone army."

"So you're saying we get to fight?" Cole lets out a happy whoop. "I've got happy feet!"

"This is the same temple that ends the journey of a dragon," Misako continues as her eyes shift back to me. "Once Ash converges with the power of her ancestors, she will hold the ultimate weapon of a true ruler of Ninjago- all but completing the contract first made by the Queen of Light."

Her gaze grows a little stern again when I don't react. "Forgive me if I'm not ecstatic. This still feels rotten to me."

"Rotten?" Jay echoes. "How? You get untold-of superpowers none of us can even imagine! What could possibly be rotten about that?"

"Exactly the point," I cross my arms. "We don't know anything. We don't know where this mission will take us, or what these powers might do."

"We know what the scrolls tell us," Sensei says, resting a weathered hand on the table. "We must find the temple or the entirety of Ninjago will be in peril. Whatever you're feeling, Ash, the alternative is much worse. I can assure you of that."

"But we don't know-"

"And you, my son," Misako addresses Lloyd. I swallow the sudden heat that's filled my palms. "Here it is written:For once the Green Ninja finds the instrument of peace, he will strike it and know the power of the Ultimate Spinjitsu Master."

"Ultimate Spinjitsu Master?"

Misako smiles softly at her son. "It means you will be able to invoke the power of the golden dragon. An ancient fighting style only practiced by the first Spinjitsu Master."

Lloyd smirks at Jay's astounded face. "Jealous?"

"Sorry to ruin the moment, but I'm starting to see Ash's side of this," Kai shakes his head. "This all sounds too good to be true. Ultimate power, ancient fighting styles- and no consequences? We just show up and walk away with all of it unscathed? What's the catch?"

I can't help the edge to my tone. "What is the catch?"

"The catch is the temple could be anywhere on the island," Sensei answers hurriedly, and another bout of anger struggles to escape me. "And all we have is this."

"This" turns out to be a large gold disc, punched through with three distinctive holes and swirling patterns, the most prominent being a deeply embossed dragon. It seems to glow with reverent power in the dim light of the bridge as Dr. Julien takes it carefully from Sensei.

"The medallion," he explains. "It's like a compass. When the three holes match up, the medallion will reveal where the temple is hidden." A smile turns up the corner of his lips as he turns it over in his hands. "For many of the old dragon rulers, this was their only possession while made their pilgrimage to the Queen of Light's original seat of power. You follow an impressive legacy, ninja."

"Uh, how'd you know that?" Jay asks.

"Oh, I did a lot of reading in my spare time," the inventor shrugs. He lets out a little laugh. "Adventure stories were my favorite. Especially those including the legendary rulers of Ninjago."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Zane says as he takes the medallion from his father. "We should leave immediately."

"Just take good care of it. The last person to hold that was the Dragon King of water. He journeyed here just when-"

"Not you, Lloyd."

The green ninja stiffens before he takes another step toward the door, a familiar grimace muddling his face as he stares down his uncle. "Seriously? Are we still doing this?"

"Wu is right," Misako says as she gets to her feet. Her gaze softens on her son. "If you were to come across your father, it could prematurely start the final battle. We need to be at full strength before we take any risks."

"Jealous?" Jay chuckles, earning a smoldering glare from Lloyd.

"And what am I supposed to do here? Sit? Twiddle my thumbs and hope they find the temple before my father-"

"Well, I could use some help around the shop," Dr. Julien speaks tentatively. He offers a careful smile. "We should get working on vehicles that might give us a fighting chance."

"I'm staying too," I sit back. "You might not want to believe it, but this feeling I have isn't going to go away by traipsing around the island looking for the very thing that's being dangled in front of my face. I need answers, and if that means I have to meditate for the next three days, then-"

"You must go, Ash," Sensei says. "This is part of your trial as a dragon ruler of Ninjago. To stay here would be to sacrifice everything you've worked for."

I storm to my feet with a crackle of fire around my hands. "I was working to get stronger so I could help protect the people I cared about. I don't know what's going to happen in that temple or how it's going to affect our mission-"

"Perhaps you should just have faith-"

"I have been having faith and it's gotten me a whole lot of nothing-"

"You're letting impatience control you-"

"You're letting fear control you. That's what this is- you're afraid of whatever's waiting for us in that temple-"

"Alright, I think we've all said enough," Kai grasps my shoulders and pulls me back a step. A growl rumbles in my chest. "Ash, come with us. At least for the fresh air."

"You won't find any more answers here," Misako says, her eyes warily watching mine and Sensei's hands. "If there's anything to be discovered, it's out there."

I tug myself from the red ninja's grasp. "Fine."

My eyes narrow on Sensei's as my fire stills within me. "I trust you. Don't let that be a mistake."

His chest fills with breath. "It won't be. Please, Ash. Go."

The heat in my stomach roils, but I bottle it. I need to trust him, all of them, but the permanent chill that clutches my spine says otherwise. What my ancestors did, what they said has me on edge, and I won't feel better until we get to the bottom of this.

I just hope it isn't too late.