Ann paced back and forth in her bedroom, staring intently at the floor as she went. The room was scarcely decorated; only a bed, a tea table, a closet, and a teal and blue tapestry hanging at the head of the sleeping mat. There was a window on the far wall, and on its cill, a handful of intricate seashells. She stopped to admire one—a white baby ear shell—then sighed and put it back in its place, blowing away a bit of dust which had gathered on top of it. She returned to her pacing.
What was taking Wu so long? It had only been two days, but Garmadon’s forces hadn’t made any attempts to push forward, and she was growing anxious. At any moment, something could go horribly wrong, she just knew it.
“Haruto!”
Ann jumped at her last name, but gathered herself quickly and responded to the guard outside her door, “Yes?”
“There’s a young man at the gate. He claims to have been sent by Master Wu and he requested you specifically,” the guard replied.
Ann instantly knew that this must be one of the four elementals that Wu was recruiting and rushed into the hall.
“Thank you,” she said to the guard. “I will see to it myself.” The guard bowed respectfully and she took off toward the front gate. Finally, some good news. Hopefully this meant that Wu’s plan was coming together.
Although it was silly, she felt anticipation rise in her chest as she went. For so long she had heard Wu tell her of the Golden Weapons and the four warriors destined to wield them, but she never once thought that she would ever meet them. Images of tall, strong soldiers filled her head, dressed from head to toe in armour that reflected their element—maybe fire-proof armour for the fire elemental, or stone armour for the earth elemental—and she was surely shocked when she reached the front doors, pulled them back, and saw the scrawny form of Jay Walker. He was at least six inches shorter than her—however, she was six feet tall—with short, golden brown hair, electric blue eyes, pale skin, and he was wearing an old t-shirt with some very worn-through jeans.
“Hi,” he said sheepishly. “Are you Ann Jing Haruto?”
Ann had to stop herself from laughing. He was definitely younger than she was, with very little muscle and clearly no battle training. Was she seriously supposed to believe that he was destined to wield one of the golden weapons? She tried to keep herself form staring and gave a quick bow. “I am,” she answered. “And who are you?”
“Oh, uh, my name’s Jay. Jay Walker. Master Wu sent me. Uh, here,” and he handed her a small, rolled up scroll; one of four, which Ann had seen Wu prepare.
She nodded before handing it back and said, “Please, come in.”
Jay looked apprehensive at first, but reached down to grab his duffle bag and marched into the monastery with a shaky sort of confidence. Ann let him go ahead of her and peered out into the dense foliage that surrounded the property, past the open doors. Surely no one had followed him, but she still felt it necessary to check. Then she closed the doors and lead Jay through the courtyard and into the main building.
“Points for a dramatic place to live,” said Jay as they walked. Ann ignored him. “Not the talkative type, huh?” Jay continued after she stayed silent. Ann didn’t do ‘small talk’, but she also knew that she shouldn't be rude to her guest.
“No,” she replied.
They continued walking until they reached a dead-end hall with only four doors total on both of its walls. They went all the way to the end and she opened the door on the right. The room was much the same as her’s was: a sleeping mat, a closet, a tea table, a window, and a tapestry hanging on the wall. However this tapestry was blue and silver.
“These will be your living quarters,” Ann explained as a dazed Jay walked slowly into the room.
“So... when’s lunch?” He asked, dropping his bag to the floor.
“Mealtimes are at eight, noon, and six. The bell tower will ring for each,” Ann explained. “At noon, I will send someone to guide you to the dining room.” She waited to see if he had anything else to ask, and when he stayed silent she bowed again, perhaps a little too hastily, and said goodbye.
She stood, looking at the closed shōji door, and felt her insides squirm. This couldn’t be right. This was a boy, barely fit for farming, let alone fighting. But she took a deep breath and said to herself, “Sensei Wu does everything for a reason. He must have a plan.”
* * *
Another day passed by, filled with simple, mundane pastimes, and the only place where Ann saw Jay was in the dinning room at mealtimes. She could tell he was uneasy—most definitely from being brought to such a strange place in such a strange manner—but he refused to let it fully show. Every time their eyes met he would try to crack a smile or a joke; to both, Ann would only reply with a slight nod.
The following morning, however, Ann was once again summoned to the front gates. She hoped that the next elemental would surpass Jay—and surpass him, he did. Ann opened the doors and saw not a scrawny, young boy, but the muscular physique of eighteen-year-old Cole. He was taller than her by quite a few inches, with shaggy black hair, dark eyes and large eyebrows. He was wearing a sleeveless, grey hoodie, denim jeans, and brand-name sneakers. There was a black and gold suit case in his left hand, and a denim blue backpack slung over his shoulder.
“Hello,” he said in soft yet gruff voice. “You must be Ann Jing?”
“Yes,” and she bowed respectfully. “And you are..?”
“My name is Cole Becket.”
She cracked a small smile. “A pleasure to meet you.” She moved to one side, extending her hand toward the the inner courtyard. “Please, come in.” He walked in, and again, before she closed the gates, Ann checked the outside forest.
They were both silent as they wound their way through the hallways and rooms, to which Ann was grateful; even with a person like Cole, who immediately had her respect, she shied away from any actual conversation.
She led them to the same hallway where Jay’s room was. Cole’s bedroom was the first door on the right-hand side of the hall, decorated to look very much like all the other rooms at the monastery, save for the tapestry, of course, which was black and orange. Ann explained about the mealtimes and so forth, then bowed and was about to leave when Cole suddenly asked,
“Ann Jing, when will I speak with Master Wu?”
“Master Wu has yet to return from his journey; but I assure you that you will see him when the time is right. No sooner, no later,” said Ann.
“Well that’s sorta vague,” Cole replied.
Ann shrugged. “I suppose.” He gave her a smile and she returned with a nod.
‘Perhaps there’s hope for these boys after all,’ Ann thought as she made her way back to her own room. At least one of them seemed combat ready so far, but she tried to remain optimistic. After all, there were two more elementals yet to come—surely at least one of them had potential like Cole.
Once again, life continued in much the same way for Ann as it always had—early mornings, long runs, breakfast, training, lunch, study, more training, dinner, then bed.
Cole and Jay had met at lunch the very day that Cole had arrived. They talked some during meals, sharing about their lives and revealing how strange they thought this whole situation was, but Ann could tell that there was something else on Cole’s mind that he wasn’t saying, and which left him deeply troubled.
* * *
breath in... breath out... breathe in... breath out... breath in—
“Hey, Ann! Whatcha doing?”
Ann sucked in that last breath very sharply and let it out like a deflating ballon. “Keaton! What have I told you about interrupting my meditation?” Ann chastised.
“Sorry,” Keaton said quietly.
Keaton was Ann’s little sister. She was a very skinny twelve-year-old, with dark brown hair done up in twin half-buns, pale green eyes, tan skin, and very little discipline.
“I just got back and thought you’d like to see me,” Keaton continued. She smiled coyly.
Ann’s smile was weak as she got up to stand. “Of course, how silly of me. It’s good to see you again.” She hugged her sister gently. “Now, report!”
Keaton practically jumped with excitement. “Yes, Captain Ma’am, sir, Ma’am!” she cried. Ann cringed, but let it slide. “No unusual activity to report! Garmadon’s forces remain at the Jade river, and they’re not moving.” Ann rested her chin in her palm and began pacing. “So, is that good, or bad?” Keaton asked.
“I’m not sure,” said Ann. “It could mean a lot of things...”
The sound of their voices was lost in the vast, open room in the centre of that particular building, and Ann’s pacing began to make the wooden floorboards creek. She knew that at first glance this was fine—after all, it meant no bloodshed for the time being—but if they weren’t advancing, that meant that they must be planning something else. Either a way to get around their forces or.... get to the weapons....
Ann shook her head. Wu would make sure that that never happened. She just needed to be patient, like he had taught her.
“Never mind all that, now,” Ann said, turning back to her sister. “It’s about time we return to our usual lessons.”
Keaton smiled as she followed Ann out of the large room and into of the gardens. There was a small waterfall which fed into a thin stream; it snaked its way through the rocks and bushes of the garden, passing through a tranquil coy pond, until disappearing behind a vast array of trees. They followed a stone path leading to a bridge over the water and stepped onto the soft grass next to the snake-like stream. Both girls took a similar stance and breathed in slowly.
“Now, Keaton—“ said Ann.
“But Ann-Ji, can’t you go first? You always do the prettiest tricks!” Keaton begged. Ann sighed, partly in frustration, partly in flattery.
“All right,” she said, giving in to Keaton’s puppy dog eyes.
Ann placed her right foot out diagonally and raised her arms; she bent down on her outstretched leg, and her arms followed, then she put her weight back on her left foot, straightening, and her arms went up in a wave-like motion. She did this three times, and as she moved, there was a disturbance in the creek. Keaton awed as a steady stream of glistening water rose up and hovered between Ann’s hands, sunlight bouncing off of the many angles it morphed in between. With a flick of her fingers the water split into five sections and morphed into translucent butterflies that flirted around Keaton’s head. Then, Ann placed her right foot behind her and held her arms steady, outstretched.
“It’s so pretty!” Keaton cried, clapping her hands in excitement. Ann smiled.
She lifted her left hand, causing the water together and causing it to elongate, and as she stepped forward, she waved her hand, sending the water curving backward. With one final motion down, the water returned to the stream, as if it had never left.
As Keaton looked down at where it had been, she said, “I wish I could control water.”
Ann stopped cold and watched her sister carefully. A deep pain rose up in her chest. “Keaton, your power is amazing, too,” she said quietly. “In fact, I’m jealous of you. Being able to ride on the wind, and create tornados? That is an exceptional power.” She stood next to her sister and laid a hand on her shoulder.
“I know you’re just saying that,” Keaton replied sadly. “But thanks.” She turned and gave her a big hug.
“Now,” said Ann, clearing her throat and pulling away. “Onto your training. Show me you’ve been practising.”
She stepped back, giving Keaton some space to work. The young girl planted her feet firmly beneath her, her arms resting at her sides. Then she brought her hands up and around, creating two imaginary circles that intersected. When her arms were level again, she pulled them apart from each other and a strong breeze could be felt blowing from the space in front of her. She moved her hands around it as if it were a ball of clay that she was moulding. Then, adjusting her stance, she reached both forward and sent a strong gust of wind shooting up, past the walls of the garden, and into the sky. Then she returned to her original stance, taking a deep breath as she went, and fell still.
She turned back to her sister suddenly, beaming with pride. Ann smiled back and said, “All right, yes, we’re all very impressed. Come on. Next set.”
Ann stood next to her sister now, and they both began to move through a set of motions which their Sensei Wu had mapped out for them. They had the same basic flow, but differences that accommodated their element more specifically; that way they could train together more easily.
Every day, especially when they were together, they would come out to the garden to train like this. It used to be more fun when they were younger, but as of the last six years it’d been harder to find something to smile about. Keaton never stopped trying to keep things optimistic, though. It was something that Ann both admired and resented.
“So, who are the two new boys?” Keaton asked after a while.
“They are two of the Elemental Masters. Now focus,” Ann ordered.
“Elemental Masters?!” Keaton cried, stopping mid-movement. “Which elements? Are they really powerful? Will they wield the golden weapons?”
“Keaton, calm down!” Ann snapped. “I know about as much you do. Sensei Wu will tell us what we need to know when we need to know it. Now hush.” Keaton’s face fell and she went back to practise.
Truth be told, Ann was just as eager to know the answers to those questions, but she was better at controlling herself. Over the years, she had tried to be a positive influence for Keaton by showing her how to be disciplined and hard working, but almost nothing she did seemed to make an impact; nothing could crush her joyful and child-like enthusiasm.
No more was said between them as they trained. Before long, the sky was turning red with the coming night, and Ann was eating dinner while Keaton, who sat beside her, tried her best not to stare at Cole and Jay who sat farther down at another table. Ann gave Keaton a subtle nudge with her elbow when the staring continued for far longer than it needed to.
A messenger suddenly walked into the room, making a beeline for Ann. He leaned down and whispered in her ear, “Another man at the gate.” Ann nodded to him and rose from her mat when Keaton jumped up and excitedly whispered that she wanted to come too. Ann told her to stay put. She sat down again, but she was visibly unhappy about it.
When Ann opened the gates for a third time she met Zane; tall, fit, and very defined. He had short blonde hair, ice blue eyes, and wore a cool grey turtleneck sweater, blue jeans, and across his body was strapped a large, tan messenger bag. Greetings were exchanged, then Ann welcomed him in, customarily checking the suspicious outside world, and then the gates were closed once again.
Ann watched Zane closely as she showed him to his room—which was right across from Cole’s. He walked with a sense of caution, always hesitating before the next room. He was watching her suspiciously, too. Like he was excepting her to leap at him and attack at any moment. When she offered to show him to the dining room where dinner was being served, he declined politely, saying that he wasn’t hungry. Ann bowed and left.
He was definitely a very curious fellow, but Ann’s final assessment of him was that he would make a fine soldier.
Keaton pelted Ann with questions when she returned to the dining room, but she refused to talk about it while there were other people around. So she tried again as they walked together to their bedroom, and Ann, very tired and very annoyed, did her best to answer all of her questions.
Ann had just laid a hand on her bedroom door when a guard came up behind her and said to both of the girls, “Master Wu has returned. He’s in his study.”
Without a second’s hesitation, both of them bolted down the hall. The sun had completely vanished, and their only guide in the darkness were candles and moonlight.
“Sensei Wu,” said Ann, breathlessly, as she stepped into his study and bowed. Keaton followed suit after closing the door behind them.
Wu’s study was fairly small compared to other rooms at the monastery. Bookshelves covered some of the walls, and there was one, low, square table in the middle of the floor, with four cushions set at every side. A steaming tea pot was always seen on top of the table, Wu’s one great love.
The old man was standing, looking out of the eastern window and frowning. He nodded to his students respectfully, but didn’t say or do anything for a long while. He seemed, to Ann, very tired.
“Sensei?” Ann asked.
He breathed in deeply before saying, “Have all three boys arrived?”
“Three? Aren’t there supposed to be four?” Keaton asked. Ann shot her a look to quiet her, but she probably would have asked the very same thing if Keaton hadn't beaten her to it.
“Yes, Sensei,” Ann blurted. “Cole Becket, Jay Walker, and Zane Julien, have all arrived.”
“Very good,” he replied quietly. “And yes, little one. There are meant to be four, but that is precisely what troubles me.” He turned to face them with a grave expression. “The final elemental resides in Garmadon’s Territory.”
“What can we do?” asked Ann.
“There is only one thing we can do. We must extract him. But we must wait until conditions are right,” he went on.
“I will send scouts to monitor the area, should any opportunities present themselves,” Ann said confidently.
“Very good.” Wu sat down on one of the cushions and sighed. In the dim firelight he seemed to age a thousand years.
“Is that all, Sensei?”
“Yes. You may go now. Rest. We have much to do tomorrow.”
Ann Jing bowed to her Sensei and then left him, Keaton followed at her heels. They walked slower this time to their room, and when they passed through one of the courtyards, Ann stopped for a moment, letting the cold night air sting her nose.
“What is it?” Keaton asked quietly.
Ann looked around at the still and tranquil place. There was a chill riding up her spine as she thought about the coming days. “Nothing,” she finally said.
“Hey, it’s okay to be a little scared,” Keaton comforted. Ann looked down at her sister with wide eyes. She looked back with nothing but compassion.
She smiled. “Thanks, Keaton, but you don’t have to worry about me. I’ll be fine. Come on. You need your rest.”
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